Echoes - A forum of Catholic thought. The Opinion section of thebostonpilot.com

May 18, 2018Faith

In 2011, Cardinal Seán wrote a pastoral letter on evangelization entitled, "A New Pentecost: Inviting All To Follow Jesus." While written prior to initiating Disciples in Mission, this pastoral letter ...

Culture & Events

Federal cuts could force thousands in Mass. To go hungryDebbie Rambo

This month, I'd like to focus on an issue that is omnipresent in our work at Catholic Charities -- food insecurity. We feed over 100,000 people in Massachusetts each year through our food pantries, but ...

Faith & Family

A New Wind: Reflecting on Pentecost SundayScott Hahn

The giving of the Spirit to the new people of God crowns the mighty acts of the Father in salvation history. The Jewish feast of Pentecost called all devout Jews to Jerusalem to celebrate their birth ...

Faith & Family

Out of the frying panJaymie Stuart Wolfe

''I baptize you with water," John preached along the Jordan. "But the one coming after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." We hear that Gospel in Advent, a time of year when it seems ...

Spirituality

Tom Evans' sonMichael Pakaluk

There is a great, old tradition in Catholicism of celebrating a Requiem Mass about one month after someone's passing, the "Month's Mind." Since Alfie Evans died on April 28, we can fittingly remember ...

Faith & Family

The life-changing power of joyOlivia Clarke Silver

When you're in your 20s and 30s, you often feel invincible -- like there's so much time to make mistakes because you'll fix them tomorrow. It's easy to boast that this is the time to do whatever you want. But ...

Faith & Family

'A Man of His Word'Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap.

I've always loved the movies. As a child, I dreamed of directing films. Obviously that didn't work out. Nonetheless, I've seen hundreds of them. Many, like the current release "A Quiet Place," have been ...

Culture & Events

We Need a Lawyer!Father James J. Ronan

There are all kinds of lawyer stories and jokes and a lot of them are good. Some of them use different words to describe a lawyer like "mouthpiece", "counselor", "defender" and "advocate". We all know ...

Faith & Family

Response to helping beggarsFather Kenneth Doyle

(Editor's Note: Recently, a reader asked whether motorists should stop to give money to those begging on street corners. While acknowledging the traffic safety concerns, I confessed that I myself find ...