Gracious and Loving God, Gracious and Loving God, When your Spirit descended upon the apostles at Pentecost, they spoke the languages of those who came to hear their testimony. They proclaimed a new covenant in Christ Jesus, sanctified by his blood, bound by the Holy Spirit, and sealed in the waters of Baptism. We give you thanks and praise for releasing your Spirit upon us; and in these anxious times pray that it will break through the many barriers that divide people. Let your Spirit open our eyes as a communion of faith to your ongoing presence among us, so we can recognize you when we ..read more

Saint Bernard of Montjoux Saint Bernard of Montjoux is the patron saint of hikers, backpackers, mountain climbers and alpine skiers. The accounts of his charity, hospitality, and courage on behalf of travelers in the Pennine Alps between Switzerland and Italy are renowned. Although little is known of his early life, Bernard was thought to be born in Italy around 923. He studied for the priesthood and was ordained for the Diocese of Aosta which was in northwestern Italy at the foot of the Alps. In time, Bernard was appointed Vicar General of Aosta, and spent more than four decades building chur ..read more

One of the spiritual maladies Christians face today is “compassion fatigue.” The media inundates us with details of war, hunger, poverty and disasters, both natural and human-manufactured, all over the globe. We can’t turn on the television or digital media without being assailed by news stories of another event that cries to us for help, and we are overwhelmed by pleas from worthy charities. We try to give out of a sense of compassion, but the needs of the world are too much for us. Generous givers become “fatigued” and grow weary. We can’t respond to all the problems and crises in the world ..read more

Saint Turibius of Mongrovejo is the patron saint of Peru. He was the archbishop of Lima from 1579 to 1606, and it is because of his missionary work and commitment to social justice as archbishop that he has been a popular saint in Latin America for over three centuries. He had a favorite stewardship message which he used often in his teaching and preaching: Time is not our own, and we must give a strict account of it. St. Turibius was born in 1538 to an affluent family of the Spanish nobility. He was well-educated; a professor of law at the renowned University of Salamanca in Spain. He was or ..read more

Saint Miguel Febres Cordero is Ecuador’s first canonized saint. He was born in 1854 in the city of Cuenca, which is located 8,000 feet high in the Andes Mountains. He joined the Christian Brothers as a young teenager and during his first years as a brother developed a Spanish grammar textbook that was published when he was 19 years old. Brother Miguel’s grammar book eventually became the stan dard text for all schools in Ecuador. He continued his work on similar educational publications and be came recognized internationally as a Catholic educator. Brother Miguel also ministered ex tensively ..read more

Stewardship Prayer Merciful God, We embark on our journey of renewal through difficult and uncertain times; times of division and strife, and for many suffering and discouragement. But our journey is with your son, Jesus, who bore his cross and suffered in ways we cannot imagine. We journey with Jesus toward the great paschal feast of Easter, where we have the grace to experience true the joy of Resurrection. Teach us to be good stewards of your mercy and forgiveness, so that we may extend these gifts to others. Give us the strength to bear witness to your son at all times, even during these ..read more

Stewardship is a commitment of mind and heart to the Lord; a way of life that needs constant renewal and transformation. This time of year has always been one of looking forward to a new year, reflecting on the changes we need to make in our lives and resolving to follow through on those changes. Perhaps those who seek to make resolutions to be better stewards might find inspiration in one or more of the following samples: Stewardship of Prayer: Resolve to strengthen your relationship with the Lord through prayer. Notice how often you pray and what hinders you from praying. If you are a begin ..read more

At the beginning of his famous commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, Saint Augustine maintains that: “If anyone piously and earnestly ponders the Discourse which Our Lord Jesus Christ delivered on the Mount – as we read the Gospel According to Matthew – I believe that he will find therein, with regard to good morals, the perfect standard of the Christian life.” Many Catholic spiritual writers have affirmed Saint Augustine over the centuries in this regard. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:1 – 7:29), the most quoted part of the Bible, begins with messages of comfort, the Beatitudes (Matt ..read more

John Bosco was born in 1815 in a small town near Turin, Italy, now one of the great cultural, educational and manufacturing cities of Italy. He was the youngest of three sons of a family of farm workers. His father died when Bosco was 2 years old, leaving a widowed mother to support a family in her poverty. He was unable to afford an education but was given an opportunity to enter the seminary by a priest who saw promise in the young man. He did well and was ordained to the priesthood in 1841 at age 26. “Don” Bosco soon thereafter began a lifelong devotion to educating and caring for boys and ..read more

Stewardship Prayer Come Lord Jesus! Thank you for the gift of a new year. You have entrusted us with the coming days, weeks and months as stewards of your divine plan; to live in gratitude, joy, and an ever growing confidence in your Kingdom to come. We ask for the humility to reform our lives; the courage to commit ourselves to you no matter the cost; and the wisdom to shine the light of faith on others. Open our hearts, give us your Spirit and show us how to share your love so that we may bring hope to a world in need of your justice and peace. We pray to be a sign of your grace in this ne ..read more