Spirituality
My vocation story: Called from marriage to priesthood
Andrew Dutko succeeded in many things, but when his wife died suddenly, none of it mattered. Then he rediscovered his relationship with God, and it led him to serve all of God’s children as a priest.
Wordlessness of ‘a thin place’ draws us to deepest things
Effie Caldarola writes of those times or locations where our mind and heart seem to cross an invisible barrier, and we glimpse the transcendent -- a perfect metaphor for praying to the saints this month.
Refusing God’s generosity is a sin, pope says
In life, Christians face the choice of either being open to encountering God's generosity or closed in on their own interests, Pope Francis said.
Jesus’ saving love is real, concrete, pope says
Jesus' love for each person is a concrete love, a love that is addressed to each person "with their first and last name," Pope Francis said.
Readings of the Holy Mass: Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Read or listen to the readings before Mass with these resources from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, using the New American Bible, Revised Edition.
Baby’s baptism prompts fresh look at 1st sacrament
Gary Zimak found a new appreciation of baptism by attending his infant nephew's christening. Afterward the writer reviewed the catechism's teaching on the great gift of baptizing babies.
Should we bother converting others to Catholicism?
Father Kenneth Doyle clarifies for a reader whether those outside of the church can be saved, and if the faithful should try to "win them over." In response to another question, he explains whether priests can say Mass alone.
Every day is All Saints Day
Gina Christian has always had good friends in heavenly places, and she's grateful for their constant companionship in moments of both joy and sorrow.
Spiritual Exercises, spread over many months, can change your life
The 30-day intense spiritual journey written 500 years ago by St. Ignatius of Loyola can be performed over a longer time period, and in a powerful way, as Philadelphia Deacon Michael Kubiak explains.
Forgiving Dad was tough, but if God can, so can daughter
Cathy Peacock tells the story of a local woman whose father, a strict and abusive disciplinarian, found in old age God's mercy and the joy of knowing the Lord, which his daughter shares.