Author: Fr. John Waiss

Fr. John Waiss

Father John Waiss is the pastor of St. Mary of the Angels Church in Chicago, Illinois. He is also a member of Opus Dei, the prelature founded by St. Josemaria Escriva.

Honoring Our Merciful Father

June 18, 2024June 17, 2024 Articles, Catechesis

We honor our parents not because they give us what we want but because they represent our merciful God who gives us his loving and life-giving Spirit: What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will […]

Suffering for Truth and Justice (Commandment 8)

June 17, 2024June 13, 2024 Articles, Catechesis

Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:10). Pope Francis notes: Unless we wish to sink into an obscure mediocrity, let us not long for an easy life, for “whoever would save his life will lose it” (Matthew 16:25). In living the Gospel, we cannot […]

Love Rejoices with Others

June 4, 2024May 31, 2024 Articles, Catechesis

In his famous discourse on love, St. Paul says that love “does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right” (1 Corinthians 13:6). Pope Francis comments on this: The expression chaírei epì te adikía has to do with a negativity lurking deep within a person’s heart. It is the toxic attitude of those who […]

Family Peace and Punishment

June 1, 2024May 28, 2024 Articles, Catechesis

Pope Francis reminds us that true love—essential for peace—“is not irritable” or easily provoked. [In St. Paul, irritable] refers to a violent reaction within, a hidden irritation that sets us on edge where others are concerned, as if they were troublesome or threatening and thus to be avoided. To nurture such interior hostility helps no […]

Love Excuses and Presumes Goodwill

May 30, 2024May 28, 2024 Articles, Faith and Spirituality

Blessed are the Merciful… and Peacemakers. How can you make peace in the world (or in the family, workplace, nation, etc.) if we are not merciful, especially if we hold on to resentments and hurts? As St. Paul reminds us, in his Canticle of Love, that love “is not irritable or resentful” (1 Corinthians 13:5). […]

May, Month of Mary

May 14, 2024May 14, 2024 Articles, Faith and Spirituality

During the month of May, which the Church dedicates to Mary, if we look around the world, we see many people sharing their love for Mary by going to visit shrines dedicated to her, saying the Rosary, etc. All of her privileges come from the fact that she is the Mother of God. As he […]

The Universal Destination of Creation and the Common Good

April 30, 2024April 26, 2024 Articles, Family and Kids

The Common Good is the good of the whole human family. When a couple marries, the individual spouses no longer seek each one’s individual good independent of the other but must pursue the good of the marriage, the couple, and the family they form. The same is true for the city, state, nation, the Church, […]

Blessed the Peacemaker (Commandment 7)

April 22, 2024April 24, 2024 Articles, Faith and Spirituality

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God (Matthew 5:9). Peacemakers love peace, working to heal discord between people and to reconcile sinners estranged from God. “Sowing peace all around us: that is holiness” (Gaudete et Exsultate, 89). Peace is innate to man’s vocation, felt in our natural desire and aspiration […]

Marital Lies and Mortal Sins

April 16, 2024April 25, 2024 Articles, Family and Kids

Married persons also need a pure heart to avoid sins against the sixth beatitude, by using marital relations in a disordered way by putting limits or conditions on their total, unconditional self-giving. This breaks and distorts the image of God’s total, unconditional self-giving in the Holy Trinity. The most common way is using contraception. What […]

Marital Love and Fidelity

April 9, 2024April 8, 2024 Articles, Faith and Spirituality

Purity of heart is essential for a relationship with God, especially since the pure union of a man and woman in a lifelong marriage reflects God’s image and likeness as a Trinity of persons. All sinful lust distorts marriage and thus distorts God’s image and likeness; and we cannot see God through a distorted image. […]

Extramarital Lies

March 25, 2024March 25, 2024 Articles, Catechesis

NOTE: This article features some sensitive topics that may not be suitable for younger readers. Please use discretion. Often young people challenge the Church: “Why must we wait until we are married to have sex? When I hear such questions I like to ask: “Why would you want to?” The young people are taken aback […]

Eyes Ordered for Love

March 16, 2024March 18, 2024 Articles, Faith and Spirituality

Our Lord links the beatitude, Blessed are the pure in heart, to the sixth and ninth commandments— Thou shalt not commit adultery nor covet thy neighbor’s wife. As Christ says: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that every one who looks lustfully at a […]

Bringing Christ to the world through the media

Latest Podcasts