Habemus Papam: My Journey with Pope Francis
I was in Spanish class in 2013 at my Catholic college when the church bells all around campus began to ring and didn’t stop. My good friend in that class and I exchanged looks and …
The Importance of Non-Catholic Friendships (Part 2)
This is part two of a series on friendship. Part one can be found here. A few weeks ago, I wrote some reflections on the importance of cultivating Catholic friendships, friendships with people who challenge …
Reflections on Spontaneous Prayer
I will never forget a conversation which I had with an elderly lady at a nursing home a few years ago. Normally, the nursing home, run by religious sisters and housing elderly people with certain …
Mary Magdalene and Evangelization
Life in the Bible belt of the United States is definitely unique. The western USA has the Spanish missions; the northeast has a decently strong Catholic culture, with statues of Mary in almost every yard. …
The Importance of Catholic Friendships (Part 1)
This is part one of a two part set of reflections on friendship as part of the Christian life. Last month I got to do something which I hadn’t done in a long, long time: …
Why You Should Consider Praying the Liturgy of the Hours
For Lent this year, I decided to do something which I hadn’t done since I was in college: I wanted to reinvigorate my languishing prayer life, and so I pulled from my bookshelf a four-volume …
Choose Joy, Not Bitterness Today
Our world today is an angry one. Not a single day goes by without some news story working up our emotions, causing us to get angry over injustice or someone’s foolish decisions (like a gas …
Meatless Meal Ideas for Fridays
Most people know that on Fridays in Lent, we Catholics abstain from eating meat. But did you know that, until a few decades ago, not eating meat was required on normal Fridays throughout the year …
Faith, Evangelization, and Relationship with God
“Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?” How often have you heard that question in the context of evangelization from a well-meaning Evangelical friend? Our Protestant brothers and sisters often criticize us Catholics …
Loving Our Neighbor: Assuming the Best of Others
The contemporary world is polarized over almost everything, and some things more than others stand out. When we hear certain words and talk about certain topics, we automatically retreat into our ideological camps, simultaneously covering …