What can you do to encourage families with young children to keep coming to church? Here are some tips based on my experience. ...
Shift your attitude about leadership and it can change your life.Think of the names of some living leaders. Is your own name...
As humanity leaves its mark on the moon, it invites a quieter reflection on the traces we leave behind. As Artemis II traced...
Why are we so bent on finding an alternative to obeying the living God? My favorite scene from Excalibur: Young Arthur has...
Try not to rush through your prayer or meditation and you will notice an amazing difference. In our fast-paced society, it is...
Catholics who never have difficulties with the faith are probably not taking it very seriously. One of the common difficulties...
Our internal “conversation” is broken, muddled by lies and half-truths. St. Augustine has the answer to the problem. Last week...
We shouldn't "waste" doubt. Our faith needs it. "Doubting" Thomas the Apostle can teach us plenty then. Each year on Divine...
He was a skeptic until Christ came, but there was one thing the Doubter didn’t lose faith in — and that saved him. Jesus said...
When you get rid of extra stress, lasting inner peace becomes attainable. When someone asked me, “How are you doing?” a few...
Work, family, plans with friends, sports … when do you take time to savor life?One of the problems that constantly comes up in...
Few are familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien's greatest love and what gave him profound strength during his darkest hours. ...
The life we live is Jesus, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The more we look to the Mother of that life, the more we come to...
Relics can be confusing, so here is a brief rundown of what Catholics believe. Why do Catholics keep saint’s bones, hair,...
Even great saints have gone through periods of doubt, but they persevered in prayer and love. The word “doubt” has two...
I realized that I was making a mistake in my Advent-ing. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I am sending my...
“Casual Atmosphere. Serious Faith. No Weird Stuff.” These words headed a brochure placed in my friend’s mailbox by a local...
“Stay awake! For you do not know on which day the Lord will come… you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,...
Here are some concrete ways to open ourselves to hearing what God has to say this season Advent is more than half over. I...
It really can be different this year. In a couple of weeks, as Americans recover from stuffing themselves with turkey and...
For anyone on late shifts, holiday shifts, overtime, weekend shifts — this one’s for you. There’s a particular feeling that...
I’ve discerned that complaining helps me feel in control. Over time, my brain became addicted to the feeling. Complaining can...
His 4 tips will help you understand your feelings better. St. Ignatius Loyola gives such revealing, accurate, and universal...
Remember, O Lord, that they are Thy creatures, not made by strange gods, but by Thee ... Requiem æternam dona ei, Domine. Et...
Sadness arrives quietly — often without reason — but it carries messages about what our hearts truly need. Some days we wake...
Be still and know that I am God. -Psalm 46:10 How much time do you spend in your mind, lost in world of racing thoughts...
The well-known Orthodox priest Fr. Josiah Trenham made waves on social media recently with a powerful message about what it...
Ain’t no party like a Catholic party, so they say, and on this All Saints Day the party has a guest list that dissolves the...
Whether it’s your boyfriend, sister, or best friend, chances are you’ll disagree with someone about something sometime. What...
When the resurrected Lord appears in the midst of His disciples, He says to them, “Peace be with you!“(John 20:19). He gives...
My get-up-and-go has got up and went! Is that statement merely a joke, or a declaration of fatigue—or a sign of something...
Bet you think this parable isn’t about you. You wicked and lazy servant! Well, that is just uncomfortable to hear. Not...
The Father in heaven urges us, as children to heaven, to ask for the bread of heaven. Sometimes we forget to be close to God...
Taking time to be with Jesus in the Eucharist is a recipe for finding the peace your soul needs.Adoration is one of the most...
Historically, the word “rule” (regula) didn’t mean a set of laws to obey, but rather a guide for growing toward the good — like...
In this month of the Rosary, take a moment to reflect on the Third Glorious Mystery. Light immortal, Light divine,Visit Thou...
The only way we can progress in the spiritual life is by making an honest evaluation of it. Often one of the biggest obstacles...
The Principle and Foundation is not just a theological idea — it is an invitation to a life of clarity, peace, and freedom. ...
Jesuit scholar draws from his founder to propose six simple practices for weathering life’s interior storms. What makes a...
By guarding time to maintain a spirit of reflection, we embrace a life that is somewhat slower, but more deliberate and deeply...
In the heart of Eastertide, we can ask ourselves: Has Easter changed us? What are the consequences of truly accepting the...
The Church encourages us to make sure our kids are “taught the true meaning of penance,” even though fasting rules don't apply...
You need to know yourself in order to find the best ways to live Lent. Take some time to consider who you are and what your...
Lent is often a time when we are invited to pray the Stations of the Cross, a devotion that has multiple lessons we can learn...
What if your human nature was not something you had to fight against, but something very good that prayer, fasting, and...
How to fight the battle for our souls — and win. If you knew you had to fight for your life, would you want some time to...
“I already feel guilty enough about what I did. I don’t need a priest to make me feel more guilty.” Prayer, fasting, and...
Valentine's Day celebrates the life of St. Valentine of Rome, a priest who was martyred on February 14. February 14 marks the...
St. Valentine, patron saint of Terni, Italy In the Italian city of Terni, Catholics look forward to February 14 as the feast...
The throngs who greeted Pope Francis in Korea are testimony to the power of the laity to spread the Faith. During Mass on...
This is what it looks like when a parish community is united in its mission to serve Christ. A thriving parish is a wellspring...
Born to Latino parents in the USA, she grew up Catholic but rediscovered faith through suffering. She serves God by prayer...
The account of the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple seems to be like a "crisis of our times" -- a "difficult teenager...
Hope is a cornerstone of Christian faith, woven through Scripture as both a promise and a way of life. In the biblical...
Did you know that in the Catholic Church, each of the 12 months of the year has a devotional theme? For Catholics, February is...
3 distinct parenting trends have produced 3 distinct groups that are rapidly approaching adulthood. My oldest daughter is...
As I walked in, a buzz of activity enveloped me, and bits of conversation swirled. “It’s cold outside, you’re going to want...
December 24 saw the start of the 2025 Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church. A year of celebration emphasized by the papal bull's...
Quiet. Rest. Stillness. Peace. These aren’t things to which our rat-race culture gives much attention. But in recent years,...
When the theme of hope for the Jubilee 2025 was announced it came at the perfect time. A reminder as we step into the new year...
Is there any phrase that just sets your teeth on edge whenever you hear it? I start grinding my teeth when I hear a sentence...
Do you wish you could get to daily Mass but just can’t? It can be tough to find the time, particularly for busy employees,...
Discerning God’s will can be a challenging process. It’s not easy knowing what God is calling us to do and often we lack the...
The New Year often fills us with hope, as we say to ourselves, “Next year will be better!” The last 12 months may not have gone...
Catholics often sing the hymn the Te Deum to thank God for his blessings. When a Pope is elected or a particular event...
Spain has just banned the use of cell phones in schools. And while some applaud the decision, others say that what children...
Technology is inseparable from the human experience. From the earliest use of fire to today’s digital tools, it has always been...
Recently, a friend of mine shared that his young daughter’s intentions for her daily Rosary were that “Flowers would be more...
Two missing books from our collection is like two missing bricks from a cathedral.” – Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, The Story...
Looking for a book of guided prayer and meditation for this Advent? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve pulled together some...
One of the most used words in Catholicism is the word "eucharist." It's heard every Sunday at Mass and Catholics use it all the...
As a new year is in the horizon, it is common practice to make resolutions to improve our lives and move closer to our goals....
A jubilee, at least within the Catholic Church, is a significant celebration that commemorates either a milestone or an...
We look forward to Advent as a season of waiting, a time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ at Christmas. In our...
Thanksgiving, as an act of worship and gratitude, occupies a prominent place in the Bible. The words used to describe it in...
At times, Advent can be a difficult season in which to remain focused. We may be distracted by a flurry of obligations or...
Did you know that in the Catholic Church, each of the 12 months of the year has a devotional theme? For Catholics, December is...
In August, as summer ends and a new school year begins, the Assumption of Mary and the Coronation of Mary crown a year of...
Look, we get it. In the post-Christmas haze of travel, exhaustion, hosting, and gift-giving, it’s so easy to let the Feast of...
While many of us try to avoid work at all costs, in the Holy Family, it was something that expressed love. Too often our modern...
While Christmas is principally focused on the birth of Jesus and the mystery of the Incarnation, it also brings up many...
Thinking about hospitality is perfect timing, as I’m right in the middle of hosting two parties this week. Yesterday morning,...
If you've ever been “lucky” enough to visit our house, you've been treated to the best hospitality that a family with six young...
It takes a village to raise a child, but it takes a supporting word to raise a priest. Every year, the Committee on Clergy,...
Our modern world tends to be very materialistic and horizontal in its viewpoint. Many Christians recognize the error of this....
It is an encounter with the real flesh and blood person of Christ Jesus, and it’s also a dialogue, a prayer and a play. As...
It’s only by recalling how God entered our lives that can we overcome the loneliness and ingratitude that threaten to stifle...
Don't treat teens like they are wrong about everything. Don't treat them like they're right about everything either. My first...
We treat politics as if it were religion and miss what the Church has to teach usSoon we begin the three-month season of loud...
On this Day of Prayer and Fasting for World Peace, we might ask: How could abstaining from food help stop a war that is...
Prayer is intercession: God says, "I wanted to make you dependent on one another so that each of you would be my minister ..."...
"No one should be denied the opportunity to learn about their faith or receive the sacraments." When I was in college, I...
It's worth the effort even if it doesn't seem like it at the time, and here's why. Kids and shopping do not go hand in hand....
These insights can help with issues so many kids deal with today. The end of January marks the feast of St. John Bosco, the...
Celebrating Epiphany is a special way to wrap up the Christmas season. Try one or all of these this year! Christmas isn’t over...
When we are real before God, we give him space to become more real to us.
Even though they may look alike and share many responsibilities, deacons are not priests.
Why I now understand Mary as a godly woman I want to emulate. While on vacation, I agreed to sit for an interview by a writer...
These particular words express a plea for the full richness of God's mercy within our vulnerability.
This Sunday’s Gospel comes out of this real experience of tension within the community.
Here's something for your #MondayMotivation -- and a Labor Day weekend reflection.
Suffering, evil, illness, that’s not what we’re grateful for. We’re grateful that our God is big enough and good enough to work...
A look at how some habits originated, and why they might or might not be necessary to a community
Jesus’ interlocutors were not asking a sincere question, but his answer aids us who are sincerely discerning today.
How is a well-meaning Catholic to keep from daydreaming or nodding off if the priest isn't dazzling? Chances are you’ve had to...
It is an ancient tradition with deep symbolism. Many can remember being taught by religious sisters how to pray with folded...
There’s a danger in predicting your future after marriage. "Oh, I’m going to be a stay-at-home mom,” one woman said,...
And can a church be both at the same time? Occasionally, a Catholic in the United States — or elsewhere in the world — will...
Can he predict the future? Move objects across the room? Satan and his demon followers are mysterious figures of the...
The evening Florence Malenfant found out she'd lost her baby will stay with her forever. Lo sing a child, even before it is...
Stop giving us more of what we can get in the world! As your millennial correspondent has said for years, if only to his...