“On this night, like a burst of brilliant light, there rings out the proclamation of the Apostle: “God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race” (Tit 2:11). The grace which was revealed…
Ambrose. Charles Borromeo. Alfredo Schuster. Giovanni Montini. Milan has witnessed some of the greatest bishops in Church history. Of its bishops, two have been elected pope. Dozens of saints have sat in the cathedra of that great and historic diocese.…
Dorothy Day, the renowned founder of the Catholic Worker Movement, once said in her later years: “Don’t call me a saint. I don’t want to be dismissed so easily.” Years after her death, she must be looking down from heaven,…
Last weekend I went on retreat with about 30 people from across Ontario. We were a diverse group, with women and men of all ages, vocations and very different views about God and faith. Despite our seemingly radical differences, we…
Anyone even mildly aware of global events at the moment could be forgiven if they indulge in a bit of despair. Threatened by pestilence, war and environmental destruction, the world could use a large dose of hope. The Exaltation of…
When we think of Mary, we usually cast her in one of two roles: that of the quiet but consistently supportive mother or as the young virgin who answers God’s call to motherhood. Today, however, we celebrate Mary’s birth, an…
I first encountered St. Augustine’s Confessions as an 18-year-old university student. My professor, a kind and gentle priest from China, Fr. Peter Wong, extolled the work’s place in Christian history and its relevance for us today. Sadly, my friends and I were…
We hear Mary’s voice a scant four times in the New Testament, but her quiet witness to the ministry of her son resounds throughout the gospels. The Gospel of Luke includes three instances of Mary speaking, while her words are…
The feast of Mary Magdalene coincides with the anniversary of my mother’s death, a fitting intersection given the spiritual inspiration I’ve gained from each woman. Like Mary Magdalene, my mother’s faith ran deep and her life served witness to that…
For more than 1,500 years, Benedictine monasteries and convents around the world have operated under the Rule of Saint Benedict, a set of simple precepts designed to help religious communities lead an ordered, prayerful life. Saint Benedict’s guidelines address five…