ADVENT REFLECTIONS Look down from Heaven and see Where is your zeal and your might Will you refuse your mercy to us You were always called Our Redeemer Why Lord do you let us wander from your ways And let our hearts grow too hard to fear you Return Lord to your servants O

St Augustine underlined the supreme value of a prayer which is brief and from the heart It is a prayer of desire as much as of word he likens this kind of prayer to a dart speedily released to God It is with this kind of prayer in mind that this Advent blog has been created It will begin on

Father Jim Martin offers some parting thoughts on prayer in this last installment of his multi-part series You can view all of Father Jim s videos and other video segments on America s new YouTube page And keep an eye on The Good Word for video reflections on Advent and Christmas from the e

First Sunday of Advent These days most people keep vigils because they are anxious We wait in hospital corridors for news of a sick relative A parent stays up with an infant who may be teething or has a high temperature We might even sit by the phone waiting to be reassured that a loved one is s

Tune in below to see James T Keane S J offer some introductory reflections on the Advent season Check back in the coming weeks as our editors offer more video commentary on Advent and Christmas right here on The Good Word Tim Reidy

From CNS Bishops approve section of missal translation rejected in June By Nancy Frazier O Brien Catholic News Service BALTIMORE CNS -- Despite some continued criticism that the translation is plagued by obscure wording and sentences that are too long the U S bishops approved another lengthy

Another fall publishing season is upon us.

Richard H. Tierney and America's foray into politics

Meeting the Food Crisis Greater support for the world’s small farmers would enable them to produce more food in a sustainable manner and help address chronic hunger and malnutrition around the globe, the Vatican’s permanent observer to the United Nations said during a meeting of the worl