What is "Holiness?"

By Paul Dion, STL

This week's burning question is short and sweet. It's about a term we have often heard and used since we were small children.

But do we really know what it means?

Please reflect on the following the Burning Question:
As the people of God, we are all called to holiness. What is holiness? What does it mean to be holy?

Share your ideas and thoughts with us.

What is "The World?"

By Paul Dion, STL


I try to make the Burning Question one that has a doctrinal core to it. Something very Catholic. This week I stumbled across something that caught my fancy for two reasons:

1. It is a very traditional Catholic topic.
2. It is also a topic that has challenged the followers of Jesus for centuries.

Believe me, the positions that are taken about this fill the spectrum of spiritual human activity in the pursuit of perfection (sanctity) from left to right and back again. I am presenting this to you because I want you to get the idea of what I mean when I say that "THIS is not an intellectual exercise."

The Introduction:

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God And the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their aflictions and to keep oneself unstained by the world." (Letter of James, Chapter 1, verse 27)

The Challenge:

Comment on the bold type phrase as you see it connected the meaning of religion and the requirement(s) that it presents to the practitioners of that religion, namely, in this case, Roman Catholicism.

Let us know what you think. This is not a sit-down Catechism class so we don't grade your answer. And you can always post anonymously if you want. We merely want you to dig into your hearts and explore your Catholic faith, as you truly know it.

(Click here to view the many wonderful articles that await you in http://www.parishworld.net/, America's Catholic Lifestyle Magazine. Be informed, be inspired, be blessed. )