COLUMNS

A daydreaming believer

I often follow along in my missalette the words of the entire Mass, not because I am pious but because I am a chronic daydreamer. Looking at the words on the page and thinking about them can keep me focused ... for a while. But then something sends me off …

The holiness of the ordinary in 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood'

Fred Rogers used to say that the space between the television screen and the viewer is holy ground. Imagine if all media producers felt that way.As the news spreads about the psychological tactics used by Facebook and other social media companies to hook users and mine their personal data, it …

Finding your path home to God

In his Confessions, St. Augustine wrote, “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.”

Putting God on trial

In both our piety and our agnosticism, we sometimes put God on trial and whenever we do that, it’s we who end up being judged.

Good Friday

On Thursday evening, Jesus retreated from the upper room and went to a nearby garden to pray. An agonizing emotion came over him as awaited his fate.  

A vocation of mercy

I grew up Catholic without ever hearing about the Divine Mercy devotion, which the Church celebrates annually on the after Easter.

From angry judge to wounded healer

Though singer-songwriter Audrey Assad converted to Catholicism in her 20s, remnants of the fundamentalist faith in which she was raised still held some power over her perception of God.

Hope continues on

During these past two months, different experiences have put the cross and resurrection into my heart.

Sweet spots and sacrifices

I have no business singing high C.The second a hymn starts, I can tell by the notes whether the song's range is in my comfort zone. Solidly alto, I am happiest singing F, G and A above middle C. But B thins out, C stretches and D screeches.

Much is required to remain faithful to our Catholic beliefs

Every Saturday, a local newspaper features excerpts from Sunday homilies, including occasional Catholic ones, in a section called "From the Pulpit."

When time stands still

The theory of relativity tells us that space and time are not what they appear to be.

The healing ritual of confession

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a divinely instituted encounter with the mercy of God that we should avail ourselves of on a regular basis.

Reflecting on the ministry of Pope Francis

Pope Francis has my admiration because I hear the voice of love speaking through him. He always stresses God’s infinite mercy.

A pilgrimage for vocations

The penitential season of Lent is over, yet the inclination to do penance remains, not to atone for past failings -- for Easter trumpets that we have been redeemed -- but to prepare for the future.

Heart, humility, and the Most Holy Name

Do you put more of your head or your heart into your prayers? While author Gary Jansen acknowledges that you need the right balance, he suspects that over-intellectualizing prayer is a common problem, so we need to focus more on the heart. And one way to do that is through …


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