The “Good Life”
In my Pittsburgh Catholic magazine column, I offer seasonal tips on how to find God in the ordinary moments of life.
“In the midst of grief, you will be found”
Grief is a knife that can shred our souls and leave us questioning how a loving God could allow such loss.
I reflected on how to allow Him to find you in the midst of the greatest anguish.
“Meditate on the details of beloved saints’ lives”
Did you know that Jesus appeared to Saint Faustina Kowalska at a dance? Or that Pope John Paul II once comforted a lonely Swiss Guard on Christmas Eve?
Reflect on details of beloved saints’ lives, and how they can encourage your own journey of holiness.
“Turn to Mary’s comfort and love”
What can we learn from Mary’s many titles? She offers us beautiful lessons under her titles of Our Lady of Fatima, Guadalupe, Knock, Perpetual Help, and the Miraculous Medal.
“Emulate Saint Patrick’s generous, faithful spirit”
When Saint Patrick was a young man, faith was not an important part of his life.
After he opened his heart to God’s Will, God used him to accomplish great things. How can he do the same with your “yes”?
“Recapture the childlike wonder of Christmas”
When a radio station in my Upstate New York hometown would switch to full-time Christmas music for the holidays, one of its taglines was: “This time of year was meant for kids.”
While God’s saving love comes for everyone at Christmas, the wonder of Christmas captivates children in a special way. This wonder can erode as years go by. Recapture that wonder in a way that was child-like but not childish.
The transitions that fall inevitably brings can be intimidating.
Amid any unknown, it’s tempting to look for ways to minimize pain, or to expect the worst possible outcome. It seems safest to live in fear ... and perhaps it is. But as Catholics, we are called to choose faith instead. Here are a few tips to help.
“In the face of fear, choose faith”
“Seek God in Summer’s simple pleasures”
The summer months offer us a beautiful breath of relief after winter’s long, cold days and the changeable weather of spring.
All year, we look forward to summer’s predictable rhythm. How can you see summer’s annual glories as a gift from God? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
“This Valentine’s Day, honor all your loved ones”
When we think of Valentine’s Day, romantic love often comes to mind.
That’s a beautiful expression of the holiday, but there are many ways to share love. Here are a few tips to help you show those around you how much you care.
“This Christmas, offer genuine hospitality”
The holiday season can easily devolve into a series of items to be checked off a list: shopping, baking, wrapping, addressing cards, decorating, entertaining, and so much more. The hospitality inherent to the season can be lost.
The Christmas season is a beautiful opportunity to give and receive not just presents, but the gift of presence: that of friends and family, but most important, the presence of Christ.
“A season of Beauty
Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote: “Beauty will save the world.”
As Catholics, we know the source of this redeeming Beauty is Jesus’ love outpoured for us on the cross and His constant presence in our lives. Summer is a season of beauty that we wait all year to savor. Glorify God through your experiences of Beauty during its warm months of rest.
“Have mercy on us and on the whole world”
In 1931, Jesus appeared to Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska, a humble, uneducated Polish nun. Over the course of several apparitions, He shared with her the message of Divine Mercy, which she recorded in her diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul.
When Pope John Paul II canonized her on April 30, 2000, he decreed that the Sunday after Easter would be observed every year as Divine Mercy Sunday, a feast celebrating Jesus’ boundless mercy. Read how you can allow Divine Mercy to change your life.
Once in a while, Ash Wednesday falls on Valentine’s Day, presenting special Lenten challenge. Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence, but many popular sacrifices — such as giving up sweets — require us to forgo some favorite Valentine’s Day traditions.
When Ash Wednesday falls on February 14, we can choose to give up these small pleasures with joy and love. We can allow those offerings to set the stage for a Lent focused on sacrificial love.