History reveals that some events are watershed moments. Some events stand out as different, more than ordinary events. It can be hard to judge these events soon after their occurrence, but it is sometimes possible to have a sense that an event...
Today Catholics celebrate St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 125-203). Out of the research for my book, How the Saints Shaped History, which (I am happy to announce) just won an Honorable Mention award from the Catholic Media Association), he...
Written by writer Timothy Lusch, who, I think, captures well the essence of my book. This review appeared in the excellent online Catholic magazine, “Catholic World Report” in December of 2023. Read on! Beyond litanies and lives to...
The birth narratives the gospels of Matthew and Luke each begin with the appearance of an angel. These supernatural interventions herald an extraordinary event that is about to happen: the birth of the Redeemer. Luke tells us of two...
October 5th is the Feast Day of Saint Faustina. For those of you who are not familiar with her, Faustina Kowalska was a Polish nun and mystic known for her visions of Jesus before World War II that fostered the Catholic “Divine Mercy” devotion...
Upon researching for my new book, How the Saints shaped History, I reached the conclusion that St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, was the MVP of the Catholic Counter-Reformation. And that is a bold statement, given the many saints who...
Before we forget the recent flap concerning the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” and the LA Dodgers, I have to give a shout out to the thousands of nuns throughout history whom have served God with faith, dedication, and sacrificial love. In my...
I am happy to announce that my book, HOW THE SAINTS SHAPED HISTORY, is now officially released, and available at https://lnkd.in/g3XvY-Fg. I am grateful to the wonderful people at Our Sunday Visitor (OSV) for their expertise, care, and faith as...
The summer of 1941. Auschwitz. A prisoner escapes. In response, the Nazi guards round up ten other prisoners to be placed in a notorious starvation bunker where they will be held without food and water until they are dead. One selected man cries...
Seldom has such a little-known saint had such an outsized impact on the history of Christianity and of Europe as Saint Clotilda. I had never heard of Clotilda until I began researching for my book on the role of saints in Church history for...
I noticed this past week that St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582, October 15th) and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690, October 16th), were back-to-back on the Catholic liturgical calendar. As I pondered whether either of them might be a...
This man, whose feast day is August 20th (today, as I write) was the man with the golden touch, the man who could do everything, the go-to man for popes and kings. He was the most influential man in all of Europe in his day. And probably the...
Randall J. Petrides © 2024. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Website designed and hosted by nwa-inc.com
