When it comes to Saints and Holy Things we all tend to get a bit overwhelmed by the realities that those situations present to us. Realities such as: 1. Saints were all simply ordinary people just like you and me….
Face It
Being a Sheep: Joy, Confidence, and Life Abundant
The comfort God gives to us by giving us Jesus his Son as our Shepherd isn’t just some poetic, feel-good pasture scene that goes over well in Vacation Bible School or children’s catechesis. No–it’s a reality with hard-hitting promises and assurances. John…
Prayer
Sunday Readings for October 16, 2016 I’ve often heard people say that they don’t want to trouble God with their petty needs and concerns. After all, he has more important things to attend to, like running the universe. Yet, the…
Giving them roots and wings
Is it possible that in one short weekend our family of five is reduced to three? Yes. Friday: All the preparations for our son’s wedding are in place. Tuxes ready; church and reception hall decorated; hair and makeup in place;…
Don’t Engage with the Tempter
There are so many sources of temptation today. Though they classically come from three sources — the world, the flesh, and the devil — or what Aristotle might call their efficient causes, they manifest in many different people, places, and…
The Little Way of St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Thérèse Martin, a french teenager who became a Carmelite nun in the late 19th century, did nothing earth-shattering: she lived an obscure life in a cloistered monastery in a small town in France, and died of tuberculosis in her mid-twenties….
10 Commandments in the Modern World Part 1 – YOU SHALL HAVE NO GODS BEFORE ME
Many years ago I wrote an article here for New Evangelizers called “Disclaimers When Talking About Sin.” That article was based on the preparation I do in class before we go into the 10 Commandments. However I came to the…
Thanksgiving
Sunday Readings for October 9, 2016 Leprosy is a dreadful thing anywhere, anytime. But in the ancient Near East, it was a particularly heavy burden to bear since it meant complete social isolation. You could, of course, hang out with…
Can Miracles Be (Dis)Proven?
Catholic Canonizations With Mother Teresa’s recent canonization and elevation to Saint Teresa of Calcutta, I’ve had quite a few friends and family members asking me how exactly the Catholic Church goes about making someone a saint. In answering that question, there are…
The Devil is in the Details. . . Literally!
I remember a time when I was at morning Mass. Just before the Our Father, the man next to me reached out to join hands. I explained that the priest was the intercessor for our prayers, and that is…