I was in my early thirties when the Holy Spirit inspired me to have a regular morning prayer time. There were only two problems: my two little ones! They were very early risers, so my best-laid plans for a quiet time were often thwarted. More »

The [Holy Spirit’s] title “Paraclete” not only speaks about God’s mercy toward us but also opens for us a whole new field of acts of mercy for one another. More »

“God’s mercy overcomes every barrier and Jesus’ hand touches the leper. He does not stand at a safe distance and does not act by delegating, but places himself in direct contact with our contagion.” —Pope Francis More »

Mary’s visit to Elizabeth shortly after the annunciation is usually understood as a mission to assist her elder relative in preparation for the birth of John the Baptist. Another way to look at this, however, is that the visit also afforded Elizabeth the opportunity to pass down wisdom to her younger kinswoman, a tradition of sharing that has gone on throughout human history. More »

What would the future hold for him, wondered young John Neumann as he gazed at the New York harbor from the deck of the Europa, the ship that had just brought him across the Atlantic in a rough, forty-day voyage. More »

After Joseph learned of the mystery of Mary’s pregnancy and took her as his wife, Matthew shows us Jesus already born in Bethlehem and the Magi on pilgrimage from the East. The family resides in a house by now. More »

The title “Mother of God” is the Western church’s equivalent of the ancient Eastern title Theotokos, which means “God-bearer.” In 431, the Council of Ephesus sanctioned the title Theotokos for Mary as a way of declaring and protecting the divinity of Christ. The title declares the most important truth about Mary: She is the Mother of God. More »

Like many parents, every day my wife and I face real and challenging issues in our family. We have two teenage sons and three younger children. Like many families, our children fight and bicker. More »