“To sing is to pray twice.” — Saint Augustine of Hippo As a child, I sought ways to draw closer to God beyond verbal prayer. I often tagged along with my parents who were active in our choir. I would sit near my mother, asking for extra song sheets to read and follow...
Recently I was asked by our regional Catholic Board of Education to present a talk to Religious Education teachers on the life of Abbot Franz Pfanner, the founder of the Monastery of Mariannhill near Durban on the eastern coast of South Africa. Although I knew a fair...
When I was 15, I experienced my first “chastity” talk one night at youth group. A local organization called the Theology of the Body Evangelization Team came to our parish and gave a series of talks about the subject. It was the first time in my life I had ever heard...
My grandmother is 94 years old and still the most elegant woman I know. In the 45 years we have known each other, we have had innumerable, memorable conversations, some of which I have documented and hope to share with my own grandchildren someday. A few years ago, I...
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Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned,like sheep without a shepherd.Then he said to his disciples,“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are...
It had been long enough, so I finally decided to visit my doctor. Random muscle spasms, pain, and fatigue had plagued me for nearly a year, and I had to figure out why…and hopefully fix it. Various AI and internet sources provided some insights, but they couldn’t...
Cultural Catholic Someone recently said to me, “Everyone has their personal prodigal son story.” God works through people, and the timing of that message was perfect. I instantly felt less secluded, less naked, and less alone. Maybe God could indeed forgive me,...
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When Bishop David L. Ricken of Green Bay opened Adele Brice’s cause for sainthood earlier this year, his announcement certainly contributed to a record-breaking number of registrants for the Walk to Mary Pilgrimage, with over 10,000 pilgrims walking from around the...
As a young adult growing up in the 21st century, bombarded by constant conflict in the news and media, life can seem hopeless and uncertain. It seems that headlines only highlight the bad things happening in the world, and social media is full of people complaining...
Many faithful Catholics quietly struggle with the question…“Is this healthy, or is this too much?” On the surface, healthy Catholic spirituality and scrupulosity can look very similar. Both include prayer, regular examination of conscience, and a sincere desire...
You wake up in the morning. The first thing you reach for is your phone. A few messages, a quick scroll through social media, maybe a couple of videos… and suddenly twenty minutes are gone. Most of us don’t plan to ignore God. But in a world filled with constant...
Emotionally exhausted, I let go and made a decision I was hoping would lessen the trauma I was dealing with. I didn't want to think. I didn't want to feel hurt. I shut out all the hurt and decided to focus on happy endings, be witty, and pretend to be dumb just to...
That Little Feeling You Can’t IgnoreHave you ever had one of those moments where you just feel this irresistible pull? Like a tiny “nudge” in your heart that pushes you to act, simply because you know deep down it’s the right thing to do? Have you ever felt that kind...
Several hours before the first pitch is thrown, players slowly trickle into a quiet stadium. As they enter the clubhouse, a few different activities have already begun. The equipment manager, or “clubbie,” is hanging jerseys. The trainer is loading ice into an...
How many of you are still keeping to your New Year's resolutions? Unfortunately, these are, for many, already a distant and slightly embarrassing memory. Some of you may have even already fallen off the wagon for your Lenten practices. If you have, or you didn’t even...
When God is our strength, it is strength indeed; when our strength is our own, it is only weakness.” — St. Augustine. Self-reliance, relying on our own strength, will never give us the outcome or the grace we need along the way—generally speaking, in life or in...
I had no idea what I was getting into when I accepted a co-worker’s challenge to sign up for a Cursillo weekend. I had moved to Pennsylvania just a few months before and was still getting my bearings. I was interested in growing in my faith and meeting people who...
This article was originally published HERE. Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual...
Every so often, someone discovers the word “unicorn” in an old English Bible and instantly assumes Scripture is a Narnia prequel. Or that they got a fanfic Bible or something. And honestly, I get it. The mental image of a lone unicorn trotting through the wilderness...
After several years of wishing for spiritual resources for neurodivergent people from a Catholic perspective, I collaborated with Father Mark P. Nolette, an autistic Catholic priest, to create Autism Consecrated in 2020. Our website aims to be a point of contact for...
Most people do not withdraw from relationships because they are unloving.They withdraw because they are wounded. In families especially, proximity can feel perilous. Wounded history accumulates like unspoken debt. Words linger long after they are spoken. Reactions...
Most of our fears as young kids revolve around nighttime. As we grow up, the tools we're taught stay with us. Whether you've got young ones or older ones (or fears yourself), you can keep it simple with these ways my husband and I fight fears with our kids. What...
Throughout history, Catholics—both religious and lay—have actively engaged in efforts to end war, poverty, hunger, and injustice. From vastly different disciplines and corners of the world, they have placed their lives at the service of peace, following Jesus’...