Thanks to a call from my mother, I remembered today is the feast day of my patron saint, Anthony of Padua. Here is the popular prayer asking for his intercession. Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints. O Holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints, your love for God and Charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request). O gentle... Read more
Being a sucker for harmonious duets, I couldn’t help but enjoy this stellar rendition of “How Great Thou Art” from the TV series “Duets.” It’s performed by “Sugarland’s” Jennifer Nettles and her protege on the show, John Glosson. Also noteworthy was the performance of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” by Kelly Clarkson and her protege, Jason Farol. Sometimes two voices are better than one. Read more
Here’s an excerpt from our latest Christopher News Note, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray:” IT SEEMS AS IF PRAYER SHOULD BE EASY. We speak to God and He speaks to us. We probably already speak to Him daily. Quick prayers ask for patience in a stressful situation, seek wisdom when a friend asks advice, and offer fervent thanks when an accident was avoided. Those bursts of prayer are one part of conversation with God. We already love Him or we... Read more
Here’s an entry from The Christophers’ “Three Minutes a Day” book: In order to help us achieve the unity to which God calls us, here is a special prayer to the Holy Spirit: “When we are divided in our family, Holy Spirit, make us one. “When wars divide us, Holy Spirit, make us one. “When injustice and exploitation build barriers, Holy Spirit, make us one. “When divisions beset your Church, Holy Spirit, make us one. “When sin separates us from... Read more
Like a lot of people, John Martoccia got caught up in the world’s definition of success when he was younger, so he didn’t make room for God in his life. That changed after John had a conversion experience which led him to becoming a more Christ-centered person. He even felt called to become a filmmaker to tell a story inspired by his own experiences. That movie, called “Vito Bonafacci,” is now being discussed as part of the Patheos Movie Club.... Read more
Stories about bullying are constantly in the news. That’s one of the reasons a segment like the one from ABC News embedded below stands out. It’s about a boy with cerebral palsy who was cheered on to finish a race by a teacher and classmates. For me, it raises questions like – Why do some kids respond with encouragement toward those who are different as opposed to responding with bullying and belittlement? Is it different role models or lessons taught... Read more
The late CBS broadcaster Charles Kuralt once said, “It does no harm just once in a while to acknowledge that the whole country isn’t in flames, that there are people in the country besides politicians, entertainers, and criminals.” In a nutshell, that’s what we did at the Christopher Awards ceremony last Thursday, May 25th, an annual tradition in which we honor books, films, TV programs, and humanitarian achievements that “affirm the highest values of the human spirit” and reflect the... Read more
The Christophers’ Jerry Costello shares the story of a stranded driver who received some unexpected kindness and help: Here’s the situation: You’re stuck on the side of a fairly remote road in the nation’s Northwest and one of your tires has blown out. You’ve got a spare but no jack, and even though you managed to mount a handmade sign with a basic plea–NEED A JACK–car after car, truck after truck passes you by. You’ve been waiting for someone to... Read more
Here’s the Memorial Day entry from our “Three Minutes a Day” book: On May 5, 1868, John A. Logan, the Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, established Memorial Day to honor the fallen members of the U.S. military. In his proclamation, he said words that still ring true today. An excerpt: “We should guard their graves with sacred vigilance. All that the consecrated wealth and taste of the nation can add to their adornment and security, is but... Read more
Since the TV series “Lost” aired its finale two years ago today, I’m posting a link to the article I wrote prior to the first anniversary of the show’s end, entitled “Why Lost Still Matters.” Here’s an excerpt: Take the issues of faith and doubt: There was an ongoing clash between the characters Jack Shephard and John Locke about whether our actions and experiences in life have some unseen purpose, or whether only those things that can be scientifically proven... Read more
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