In this Lenten series, Father Ian VanHeusen gives us a weekly spiritual exercise based on the Sunday Readings to help us grow in our relationship with the Lord. What is a Spiritual Exercise, you ask? St. Ignatius of Loyola writes, “By the term “Spiritual Exercises” is...
There's an interesting phenomenon at work in this annual, very public ritual (and it's not exclusive to Catholics; other Christians mark their foreheads with ashes to commemorate the start of Lent). While in some parts of the world it's become less common to see...
In this series, Father Ian VanHeusen gives us a weekly spiritual exercise based on the Sunday Readings to help us grow in our relationship with the Lord. What is a Spiritual Exercise, you ask? St. Ignatius of Loyola writes, “By the term “Spiritual Exercises” is meant...
Lent is a great time to grow in one’s faith and there are tons of ways one can make Lent more fruitful. However, since most often, the penances we adopt during Lent don’t stick on after Easter, I wanted to present a set of challenges to those who really want to grow...
What is a Spiritual Exercise you ask? St. Ignatius of Loyola writes, “By the term “Spiritual Exercises” is meant every method of examination of conscience, of meditation, of contemplation, of vocal and mental prayer, and of other spiritual activities. For just as...
Prayer is intended to be our way of communicating with God. It is a gift, yet sometimes it becomes a task, a burden, or a mundane part of our daily routine. We may also experience dry spells in our spiritual life and begin to feel disconnected from the God who loves...
I may be a seminarian, but I’m a huge fan of romantic tales. I like movies with happy endings when the boy gets the girl. I enjoy hearing stories about how couples met or what they did on their anniversary. And one of my favorite things is watching friends of mine...
The greatest adventure we have in life is learning to pray. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the former Cardinal Ratzinger, said that the entire purpose for Jesus coming into the world was to show us God the Father (Ratzinger Report). What's the Challenge? What if I told...
Social media tends to give the false perception that Valentine’s Day is the day of the year in which every person on earth enjoys the most romantic date night ever with the person of his or her dreams. Though it would be nice for that to happen, it is simply not a...
Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Millions of faithful flock to Southern France every year to visit the Shrine, many seeking healing, while others travel as volunteer medical staff. Maybe you've never been, but most of us will...
Did you take our What Lent Resource Is Best For You Quiz? Interested to see what your results could have been? Here is a complete list, but use caution! Don't overwhelm yourself with too many options. Commit to just one or two and see it through to the end. What Lent...
The New Year, as a celebration, is a strange thing, nice, but strange. The tenderness, peace, and quiet lived during Christmas, just a few days ago, suddenly gives way to culinary and ethylic creativity, accompanied with gladness and parties that go well into the...
This article is for you, especially for you, if you have been thinking about going back to Mass. On the part of all of us at Catholic-Link, let me personally invite you back to mass (we even wrote a letter for you!): We want you back! Today's article looks to give you...
On rare occasions, Saturday Night Live teaches us important lessons through the use of comedy. Earlier this month Emma Stone played the role of Mary in a Nativity scene. The skit shows Mary getting annoyed with the circumstances of Christ's birth, concerned about her...
I love gifts. I love giving them, and I sure as heck love receiving them too. But a few years ago, I learned a lesson that gifts that come straight from one heart to another are treasured a lot more than what’s usually found under a Christmas tree (more on that...
Whether it be to bring a little joy to do your day or lighten up your talk about the Advent season, this delightful parody tells the Christmas story in a new and unique way. The video was produced by Puppetunes, a place for Biblical, downloadable song parodies. The...
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...
There is power in the name of Jesus. When we call on His name, He comes to our aid, helps us, heals us, surrounds us with His love, grace, and mercy. It is the shortest and simplest prayer we can utter, yet it provides us with more than we could ever ask for. There...
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...
Being parents makes us responsible not only for taking care of our children, but also for the spiritual education we give them from the moment they are conceived. For this reason, I want to share with you 10 simple ways to help our children grow closer to God. “Do we...
This is the time of year when many Catholics ask themselves if it is ok to celebrate Halloween. Today we offer a few insights and resources to help you decide how you will participate in the cultural festivities and also remember to keep All Saints Day holy. The...
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Francis. Among many other wonderful things, St. Francis was known for his love of animals and uncanny ability to connect with them. It is said that he treated animals with the utmost respect, love, and care. Legend has...
I was fourteen years old and mad at my parents. They were wasting a whole day of our French vacation driving a four hour round trip to the Basilica of St. Therese of Lisieux. The car was uncomfortable, it was a perfect hot sunny day and I didn’t want to go. All I knew...