Ten years ago today, Pope Francis established the first World Day of Prayer for the Care for Creation. It coincided with the publication of his great encyclical Laudato Si.’ September 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care for…
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…
Who doesn’t love summer? It’s the perfect time to go with the flow, relax and enjoy the outdoors. But I have to admit that as the days grow shorter and the nights cooler, I look forward to the return to…
In a world increasingly fractured by conflict and unrest, we yearn for role models to point us beyond the chaos and toward lasting hope. Some people have in fact revealed to us the potential of the human spirit, what it’s…
All three synoptic Gospels tell us of the Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–13, Luke 9:28–36). Jesus is on the Mount of Olives with his friends. They witness him start to glow with beams of light. Moses (the giver of the Law)…
I once read that Liberace died with five furnished residences and warehouses full of expensive items for which he had no room in any of these residences! It is usually this sort of image that comes to mind when we…
Besides Mary, Joseph and Jesus, there is another exemplary family that played an important role in the life of Jesus. That is the family of his dear friends – Mary, Martha and Lazarus. John’s glimpse into their lives is both…
I am 68 years old. I can no longer pretend to be “late middle-aged.” I have gray hair and wake up in the morning with aches and pains. I can officially be described as elderly. But I am certainly not…
Saints Anne and Joachim were parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandparents of Jesus. Though not mentioned in the Bible, their story has been part of the Catholic tradition for millennia. They were a religiously devout couple. They were…
The feast of St. Mary Magdalene has a double meaning for me. In one sense, the person of Mary Magdalene is an enigma in many ways. There are lots of different ideas about who she was, what she experienced to…