Every now and then, someone sends me a URL pointing to some kind of abomination with a butchered movie running somewhere on basic cable or hidden deep inside the bowels of a streaming service website. It’s easy to mutter, “We live in a sinful, fallen world.” Frankly, it’s amazing that bored people handling off-hour broadcasts don’t fall asleep at key switches more often...

Have you ever met someone and immediately liked them? Why such a good first impression? Afterward you realized: She was interested in you. She genuinely liked hearing about the bits and pieces of who you are. Your mother-in-law believes your parenting could use some adjustment. She comments and corrects, each time you listen slower and argue faster...

A rise in executions in the United States in 2025 occurred alongside “shifting public opinion” against the death penalty, offering anti-death-penalty advocates a hopeful sign going into 2026 even amid high levels of capital punishment. The Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit group that tracks and catalogs executions in the United States...

In 2025, 3,176,620 people were present for papal audiences and liturgies in the Vatican. That's according to figures disclosed by the Prefecture of the Papal Household, which include General, Jubilee, and special audiences; liturgical celebrations; and the recitation of the Angelus...

It takes a lot of money to run a parish or diocese. Personnel, property, and insurance costs quickly add up, no matter where you live. But few dioceses have a budget line for snowmobiles and bush plane flights, or operating costs for remote parishes that cannot be accessed by road. The Diocese of Fairbanks has that. Spanning the northern 409,849 square miles of Alaska...

Feast date: Jan 11

Born to a pious family in 423 A.D., Theodosius began his studies at an early age, and became a lector while still an adolescent. The example of Abraham led him to leave home in order to properly follow God. He met Saint Simeon Stylites in Antioch, and Simeon recognized him as a holy man and leader, and invited Theodosius onto his pillar for prayer, blessing, and advice. He then traveled to Jerusalem where legend says he worked with Saint Longinus, who would have been nearly 500 years old at the time. After a time, he was given charge of a small church near Bethlehem, however his time there did not last long.

Dreading the vanity that comes from the esteem of men and unable to live in solitude with the multitude of admirers, he retired to a cave in the desert of Judah where he led a hermit's life. Word of his holiness began to attract disciples, and Theodosius built a monastery at Cathismus to house them. So many came that there had to be sections built for Greeks, for Armenians, for Persions, etc., but they all happily worked and prayed together. Next to the monastery he built a hospital for the sick, a hospice for the aged, and a mental hospital. He became a friend of and co-worker with Saint Sabbas, and was later appointed visitor to all cenobitical communities of Palestine, the patriarch of Jerusalem.

He opposed heresies, including Eutychianism and Monophysitism. Emperor Anastatius, a supporter of Eutychianism, once sent Theodosius a large bribe, hoping to sway the influential monk to his thinking, however Theodosius distributed the money to the poor, and continued to preach against heresy. Because of his orthodox views, Anastatius removed him from his position in 513, but he soon resumed his duties under emperor Justinian.

He continued to work until his health gave out, and spent the rest of his time praying for his community. He died at the age of 105.

Did you know that an exorcism is performed with something as common as the rite of baptism?

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Pope Leo XIV met with thousands of Roman young people in Paul VI Audience Hall last evening (video) and told them that his greatest wish for them is holiness.

After greeting young people who would follow the event on screens outside, Pope Leo entered the hall, listened to remarks from Cardinal Baldassare Reina (his vicar general for Rome) and heard questions from young people about loneliness, dissatisfaction, and boredom.

The Pope spoke about the importance of drawing near to our neighbor, as God draws near to us. He also advised:

First of all, pray. This is the most concrete act that the Christian does for the good of those around him, of himself and of the whole world. Praying is an act of freedom, which breaks the chains of boredom, pride and indifference.

To set the world on fire, an ardent heart is needed! And God kindles the fire when we pray, especially when we receive him and adore him in the Eucharist, when we encounter him in the Gospel, when we sing of him in the Psalms. Thus he renders us capable of being the light of the world and the salt of the earth.