Growing up in a parish dedicated to St. Mary of the Assumption, with so many stained glass windows, statues, songs and prayers dedicated to events in the life of the mother of Jesus, I think […]
Author: Marc V. Rugani
is a PhD candidate in moral theology and ethics at the Catholic University of America. He is currently an adjunct faculty at CUA and Georgetown University and also has worked in the religion department at Xavier High School in New York City, teaching courses in theological ethics, Catholic Social Teaching, and inter-religious dialogue. He holds a Master of Theological Studies degree from the University of Notre Dame and volunteered at the Farm of the Child in Trujillo, Honduras. In his spare time he climbs mountains, skis down them, and rambles passionately on virtue, human rights, and economic development.
“He Became Perturbed and Deeply Troubled” – The Com-passion of Christ in the Face of Evil
Two weeks from the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord, and one week from Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, the readings from the fourth gospel, John 11, invite us to meditate on God’s […]
St. Scholastica – Teaching Contemplation in Action
At the outset of this post, I’ll admit that I don’t have a particular devotion to this venerable saint and until recently I didn’t know much about her at all, save a passing reference to […]
The Feast of St. Francis Xavier: Becoming a “Companion” with Strangers in the “Joy of the Gospel”
For two wonderful years, I was a faculty member at Xavier High School in New York City. Although no stranger to Jesuits and Jesuit education, I admit I knew little of the man whose name […]
Angels in the Outfield? – The Feast of Ss. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael
Major League Baseball concluded its regular season schedule on Sunday, and the best record in the American League belongs to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Despite its redundant and unwieldy moniker, this popular baseball […]
The Quest for the Lord’s Cup
In Buffalo, New York, there are two predominant religions: Roman Catholicism and ice hockey. Listening to games on my Sony boom box in the church parking lot while reenacting amazing 2-on-1s, breakaways, and saves, I […]
St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr – Poland, Politics, and Preaching the Gospel Today
I grew up a Roman Catholic in Buffalo, New York with a healthy portion of Polish ancestry. From an early age I recognized that some particularly strange sounding names were inextricably tied to the pride and […]
The Grammar of Giving Thanks
Last week I hosted a study break for students in my residence hall and screened “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.” This was the first time many of them had ever seen this holiday classic, and their […]
Happy Are the Poor. (Yes. Really.)
Just days after his election the Cardinal-Formerly-Known-As-Bergoglio commented that he made the unprecedented choice of “Francis” for his papal name because he was inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, whom he calls “the man of […]
Communion of Saints
When I got my current job and moved back to New York City in 2010, I had to go through the painful “re-initiation” into urban life and local neighborhood orientation. I enjoy the camaraderie and […]
