A little over a month ago, several seminarians, priests, and lay faithful had the pleasure and privilege of taking a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and the trip was not like your standard trip (as if a trip to the king of the universe’s stomping grounds could ever be standard). Covid was still hanging in … Read More
What is an Aspergillum?
One of the highlights for our pilgrims to the Holy Land is often when they renew their baptismal vows. This occurs in the Jordan River where Christ himself was baptized by his cousin John, whose feast day we celebrate on June 24th. The Catholic Church as a whole also recognizes the value of this renewal … Read More
My Final Three
July 10, 2017, was my first day working at Tekton Ministries. Nearly 5 years later, I find myself recounting the memories of my top three pilgrimages. Perhaps you may find inspiration for your next pilgrimage… Italy I went to Italy with Tekton Ministries as I graduated college in 2017. Little did I know, I would … Read More
June is for the Sacred Heart
As we transition into the season of summer, we’re greeted by the month-long celebration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. With the added benefit of beautiful, warm weather, we are also called to draw closer to the merciful and all-encompassing love of our Savior. First revealed to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque through apparitions in the … Read More
Veni Sancte Spiritus
This Sunday, during the Mass for Pentecost, an ancient liturgical prayer will be proclaimed. The Pentecost sequence, also known as the “Veni Sancte Spiritus” is a beautiful call to the Holy Spirit to come into this world in a powerful way. During the Middle Ages, sequences were added to various liturgies to enhance the celebration … Read More
Unexpected Blessings
I first learned about the Camino de Santiago my senior year of college. It became a dream of mine from that day on. I never knew how I could make it a reality, given the logistics of needing at least a month off work and the money to cover all the costs. So, the dream … Read More
The Show Must Go On
In late 2019, on a whim that quickly became a reality, I booked a trip to Poland and Germany for May of 2020 with my coworker. We were going to trace the steps of St. John Paul II through his home country and then end the trip with a couple days in Oberammergau, where we … Read More
What Happens in Rome, Stays in Fatima
It was a warm May afternoon, pleasantly sunny and warm. The 16th century architecture wrapped around the square, slowly swelling as 10,000 people earned their spot in the sprawling courtyard, woven around fountains and structures, corralled in by hardy trail markers. The general attitude of the growing crowd was gentle exciting, growing with each ticking … Read More
Drawing Near to our Mothers
Nine years ago, while I was in the Chapel of the Apparitions in Fatima, our priest shared a story about one of our fellow pilgrims. At seventeen, she was one of the younger ones in our group and was on this pilgrimage with her older siblings and parents. We had recently walked five days on … Read More
The Perfect Weekend for a Feast
Spring is in the air, we’re into our second week of the Easter season, and the brighter days call for socializing and celebrating the departure from cold and bleak weather. One of the great things about the Church is that it, too, likes causes for celebration all year long. One way to incorporate the life … Read More
A Tale of Two Easters
While the majority of churches in communion with Rome celebrated Easter this past Sunday and are well into the Octave of Easter today, Eastern Orthodox Christians and some Byzantine Catholics are just now celebrating Holy Thursday, the beginning of their Triduum. This year, the two Easters are celebrated just a week apart. Occasionally, they are … Read More
An Easter Egg Hunt for the Fruits of Lent
Christ is risen, Hallelujah! The forty days are over and we can finally rejoice! The Lord is so good, and in his goodness he desires to draw us nearer to him throughout the season of Lent. While we may have felt inconvenienced and slighted by the “sacrifices” that we decided to take on, we need to realize that God is calling on us to recognize that the things of this world are nothing compared to him, his awesome love, and the kingdom that he has waiting for us.
Keeping Holy the Holy Week
Next week, we begin our final preparations for Easter: Holy Week. It’s during this time that we commemorate Jesus’ final moments of His life and public ministry. Prepare your heart in a greater way for the Easter Celebration by immersing into the entire journey. Below, you can find what events happened each day in Scripture … Read More
Deep in the Wilderness
We’re coming to a close on the fourth week of Lent. A month ago, we solemnly celebrated Ash Wednesday; a time of repentance, humility, and remembering that to dust we will one day return. Dust, the simplest of earthly “ingredients.” Common to anywhere and everywhere, it is nowhere close to extravagant or unique. It is … Read More
Monk-y Business
Q. What do hot sauce, caskets, beer, and fudge have in common? A. Monks Monks? Yes. All of these products, and many more, are produced by monks (and nuns) at monasteries throughout the world and can often be purchased for personal use. Perhaps the most famous of these are the Trappist beers, produced at monasteries … Read More