St. Anicetus is remembered not because he left behind dramatic writings or because his pontificate was filled with outward spectacle, but because in a moment of strain he helped the Church show her true face.

Saint Justin Martyr stands near the doorway of the early Church like a man holding both a book and a crown. He was a philosopher, a seeker, a defender of Christianity, and at last a martyr. His life has the drama of a soul that would not rest until it found the truth.

As we contemplate the Annunciation, may we marvel at the mystery of God becoming man for our salvation.

Fr. Scott Haynes St Gabriel is the Fortitudo Dei (Strength of God) and is one of the three archangels mentioned in the Bible. Only four appearances of Gabriel are recorded: 1) In Daniel 8, he explains the vision of the horned ram as portending the destruction of the Persian Empire by the Macedonian Alexander the Great, after whose death the kingdom will be divided up among his generals, from one of whom will spring Antiochus Epiphanes. 2) In chapter 9, after Daniel had praye

Fr. Scott Haynes The Trial of St. Joan of Arc A Meditation on Psalm 31 “You will free me from the snare they set for me, for you are my refuge… Into your hands I commend my spirit.” Psalm 31 is not a quiet prayer written from the safety of a peaceful chapel. It is the cry of someone hunted, slandered, encircled by enemies who whisper and conspire. The psalmist hears the murmurs before he sees the danger. He senses that forces are gathering against him. His name is being discu