Catholic Pages
http://www.catholic-pages.com

If you spend much time on the Web looking for information, you know how difficult and frustrating it can sometimes be to find exactly what you’re looking for. What I enjoy most about the Catholic Pages site is that I can find just about everything in Catholic materials through their links.

The homepage dedicates a section to information particular to each day, including the saint of the day; the mysteries of the Rosary; and a quote. I make frequent use of the prayer readings section; it provides links to daily Mass readings, the Office, and other traditional devotions. The Catholic Start Directory gives access to a wide variety of topics, though most links are to another site.

The Discussion Forum brings members into online conversations about numerous subjects. Though membership is required for full use, there’s no charge, so I highly recommend signing up.

Other site features include the Bookrack, the Factbook, and the Humor sections. Teamed up with Amazon.com, Catholic Pages offers a wide selection of titles, subjects, and authors. The Factbook, which is still under development, will be an information database of all the dioceses of the world, a complete list of all the bishops, the Pope’s diplomats, and Curial cardinals. If you’re looking for some laughs, check out the Humor page. Though the entries are few and not frequently updated, they can provoke a smile.

Overall, this site is straightforward, easy to navigate, and full of resources, links, and valuable information. Whether you visit it often or just once, you’ll find it a great tool.

 

 

 

Catholic Online Saints Index
http://saints.catholic.org

It’s a common misconception that the cult of the saints was a late development in Church history. But historical evidence confirms that in the generation immediately succeeding the Apostles, Christians were already honoring other Christians who had died and asking for their intercession. If you need information for responding to challenges to Catholic teaching about the communion of saints, the Catholic Online Saints Index provides a useful point of reference.
Whether you want to learn how the Church decides on who’s a saint or read the story of a particular patron saint, you’ll find it here. There’s no membership requirement, so you have instant access to a treasure chest of saints’ stories, answers to frequently asked questions and misconceptions about saints, and a wide variety of related topics. Short biographies are provided for everyone from St. Aaron to St. Zoticus.
You can search for saints by day or name. Unfortunately, the site lacks a standard search tool that would enable you to search by keywords or phrases.
As a bonus, this site features angels as well. The angel section lacks the depth and breadth of the saints section, but it nevertheless provides answers to many common questions; an explanation of the various choirs (or ranks) of angels; prayers; and links to related topics.
Even if you don’t have a particular query in mind, take a look at this site. With all that it has to offer, you’re almost sure to learn something new about saints and angels.