I was 19, and living back home with my family for a while, when, coming in one evening, I found everyone very bemused with me. “We got a call from the Christian book store that the book you ordered is in…….?” My mom queried. “OK.” “We thought it might be a wrong number……?” “No, that’s… [Read More]
Where’s Baby Jesus? – The Empty Manger
Getting ready for Christmas was my favorite time of year as a little boy. I was blessed to grow up in a very Catholic family, and I was always fascinated by nativity scenes and their symbolism. There is something about baby Jesus that really spoke to me as a kid. My biggest issue was that He… [Read More]
More Than Preaching to the Birds (Review: Francis of Assisi: A New Biography)
I really like saints. This is fortunate, because I am a Catholic and can therefore experience the fullness of communion with those brothers and sisters in Christ that have gone before us. I have my extra-special favorites and my preferred companions, and then there are saints that I’m pretty apathetic about. For me, St. Francis… [Read More]
This I Believe* – I Believe in Community
The human reality of community has been on my mind and heart a lot lately. How we experience community is so foundational to how we experience Church. Pope Francis recently put forth a challenge to each of us: “What do I do to make the Church a community in which everyone feels welcomed and understood, [in which]… [Read More]
The 2012 Non-Evangelizing Guide Every Catholic Needs To Read
Today’s post is an intro into a two {or three} part series depending on how feisty and “write-y” I feel this week about ways NOT to evangelize. Today’s piece is foundational, meaning I’m going to build on it by writing a series based on my own personal experiences. I should start this piece of brilliance by stating that… [Read More]