“So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. “ Luke, 2:3 It is easy to imagine the chaos that consumed Bethlehem during Caesar’s census.  It is fitting, because like Mary and Joseph, we too are likely spending this time of year traveling, visiting the places and people we grew up with.  Or, […]

Gospel of Matthew 11:2-11 When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ,he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question,“Are you the one who is to come,or should we look for another?”Jesus said to them in reply,“Go and tell John what you hear and see:the blind regain their sight,the lame […]

“Each day that begins, if welcomed in prayer, is accompanied by courage, so that the problems we have to face no longer seem to be obstacles to our happiness, but rather appeals from God, opportunities for our encounter with him.” Pope Francis We all know that we should pray every day. Prayer connects us to […]

Start 2024 strong by committing to grow in your Catholic faith and answering the call to be devoted to daily prayer. Our Catholic Guide to 2024 will lead you with the quotes, monthly devotions, and intentions to help you stay motivated each month of the year. Save or print this article so that you can […]

Health and soundness are better than all gold, and a robust body than countless riches. Sirach 30:15 St. Paul made clear that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16 -1 7; 6:19 – 20), and St. Thomas elaborated in his great Summa Theologica that Christ’s command to love God with […]

As December draws to a close, the bare trees and winter winds tempt me to think that God lies dormant with the rest of creation. He chose this season, however, for His incarnation, showing me that the Lord works wonders in the moments that seem the most unexpected. Wherever you find yourself as we transition into the new year, here are three […]

This Catholic Year in Review is not an exhaustive list of every important event to happen in 2022, but these are some of the biggest news stories in the United States and globally to transpire in the Catholic world. The war in Ukraine, the German Synodal Way, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and much […]

I want to introduce two things to you- discernment of spirits as taught by St. Ignatius and Satan as the great accuser.  St. Ignatius taught that there are three spirits at work in our lives. The first is the spirit of God. The idea is that we can tell which spirit is at work by the […]

The first thing to realize about prayer is that it can be boring. Just about everything else we do gives us results within a relatively short period of time. Not so in prayer. I began praying the rosary daily as a freshman in high school. My motive was to pray for world peace. The Sisters […]

We’ve all been there. The day just isn’t going well. The culprit could be a rough night with the kiddos, bad news, or maybe you’re just in a funk and don’t know why. I don’t enjoy any of those, but for me, the worst part is that a bad day can be hard to shake. […]

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to spend 10 days in and around Mexico City. The first half of our trip included visits to various holy sites and churches, ample time at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and a couple opportunities to be immersed in the culture and history of Mexico. […]

Have you ever struggled to fully comprehend the concept of “holy abandonment” when it is discussed? I have personally experienced this, and even though I understand it better now, I still find it challenging to put it into practice. The idea of surrendering one’s will and desires to God can be daunting. It requires a […]

“You are what you eat.” This popular phrase is usually related to eating healthy food, but some have raised the question as to whether this applies to eating the Body and Blood of Christ[JR1] . When I first heard someone connect the two several years ago, I wondered if it was truly possible to become […]

In this digital age, where information is readily accessible at our fingertips, we are faced with a new challenge: discerning the truth amidst the vast sea of online content. As a Catholic, our faith calls us to seek truth and embrace it. However, we must recognize that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has introduced […]

Whether a person dies in combat or survives for years after their retirement from service, serving in the military leaves a mark on a soldier, airman, or sailor. It is likely one of the few careers that leaves one with a distinguished title – veteran. Too often on Memorial Day, the true purpose of the […]

Amazon Prime has released a new inspiring movie, A Million Miles Away, inspired by Jose Hernandez’s life. The opening minutes of the movie tell the early life story of Jose Hernandez, the son of migrant farming parents who were constantly on the move in order to work the land. A teacher of Jose became concerned for him because he […]

Almost every single time I hear a Taylor Swift song, I think of my friend Sofía. During high school, I didn’t have a car of my own, and she didn’t mind giving me free rides everywhere, so we spent our semesters going together to mass and holy adoration in her Toyota. I never got to […]

The act of thinking is in a bit of a predicament these days. American culture has never cared less about what has been known for millennia as “objective truth.” Despite the apathy, an objective truth still guides and directs reality, whether I or anyone else cares about it or not. Why would I care? The […]

In 2014, a novel by Anthony Doerr captured readers in the 500+ page novel, 16+ hour audiobook All the Light We Cannot See.  At the time of its release, I was a seminarian studying for the priesthood at Mundelein Seminary under (now) Bishop Robert Barron. In 2015, Barron penned an essay on the book for Word on […]

The Early Bird Finds Serenity The first step in fostering improved mental health with prayer is to have a regular time and place for prayer. For years I was a night owl. I stayed up late and slept in whenever I could. During the work week, I would get up, shower, grab a protein bar […]

 For much of my life as a child, a teenager, and even a young adult, I never really considered my clothing except for those “big” moments like what I would wear for a school dance or a graduation day. As a child, my mom sewed all of my clothes, and as I grew, I would […]

I hope this finds you well. Before we get into the particulars, please allow me to take a brief moment to simply affirm you … right here, right now. Thank you for stepping up to coach. It often goes unrecognized but to coach means to make a decision: to lead others, to foster relationships, to […]

Who is St. John of the Cross? St. John of the Cross was a Spanish Catholic who was born in 1542 amidst the throws of the Protestant Reformation. He was a major figure in the Catholic Counter-Reformation and would later be named a Doctor of the Church. He was a priest, mystic, and Carmelite who […]

When my grandma turned 91, I remember her saying: “You can find joy in all stages of life.” That’s always stuck with me. I know it to be true in regards to getting older, but I also believe it to be true in relationship to the world: You can find joy in all circumstances of […]

Is there something wrong with your life? Maybe something is missing. Maybe you’re depressed. Maybe you’re overwhelmed. Maybe you’re trapped by compulsive behavior. Maybe there’s a particular sin you haven’t been able to overcome no matter how hard you’ve tried? Maybe you’re in a state of despair because you think nothing will ever change? Whatever […]