We are living in unprecedented times. The tension has become palpable. You can see it on our roads, in stores, even within our churches – people are stressed beyond belief. We live with the media shouting their respective agendas at us 24/7 – pandemic, civil unrest,...
These days, we all need a little extra help finding our brave. Teach your children that when fear surrounds us, we can look to the Word of God to find our strength. Pray these scripture verses together as a family and work together to memorize them. 8 Bible Verses...
This week on the podcast we talk about the Gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit and how we can identify and use them during this difficult time. We also talk about the Peace Christ gives us in the upper room to anticipate all of these gifts and be able to work as one....
I wish I had always known God’s loving tenderness. I have been a Catholic all my life but it was only a year ago that I discovered a God who loves us with such magnitude that not only is He powerful, He is also tender, as a terrified new father, who stands in by the...
“In a divided and fragmented world, I want to invite all believers, and also all people of good will, to reconciliation and fraternity. Our faith leads us to spread the values of peace and mutual understanding, of the common good. We pray that Christians, followers of...
This week on the podcast Fr Ian and Alanna discuss the power of our spoken word to reveal who we are. We also discuss how important it is to discern what people say by comparing it to the fruit of their words. It is possible that they are lying and we need to be...
Watch and marvel as this artist meticulously restores a 150-year-old beautiful painting of Our Lady. Julian Baumgartner of the Baumgartner Fine Art Restoration in Chicago masterfully uses techniques that will allow this painting to be preserved for another 150 years....
The Skit Guys break down the meaning of the "Serenity Prayer" in this hilarious, yet insightful video. Chances are good that you've seen this prayer floating around the internet and have maybe even prayed it yourself. The prayer has become widely known because it is...
"Shall we now begin the Mass." The words that I had loved hearing over the last several years now felt like an invitation to the tears that were always a struggle to keep locked in. As our priest listed the intentions of the Mass, I listened intently, keeping my...
"One of life's greatest scandals is pain." - Archbishop Fulton Sheen In the midst of pain and suffering, it can be tempting to fall into despair and feel as though God does not see what we are going through. In this powerful video produced by Thing In A Pot...
My New Year’s Resolution this year was to try and live out the commandment that appears so often in the Bible: “Be Not Afraid.” Personal circumstances meant that I had much need of this encouragement and I bounced into the New Year assuming that since I had decided...
On Wednesday, May 24th, United States President Donald Trump proclaimed that Memorial Day (May 29th) will be a Day of Prayer for Permanent Peace. It's no coincidence that he initiated this day of prayer on the same day that he met with Pope Francis at the Vatican....
2016 was a busy year for Pope Francis and he has hardly slowed down in the first month of the new year! The past year in the Church was graced with love and mercy, much needed in our world today. World Youth Day events and the canonization of new saints (especially...
St. Paul writes Hebrews that ‘the word of God is alive and active’ (Hebrews 4:12) and this is still true even in our darkest moments of pain and confusion. The Bible can provide us the answers and the comfort that we are seeking. Whatever you are going through, if you...
The main characteristic that distinguishes a Christian from a person of a different religious denomination is true love. This consists in feeling deeply loved by God, and loving Him in return, above all things. From this conception of life derives other...
In recent years, some have noted a widespread crisis in the Church regarding the practice of the examination of conscience. On the one hand, for many it has become a legalistic examination (basically putting oneself in the courtroom), done exclusively within the...
Who can receive God’s mercy? Who is eligible to attain this great gift? “I have decided to announce an Extraordinary Jubilee which has at its center the mercy of God. It will be a Holy Year of Mercy. We want to live in the light of the word of the Lord: “Be merciful,...
Have you ever been so overwhelmed that you just took a nap? Memes on Facebook, Pinterest, and other social media sites reflect this common experience. Many people, it appears, default to napping when overwhelmed, but is napping really the answer? Father Mike Schmitz...
Do you ever think about these words said to us by the priest at the end of Mass? Too often, I’m flicking through the hymn book to find the last hymn, and I miss their significance. Every phrase said in the Mass is there because it is important, so this isn’t just a...
Have you heard the Good News? An angel announced to the Blessed Virgin that a child would be born. A child will come to give His life and bring peace to the world. How can this be true? I'm not sure how this could be. I'm not sure but it's a big deal because Malik,...
A few days ago I finished reading “Inner Peace” by Jacques Philippe. It is a brief spiritual book written in a simple language and filled with beautiful teachings about cultivating spiritual peace in our Christian life. The book goes over several actions and...
This exceptionally well-done clip from The Skit Guys on Peace in the Advent season may take you by surprise if you are a frequent viewer of videos by Tommy Woodward and Eddie James. The Skit Guys, friends since high school, are known more for their hilarious videos...
Imagine yourself in a muddy, filthy trench. You've been lying there for days, perhaps even for weeks. You're not sure what strange powers that be put you there, but there you are. 50 meters away, others are caught in a similar situation - although they speak a little...
Stress kills. Stress makes you ill. Stress, it turns out, only does this if you actually think it’s going to. Stress almost doubles your chances of dying but only if you think that it’s going to. I am a stressy person, and I am not alone: a 2013 survey by the Mental...