Do you ever feel like the prayer that you do is useless? You have had the same petition for weeks or months, but you see no fruit from your prayer. You might feel like it’s time to throw in the towel and pray for something else or stop praying for that petition...
Every day is a great day to be a Catholic. However, in this day and age in particular, it’s a really great time to be Catholic. Although the Church is far from winning the culture war, Catholics all around the world are noticing a certain levity in the air—and it’s...
"Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and Religious. It’s up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops act like bishops, and your...
When we think of the saints, it can be easy to picture them as distant figures from another time…people whose holiness feels almost impossible to relate to. But visiting the National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Libertyville, Illinois, reminded me yet again...
For many people, Eucharistic miracles are fascinating stories. For others, they are little more than legends passed down through centuries of Catholic tradition. Skeptics often wonder whether there is any credible reason to take these accounts seriously, while...
Most of the time, when we hear about modesty, the focus falls primarily on attire, and too often these conversations are carried out with little charity, fixating solely on examples of immodest dress rather than unpacking the truth of the virtue itself. When modesty...
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A “Daily Prayer Routine” is not a term that we hear of frequently. What does it actually mean? Do we really need to have a “routine” for prayer as such? Isn’t it enough to just go with the flow of the day, and pray whatever prayers we feel like on that given day?...
Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying:"The kingdom of heaven may be likenedto a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy cameand sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore...
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...
As we approach the feast day of Saint Benedict on July 11, I am reminded of another chapter in my life where I spent one night in Nursia. I had the immense blessing of praying in the Abbey at the center of the city, built over the birthplace of Saint Benedict and...
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...
The people of Rakunai, Papua New Guinea, in 1942 would not have believed that their local catechist would be one of the great Catholic figures of the 20th century and eventually a saint. Yet that is exactly what happened. Peter To Rot was a layman, a husband, a...
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Medicine was once considered a vocation. It remains a vocation, no matter what the world tries to convince us otherwise. As doctors, we are called to imitate the First Physician - to heal not only the body but also the soul. This is never possible unless He is the One...
New York is known as “the city that doesn’t sleep.” There is this constant exhausting energy. Everyone speed-walks like they’re late to a meeting, even though they aren’t. They’re just heading to Blank Street for a matcha latte. One of the biggest struggles of...
Music has always been a part of my life. Since I was three years old, my mom arranged for a music teacher to teach me how to play the organ. Ever since then, music has been something I need on road trips, at the office, and even in my spiritual life. I’ve realized...
Many, young and old, feel the call to participate in the Mass by becoming an altar server. Amazing! The following 8 tips will help altar servers grow in their fervor for the Lord and devotion. To help you understand this better, we will use the triple-A battery. I...
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...
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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...
All Marian feasts are filled with grace and joy. The newest feast was established by Pope Francis in 2018. It is celebrated on the Monday after Pentecost and honors Mary, Mother of the Church. Pope Paul VI gave Mary this title during the Second Vatican Council on...
On Pentecost weekend, we will hear beautiful music prior to the proclamation of the Gospel. It is known as the Pentecost Sequence. It is a chant that sings of the Holy Spirit. Thinking of this poetic chant, I turn to Sister Joan Chittister’s words when she said: ...