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Faith
The blessing of a forgiving heart
by Fr. Eamon Tobin When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions. (Mark 11:25) In silence, let’s all think ... of a person with whom we are…
The invitation
We collapsed into chairs at the kitchen table with tall glasses of ice water. Unwinding after a long, brisk walk around the park, we chatted casually, two college roommates catching up on life. Soon our light discussion turned more serious.…
A short history of the Nicene Creed
Every Sunday, midway through Mass, we rise and pray together the Nicene Creed: “I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth” and so on. Unfortunately for some, the Creed can seem somewhat rote, something taken for…
Spring cleaning your home — and your soul
It’s finally spring and with the thrill of opening the windows on that first warm day comes spring cleaning. The latest craze in organization calls for people to rid their homes of objects that don’t “spark joy.” But even if something…
April: Sosipater — You are there!
St. Sosipater (aka Sopater) is mentioned twice in the Bible and both times he comes across as, well, boring. But stick with me because boring people often have exciting friends and therein lies our story. We first read his name in the Book…
St. Isidore of Seville: Ancient scholar, patron saint of the internet for many
The internet is ubiquitous in our day to day lives, a tool without which our contemporary world would not be able to function. It is an indispensable part of our modern lifestyle, something we engage with every day. It is a diverse…
Five Ways to Observe Holy Week
1. Attend the Chrism Mass At Mass on the morning of Holy Thursday or another day near Easter, each diocese’s bishop consecrates the Holy Chrism that will be used throughout the year. Two other oils are also blessed on this occasion; the…
30 ways to spiritually grow this Lent — that aren’t fasting from food
Last year was the first year in my entire life that I took the time to understand that Lent is a time to change your life for God, not sacrifice things you like such as coffee or candy. It’s that simple. It’s about using your time and…
What St. Joseph meant to Jesus
We interrupt this Eastern Rite calendar to bring you St. Joseph. Why? Because St. Joseph (feast day March 19 on the Western calendar, patron of the universal Church) does not have a separate feast day on the Eastern calendar. This may lead…
We Are God’s Cats. Let’s Be His Dogs.
I have a theory: God gave us cats to show us the stupid ways we act toward him, and God gave us dogs to demonstrate how he really wants us to treat him. My whole life long, I have been a cat person. I was heavily influenced by my…