The “Hail Mary” reminds us that life is short. By asking the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray for us not only now but when we will need her intercession most, we prayerfully place the rest of our earthly lives in her maternal hands.

When sweeping parish reorganizations happen, these too are times that test the faith of some. It all depends on whether that faith rests on where it is lived or on whom it is focused: The Lord Jesus Christ.

In his “The Mystical Theology,” pseudo-Dionysius wrote that “theology is both immense and most small and that the Gospel is broad and great and yet concise” as “the Good Cause of all is expressed with many words and yet with few and is even wordless, for there is no word or knowledge able to express It.”

There were those sweet little chocolate chip muffins that came in the breadbasket. Then there were the decadent platters of food that came steaming out of the kitchen. But what I remember best about Haussner’s Restaurant was gazing up at the artwork that covered every inch of the walls. We didn’t eat out much as […]

I love a celestial phenomenon, but I never thought I would see the Northern Lights. I certainly didn’t imagine I would see them from my front porch, not far outside Baltimore, in a neighborhood full of light pollution. But then Thursday night happened. A colleague sent a message and encouraged us to look outside. There […]

Celebrating the church year can be as simple as changing your prayer habits in small ways or incorporating the liturgical seasons into daily life.

By reflecting on our place in the world and articulating our understanding of ourselves in relation to God, we can chart a path toward the ultimate goal for every Christian: holiness.

Muscular evangelization is not helped by a plethora of crumbling church buildings and sacraments going unbestowed amid dying congregations; evangelization requires energy, and bringing young, enthusiastic believers into community together begets exactly the happy vigor needed to effectively share the faith.

It has been seven years since my brother-in-law Eric died. It doesn’t feel that long, and yet it also feels like longer. Time can be so odd. Today, as we are missing him, I am thinking of how we never really lose the people we love. But I also know that there is an Eric-shaped […]

There is no magic formula for dealing with a grieving person. The best way to reach out to someone will depend on your relationship with that person and where he or she is in the grieving process.