Spirituality

St. Patrick’s Day is one of those holidays which has grown so big in scope that it is difficult to dwell entirely on the man whom the feast celebrates. Between people clinging onto their 1/16th Irish heritage, fanciful stories of missing…

Katharine Drexel knew what money could do. From the time she was very young, she and her two sisters had helped her beloved stepmother Emma minister to Philadelphia’s needy, opening the family’s home three times a week to people who needed…

by Nancy Flanders Pregnancy can be hard enough even when a woman’s situation and health are good. But for a Catholic woman facing extreme circumstances in a pregnancy, she may also experience heartbreaking societal pressure and medical…

Every Christmas the Nativity set is unpacked. The shepherds find their place, and the three Wise Men and their camels join them. It’s likely that one of the Wise Men is Asian, one African, and one Caucasian. The best-informed children will…

St. Malachi (Mal-a-kai) is a member of the minor prophets club of the Old Testament. Placed alongside Obadiah and Habakkuk, his name seems quite normal. Before I get started, this Malachi is not to be confused with the 12th century Irish…

Part of the magic of Christmas is giving and receiving gifts. The presents might be simple, homemade, and practical or expensive and luxurious, but they represent the love we have for one another. To put it simply, we give treasures to the…

Sunday of the Holy Forefathers and Feast of the Holy Fathers (Dec.16, 23 this year) If you ever wondered whether the holy men and women of the Old Testament are considered saints by the Church, December has your answer. It contains the…

All Saints' Day Feast Day: Nov. 1 The Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints to honor the belief that every saint, known and unknown, is now with God. By acknowledging them and their lives, the Church is also recognizing the idea…

by Anthony Digmann Has Halloween ever made you feel uncomfortable, like something is just not quite right? If that’s the case, your intuition is on to something, but there’s a lot we can do as Catholics to redeem what our culture has…

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (feast day Oct. 16) was born in the Diocese of Autun (France) on July 22, 1647, the fifth of seven children. Even as a child she had a deep love for the Lord and always wanted to please him. She was also deeply…