Emily Simpson wrote an article that was published in the January 31, 2016, issue of Our Sunday Visitor. Unfortunately, Our Sunday Visitor ceased publication in 2025. In her article, “Corporal Works of Mercy: Let the Saints Be Your Guide,” Emily paired together a corporal work of mercy with a saint who exhibited this work of mercy in a particular way. When I read her article again recently, I was reminded that it was still very timely a decade later. Let me list the Corporal Works of Mercy and the saint whom she linked with that work of mercy.

We celebrate Catholic Schools Week from the last Sunday of January through the following Saturday. In other words, today marks the start of Catholic Schools Week 2026. As I think back to my time as a student at St. Paul School in Butler, Pennsylvania, I remember that my teachers, Sisters of Mercy, were originally from the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. They came from cities and towns like Altoona, Bedford, Ebensburg, Johnstown, New Germany, Portage, and Spangler. A few were even from Butler! The students at St. Paul School in my time often heard stories about the Johnstown Flood and Prince Demetrius Gallitzin (1770-1840). I want to devote this column to Prince Gallitzin, who spent many years as the sole priest in Western Pennsylvania.

I want to continue listing some good advice on parish etiquette as we are at the beginning of a New Year. These reflections were first presented by Barbara Budde in a pamphlet (which is no longer in print) for the National Pastoral Life Center. Today I want to make some suggestions about what to do if Mass has already begun or if you need to leave early.

The beginning of the year is a time when we make resolutions about things we could put into practice in the New Year. To that end, let me offer some good advice on parish etiquette as we are at the beginning of a New Year. These reflections were first presented by Barbara Budde in a pamphlet (which is no longer in print) for the National Pastoral Life Center. Let me mention some things that we could do to prepare well for the Sunday liturgy.

As we celebrate the Epiphany today, I find myself thinking about the Holy Family. When they had to flee to Egypt to avoid the raging King Herod who wanted to murder the Christ child because Herod feared this child under two years of age was destined to seize his throne. The Holy Family was fleeing for their lives from murder and violence—just as many families are doing today. Herod wanted no rivals, so this child had to die. As we know so well, the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem perished instead.

For my message today, I want to use something that I wrote nearly seven years ago, as it remains very timely. In addition to being the first day of the New Year, January 1, 2019, was the fifty-second World Day of Peace. Pope Francis has made several observations about good politics being at the service of peace in his message for the World Day of Peace. In talking about the challenge of good politics, Pope Francis noted that “Political office and political responsibility thus constantly challenge those called to the service of their country to make every effort to protect those who live there and to create the conditions for a worthy and just future. If exercised with basic respect for life, freedom and dignity of persons, political life can indeed become an outstanding form of charity.

In my column today I want to print what is probably the most reprinted editorial in any newspaper in the English language. This has become a Christmas custom for me. I am happy to do it again this year. Enjoy!

One of the seven saints canonized on October 19, 2025, by Pope Leo XIV was Saint Vincenza Maria Poloni, ISM. Today I will tell you a bit about her life and her accomplishments.

I am continuing this series of columns on saints canonized by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican almost two months ago. Today we are looking at Saint María del Carmen Rendiles Martínez who was born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1903.

After the canonization of the seven new Saints in Saint Peters Square in Rome on Sunday October 19. 2025, Pope Leo XIV addressed the pilgrims who traveled from all over the world for the event. He described the celebration in which saints were canonized as one that reminded us that the communion of the church embraced all the faithful, across space and time, in every language and culture, uniting us as the people of God, the body of Christ, and the living temple of the Holy Spirit.

Today we are looking at Saint Maria Troncatti, FMA (1883-1969). She was born in Brescia, Italy. Early in her life she expressed a desire to become a religious sister. In 1908 she made her profession as a member of the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians (Salesian Sisters). After she took a course in health care, she served as a nurse during World War I. This training would serve her well in her future assignments.

Saint Ignatius Maloyan (1869-1915), the Armenian Catholic Bishop in Mardin Turkey, was among 1.5 million Armenians who died in the great genocide of 1915.