For all of us All Saints Day raises some serious questions. We were created to become saints, to serve God and give Him glory. We are supposed to bring His love to a world that is hurting. People should see Jesus in us. That is the purpose of all of us. So we all have to ask ourselves some […]
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Rocker Stevie Nicks revealed her confusion to think that sex, drugs and rock and roll were greater than her baby. She ended her child’s life in 1979 while dating Don Henley of The Eagles. “There’s just no way that I could have had a child then, working as hard as […]
For those not walking with Our Lord, coincidences are a marvel. People gush: What are the odds? But for Christians who walk with the Lord, we are not amazed at the odds; we are amazed at God. One way I have opened the door to God acting in my life is that before taking a […]
There is a lot to fret over in our culture but there is also a lot at our disposal to fight against it. One very powerful action we can take is the First Five Saturday devotion. If you have never done it before, I encourage you to do it now and stick with it. The […]
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid,” (John 14:27). Within those words of comfort is the key: not as the world gives. And so with the assurance of our faith, […]
Recognizing God in Small Moments Recognizing God in the everyday moments are an art. Whether we are young, somewhere in the middle or old. Life has its slow times and the busy times. I think having eyes to see “His hand” in all we do is something that take patience! Think for a moment about […]
To know the Virgin Mary is to love her. One way we can get to know her better is through her visits from Heaven to Earth. Marian apparitions are simply ‘private revelations’ illuminating aspects of faith but not revealing new ones since, according to Catholic doctrine, the age of public revelation ended with John, the last […]
I stood by helplessly and watched as a text message received by one of my older children instantly transformed a situation that showed much promise into a state of uncertainty. My child was visibly disappointed and frustrated. All I could do was give a reassuring hug and offer some words of consolation. Throughout my work […]
Surely, the Blessed Mother would have taken on the suffering of her Son, Jesus Christ if it were possible. That is what loving mothers always wish they could do. Instead, Mary suffered alongside her Son, because that too is what mothers do. We go to Mary to get closer to Jesus for that very reason. […]
Shortly before his martyrdom, St. Paul penned a letter to his friend Timothy. The great apostle seems to have known that death was near, and his bittersweet words are imbued with a sense of urgency. St. Paul comforts and commends his young protégé, while exhorting him to sacrifice. “Do not be ashamed of the testimony […]
Shielding my eyes from the blinding sun, I sensed, rather than heard, a presence to my left as I stood in line waiting to board the plane. His face was about five inches from mine. I could see his lips moving but could hear nothing. Finally I faced him squarely and he repeated himself. “What’s […]
There is more to Christmas than just Christ’s birth. It serves as the beginning of an epic, and Advent is the prologue whereby we prepare for the first spellbinding chapter. There’s a thread running through Christmas that ties into so many other Christological elements, including Christ as Divine Lover, in concert with the poetry of […]
What are you doing this Friday? I’m asking about your penance, not that it’s my business, but the business of the Church is something I care about. And it seems that Friday penances largely disappeared along with the long lines outside Brown’s Fish and Chips every Friday. That was the fish restaurant in my neighborhood […]
“Don’t let the demons of yesterday ruin the blessings of today,” An exorcist once told me during an interview. Exorcists understand how the devil invades lives and steals away peace and holiness. They also know that the people they help have a past they would like to forget and a future that might loom large […]
Our three year old daughter Liz was in the backseat of the car while my wife was driving. Mom made a wrong turn. “Grrr,” my wife grumbled, “wrong turn!” From the backseat Liz’s voice chimed: “Recalculating!” That made my wife crack-up. But while Mom was laughing out loud, Liz didn’t see the humor. “That’s what […]
Free Ebook on Salesian Spirituality Every Sunday evening a Visitation Sister gently guides online chatters about their vocational discernment and provides spiritual insights. The discussion is called the “Living Jesus Chat Room,” named after the Visitation Sisters’ motto “Live Jesus.” On this evening, a woman who teaches at an alternative public high school for discipline […]
It would seem that being raised by devout Catholic parents who prayed the rosary daily would have pointed to a good and holy future for Bartolo Longo. And it did. Eventually. First, he strayed so far from God that he became a satanic priest. Yet, as far as Bartolo strayed—and it was extreme—he was not beyond […]
If ever there was a good time to make reparation for the offenses to the Blessed Mother, now would be a good time. Even if you have already made the Five First Saturdays, it’s something we can do again and again. At Fatima, through the Blessed Mother’s apparitions to the 3 shepherd children, the devotion […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Genesis 18:20-32 Responsorial: Psalm 138:1-3,6-8 2nd Reading: Colossians 2:12-14 Gospel: Luke 11:1-13 Confidently Approaching Our Heavenly Father, Who Loves Us Teach us to pray. (Luke 11:1) We human beings are big on “how to,” aren’t we? Search on the Internet, and you will […]
Years ago, I attended a non-Catholic, Christian event with a couple of my teens at our civic center. It was called “The Fire” and was an all-out, sing-and-praise-your-heart-out-for-the- Lord evening. But in the midst of thousands of people, a feeling of emptiness unexpectedly came upon me. I felt the absence of those that were missing: […]
I know. St. Paul had the same problem though, “no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:10). Right now our knowledge of God is conceptual, we use analogies from this created world to speak of the Totally Other: […]
“For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” (John 20:9) On Good Friday, the impossible happened. God Himself was executed by His creatures. On Easter Sunday, this same God, our Lord Jesus Christ, rose from the dead, victorious over the power of the grave. In so doing, […]
Behold the wood of the cross, on which has hung our salvation: come let us adore (Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion). As we trod with Jesus the steps to Golgotha that draw Lent to a close, it is worthy to note that these are not the waning days of a dry, tired Lent. Instead, they […]
Jesus wanted His Apostles to spend time with Him before He died. Instead they slept. He awaits our visits to Him as He remains imprisoned in the tabernacles of His Churches, but we don’t come. How harsh we are on Judas. Yes, he betrayed our Lord. But have not we done so repeatedly as well? […]
