THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD
Forty days after Christmas we come to a feast day that will lead us on a path to the cross. Also known as Candlemas, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord has layers of meaning. Jesus, the Light of…
Category Feast Day
ST. JOHN BOSCO
John Bosco (1815 – 1888), affectionately known as Don Bosco, was an Italian Catholic priest, educator and writer. He worked in Turin and ministered to people who were harshly affected by industrialization and urbanization. He dedicated himself to supporting street…
ST. ANDRE BESSETTE: A HEALER AND A MAN OF PRAYER
He was a frail young man, born in 1845 in St-Grégoire-d’Iberville, Quebec, who couldn’t read or write – an orphan by the age of 12. He tried various trades without much success, including in the United States, where many went…
LIGHT AND VISION: AN ADVENT REFLECTION ON ST. LUCY’S FEAST DAY
I recently suffered from a nasty eye infection. I couldn’t see properly and suffered from acute photo sensitivity. This experience led me to a deeper appreciation of healthy vision. St Lucy, patron saint of eyesight, became a welcome prayer companion.…
ALL SOULS
Last weekend, I happened to be driving in the country at sunrise. It was the first frost of the year and the fields were stunning. I had to stop the car and just gaze for a few moments. The green…
OH, TO BE A SAINT!
What does it mean to be a saint? An appropriate question, don’t you think, for the solemnity of All Saints, celebrated by the Catholic Church this year on Nov. 1. If asked, most people would refer to the official saints,…
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
October 4 is the feast day for St. Francis of Assisi, who I believe to be, the best-known saint in our secularized society. He was born sometime in 1181 or 1182, died 1226, and then was canonized quickly in 1228…
ARCHANGELS MICHAEL, GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL
To the dismay of his pacifist and non-violent parents our son Patrick has always had a fascination with toy guns, swords and anything that has to do with such. Patrick is named after a dear friend of mine who died…
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL: A MODEL FOR SERVICE TO THE POOR
When French lawyer and university professor Frédéric Ozanam organized a group of young men into an organization to help the poor of Paris, he decided to put it under the patronage of St. Vincent de Paul (1581-1660). He couldn’t have…
ST. MONICA AND ST. AUGUSTINE
How often do we give up on friends or family members who are obstinate or dismissive when it comes to our faith? This can be painful and it feels like a personal attack. St. Monica (c. 332 – 387) faced these situations…