LET’S BE “COMMUNICATORS OF HOPE”
In his first press conference after his election, Pope Leo XIV drew on the dream of his predecessor to lay out a vision for a world shaped by “communicators of hope.” Today (June 1) being the 59th annual World Day…
Novalis Seeds of Faith
VISITATIONS
On this final day of May, the month of Mary, we celebrate the feast of the Visitation. We contemplate this passage from Luke’s Gospel that comes immediately after the account of the Annunciation. In those days Mary set out and…
“KINDNESS BEYOND EXPECTATION”
My deep gratitude and appreciation for that simple sentence was born during a time of quiet prayer. In a grace-filled moment, the Holy Spirit gently nudged me to consult a dictionary for the actual meaning of the word mercy. Raised…
POPE FRANCIS (1936-2025): MAY ETERNAL LIGHT SHINE UPON HIM
It was a fresh wind that sent the white smoke billowing away from the roof of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City on March 13, 2013. This ancient herald of a new pope was the first indication of how a…
EASTER: DRINKING THE CUP OF SALVATION
There are many Easters in my memory: from the ones experienced as a child with new dress-up clothes and maybe a special hat. (Easter bonnets were a real thing when I was young.) There were Easter baskets filled with treats,…
GOOD FRIDAY
Easter is about resurrection — new life springing forth. But before we can get to Easter, we have to go through the Passion of Jesus Christ, the narrative of his suffering, agony and death on the cross. We play out…
HOLY THURSDAY
In October of 2015 my wife Annette and I went on a tour of the Holy Land. Each place we visited there held its own special significance, but there was one in particular that stood out for me as the…
PASSION (PALM) SUNDAY
I once attended a Mass in El Salvador. The worship space was a small aluminum shed with rows of wooden benches and a space for the priest, and wooden altar at the front. It was a wonderful experience. I do not…
ST. PATRICK
How much do you know about St. Patrick? Did you know that he was not born in Ireland? He was born a Romano-British citizen in the 5th century and so much of what is said about Patrick is a legend.…
VISIO DIVINA AS A LENTEN PRAYER PRACTICE
One of the pillars of Lenten practice is prayer. Visio Divina (Divine Seeing) is a prayer form that helps our Lenten journey by opening scripture visually. Visio Divina is a way of drawing closer to God through contemplating images. It…