MSI Press Blog

  One of the most common and unsettling questions people ask is: “Can you tell if you’re getting Alzheimer’s?” The answer is sometimes—but not always, and often many years before symptoms appear. Modern research has shown that the disease process behind Alzheimer’s often begins long before noticeable memory problems develop . The Long Silent Phase Alzheimer’s typically develops in stages. The earliest stage is sometimes called the preclinical phase . During this period: Changes are occurring in the brain Amyloid plaques and tau tangles begin accumulating Brain cells are slowly being affected But the person may feel completely normal . Research suggests this silent phase can begin 10–20 years before symptoms appear . Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) The next stage for some people is mild cognitive impairment . At this point, a person may begin noticing: Forgetting recent conversations Misplacing items more often Difficulty recalling names or words Trouble follow...

  Palm Sunday fills churches with palm branches because it reenacts the moment Jesus entered Jerusalem and was greeted like a king. The branches are signs of victory, peace, and messianic hope, and the Church treats them as blessed objects that accompany the faithful into Holy Week. They are not decorations; they are sacramentals that carry the memory of a turning point in the Gospel narrative. Many parishes later save and burn these palms to create the ashes used on Ash Wednesday, a practice that ties the end of one Lent to the beginning of the next and honors the requirement that blessed items be disposed of reverently. Why Palms Matter Palms have symbolized triumph and sacred welcome since antiquity. In the Gospels, the crowds lay palms before Jesus as He enters Jerusalem, shouting Hosanna . That same crowd will call for His crucifixion days later, and the palms become a bittersweet sign: joy shadowed by the Passion. Churches bless the palms before Mass, and the faithful hold...