BLESSED THANKSGIVING
In Mary Jo Leddy’s book Radical Gratitude, she introduces the following phrase for reflection: “It would be enough if….” This is a wonderful way to fall into a spirit of gratitude. It would be enough if I owned a house…
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
St. Francis of Assisi is one of my favorite saints. The example of his very simple, humble and generous life leads us straight back to what is essential in the Gospel: to trust in God’s providence, praise him for his…
WORLD DAY OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
This past July I was fortunate to travel to Darien, Illinois to participate in a Congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph collaborative event. My friend and I travelled in a climate-controlled vehicle, with a connected GPS and lots of good…
ST. PIUS OF PIETRELCINA
Today, we celebrate the feast day of the man affectionately known as Padre Pio. We ponder the gifts, graces and lessons his life might offer. Well known for carrying the stigmata – bearing visible wounds similar to the excruciatingly painful…
ST. MATTHEW
When you enter into a church off the Piazza Navona in Rome called San Luigi dei Francesi, a series of chapels culminate with the Contarelli Chapel which holds three huge depictions of key moments in Matthew’s life: the calling, the…
BACK TO SCHOOL WITH….TEACHER JESUS
The start of a school year is filled with a variety of emotions and tasks. When I was teaching, I had feelings of hope and apprehension. What will be the character of my classrooms? What exactly will I be teaching?…
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE CARE OF CREATION
In 2015, Pope Francis announced that the Roman Catholic Church would join with the Orthodox Churches in recognizing September 1 as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. Since that time, there has been broad ecumenical observance…
AUGUSTINE’S WINDING PATH TO GOD
What is a Doctor of the Church, really? And how does someone become one? For St. Augustine of Hippo, whose feast we celebrate August 28, his elevation to one of the highest honours bestowed by the Catholic Church was anything…
SPIRITUAL READING: BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR IN SEPTEMBER
Happy new year! I’ve been out of school for a long time, but September still feels like the start of a new year for me. It’s a good time to reflect on where I want to spend my time, what…
BOOK REVIEW: GOD, YAHWEH, ALLAH
“But human beings did not invent God the way an inventor creates something new. Most religions will tell you that God came first. God is the creator of the universe.” God, Yahweh, Allah, p. 12 Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis…