Have you ever felt “spiritually dry”—that sense of struggling to pray, not feeling connected to the Creator, or even doubting? Maybe you’re not praying as much or wondering what you did to deserve something bad...
Every year the Church blesses us with a season to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord at Christmas. Much exterior preparation takes place during the four weeks of Advent: we decorate our homes,...
Cada año la Iglesia nos bendice con una temporada para prepararnos para la venida del Señor en Navidad. Gran parte de la preparación exterior se lleva a cabo durante las cuatro semanas de Adviento: decoramos...
Each year we hear the perennial objections of those who lament hearing the salutation, “Season’s Greetings” instead of “Merry Christmas.” The common complaint, of course, is that this season is about the birth of the...
Our children received the sacraments and attended Catholic schools, but they no longer attend Mass and do not appear to be practicing the faith. Where did we go wrong as parents? It is natural to...
At the beginning of human history, our first parents experienced original innocence, the state in which they had enjoyed harmony within themselves, in God’s friendship, in relationship with each other and in relation to the...
How would you describe a parish with a strong sense of community? You might say it’s warm and welcoming. It’s a place where people care for you and make you feel like you belong. It’s...
Advent is a time of waiting, but what are we waiting for? Jesus the Incarnate Word of God has already come into the world. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only...
No experience is quite as difficult as being misunderstood. Who we are as persons—belonging to a wider group of people—is tightly intertwined with our ability to communicate. When we are misunderstood, it is not simply...
As I recently walked through a retail store with my kids, we saw the whole place decked out in snowflakes, North Pole signage, toy cars with trees strapped on top and, most puzzling, Star Wars...
God has ways of working through us, especially when we aren’t expecting it. That’s true for the Fiorelli family—Laurel, Nick and their children, Risa and Theo. Parishioners at Xavier University’s Bellarmine Chapel, they have supported...
“A Catholic community catered around your everyday working person,” is how chapter president Patrick Macke describes Young Catholic Professionals (YCP). A few years in the making, the Cincinnati chapter of YCP launched at last in...
When invited to write this Eucharistic Reflection for The Catholic Telegraph, I recalled my similar article for a 2021 Advent edition of Our Sunday Visitor Newsweekly that was concerned for the many people who stopped...
On Saturday mornings Gary DeFosse, 82, visits his local YMCA. Three times a week he swims or lifts, and he presently serves as a lifeguard. “The Y doesn’t have as many lifeguards as they need,...
Certain experiences shape our lives, our vocations and our ministries, especially if we are open to God’s presence and recognize that He is with us always. Father Mike Paraniuk finds this especially obvious when he...
What do lettuce and bicycles have in common? Dig deep enough and you’ll find both in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) program at Bishop Leibold School in Dayton. For the 12th consecutive year,...
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