catholic values column
Catholic Values Column: Jean Vanier and the problem with ‘living saints’
ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER CATHOLIC VALUES COLUMNIST The legacy of another so-called modern–day saint went up in flames Saturday, when it was revealed that Jean Vanier, a proponent for individuals with disabilities who died last May, lived a public life of deceit. Vanier, seen by many as a saint during his 90 years, manipulated at least six women into having […]
Memento Mori: A call to martyrdom?
ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER CATHOLIC VALUES COLUMNIST “Frater, memento mori.” “Brother, remember your death.” This phrase can be traced back to a group called the Hermits of St. Paul in France, who were known to begin each conversation with it – a constant reminder of their impending demise and a call to be prepared for it when the time comes. What a thought, isn’t it? Just imagine recalling a […]
Catholic Values Column: Leisure, the basis of a college career
ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER CATHOLIC VALUES COLUMNIST It was at some point last semester, probably early October, that I realized just how much I’d squandered my time at Franciscan University of Steubenville in my three-plus years on this hill. It was a Friday, and I had planned to attend the 4:45 p.m. Mass with some friends, followed by a […]
Catholic Values Column: Pachamama
ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER CATHOLIC VALUES COLUMNIST If people are surprised, or even frustrated, that I’m dedicating yet another column to current events in the Vatican, it’s okay. So am I. I wanted to spend this column reflecting on cheerier Catholic topics, like what I’ve learned this semester about the absolute primacy of Christ or, my personal favorite, […]
Catholic Values Column: Germany’s bishops are destroying their Church
ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER CATHOLIC VALUES COLUMNIST If Pope Francis is worried about an entire country’s bishops not acting in communion with Rome, something is definitely wrong. Yet that’s where Germany’s bishops find themselves today, toeing the line between giving each other advice and changing the Catholic Church for the worse. Francis condemned Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop […]
Catholic Values Column: Stop talking about rights and values
ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER CATHOLIC VALUES COLUMNIST Values and rights — we hear those terms thrown around often, especially in political discourse. Whether it’s conservatives standing up for “traditional family values” or liberals advocating for “reproductive rights,” it’s nearly impossible to discuss these and other topics without invoking “this value” or “that right.” But has anyone actually ever changed someone […]
Catholic Values Column: Regarding Susan from the Parish Council
ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER CATHOLIC VALUES COLUMNIST If you haven’t already heard of Susan from the Parish Council, that’s a shame. I can’t remember exactly when she became a social media trend, but in a much more real sense, she has been a trend in the universal Church for the past several decades. For those of you […]
Catholic Value Column: The power of nightly prayer
ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER CATHOLIC VALUES COLUMNIST They say nothing good happens after 2 a.m., but I heartily disagree. As a matter of fact, I believe that some of the best good we can do spiritually happens at night. We all know the power of prayer, but something many people don’t know is the particular power of […]
Catholic Values Column: A time to confess
ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER CATHOLIC VALUES COLUMNIST By the time this column goes to print, we will be well into the penitential season of Lent. Most of us are doing some sort of act to help up prepare for Easter, usually along the lines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. All these things, when done for the right […]
Catholic Values Column: Prayers for McCarrick
ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER CATHOLIC VALUES COLUMNIST Last Saturday morning, the first thing I saw online was the news that Ted McCarrick, former cardinal and disgraced archbishop of Washington, D.C., had become the first American bishop and cardinal to be defrocked, or removed from the clerical state. It really hit me when I read the New York […]