Editor’s Note: Join me in welcoming Peter Serzo to the New Evangelizers blog. Recently I attended a service at a non-denominational church and I sat next to a former Catholic (her words, not mine). A warm welcoming lady, she was lamenting…
Why Rituals are Important
Response to Prayer-Shaming
I have no idea if this is a growing trend or only the reaction of a few sad individuals, but in the last few days there have been more and more examples of prayer shaming. In the wake of the…
Advent: The Season of Hope
Readings for the 2nd Sunday of Advent, Dec 6, 2015 Faith, hope, and love. St. Paul, in I Corinthians 13:13, say these three are the bottom line. They are called the theological virtues, the qualities that make us most like…
Should Catholics Use Centering Prayer?
In her book, Is Centering Prayer Catholic?, author Connie Rossini takes a deeper look at the controversy surrounding a prayer technique commonly called Centering Prayer. The controversy flows from what the definition of true contemplative prayer is, and what the…
Mary Just Loves Being Our Mother
The Blessed Virgin is like a good mother who, not content with looking after all her children in general, watches over each one separately. —St. John Vianney As I think about my relationship with my children, I recognize how I…
Advent Opportunity
Most of us are familiar with the story of the Good Samaritan and his extraordinary generosity. He is greatly touted because of the service he offers to a foreigner who has been ignored by high church officials. The story mentions…
How Mary shared her story
“Faith is an encounter with Jesus Christ, with God, from which faith is born, and from there it brings you to witness,” Pope Francis tweeted. That’s what happened to the Virgin Mary. Mary’s encounter with God’s messenger changed her life….
Someone’s Gotta Be Sent
Today’s First Reading for the Feast of the Apostle Andrew captures the passion of St. Paul and glorious victory we have in Jesus Christ’s salvation won for us! Writing to believers in Rome, Paul breaks into fantastic rhetorical emphasis, exclaiming:…
Advent: The Reason for the Season
Sunday Readings for Nov 29, the 1st Sunday of Advent “Advent” is simply the Latin word for “coming.” If we can manage to meditate on any “coming” in December besides the comings and goings of Christmas shopping, it would be…
Semen est sanguis Christianorum – “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church”
But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a…