Saints

Advent begins Nov. 30 this year. It can be easy to miss out on this liturgical season because of the hectic nature of the holidays. Here are five ways to observe these important weeks before Christmas. Make a Jesse tree Create your own…

Mother Teresa passed into eternal life in 1997. Many people had the good fortune to meet her personally, but I never did.   Or did I?  On a family visit to Washington, D.C., in 2007, our missionary friend, Patrick, took us to an AIDS…

St. Augustine Feast Day: August 28 One of the great figures of Western civilization, St. Augustine played many roles during his life: bishop, doctor of the church, philosopher, scholar, founder, and theologian. “Faith is to believe…

St. John Vianney (1786 –1859) is the patron saint of parish priests. He was known for having the utmost dedication to his parish at Ars, France. He often spent between 12 and 16 hours a day hearing confessions from his parishioners as well…

Superheroes dominate today’s culture. We need only look at the blockbuster films featuring compelling characters with superpowers to know that Hollywood has found a lucrative formula. The enormous success of Marvel and DC films create an…

St. James the Lesser Feast Day: May 3 James the Lesser, meaning younger, is traditionally celebrated as being the author of a letter in the New Testament. His mother is thought to have been a sister or close relative of the Blessed Virgin…

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…

Saints’ quotes are some of my favorite things about the Catechism of the Catholic Church. They bring the richness of our faith alive. Besides saints being beacons of holiness and wisdom, their genius is often found in their simple and…

From the nation of Armenia, in the darkest hours before the dawn, shines this tale of pure friendship. Polyeuctus (died 259) was a soldier in the service of Rome. Closer to him than a blood brother was his comrade in arms, Nearchus. In a…

Worrying is a very common problem, which can be made worse by the belief that our problems our unique. Once we meet others who are dealing (or have dealt) with similar problems, we typically feel better. Even more comforting is when we…