St. Francis of Assisi and the God of Creation
Today marks the much-celebrated feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Without him, our churches would be void of Crèches at Christmastime and our animal companions would go unblessed (for starters)....
Angel of God, My Guardian Dear
I remember a print that hung in my family’s kitchen when I was a little girl. You know the one. A little boy and little girl are happily traversing a...
St. Thérèse, Doctor of Merciful Love
When I was young, my family owned an illustrated Lives of the Saints book. On the cover was a black and white picture of a young girl. I remember flipping...
Follow Me: On the Feast of St. Matthew
Chiaroscuro is a term used to describe the contrast of light and dark in a painting. The artform was made famous by Italian painter Caravaggio in the painting “The Calling...
St. John Chrysostom: The Best and Worst Idea
How romantic, I remember thinking. Getting engaged on the heels of a charity bike ride, in front of the chapel where we’d walked on our first date... How memorable. And...
Ways to Celebrate Our Lady's Birthday
In August we celebrated the Assumption of Mary—her entrance into heaven. That occurance is so monumental that it’s a holy day of obligation. Entering eternal life is certainly a bigger...
Finding Calcutta
Has a saint ever chased after you? Everywhere you turn, there there are, seemingly waiting for you. It’s like they’re trying to tell you something that you don’t want to...
When Caring Turns Into Worrying
I woke up in a sweat. Once again I was dreaming about a particular situation that was causing grief and turmoil in my life and for others around me. As...
What St. Maximilian Kolbe Taught Me About Forgiveness
I am sure many of you have special relationships with different saints for a variety of reasons. Maybe you feel they are a spiritual big brother or sister, or perhaps...
Counterparts: On the Feast of St. Clare of Assisi
There was a time after I finished school that I lived in a community of volunteers. We talked a lot about the potential for conflict, the importance of ‘I’ statements,...
Praying for Priestly Vocations with St. John Vianney
Eight years of prayer and study pointed to one incredible day. Laudate Dominum rang through our ears as we sang praise to the Lord that this day had finally come....
Walking with St. Ignatius of Loyola
In the summer of 2015, I had the privilege of following the footsteps of St. Ignatius of Loyola on the Camino Ignaciano in Spain from Loyola to Barcelona. It’s a...