It can be difficult to keep our love for the Lord alive. Daily life, responsibilities, and busyness seem to get in the way of our relationship with God. Hardships and times of suffering can stir up feelings of bitterness and resentment toward God that cause...
The Proclamation of Easter has one of the greatest expressions that help us understand our faith: “O happy fault.” To all of us who have had a “Before Christ” past, these three words show that, despite not having always done right, God’s love is greater than our...
Today the Church celebrates the Feast Day of St. Philip Neri, who was born in Rome in 1515 and died in 1595 on 26th May. He was a priest and was the founder of the Oratorians. He is well known for his humor, his gifted spiritual direction, and his habit of making a...
It’s no secret in the Catholic world that Bishop Robert Barron produces excellent videos on many pertinent topics. As a theologian and author, Bishop Robert Barron covers a wide range of topics in his "brief and insightful commentaries." Movies, books, politics both...
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 20:1-9 On the first day of the week, Remember, before Christianity, Sunday was the first day of the work week. Imagine that you are like the disciples, concerned about the Lord, but all around you everyone is going...
This post aims to compile some of the reflections the Lord has given me during a retreat I lived not long ago. They are not the result of my own inspiration whatsoever, but a true gift from God and the good preacher, whom God put in our path. In our lives, we are like...
There is a lot of well-founded emotion in this Buzzfeed spoken-word video “I Am Not That Girl”. There is honesty, and not a trace of self-pity as the narrator says: “having a lack of male attention in this world is seen as an abnormality, is seen as less than womanly....
There are times when life just doesn't make sense at all. It's a total mystery why God would ask us to go through trials, tragedies, and suffering. During these dark seasons of life, it can be tempting to turn to despair and become angry with God and His plan for our...
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...
This past weekend my family had the opportunity to watch the movie Believe and it was just what we needed to help us get into the true spirit of the Advent season. My oldest three boys (ages 11, 10, and 7) had a lot to say about the movie and the message that is...
If you haven't had the opportunity to see Hacksaw Ridge, I encourage you to make time this weekend to go see it in theaters. This powerful film directed by Mel Gibson tells the story of an unlikely war hero. The message of the film is clear - "Be on your guard; stand...
With today's post, we would like to offer some tools to help those who would find themselves in a difficult situation, yet desire to draw closer to the Church and renew their relationship with God. Each one of us is called to search and respond to God in our personal...
Landon LaChance is a sweet eleven-year-old boy with a rare genetic disease called neurofibromatosis that causes his skin to change color and may also cause non-cancerous tumors. When Make-A-Wish gave him the opportunity to have a wish granted his request...
People are quick to point out the "flaws" of the Catholic Church, and at times it can feel like we always need to defend our faith to a culture that doesn't fully understand it. Of course, we will make mistakes, but these practical tips will help you stay focused on...
As a teacher, one of the primary things I try to instill in my students is the notion that whether one is a professed Catholic, or running away from the Faith, one cannot avoid talking about (and even glorifying) the Faith... if only accidentally. In other words, to...
It seems that it has become somewhat of a trend for celebrities to share their faith. In general, this is good news and is worth sharing (evidently without falling into some kind of celebrity idolization!). Still, it can also serve as an occasion to reflect on our...
If you are anything like me, it bothers you, it makes you uncomfortable, to see so many people sharing photos, prayer chains, and hashtags like #PrayForJuanito. You ask yourself, “Do these people really pray or do they just share an image?” Then again, “Have they...
I love this quote below from Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. It actually alludes to humor and faith together, which is a little unusual. But more than that, it places humor correctly where it belongs in our faith. We often think of humor at odds with such a thing as...
Poor Oedipus. If you don’t know the classic story of the king who accidentally married his mother and blinds himself, I’d be surprised. Many deep ponderings can be taken out of this story about fate, truth, control, and free will, but what about that self-blinding?...
So why would an atheist, abortion worker or drug addict decide to become Catholic? These 11 Catholics share the stories of their conversions. Stories of those who have converted to Catholicism inspire us and renew our own passion for the faith. The men and women...
Saint Nicholas is not a jolly, chubby man dressed in red who brings gifts and lives in the North Pole. And while there are many popular versions to his story, today, we want to introduce you to who this great saint known as “Santa Claus” really was. This saint was a...
Reality check: life is as beautiful as it is complicated. More often than not, difficult situations can shake us to the core, but fear not, faith comes to the rescue of those in need. Saint Augustine said it best when he said, “Faith is to believe what you do not...
To celebrate Halloween or not to celebrate Halloween? There’s nothing heretical or sinful about wearing a costume - assuming that it is modest and doesn’t incite imprudent behavior, of course. Having a couple of drinks if you are of drinking age or carving pumpkins...
We utter the words every time we go to Mass, but when was the last time that you took a moment to reflect on what you are truly saying when we pray The Nicene Creed? The Creed is more than a prayer, it is a profession of the truths of the Christian faith. The words...
Praying with your child is a vital part of their faith journey. Whether you are a parent, godparent, aunt, uncle or sibling, introducing your child to a life of prayer is arguably the biggest gift you can give them, because you are teaching them how to communicate...