“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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
Significant changes mark this season of my life. The biggest being my transition from college to post-college. I like to use the actual seasons to help describe the kind of season I’m in: rest reminds me of lying out and feeling the summer heat. I feel the crisp...
Triumph of the Heart "In the harrowing confines of Auschwitz's starvation cell, Catholic priest St. Maximilian Kolbe volunteers to die in place of another prisoner, joining nine others condemned by the Nazis. As despair and fear grip the group, the pressures of...
When you first meet someone, you’re curious to know them. You want to know how old they are, where they grew up, what they currently do, their best memories, etc. Perhaps, they’ll share with us something very unexpected — their vast knowledge of electric fish in...
When I became Catholic fifteen years ago, I was amazed by all the organizations available to Catholic laypeople. They are the outward, organizational expressions of our “Catholicity”, our call to worship, to serve, to pray, to evangelize. I bet anyone reading this...
Every January, many women enter the new year with sincere intentions and clear goals—only tofeel discouraged when those resolutions fall apart a few weeks later. The problem isn’t a lack ofdiscipline or desire. More often, it’s that we jump straight into what we...
Ten seconds. Ten measly seconds. That’s all it takes to ruin your day—and maybe even your life. Your teacher catches you copying off the student next to you. You blow a semester of your kid’s tuition on a bad bet. You take a drink for the first time in four years. Ten...
Lust is more than a personal weakness or a private struggle—it is a direct assault on the sacredness of the human person, on marriage, on family, and ultimately, on the very image of God. Among the seven deadly sins, lust uniquely wounds not only the soul of the...
Chicago. Autumn of 2025. The air turns crisp as September surrenders to October’s embrace, leaves ablaze in reds and golds, whispering secrets of harvest and renewal. Baseball fever grips the heartland—the “October Classic” looms, where underdogs dare to dream and...
Two years ago, after I’d been in my current job for several years, I felt I’d finally get the promotion for which I’d longed. In my mind, I deserved it. And, based on subtle clues from my boss and others, I thought it was coming. I told my family it was coming. I was...
You can find images of Mary throughout my day - tiny figurines on my bookshelves, a TinySaint keychain on my bag, a fun sticker on my laptop or Stanley cup, and even Marian images in my phone camera roll that I stumbled upon and loved. I’ve heard that many converts...
There are many things that I wish I knew when I was younger. One of those is that a man’s primary core need is to be respected. Women desire to be respected too, but men equate love with respect. To them, to be respected is to be loved. I have learned that I’m a...
We are all shaped by our life experiences—both the joyful and the painful. Over time, these events begin to influence how we behave, how we react to challenges, and most significantly, how we see ourselves. Unfortunately, when those experiences are negative, they...
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” – Luke 9:23-24 Stories are often told about the great and the...
What you are about to read is my story, my journey, my destination, and my heaven on earth. I have been a secular Discalced Carmelite since the spring of 1988, living in the world, and spending the last 49 years as either a social worker or teaching in Catholic...
Michael Schattle spent his adult life as a missionary — first, in a traditional sense, as a FOCUS Catholic missionary, then, through active involvement in young adult communities. At the age of thirty-three, on December 2, 2024, Michael died unexpectedly. In...