God created you as a man. He created you as a son. He desires your heart, soul, and strength. Above all else, He calls you to embrace your identify as child of the Father, as coheir with the Son, and empowered by the Spirit. He calls you to be set apart from the...
I’m always wary of watching things that Hollywood puts out that involve elements of the Catholic Church. I prepare myself for insults and total misconceptions of the truth, beauty, and goodness that the Church is and has to offer. So as I watched the trailer of Lady...
As fairly new homeowners (it’s been 1.5 years), one struggle that my husband and I have is that of finding a right balance with how much stuff we possess. Our goal: not to possess too little stuff (we’re not hardcore minimalists) and not to possess too much stuff (we...
Someone asked me quite seriously the other day, “What do you personally get out of Adoration?” It was a question that gave me pause. How do I explain? If you already accept the belief that the consecrated Host is in fact Jesus Christ, it seems plain to me that you...
So, your beloved parish priest of the past many years has been given a new assignment in another city, what do you do? You may have spent years getting to know him, or you may be brand new to the parish. You may have gone through marriage prep, RCIA or the baptism of...
In this first part of a two-part series on Catholic Social Teaching, we explore the seven main themes. This is a bird’s eye view of Catholic Social Teaching and only begins to scratch the surface. The Heart of Christ The social teaching of the Church is a rich...
Catholic Bible Study for the Solemnity of the birth of Saint John the Baptist: Our lives are made of broken promises, promises that we make to ourselves and are unable to keep. And yet, somehow, these promises help us live because they spur us on and give us a goal....
Dear Child, My parents baptized me three months after I was born. I don’t remember it. I wasn’t asked if I wanted to be baptized or not, nor would I have been able to understand or respond. And, I’m grateful that they did. We decided to do the same for you. We...
Thank you, Chris Pratt, for your incredible witness of faith. With your words of wisdom, you proved that you are a worthy recipient of the "Our Generation Award." Finally, we get to see a celebrity who is not afraid to stand for God and encourage others to...
The search to fulfill our many desires is what leads people through their lives in one direction or another. We live in a time where the dominant belief is that life is short and we should fulfill those desires by any means necessary. That mentality leads people...
“Living is the infinite patience of always starting over.” Ermines Ronchi A few days ago, I was listening to my friend Massimo and his mother discuss their gardens and vineyard. Much of it was lost on me but I was struck by one detail: they had to wait for the...
When I was dating and engaged, I often wondered what chastity in marriage looked like. Having just celebrated my fourth wedding anniversary with my dear husband, and also having counseled couples in a faith-based therapy setting, here are a handful of takeaways that...
The Catholic Christian presence on the internet is so important nowadays. Years ago TV and radio were the massive means of communication, but today it’s clear that they’ve all come together in one: the Internet. Pope Benedict XVI said, “Dear Brothers and Sisters, I...
Many of us would sooner eat a kale smoothie than go to Confession. Why? Because we value physical health, the kind of health that everyone can see, over spiritual health, which often involves admitting we did something wrong and need to change our habits or attitude....
“If God has created all things, where does evil come from?” - Saint Augustine When we feel inadequate, fragile, or guilty, we immediately look for something to hide behind. We are ashamed of our nudity. We don’t want to be seen. It’s a recurring sensation throughout...
Summer is my favorite time of the year here in Ohio. I love everything about it, especially the warm weather and the long nights. Having my kids home from school can be incredibly exhausting, but it's absolutely the highlight of the summer months. So many...
Meditation for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ “These things, brothers and sisters, are called Sacraments, for in them on thing is seen while another is signified.” - Saint Augustine. The famous psychologist, Zygmunt Bauman, said that getting...
We're so excited that Matt Fradd is on the Ascension Presents YouTube channel. Matt is a Catholic author, speaker, and podcaster. He also works with Covenant Eyes, an organization that helps others heal from pornography addiction. Drawing from his personal...
A Catholic Bible Study on the Holy Gospel according to Matthew 28:16-20 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to...
As many of us already know, Ireland votes today to decide whether to keep its relatively strict abortion laws- which currently make it very difficult to have an abortion - to change them in favor of abortion on demand. There are so many well-documented reasons why...
The parable of the Prodigal Son is arguably one of the most well-known parables, and it is easy to see why. Despite its short length, the story is packed with drama. We can feel all the familiar emotions in it. We understand the rebellion of the younger son and his...
Growing up, I ticked of all the ‘weird kid’ qualities. Bookworm? Tick. Shy Catholic girl? Big tick. Facial scarring? Tick. Scar from open-heart surgery? Tick. You know how everyone gets known for something for in highschool? Try being known as that weird kid who...
If you ever visit the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, you will see huge statues of the Apostles lining the nave of that church. Each statue appears larger-than-life and any viewer is left in awe and wonder at the respect these statues command. It is almost...
As a United States Army Special Forces First Sergeant, Sompaul Vorapanich has accomplished much in the military while defending freedom and standing strong in the face of battle. Sgt. Vorapanich strives to serve his country with valor and virtue, but his ultimate goal...
When the string of a pearl necklace snaps and the pearls fly off in all directions, bouncing across a pale marble floor, they seem like jets of water flying out of a broken water pipe or like unruly children running to hide in the most unlikely places. Trying...