In this culturally tumultuous time filled with noise, we are bombarded by loud clashing voices competing for our allegiance. Who do we listen to? Who do we believe? How do we teach our children to discern the Truth? How do we discern the Truth? And he said, “Go forth, and stand upon the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord the Lord was not in the earth quake; and after the earthquake a fire, but th ..read more

Come Back to Me with all Your heart Fr. Josh Johnson offers creative ways to enter in to Lent. "The fast of Lent has no advantage to us unless it brings about our spiritual renewal. It is necessary while fasting to change our whole life and practice virtue. Turning away from all wickedness means keeping our tongue in check, restraining our anger, avoiding all gossip, lying and swearing. To abstain from these things— herein lies the true value of the fast." — St. John Chrysostom “return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments, and ..read more

“ where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” Romans 5:20 God’s love and mercy knows no bounds. He invites us to come frequently to the Sacrament of Confession to be healed and strengthened. Check out these resources for making a good confession. If you have ever wondered how to make a good confession, Fr. Mike Schmitz has some solid advice for you. He points out that preparing for a good confession starts when we recognize that being a "good person" in our own eyes is not enough-we are called to holiness, which is something much greater. Confession and Examinations of Conscience Ex ..read more

May is the "month which the piety of the faithful has especially dedicated to Our Blessed Lady... During this month Christians, both in church and in the privacy of the home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent and loving homage of prayer and veneration.” (Paul VI: Encyclical on the Month of May) What better way to please the Blessed Mother and her Son, Jesus Christ, than praying the rosary as she asked us to do at at Fatima. I’d encourage anyone who has thought of saying a family rosary to begin or continue for this month of May and see what a blessing it can be for you ..read more

As Catholics we hear and talk a lot about Mercy…and well we should. Mercy is the preeminent quality of God. God is Mercy. The first saint to be canonized this century, St. Faustina, is God’s messenger of Mercy. Is this the millennium of Mercy? I believe it is. But God is also perfect Justice. We often think of justice as the opposite of mercy, but in reality it’s a critical component of it. Without Justice, without redressing evil doers, there is no mercy for their innocent victims. To understand this we need to accept the reality of evil in the world. If there was anything made clea ..read more

Helpful and timely advice for you and your loved ones. Allison Ricciardi is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in New York, in practice since 1990. In 2001 Allison founded CatholicTherapists.com, the web’s #1 resource connecting Catholics with faithful Catholic therapists. She is also the director of The Raphael Remedy which offers counseling, coaching and wellness support from an authentically Catholic perspective. CatholicTherapists.com The Raphael Remedy We've been through a period of unprecedented fear and uncertainty in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. It's legitimate and everyone is e ..read more

Never before have we experienced a Lent or Holy Week like this. We may be separated as a community but spiritually we can be very powerfully connected through prayer and observance of Holy Week in our homes. The Lord knows our sacrifices, our sorrows and our fears. He knows our hopes and our joys. Let us gather as a community and offer our prayers and sacrifices from wherever we are at. We are united in the Lord. And, we are called to greatness as this article expresses well. Let us take this message to heart and live it. A Call to Greatness, Elizabeth A. Mitchell, The Catholic Thing ..read more

“It is love alone that gives worth to all things. “ St Teresa of Avila Our culture has lost sight of the beauty and profundity of marriage as God intended. As Catholics we have the opportunity to witness and protect this sacrament instituted by Christ. We invite you to celebrate and strengthen your bond of marriage as we observe National Marriage Week in the USA. Spend a little dedicated time in prayer and reflection by participating in our seven-day virtual retreat (available in pdf in English and Spanish) focused on marriage. This year the retreat theme is “St ..read more

Happy New Year! No, this greeting isn’t early for Catholics who begin the new liturgical year on the First Sunday of Advent. Are you looking to live more peacefully and with greater purpose as a family? Look to the Church’s Liturgical Year in which we enter into Christ’s life from beginning to end. We do not need to ignore secular holidays or celebrations but placing more of our focus and efforts on the Church’s Year brings a natural, fruitful and more peaceful rhythm to our lives. The beauty and gift of the Church’s Liturgical Year allows us to experience life in its fullness not through obse ..read more

See tip #10 Encourage attitudes of gratitude. Please and thank you always, even for the little things that are often taken for granted. Leave thank you notes for one another recognizing the sacrifices and helpful acts (see #3) performed. Is your family in a “feeling less than gracious” mode? Begin a Gratitude Journal -consider asking everyone to voice what they are grateful for each day at dinner or prayer time and record it in the family Gratitude Journal. Sometimes we just need to be reminded of all we have to be thankful for. Sacrifice and helpful acts convey the message “You are wor ..read more