For English click here ¿Qué tiene sentarse a calcular cuánto dinero se necesita para construir una torre con renunciar a toda posesión y seguir a Jesús? ¿Qué tiene saber cuántos hombres necesita un rey para derrotar a su enemigo con el cargar de la cruz? Al urgir a sus discípulos de renunciar todas sus posesiones, cargar la cruz y desprenderse completamente de sus madres, padres, hijos, hermanos, hermanas y sus propias vidas, Jesús da como ejemplo a un constructor comprando... Read more

What does sitting down to calculate how much money is needed to build a tower have to do with renouncing possessions and following Jesus?  What does a king knowing how many men he needs to defeat his enemy have to do with carrying the cross? While urging his disciples to renounce all their possessions, to carry the cross and to detach completely from their mothers, fathers, children, brothers, sisters and their own lives, Jesus gives as worthy examples a builder... Read more

On the Vigil of the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, (September 7th) Pope Francis has called for a worldwide day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria. As the situation in Syria worsens and the United States contemplates taking military action, Pope Francis reminds us that, “there is no use of violence which leads to peace, war begets war, violence begets violence… there is a judgment from God and from history over our... Read more

Humility is a word that gets tossed around quite a bit in everyday talk. A person may be described as humble, but so may someone’s house.  “Oh, he lives in a small, simple, humble house without much in it.” When people are quiet and reserved, they may be described as humble even though we know nothing about their thought. We oftentimes call humble also those who have accomplished great things but don’t boast about it.  “She’s so humble, you would... Read more

Early during the school year when I was in fourth grade, Mrs. Carpenter had each of her students choose a pencil with the name of a state on it.  Projects throughout the year would revolve around the chosen state.  I remember my pencil was orange and the blue letters on it read ARIZONA. I wrote to the tourism office in Arizona requesting information on the state for my first project.  I received a large envelope full of brochures with beautiful... Read more

Five years ago on Easter Sunday afternoon, I arrived to the fascinating city of Istanbul, Turkey.  I visited Istanbul for a few days and traveled south to visit incredible archaeological sites like Perganum and Ephesus, including the house of the Virgin Mary.  The following Sunday morning I was back in Istanbul and I went looking for one of the few Catholic churches in the city to attend Mass.  I went early since I didn’t have the exact address; the concierge at... Read more

English click here [Escrito para The Southern Cross] Recuerdo con claridad un día durante la catequesis de segundo grado aprender algo memorable. La catequista, la Miss Claudine, nos enseñó sobre la primera santa canonizada de América quien en 1671 fue proclamada Patrona de Américas, las Filipinas y las Indias Occidentales por el Papa Clemente X. Esa mañana aprendí  que Santa Rosa había nacido en Lima así como yo, y que se podía visitar su casa. Había visto tantas estatuas de... Read more

En castellano [Written for The Southern Cross] I clearly recall one day in second grade religion class where I learned something very memorable.  Ms. Claudine, the religion teacher, taught us about the first canonized saint of the new world, who in 1671 was proclaimed by Pope Clement X Patroness of the Americas, the Philippines and the West Indies.  That morning I learned that Saint Rose had been born in Lima like me, and that it was possible to visit her... Read more

Only twenty-three kilometers inland from the Pan-American Highway which runs along the desert coast of Peru lies hidden an archaeological wonder, Caral, which is the oldest city of the Americas and one of the oldest monumental human settlements in the world. The Pyramids of Caral Though the mounds near the village of Caral were recognized as archaeological sites in 1948, Peruvian anthropologist and archaeologist Dr. Ruth Shady was the first to recognize the importance of the site in 1994.  After... Read more

On December 12th, 2011, the Latino Bishops of the United States issued a letter addressed to their immigrant brothers and sisters.  Thirty-three bishops, led by Archbishop Gomez of Los Angeles, expressed their solidarity with the millions of undocumented workers urging them to “not be mastered by evil; but master evil with good” (Rm 12:21). The bishops mentioned one of the obstacles to achieving comprehensive immigration reform.  “Regretfully, some in reaction to this environment of [economic] uncertainty show disdain for immigrants... Read more