Celebrating the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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 […]
Tag Archives: Reflections
Experiencing Perfect Freedom: Augustine’s Lesson to Us
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 […]
Turning to Christ: Pope Francis’ Invitation to the Church
Peter is one of my favourite saints and gospel figures. He is very human—impetuous, sometimes slow on the uptake, given to rash action and occasionally weak. But Jesus chooses him […]
A Persistent Faith
A mature Christian is someone who does what needs to be done. Through hard times when God seems absent and the soul feels empty, the mature Christian continues to keep […]
What Are You Searching For?
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 […]
Generous Hospitality: Recognizing Christ in All
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 […]
Finding God in Everyday Life
Many of us question God’s presence in our lives, particularly in times of crisis or suffering. And that is perfectly normal. How could one not, when suffering or great difficulty […]
It’s a Mystery
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 […]
World Communications Day
How do we attract a new generation to consider Christianity? This question is common table talk at practically every gathering of Christians I attend these days. It is a question […]
St. Philip Neri and the Cheerful Heart
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 […]
Seeds of Faith 