As we begin this season of Lent, let us open our hearts and minds to the transformation that can occur during this time. Lent is the forty days of waiting for the death and resurrection of Jesus. The forty days allow ourselves to reflect on ourselves and our relationship with Christ. These forty days are known as a fast. Some people take that in a literal sense, abstaining from sweets, soda, or some other unhealthy habit. Others may fast from social media or other activities. We also can ..read more

For most of my day when I am not in a chapel or church, I struggle to keep in touch with God. While praying in a chapel is the anchor of our spiritual lives, for many of us, our day is mostly spent being “sent out” from these places of prayer. Yet, God is present everywhere, and he is always present to listen to our prayers. Unfortunately, I often let myself be swept up in classes, work, friendships, stacking to-do’s, trivial matters – all things that are not God & ..read more

Catholics believe conscience “is man’s most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1776). Do you remember entering a sanctuary for the first time? For me, it was years ago, around 1964, when I was learning how to be an altar server. It was in the middle of a school day, in school clothes, learning the prayers (in Latin) and the movements from the priest, in an empty and ..read more

I am scared of Lent. There: I said it. This cradle Catholic, with plenty of Lents under her belt, is scared of one of the most sacred liturgical seasons in the Church.I’m not saying I don’t love it. I do. I loved when my favorite priest buried the “Hallelujah,” and then emptied our Church of decoration, only adding more as we got further into Lent and into spring. I love (well, love/hate) fasting, and the way my mind is automatically drawn toward my dependence on God and ..read more

A foundational truth in the life of a Christian is that we are loved–particularly and passionately–by God. It is through this love that the creator of the universe brought each of us into being: God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life (CCC 1). From the beginning of time, God fully knew and loved each of us and furthermore wanted to bring us into the fullness of his family through b ..read more

Our Lenten pilgrimage is almost upon us! In this Jubilee Year as “pilgrims of hope,” we journey during Lent toward the hope of the Resurrection. We will go from walking into the desert with Jesus to walking to Emmaus with the Risen Christ. Throughout, he is accompanying us to a deeper encounter with him. In the Lenten part of our pilgrimage, we will use the practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving not as ends in themselves, but as means to live more fully our life in Christ. Our ..read more

I’m a summer girl, so bear with me and close your eyes to imagine the warm weather with bright, yellow sunshine for so many wonderful hours each day. Everything is lush and green and colorful, and, to cool off, you head either indoors or into a cool pool or the ocean. Friends and neighbors are outdoors using grills or mowing lawns, and those scents waft around the neighborhood. You hear sounds of kids playing, birds and insects chirping, and maybe an ice cream truck can be heard fai ..read more

For the past five years, I have had the privilege of working full-time in high school ministry. I often hear people say, “That’s so great that you are working with the future of the Church”. For the longest time, this statement didn’t sit well with me. I recently figured out why: young people are not the future of the Church, they are the Church. I have learned during this privileged time of ministry that there is great HOPE and JOY to be found in the young Church ..read more

“What do you seek?” (John 1:38). Jesus once asked this question to some of His first disciples, and the Church, through her saints, has responded to this question time and time again throughout history. Today, the Church celebrates the feast of one of her most famous intellectuals, St. Thomas Aquinas. St. Thomas is perhaps most well known for his contribution to theology in his Summa Theologiae. However, great mind though he was, he was first and foremost a son of God by his b ..read more

When you hear the word “conscience,” what comes to mind? I asked some friends over the holidays. One said “sin,” and another said “thoughts.” Some other responses were “psychology,” “clear,” “voluntary,” “morality,” “compass,” “truth,” “educated,” and “integrity.” Are any of these words similar to yours? It is a good sampling. It is noteworthy that, out ..read more