Following the Last Supper, and after Judas left to carry out his betrayal, Jesus explained to the remaining apostles the trials they would face in the coming days, and for the rest of their days. Then Our Lord prayed what is now known as The High Priestly Prayer. Here it is in its entirety as recorded by St. John in chapter 17 of his gospel account, prayed by Jesus for the new holy people: Jesus lifted up his eyes to... Read more

I hate shopping at chain stores, I really do. The amount of merchandise and the lack of natural lighting overload my senses. So does the idea I could be doing something infinitely better with my time. But sometimes, I just can’t avoid shopping. Our boys needed new sneakers and Easter slacks and shirts so yesterday we had to head down a traffic-clogged state highway to buy them. But Christ finds a way of making Himself seen—even at Kohl’s.My husband and I... Read more

I wrote once that the saints are hard corps. I used a battlefield story from the Korean War era to make my point about how the saints can motivate us to be better Christians. That is, unless they repel us and shame us with their bravery. Like today’s saint, for example.It is the feast day of St. Benjamin. He was martyred on this day in the year 424 in a manner that brought renown to a certain Transylvanian nobleman named Vlad.... Read more

I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Mary Magdalene. Our two daughters are named Martha and Marian, and I privately hoped that we would have a third daughter, named Madeleine. It didn’t happen. I love this image by Alexander Ivanov (1806–1858). And then I came across this poem, “Magdalen.”I found it (a fragment really) in a book Frank sent me last week: Flowers of Heaven: One Thousand Years of Christian Verse (Ignatius 2005). The mysterious thing is,... Read more

This morning I made my first Franciscan knot. I am inordinately proud of this knot of mine. I only was able to make this knot because Marge, who has been making these knots for—pardon the pun—decades, guided my hands with her hands, which are knotted with arthritis. Marge, a daily communicant, retired nurse, and mother of five, offered to teach the teens in our youth group how to make rosaries. Loading plastic beads on a piece of nylon rope is... Read more

My friend Bill has been AWOL from church for months. We used to sit side by side at Adoration and exchange signs of peace at daily Mass. But Bill has been out of work since late 2008, and I’m afraid that he is disconsolate, home alone much of the time. Every so often, though, Bill sends me a sign that his love for The Mystery is not extinguished. Today he sent me a video.You may have already seen this video... Read more

I have a confession to make: the Stations of the Cross used to creep me out. Only in the past year have I begun to understand their beauty and significance. And that is thanks to the Living Stations of the Cross presented by the teens of the  St. Rose of Lima high school youth group in Freehold, New Jersey.When I was a child, I didn’t want any part of Palm Sunday or Holy Week, or especially Stations of the Cross. That... Read more

Why would a Catholic cheer for West Virginia against Duke, Butler, and Michigan State in the NCAA basketball championship? I am trying to be objective here. I am setting aside my intense dislike for Coach K’s #1-ranked unit from Duke. (My daughter is concluding a stellar career at UNC, last year’s champion and Duke’s bitter rival.) No, I am looking at this from a strictly Catholic perspective, with rosary beads entwined in my fingers.Think about it: The Dukies are the... Read more

Now that Batgirl is aboard and you have heard her theme song, just for old-times sake here is the original Batman theme song. This is where I get to say “atomic batteries to power, turbines to speed.” Actually, I prefer this live version performed by one of my favorite bands, The Smithereens! Have a listen here because it isn’t on video. And now, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, here is the song that popped into my head when Allison’s... Read more