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Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows has its roots back to apostolic times. St. John the Evangelist stood with Mary at the foot of the cross. He witnessed first hand her holy grief and affliction, but witnessed as well her steadfast devotion to her Son and her maternal entrance into his sufferings. So profound was Mary's witness that St. John records the event in his Gospel account. It was the fulfillment of Simeon's prophesy of the Infant Jesus in the temple: "And a sword will pierce you own heart so that the thoughts of many hearts would be revealed." You can read about that moment in the second chapter of St. Luke's Gospel. Theologians tell us that Mary's fiat to God, her yes, at the moment of her annunciation was also her yes to the all of the contradictions and sorrows that would accompany her motherhood. And it was the grace-filled strength of that yes that held her under that tree for three long hours as she watched her Son's agonizing death.

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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist Catholic dioceses across the state of Maine are actively raising money and support for a November ballot initiative to reverse a law allowing same-sex marriage in the state. 

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Steadfast Cross Steadfast cross, among all other    Thou art a tree of great prize; In a branch and flower such another    I ne wot non in wood nor rise. Sweet be the nails, and sweet be the tree, And sweeter be the burden that hangs upon thee.                                                                              Anonymous from the Middle Ages

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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist As a new school year begins, recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance is once again under attack by groups who say children should be told they have the right to opt out of reciting the pledge in their classrooms.

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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist A new cervical cancer vaccine, dubbed the “promiscuity jab” in the UK, is responsible for more than 2,000 complaints since the government began administering it to teens last year. The same drug is currently under consideration by the Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) for use in the U.S.

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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist Officials estimate that anywhere from 350,000 to 1.5 million people from across the country converged on Washington this past weekend to protest President Obama’s policies, making it one of the largest protests of its kind in recent history.

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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist The FBI is currently investigating an increasing number of death threats against pro-life organizations that have been occuring since the May 31 killing of late-term abortionist George Tiller.

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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist Compared to the outrage leveled against pro-life groups after the murder of late-term abortionist George Tiller in May, pro-abortion groups have had little to say about the shooting death of a pro-life activist whose public position on abortion displeased his killer.

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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist A homosexual man is suing two national Christian publishers, claiming that he suffered emotional pain and mental instability due to their versions of the Bible which portray homosexuality as a sin.

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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist The Secretary of Health and Human Services, pro-abortion Catholic Kathleen Sebelius, who will play a pivotal role in insuring that abortions are covered in any new health care reform bills, echoed the presidents disingenuous statements about the issue on a Sunday morning talk show.

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