Sanctifying Rest: Planning a Holy Vacation Summertime and vacations are nearly synonymous. Many families plan trips around common interests, location or themes. When our family plans a vacation, we found that centering it around our faith has had a wonderful impact on us all. Growing up Catholic meant we had the freedom to explore historical sites and shrines in various locations around the world. We had an opportunity to incorporate the values and virtues that were lived out at home, but in a new environment. This was, in a way, the chance to evangelize. My Early Experiences of Travel When I ..read more

Sexual Healing in Light of the Resurrection Christos Anesti! (Christ is Risen!) The beauty of Easter rightly fills us with the hope that one day we will leave this world of sin and suffering, enter into the glory of heaven where we will experience the fullness of God’s presence, and be reunited with our loved ones who have gone before us. This is indeed a thought that should fill us with joyful expectation! While the aspiration for heaven is a good one, the Resurrection is not merely a static event in salvation history, or one that we ourselves get to experience on the last day. The power of ..read more

Life Giving Love ~ Overcoming Woundedness How Woundedness Affects Our Relationships We all come from a family.  Within our family of origin, our faith, opinions, needs, character, the way we argue and the way we show love, are formed for our future family.  Sometimes we may question why God chose this particular family for each of us, but in the end trusting His will and the process is key.  There is always fruit in the journey, a message in the mess and a test in the testimony.  Sometimes we just have to look a little deeper.  For the first 18 years of our lives (at ..read more

The Culture of Home In 2020 due to the unprecedented world wide events, many of us were forced to quarantine in our homes. Since then many people have adapted to a new lifestyle of either working from home, going to school from home, eating more homemade meals, or simply spending more time at home with their families. Indefinitely, many lives took a huge pause in the past year, causing many families to find more time for reflection, prayer, deeper meaning, and quality time with their loved ones in the comfort of their homes. In our busy, fast-paced western society that always glorifies progre ..read more

Feeling Loved in Marriage   Love is Not a Feeling… Or is It? We often hear in Catholic circles that “Love is a choice, not a feeling,” “Love is an act of the will,” and that “To love is to will the good of the other.” And while these popular definitions certainly are true, they emphasize only one dimension of human love. In a recent conversation with my husband, I expressed my own struggle of diligently fulfilling my duties as a wife and mother, but feeling rather disconnected emotionally. I remember blurting out, “Am I supposed to just will my way through life without feeling it?!” Afte ..read more

The Relational Mission of Small Groups “God did not tell us to follow Him because He needed our help, but because He knew that loving Him would make us whole.”  ~St. Irenaeus of Lyons   What is Discipleship?  A disciple is defined as a personal follower of Jesus during his life, especially one of the twelve Apostles. Intentional discipleship involves equipping Christians to live out each day as followers of Jesus Christ.  This is manifested by providing an example through word and deed and putting our Faith into action.  Jesus himself identified 12 Apostles to go out ..read more

Why a Relationship With God is Essential to a Healthy Marriage The first years of marriage can be wonderful and exciting, and at the same time turbulent and disorienting. You’ve probably heard a thousand times how important it is to keep God in the center of your marriage and here’s why. Your Spouse is Not God There isn’t much on earth as powerful as a man and a woman joining their lives together in Holy Matrimony. Why do a man and a woman choose to get married? They’ve found in each other a piece of the divine- love, joy, peace, harmony, and a shared mission or worldview. We are designed for ..read more

An Inspired Wedding Gift List for Catholic Couples What is in a gift? A gift given and received at a wedding can sustain us in different ways and make a lasting impact. Intentional giving shows others by word and action, your heart and intentions for them. Whether that is through a handwritten note or a gift that is prayed over…the spirit of generosity can be showered on couples as they prepare for their life together. Each gift can be a symbol of God’s love and mercy for us. The best gifts come in the form of weighing the couples interests, hobbies and habits. Many couples indeed have weddin ..read more

Understanding the Catholic Wedding Ceremony A Catholic wedding is a thing of beauty- and I’m not just referring to the stunning photos! While the Church building rightly inspires awe, the magnificence of the architecture is meant to draw our hearts to the deeper reality of what is happening within its walls. Through the sacraments, God is welcoming, nourishing, blessing, consecrating, uniting, forgiving, and healing. Everyday. Everywhere. In the Sacrament of Matrimony specifically, the couple becomes a visible sign to the world of Christ’s love for His bride, the Church. If you’ve chosen to m ..read more