St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina once wrote a prayer expressing his absolute dependence on God.  Here is a slightly shortened version of it: “Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You.  Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often. “Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life, and without You, I am without fervor.  Stay with... Read more

Naturally, we want all of our children to be carefree and have fun on Halloween.  We also want them to be safe.  The website Childhelp.org offers several tips for trick-or-treaters: ▪ Brighter is better. Costumes will be more visible in the dark if you attach reflective tape. Give each child a flashlight to carry, just in case. ▪ Make it a family affair. Accompany children under 12 on their trick-or-treating rounds.  As for the older ones, be sure to meet... Read more

Sixty-one year-old John Moore of Gallup, New Mexico, is the type of person who honors war heroes from the past in word and action.  Father Emil Kapaun, a chaplain in the Korean War who died in a POW camp, holds a special place in his heart. After learning of Father Kapaun’s brave exploits, which included rescuing a wounded soldier while being fired upon, Moore trekked 630 miles from New Mexico to the priest’s home parish in Pilsen, Kansas.  The goal? ... Read more

In 2007, Mark Stephan was a successful businessman, an avid marathoner, and a two-time Iron Man triathlete when a bicycle accident left him a quadriplegic, unable to use his arms and legs.  Doctors told him he would never walk or bike again.   Stephan, however, had other ideas. His extraordinary determination combined with nearly five months of therapy at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) led Stephan to leave the hospital walking by himself.  He walked slowly and haltingly, but he... Read more

If you’ve ever tried to convince your non-religious friends to start going to church, Parents.com contributor Nick Shell offers several scientific reasons that might help sway them: ▪ Family values: “Church is a great place to get moral reinforcement [because] pop culture, everyday life, and even our own negativity can be a drag on our ideal personal standards.” ▪ Motivation: “Imagine the hope that comes out of the belief that the creator of this universe not only loves you but... Read more

How far would you go to spread God’s enduring message?  Seventy-five-year-old Bob Hentzen traveled 8,000 miles.  On foot. President and co-founder of the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging (CFCA) which serves people living in extreme poverty in 22 countries, Hentzen hoped that by walking from to Chile from his home in Guatemala, he could help raise awareness about his cause.  Instead of asking others to walk with him, he asked that they sponsor a child selected for them by... Read more

At the 2012 Christopher Awards ceremony, former New York Jets defensive lineman Marty Lyons won the James Keller Award—named after The Christophers’ founder—for his work creating a foundation that grants wishes to terminally ill children. Lyons shared the story of a girl named Lauren who was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 14.  Her wish was to go to the White House and to have some poems she’d written published.  Lyons and his foundation helped her achieve both goals.... Read more

Cardinal John Henry Newman once penned these words about the fact that God uses every human being to accomplish some good: “God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.  I have my mission…I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. “He has not created me for naught.  I shall do good.  I shall do His work.  I shall be... Read more

The Sudanese have been long divided by civil war.  There is progress toward unity, however, thanks to a former “Lost Boy” of Sudan whose Christian faith led him to speak up for justice. Lopez Lomong was held captive and nearly killed during the Second Sudanese Civil War.  He eventually escaped into Kenya, and was moved to the United States by Catholic Charities.  A track-and-field athlete who served as the U.S. flag bearer during the 2008 Olympics opening ceremony, he vocally... Read more

The night Laura Kaeppeler was crowned Miss America, she said she felt God’s peace and presence.  She credits her faith to her years at St. Therese Elementary School and St. Joseph High School in Kenosha, Wisconsin.  “My Catholic education has been so important in reaching my goals,” Kaeppeler told The Catholic Herald, the Milwaukee Archdiocesan newspaper.  “It gave me my foundation for my faith.” When Kaeppeler was Miss Wisconsin, her life experiences led her to start a program called Circles... Read more