Unless you managed to spend the Thanksgiving holiday away from all modern forms of communication (or so immersed in friends, family, and cooking that you didn’t notice), you probably heard that Pope Francis released a new Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelli Gaudium…
Time to Fill the Deafening Silence with Our Personal Testimonies
When and where do you hear personal testimony from Catholics? People recounting their experiences of meeting or encountering Jesus Christ, their witness to the power of joining in heavenly worship in the Eucharistic liturgy, a story of a life transformed through Christ…
What is it that God wants from me?
There is no shortage of answers laid out in the Catechism or given in Scripture for this most fundamental of questions. And yet, I still find myself asking this question and wondering…with a tendency to want to skip past the…
Witnessing vs. Wasting Time
Last month I wrote about a chance encounter with a pair of Jehovah’s Witnesses and my sudden appreciation for the usefulness of the Nicene Creed and other memorized prayers. Christian LeBlanc asked this question, “Curious if they accepted any data…
Memorization – It’s Not Just for Kids
Memorization as a style of learning goes in and out of fashion. Usually, we associate it with children. For many of us the word “memorization” brings back tedious memories of flash cards, spelling bees, or biology tests. But even as…
Discover Hidden Houses of Prayer
If you’ve never had the opportunity to visit a men’s or women’s religious community, put it on your bucket list. Visiting a convent, monastery, or cloister to pray with the nuns or monks is a great way to connect with…
Is my pastor above correction?
What should I do when I think a pastor is wrong? I’m not talking about wrong with regards to civil law. That’s clearer. If I know any leader—a priest, a lay minister, a volunteer, etc.—is violating the civil law, it…
Growing Habits
We’re packing up. Moving out. Sorting and sifting through possessions, packaging them in boxes. Making a pile of items to donate. Taking apart furniture. As I pack, I can’t help but think about how I want our next house to…
Engaging a Worldview
When it comes to sharing the faith, much of our preparation is interiorly focused. And this makes sense. Before we can share God’s love, we must come to believe in it and respond to it ourselves. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI…
Conversion: It’s What’s in the Middle
Imagine you’re playing a trivia game and in the final round, your team draws the question, “Name the Biblical figure who parted the Red Sea.” Moses. Phew. That was an easy one. For anyone who’s spent time around virtually any…