As the United States enters into a period of hyper-accountability for sins of the past and present, it is becoming nearly impossible to watch the nightly news without encountering a story about either a virtual mob threatening the jobs of the living with whom they morally disagree or a literal mob toppling the statues of the dead from whom they ideologically depart. Read more from Ryan Bilodeau >
Author: Ryan Bilodeau
Ryan Bilodeau is the owner of the Catholic blog Prayer to Pen.
A Theology of Suffering: The Coronavirus
The coronavirus causes us to confront, yet again, the problem of evil, and to ask why God permits such suffering. Read more of Ryan Bilodeau’s Catholic thoughts here …
The Coronavirus and a Sacramental Recession
These days it seems like we are undergoing as much of a sacramental recession as we are an economic one. At a time when COVID-19 has rendered our priests’ public appearances relegated mostly to television, debates about how to deal with this crisis are being waged among Catholic bloggers and Bishops alike. Has COVID-19 resulted in a sacramental as well as economic recession? What is the relationship between the sacraments and our salvation?
To Have and to … Quarantine? Getting Married During a Pandemic
Letting friends and family know our wedding ceremony this June will now have to be private in light of the coronavirus has been a sad and disappointing undertaking. But it has also put for us the sacrament of marriage in perspective. The reality is that matrimony isn’t ultimately about the pomp and circumstance humans create, but what God divinely creates in us as a couple. Read more from Ryan Bilodeau here
The Eucharist as the Real Presence of Jesus
The Eucharist as the real presence of Jesus Christ body and blood, and not just a representative thereof, is an issue debated since the beginning of the Church. For Catholics this debate is not one from which we should run. Without a proper understanding of the Eucharist, after all, one cannot properly understand the liturgy. Continue reading on Prayer to Pen Catholic Blog
Dealing with Loss at the Holidays
The loss of loved-ones is especially difficult at the holidays for believers and non-believers alike. But what if, assisted by our faith, we re-conceptualize the way we look at missing those who have gone to God before us? What if we can turn our grief into joy?
What Weekly Sports Leagues Say About This Generation’s Ability to Commit
Fantasy sports leagues are now allowing players to pick a different teams each week in order to maximize the chance of success. If you think this model mimics contemporary approaches to dating, marriage and friendship, then you are right. Continue reading here…