“Hic locus sanctus est.” This inscription,which translates to “This is a holy place,” can be found at the entrance to the little chapel of Porziuncula in Assisi. The tiny church, which now is enclosed within the walls of St. Mary…
The sheer scope of Christianity was brought home to our Living with Christ pilgrimage on our second day of touring. In the morning we visited the Catacombs of Saint Calixtus on the Appian Way, the road where Christ is said…
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…
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…
At Living with Christ, we have a special appreciation for Saint Peter Julian Eymard, often referred to as the Apostle of the Eucharist. Peter, who was born in France in 1811, had an unwavering devotion to the Eucharist, asserting that…
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…
“Bring flowers of the fairest, bring blossoms the rarest….” Strains of this Marian hymn from my childhood float through my mind every May as soon as the tulips start to bloom. In the old days, of course, those tulips would…
It is a day that takes us from soaring joy to the depths of sorrow. Palm Sunday begins with chants of Hosanna as Jesus arrives in Jerusalem amid a triumphant crowd. Two thousand years on, we join with that throng…
Today’s readings serve as a kind of instruction manual in how to lead a life of faith. The psalm, for example, lays out the starting point of faith, reminding us of the importance of being receptive to the Word of…