Last week, I enjoyed my first-ever wine tasting tour in the Harbor Country of Michigan along with my wife and our kids and their significant others. It was a wonderful experience as we enjoyed the variety of flavors from a number of wineries in the New Buffalo area. The experience led me to reflect on the role of wine in our spiritual journey. It is no accident that Jesus chose wine as one of the […]
This Sunday’s Gospel (Mark 1:14–20) invites us to hear the first words out of Jesus’ mouth as he begins his public ministry: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” One of the reasons that we find this passage difficult to take to heart is because of a lack of understanding of what it means to repent. Here’s how I understand it. Among the many […]
I am very excited to share this news with you: discussion questions for my book, Under the Influence of Jesus: The Transforming Experience of Encountering Christ, ARE NOW AVAILABLE! Thanks to my good friend and co-worker, Carrie Freyer, and to the Marketing Department at Loyola Press for designing this resource and making it available for folks! These discussion questions make it possible for small faith groups and book discussion groups to spend some time reflecting […]
I’ve been invited by my friends Nick Wagner and Diana Macalintal over at TeamRCIA to participate in a Webinar on Thursday, August 14, 2014, (2:00p to 3:00p Eastern / 11:00a to 12:00p Pacific) titled An RCIA Guide to Making the Good News Great! I’ll be drawing heavily from my book, Under the Influence of Jesus as we talk about how to communicate the Gospel so that it sounds like great news to those who need […]
While on vacation, I caught wind of this very nice review of my book, Under the Influence of Jesus. The review was written for CatholicPhilly.com by Eugene J. Fisher, a professor of theology at St. Leo University in Florida. Thanks, Dr. Fisher! Here’s a sample of the review: This book is a spiritual meditation on what it means to be a Christian in one’s daily life. Written on a popular level, it makes use of […]
Several weeks ago, the Publisher of Loyola Press, Fr. Paul Brian Campbell, SJ, sat down with me to ask his “One Question” and he chose to ask about the title of my book, Under the Influence of Jesus. Here’s my reply. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSo0zdOWasw Speaking of my book, Under the Influence of Jesus, here’s another wonderful review by blogger Fran Rossi Szpylczyn who blogs at There Will Be Bread. Thanks Fran!
Imagine how you would feel if someone stepped into your life, paid off all of your debts, and set up a line of credit for you to draw from for the rest of your life! I know one thing: I’d like this person’s business card! This scenario may sound far-fetched, but in essence, this is what God has done for us, and this is what we celebrate on Pentecost. God not only relieved us of […]
You’ve heard of “Joliet Jake” from the Blues Brothers, but have you heard of “Joliet Joyce?” 🙂 Joyce Donahue is the last stop on my blog tour for my book, Under the Influence of Jesus: The Transforming Experience of Encountering Christ. Joyce, a Catechetical Associate in the Diocese of Joliet Religious Education Office, writes a wonderful blog at Liturgy and Catechesis Shall Kiss. When it comes to the nuts and bolts of liturgy and catechesis, […]
Ah, there’s nothing like traveling through the cornfields of Illinois on my way downstate! My blog tour today takes me to the state capitol of Springfield where Jonathan Sullivan serves as the Diocesan Director of Catechetical Services. Anyone know who the bishop is down there? 😉 I’ve spoken of Jonathan before on my blog and continue to admire him and see him as one of the brightest minds in catechetical ministry in our country today. […]
Today, the blog tour for my book, Under the Influence of Jesus: The Transforming Experience of Encountering Christ, visits catechist extraordinaire, Marc Cardaronella, who aptly describes himself as a “passionate Catholic; evangelical catechist; experimental evangelist; former naval aviator; revert; and wannabe changemaker!” Here is more of how Marc describes himself and his blog: I’m Marc. I work at a Catholic parish in Central Illinois, and I have a passion for evangelization. This is where parish […]
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