Our greatest act of worship is returning the gift of the Cross
What do you get the person who has everything? God is clear throughout the Scriptures that the act of giving gifts is central to his relationship with us. From manna…
How to pray the Stations of the Cross during Lent and year round
On a recent visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, I was struck by the beauty of the representations of the Stations of the Cross. I always love…
Into the desert with St. Francis de Sales
Lent holds a special opportunity to pursue Christ into the desert and, in uniting more closely with him, to return on the other side with abundant fruits. For those, however,…
What Our Lady of Lourdes can teach us during Lent
Our Blessed Mother appeared in a radiant light to St. Bernadette on Feb. 11, 1858. Most people know about the healing waters at Lourdes, but do you know what Our…
How to give up hurrying for Lent
Thomas Merton wrote, “Hurry ruins saints as well as artists.” If that’s true, then I’m in trouble. Nearly every day involves a handful of rushed moments in which I rarely…
Lent is about more than just you
Every year when Lent rolls around and I start thinking about what my Lenten sacrifice should be, I get a little anxious. I want to come up with the perfect…
4 resolutions for your liturgical New Year
My favorite Advent greeting is “Happy New Year!” The greeting is technically accurate since Advent is the start of the liturgical year. And it reminds me that this time is…
Praying with the Holy Cloak of St. Joseph
As a little girl, did you ever wear your dad’s coat? If so, you probably remember how the sleeves dwarfed your arms, how you felt so secure wrapped in more…
What Our Lady of Sorrows can teach us about the heart of women
A few months ago while tucked into a coffee shop booth with my best friend, I found myself filling her in on the sweetness and sorrow of the previous month….
In pursuit of moderation
As we neared the end of Lent, my mind was haunted by something a priest had said at the beginning of the liturgical season: “You should spend some time thinking…