Knowing that we are called to follow the Will of God and being able to discern His Will are two very different things. Do you ever feel like asking God for a neon sign to guide you in your next step in life? Usually, God does not send neon “go here, do that” signs. So...
It’s been my word - my word all year’s been LOVE. Last week, Alabama and Clemson squared off in the National College Football Championship, in front of an estimated television audience of over 26 Million viewers. Amidst a dramatic finish and an “underdog” subplot,...
This recent ad, made by a film student and ignored by the brand it was created to promote, is so profound and moving that it's not hard to see why it's gone viral. It tells the tale of an aged marathon runner waiting out his final years in a care home. We see him...
Pope St. John Paul II is rightly nicknamed John Paul the Great because of his tremendous impact on so many spheres of our life and on world history. Not only will he be remembered as the Pope who traveled more than any of his predecessors, but his legacy also includes...
Embracing chastity and starting to foster it is not always an easy task. If you come from a Catholic background and you have heard it since you were young then perhaps it’s more simple. It gets complicated when, like St. Augustine, conversion happens as an adult and...
Millennials! I don’t know about you, but as a young person, all the argument about whether millennials are the most spoilt, snowflake generation yet gets boring after a while. So when my (older) friend shared the “THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS GENERATION!”...
Knowing that we are called to follow the Will of God and being able to discern His Will is two very different things. Do you ever feel like asking God for a neon sign to guide you in your next step in life? Usually God does not send Neon "go here, do that" signs. So...
Have you ever been on Facebook and suddenly found yourself looking at wedding pictures of someone you've never even met? I'll admit, it's happened to me more than once. There's something about the joy in the life of another that draws us in. We want to see it,...
I write this article on the first anniversary of my father´s death and first year in heaven. And it is not presumption or bragging: my father died one Saturday morning, wearing the Scapular of Our Lady of the Mount Carmel and with the final Sacraments administered by...
Christmas 2016 marked one year without alcohol for me. I still haven't had any alcohol and I still do not intend to ever drink again! Back in 2015, I had long been aware that I had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, but I was not aware of the depth of my...
The new year is only a few hours away and with it comes the setting of goals and resolution lists. Whether it’s switching jobs, choosing what colleges you want to apply to, deciding if you’re ready to have another baby, or going back to school (among other...
This short video from Speak Life shares a brief but beautiful insight into the life of a mother and her daughter Leeva, who has Down’s syndrome. Leeva is taking part in a Nativity play, and all her cast-mates also have Down’s syndrome. It is explained that the play...
I dare say every person on earth could be found guilty of comparing themselves to another person out of envy, pride, or mere insecurity. These could be comparisons of physical qualities, family life, level of education, state in life, career path, or even spiritual...
The death of a loved one leaves an indelible mark upon your heart, and forevermore there is something that you carry around with you; it can feel heavy, or dark, and it’s especially around festive periods that the loss can feel most prevalent. As families come...
One solitary life. It was full of failure, and it ended in a premature and shameful death. There were no career accolades, family, or world acclaim. Just a life that was born into an enemy occupation, grew up in a working-class trade, lived at home, and ended with a...
This past weekend my family had the opportunity to watch the movie Believe and it was just what we needed to help us get into the true spirit of the Advent season. My oldest three boys (ages 11, 10, and 7) had a lot to say about the movie and the message that is...
Full disclosure – I am not Brazilian. I’m only just starting to appreciate soccer, so I can’t really call myself a fan. I had never heard of the Chapecoense team before I woke up on Tuesday morning and read an article in Portuguese saying that a plane carrying them...
“There is a season for everything, a time for every occupation under heaven.” Ecc. 3:1 For the Chicago Cubs, it is the season for rejoicing. A historical moment occurred as the World Series entered the 10th inning of the deciding game that began on November 2, 2016....
“Live. Love. Laugh.” It’s a slogan that’s typically found on at least one wall in every home. And why not! I’m not going to deny that it’s a genuinely beautiful message; an ode to the goodness of life and of our existence with others. To the way that we should live...
This time of year is when many people start frantically searching for the perfect gift for every person on their list. It can be overwhelming, time-consuming, and draining. Many times we lose the joy and peace that comes with Christmas because we are so worried about...
Growing up Catholic, Advent was always strictly observed in our home. We never skipped over it to start Christmas early. Though I had a good idea of the purpose of Advent- it being a time of preparation and prayer- I made my way though it grimly. I understood the head...
Traveling is a beautiful way to encounter other people and other cultures, and to be inspired by what you find and, even more so, by those whom you meet. When you make the decision to travel, make it with God, because when you allow Him to work through you and guide...
In case you hadn’t noticed, we’ve just had a Year of Mercy! It ends pretty soon, on November 20th. Maybe, like me, you start out on these extraordinary years full of interest and hope and enthusiasm, and get to the end a little worn out with the repetition of it and...
One of the most striking scenes in the movie Courageous is when a police officer visits a young man in prison. This young man formerly flirted with the officer’s daughter and was arrested for involvement with violent drug dealers. The officer wasn’t there to scold or...
Ever since I first heard about kintsugi a few years ago, it has been one of my favorite motifs for understanding healing and redemption. As is explained in this video, kintsugi is the is an ancient Japanese art of repair. Think of a cracked vase. Rather than throwing...