Many young Catholics I know were compelled to be confirmed by family members who felt the sacrament was important. My situation was the opposite—I was confirmed of my own volition.

For the early church, the reality of the Resurrection was central, not only in the structure of the liturgical celebration, but also in the pattern of the liturgical year. Easter was the greatest feast of the whole year.

To receive already baptized Christians into the church at the vigil may be well-intentioned, but liturgically speaking, it is akin to suggesting that the candidates were not actually Christians before being received into the church.

For Thanksgiving week, “Inside the Vatican” is bringing you a brief update on a few of the top Vatican stories.

I decided that the best way to gauge reactions to the film was to gather feedback from none other than my own Filipino-American family.