Father Dave begins, “It would not be out of the question for a priest to be in a 12-step recovery program, so not drinking alcohol at all. I do know some priests that are in recovery, will go to 12-step meetings on a regular basis, have a sponsor, but for them it’s not an issue, either physiologically or with the addiction, to have a sip [of wine at Mass]. Now that is not the case by any means for everybody.”

LISTEN: What Does the Priest Whisper Before Taking Communion?

“There does need to be some way to address this issue because, like Mike said, one might be recovering from alcohol addiction, or might be some other reason [such as] contraindication with a medication,” he continues. “This is not the first time this has come up in the history of the Catholic Church, so we did have to figure out something, and the answer is mustum.”

Father Dave explains, “Mustum is something that not a lot of people have heard of; I only have heard of it in the context of Mass and priests who can’t drink alcohol. Mustum is grape juice that has started to ferment. The fermentation process is stopped, usually by freezing, so that the alcohol level stays extremely low, usually under 1%…There’s enough alcohol content for the Church to consider it valid matter, but not enough for most any other purposes.” He compares it to low-gluten hosts that those with an allergy can consume.

RELATED: Communion Options for Someone with a Gluten Allergy

Father Dave describes the qualifications for wine or mustum to be valid for the Eucharist. “It has to be from grapes; it can’t be rice wine. It also can’t be chemically altered. A lot of non-alcoholic drinks these days undergo a sort of process that removes the alcohol — that wouldn’t be valid,” he says. “It has to be approved by the bishop and for a particular priest, and only for the priest. This doesn’t apply to lay people; so if you have an issue with wine, it is an option to just not receive from the cup.” 

He underscores that a layperson is not “missing any experience” by only consuming the consecrated bread. “Christ is truly present — body, blood, soul, and divinity — in each and both of the consecrated species,” he says. “We realize that the Sacrament is not a one-to-one scientific correlation. This is a miraculous thing that happens, and Jesus is truly present in either or both. We call it the principle of concomitance; he exists concomitantly alongside in both species.”

The post What Happens if a Priest Cannot Drink the Wine at Mass? appeared first on Busted Halo.

Sinon does not appear in Homer’s “Odyssey,” and when he appears in Virgil’s “Aeneid,” it’s as a treacherous schemer. Nolan turns him into a spotless lamb who evokes, if not Jesus, then certainly St. Sebastian. But his sacrifice is perverted by deceit, as Odysseus (Matt Damon) and his men hide inches away, inside the horse, as Sinon takes his last breath. 

RELATED: Cinema Divina: A Beginner’s Guide to Praying With the Movies

It’s pretty rare in the 21st century for an adaptation to modernize its source material by Christianizing it, but that is exactly what Nolan does in “The Odyssey.” Admittedly, the source material does predate Christ by several centuries. Classicist Emily Wilson, whose 2017 translation of “The Odyssey” Nolan has cited as an influence on his film, argues that the film’s values “directly contradict those of Homer’s poem.” Nolan’s film condemns “deception, warmongering, extramarital sex, cruelty to animals, abusing women, and yearning for honour” though they are “all perfectly fine in the world of Homer.” For Wilson, this makes a moral nonsense of “The Odyssey” to appease modern audience’s comfortable sensibilities. But the morality of Nolan’s “Odyssey” isn’t muddied or contradictory. If it appears so, it’s because the ethical worldview of Christianity is one that embraces paradox. 

In an interview with Beijing doctoral student Zhong Shu, Nolan said he did not make “a deliberate attempt” to Christianize Homer’s “Odyssey,” but that those themes are “an outgrowth… of burrowing in on this philosophical idea of what happens when you break Zeus’ law.” Zeus’ law is Nolan’s version of the Ancient Greek concept of xenia: the imperative to provide hospitality to foreigners and guests, since they may be gods in disguise. St. Paul evokes the same idea in his letter to the Hebrews: “Be not inhospitable to strangers, lest they be angels in disguise.” But the film expands Zeus’s law beyond the hospitality of xenia, turning it into a form of the Golden Rule – treat others as you would like to be treated – in order to explore what happens when a society based around that principle breaks it irreparably. 

LISTEN: Mark Wahlberg on Faith and Film

That break occurs when the Trojans are given the wooden horse as an offering of peace, only for Odysseus and his men to climb out of it once they get inside Troy’s walls. The film’s non-linear structure keeps the full scope of what happens in Troy until near the end: When Odysseus finally makes it home to his beloved wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and confesses his great sin. He tells her that he saw 10 years of hate pour into Troy in one night: We are shown his men burning homes, raping women, slitting throats, soundtracked by a great cacophony of metal clashing, fires roaring, and civilians screaming. Throughout his journey, Odysseus has been haunted by visions of Athena (Zendaya), and in Troy, he sees a Trojan girl played by Zendaya beheaded in front of him. After so much talk of gods in disguise, we recognize one at last, and see her slaughtered. 

Zendaya’s role as both the goddess Athena and the Trojan girl resituates Homer’s “Odyssey” in the tradition of what C.S. Lewis called “good dreams”: ancient stories that seem to echo the Gospel narrative. Ancient Greek stories about gods in disguise were about not ensuing their wrath. Here, Athena is closer to the Incarnation and Crucifixion. Both she and Sinon’s roles recontextualize Odysseus’s characterization. As Damon plays him, Odysseus is the clever, daring and guileful man of Homer’s poem – the only man to hear the sirens’ song and survive – but that takes a backseat to his crushing guilt. His genius is represented in a manner that builds upon Nolan’s previous film, “Oppenheimer:” the atomic bomb and the Trojan horse both bring about the end of the world as we know it. 

LISTEN: An Interview With Director Rian Johnson

Wilson wonders how the Trojan horse would break the laws of hospitality when “the Greeks have been besieging Troy for 10 years already; the Trojans are not their hosts but their enemies in war.” But if you consider Zeus’ law through a Christian lens, we must remember that xenia is derived from xenos, the Greek word for stranger. In the New Testament, Jesus expands on existing Jewish teachings about treating strangers well by teaching that we are all strangers upon the earth, in it but not of it, and to treat all people with accordant mercy. The Trojans are not the Greeks’ hosts but they are, in this sense, strangers to whom they have obligations. The Trojans are the Greeks’ enemies at war, but Jesus taught that we should love our enemies. 

Philosopher of ethics Kathryn Lawson finds Nolan’s “Odyssey” lacking because the idea of a powerful, violent man like Odysseus recognizing the humanity of others and repenting his wrongdoings is fundamentally naïve, even “fanciful.” I don’t think the film is as naïve as Lawson suggests – Odysseus repents, but the civilization based on Zeus’s law has nevertheless collapsed – but even so, this seemingly naïve, fanciful belief in the possibility of redemption and atonement is the very basis of hope.

The post The Christian Imagination Behind Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ appeared first on Busted Halo.

Shortly after my First Communion in 2nd grade, I began altar serving during Mass. I put on my robes, delivered the chalices, lit the candles, and carried the books. I passed time in the vestibule looking at schedules, vestments, and prayers until I carried the cross down the aisle.

It was not spiritual but physical proximity to the Eucharist which brought me closer to Jesus. I could feel in my soul the real presence of Jesus. The closer I got to the altar and the consecrated host, the closer I felt to Christ.

RELATED: Finding Empowerment as a Laywoman in the Church

Even at 11, 12, and 13 years old, I was having many thoughtful conversations with my parish priests as we drove to funerals. For example, what should a eulogy be focused on — the person who died or the hope of their resurrected life? Should a funeral include a Mass or be separate? Is white the most fitting color because we have hope in the Resurrection or is it purple because the person is waiting for their resurrected body? Even as a prepubescent middle schooler, I had much to say about lived religion and how to offer pastoral care to those suffering the loss of a loved one. My priests valued my opinion and began encouraging me to pursue philosophy and theology studies.

At my eighth grade Confirmation, I could sense the spiritual and physical reality of the Holy Spirit moving me forward in faith.

These were things I held in my soul.

I felt God embodied, strangely for the first time, at an observation of an Anglican Choral Evensong while studying abroad in England. As soon as I stepped into the Church, I felt I could sit in the pew as a woman and feel no discomfort about my body. A friend invited me to a different Choral Evensong the same week. How was my faith in God getting stronger through Anglican services — songs I didn’t sing myself? God was, is, and always will be Catholic, right? 

I still dutifully attended daily Mass across several different parishes, always feeling like my womanhood must be concealed at the door. Whenever I attended Mass, my experience of womanhood always seemed to be confined to my womb and even then, it was only about Mary’s womb. I never heard homilies about women’s friendships, balancing work and family, the integration of academic and spiritual life, or anything which encouraged me professionally, personally, or spiritually. 

RELATED: The Messages I Miss When Homilies Only Come From Men

In college, when I would share what I perceived to be mystical experiences to a priest, they were dismissed or subtly implied as symptoms of mental illness. At the same time, I noticed the priest would praise the stories of white, upper class women religious from Christendom — particularly saints and sisters from the middle ages like St. Hildegard of Bingen — as the gold standard for women’s community and spiritual experience to wider groups. I was only allowed to grow in my faith and vocation if I followed the script from women of the Middle Ages and listened closely to the voice of a male priest from a religious order — not necessarily God. 

When I returned to the United States, I started asking my college chaplains about their life in a religious order. I could feel something deeper brewing within me — something I could not yet identify as a particular vocation but a piece to the puzzle.

After college, I was asked to serve as a Eucharistic minister at Mass. The closer I got the altar, the closer I felt to Jesus. I felt more peaceful, happier when I was distributing Jesus than receiving the Host myself. I was drawing others to the font of Life.

When my closest male friends entered the religious order of our alma mater after college, I remember sharing stories about them and of the priesthood to my other friends. The Church contends that “the ministerial priesthood is reserved to men because the Church is bound to follow the example of the Lord, who chose only men as his Apostles.” Yet I wished to be with them, learning and sharing in the joys and hardships. I longed to be in fraternity with my brothers in formation. I wanted what they were experiencing.

RELATED: What Leaving Religious Life Taught Me About God’s Presence in Transitions

As a young adult, I had a “vocation coming out.” In a threshold of discernment, I admitted to my best friend I was called to be a priest. I had felt a persistent calling — not overnight and not prompted by one specific source. Evidenced by several different markers throughout my childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood, and pointed out by every pocket of the congregation. The final straw was not only wanting to share the Gospel, preach, teach, minister, and administer, but also to be recognized in the confessional as a steward of mercy. I yearned to put on vestments and brave the chill of the world. I wanted to be free of oppression, starved philosophies, and embrace my mission. I wanted to join the religious order of my alma mater and be a priest.

I was met with a head nod. My family, friends, and recent mentors were unsurprised. In fact, they were overwhelmingly supportive. It was one of the first times the weight of the community wasn’t on my back but rather carrying me. Those around me recognized the presence of something special, something holy, something authentically Christian and communal.

My community is limited in what they can do to help me. At most, they make suggestions of how to creatively meet my vocational needs. They allow me the space to breathe and make mistakes. They encourage me to share my story. Usually, someone will ask me about being a religious sister based on my age and marital status. Every time I’ve considered it, I’ve been met with desolation and feelings of conformity. I would be lying to myself about the deepest desires of my heart if I took vows to become a religious sister; the crisis of conscience would be detrimental to my mental health. I’d feel robbed of an opportunity to use my gifts in the service of God and my community.

Even if I never enter a historically male religious order, take holy orders, or administer the sacraments, in my understanding, Christ Jesus would take joy in my honoring of conscience, the strength of the community around me, and the courage to speak when I have only the treasured poor of the Church to gain. I am here, I am ready, I am waiting. The same faith and community which led me to stepping into my vocation will be the one to support me now until eternity.

The post I Found My Vocation at the Altar. I Also Found a Barrier. appeared first on Busted Halo.

Peter explains how Fulton Sheen was born in Peoria, Illinois at the turn of the 20th century. “He grew up in our schools, worked in our fields, and just became a pioneering evangelist,” Peter says, highlighting his popular 1950s TV Show called “Life is Worth Living.”

RELATED: Faith in the Modern Age: Spiritual Lessons From Bishop Fulton Sheen

“Within a few years, Fulton Sheen was reaching 30 million people a week, and 60% of that audience was non-Catholic,” Peter says. “He was in full bishop regalia on TV, and the entire purpose was to take people through the Christian philosophy of life, [which makes] life fully worth living. He became a star, won an Emmy, and was one of the most brilliant men of the 20th century from his academic formation.”

Peter shares how Fulton Sheen’s influence inspired converts from all walks of life, and despite his fame, he kept his life centered on Christ. “From the day he was ordained a priest in 1919 to the day he died in 1979, he never broke a promise to keep a daily Eucharistic holy hour before our Lord,” Peter says. “Fulton Sheen said that that was the secret to why he stood out from among all the other voices out there, because he had a power that they didn’t.”

Father Dave explains why Fulton Sheen’s beatification is in the United States. “In the Catholic Church, we make a big deal about the canonization ceremony, when somebody is finally declared a saint of the Catholic Church. However, those almost always happen in Rome,” he says. “In recent years, we’ve done beatifications — so that one step before sainthood — in the place where they’re from. For people who can’t make the trip to Rome whenever the canonization happens, this beatification event might actually be the bigger deal for us here in this country.”

Peter responds, “I think it’s prophetic too, because where he’s being beatified is at The Dome at America’s Center, the heart of our country…I tell people, ‘Look, you’re never, ever going to get this opportunity again. He won’t be beatified again, and his canonization will not be here.’”

LISTEN: Bonnie Engstrom Shares How Fulton Sheen’s Intercession Saved Her Son’s Life

Leading up to the beatification, Peter and the Fulton Sheen Institute will hold a pilgrimage and conference to help inspire the next generation. “We have a spectrum of speakers whose lives have already been championing Sheen and what he said the evangelization of our times would look like,” he says, noting the conference can be experienced both in-person and virtually. “There’s no better way to get prepared for that beatification announcement the next day, which is going to happen really fast in a matter of minutes.”

“The conference is the preparation for beatification, which is a launching point and not a finish line. This is where the real work begins for our country and our families, and to really bring Fulton Sheen back into the heart of every home. Families so desperately need that kind of guidance; his wit, his humor, and in the end, his love for souls.”

The post Celebrating Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s Upcoming Beatification appeared first on Busted Halo.

1) Mary’s sorrow at the prophecy of Simeon
2) The flight into Egypt
3) Having lost the Holy Child in Jerusalem
4) Meeting Jesus on his way to Calvary
5) Standing at the foot of the Cross
6) Jesus being taken from the Cross (Depicted in art as The Pieta)
7) The burial of Christ.

The Seven Sorrows are all rooted in Scripture. Devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Mary stems primarily from the Order of Servites (The Servants of Mary) and has given rise to the Seven Sorrows Rosary as well as many other devotions to the sorrows (or dolors) of Our Lady. The Feast of the Seven Sorrows of Mary falls on September 15 and was first celebrated by the Servites before becoming part of the liturgical calendar of the Church Universal.

Originally published April 2013.

The post What are the Seven Sorrows of Mary? appeared first on Busted Halo.

Kevin shares that on September 11, 2001, he was aboard an international flight that was diverted when airspace in the United States closed. “About three hours before we’re supposed to land [in New York City], I looked up at the GPS monitor on the ceiling of the airplane, and all of a sudden, I noticed that we were dropping in elevation. Not a great feeling when you’re over the ocean,” he recalls. “We were on an Air France flight, and the captain first came on in French and then switched to broken English and said, ‘Due to a terrorist attack in the United States, we’ll be landing in Gander.’ I didn’t know what country that was…It really didn’t occur to me that it was Newfoundland and a province of Canada, and I soon found out it is one of the best places on the planet.”

LISTEN: Homily – Love Your Enemies…Even on 9/11

Father Dave explains how “Come From Away” tells the story of what happened next. “The particular planes that landed in Canada and were marooned there didn’t know how long they were going to be there or what was going on,” he says. “It is a very heartwarming testament to the hospitality, not only of the Canadian people, but of human beings to one another — offering love and charity at a time of great distress.”

Kevin adds, “We spent 15 hours on the tarmac, which was not fun. We finally got off the plane and ended up staying at a community college, sleeping on the floor…a town of 9,000 people brought in 7,000 people from 90 different countries. Essentially, I was an American refugee. I got the chance to feel for five days what it’s like to rely on strangers for food, clothing, shelter, and information. When I came back to Texas I wondered, would we do the same?”

Kevin shares how he commemorated the anniversary of the attacks in the early years after. “I borrowed an idea from the movie Pay It Forward, and closed down my office every September 11th. I would hand out $100 bills to teams of two, and they would go out across Austin and spend the money however they wanted on strangers doing good deeds,” he says. “We [told others] we would never forget the tragedy that happened, and so this is how we were honoring those lives by doing these good deeds. Then they would come back to the office and talk about what they did with the money.”

RELATED: Are We Supposed To Forgive Osama Bin Laden?

“People were so creative — from buying a small cup of coffee, to buying a savings bond for a single mother giving birth to a child on 9/11, to paying for somebody’s traffic tickets at the county courthouse,” Kevin continues. “It was so emotional and moving, because people witnessed how treating strangers not only helps the others. It’s like the prayer of Saint Francis; ‘It is in giving that we receive.’ I’ve done it myself for 25 years now.”

As we commemorate the 25th anniversary of the attacks, Kevin and Pay Iit Forward 9/11 are inspiring others in a “11 days of Kindness” campaign. “The idea is that anybody can do three good deeds for strangers between September 1st and the 11th,” he says, noting that they also tailor specific content for kids. “For schools we actually have a curriculum, ‘11 days of kindness for kids’…Of course kids need to learn the terrible side of what happened on that dark day, but also see that out of darkness there is light.”

The post Sharing Kindness Leading Up to the 25th Anniversary of September 11th Attacks appeared first on Busted Halo.

Whether they are pleasant or painful, these experiences are easy to remember because they are easy to recognize. You know when you are having a first. 

This is not usually true for our “lasts.” Yes, in certain circumstances, you might know a last moment: your last day on the job before you retire, your last day of high school, etc. These types of last moments are very much the minority; far greater are the moments that you do not realize are the last until much later. How often have you looked at a picture from the past and said something like, “this was our last Christmas with Dad”?

RELATED: Memento Mori: How Remembering Our Deaths Can Inspire Our Lives

Think back on your life: can you pinpoint moments that turned out to be last moments, but you did not know it at the time? 

My mother lived in a memory care facility in Ames, Iowa, for the last two years of her life. I would try to make the drive from my home in Des Moines to Ames on the weekends. I remember visiting my mom on my birthday, August 31, in 2024.  We had a nice visit together; as I left, I said “I’ll be back again to see you on Sunday. Love you, Mom!” It was an hour drive back home and I had things to get done that night. I got a quick hug and kiss and I hurried out. 

I got a call the next morning from the on-charge nurse that Mom was non-responsive. She died the next day, never regaining consciousness. 

Writers of suspense stories will often grab you with an omniscient, foreboding sentence at the end of a chapter such as, “and that was the last time anyone saw Jane Doe alive.” I wish some all-knowing author would have told me that August 31 would be the last time I would see my mother alert and alive. I tell myself, “I would have stayed longer,” “I would have hugged her tighter and longer,” and “I would have said those things that I had always wanted her to know but I never shared.”

It doesn’t even have to be a “last moment” of great magnitude like the example above. There are endless last moments in our lives, from the mundane to the life-altering. Revisit some of the last moments that you can remember. What would you have done differently had you known it was the last time? Would you have said something more or something less? Would you have stayed longer? Would you have given a fonder goodbye? What would you have changed had you known?

RELATED: Volunteering in Hospice Care Strengthened My Faith in Eternal Life

When I was a young altar boy, there was a sign in the room where the priests got ready for Mass. It said “Celebrate this Mass as if it were your first Mass, your last Mass, or your only Mass.” I found great wisdom in that philosophy, even though I wasn’t a priest.  

Every minute of every day is a “moment.” Every moment of every day has the possibility of being a first moment or a last moment. How would our lives – spiritual and physical – change if we recognized each of these moments as gifts from a loving God? Perhaps you had a favorite grandmother that often reminded you to “count your blessings.” It is easy to count “big blessings,” but don’t forget to appreciate the very small and seemingly insignificant ones as well. When you go to bed tonight, instead of counting sheep, see how many tiny blessings you can thank God for giving you in just one day: a cool breeze, the laughter of a child, the stranger who held a door open for you.

I like to imagine that God gave Moses an eleventh commandment at the top of Mt. Sinai. It was written in God’s artistic font all by itself on a third tablet: “Carpe Diem: Seize the Day.” Unfortunately for God’s chosen people, Moses only had two arms.

The post A Catholic ‘Carpe Diem:’ What Every “Last” Can Teach Us About Living in the Moment appeared first on Busted Halo.

Father Dave begins, “This is something that we refer to in Scripture scholarship as the Messianic secret — as in Jesus is the Messiah, but please, for now, keep that a secret and don’t tell anybody…He says this phrase in Matthew chapter 16 and we see it more frequently in Mark’s Gospel.”

LISTEN: What is the Exact Timeline of Events in the Gospels?

“You’re right in that we have believed for all these 2000 years that Jesus would like us to tell everyone that he really is God,” Father Dave continues. “Later on in [Matthew’s Gospel] he says, ‘Now go forth and spread to all the world, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit.” He explains that at this point in Matthew chapter 16, Peter correctly states that Jesus is the Messiah, but it is too soon to tell others yet.

Father Dave explains reasons why by examining Mark’s Gospel. “Mark greatly features a lot of Jesus’ physical healings. Part of his rationale is that Jesus didn’t want to just become famous as a miracle worker or healer,” he says. “Jesus didn’t want people like him or believe in him for the wrong reasons. The way that Mark crafts the entire story is that we can only really, truly know who Jesus is — and really understand and believe what it means to say he’s the Messiah and the Son of God — after his death on the cross.”

“Prior to that, we’re going to be wrong about anything we think that the Messiah is, particularly for the people he was talking to at that time,” Father Dave continues. “They thought that the Messiah, the Savior, or the Anointed One was going to come and be a political geographical leader who would overthrow the oppressors and Israel would become a nation again, kind of like King David.” 

LISTEN: Eyes Fixed on Jesus: Diving into the Gospels With Meg Hunter-Kilmer

Jesus waits until after his death and resurrection to send out the disciples in his name. “He appeared to them for 40 days, he sent the Holy Spirit,” Father Dave says. “Jesus essentially says, ‘You guys are going to be in charge.’ At that point, he says, now go into all the world, tell them the good news, and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.”

“In other words, now you’re ready to explain what this is, and now you know what it is. Because before, when you thought you knew what the Messiah is, but you didn’t really know,” Father Dave concludes. “We have to wait until we see the end of the story to understand it.”

The post Why Did Jesus Originally Say to ‘Tell No One’ That He is the Messiah? appeared first on Busted Halo.

Given this resurgence in popularity, curious readers might want to know a little more about the novel before investing the time and energy required to read such a large and challenging book. 

The story centers around the murder of a tyrannical father named Fyodor Karamazov, his three legitimate sons, and a fourth possibly illegitimate son. The novel offers insight into the lives of men and women and the role of Christianity in society; its themes of good versus evil and the challenge of active love still resonate today. 

RELATED: 5 Great Books for Your College Freshman

It might be best to start with the intriguing life of its author, Fyodor Dostoevsky. He grew up in a middle-class Russian family, the son of parents who both died when Dostoevsky was still young.  

Dr. Anne Hruska, a professor of Russian literature at Stanford University, talks about the experience being one of his “many traumas.” After his parents’ deaths, he found himself increasingly involved in leftist politics. When he was still a young writer of promising talent but radical bent, he was sentenced to death for involvement in an anti-Tsarist political circle. However, at the last minute — while he was literally facing the firing squad — he received a reprieve from the Czar. He was sentenced instead to three years’ imprisonment in Siberia and additional military service. 

“He returned a different man,” according to Dr. Hruska. The experience transformed Dostoevsky into a deeply religious thinker and writer, with firm commitments to the Russian Orthodox Church. He engaged with the revolutionary times in which he lived. He would also go on to struggle against epilepsy, a disease he passed on to his son, Alexei, who died of it as a child. He would lose two of his four children, an unimaginable sorrow he would transmute into his magisterial literary accomplishments.

Eventually, Dostoevsky wrote a series of great works of literature, culminating in “The Brothers Karamazov.” His works, serialized like Dickens’, were best sellers that also explored the deep questions of life: Why are we here? How shall we live? Is there a God? Dr. Michael Katz, a professor emeritus of Eastern European languages at Middlebury College who has translated several of Dostoevsky’s books, says that one of the reasons for the novel’s universal appeal has been its deep themes of love, father-son relationships, faith, and the challenges faith faces throughout life. “He’s got all the right themes; the big questions,” according to Dr. Katz.

RELATED: 3 Great Teachers in Literature

In a sense, “The Brothers Karamazov” is many books in one. It is a murder mystery, a soap opera with interlocking love triangles, and a courtroom drama illuminating Russian culture and society at the time. Given all this, Katz believes it’s his best novel, no small accomplishment given Dostoevsky’s other books.

Many who read the book fall in love with it. It has been praised by people as disparate as Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein, and William Faulkner, who read the book once a year. The book also influenced Dorothy Day, who went on to cofound the Catholic Worker movement. 

Widely considered one of the great works of Christian literature, “The Brothers Karamazov” also interestingly offers a robust discussion of atheism. In fact, Dostoyevsky was quite proud of his ability to make the case for atheism equally well as the case for religious belief. Taken as a whole, though, the book is ultimately a strong argument for the redemptive power of Christ’s love. By turns, it is a mix of serious, philosophical, dramatic, and often laugh-out-loud funny moments. Reflecting on the novel and his life, Dostoevsky later wrote “And so I believe in Christ and confess Him not like some child; my hosanna has passed through a vast furnace of doubt.”

So if you are looking to pick up the book, how might you approach it? Unless you speak Russian, you’re going to need a translation. The Constance Garnett translation from the early 20th century is popular and now in the public domain. However, the current standard for three decades has been Richard Pevear’s and Larissa Volokhonsky’s translation, which finally received an audiobook version last year. Katz’s own translation, released in 2023, is fresh and dynamic and also merits consideration.

RELATED: 5 Must-Read Books to Deepen Your Faith

Dr. Katz has a few specific recommendations for new readers. Chart out the complex relationships between the characters as you read. Learning the characters and the various diminutives of their names will help sort out the story. And he advises “to get past the first hundred pages.” After that, the book’s momentum builds considerably. 

If you don’t feel that you can read the full 800-page book, there are a few places you might get a feel for it. One of the best-known chapters is “The Grand Inquisitor.” The chapter itself, considered one of the best pieces of world literature on its own, is set in the Spanish Inquisition, which asks profound questions about the role of Christ, the Church, and the way the Church lives out Jesus’ legacy. Dr. Katz talks about the book both as a Christian novel and not a Christian novel — its themes are indelibly about faith, but also reflect the freedom God gives men and women to make choices. Readers of all backgrounds find something of value in it.

Very few people regret reading “The Brothers Karamazov,” even though it is a challenging intellectual marathon. According to Dr. Katz, “its dramatic and vivid characters” drive an amazingly well-plotted, structured novel that makes the reader think about the meaning of life. You might read the book for spiritual reasons, literary ones, or both. But in any case, read this book!

The post Rediscovering ‘The Brothers Karamazov’: The Great Russian Novel Making a Modern Comeback appeared first on Busted Halo.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been somewhat of a packrat. In my youth, I collected action figures, trading cards, and comic books. Even as an adult, I still enjoy collecting pop culture memorabilia. But as the amount of products advertised to collectors has exploded, I’ve become increasingly disenchanted with the hobby. The breaking point came for me last year, during the lead-up to Christmas.

LEGO introduced a new set in its premier “Ultimate Collector Series”: a massive scale version of the iconic AT-AT Imperial Walker vehicle from “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.” The slick advertising made it clear that this item was aimed at adults – not a single child appeared in the entire commercial. Due to its massive scale and many accessories, I assumed the price point would be somewhere in the range of $250 to $300. My estimate was way off: It costs $799.99.

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At first, I was stunned, but then I began to get angry. I’m as big a “Star Wars” fan as anyone I know, but I thought it was outrageous to drop $800 on what is essentially a toy. This high-end LEGO set is only one example in an upsetting trend of consumerist manipulation. So-called “nerd culture” has become just another market demographic for corporations to exploit. As I fumed, I came to the unsettling realization that, by failing to curb my own “nerdy” collecting habits, I had become part of the problem.

In that moment, I was reminded of the opening chapter of the “Confessions” of St. Augustine: “You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” Before his conversion, the young Augustine tried to fill up the emptiness in his heart with sensual pleasures and worldly accomplishments. And yet, he found himself more and more dissatisfied. After much prayer, reflection, and study, Augustine realized that only God could fill the hole he felt in the core of his being.

Pondering St. Augustine’s conversion story got me thinking about how I could reevaluate my spending habits. Had my consumer choices aided and abetted the growth of an unseemly throwaway culture? Acquiring possessions is not in and of itself a bad thing; but my pursuit of worldly goods had made me restless and become such a preoccupation that I was in danger of losing sight of my relationship with God. Thus, I was moved to perform an examination of conscience with these ideas in mind and the results were sobering. 

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Over the years, I’ve accumulated many superfluous possessions. Like many pop culture fans, I was swept up in the Funko Pop craze, and collected the little bobblehead figures, particularly the “Star Wars” and Marvel ones. This was in addition to a collection of expensive superhero statues. I’m also a bibliophile and love shopping online for new, used, and out-of-print books. As I tried to curb my undisciplined spending, I realized that I often used online shopping as a way to assuage loneliness, frustration, and depression.

I was forced to admit that the superficial happiness I felt when acquiring collectibles was fleeting. Furthermore, my shrinking bank account only aggravated a sense of discontent. In a misguided effort to suppress these guilty feelings, I would routinely “purge” my collections, giving away or throwing out many unused items. But this strategy routinely backfired as, similar to St. Augustine, I couldn’t shake my discontentedness and spiritual restlessness, and I was soon collecting again. I needed to break this unhealthy cycle.

Over the last few months, I have taken some practical steps that have helped me place my possessions in the proper perspective. I formed a consistent habit of expressing gratitude in prayer for the many gifts that God has bestowed on me: my loving family (including a younger brother with whom I remain very close), my improving physical health, and the success of my freelance writing endeavors.

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As a daily reminder of these blessings, I started keeping a gratitude journal. By journaling even small occurrences that uplifted me each day, I began to notice the intimate interest God takes in my life. Whenever I needed reassurance amidst a difficult situation, one of my friends would be inspired to pray for me or to lend a word of encouragement. By cultivating an attitude of gratitude, my preoccupation with acquiring “stuff” has waned and I have begun to place more value in things that are truly important: faith, family, and friends. 

I’ve also found that small acts of service to others, when done with love, produce a deeper and more abiding happiness than spending my money on “stuff.” I currently live with my retired parents, and I’ve tried to be mindful of opportunities to make things easier for them, such as doing chores and little fix-it jobs around the house. As a freelance writer, I’m occasionally contacted by aspiring wordsmiths asking for advice. Remembering how much I benefited from supportive mentors when I was a beginner, I always try to pay it forward to novice writers with encouragement and constructive feedback.

Finally, I’ve begun to discern ways I can generously help build up the Kingdom of God rather than build a collection of knickknacks. This includes supporting charities focused on evangelization and catechesis. Bishop Robert Barron’s Word on Fire apostolate has been a huge inspiration to me as a writer, motivating me to pursue a deeper knowledge of the Church and its rich history. Last year I learned about the global work of the Missionary Society of St. Paul from a Nigerian priest who visited my home parish.

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My collecting habits are too deeply ingrained to be shaken off overnight. It’s been an ongoing struggle, a process that I have yet to completely master. But, with God’s grace, I will strive to make more informed spending choices that reflect my renewed commitment to the virtues of moderation and simplicity. I continue to pray for the intercession of St. Augustine, that my heart might be healed of its restless desire for more “stuff” and find peace in God, who is the only true cure for my restlessness.

The post How St. Augustine Helped Me Recognize My Unhealthy Spending Habits appeared first on Busted Halo.

Tommy shares Saint Dymphna’s story and why she is the patron saint of mental health issues. “Her story is one of exile. She had to leave Ireland and traveled to present-day Belgium to escape her father who was causing her a lot of problems,” he says. “She got caught by her father eventually because she was spending her treasure to set up homes for people who were suffering from neurological and mental illnesses.”

Saint Dymphna lived in the seventh century where those with mental health issues were often cast out or misunderstood. “Today, where she lived in Geel, Belgium, they have a groundbreaking program where, instead of being locked up or taken away from the community, [those with severe mental illnesses] live in homes with others in the community,” Tommy explains. “They see a lot of great success because being part of a community is a great solution to some of our mental health struggles, in addition to other treatment.”

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Tommy reflects on what we can learn from Saint Dymphna. “I think about her openness to being able to be with people who are suffering from this. I think we try to avoid [suffering] and keep our own struggles to ourselves — that’s where we can get locked into this idea that we’re all alone, nobody can understand or help us,” he says, and notes how this impacts our faith. “[We might think] If God loves me, why do I feel so depressed? If there’s a point for my life, why does it feel like there’s nothing? I think her message to carry through is that God’s always there, even when it doesn’t feel like it.”

Father Dave adds, “People sometimes fall into the trap of mistaking spirituality or our relationship with God with genuine mental health issues. For instance, questions like, ‘If I’m depressed, does that mean I’m not praying enough?’ or ‘How could I be experiencing this if we have an all-loving God?’ You very helpfully draw distinctions and realize that both can be true: God can love us, and we can be depressed.”

Tommy reflects on what the Paschal Mystery shows us about love amid suffering. “I think the crucifix in all of our churches and our love of Jesus shows us that. Because God loves Jesus, and yet look how it went down,” he says. “We really have to start looking at mental health not as a personal failure, but as a health condition. When I tell people I was diagnosed with hypertension in my 20s, nobody says, ‘Oh my God, you’re so awful! How could you have done that? ‘They say, ‘Oh, wow! I’m so sorry, I hope you got treatment for it.’ We have to look at mental health just like that, like a broken arm. We go to the doctor, we go to the therapist, and we get the treatment that’s recommended.”

Tommy offers a practical tip for Catholics facing depression. “When you’re feeling okay, that’s the time to make a plan for when you feel not okay,” he says. “Because when you’re feeling depressed or anxious, your brain is already functioning at 40% capacity, and it can’t come up with things in the moment to help you feel better.”

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“Pull out your phone on your notes app, or this book which you can write in,” he continues. “Then you have it when you’re feeling sick, and you don’t have to come up with a plan, because the plan is already there. I’m supposed to text my sister and tell her I’m not feeling okay. You can just do that in advance instead of having to come up with something when you feel depressed.”

Tommy shares advice for those accompanying friends and family with depression or thoughts of suicide. “Just be a human to them. Be a present human being who’s willing to sit with somebody. Talk about it with them, because sometimes we feel like someone’s going to hurt themselves, we don’t want to talk about it,” he says. “We fear we might make them think of it, or might trigger them. The person is likely thinking about it all the time, and they’re just hoping that somebody is willing to sit in that darkness with them.”

If you or a loved one is ever experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 988. And consult Suicide Prevention Hotline if you are concerned for yourself or another.

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