St. Benjamin

St. Benjamin, (Feast Day - March 31) The Christians in had enjoyed twelve years of peace during the reign of Isdegerd, son of Sapor III, when in 420 it was disturbed by the indiscreet of Abdas, a who burned the of Fire, the great of the Persians. King Isdegerd threatened to destroy all the churches of the Christians unless the would rebuild it.

As Abdas refused to comply, the threat ...

Reading 1, Ezekiel 37:21-28

²¹ say, "The says this: I shall take the from the nations where they have gone. I shall gather them to- gether from everywhere and bring them home to their own soil.

²² I shall make them into one nation in the country, on the mountains of Israel, and one king is to be king of them all; they no longer two nations, nor be two separate kingdoms.

²³ They no longer defile...

“It is better for you.” (John 11:50)

Like missing a new exit ramp on a familiar highway, the high priest Caiaphas was about to miss the new work God was doing in Jesus. Both he and Jesus began well, with a deep respect for the Temple and the Law of Moses. As part of a priestly family, Caiaphas or a rel­ative may have presided when Joseph and Mary presented their infant son at the Temple. Perhaps he was acquainted with or even among those who, a dozen years later, marveled at ...

Reading 1, Jeremiah 20:10-13

¹⁰ I heard so many disparaging me, 'Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let us denounce him!' All those who were on terms with me watched for my downfall, 'Perhaps he be seduced into error. Then we shall get the better of him and take our revenge!'

¹¹ But is at my side like a mighty hero; my opponents stumble, vanquished, confounded by their failure; everlasting, unforgettable disgrace ...

St. Peter Regulatus

Also Peter Regalado, Franciscan reformer. Peter was born at Valladolid, Spain, to a noble family, and entered the in his native city at the age of thirteen. After several years, he transferred to a far more austere monastery at Tribulos, where he became known for his severe as well as his abilities to levitate and enter into ecstasies. A success as abbot, he gave himself over to bringing needed reforms to t...

“Believe the works.” (John 10:38)

How can we know what God is like? How can we know him so inti­mately that we yield to his love and are changed? When Jesus said: “The Father and I are one,” he was call­ing people to examine his words and works so that they could know him and know the Father as well (John 10:30). In his earthly ministry, Jesus revealed the Father to us and pro­vided the way for sending his Spirit into our lives. If we ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten us...

Reading 1, Genesis 17:3-9

³ And Abram bowed to the ground. spoke to him as follows,

⁴ 'For my part, this is my covenant with you: you become the father of many nations.

⁵ And you are no longer to be called Abram; your name is to be Abraham, for I am making you father of many nations.

⁶ I shall make you exceedingly fertile. I shall make you into nations, and your issue be kings.

⁷ And I shall mainta...

“I am.” (John 8:58)

When Moses asked God his name in the burning bush, God replied: “I am who am”—a phrase that can also be translated as: “I will cause to be what I will cause to be” (Exodus 3:14). Ultimately, no translation is entirely satisfactory, because “this divine name is mysterious just as God is mystery … infinitely above everything that we can understand” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 206). And yet, in telling Moses his name, God gave the Israel...

St. Venturino of Bergamo

Dominican preacher and missionary crusader. A native of Bergamo, Italy, he joined the in 1319 and soon distinguished himself as a brilliant preacher, attracting huge crowds throughout northern Italy. Pleased with his ability to reach large of believers, he announced in 1335 his to go on a pilgrimage to Rome. When Pope (r. 1334-1342) learned of the pilgrimage, he feared Venturino might be plannin...

Reading 1, Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95

¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar addressed them, 'Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego, is it true that you do not serve my gods, and that you refuse to worship the golden statue I have set up?

¹⁵ When you hear the sound of horn, pipe, lyre, zither, harp, bagpipe and every other kind of instrument, are you prepared to prostrate yourselves and worship the statue I have made? If you refuse to worship it, you be throw...

“He … cast them into the white-hot furnace.” (Daniel 3:20)

If we just look at the basic story outline of this tale of Daniel and the fiery furnace, we could easily get lost in the excitement. Nebuchadnezzar is king of almost the entire known world. He commands everyone in his kingdom to worship his statue—and only three men refuse. They assert that only Yahweh, the God of Israel, is worthy of worship and adoration. Nebuchadnezzar has these three men thrown alive into a blaz...

St. Rupert

Bishop and missionary, also listed as Robert of Hrodbert. A member of a noble Frankish family, he was appointed of Worms, Germany, and then dedicated himself to spreading the among the Germans. With the patronage of Duke Thedo of Bavaria, he took over the deserted town of luvavum about 697, which was renamed Salzburg, Austria. Rupert founded a church, a monastery, and a school; brought in groups of missionaries; and established a nunnery a...

Reading 1, Numbers 21:4-9

⁴ They left Mount Hor by the road to the Sea of Suph, to skirt round Edom. On the way the people lost patience.

⁵ They spoke against and against Moses, 'Why did you bring us out of to die in the desert? For there is neither food nor water here; we are sick of this meagre diet.'

⁶ At this, sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel.

⁷ The people ...

“If anyone who has been bitten looks at it, he will recover.” (Numbers 21:8)

How wonderful is God’s plan! Centuries before the actual event, God foreshadowed his plan to save his people through the lifting up of his Son on the cross. He was also teaching his people that through repentance, faith, and trust they could be freed from the effects of their sin.

The Israelites had been traveling through the desert for many years; their children—who knew only a nomadic life—wer...

St. Margaret of Clitherow

St. Margaret Clitherow was born in Middleton, England, in 1555, of protestant parents. Possessed of looks and full of wit and merriment, she was a charming personality. In 1571, she married Clitherow, a well-to-do grazier and butcher (to whom she bore two children), and a few years later entered the Church. Her led her to harbor fugitive priests, for which she was arrested and imprisoned by hostile authorities. Recourse was...

Reading 1, Daniel 13:41-62

⁴¹ She refused to tell us. That is our evidence.' Since they were elders of the people and judges, the assembly accepted their word: Susanna was condemned to death.

⁴² She cried out as loud as she could, 'Eternal God, you know all secrets and everything before it happens;

⁴³ you know that they have given false evidence against me. And now I must die, innocent as I am of everything their malice has inv...

The annunciation of the Lord

I will not tempt the Lord! (Isaiah 7:12)

In today’s first reading, King Ahaz is being offered something that he may not want—a victory that comes not from fighting but from passive waiting. Commissioned by God, the prophet Isaiah has given him an unexpected set of directions about a dangerous military threat: Sit tight, and wait for God to act. Don’t be afraid. In fact, don’t do anything! (Isaiah 7:4,7-9). But with enemies massing on his norther...

Reading 1, Jeremiah 31:31-34

³¹ 'Look, the days are coming, declares, when I shall make a new covenant with the House of Israel (and the House of Judah),

³² but not like the covenant I made with their ancestors the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of Egypt, a covenant which they broke, even though I was their Master, declares.

³³ No, this is the covenant I shall make with the House of Israel when those ...

“Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it pro­duces much fruit.” (John 12:24)

Have you ever seen a seed ger­minate? While it is in the soil, the skin encasing it splits open. Next, the seed itself splits in two, and the stem and root unfurl. Gradually, the seed grows smaller as it nourishes the new plant. Eventually, the seed disappears altogether. If you were to look at the plant after a while, you probably wo...

St. Aldemar

Abbot and worker, called "the Wise." Born in Capua, Italy, he became a in Monte Cassino and was called to the attention of a Princess Aloara of the region. When she built a new in Capua, Alder became the director of the religious in the established house. He performed many miracles in this capacity. Aldemar was reassigned by his to Monte Cassino, a move that angered the princess. As a result, Aldemar went to Boiana, Italy...

Reading 1, Isaiah 7:10-14

¹⁰ Yahweh spoke to Ahaz again and said:

¹¹ Ask your for a sign, either in the depths of Sheol or in the heights above.

¹² But Ahaz said, 'I not ask. I not put to the test.'

¹³ He then said: Listen now, House of David: are you not satisfied with trying human patience that you should try my God's patience too?

¹⁴ The give you a sign in any case: It ...

“Then each went to his own house.” (John 7:53)

The chief priests and Pharisees are stressed out. It’s the Feast of Tabernacles, and Jesus has been drawing crowds—captivating many people but agitating others. His opponents are buzzing like angry bees. But for now, they are in total disarray—divided, confused, and powerless to sting.

By the end of the day, these reli­gious leaders have been disobeyed by the Temple police (John 7:44-46), have argued over a basic point of ...

St. Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo

Bishop and defender of the rights of the native Indians in Peru, Born in Mayorga, Spain, he studied and became a lawyer and then professor at Salamanca, receiving appointment-despite being a layman-as chief judge of the court of at under King of Spain. The king subsequently appointed him in 1580 to the post of of Lima, Peru. After re...

Reading 1, Wisdom 2:1, 12-22

¹ And this is the false argument they use, 'Our is short and dreary, there is no remedy when our end comes, no one is known to have come back from Hades.

¹² Let us lay traps for the upright man, since he annoys us and opposes our way of life, reproaches us for our sins against the Law, and accuses us of sins against our upbringing.

¹³ He claims to have of God, and calls himself a child ...

“We know where he is from. When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” (John 7:27)

The conflict about the origins of Jesus arose because of a popu­lar belief that the Messiah’s origins would be hidden. Since the people at the Temple claimed to know Jesus’ family and hometown, they con­cluded that he could not possibly be the Messiah. The problem was that the people were thinking about Jesus’ human and earthly origins, but Jesus was referring to his divin...

Simplicity, Satiety, and a Litmus Question

Dear _________, 

You ask about guidelines for fasting and whether all the rules you have read about amount to legalism. I will try to answer you as best as I can.

One quickly finds in Orthodoxy today that, when it comes to the more minor or secondary rules for practicing any given fast, there are a lot of different opinions as to what is proper practice. This can be quite confusing for the zealous convert. As in all things Orthodox, one must endeav...

St. Lea

A letter which wrote to provides the only information we have about St. Lea, a devout fourth century widow. Upon the death of her husband, she retired to a Roman monastery and ultimately became its Superior. Since his correspondence was acquainted with the details of St. Lea's life, omitted these in his letter. He concentrated instead on the of in comparison with that of a consul who had recently died. "Who pr...

Reading 1, Exodus 32:7-14

⁷ Yahweh then said to Moses, 'Go down at once, for your people whom you brought here from have become corrupt.

⁸ They have quickly left the way which I ordered them to follow. They have cast themselves a metal calf, worshipped it and offered to it, shouting, "Israel, here is your who brought you here from Egypt!" '

⁹ Yahweh then said to Moses, 'I know these people; I know how obstinat...

“Search the Scriptures.” (John 5:39)

Have you ever picked up your Bible, read a passage from it, and then sat back and wondered what in the world God was trying to say to you? It’s possible that you may have walked away and decided that the passage didn’t have any consequence for your life. But somewhere inside your heart, you probably also sensed that there was something in that pas­sage for you, but you just couldn’t place your finger on it.

God wants to reveal himself...

Reading 1, Isaiah 49:8-15

⁸ Thus says Yahweh: At the of my favour I have answered you, on the day of I have helped you. I have formed you and have appointed you to be the covenant for a people, to restore the land, to return ravaged properties,

⁹ to say to prisoners, 'Come out,' to those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' Along the roadway they graze, and any bare height be their pasture.

¹⁰ They

“… So that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.” (John 5:23)

During his earthly life, Jesus repeatedly declared that his pri­mary purpose was to do only what the Father wanted of him and to speak only the words that the Father gave him (John 4:34; 6:38; 8:28). His whole life was dedicated to bringing honor to his Father—to the point that on the night before he was arrested, he asked the Father to glorify him through his death only “so that your son may glo...

Reading 1, Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12

¹ He brought me back to the entrance of the Temple, where a stream flowed eastwards from under the threshold, for the faced east. The water flowed from under the side of the Temple, south of the altar.

² He took me out by the north gate and led me round outside as far as the outer east gate where the water flowed out on the right-hand side.

³ The went off to the east hold...

Bl. John of Parma

John Buralli, the seventh general of the Franciscans, was born at in the year 1209, and he was already teaching there when at the age of twenty-five, he joined the Franciscans. He was sent to to study and, after he had been ordained, to teach and preach in Bologna, and Rome. He preached so well that crowds of people came to hear his sermons, even very important persons flocked to hear him.  In the year 1247, was ch...

“Their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.” (Ezekiel 47:12)

In a vision, the prophet Ezekiel saw a stream of water flowing from the Temple in Jerusalem through the Arabah and into the Dead Sea. The Arabah is a geological rift that encompasses the Sea of Galilee at its northern end, the Jordan River in the middle, and the Dead Sea in the south. In this vision, the water flowed into the Dead Sea with such abundance and vitality that it fresh­ened that whole body of stagn...

Everything we know about the husband of and the foster father of comes from and that has seemed too little for those who made up legends about him.

We know he was a carpenter, a working man, for the skeptical Nazarenes ask about Jesus, "Is this not the carpenter's son?" (Matthew 13:55). He wasn't rich for when he took to the to be circumcised and to be purified he offered the

Reading 1, Second Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16

⁴ But that very night, the word of came to Nathan:

⁵ 'Go and tell my servant David, "Yahweh says this: Are you to build me a for me to live in?

¹² And when your days are over and you fall asleep with your ancestors, I shall appoint your heir, your own son to succeed you (and I shall make his sovereignty secure.

¹³ He build a for my name) and I shall mak...

St. Joseph

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. (Matthew 1:24)

In a world where so many say, “My will be done,” St. Joseph is a refreshing example of one who said to God, “Thy will be done.” Like his faithful spouse, Mary, Joseph’s yes to God was of great importance in the divine plan. We are blessed that his life was yielded to doing God’s will, no matter what the cost to himself or his reputation.

Joseph’s holiness and obedience were...

"Make your fold with the sheep; flee from the wolves: depart not from the Church," Cyril admonished catechumens surrounded by heresy. These were prophetic words for Cyril was to be hounded by enemies and for most of his life, and although they could exile him from his he never left his beloved Church.

Cyril's began a few years before (the that was not divine or one in being with the Father) a...

Reading 1, Second Chronicles 36:14-17, 19-23

¹⁴ Furthermore, all the leaders of Judah, the priests and the people too, added infidelity to infidelity, copying all the shameful practices of the nations and defiling the of which he himself had consecrated in Jerusalem.

¹⁵ Yahweh, of their ancestors, continuously sent them word through his messengers because he felt sorry for his people and his dwelling,

¹⁶ but t...

“God, who is rich in mercy.” (Ephesians 2:4)

Heavenly Father, how great is your love! I am amazed at the depth of your mercy toward me. Your love is perfect and unchanging, and you never take your eyes off of me. You are all I need, for you sustain me with the bread of life and the cup of salvation. You are worthy of all praise and honor and glory!

From the very beginning, Father, your arms have always been open wide, ready to receive me whenever I return to you in repentance a...

St. Patrick

St. Patrick of is one of the world's most popular saints.

Apostle of Ireland, born at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland, in the year 387; died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, 17 March, 461.

Along with and St. Valentine, the secular world shares our love of these saints. This is also a day when everyone's Irish.

There are many legends and stories of St. Patrick, but this is his story.

Patrick was bor...

Reading 1, Hosea 6:1-6

¹ Come, let us return to Yahweh. He has rent us and he heal us; he has struck us and he bind up our wounds;

² after two days he revive us, on the third day he raise us up and we shall live in his presence.

³ Let us know, let us strive to know Yahweh; that he come is as certain as the dawn. He come to us like a shower, like the rain of springtime to the earth.

⁴ What am ...

“The one who humbles him­self will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

The Pharisee in this parable came to God with his hands full. He had gathered his fasting, tithing, and obe­dience to the Mosaic law and held them up to the Lord. “See Lord,” he said. “Look at all my goodness.” And God could see it. He couldn’t deny all that the Pharisee presented to him. But there was a problem. This man’s hands were full. He had no room for God’s mercy. Indeed, focused on his own good...

St. Abban

“I will love them freely.” (Hosea 14:5)

In Hosea’s time, more than seven centuries before Christ, the north­ern kingdom of Israel was locked in a power struggle with the Assyrian empire. For long years, Israel repeat­edly put its trust in political solutions and military alliances instead of trust­ing in God. Making matters worse, they also began to worship false gods, hoping that these idols would make them more prosperous. Thus, they broke their covenant with God and rem...

St. Louise de Marillac

Louise de Marillac was born probably at Ferrieres-en-Brie near Meux, France, on August 12, 1591. She was educated by the Dominican at Poissy. She desired to become a nun but on the advice of her confessor, she married Antony LeGras, an official in the Queen's service, in 1613. After Antony's death in 1625, she met de Paul, who became her spiritual adviser. She devoted the rest of her to working with him. She helped...

“They did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own coun­sels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not for­ward.” (Jeremiah 7:24, RSV)

The Christian life is sometimes compared to a journey. On a journey, we are headed toward a destination, and we go forward to arrive there. But in this passage, speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, God talks about his people going backward and not forward. They were walking away from their destination...

St. Matilda

Matilda was the daughter of Count Dietrich of and Reinhild of Denmark. She was also known as Mechtildis and Maud. She was raised by her grandmother, the of Eufurt convent. Matilda married Henry the Fowler, son of Duke Otto of Saxony, in the year 909. He succeeded his father as Duke in the year 912 and in 919 succeeded King Conrad I to the German throne. She was noted for her piety and charitable wo...

I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. (Matthew 5:17)

Imagine being called upon to do something that seems overwhelm­ing, if not downright impossible. It can be quite intimidating to ponder how—or even if—you will do it. But thanks be to God, when you actually got into the project, you found that it wasn’t so hard after all. In fact, it actually became simple! Sometimes, the Christian life is that way.

Jesus lived under the Mosaic law, with its rich layers of observances...

Bl. Agnello of Pisa

The founder of the English Franciscan province, Blessed Agnello, was admitted into the Order by St. Francis himself on the occasion of his sojourn in Pisa. He was sent to the Friary in Paris, of which he became the guardian, and in 1224, St. Francis appointed him to found an English province; at the he was only a deacon. Eight others were selected to accompany him. True to the precepts of St. Francis, they had no money, and the monks of Fecam...

“As many as seven times?” (Matthew 18:21)

Peter thought he was being quite generous. Forgiving someone seven times sure does seem like a lot, doesn’t it? The truth is, forgiving repeated offenses goes against our nature. Just look at Jesus’ parable of the unmerciful servant. He had just been forgiven a debt he could never repay, and even in the afterglow of such generosity, he couldn’t find it in himself to forgive a fellow servant a mere pittance.

Jesus ...

St. Fina or Seraphina, Virgin A.D. 1253 The old town of San Geminiano in treasures with special veneration the of Santa Fina, a young girl whose claim to be recognized as a saint lay in the perfect resignation with which she accepted bodily suffering. She was born of who had seen better days but had fallen into poverty. The child was pretty and attractive. Poor as she was she always kept half her food to give to those who were worse off ...

“Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal.” (2 Kings 5:10)

Doesn’t Elisha’s method of heal­ing sound like the infomercials that tend to populate late-night tele­vision? All we have to do is drink a cup of tea with an exotic fruit extract from the Amazon, and fifteen pounds of fat will immediately melt off our bodies! No wonder Naaman found it hard to believe! Besides, he was very sick. Leprosy, or Hansen’s disease, as we now know it, is a tragic d...

GREENVILLE, SC (Standing on My Head) - So much talk amongst right wing Catholics of the erosion of religious liberty, the collapse of all things and the coming persecution. Talk of government detention centers and priests being shot like Bl. Miguel Pro.

I don't think they get it. That's not what it will be like.

America is different. We're into image big time. We thought the Soviets were into brainwashing and propaganda. We put them in the shade. America is all about healthy, lusty, good...

Constantine was king of Cornwall. Unreliable tradition has him married to the daughter of the king of Brittany who on her death ceded his to his son and became a at St. Mochuda monastery at Rahan, Ireland. He performed menial tasks at the monastery, then studied for the and was ordained. He went as a missionary to under and then St. Kentigern, preached in Galloway, and became of a monastery at Govan. In old ...

“He made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple area.” (John 2:15)

Today’s Gospel tells us that Jesus was angry. But just a little more than a week ago, we read how Jesus told us not to get angry. So, did Jesus commit a sin here? Did he lose his temper? Or is there a place for anger?

Maybe St. Paul can help out here. “Be angry,” he wrote, “but do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26). So there is a type of anger that isn’t sinful. In fact, there are times when ange...

Born in 1579, Ogilvie belonged to Scottish nobility. Raised a Calvinist, he was educated on the continent. Exposed to the religious controversies of his day and impressed with the of the martyrs, he decided to become a Catholic. In 1596, at age seventeen he was received into the Church at Louvain. Later attended a variety of educational institutions, and eventually he sought admission into the Jesuits. He was ordained a...

“He became angry.” (Luke 15:28)

The prodigal has returned to a red-carpet welcome, and the older son is fuming. But what would he rather have happened to his younger brother?

Did he want to see the scoundrel suffer? To have the door slammed shut in his face? Maybe he hoped to see him humiliated in front of the whole village. Or might he have pre­ferred to hear that his brother had starved to death in a foreign land?

Such mean-spiritedness seems pretty extreme, doesn’t it? B...

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” (Matthew 21:42)

When we think of cornerstones, we may think of noble figures like Abraham, David, or Jeremiah. We may think of heroic saints like Mother Teresa or John of the Cross. And, of course, we think of Jesus. All of these figures stand out in our imagination as people with almost superhuman talents, skills, and dedication to their causes. But sal­vation history is also filled with the stories of many peop...

VATICAN CITY (Catholic Online) - Every Wednesday the Pope instructs the faithful in either the Paul VI Hall or St Peters square, depending upon the weather. On Wednesday, March 6, 2012, the faithful heard the successor of Peter in the pristine beauty of an early spring day in St. Peter's Square. He concluded his ongoing teaching on learning how to pray from the prayer of Jesus by focusing on Silence. 

Ten thousand eager pilgrims heard this man of deep prayer illuminate the beauty of th...

St. John of God

From the he was eight to the day he died, followed every impulse of his heart. The challenge for him was to rush to follow the promptings of the gave him, not his own human temptations. But unlike many who act impulsively, when made a decision, no how quickly, he stuck with it, no what the hardship.

At eight years old, heard a visiting speak of adventures that were waiting in the ag...

“… Like a tree planted near streams of water.” (Psalm 1:3)

Spring may not be here yet, but today is still a good time to think about planting—not flowers and vegetables but yourself. Plant your­self near the river of life, the river that flows from the throne of God (Revelation 22:1). Send roots down deep into the rich soil of faith—soil that will produce life in you.

Do you want to know the best way to do this? Root yourself in the Scriptures. Spend time each day readin...

A hermit and of St. Anthony. Paul had long been a humble farmer in when, at the age of sixty, he discovered that his wife was unfaithful. Leaving her, he set out for the and went to Anthony to become a follower. Anthony at first refused him, owing to Paul’s advanced years and because he doubted Paul’s sincerity. As Paul was persistent, Anthony gave him a of demanding and arduous tasks which Paul fulfilled wi...

“The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve.” (Matthew 20:28)

Talk about completely missing the point! Jesus lets the apostles in on the biggest news in history—that he was going to die and rise for all sin, and James and John have the nerve to respond by asking for places of honor and glory. It’s a wonder Jesus didn’t bang his head against the wall out of frustration! And the other apostles don’t come off much better. They were “indignant” all right, but ...

CHESAPEAKE, VA. (Catholic Online) - In the Eastern Christian Churches, Orthodox and Catholic, the First Week of the "Great Lent" is called "Clean Week". The focus of the week is to enter the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving with fervor - to set the pace. Strict fasting is encouraged, along with frequent prayer and almsgiving. The intensity of the week is intended to assist the believer in cultivating the proper disposition needed to achieve the desired end of the fort...

St. Colette

Colette was the daughter of a carpenter named DeBoilet at Corby in Picardy, France. She was born on January 13, christened Nicolette, and called Colette. Orphaned at seventeen, she distributed her inheritance to the poor. She became a Franciscan tertiary, and lived at Corby as a solitary. She soon became well known for her and spiritual wisdom, but left her cell in 1406 in response to a dream directing her to reform the Poor Clares. She receiv...

“You hate discipline; you cast my words behind you… . When you do these things, should I be silent?” (Psalm 50:17,21)

As teenagers, many of us turned a deaf ear to our parents’ advice, cast­ing their warnings behind us. But when we run into challenges down the road, we often find these pearls of wisdom echoing in our memory! “A person is known by the company he keeps.” “To have a friend, you must be a friend.” “Planned deceit is a lie.” “A stitch in time saves...

St. of the Cross was born about the middle of the seventeenth century in the beautiful island of Ischia, near Naples. From his childhood he was the model of virtue, and in his sixteenth year he entered the of the Strictest Observance, or Reform of of Alcantara. Such was the edification he gave in his Order, that within three years after his profession he was sent to found a monast...

“Be merciful.” (Luke 6:36)

Imagine going to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and pouring out your heart in repentance, only to have the priest withhold absolution. This sounds absurd, since we know our sincere confession will result in for­giveness from God and his church. At the same time, we can’t expect God to forgive us if we aren’t will­ing to forgive other people. Jesus did tell us: “Forgive and you will be for­given” (Luke 6:37).

But how difficul...

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

With these ten words, Paul begins to summarize the points he has been making so far in his Letter to the Romans. In fact, all of chapter 8 can be seen as a summary—a rousing, inspiring conclusion to the expla­nation of the gospel message Paul wrote about in chapters 1 through 7. So let’s take a look at some of these summary points.

First, Paul says that we are no less than beloved, adopted children of G...

CHESAPEAKE, VA. (Catholic Online) - "Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil." (Luke 4:1)  "The truth is that only in the mystery of the incarnate Word does the mystery of man take on light." (Gaudium et Spes, # 22, Second Vatican Council)

When I was a young man in College I had a priest friend who I now recall every time we begin the Forty Day Observance of Lent. About a week befor...

St. Katharine Drexel

Saint Katharine Drexel, Religious (Feast Day-March 3) Born in 1858, into a prominent Philadelphia family, Katharine became imbued with love for and neighbor. She took an avid interest in the material and spiritual well-being of black and native Americans. She began by donating money but soon concluded that more was needed - the lacking ingredient was people. Katharine founde...

“He makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)

Hang on a minute! Isn’t that unfair? Why don’t the good and the just get special treatment? At the very least, the bad and the unjust should get the shorter end of the stick. If God is perfectly just, then shouldn’t that be the way things go? Well, not really. God’s justice encompasses something much more profound than a heavenly balance sheet....

Bl. Charles the Good

In 1086, St. Canute, King of and father of Blessed Charles the Good, was slain in St. Alban's Church, Odence. Charles who was only a few years old was taken by his mother to the court of Robert, Count of Flanders, his maternal grandfather. When he grew up, he became a knight and accompanied Robert in a crusade to the Holy Land where he distinguished himself; on their return, Charles also fought against the English with his uncle. ...

“Whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.” (Matthew 5:22)

Let’s face it. It’s hard not to get angry—even with those who are closest to us! And yet here Jesus is, telling us to resist sin and turn away from anger. And as difficult as it sounds, it does make sense. After all, our eternal destiny is heaven, where we will live in peace and unity with each other and Almighty God.

But we don’t have to wait until the Second Coming for unity to ...

According to tradition, was the son of King Sant of South and St. Non. He was ordained a and later studied under St. Paulinus. Later, he was involved in missionary work and founded a number of monasteries. The monastery he founded at in Southwestern was noted for extreme asceticism. David and his monks drank neither wine nor beer - only water - while putting in a full day of heavy manual labor and intense study. Around ...

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.” (Matthew 7:12)

Most of us probably know this verse as “The Golden Rule.” But the Golden Rule did not originate with Christianity. The idea that we should treat others as we would want to be treated is found in the teachings of many religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. It’s even embraced by those who don’t hold any particular religious beliefs at all. It seems to be something that many under...

LOS ANGELES,CA. (Catholic Online) - Orthodox Christians are thankful and grateful for the vocal and passionate public stance of Catholic Bishops and Catholic leaders who categorically oppose Obama's HHS healthcare mandate.  Your courage in defending our constitutionally protected religious liberty is making us stronger.  Your public and uncompromising witness to Christian principles and your passionate advocacy in protecting the life of the unborn is giving us hope. 

We embrace and sup...

St. Aubin

Albinus, also known as Aubin, entered the monastery of Tincillac when a youth, was elected when he was thirty-five, and was named of in 529. He was known for his generosity to the sick and the indigent, widows, and orphans, for his work in ransoming slaves, and for his and the many miracles he is reputed to have performed both during his lifetime and after his death. His is March 1.  

“The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.” (Jonah 3:1)

Jonah wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice. After all, spend­ing a few nights in a fish’s gut can be very persuasive. With a little imagi­nation, you can picture him trudging off in the direction of Nineveh— still dripping with seawater, but now determined to follow the leading of God.

For Jonah, it took radical mea­sures to convince him to respond to God’s call. Let’s hope it doesn...