Spirituality
Welcoming parishes help vacationers keep the faith
"Probably 80 percent of our seats are filled by visitors during vacation season," says Deacon DeWolfe. "They are well-grounded in their faith, and in fact many long-term visitors participate in other parish ministries."
How parishes can support faith growth in summer months
Parishes have to help families find ways to not only maintain faith during the summer but also to support faith growth.
Keeping the faith during summer break
Summer is a time to rest, to play, and to take a break from our routines. It's also an ideal time to grow closer to God in fun, creative ways.
The difference between admiring Jesus and following him
Following Jesus, and dying to ourselves every day, entails not watching him from a distance but engaging in the life he offers, writes Msgr. Joseph Prior on this Sunday's Gospel reading.
Readings of the holy Mass – Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Read or listen to the readings before Mass with the resources below from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, using the New American Bible, Revised Edition.
While watching ‘The Keepers,’ remain in the sacraments
Father Ken Doyle answers a reader's fears that her family might drift from the church after watching a TV series on sexual abuse. He commends their commitment to continue going to Mass.
Slow down and don’t swerve into life’s oncoming traffic
If we handle our delays and hardships with patience and humility we can follow God's paths, even the unpaved ones, to get where we need to go, writes Gina Christian.
Mysticism is found in the everyday experience of God
Modern Christians tend to think of mystics as belonging to earlier times, but the mystical encounter occurs in the here and now of our daily lives.
From the Middle Ages to modern times, mystics call us to intimacy with God
The Middle Ages produced a number of high-profile mystics, but even in modern, skeptical times, we can experience a deep relationship with the invisible God.
Mysticism and the modern believer
Mysticism is essentially a profound communion with God and his creation. In this series of articles, we look at how the mystical experience is as relevant today as it was in earlier ages.