Since Pope Francis became pope, the way of life and the spirituality of Franciscans have received closer attention. With the pope’s announcement of the Year of St. Joseph, there has been even more focus on the spiritual life of...
Just Don’t Ask Me To Be A Sister Or A Priest! | Encouragement For The Reluctant Discerner
God, I’ll do anything you want, just don’t ask me to be a Sister (or a Priest)! That was the first thing both of us thought when we found ourselves pursuing God’s plan for our lives. We were ready to do something radical and bring Christ’s love to a needy world, but...
8 Practical Ways To Be A Catholic School That Promotes Vocations
Did you know that studies consistently show that 70% of the newly ordained first heard the call to the priesthood between birth and 18 years of age? (1) At the risk of stating the obvious, these are the prime educational years for faith formation. Children should...
7 Things Not To Say To Someone Discerning A Religious Vocation
Open foot, insert mouth. Wait. I mean the other way around. Fr. Michael Zimmerman here, assistant director at Vocations Boston. I’ve probably said a few items on this list myself, and I’ve been on the receiving end of far more, but how can we actually encourage...
Better Than Happy: The Joy Of Your True Calling
I was a postulant with the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity when I learned that there is a difference between being happy and being joyful. Up until then, I had thought the terms were interchangeable. Someone could be happy being able to see their friends. A...
A Vocation Story: On The Path of Love
“And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38) Growing up I had never been around religious sisters as my entire education was in the public schools, and it was not until I was an undergraduate in college that one...
Embrace Your Mission | Extraordinary Missionary Month
When people hear the word “missionary”, most people think of someone who travels to another country to share the Gospel, teach in schools, volunteer in hospitals, and serve the community. Missionaries go to places like Africa, El Salvador, and Haiti. That was always...
My First Month As A Priest
I was ordained a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Rockford on June 1st, 2019. Since then, I have been able to celebrate over sixty masses, anoint several people, preside over a couple of funerals, and baptize one child. I also attended two friend’s ordination to the...
Stay and Wait | Liturgy Live Ascension Of Our Lord
This week on the podcast we discuss a lot about waiting for the Holy Spirit. Discussing the first reading we ponder the Ascension from the perspective of the Apostles. How did they feel? What were they going through? We discuss how hard discernment is, and how hard it...
The Gifts of the Spirit | Liturgy Live 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Ian Van Heusen and Alanna Burg discuss the readings for the Second Sunday in Ordinary time. We begin discussing the topic of our identity and how we view ourselves before and after the encounter of God in our lives. We have considered ourselves forsaken, but now...
What To Do When Your Choice Means Disappointing Someone | Gospel Reflection
“Life is always a triumph of the improbable and a miracle of the unexpected.” - Henri de Lubac Making a decision is never easy. But it is even harder when we have to decide between two good things. Choosing which has priority is not always clear-cut. Feelings of...
How to Discern Between Consolation & Desolation | Lenten Spiritual Exercises
Fr. Ian VanHeusen presents a gospel reflection and spiritual exercise on the Gospel reading of John 12:20-33, Jesus' startling statement about hating life in this world in order to gain eternal life in heaven. Throughout the Lenten season, Father encourages us to...
The Seven Hearts Of A Priest
https://catholic-link.org/infographic-what-is-the-meaning-behind-the-priestly-vestments-a-practical-guide/ God calls those He wants to be priests. He chooses them from among His people in order to consecrate them, to make them His own. From that moment on, priests no...
5 Myths About the Priest Shortage | Video From Breaking In The Habit
In this video posted to the YouTube channel Breaking In The Habit, Br. Casey Cole debunks five commonly held myths most people believe about the shortage of priests. 5 Myths About The Priest Shortage...
Dr. Martin Luther King’s Advice For Designing Your Life’s Blueprint
In this video, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr gives some exceptional advice on how to create a blueprint for your life. "The end of life is not to be happy, nor to achieve pleasure and avoid pain, but to do the will of God, come what may." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. How...
3 Spiritual Exercises To Help Discern Your Vocation
3 Spiritual Exercises to Help Discern Your Vocation https://youtu.be/jf7xcQRY05g 3 Spiritual Exercises to help discern your vocation. 1. Think about Courage: "Here I am Lord" In Sunday's first reading, the prophet is ready and willing to surrender to the Holy Spirit....
Jim Caviezel Inspires 8,000 College Students At SLS18 Conference in Chicago
"The name Saul means 'Great One', the name Paul means 'Little One'," began "Paul, Apostle of Christ" star Jim Caviezel. He surprised eight thousand college students attending SLS18, a FOCUS conference this past weekend in Chicago and inspired them to become little in...
If You’re Confused About What God Wants You To Do With Your Life, You’ve Got To Hear This Testimony
"Spotlight of a Calligrapher", published by Ascension Presents, tells the story of Erica Tighe, a designer and calligrapher. Erica's story of how she came to be a full-time calligrapher is moving and poignant. She tells how she came back from a year and a half of...
The Georgia Tech Player Who is Leaving Football to Become a Priest
Last week Catholic-Link published an article about Esmeralda Solís Gonzáles, a young woman who left behind her life as a beauty queen in Mexico to pursue a religious vocation with the Poor Clare Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament. Today, we have another inspiring...
“Dating Detox: The 4 Toxic Beliefs Keeping You From Real Love”
"To one extent or another we've all been poisoned by the culture's false idea of love, dating and sexuality. No one is unscathed, and we could all use a good detox." ~ Jason and Crystalina Evert in the Foreword of Kevin and Lisa Cotter's new book, Dating Detox. ...
4 Things Pope Francis Wants To Tell Young People
Pope Francis began a letter to address young people by stating, “I want you to be the center of attention because you are in my heart." This letter serves as an invitation to all young people to place their trust in Jesus who will guide them to fulfillment through...
10 Things That Prevent Us From Hearing God’s Voice
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...
Online Conference: How to Hear God’s Voice? A Practical Guide to Discernment
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...
See The Passion In These 7 Young Men Who Have Heard “The Call”
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,...
The 9 Bible Verses That Will Help You Discern God’s Will For Your Life
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...