On Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, stirring them to action. He doesn’t come by some momentary action but continues to manifest himself in our hearts in various ways. One of those ways is his work in our conscience, moving us to choose good and avoid evil. Conscience is a wonderful gift whereby […]Read more

We are preparing for the feast of Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit. Let’s do so praying that the whole Church—and each one of us—be open to his inspiration. Our Lord’s mention of a sin that will not be forgiven and some find this disturbing: “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will […]Read more

We classify an action by its object (its objective essence). When an action’s object is evil—such as murder, the killing of an innocent human being—it is morally evil to do it. A particular choice can also be evil in its subjective dimension (motive or intention) or when circumstances (or accidents) make the choice evil. A […]Read more

Not everything unlawful is a sin, as Jesus clearly points out: “Hear  and  understand:  not  what  goes  into  the  mouth  defiles  a man,  but  what  comes  out  of  the  mouth… [as]  what  comes  out  of  the mouth  proceeds  from  the  heart,  and  this  defiles  a  man.  For  out  of  the heart  come  evil  thoughts, murder,  […]Read more

Our human dignity consists in being loved as God’s own sons and daughters, free to love in return. As Fr. Fernando Ocáriz relates: Our divine filiation enables our freedom to expand with all the strength that God has bestowed on it. It is not by emancipating ourselves from the Father’s house that we become free, […]Read more

I thought it would be worthwhile to return to Pope Francis’ wonderful Apostolic Exhortation On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World—Gaudete et Exsultate, because this should be the goal of each one of us, as well as for the whole Church: holiness means the happiness that comes from union with God that reaches its […]Read more