Although few make the time for contemplative prayer, it is essential if we are to grow closer to God. It is strongly recommended by St. Teresa of Avila and other spiritual writers. For me, contemplative prayer is allowing God to intervene in our...
We are approaching the holy season of Lent, a period of intensified prayer and penance preparing us for the celebration of Easter. Prayer and penance are essential weapons we must use in our battle against Satan, our fallen human nature and the...
If you are looking to be more successful in your prayer life, two practices I strongly recommend are to pray with others, and to combine your prayers with some form of penance such as fasting. Fasting may be an alien concept to many Catholics...
In its discussion of prayer, the Catechism of the Catholic Church distinguishes between meditation and contemplation. Meditation is described as a quest, in which “The mind seeks to understand the why and how of the Christian life, in order to...
With everyday events bombarding us with what seems to be bad news compounded by bad news, fear becomes more and more of a factor in our lives. Fear is our enemy. It is meant to defeat us and at the very least immobilize our ministries...
Everything to do with sacraments has mercy at the core of it. Let’s take a look at the Catholic definition: “Sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the church, through which divine life is given.” They are...
Many of the saints we celebrate and honor today began their lives as very secular people. They were headed in one direction in life when something happened that led to metanoia or change of heart, repentance of their sins and an experience of God’s...
St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) was a monk and a doctor of the Church. As much as he liked the quiet of his life in the monastery, he was frequently called upon to settle disputes in the Church, such as one time when two men claimed to be...
