AN UPDATE FROM OUR PUBLISHER
March was a trying month for everyone as we struggled with the grave repercussions of covid-19. It has touched each of us in ways we wouldn’t have thought possible even […]
5th SUNDAY OF LENT – REFLECTION
“Those who are in the ego cannot please God” I have always been uncomfortable with Paul’s reference to “the flesh” in contrast to “the Spirit,” as found in the Second […]
JONAH’S HYMN REUPHOLSTERED
Coughing in the craw of corona I cried to you, O Lord, and you, in defiance of all demands of social distancing took me snug into your arms! Pitched into […]
ANNUNCIATION OF THE LORD
One can get lost in researching Catholic doctrine on Mary and the feast of the Annunciation. We only need to look to interpretations of this moment in fine art and music […]
4th SUNDAY OF LENT – REFLECTION
If Christ came to take away the sin of the world, then why on Earth is our planet still so bruised and broken by evil? Only one of two responses […]
ST. JOSEPH, PATRON OF CANADA, PRAY FOR US AND FOR THE WHOLE WORLD
I have the good fortune to have two of the best-known saints as my name patrons, and they are both celebrated in March. My first name being Joseph and my […]
ST. PATRICK
No matter where we have come from, we can all be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. I have Irish roots myself, and was born into a family filled with Patricks […]
3rd SUNDAY OF LENT – REFLECTION
Why was the Samaritan woman drawing water at the well at noon, the hottest part of the day? This is not the time that most people would be coming for […]
THERE MUST BE A PONY IN HERE SOMEWHERE! INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHORS
What is the book There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere about?This book is a collection of reflections that we have written over the past thirty years based on […]
2ND SUNDAY OF LENT – REFLECTION
No matter which year of the three-year lectionary cycle we are in, the Gospel for the 2nd Sunday of Lent is always the same: the Transfiguration. What on earth is […]
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER – MARCH 6, 2020
Prayer is the action that grounds us in our faith. It is a personal and communal experience that brings us closer to God. It is so much a part of […]
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LENTEN READING
Lent can be such a rich experience if we make time for it. Something I like to do each year is choose a book or two that will accompany me […]
1st SUNDAY OF LENT – REFLECTION
“Forty days,” the experts say, “it takes to break a bad habit. Give or take a week or so.” “Forty days,” they say, “it takes to form a good one.” […]
ASH WEDNESDAY
It seems macabre to have a special day devoted to reminding people they are going to die. Yet on the surface that appears to be the reason behind Ash Wednesday. […]
INTERVIEW WITH GREG KENNEDY, SJ, AUTHOR OF REUPHOLSTERED PSALMS
What is the Reupholstered Psalms about? This book contains reworked versions of the first 50 psalms in the Hebrew Bible. I call them “reupholstered” because the technique used in writing […]
ST. VALENTINE
The tradition of saints in our Catholic Church is filled with legends, myths and inspiration. In reading about St. Valentine, I was reminded of how influential the Church has been […]
OUR LADY OF LOURDES
As a Catholic girl of Irish descent who grew up in rural Ontario, I didn’t grow up with Disney princesses. I grew up with apparitions of the Blessed Virgin. When […]
20-MINUTE RETREAT: BOOK REVIEW
The 20-Minute Retreat: 18 Sessions with the Saints to Nourish Your Faith, by David Perrin Wouldn’t it be great to go on a week-long retreat one of these days? Imagine […]
A LIFE MISCHIEVOUSLY CONSECRATED
Jim went out smiling. Cancer, for all its devastation, couldn’t deprive his eyes of their sly sparkle, nor his face of its tenacious warmth. Jim Webb, SJ died a religious […]
HAPPY FEAST DAY OF ST. JOHN BOSCO!
As an editor, I depend on many resources in my work: dictionaries, style guides, the internet, and even a saint or two! When challenges arise, I am happy to be […]
AUTHORS INTERVIEW: ONE HOME AT A TIME
What is One Home at a Time about? We wrote this book, to invite families to see themselves in a deeper way. It is often said, sometimes glibly, but none the […]
REPRESENTATIONS OF GOD’S GOODNESS
On this feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), I want to share something from this giant philosopher/theologian’s writings which I find remarkable. It should give us reason to pause […]
PAUL’S (ECOLOGICAL) CONVERSION
What colour was the horse off which Saul was knocked on the road to Damascus? The Bible doesn’t say. In very fact, the Bible doesn’t mention a horse at all. […]
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES
Each year on January 24, the Church celebrates the feast day of St. Francis de Sales, a Doctor of the Church, patron of journalists, writers and the deaf. In an […]
WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY: JAN 18-25
In some ways, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity seems kind of old-fashioned, something we thought more about in the 60’s. But the more I think and read about […]
ANOTHER TIMELY BOOK!
Do you agree or disagree with each the following? Science proves that there is no God. Scripture challenges scientific theories and laws. The world was created in 6 (24-hour) days […]
BAPTISM OF THE LORD
The feast of the Baptism of Our Lord marks the end of the Christmas season. It often feels like a transitional time, maybe a bit sad and boring for little […]
THE MAGI TEACH US THAT PEOPLE CAN COME TO CHRIST BY A VERY LONG ROUTE
When I was little, I loved the three Advent rituals we did at our house: the Advent calendar with its little cardboard doors that opened one day at a time […]
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The reforms of the liturgical calendar after Vatican II were an attempt to prune things back and keep Christ at the center of things. When it comes to January 1, […]
HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH
When I think “holy,” I often think “perfect.” So the Holy Family can be a bit intimidating. How can our families ever measure up? Part of the issue is that […]
This Christmas…
The Christmas scene inside a church is joyful and glittering. It is a warm environment with welcoming smiles and lots of hugs (and, of course, the heat is on!). Although […]
INTERVIEW WITH GLEN ARGAN, AUTHOR OF CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART
What has been your goal in writing Create in Me a Clean Heart? I found the standard examinations of conscience based on the Ten Commandments did not help me to […]
NEVER A TIMELIER BOOK!
A review of How Not to Read the Bible: An Authentic Catholic Approach to Scripture Today “The Bible should come with a warning label on the cover. ‘Warning: Misreading this […]
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
Many years ago, my co-worker – a priest from Czechoslovakia – and I were leading a group of candidates for initiation. It was Advent and we decided to explore some […]
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
The Immaculate Conception is a relatively new feast (established universally in 1854), and so there isn’t a long tradition of devotions and customs for this day. Evidently in 1854 people […]
SEASON OF ADVENT
The world has forgotten Advent. We go from Thanksgiving and Halloween directly to the “Holiday Season,” with Christmas Day as its culmination. It is all tinsel and chimes and Hallmark […]
CHRIST THE KING: A PARADOXICAL SOVEREIGN
Shepherd. Worthy Lamb. Firstborn of Creation. Beloved Son. Suffering Servant. Mocked. Mortified. Crucified. And risen from the dead! This is certainly no ordinary King! The Sovereign of the Universe is […]
INTERVIEW WITH LEAH PERRAULT, AUTHOR OF MY HEART OF FLESH AND LIVING GENTLY THROUGH STRUGGLE
What inspired you to write My Heart of Flesh? In 2011 and 2012, I struggled my way through postpartum depression toward recovery. As I shared that story with others through […]
REMEMBRANCE DAY
I have never been a soldier, nor have I ever been to war. The closest I have come personally to warfare is having an uncle in the navy during the […]
ALL SOULS DAY
November 2 should be a great day in the life of the Christians. We are the ones who are supposed to have a positive attitude towards death, that “life has […]
ALL SAINTS DAY
When I was growing up, one of the books we had at home was both intriguing and somewhat macabre – The Lives of the Saints. What wonders could be found […]
STEVE BELL’S PILGRIM YEAR SERIES – FOR PILGRIMS OF ALL KINDS
I didn’t know of Steve Bell when I first came across his Pilgrim Year series. Each of the seven books explores one of these rich liturgical seasons: Advent Christmas Epiphany […]
REMEMBERING ST. JOHN XXIII
I sometimes wonder what went through Pope John XXIII’s mind before he announced the Second Vatican Council on January 25, 1959. What an amazing and bold step to take for […]
WHEN WE’RE MADE TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE…
In the 1200s, Francis of Assisi made people feel uncomfortable about their lavish lifestyles and disregard for the poor. He got into much trouble for his prophetic lifestyle. Eventually, he […]
MAY ST. THÉRÈSE’S “LITTLE WAY” INSPIRE US TODAY
Have you seen the October cover of Living with Christ yet? It is graced with a beautiful image of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus (St. Thérèse of Lisieux) whose […]
HAPPY GRANDPARENTS DAY!
I’m not a grandparent, but I’ve spent a lot of time observing grandparents over the years – my own and other people’s. I’ve decided it’s a pretty good gig: you […]
CONTEST!
Novalis Publishing wants to hear how God has been active in your life. Wisdom from our life stories can often be a powerful encouragement to others. If you would like […]
THAT OUR WORK MAY BEAR GOOD FRUIT
It’s a little ironic that Labour Day — an occasion to honour the sweat of our brow and the work of our hands — is actually a holiday. Nice touch! […]
WHEN SUFFICIENT IS NEVER ENOUGH, PRAYER IS REQUIRED
Pope Francis has slated September 1 as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. And we will certainly need all the prayers we can muster. The state […]
ST. MONICA AND THE POWER OF PERSISTENT PRAYER
As the mother of a son, I have always felt a connection with St. Monica. I mean, sometimes all you can do is pray! Her eldest son, Augustine (354–430), was […]
