Andrea JoinesLast Updated: December 17th, 2020Holy Land, Saints, Spiritual Reflections
While Christmas is often associated with a jolly old man bearing gifts for all, there is another less-jolly old man even more closely tied with the birthplace of our Savior. And who also happened to offer a gift to the world. Yes, even saints get grumpy sometimes, and St. Jerome was known for his grumpiness. … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: December 10th, 2020Guadalupe, Saints, Spiritual Reflections
I’ve only become interested in Our Lady of Guadalupe within the last 4 years or so. I’m a self-proclaimed artist who finds great joy in creating religious art. After completing pieces of many of my favorite saints to hang around my college home, and then my first apartment after graduating, I wanted to create a … Read More
Krista BehringerLast Updated: December 17th, 2020Saints, Spiritual Reflections
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Born: July 15, 1850 in Italy Died: December 22, 1917 (age 67) Beatified: November 13, 1938 by Pope Pius XI Canonized: July 7, 1946 by Pope Pius XII Feast day: November 13 Patron of: immigrants and hospital administrators Although born in Italy, St. Frances was naturalized a U.S. citizen in 1909, … Read More
Krista BehringerLast Updated: December 17th, 2020Saints, Spiritual Reflections
The year 2020 has certainly brought many changes and challenges, causing stress and certain anxieties never before experienced. Timing couldn’t be better for us to connect with a few of our great American Saints and one of our Blessed. We can learn how they lived, prayed, and ultimately accepted God’s will in hopes that we … Read More
Andrea JoinesLast Updated: December 17th, 2020Camino de Santiago, Pilgrims' Stories, Saints
Throughout the first month of my Camino across northern Spain we had been blessed with the warmest and driest October in 200 years. The sun shone every day and the little rain we did have was warm and ended quickly, allowing us to dry out by the end of the walking day. The breezes were mostly warm and dry, especially once we turned … Read More
When you visit a locale with extraordinary significance in salvation history, it’s good to have Scripture close at hand. When my family visited Rome a few years ago, it was Scripture coupled with history that really hit home the richness and depth of our Faith. On our trip, one of the places we visited was … Read More
To see the handwriting of saint you admire – the way he wrote his a’s, the slant he used, the handwriting stroke, firm, or light – is a window into their humanity. These little gems of handwritten notes – rare nowadays in our fast-paced culture of emails, texts, and online messaging – are treasured heirlooms … Read More
Have you ever prayed fervently for something to happen only to have the exact opposite thing occur? And you couldn’t understand why in the moment, but later on it became really clear? If so, you are in good company! St. Monica, like most mothers, worried about her son, the future St. Augustine, and the state of his soul. When … Read More
St. Gregory the Great – Pope Gregory I – shaped the papacy and reformed the liturgy in such a stunning way that it made him one of the greatest popes in history. His influence has had a permanent effect on the Catholic Church. Here are just a few highlights of this great pope: He wrote more than 850 letters. He wrote an extensive commentary … Read More
Crowning Mary with a garland of flowers while singing songs and celebrating a special Mass was a favorite tradition in my Catholic school. It’s from this simple act repeated every year for 12 years that made Mary queen of my heart. Mary’s queenship is a direct result of the doctrine of her Assumption, naturally flowing to when she was crowned Queen of Heaven. … Read More
The Gulf of St. Lawrence was named after the saint we celebrated earlier this week by the French explorer Jacques Cartier as he first sailed into the gulf on August 10, 1535, the feast of the martyr St. Lawrence of Rome. It is fitting then, to explore today some of the other saints now connected … Read More
Bri CampbellLast Updated: August 6th, 2020Pilgrims' Stories, Saints, Spiritual Reflections
After five too many months of being stuck in my Indianapolis home for a series of quarantines, curfews, and stay-at-home orders, I most excitedly hopped a plane and made my way to the great state of Colorado. This summer has been a rough one. I found myself surprised when I learned of kids starting school … Read More
St. Ignatius of Loyola, whose feast day we celebrate on July 31st, has gifted the church with a unique expression of spirituality. His Spiritual Exercises are integral in the lives of the members of the Society of Jesus, more commonly called the Jesuits, which he founded in 1540. Though few others are able to participate … Read More
It’s a long-running joke in my family to respond to a question of how to get somewhere with “Oh, you can’t get there from here. You have to go somewhere else to start.” It seems like an odd comment – and not very helpful – but in the pilgrimage world, it is not uncommon to … Read More
What do St. Edith Stein, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. John of the Cross all have in common? Apart from residing in Eternal Paradise together, these three saints lived their lives in the Carmelite order, leaving the world behind to live in a community devoted to prayer, contemplation, and being in union with the … Read More
