catholic – Kenrick Vaz

St. Joseph

Everything we know about St. Joseph comes from scripture. We know he was a carpenter, a working man, for the skeptical Nazarenes ask about Jesus, “Is this not the carpenter’s son?” (Matthew 13:55). He wasn’t rich for when he took Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised and Mary to be purified he offered theContinue reading “St. Joseph”

St. Andrew

St. Andrew, also called Saint Andrew the Apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and the brother of St. Peter. He is the patron saint of Scotland and of Russia. In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), Peter and Andrew—whose Greek name means “manly”—were called from their fishing by Jesus to follow him, promising that he would make them “fishers of men.” With Saints Peter, James,Continue reading “St. Andrew”

Feast of St. John Paul II

Pope Francis canonized Saint John Paul II with Saint John XXIII in the Vatican City on April 27, 2014, a Divine Mercy Sunday, an observance that he established on April 30, 2000. October 22 was chosen as his feast day to remember the anniversary of the liturgical inauguration of his Papacy in 1978. Saint JohnContinue reading “Feast of St. John Paul II”

Amazing Facts about St. Luke

On October 18, the Church will celebrate the Feast of Saint Luke, one of the four evangelists, or Gospel writers. We will look at five unique facts about Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel. Luke was a physician Prior to and during his time as a leader in the early Church, Saint LukeContinue reading “Amazing Facts about St. Luke”

Feast of the Archangels

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that, “The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls “angels” is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition” (#328). Angels are pure, created spirits. The name angel means servant or messenger of God. Angels are celestialContinue reading “Feast of the Archangels”

Who is St. John Marie Vianney?

Known as the “Curé d’Ars”, Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney was born on 8 May 1786 in France in the town of Dardilly, near Lyons. His devout Catholic parents were farmers, and from an early age, John worked in the fields. Without formal education, as a young man he was functionally illiterate; but thanks to his mother’s teaching,Continue reading “Who is St. John Marie Vianney?”

How Easter’s Date is Determined

Without a doubt one of the most important celebrations in the Christian calendar, Easter is a holiday that celebrates the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. After his crucifixion, death, and burial, three days later, He rose from the grave. By this, He conquered death and redeemed us from sin. Easter is a “lunar feast” or aContinue reading “How Easter’s Date is Determined”

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday is the day in the Christian liturgical calendar that celebrates the 40-hour-long vigil that the followers of Jesus Christ held after his death and burial on Good Friday and before his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Holy Saturday is the last day of Lent and of Holy Week, and the third day of the Easter Triduum. In the second century,Continue reading “Holy Saturday”

What’s So Good about Good Friday?

What is Good Friday and why do we call Good Friday “good” when it is such a dark and bleak event commemorating a day of suffering and death for Jesus? Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, is the Christian holy day to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus and His death at Calvary. It is alsoContinue reading “What’s So Good about Good Friday?”

Five things to know about Maundy Thursday

Christians today observe Maundy Thursday, which commemorates the Last Supper and Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. It is possibly one of the most important, complex, and profound days of celebration in the Catholic Church. Maundy Thursday celebrates the institution of the Eucharist as the true body and blood of Jesus Christ and theContinue reading “Five things to know about Maundy Thursday”