By Sister Ann Shields As I travel around this country speaking in so many parishes and dioceses, and as I participate in large and small conferences bringing Catholics together from all walks of life and nationalities, one of the sad and difficult realizations I have had to face is this: Many do not believe in [...]
Story by Joe Pisani There’s no Catholic who isn’t worried about the future of their children, their country, their world. Do you want peace? Do you want to protect your family from the pernicious influence of society? Then, do something. That sounds like a glib response, but I’m convinced all of us are guilty of [...]
By Michelle DiFranco As the Easter season comes to a close, we will commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday, June 5. Relative to the other more prominent and “popular” Christian holidays, Pentecost often gets overlooked. But it’s actually a very important day for our Catholic faith. Pentecost is not only one [...]
During World War I, Pope Benedict XV made repeated, but forlorn, pleas for peace. Finally, in May 1917, he made a direct appeal to the Blessed Mother to intercede for peace in the world. Just over a week later, Our Lady began to appear at Fatima, Portugal, to three shepherd children: Lucia dos Santos, age [...]
Story by Joe Pisani I suppose it’s a measure of my intelligence that I find some of the deepest thinking on bumper stickers. In fact, I’d rather read bumper stickers than plod through Plato, Aristotle, Nietzsche, or Stephen Hawking. Who wants to spend hours, trying to get through a 400-page tome when you can be [...]
Feast Day: May 16 By Jan Rynearson One of the great leaders of Irish Christianity, Brendan was born in Ireland around 464. He was raised by St. Ita, after which he completed his education with the bishop of Kerry. As St. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland, monastery life became a popular vocation, and Brendan became a [...]
By Michelle DiFranco A short time ago, I met up with a couple of friends for coffee at a small café, and ordered an egg tart. I wasn’t too excited about my choice, but it ended up being really tasty, so I went home to search online for recipe ideas to make my own. I [...]
By Veronica Szczygiel I think that if we asked any mother what she wanted most for her child, she would likely answer, “to be happy.” Mary, as Jesus’ mother and, by extension, our own mother, wants the same for each of us, with one addition – to be happy and holy. For us as Christians, [...]
By Sister Ann Shields May is traditionally the month in the calendar year set apart for special devotion to Mary. But as you can see from the list of feast days below, almost all of the months celebrate some aspect of Mary’s life. What a way to honor our heavenly mother! But, sadly, I find [...]
By Michelle DiFranco May is an exciting time of year for my husband and me. Summer is around the corner, and we are in full planning mode for our outdoor space. May also happens to be the month of Our Lady, and, coincidentally, among our favorite of outdoor spaces is our Mary garden. A trellis [...]