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

April 19, 2024Faith

Jesus, in today's Gospel, says that He is the good shepherd the prophets had promised to Israel. He is the shepherd-prince, the new David -- who frees people from bondage to sin and gathers them ...

Spirituality

Physician-assisted suicide is a slippery slopeCardinal Seán P. O’Malley

It has been said that at the heart of the physician-assisted suicide debate is the moral-medical distinction between curing and caring for patients. The United States has an unmatched capacity for curing ...

Culture & Events

See you in the storyLaura Kelly Fanucci

My son stands in the center of his bedroom, wailing to the heavens while his sleepy brothers tuck into bunk beds. Tonight, there has been no time for stories, since the family party ran late. But I hadn't ...

Culture & Events

Boston and the nation respond to the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906Thomas Lester

In the early morning hours of April 18, 1906, Californians were awoken by what the U.S. Geological Survey calls "one of the most significant earthquakes of all time." Several shocks occurred throughout ...

Faith & Family

The Fight for Our FaithMaureen Crowley Heil

What would you do if you were told you couldn't attend Mass anymore? Or that your children couldn't attend school unless they took instruction in another religion? What if local governmental authorities ...

Spirituality

No line-drawingMichael Pakaluk

A good way to grasp the central idea of "Infinite Dignity," the recent Declaration of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, is to set down this rule: if we are engaged in any project of line-drawing ...

Faith & Family

Popular devotions and the liturgyFather Robert M. O’Grady

Recently, I was asked, "Is the Easter Bunny pagan?" Apparently, some priest told this individual that the Easter Bunny was pagan, and so should not be in Catholic environs. I had never heard of this, ...

Faith & Family

Scripture Reflection for April 21, 2024, Fourth Sunday of EasterJem Sullivan

Acts 4:8-12 Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29 1 Jn 3:1-2 Jn 10:11-18 Throughout 2,000 years of Christian history, artistic expressions of faith can always be found. From the rustic art of the ...

Faith & Family

Is there still responsibility for past sins after confession?Jenna Marie Cooper

Q: I have a confession question. I have heard that past sins, either venial or mortal, even after confessing them stay with you somewhat and only "really" get dismissed after your soul is scrubbed clean ...