Thursday Mass | Octave of Easter

Throughout history, the Church has received numerous letters, exhortations, and encyclicals from its holy fathers. These works help the faithful examine and reflect on particular aspects of faith and morals, and aid us in living out our call to be missionary disciples. These works are often written in response to a specific need at a particular moment in time. For example, Pope Paul VI’s Humanae Vitae affirmed Church teaching on the sanctity of life and the rejection of contraception right as the sexual revolution began. His encyclical has proven to be vitally relevant up to the present day, as the beauty of God’s plan for married love becomes more and more clouded in society. Encyclicals/apostolic letters and exhortations are a gift of the Church and a gift to you.