When most Catholics think of Lent, fasting, meatless Fridays, and preparing for Holy Week are the first things that come to mind, but Lent is also a time for prayer – an opportunity to reconnect with our Lord. Amidst the…
Lent: A Time for Prayer
Reconciliation and the Prodigal Son
Readings for March 10, 2013: Fourth Sunday of Lent “For our sakes God made him who did not know sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the very holiness of God.” (2 Cor 5:21) Some Christians…
Reading for the New Evangelization
With the pre-order release of New Evangelizers co-founder Greg Willits’s new book, The New Evangelization and You: Be Not Afraid (Servant Books), I got to wondering about how many books existed on this topic. Turns out there’s a handful, and I…
Four Tests for Discerning False Prophets
Archbishop Chaput recently referred to the commentary following Benedict XVI’s resignation as a “lava flow.” I have other, less kind, ways to describe most of what has been written about the Church and Holy Father since February 11, 2013. One…
Five Catholic Applications for Google Glass
The flurry of press about the totally awesome Google Glass project left me pondering the Catholic take on the geekiest tool to come down the pike since the Segway. You guys know me – I love this stuff. And I’ll definitely be lined…
Quality Time with Loved Ones
One significant step in my journey back to the faith happened during Lent. Like most lukewarm Catholics I used to give up beer or chocolate or something like that for Lent. That year I decided to pray the rosary every…
Five Legacies of Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI has officially stepped down from the Chair of Peter. He is the first pope to do so in many centuries. His time as pope was very brief compared to his predecessor, John Paul II. But even in…
Tis the Season of Exorcisms
Contrary to popular Hollywood portrayals, the season of exorcisms isn’t centered on Halloween—it’s right now, happening at a parish near you, this Lent. Even though I grew up going to Mass every Sunday, by the time I was in high…
Truly Catholic Mercy
Most religions in the ancient world were local, national cults. The Egyptians worshiped Isis and Osiris. Athens was named after the goddess Athena. Ephesus was the center of the cult of Artemis. But when the Church was born on Pentecost…
“I think I want to be a Buddhist”
I had an interesting experience the other day with a young man in the eighth grade. His mom had been trying on and off all school year to get him to come to class for Confirmation with no success. I…