MSI Press Blog

  Catholics venerate the Cross because, in Catholic dogma, the Cross is not merely the instrument of Christ’s death but the place where the entire mystery of salvation is accomplished. Veneration is not worship of an object; it is reverence for what God did through it. The Cross as the Center of Salvation Catholic teaching holds that Christ’s Passion is the decisive act by which humanity is redeemed. The Cross is therefore: the altar of the New Covenant, where Christ offers Himself to the Father the instrument of victory, where sin, death, and the devil are defeated the revelation of divine love, where God shows the full extent of His mercy This is why St. Paul can say, “We preach Christ crucified” and “May I never boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Cross is not an unfortunate detail in the story of Jesus; it is the hinge of the entire Christian faith. Why Catholics Venerate (Not Worship) the Cross Catholic dogma makes a clear distinction: Worship (latria)...

  Walk into a parish hall on a Lenten Friday and you’ll often find the same scene: steaming pots of soup, simple bread, people chatting softly, kids running underfoot, and a sense of gentle community. But why soup? And why Fridays? The answer is beautifully simple—and deeply rooted in the spirit of Lent. 1. Fridays are days of communal sacrifice During Lent, Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays as a small act of solidarity with Christ’s sacrifice. It’s not about dieting; it’s about choosing simplicity so the heart can pay attention to what matters most. Soup—humble, nourishing, and meatless—fits the day perfectly. It’s a meal that reflects the Church’s call to detachment and simplicity during this season . 2. Soup suppers turn fasting into fellowship Lent can be a solitary journey, but it was never meant to be lonely. Parish soup dinners transform a day of penance into a moment of community: sharing a simple meal supporting one another in the Lenten journey creating s...

If you walk into a Catholic church during Lent, you’ll often see people quietly moving from station to station, pausing before small images on the wall. This ancient practice—the Stations of the Cross —is one of the most beloved Lenten devotions in the Church. But what exactly is it, and why do Catholics do it? 1. A pilgrimage without leaving your parish The Stations of the Cross are 14 moments from Jesus’ Passion , beginning with His condemnation by Pilate and ending with His burial. Early Christians in Jerusalem walked the actual path Jesus took to Calvary. Over time, as travel became impossible for most people, the Church brought the pilgrimage home. Parishes installed “stations” so the faithful could walk with Christ spiritually, even if they could never set foot in the Holy Land. It’s a pilgrimage of the heart. 2. A way of slowing down the Passion The Gospels tell the story of Good Friday with stark simplicity. The Stations invite us to linger —to notice the falls, the face...