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…
Ask any student of theology about the Trinity and the answer you’re likely to receive is this: “It’s a mystery.” To the uninitiated, that may sound trite, if not a downright attempt to avoid offering an answer to a theological…
Have you heard the one about the funny saint? Talk about saints often focuses first on serious attributes: piety, for example, or a sense of selflessness. While an extraordinarily pious man, Saint Philip Neri, a 16th-century Italian priest and founder…
“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…
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: parishes with RCIA programs are incredibly blessed – and particularly so during Lent – because the presence of those seeking entry into the Church re-energizes the entire community. It’s not uncommon…
On a day popularly known as Pancake Tuesday, it’s safe to assume what will be on the menu in many Catholic houses across the country today. The Tuesday preceding the beginning of Lent is known by many names, all reflecting…
Sickness can turn our lives upside down, whether we are the ones who are ill or whether we are offering support and solace to a suffering loved one. Serious illness is not only frustrating but also frightening, because it is…