Some years ago, as Advent was approaching, I began to feel that my relationship with God had reached a plateau. Wanting to find deeper meaning in the season, I took one of the Advent calendars provided by our parish which listed each day’s Mass readings. Then I went to a local bookstore to buy the same Bible that my two daughters had used for their religious education classes. More »

Brothers and sisters, let us join with the Holy Father and Christians around the world in praying for these special needs: More »

Last week, my father fell and broke his hip. When the call came from the nursing home, my husband and I were about to leave for a much-needed three-day respite. My initial disappointment about abandoning our trip quickly gave way to concern for Dad, who is eighty-five and suffers from dementia. More »

A few years ago, my whole family witnessed a terrible accident involving eight cars. Shattered glass was everywhere. We saw some people who were injured and others who were dead. We prayed for the people and for their families. More »

In February 1927, with one stroke of the pen, Mexican President General Plutarco Elias Calles turned every priest in his country into an outlaw. He ordered them to leave their posts, wherever they were, and to report immediately to Mexico City. More »

In the United States and Canada, the national holiday of Thanksgiving is a perfect opportunity to think about gratitude. It can remind us and our families about the importance of being grateful—for the Lord as the source of life, and for one another—all year long. More »

During these last two weeks before Advent, the first reading for almost every weekday Mass is taken from the Book of Revelation. This is a wonderful opportunity to deepen our appreciation of this last—and probably most puzzling—book of the Bible both through personal study and in our common worship at Mass. More »

The saints were not immune from the suffering that comes from loss and grief. No one is; it’s part of the human condition. More »