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patron saint of hurricane

Our Lady of Prompt Succor and Hurricane Season

What if I told you that I could weave a story connecting Napoleon, a 19th century pope, the city of New Orleans, and my home in present-day Florida? Would you...
August 02, 2018
Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Today we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Maybe you have read about Mount Carmel in the Old Testament or have a devotion to St. Therese of...
July 16, 2018
basilica of our lady of perpetual help boston

The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Most every day, my dad would stop by the same parish on his way home from work to pray for his children, their vocation, and their future spouses. He would...
June 27, 2018
walking with mary

Setting Out with Mary

Growing up, I was never Marian. My mother was and my grandmother, even more so. In high school, I was surrounded by the Protestant mindset, and therefore, lost a fair...
June 23, 2018
pentecost and the feast of mary mother of the church

Pentecost and the Mother of the Church

The past two years, I’ve prepared my 8th grade students for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Our diocese always schedules this as close to Pentecost as possible. Working with my students,...
May 18, 2018
catholic middle age mary

Our Lady of Middle Age

Stop for a moment and think of Mary. What image of her comes to mind? Maybe you think of a young mother holding a baby, like we see in countless...
May 04, 2018
the virtues of mary

5 Ways to Be More Like Mary

May is a wonderful month for so many reasons. Spring flowers are in full bloom, the air is fresh, and birds chirp as they happily feather their nests. It seems...
May 02, 2018
consecration to the blessed mother

What is Marian Consecration?

As Catholics, we have an incredibly rich spiritual buffet presented to us. Holy Mother Church offers prayers, devotions, liturgies, and traditions that speak to every personality and life stage of...
April 26, 2018
feast of the annunciation

The Annunciation: One "Yes" at a Time

The Annunciation is a marvel to me. As it should be, I suppose. You see, unlike so many women who hoot and holler with joy at the news of a...
April 09, 2018
The Life After: A Poem for Holy Saturday

The Life After: A Poem for Holy Saturday

I speak now of the Life After, which I can imagine, and not the AfterLife, which I cannot, although He spoke of it many times. I look up at Him...
March 31, 2018
rosary study group individual mystery

MYSTERY: Discovering the Depth of the Rosary

Perhaps the best person to teach us about the life of Christ is His mother, Mary. After all, she was there with Him from the moment of the Incarnation to...
March 19, 2018
New Melleray Abbey and the Shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe

New Melleray Abbey and the Shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe

I don't know about you, but when I think of the beauty of the Catholic Church I tend to go old school. And by "old school," I mean Old World....
October 18, 2017