This year, Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day fell on the same day, Feb. 14, 2024. They have more in common than you might think. Join Fr. Chris Alar as he explains the opening of the holy season of Lent, a time to think about God and not ourselves.

We have all heard of "7th Heaven." Is it real? Are some tortures in Hell worse than others? Fr. Chris Alar explains Church teaching, based on Scripture and Apostolic Tradition, of the different degrees of Heaven and Hell and what each is like.

Fr. Chris reminds us that today — the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed — is one of the most important days of the Church year. Though it’s not a solemnity or feast, its spiritual weight is immense. Following the glory of All Saints Day, we now turn to the souls who still await their full union with God — the holy souls in Purgatory. Together, these three days — All Hallows Eve, All Saints, and All Souls — form what the Church calls Allhallowtide, or the “Triduum of Death.” It is not dark, but deeply merciful, because it reveals God’s justice and His love.