Growing up, I remember Christmas being such a magical time of year. As soon as Thanksgiving was over, the Christmas decorations came out, the tree
Off the Shelf 102 – Father William P. Saunders We are in full Advent prep mode and I have a great book to share with
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the
I wish to encourage all Christians to begin their day, prayer and all activities, with the sign of the Cross; praying in the Name of
For those with a special devotion to Our Lady of Fatima, Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle provides the perfect opportunity to journey through the season with Our
I have lived almost 53 years on this earth and just now I think I am really starting to “get it.” I don’t mean I
Advent is traditionally a time of quiet reflection as we prepare our hearts to embrace the Christ Child once again. Two new Advent devotionals for
The heresy of Quietism (1687) involved a complete misunderstanding of the classical mystical authors by various groups of religious enthusiasts that led to all sorts
Advent has arrived, and now we look forward to celebrating the birth of the Messiah. We also prepare in anticipation for his second coming which
Throughout most of the last 2,000 years, Christians have considered homosexual activity a sin. Could Jesus’ opinion on homosexual activity differ from this? Homosexual activity
At the beginning of my faith journey, as I was learning and struggling to accept all of its teachings, I was pretty timid about sharing
I was an early devotee of minimalism. When my wife and I met in 2008 I was sleeping Japanese-style on a futon mattress-topped tatami mat
One of the joys in living in an area like the Diocese of Knoxville, which is approximately 3 percent Catholic, is that there are many
Both normal and morbid curiosity can prompt our desire to know the mysterious details of unknown secrets. It often depends on the source we seek
Off the Shelf 101 – Kendra Tierney Kendra Tierney made a concerted effort to bring the feasts and events of the liturgical calendar into her
Excitement is in the air as the “holiday season” begins. Around the same time as the reunions and feasts of Thanksgiving, Christmas lights begin to
There is a stone building called “Mary’s House” near the ancient city of Ephesus (modern-day Turkey) on a hillside named “Nightingale”. The house is simple,
The lives of the saints captivate me. The Church, in her wisdom, elevates various saints as witnesses of what a life fully embracing Christ can
Either the Catholic is archaic, outdated, and old-fashioned, or s/he has hold over a genuine understanding. The Church has always taught that the dignity of
Consider Matthew 14:31: Peter cried out for help when he began to sink as he tried to walk on water toward Jesus in the stormy
Catholics can rightfully wish each other “Happy New Year!” on Sunday, December 2nd, because it is the beginning of a new liturgical year in the
One of the fundamental characteristics of contemplation for a Carmelite is the understanding that it is an invitation: an invitation into another’s presence. God invites
