by Diego Hernández Herrera Suffering from an addiction —or even a habitual vice— can be quite embarrassing, especially when you are a Christian, because you are aware of how serious such a sin is. It can also feel disheartening to faln back into a sin from which...
During our teenage years, our relationship with the Lord begins to change. As children, we typically love Him without caring about the details. We love Him with the love of a child with wonder, often praised in the Gospels. However, when we begin our teenage years, we...
Firefighter Leroy McAtee and Captain H. H. Buddy Edwards Incident March 19, AD 1954 Mobile, Alabama The police were making their customary patrol in downtown Mobile on Friday, March 19. The patrol area included the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the center of...
The Holy Days of Obligation within the universal Catholic Church are the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension, the Body and Blood of Christ, Holy Mary the Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, Saint Joseph, Saint Peter and...
Having knocked on doors somewhere between every day and every week since 2016 (minus my two years with the Carthusian Monks), I have had many unexpected and even seemingly uneventful encounters. Here are a couple of those encounters. “I got your letter, and you...
St. Marie Leonie Paradis is one of fourteen saints that Pope Francis canonized on October 20, 2024. What do you need to know about this holy woman of God? 5 Things To Know About St. Marie Leonie Paradis 1.) St. Marie Leonie was just fourteen years old when she entered...
For the Grieving Heart The time following the loss of a baby is numbing and painful as you try to navigate all of the emotions that are flooding your entire being. The grieving process is complex and leaves you wondering when your heart will find healing again, when...
The word virtue suggests something strong, but also difficult. Virtue is a good habit that makes you good. It also makes your life easier, because, just like any habit, as you grow in it, you do it more easily, almost unconsciously. Contrary to the modern view,...
As a Carmelite friar, or a member of the Carmelite order to which St. Thérèse of Lisieux belonged, many times over the last several years a young person has said to me: “St Thérèse is stalking me.” I have to admit, I appreciate their candor, but I want to also say,...
Navigating our spiritual journey often involves conversations with others who have faced similar experiences. For me, having Catholic friends, family, and advisors has been crucial in discovering what being Catholic means in today’s world. However, relying solely on...
Does God Really Hear My Prayers? We might sometimes wonder if God really listens to our prayers. Some even stop praying because they think their prayers are not heard. The Catechism makes a few important points on this topic. First, we should consider the image of God...
I love to travel, and the more exciting the place, the better. But my experience in Calcutta, India, pushed my limits even as an experienced traveler. And yet, it was there that I discovered Jesus' presence through Adoration and its essential role in serving...
How you support your priest depends on how well you know your priest. There are, of course, things priests universally or generally appreciate—like prayers or a mug that says “Don’t make me put you in one of my homilies”—but as lay people, we have a responsibility to...
Over ten years ago, after concluding a Catholic radio program at a non-denominational station, I encountered a pastor as I exited the studio. He posed a straightforward question: "Why don't you ever discuss the prosperity gospel?" The ensuing dialogue remains vivid in...
Miscarriage, a word that I never thought would happen to me. It wasn’t really on my radar and I didn’t give it any thought when I found out I was pregnant with our first baby. Yet, it was this very word that defined my first five pregnancies. It is the word that...
Our baby is graduating from college this year. Gulp. I’m not sure how we got here so quickly, but like it or not, it’s happening. Actually, I love it. Watching our kids become who they were meant to be has been the greatest honor. They don’t have it all figured out,...
We’ve all had the experience of waking up at night and not being able to go back to sleep. Such was the case for me not long ago. Usually, in this situation, my mind would find a train of thought and then take off. We know how that story ends. Toss and turn for the...
Do you wake up to pee every night? I do, and it’s annoying. I envy folks with bladders so large they can hold it for eight straight hours, but, since I can’t, each night I must confront the conundrum that’s puzzled mankind for thousands of years. What should I do when...
Be aware. Understand. Take action. These three steps are the fundamental message of St. Ignatius’ 14 Rules for Discernment of Spirits. First, we must become aware of what is happening in our spiritual lives, specifically, where we are in relation to God and what...
My family recently adopted a golden retriever puppy. We named her Casey, after the Mudville Nine’s cleanup hitter. She’s adorable. If she wasn’t so darn cute we’d have likely returned her by now. Each time I look at my hands and see all the cuts and scratches from her...
I didn’t go looking for the Sacred Heart; the Sacred Heart found me. My mom always had a statue of both the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary that had a special place in the home while I was growing up. In addition, I grew up about five minutes...
On my way to Mass this past Mother's Day, I received this startling text message: “Did ya'll change your Facebook page to 'Heavenly Horizons'? I was notified this morning. Just wanted to make sure the page wasn't hacked.” My heart sunk and my head raced as I quickly...
I had fifty eyes glaring back at me with exhaustion and boredom. It was my first foray into a Catholic middle school classroom as a guest teacher for religion. I was twenty-one years old, relatively “hip” by preadolescent standards, and one week on the job as a new...
My Catholic journey began when I was 8 years old and being raised in a Methodist church. It started with a something of a supernatural experience. There was a voice in my head that head that kept speaking up whenever I was in church. The voice said, “Something is...
The greatest philosophers in history say yes In March of 2024, Axios reported that the United States had hit a new low in the annual World Happiness Report. The U.S. dropped eight spots, to Number 23 overall—the first time it’s fallen out of the Top 20. Americans felt...