Do you remember where you were on March 13, 2013? I was sitting in class for my Doctor of Ministry program at the University of St. Mary of the Lake (Mundelein Seminary), when the seminary’s chapel bells started to ring; a new pope had been elected! It’s hard to believe that was already ten years ago, and here we are, celebrating Pope Francis’s 10th anniversary as pope! This occasion is a great opportunity for catechists […]
In this episode of Pop-Up Prayer, our guest is Fr. Brice Higginbotham, a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux in Louisiana who is currently pursuing a Licentiate in Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. He is also the author of Remaining with Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of John. Fr. Brice shares his thoughts about listening for God’s voice in the silence and pre-disposing ourselves to prayer.
If you are preparing children to celebrate their First Reconciliation (Penance), you might want to be aware of a couple of small changes that have been made in the wording of the order. Last year, the Vatican approved a new translation of the Order of Penance (previously the Rite of Penance). The only significant change to be aware of is a slight change in the wording of the priest’s prayer of absolution. The changes are […]
When we think of going on vacation, we usually think of a place where we can spend a lot of time outdoors. Even when we are at work, we often look for an opportunity to step outside and get some fresh air. There is something regenerative about being outdoors. As we continue to reflect briefly on the steps from my book, 8 Steps to Energize Your Faith, I invite you to reflect on step two: […]
With the season of Lent upon us, the question looms: “Do we pray differently during Lent?” To answer that question, I turned to Fr. Andy Alexander, SJ, the Director of the Collaborative Ministries Office and Online Ministries at Creighton University and co-author (with Maureen McCann Waldron), of Praying Lent: Renewing Our Lives on the Lenten Journey. For more information about praying during the Lenten season, check out the following links: Praying Lent: Renewing Our Lives […]
It’s common for adults, when observing little children running around and playing games, to say, “If I had even half of their energy, I’d be happy!” We do, indeed, seek to be energized, both physically and spiritually. Over the coming weeks, I will be sharing brief videos based on my book, 8 Steps to Energize Your Faith, designed to provide concrete suggestions for tapping into divine energy. Step one is: Create something! Be sure to […]
As we journey through the National Eucharistic Revival, we are reflecting on the parts of the Mass and what each part is calling us to do and be the other six days of the week. In this episode, we look at the Profession of Faith and how proclaiming the Creed is an exercise in trust. The Profession of Faith calls us to deepen our trust in God’s saving grace. How do you strive to put this […]
With Valentine’s Day upon us, I thought I would take this opportunity to share a few thoughts about love. In particular, I’d like to share some thoughts about how to make a loving relationship last, since we live in a world in which love is too often seen as simply a fleeting emotion. Scripture, on the other hand, speaks of God’s love as being “an everlasting love.” Since we are made in God’s image, that […]
A popular online matchmaking and dating service in Chicago is called “It’s Just Lunch.” The name captures a common line used by people who try to deny that there is any level of seriousness or “scandal” in getting together with someone over a meal. If sharing food with another person did not suggest relationship, we wouldn’t feel the need to use a phrase such as, “It’s just lunch.” The truth is, even in our contemporary, […]
The Directory for Catechesis reminds us that the family “is indeed a Christian education more witnessed to than taught, more occasional than systematic, more ongoing and daily than structured into periods.” (227) Lent is a perfect time for parents to give witness to their children of the importance of serving others. During Lent, we make efforts to pray, fast, and give alms. Almsgiving is an activity that the whole family can participate in, because it […]
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