This week on the podcast we talk about Isaiah sharing with the tribe of Judah what their mission is in exile. While veiled, they are being sent to all the ends of the earth to share their faith and prepare the way so that the Gentiles can recognise Christ when he...
Set The Earth On Fire
This week on the podcast we talk about leadership that is inconsistent in their decision making. The king showed no real backbone and changed his actions based on who was causing problems for him. This is not what real leadership looks like, we are called to look at...
When You Say The Name Of Jesus Christ In Anger, My Heart Breaks
I pray that someday I'll be the type of person that can articulately, gracefully, and boldly respond when I hear someone near me speak the Lord's name in anger or frustration or as a curse word. Right now, I'm not there. I don't really know how to put into words...
I Love The Catholic Church, I Hate Sexual Abuse: A Seminarian’s Response To Scandal
Anyone who has heard the recent news coming out of the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania is rightfully outraged. It wasn’t just that possibly thousands of people were sexually abused, but what’s especially revolting is the way these perpetrators exploited their...
World Down Syndrome Day: Why It Matters
Throughout the Bible, God often chooses the most lowly people and the most humble places for the greatest of miracles. God chose David, the weak shepherd boy, to slay the monstrous Philistine, Goliath. God chose Moses, who was born a slave, to lead the Israelites...
What The Wolves In Yellowstone Taught Me About Grace
This beautiful, enlightening mini-documentary from Sustainable Human provides rich food for thought to us as Catholics. The video describes the "trophic cascade" that occurred when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995. "How Wolves Change...
How A Sculptor From Syria Transformed His Suffering Into Something Beautiful
The civil war in Syria is now into its seventh year and the country that once was known for its beauty and history is now synonymous with suffering and violence. In all the news coverage of the last seven years, it has been harder and harder to remember the individual...
Online Workshop: A Mind at Peace: Reclaiming an Ordered Soul in the Age of Distraction
2017 Catholic News Wrap-Up: What Was God Trying to Tell Us This Year?
Goodbye, 2017! Another year is over, and what does it mean for you and your relationship with God? Did you grow better?... or bitter? Mostly we see hate, controversy, and reasons to remove ourselves from the public sphere in retreat. But we are not called to run away...
2 Powerful Things You Can Do If You Feel Helpless About the Plight of Persecuted Christians
It's very often not the case that we simply don’t care about our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters across the world. The problem is often that we feel helpless and overwhelmed by the terrible situations they are in, and we don’t know what we can do to help...
“You Shall Not Pass!” – Ode To The Manly Priest And The Priestly Man
I have a pastor who is "in his natural habitat" at the altar and at the pulpit. His ars celebrandi (manner of saying the Mass) is so careful and reverent. He has a beautiful and clear voice for speaking and singing various parts of the Liturgy. His homilies are often...
When War is OK: Church Teaching on Just War and the Use of Force
On a recent trip to DC, I had the privilege of visiting Arlington National Cemetery where, I've been told, more than 400,000 war veterans are laid to rest. I had seen images of the place in movies and pictures, but standing there physically took my breath away and...
7 Powerful Stories of Hope Amidst the Suffering of Hurricane Harvey
The world has watched in horror this last week as Hurricane Harvey unleashed its destruction on Texas, Houston in particular. The suffering and devastation it has left in its wake has been horrendous and very frightening. However, as the famous Fred Rogers quote goes,...
5 Feminine Virtues I Learned From Mary In The Joyful Mysteries Of The Rosary (Part 1: The Annunciation)
These days, I find myself praying often for a restoration of the masculine and feminine virtues in society. There's so much confusion swirling about, whether it's "gender ideology," sexual orientation, body dysmorphia, or otherwise. We all feel the tensions...
What This Former Neo-Nazi Skinhead Has to Say About The Spread Of Hatred
Christian Picciolini was a neo-Nazi skinhead who at the age of 16 was already pushing the ideology of white-supremacy, the product of which we have again seen raising its ugly and love-less head in the last few days. In this video, Christian shares his story,...
The Rule Of St. Benedict: 7 Radical Values Of Catholic Monasticism
On July 11th in the Liturgical Calendar, and on March 21st in the pre-1970 calendar, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Benedict of Nursia, father of Western Monasticism. Saint Benedict's name has garnered more attention of late due to the conversation across the...
5 Incredible Stories Of Christian Persecution From Around The World
When I think of the persecuted Christian Church, it is easy to lump all the horrific stories into one overwhelmingly horrible, unsolvable issue and to then pray vaguely for them, without considering the individual stories. At the same time, my own faith can become...
Faith Is A Gift: Following 4 Seminarians On Pilgrimage To Iraq
A few weeks ago, four seminarians from Michigan embarked on a pilgrimage to Iraq. Iraq may seem like an unusual choice for a pilgrimage destination for most of us, but the country holds a special meaning for these four men. They are all studying to be Catholic priests...
Terror Attacks And Tragic Catastrophes: 8 Points On How To Respond To Extreme Fear
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...
Donald Trump Calls for Memorial Day to Be a Day of Prayer for Permanent Peace After Meeting With Pope Francis
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....
The Brown Scapular: Fatima Centenary and the Wearable Badge of Devotion to Our Lady
How are you commemorating the 100-year anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions at Fatima? How about enrolling in the Brown Scapular of Our Lady? By now, there's not much that hasn't been said about Fatima - and you'll hear no complaints from me on that front! Let Our...
In The Beginning Was the Word: Human Communication & Learning How To Talk Again
I picked up a hitchhiker the other day, he was standing on the side of the road and as I was driving towards him I realized that we were both heading in the same direction. So I pulled over and signaled for him to get in. He jumped in the car, a man in his fifties,...
9 Catholic Resources To Help You Talk With Your Children About Same-Sex Marriage And Gender Issues
When Disney's Beauty and the Beast was released in theaters it broke many records with a $170 million opening, but it was not without controversy. As you have probably heard by now, there is a gay character that has caused some Christians to encourage a boycott...
Guilty Silence: Religious Persecution And The Tragic Indifference Of The West
Ten seconds into this video and you think you’ve seen it before: the sound of firearms, of men shouting in an all too familiar language that we’ve heard over and over again in news sound bites. Twenty seconds into this video and you’re “sympathetic” towards the...
What Ashton Kutcher Said to Congress About the Horrors of Human Trafficking
Would you be shocked to learn that there are more souls ensnared in slavery today than in any previous moment in history? Let that sink in for a second. We at Catholic-Link have been lamenting and warning readers about the recently released film sequel to 50 Shades of...