Catholic. Pastoral. Trusted.
February 2014 "Knowledge of Jesus is not the same as belief in him or love of him." While we lament the closure or consolidation of many parochial schools over the past twenty-five years, we can also celebrate that another area of Catholic education, faith formation, has come into its own....
February 2014 "Modern life imposes a brutal set of expectations." A few years ago, a poem made the rounds of the music ministry community. In essence, it said that to be a minister is to give even when it hurts, when you yourself are in need, and perhaps even when...
February 2014 We’re all aware of the need to nourish our bodies. The right nourishment comes from eating the right foods in the right quantities at the right times. For example, a person can eat an entire chocolate cake right before he goes to bed. It may satisfy his hunger,...
February 2014 In my ideal life, I rise early, reflect quietly, exercise hard, and then eat a decent breakfast with plenty of coffee. But real-world demands like getting kids to school on time, preparing for a meeting, or ironing a shirt often steamroll my hopes for reflection and exercise. I...
January 2014 Welcome to January’s issue of Liguorian, where our theme is diversity and unity. For me, the theme has a special resonance as I think about Pope Francis and his inspirational words and actions. In a general audience in October, the Pope addressed the joy and power that can be...
January 2014 "We must create unity, not division, within the body of Christ." The term “relativism” gets a lot of attention in Catholic circles these days. The idea of not drawing a distinct line between right and wrong contradicts everything we believe as Christians. It’s a dangerous threat. But...
January 2014 "Despite the diversity within the Church, are we culturally insensitive?" The church custodian calls 911 because two men are lingering in the church after lighting candles at our Lady’s shrine. The church has experienced a few robberies at the poor box, and the custodian says the two dark-skinned...
January 2014 "The Church is the result of centuries of labor and love." A few years ago, our church hosted an exhibit of contemporary art. Some considered the art beautiful and engaging; others thought it ugly and offensive. Though acceptable for a gallery, contemporary art was deemed unfitting for our...
January 2014 Any human virtue or perfection that we strive to cultivate in our lifetime is but a faint image of God’s perfection. Ironically, of all God’s perfections, the one that reigns supreme is his simplicity. And it is simplicity that Jesus commands us to imi- tate: “Be perfect, just...
January 2014 The world appears to be increasingly polarized, a condition that seems to have entered every aspect of life. For example, the rich and the poor still exist, but the gap between them is greater, and the middle class is disappearing. Polarization is found not only in the financial...
December 2013 I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: One of the gifts or graces that Mary exemplifies and offers to those who pray to her is joy. And this joy is unique. It has the ability to permeate every moment of our lives, even those moments that...
December 2013 "In Jesus, God took on the image of each of us so that we might become like Christ." Since 2000, we have been blessed with an art gallery at The Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis, MN, named after Pope John XXIII. Between eight and ten exhibits every...
December 2013 "Christ is there whether we’re preoccupied or not." When I was little and attended Mass, I dreaded the homily every week—and the Eucharistic Prayer, and usually the readings. In fact, I think I dreaded all of Mass except the songs. Because at least during those, I knew what...
December 2013 Welcome to our December issue, in which we mark the seasons of Advent and Christmas. The season always brings to my mind memories of Christmas vacations when I was a kid. What do you remember about your Christmas vacations? Were they brimming with excitement and anticipation, itchy from...
Ideas like morality, relationships, hope, and love are hard to understand and sometimes even harder to live out in a Christian way. What can we use to help us when choices are tough, answers vague, and the future uncertain? The roots of Catholic social teaching offer some simple ideas that,...
This month’s issue is about discernment—a difficult concept. Our best choices sometimes come only after prayerful contemplation. Fr. Mark Haydu, the international coordinator of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, finds inspiration in art. His new book, Meditations on Vatican Art, offers readers a doorway to the beauty...
November 2013 My father was a great storyteller. Over dinner, he would acquaint us with distant ancestors we knew only from old photographs and bad paintings. Before bed, he would make biblical stories truly come alive. And on saints’ days, he would regale us with their famed deeds. These stories...
November 2013 "Has technology made us disengaged?" Years ago I stopped wearing a watch; a watch hanging on my wrist annoys me. As a result, I often ask people for the time. I stop someone, ask the question, look them in the eye, and listen carefully to their response. I...
November 2013 "The lives of those we encounter offer a potent example for us to live by." Shortly after the birth of my second child, who was diagnosed with Down syndrome in the delivery room, my husband and I received a letter. It was written by a man from our...
November 2013 The passing of a loved one into eternity is always a very difficult process for those who remain in this temporal world. We know everyone must die, but no matter how well prepared we might feel we are, we are bound to experience a sense of loss. Our...