Here, some special indulgences that are available to us during the Holy Week Holy Thursday1. “Down in Adoration Falling” (Tantum ergo) (Roman Breviary) PLENARY INDULGENCE when recited on Holy Thursday2. A PLENARY INDULGENCE is granted to those who visit the Most Blessed Sacrament for at least one half hour ( (together with the three prerequisites […] More
God created man and woman in His image so that they may be happy both in daily human life and as children of God, sharing in God’s life and finding fulfilment through an unselfish gift of themselves. But man, misled by the devil who made him doubt God’s word, decided to depend only on himself. […] More
What is a forced marriage? forced marriage happens when one or both participants are coerced into matrimony – without their free consent. They may have been emotionally blackmailed, physically threatened or abused. Forced marriages differ from arranged ones, which may have been set up by a relative or friend, but are willingly agreed to by […] More
Lord, teach us to not love only ourselves,to not love only those who are dear to us,to not love only those who love us. Teach us to think of Othersand love especially those whom no one loves. Lord, make us suffer the sufferings of others. Give us the grace to understand that in every moment,there […] More
Meruelo, Castro, Cota, Tapert AbstractSex hormones and white (and grey) matter in the limbic system, cortex and other brain regions undergo changes during adolescence. Some of these changes include ongoing white matter myelination and sexually dimorphic features in grey and white matter. Adolescence is also a period of vulnerability when many are first exposed to […] More
Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes in Couples with Infertility With and Without Assisted Reproductive Technology: With an Emphasis on US Population-Based Studies. Luke B. Abstract Infertility, defined as the inability to conceive within one year of unprotected intercourse, affects an estimated 80 million individuals worldwide, or 10-15 percent of couples of reproductive age. Assisted reproductive technology […] More
It is indeed a great trial for a couple to realize that there are difficulties for them to conceive a child. There are, in fact, very few couples who are completely sterile without any possibility of pregnancy, while some other couples, appoximately 10 %, are “hypo-fertile”, which means they will take longer to conceive a […] More
Substance use and misuse and suicidal thoughts and behaviors tend to co-occur. The purpose of this study was to examine whether (a) suicidal ideation and attempt are related to onset of alcohol, nicotine and cannabis use and dependence; (b) early use of alcohol, nicotine and cannabis is associated with onset of suicidal ideation and attempt; […] More
The relationship between religion and gambling has only rarely been investigated in sociology and related fields. Prior studies have found that religion, broadly defined, deters gambling, with different religious traditions exhibiting varying degrees of deterrence. Our study, a quantitative analysis of a recent representative sample of U.S. adults, theorizes and tests how three different dimensions […] More
O Risen Christ,You breathe your Holy Spirit on usand you tell us: ‘Peace be yours’.Opening ourselves to your peace –letting it penetrate the harsh and rocky ground of our hearts –means preparing ourselves to bebearers of reconciliationwherever you may place us.But you know at timeswe are at a loss.So come lead usto wait in silence,to […] More
Will his life be happy or unhappy? It does not depend on the severity of the handicap. It does not depend on the number of cells in his brain. But it depends on his surroundings, because for him, as for each one of us, happiness is mainly to love and be loved. The child is […] More
An enormous pressure is put on developing countries to diminish their birthrate. Measures are forced upon them which often run contrary to human respect. For example, a certificate of sterilization must be produced in order to get a job in certain societies. International organizations will only give financial aid on the condition that birth control […] More
Gujarat, a state in western India, once was known as the world’s dairy capital. But today it is the place to go to rent a womb.Gujarat is the site of almost half of India’s surrogacy market and is known by its critics, of which I am one, as a giant “baby factory.” I traveled to […] More
In Beating Hearts: Abortion and Animal Rights, Sherry F. Colb and Michael C. Dorf, two Cornell Law professors, rationalize their simultaneous support for animal rights and opposition to the rights of unborn humans. The authors, a man and a woman who live with their “two human daughters” and three “adopted” dogs, are decidedly pro-choice. They […] More
Hail, holy Lady, most holy Queen,Mary, Mother of God, ever Virgin.You were chosen by the Most High Father in heaven,consecrated by Him, with His most Holy Beloved Son and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. On you descended and still remains all the fullness of grace and every good.Hail, His Palace.Hail His Tabernacle.Hail His Robe.Hail His […] More
They are a group of methods based on observations of the feminine menstrual cycle. During a normal cycle, a woman is fertile only for a certain number of days. Her body, in preparing to conceive a new life, sends out signals that can be observed : the rise in basal body temperature by a few […] More
Abortion is ending the life of an embryo, which is the life of a human being. Even though it is performed by a medical doctor, it is an act of murder. The consequences are not neutral for the mother either: forcing open the cervix (and the sudden end of the hormonal activity of the ovary) […] More
With the increasing publicity of marijuana due to recent legislation, it is pertinent that the effects of fetal exposure to the drug are assessed. While in utero cannabis exposure has been associated with early pregnancy failure, birth defects and developmental delay, the mechanisms of such outcomes are largely unexplained. Furthermore, the use of cannabinoids in […] More
Human life begins at the precise moment when the two half-cells, the sperm of the man and the ovum of the woman, meet and form the first cell of a unique being who will never be duplicated in the history of the world. The different stages that bring about this extraordinary moment are as follows […] More
Becoming Catholic is one of life’s most profound and joyous experiences. Some are blessed enough to receive this great gift while they are infants, and, over time, they recognize the enormous grace that has been bestowed on them. Others enter the Catholic fold when they are older children or adults. This tract examines the joyful […] More
