Catholic Voices

Sacred Ground - A cloud of witnesses: Seattle’s Calvary Cemetery

Catholic cemeteries bear witness to ‘the sure and certain hope’ of the resurrection

By Corinna Laughlin

Calvary Cemetery in north Seattle, established in 1889, is one of the oldest Catholic cemeteries in Western Washington. Thousands are buried here, some beneath grand monuments in granite or marble, most beneath simpler markers, with inscriptions in English, Russian, Chinese and many other languages. Some stones bear the record of religious vocation, military service or career; others remind us only that the deceased was a beloved mother or father, wife or husband, son or daughter.

Why we need spiritual discernment

Original sin ruptured our relationship with God, but God has a rescue plan

By Father William M. Watson

St. Ignatius lived for 30 years with his lower appetites in near complete control of his life. His awakening was guided by God and began while recuperating from an injury suffered in battle. During his recovery Ignatius was graced to notice a difference between two sets of fantasies or daydreams.

Remembering the dead in prayer

By Sister Ann Shields

November marks the end of the Year of Faith proclaimed by Pope Benedict. This month gives us at least two wonderful opportunities to grow in faith and to remember in prayer our departed sisters and brothers.

Encountering the spiritual world

By Father William M. Watson

In last month’s column we examined how our spirit, body and God’s grace compose a holy trinity at work in us. All three parts working cooperatively are necessary for holiness and human growth.

What do we mean by hope?

By Sister Ann Shields

Through the gift of faith we believe that Christ died for us. Christ died for each of us — not for billions, but for each one of us in particular. You and I have no power to save ourselves for eternal life. Only God, in Christ, in his infinite mercy, can do that for us. When you decide to believe this truth and put your will behind it, then hope begins to spring up in your spirit and in your heart and mind. If God is who he says he is, if he has made a way for me to eventually dwell with him forever in eternal happiness, then my hope is based on a solid foundation.

Other Voices - The path to highway holiness

Vatican’s ‘Ten Commandments for Driving’ aim to put Christian drivers behind the wheel

By Jan Alkire

The priest stood frowning before his congregation. He had dealt with limited space in the church parking lot by hiring an off-duty police officer to direct traffic between Masses. Now there was a different problem:

“Quit making obscene gestures at that police officer when you leave church!” he said. 
“What will people think?”

Entering the school of discernment

By Father William M. Watson

The biblical account of paradise in Genesis not only presents the scriptural starting point for human history, it also pro-vides an opening to understand our life as a sacred story.

How to choose God’s way

By Sister Ann Shields

Mercy is part of the revelation of who God is. It is essential to understand it (as far as we are able) because Jesus has asked us: Love one another as I have loved you. (See John 15:12 and Luke 6:27)