Aug

7

Catholicism in China

August 7, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Ten thousand Chinese become Christians each day, according to a stunning report by the National Catholic Reporter’s veteran correspondent John Allen, and 200 million Chinese may comprise the world’s largest concentration of Christians by mid-century, and the largest missionary force in history.  If you read a single news article about China this year, make sure [...]

Aug

7

Solitude

August 7, 2007 | Leave a Comment

If I have the will to stay in solitude,
confusing ideas, disturbing images,
wild fantasies
jump about in my mind
like monkeys in a banana tree.
Anger and greed and pride
and lust and envy and laziness
show their ugly faces. …
The task is to persevere in Solitude
until my seductive visitors
get tired of pounding at my door
and leave me alone.
 by Henri Nouwen

Aug

7

Saint Sixtus II and Companions

August 7, 2007 | Leave a Comment

The Roman emperors who persecuted Christians were trying to wipe out belief in Jesus and a religion they hated and feared. Although they did not know it, every time they murdered a saint, they gave Christians one more reason for belief. From the bloody Roman persecutions came the martyrs. The martyrs’ gift of faithfulness to [...]