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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.

"Since the GIRM is very specific that the priest is instructed by the GIRM (152) to extend his hands when he prays the Lord’s Prayer, for the deacons or the laity to extend their hands would be adding to the liturgy. Therefore, the practice of the lay faithful extending their hands (or holding hands) during the Our Father should not be done."

The November edition of the Divine Worship Newsletter explores the meaning of the Papal Blessing, the proper use of the orans posture during Mass, and the Church’s teaching on the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Readers will also discover the history of St. Mary’s Cathedral as it celebrates its centennial, the significance of its sacred murals, the traditional prayer of the Angelus, and the insights of historian Eamon Duffy on the English Reformation. The issue concludes with reflections on prayer inspired by Dom Hubert van Zelle

On the Solemnity of All Saints, Archbishop Alexander Sample reflects on the saints as our friends and intercessors, and as witnesses to the eternal life for which God made all of us. Their example reminds us that holiness is not reserved for a few: each of us is called to become a saint.

Every month, Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty, reflects on a pertinent topic related to religious freedom in the United States. Sign up for the First Freedom News newsletter to receive monthly reflections from Archbishop Sample.