Although we do not like to admit it, even to ourselves, we still believe that prayer suddenly happens, or never happens at all. We kid ourselves that saints are born, or created by an arbitrary decision of God who every now and then suddenly decides to top up humanity’s quota. This is a comforting idea […]
I have written before that my spiritual life is owed to Mary. A few years ago, after a long period of lapsed faith, I felt suddenly called to pray the Rosary, which was followed by daily Mass attendance, then Confirmation into the Church, and the rest, as they say, is history. It is impossible for […]
Is a prayer like this Okay? Hanoi Jane Excepted, Ora Pro Nobis My good friend, Captain Ronald Bliss (may he rest in peace now), on his 35th combat mission over North Vietnam in 1966, after his F-105 Thunderchief was shot down, was incarcerated in the Hoa Lo Prison, the infamous “Hanoi Hilton.” He was there […]
“This deadly cancer of anger… makes us unlike ourselves, makes us like timber wolves or furies from Hell, drives us forth headlong upon the points of swords, makes us blindly run forth after other men’s destruction as we hasten toward our own ruin.” This quote by St. Thomas More goes a long way to explain […]
There is an autonomous response called “fight or flight” that affects us all at certain points throughout our lives during times of crisis. If we are lucky, the level of stress that causes and accompanies this unique state of being might only happen once or twice, and occur years apart. For others, the urge to […]
Dysfunction Is Everywhere Are you dismayed at times by the amount of dysfunction you run into when dealing with other people? Does it seem to you, as it does to me, that there is far too much pain and anxiety mixed in with occasional spurts of joy and peace that many of us encounter? In […]
“Pray always, but not in order to convince the Lord by dint of words! He knows our needs better than we do! Indeed, persevering prayer is the expression of faith in a God who calls us to fight with him every day and at every moment in order to conquer evil with good.” -Angelus address, […]
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Good Just Lives Our life is morally good or righteous if it is made up of acts of justice. The first three of the Ten Commandments concern justice toward God. Justice toward God is giving Him what is due to him. Thankfully, […]
To the casual observer, I appear to be a devoted Catholic mother who has lived a sacrificial life worthy of a modern saint. Little do people realize that although I did pour out my life struggling to raise nine kids on a small farm with little disposable income, I actually missed the core of Christ’s […]
We all face difficult moments of darkness and anxiety when things can become difficult. Some may become disillusioned with life and lose hope. During these challenging times, hope can also be misunderstood. We may think that it is having a positive attitude or being optimistic. We may place our hope in things of this world, […]
“But thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” -1 Corinthians 15 Victory in Christ There is much talk today about becoming a more positive person. If you are on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and other sites, you will see quite a few posts and articles […]
The month of May is traditionally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. May is a month of growth, when nature is reborn. This month normally belongs to the Easter season, between Easter and Pentecost. Many Catholics may be aware that May is consecrated to Mary, but it may be unclear why this month was selected […]
“Happy is he who does not have sadness in his mind, and who has not fallen away from his hope.” -Sirach 14:2 Finding Hope in Christ Lent is a time of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving toward others. It is a time of sacrifice and charity. It is a time of getting to know Jesus even […]
As we near the end of this year’s journey through Lent, I would like to lead with my favorite joke involving this special time of the liturgical year: A parish priest was leaving a sick call late one winter night. As he rounded a dark corner, a man jumped out from behind a car and […]
So I went to Confession last Saturday (March 25). I don’t go to Confession nearly often enough. I go so infrequently that I have an app to remind me how to say the Act of Contrition (Laudate). I won’t tell you when the penultimate time was, but I will say Obama was President. That was […]
Knowing God has a plan for my good can be of great comfort especially for people, like me, who suffer from crippling anxiety. Social media has been a godsend in many ways including renewed and new friendships as well as remarkable opportunities to evangelize. However, it also comes with a greater opportunity to discover the […]
For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. – Ephesians 6:12 This scripture gives us a picture of the invisible air that surrounds us, and those spiritual beings who occupy it. From […]
Did you know that you can’t really pray without distractions? Don’t take my word for it, take the word of St Teresa of Avila. When she went to confession to St Peter of Alcantara she told him that she couldn’t pray any longer because of the distractions that attacked her every time she tried to […]
While recently considering the many types of prayer we can use when talking to God, I recalled a conversation I had last fall with a priest. The topic was envy, and my desire to avoid it. In response, this priest recommended I pray a decade of the rosary and, before each bead, think of something […]
“And their heart was brought low with hardships. They were weakened, and there was no one to help them.” Psalm 106:12 In my own life, I have had experienced hurdles which have tested my faith in people. Our hearts can be “brought low,” as the Psalm reads, during trials with others. Sometimes we may feel there […]
The Lost Virtue of Christian Hospitality
Summer is a time we invite family and friends over for dinner often. The sun sets later and evenings are warm. It is an ideal season to entertain guests, to sit down with family and friends and share a meal together. Hospitality is a Christian virtue. Pope Francis has mentioned that it runs the risk […]
Are Most Christians Clueless About Their True Identity?
A good friend, Martha, from Madonna House, “happened” to sit beside a self-proclaimed witch on an old bus heading towards the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico. Noticing Martha’s large cross identifying her as a member of the Lay Apostolate, the witch cynically remarked that most Christians were stupid because they were completely clueless […]
The Catholic Church and Science
Many people erroneously believe that the dark ages were caused by the Catholic Church and its hatred of science/love of superstition, and its dominant control of the mind of man during what has been called the “medieval” or “dark ages.” But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, just the opposite is true. […]
Our Faith Is Not About Clean Uniforms
A few years back I was visiting a friend when a man in a sparkling white uniform walked out of my friend’s home. When my friend told me that this gentleman was there to repair his washing machine, I was somewhat surprised. After all, I thought, how can anyone repair anything without getting at least […]
Shaping the Image of God: Thoughts about Fatherhood
I have been thinking a lot about fatherhood lately. Having put in quite a few years as a dad with three beautiful children, you would think that by now I would be an expert on the subject. Sadly, such is not the case. I find myself still questioning why I am not the “perfect” father […]
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