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…
Discover Hidden Houses of Prayer
I’ve Been Called
He called his disciples to himself. (Luke 6:13) I’ve been called, but like Moses, like Jonah, like Peter, I don’t feel qualified. My tools are in storage and I’m not sure where to start. For so many years of my…
Are We a Welcoming Parish?
I’ve been thinking about how easy we make it (or don’t) for people who want to be a part of our Church and for those who are current parishioners. I blame a few recent posts here (RCIA: Rolling Out the Red Carpet and Are…
What the Prodigal Son and the Golden Calf teach us about sin
Readings for September 15, 2013: Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Everyone knows the bible stories of the Prodigal Son and the Golden Calf. But they don’t usually put the two together as this Sunday’s readings do. So what do the…
How Can Crucifixion Be a Triumph?
I have a wonderful Catholic friend who refuses to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary. She says it is too depressing, so she just skips them. Turning away from the pain of others is tempting. Who doesn’t have enough pain…
Making your own icebreaker
Y’all know how the New Evangelization means you have to actually speak to, well, people. Sometimes people you don’t know. Standing in front of you. About religious stuff. Aack. It’s not for everybody. Or is it? I try to meet…
What You Say, What They Hear
In my article “Let Freedom Ring“, I asked “What does it mean to be free?” How can we do that? How can we ask what a word means? The answer is simple — that words have meanings. Those meanings can…
Terrorism and the Cross
September 11, 2001 is a day that never will be forgotten. Most of us can remember exactly where we were when we heard the news. An airliner had crashed into one of New York’s twin towers. When a second plane…
Run the Race, Hear the Cheers
The fall sports season is upon us. Football season is starting in high schools, colleges, and the pros. The regular baseball season is winding down and soon we’ll be fixated on the playoffs and World Series. Local racing circuits are…
Yes, you CAN teach
It’s that time of year when those running religious education programs are either praying desperately, canceling classes, or just spinning in circles. I don’t run a religious education program, but I am a parish staffer and I work closely in,…