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February is a strange month. It’s not quite winter and not quite spring. The Christmas season concluded early last month and Lent begins in early March. We find ourselves in an in-between phase. When we gaze upon the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, we are also caught up...
As a bonus mom to a just-teen (thirteen) and soon-to-be-teen (eleven), my linguistic knowledge expands constantly. Thank goodness for four more children in their early to mid-twenties who are much more in tune with trendy jargon than I am. They often save me from being completely discombobulated. I think the...
Exemplifying God’s goodness Q. How did you discover your vocation? A. My father was diagnosed with cancer in January 1983. Toward the end of his life, in 1984 when he could no longer attend Mass, his pastor was called and my father asked for holy Communion to be brought...
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A troubling national trend is the gradual loss of “international” priests and religious. “International” is the designation given in the United States to pastoral ministers who come from places like India, Nigeria, Colombia, and Brazil to bolster the pastoral workforce in this country. Priests and religious are permitted by the...
Each new year begins with plenty of words of wisdom (or warning). We encounter change daily, yet for some reason when we shift into January, we feel the need to admonish ourselves…and others. Example: an online search for “New Year’s advice” produced 154 million results! We’re familiar with eat better,...
Journey through the liturgical seasons of the Catholic Church with inspiring poems and photos. Pause, immersing yourself in prayerful reflection. Then, during each liturgical season in real time, meditate anew with this piece to enrich your experience with God. Advent through Christmastide Rejoice, my Soul, in promises of spring, in...
Q. How did you discover your vocation? A. My parents were loving, caring, hard-working, and honest people who made sure my twin sisters and I were baptized and confirmed in the Church. But they were Catholic in name only, as they did not attend Mass or pray at home. So,...
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” The words of Jesus in the Gospel of John 15:13 When we attend Mass, Christ lays down his life for us by way of the holy Eucharist. Christ mystically renews his death and sheds his...
Another year is here! I should be happy, but it sometimes feels like Jesus went away when I packed up the Nativity set. All the reminders of his birth are gone, and now the day is dull and gray. I pray but feel nothing. Where is the Lord? Do you...
In all…things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. Romans 8:37 Q. How did you discover your vocation? A. Upon reflection, I realize that discovery is an ongoing process. Even at seventy-nine years of age and sixty-two years as a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ), I am still...
By now you’ve heard about the Synod of Bishops that Pope Francis convoked on October 10 with a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. If you haven’t done so already, it’s also likely that this Advent you will participate in a focus group, listening session, or online survey, wrestling...
Thank You for Supporting Our Ministry! Earlier this year, Liguori Publications appealed to you, our readers, to support the Redemptorist ministry of St. Alphonsus Liguori’s Apostolate of the Pen. Many of you responded with financial gifts. We are sincerely grateful for your help and generosity! A list of some of...
Imagine being present during the visit between the Blessed Virgin and her cousin Elizabeth. When Mary’s greeting reached her cousin, the baby in her womb leapt with joy and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. At the visitation, Mary shares the greatest gift of God’s love. “For the first...
If you “miss” the early part of the season, make its last week memorable with reflections, Scripture, and prayers. The weekend after Thanksgiving began 2021’s season of Advent. Our attention will dart from carving the turkey to trimming the tree. Before we know it, Christmas Day will dazzle us. Often,...
During a “girls’ day” shopping trip—as we dug through trinkets and treasures—one of the women expressed her fear of gnomes. I could tell by her reaction to our curiosity that her distress was genuine. What disturbs me the most, she said, is “sometimes you can’t see their eyes!” I learned...
Analyzing and interpreting dreams has fascinated people through the ages. Theories and speculation about their purpose abound while disputes among neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers continue. However, for people of faith, the answer may lie in the Judeo-Christian history of dreams as vehicles for divine communication. The Book of Genesis says...
Spectacular apparitions of Mary that occurred nearly a century apart had strikingly similar characteristics—primarily silence and light. They conveyed messages of great import for people at the time and for humanity today. Some readers may recall learning about the second appearances when they took place. They happened a little more...
I’ve told my oldest daughter, Katelyn, many times, “your sister coming along so soon after you (eleven months) is the best thing that ever happened to you.” I say that because I was so enamored with my first bundle of joy that I dressed her up—even when we were staying...
The Purple Heart is awarded to soldiers, wounded or killed, who have defended the United States against threats and attacks by an enemy in wartime. Originally known as the Badge of Military Merit, George Washington presented the first badges during the Revolutionary War. While never abolished, the awards didn’t officially...