The Angelus also invites us to learn from Mary’s example of faith and trust in God. When the angel appeared to Mary, she did not know everything that awaited her. She could not have imagined all the sacrifices and sorrows she would experience as the mother of Jesus. Yet she trusted God and willingly accepted His plan.

Homily of Msgr. Gerard O'Connor, Rector of St. Mary's Cathedral in Portland, for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.

Eamon Duffy’s The Stripping of the Altars challenged the view that English Catholicism was in decline before the Reformation. Drawing on parish records, wills and church art, Duffy portrays a vibrant religious culture that was dismantled through royal policies and religious enforcement.