Draw Near to Christ through Our Lady and the Saints

How is it possible to grow close to God, even very close? What’s the best way to climb the steep stairway of perfection? St. Thérèse of Lisieux has some wonderful advice for us on these questions in her autobiography, The Story of a Sou … [Read more...]

Adoration and the Struggle of Prayer

Surely one sign of hope of Eucharistic revival is the ever-increasing interest among U.S. Catholics in the practice and theology of Eucharistic adoration.[1. For the historical context of the practice of Eucharistic adoration outside of … [Read more...]

Prayer as the Fountain of Faith

Prayer is the latch that opens the window to God’s mysterious beauty and brings fresh air to our soul. Without the breath of prayer, faith suffocates. A daily practice of prayer stabilizes us against winds of deceit. Prayer liberates us f … [Read more...]

Here is The Victim Who Vanished in Word

A short time ago, in the Maryland countryside, a priest the humble folk say bears a resemblance to Maximilian Kolbe turned on the ignition of his old silver pick-up and eased out of the parking lot of his St. Michael’s parish. He shifted i … [Read more...]

Book Reviews – February 2023

The Church and the Age of Reformations (1350-1650): Martin Luther, the Renaissance, and the Council of Trent. Joseph T. and Barbara A. Stuart. Reviewed by Argene Águila Clasara. (skip to review) Forming Fathers: Seminary Wisdom for Every … [Read more...]

The Will of God

A story is told about a man who lived a long life. When he died, the Lord said, “Come, I will show you hell.” The man was taken to a room where a group of people sat around a round table. At the center of the table was a huge pot of stew. Ea … [Read more...]

On Prayer: Mine and Yours

A Reflection and a Poem

St. Luke doesn’t tell us who asked the question.[1. St. Luke 11:1.] I take that to mean that it could have been any one of Jesus’ followers that day in Judea. “Teach us to pray” — that was the question. Just as a follower follows, this disci … [Read more...]

Thomas Merton’s Spiritual Mother

“What, the great Thomas Merton had a spiritual mother? I never heard of such a thing!” True, in all the literature about Merton there is no mention of his ever having had a spiritual mother. I believe, therefore, that the topic of this art … [Read more...]