The week before classes started at UT this January, nearly 80 Longhorn Catholics came back to town early – to go out in mission. This is the 4th year of Austin CARITAS (Catholics Answering the Redeemer’s Invitation to Authentic Sanctity), where UT students give up a week of their winter break to serve those in need… [Read More]
Family, Faith and the Fall College App Craze
There are some big things happening right now in the world of the family in our culture. And as much as we are sons and daughters of God, we are also children of our time, swimming in the atmosphere of our every day environments. That’s not a call to move to the mountains and become… [Read More]
Advice for Graduating High School Students
One of the missions God is currently calling me to serve is working with graduating high school youths, and it has been an incredible blessing for me to closely journey with inspiring teens. A couple of years ago, I wrote an open letter to my graduating students, and I still stand behind it. Now, I… [Read More]
Making Friends As A Young Adult
When you are in school it is easy to meet other people with similar perspectives and interests because the educational systems categorize and do the grouping for you. For most of us, it’s so natural that we miss how easy it makes it to begin friendships. Once you leave school, making friends is a very… [Read More]
Ya Gotta Be A Straight Shooter Do Ya Got it?
If you didn’t catch the Aladdin reference, here you go. The joke ends at about 35 seconds in. Thanks and Gig’em. “Do you have what it takes?” The recurring trial of being a man; the question that can plague a man’s heart in the midst of suffering. This question has been on the soul of every… [Read More]
Open Letter to Graduating High School Seniors
I’ve spent the last 4 years as a catechist to high school seniors. Before that I spent 4 years with confirmation classes and middle school students, but focusing on sending students out to college and beyond high school has been some of my most fruitful experiences. I would like to share a personal letter to… [Read More]
Yeah, I Was SO Drunk. It Was Awesome!
“Yeah, I was so drunk…” I cringe whenever I hear that phrase. Drunkenness. It’s something I’ve never been comfortable hearing about, and definitely don’t like witnessing… Person 1: “So I was at this party, and everyone there was drinking like crazy and by the end of the night I was so drunk… it was awesome.”… [Read More]
A Catholic College Experience
It was the summer in between my junior and senior year in college. I was back at home volunteering at my parish’s vacation bible school. I was the designated photographer hoping to get some good shots for my portfolio due at the end of my summer photography course. It was during a break when I… [Read More]
Falling and Fighting – The Struggle for Christ
I’ve been a Catholic school kid my entire life. A fact that has provided me with a number of opportunities that many people didn’t get growing up. I had the opportunity to learn about my faith in school, to share my faith with all my friends and teachers, to pray openly. But I also had… [Read More]