The story you are about to read is the earliest known account of a Christian martyrdom. Written about AD 156, within a year of the event it describes, it is an authentic eyewitness report of the heroic death of an elderly man named Polycarp. More »

“Never give up hope!” Our friends, Bill and Cynthia, were crying for joy as they shared some remarkable family news with my wife and me. We had shared many things over the years—we were neighbors and fellow parishioners, and our children all attended the same Christian school. More »

Let us pray for the following intentions with our Catholic brothers and sisters. More »

Although a priest and never married, St. John Bosco (1815–1888) was a naturally gifted parent. For nearly a half-century of ministry in Turin, Italy, Don Bosco was a wonderful dad to hundreds of homeless boys. More »

St. Paul was probably the greatest evangelist in the history of the church. He took the gospel from Jerusalem and spread it far and wide. Paul was a master builder, for he not only evangelized people: He challenged them to grow in holiness, and he formed churches wherever he went. More »

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 »

O Mary, bright dawn of the new world, More »

Laura Vicuna was born just three months after a civil war had erupted in Chile in 1891, so her life was in danger soon after it began. Claudio Vicuna, a relative of her father, was a prominent figure in the war—which left him with many enemies. More »