There is a lot of talk right now about how to handle the divorced & remarried Catholic who wants to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I know the heartache well. I was divorced and remarried. And then I converted to the Catholic faith. As we approach the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, there will be many more conversations on this topic. Here is my thought. The Church, in mercy, has given us a way... Read more
Being Catholic has its challenges. When I was an Evangelical Protestant, I knew that I loved Jesus. If He showed up, I knew I would hit my knees. If He would have visited a neighbor’s house or stopped by my local church, I would have dropped everything to be with Him. If He wanted me to tarry an hour with Him, I wouldn’t have fallen asleep – like the disciples did. I loved Jesus. And I knew it. And I would show Him... Read more
Many years ago, I wrote an article for diocesan newspapers on the theme faith is a journey. That article will appear in expanded & modified form within one chapter of my new book Gifts of the Visitation: Nine Spiritual Encounters with Mary & Elizabeth (Ave Maria Press). Faith is a journey. It is as much of a deliberate journey as Mary’s journey from Nazareth to Ein Kerem in the hills of Judea when she visited Elizabeth. The journey may be difficult. Sometimes, we... Read more
We were visiting Washington D.C. the summer my dad received a phone call that a parishioner had been involved in a terrible farm accident. Leo Kraft sustained a crushed pelvis when a tractor ran over him. He was lucky to be alive. Dad was the pastor of the small Presbyterian church where Leo and his wife Zoan worshipped. We cut our vacation short and returned home to the rural community where we lived so that dad could be with Leo and the... Read more
I stopped watching news coverage of Ferguson. Too much hype. It gave the impression to the rest of the country – and to the world for that matter – that St. Louis was terribly violent, and that it must be really scary to live here. I live in the Greater St. Louis Area. What you saw on the news is not how it is. I still go into St. Louis regularly. I don’t give it a second thought. I know... Read more
From the archives: “Why August Matters” Catholic by Grace diocesan article 2009 It is one more way Protestants and Catholics are different from one another. Someone walks through the door of a Protestant church, they say they want to be a member, and that’s it. They are signed up. Maybe they take a course for a week or two – but probably not. Then, they stand in front of the congregation, profess the faith publicly or present a letter of... Read more
When I think of St. Maximilian Kolbe, I think of someone who willing gave his life for those who are persecuted, for those who are in harm’s way. He was sent to Auschwitz. He willingly offered his own life for the life of another man. He died on this day in 1941. Today, we are being called to follow in his footsteps. Our efforts may not end at Auschwitz. We may not be martyred for what we do. But we... Read more
Mary was assumed into heaven. It’s one of the more difficult teachings for converts to grasp. But there are ways to approach the Assumption so that non-Catholics may come to believe. In 1995, I wrote an article for Protestant newspapers called “Trends in Christian Fiction” which considered the possibility that a Christian fiction book might hit the New York Times Bestseller List. I traveled to key Protestant publishers – Tyndale, Crossway, Moody, Victor and Bethany House – to interview editors.... Read more
A number of years ago, the head of a crisis pregnancy center told me that the key to helping women rise from the depression or despondency stemming from past hurts rested in one thing. They needed to realize that happiness comes from helping others . . . from a life lived for another. Even someone who is broken can find happiness when they practice generosity. One little self-abandoning act that results in kindness toward another does something to the soul of the giver. Giving one’s self results in... Read more
I have just spent an hour with my best friend and spiritual mentor. It always refocuses me. Always ends up being a moment of grace. It is a good time to capture some of my thoughts on this Feast Day… our Feast Day. The Novena hasn’t ended like I thought it would. And yet, I think it has ended the way Our Lady of Mount Carmel wanted it to end. The way Our Lord wanted it to end. Her will,... Read more
Denise Bossert
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