August 14 marks the feast of a saint whose lifetime is not far removed from our own. Born in 1894, small Rajmund would soon grow up to be St. Maximilian Kolbe – Franciscan, radio host, monastery founder, newspaper publisher, and most famously, victim of the Auschwitz death camp. As a young man, St. Maximilian Kolbe … Read More
St. Alphonsus Liguori’s Main Rule: Pray Always!
It’s fitting that the Church of St. Alphonsus Liguori in Rome holds the sacred icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. St. Alphonsus wrote The Glories of Mary, one of the most used books of devotion to the Virgin Mary. In Rome, the church that houses his tomb, is a beautiful chapel that holds the … Read More
St. James of the Starry Field
After pondering about the Way of St. James for several months, I thought maybe I was to take a pilgrimage to Spain, that beautiful trip of the mind and heart to the shrine of St. James of Compostela. But through prayer, it seems my “way” for now is to read the book of James in … Read More
Mary Magdalene and her Red Egg
We all know the awe-inspiring story of Mary Magdalene, the first person Christ appeared to after his Resurrection. She was a true saint of hope running to tell the Apostles she had seen the Lord. They didn’t believe her until they ran to the tomb themselves. The unbelief of the Apostles steeled her for a … Read More
This Powerhouse of a Saint Finds more than Lost Items
The back of the envelope had the initials S.A.G. with a cross on each side. Inside, was some money and the sender –a wise mother– had invoked St. Anthony of Padua to make sure it got to her daughter who was overseas. This was before cellphones, computers, and automatic transfers. It was just the 1980s, … Read More
St. Bona of Pisa Has Been Taking Care of Pilgrims for a Long Time
This saint is a true pilgrimage friend. While St. Bona of Pisa might not be as well known for walking the El Camino trail in Spain like St. Francis of Assisi or the Spanish war-hero El Cid, she is one powerful saint to ask for intercessions on your journey. St. Bona of Pisa’s feast day … Read More
50 Ways to Call Your Mother
The “Litany of Loreto” is a powerful prayer composed in the Middle Ages and embraced by pilgrims at the Marian Shrine in Loreto, Italy, where tradition claims the original house of the Virgin Mary was transported. For centuries, the shrine has attracted pilgrims from all over the world. As a result, many of these pilgrims … Read More
Our Best Tour Guide is Found in Heaven
The life of St. Joseph must have been extremely interesting. In the words of St. John Paul the Great, “Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure.” And from the viewpoint of St. Joseph, his life was quite literally an adventure with Christ. From being visited by angels in his sleep, to caring for a pregnant … Read More
Pizza Sticks and Parish Priests
My youngest son was a picky eater. I packed his lunch almost every day until he was in the 8th grade. Then, they began selling “Bosco Sticks” in his school’s cafeteria. He couldn’t get enough of them. When I asked him why they were called “Bosco” sticks, he had no idea. Here’s what we discovered … Read More
