The Luminous Mysteries: The Wedding at Cana and a Banquet Mentality

We continue our reflections on the Luminous Mysteries. Today, we focus on the second Mystery of Light, which is the Wedding Feast at Cana. Perhaps one of the most striking images of God’s generosity and what I like to call a “banquet mentality” can be found in the story of Jesus’s first miracle at the wedding at Cana (John 2:1–11). Jesus, his mother, and his disciples were attending a wedding feast in Cana when the […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: The Beatitudes

Our eyes can easily be fooled by optical illusions and mirages. We may see one thing until our eyes adjust or someone points out another way of looking at an image. This is what Jesus’ Beatitudes are all about. He is saying to us, “Don’t be fooled by what the world says will make you happy.” In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore the Beatitudes as Jesus’ way of teaching us to see in […]

The Luminous Mysteries: The Baptism of Jesus and How God Entered the Muck

As we enter into the last months of Ordinary Time, let’s reflect on the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary over the next few weeks. In 2002, St. Pope John Paul II proposed a fourth set of mysteries—the Mysteries of Light, or Luminous Mysteries, which cover events in the life of Jesus and Mary during the Lord’s public ministry. The First Luminous Mystery is the Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan, an event which was […]

Pop-Up Prayer: Guest Gary Jansen

We continue our series, Pop-Up Prayer—brief interviews on the topic of prayer with prominent people in pastoral ministry and spiritual authors. In this episode, Gary Jansen talks about praying to heal past wounds—our own and those of others. Gary Jansen, Executive Editor of Acquisitions at Loyola Press, is a popular speaker and the author of several books, including The 15-Minute Prayer Solution, Station to Station, Microshifts: Transforming Your Life One Step at a Time, and his most […]

Mass Bingo Game

Enhance children’s understanding of the Eucharist and the Mass in a fun way by playing Mass Bingo. Play as a way to involve children in the Eucharistic Revival, either in sacramental preparation classes or as a review in faith formation sessions across grade levels. Pair a game of Bingo with reading Seven Clues: A Catholic Treasure Hunt in a family session or First Eucharist retreat day. For more resources on preparation for First Eucharist, see […]

Pop-Up Prayer: Guest Lillie Rodgers

In this episode of Pop-Up Prayer, Lillie Rodgers talks about recognizing that, in prayer, we don’t have to work at ascending a ladder to reach God, since God has “descended” to be with us in the Incarnation. Lillie, who appears in this video with her two-year-old daughter Grace, is Coordinator of Pastoral Ministry at St. Paul’s Newman Center at the University of Wyoming. Be sure to check out the many resources on prayer and many excellent books on […]

Pop-Up Prayer: Guest Fr. Michael Rossmann, SJ

We continue our series, Pop-Up Prayer—brief interviews on the topic of prayer with prominent people in pastoral ministry and spiritual authors from all over the country (and the world)! In this episode, Fr. Michael Rossmann, SJ, talks about how to avoid getting into a rut in our prayer lives. Fr. Rossmann is a Jesuit priest and doctoral student at the Gregorian University in Rome. He previously served as the editor-in-chief of The Jesuit Post and […]

Pop-Up Catechesis: The Eucharist and What We Crave

Researchers tell us that the majority of us experience regular cravings for specific foods. It’s important to remember, however, that hunger and cravings are not synonymous. The former is driven by the body, while the latter is driven by the mind. Hunger seeks to satisfy a physical need; a craving seeks to satisfy an emotional one. That’s why cravings are not limited to food. We can find ourselves craving any and all of the following: […]

Cultivating Stillness

In the First Book of Kings, we read an interesting story about how God makes himself known to us. The prophet Elijah is told to go out on a mountain and wait for the Lord to pass by. A mighty wind passes by, “but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was […]

Pop-Up Prayer: Guest Dr. Kathryn Bojczyk

We continue our series, Pop-Up Prayer—brief interviews on the topic of prayer with prominent people in pastoral ministry from all over the country! In this episode, Dr. Kathryn Bojczyk talks about the importance of teaching children to pray from within an attitude of gratitude. Dr. Bojczyk currently serves as Chair of the Department of Education and Coordinator of the Early Childhood Education Program at The Catholic University of America. She has also served as a […]

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