St. Augustine wrote that there were two kinds of love in the world: amor sui ad contemptum Dei et amor Dei ad contemptum sui — “love of self to the contempt of God and love of God to the contempt of ...

It's a religious rite that's one of the most intimate and symbolic acts of the Christian faith: the practice of foot-washing, undertaken by many denominations surrounding the observance of Holy ...

“The chances are good you won’t last here your entire life.” These words were the first ones spoken to us eight novices by the archabbot on our first day inside the cloister. “And even if you do make ...

Sunday, Dec. 25, is the Nativity of the Lord. Mass readings: Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Matthew 1:1-25 or Matthew 1:18-25. The Newborn Christ is not found where ...

Last weekend, I visited Nashville to serve on a panel for the Southern Festival of Books. I appeared with Brandon Byrd, a history professor at Vanderbilt University, and the Northeastern University ...

As Rosh Hashanah — the Jewish New Year — approaches, Jewish people around the world will prepare to observe this significant occasion with prayers, repentance and gatherings. One of the most profound ...

It is just about time for my yearly lesson in humility, and I am beginning to get nervous. Each academic year, at some point, I am forced to confront either my own humanity, or that of one of my ...

Noting that today’s world is “beset by pride,” the speaker at the John Carroll Society’s 40 th Annual Awards Dinner on May 8, ...

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today. Listen 0:00 A few years ago, I took a ...