What does it take to become a saint? Sister Clare’s life gives us some clues. I first heard of Sister Clare Crockett while traveling throughout Germany, promoting my religious congregation, the Legionaries of Christ. I heard about a young Irish woman who beamed with the joy and love of Christ that was welling inside her. The idea of meeting her was always an intriguing invitation, but I never quite got the chance. Beginning the Journey towards Sainthood This past November,... Read more
P.T. Barnum was a man who seemed allergic to boredom. The musical “The Greatest Showman” tells the story of his resulting rise from rags to riches. Despite his adventurous and boisterous life, even he faced monotony at times. I am particularly struck by the song in the musical “Never Enough,” which explores his yearning for something that feels just out of reach. Wanting to escape an uninteresting existence, he clings to a fragile sense of happiness. I’m trying to hold... Read more
Jesus preached salvation to all. This is the basis of Catholic teaching that all humans are equal in dignity. This reality shapes the way that saints throughout the ages have seen the world. This is clear in the case of St. Therese of Lisieux, the well-known Carmelite nun of 19th-century France. Although she lived confined to a cloister, she felt at the same time a profound missionary impulse. At one point, she decided to pray for a man whom... Read more
Raskolnikov, the main character from Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, wants to experience freedom. He is arrogant, indecisive, and young. The young man feels trapped by his circumstances and decides to take action to improve his situation. The indecisive young man kills his landlady and her sister and spends the rest of the novel trying to justify his actions to himself. Although he is seeking freedom from poverty and oppression, his unfettered actions bring him anguish instead. He lets the spirit... Read more
Belonging to Christ invites us to grow in intimacy with him. Last week, we celebrated the Baptism of Jesus and were able to reflect on the mystery of belonging to both Christ and the Church through our own baptism. This week in the liturgy, we get to see Jesus and his disciples celebrate at a wedding. Both baptisms and weddings are big family affairs, but what is different between the two? A baptism is focused on one child, who is... Read more
We all have a desire of belonging to something. Today, as we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus, we can think about this concept of belonging. Baptism is the sacrament by which we belong as members of the Church. There is an implicit awareness of this in many families who continue with the tradition of baptism, even though they may not attend church assiduously. As we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus, we should ask ourselves about our own sense of belonging.... Read more
What does it mean to be a pilgrim? A pilgrimage is one of the great religious experiences, common to several religious traditions. My first conscious experience of pilgrimage came when I was going to World Youth Day in Paris in 1997. I was excited about the opportunity. My friends and I had spent two years fundraising and planning so we could make the trip. I thought, “wow, this is great that we get to visit Europe while we are still... Read more
The family is the basic building block of society. As we celebrate the Holy Family, it is good to celebrate the human reality of family. The family should be at the center of our public policy because the family creates and forms our most important asset: our children. A society that does not value its children is a society destined for destruction. Through the centuries, the Church has promoted this natural institution. Pope John Paul II Reflects on Marriage St.... Read more
St. Alphonsus Liguori tells a story of St. Francis of Assisi. The indifference he found in people caused his heart to ache. People would see him as Christmas drew near, and they would notice him crying. St. Francis was quick to defend himself. Why should I not weep when I see that love is not loved! I see a God who became human for the love of humanity and humanity that is ungrateful to this God (St. Francis of Assisi).... Read more
As we get closer to Christmas, Jesus is inviting us to recognize the reality of his becoming man to save us from our sins. Christmas reminds us of the incarnational nature of our faith. God is Spirit, but as humans at the horizon between the spiritual and the material, God also speaks to us through material reality. In spiritual life, this comes out particularly in popular piety. Popular piety refers to the devotions that are common among the Christian faithful.... Read more
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