2020 was a tough year for everyone. I remember the first day of shut down vividly as we celebrated my son’s St. Patrick’s Day 5th birthday in the back of our old van on a rainy day - nowhere to go, no parties to be had. I empathize with the many parents who were...
When I was growing up, I heard people everywhere using the name of Jesus and God in different contexts. Sometimes it was as a simple expression of surprise, fear, shock, and other times to genuinely ask the Lord for help. As a young person, I was never instructed on...
The Early Bird Finds SerenityThe first step in fostering improved mental health with prayer is to have a regular time and place for prayer. For years I was a night owl. I stayed up late and slept in whenever I could. During the work week, I would get up, shower, grab...
Technology has significantly impacted how people communicate and connect and it will continue to do so in the future. The Catholic Church is not immune to this change, and it has embraced using digital platforms to reach out to its followers. One effective way the...
As human beings, we all long for a deeper connection with God. We want to hear His voice, feel His presence, and know that He is with us in our daily lives. But how can we achieve this? How can we hear God's voice amidst the noise and chaos of our busy lives? Here are...
I’ve been praying novenas for almost twelve years now and I’ve found they’re a great option for when you don’t know what to say, when you have a specific intention you’re praying for, and when you’re trying to “pray always.” Novenas are a traditional prayer that dates...
Is there something wrong with your life? Maybe something is missing. Maybe you’re depressed. Maybe you’re overwhelmed. Maybe you’re trapped by compulsive behavior. Maybe there’s a particular sin you haven’t been able to overcome no matter how hard you’ve tried? Maybe...
What is the Liturgy of the Hours? The Liturgy of the Hours is also called the Divine Office or the Breviary. The celebration of the Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, but it is not the only daily prayer of the Church. The Liturgy of the...
The cord of St. Joseph is a powerful devotion that grants special graces to those who wear it with faith. These graces will help you grow in your spiritual life. Delving deeper into the tradition of the cord of St. Joseph can lead to a greater understanding and...
Gospel Of John 4:5-42 Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.Jacob’s well was there.Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well.It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw...
As Millennial parents, my husband and I have grappled with the issue of moderating screen time for ourselves and our children. Whether we want to admit it or not, the technology is inescapable, but that’s all the more reason to take seriously our responsibility to...
The first thing to realize about prayer is that it can be boring. Just about everything else we do gives us results within a relatively short period of time. Not so in prayer. I began praying the rosary daily as a freshman in high school. My motive was to pray for...
I don’t have time to pray I have almost always struggled to feel like I pray “enough.” Believe it or not, the last time that I could definitively say that I didn’t struggle with that was before I had kids. I have 5 kids now and we also have some neurodiversity in the...
“Each day that begins, if welcomed in prayer, is accompanied by courage, so that the problems we have to face no longer seem to be obstacles to our happiness, but rather appeals from God, opportunities for our encounter with him.” Pope Francis We all know that we...
Who is St. John of the Cross? St. John of the Cross was a Spanish Catholic who was born in 1542 amidst the throws of the Protestant Reformation. He was a major figure in the Catholic Counter-Reformation and would later be named a Doctor of the Church. He was a priest,...
The Bible says to pray without ceasing, yet how many of us go hours without so much as giving a thought to prayer? In today’s world, it is hard for us to even fathom how it could be possible for us to follow this command. Saint Basil tells us how: “This is how you...
In the third apparition at Fatima, the Blessed Mother told the little seers that, to save souls and avert war, she came to request not just the praying of the Rosary and consecration to her Immaculate Heart, but a “Communion of reparation” on the first Saturdays of...
Gospel of Luke 14:25-33 Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,and he turned and addressed them,“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,wife and children, brothers and sisters,and even his own life,he cannot be my disciple.Whoever does not carry...
Mary has been known to appear many times throughout the world, and quite often the Blessed Mother has reiterated a similar message: pray the rosary. Meditate on the words of Our Lady in these approved apparitions of the Church and heed her call. 5 Times The Blessed...
Gospel of Luke 12:13-21 Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”He replied to him,“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”Then he said to the crowd,“Take care to guard against all greed,for though...
What is the Roman Missal? The Roman Missal is (mostly) the big red book that the priest uses at the altar and at his chair when celebrating Mass. I say “mostly” because the Lectionary (which contains the readings) and the liturgical books containing the rites for the...
An examination of conscience is a tool that is used when preparing for making a good Confession. This tool can also be used at any time of day, but can be especially fruitful at nighttime, looking back over the day. The father is the priest of his domestic Church. He...
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to sacred art. I used to buy books as a kid about the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo. Ironically, I had no idea of their Catholic ties, nor would the term “sacred art” have been in my vocabulary. I was simply mesmerized...
World Youth Day will take place August 1-6, 2023 in Lisbon. The motto chosen from Luke 1:39, "Mary arose and went with haste," is one that will speak to the hearts of the thousands of young people expected to join Pope Francis in prayer during this international faith...
Gospel of Luke 22:14-23 When the hour came,Jesus took his place at table with the apostles.He said to them,“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,for, I tell you, I shall not eat it againuntil there is fulfillment in the kingdom of...