St. Ignatius of Laconi was born in 1701 on the island of Sardinia, Italy. From a young age, he was known for his deep piety and desire to serve God. After recovering from a serious illness, he fulfilled a promise to God by joining the Capuchin Franciscans. Ignatius spent his life performing humble tasks, particularly […]

St. Damien of Molokai was born in 1840 in Tremelo, Belgium. As a young man, he joined the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and later volunteered to serve as a missionary in Hawaii. In 1873, he offered to minister to the remote leper colony on the island of Molokai, where people […]

When the newly elected pope stepped out onto the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica and took the name Leo XIV, it wasn’t just a nod to tradition. It was a deliberate echo of a name carried by thirteen popes before him, beginning with Leo the Great, the 5th-century Doctor of the Church renowned for defending […]

In the Salve Regina (the Hail, Holy Queen, as it begins in English), Mary quickly receives the title, Mother of Mercy. Later in that prayer, we call out to her, admitting that we are “mourning and weeping in this valley of tears,” and we beg her to turn her “eyes of mercy toward us.” During […]

Jesus offers a promise of eternal life.  What must we do to receive it? Gospel (Read Jn. 10:27-30) In our very brief Gospel reading, Jesus makes a wonderful promise to shepherd His people into eternal life.  We, “the sheep,” must “hear” and “follow” Him.  These two words magnificently sum up the appropriate human response to the great […]

St. Pachomius was born around 292 AD in Upper Egypt to a pagan family. Drafted into the Roman army as a young man, he encountered Christians who offered him food and kindness while he was a prisoner. Deeply moved by their compassion, Pachomius converted to Christianity after his release. Seeking to dedicate his life entirely […]

The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.  — Lumen Gentium, 11 The election of a new pope is never merely a matter of succession. It is a spiritual moment for the whole Church—a time of anticipation, examination, and hope. In the current conclave, as the College of Cardinals considers who will […]

Recently, I was standing in my backyard burning directions and a small box for divination bones that someone had asked me to decommission for them. I burned everything I could and then buried the bones with exorcised salt and holy water and prayed they would never be found. I followed a protocol a priest-friend had […]

Dorothy Day was a lay missionary. She was not a member of a religious order (although she did become a Benedictine oblate); rather, she was a convert to Catholicism who completely embraced the religion to guide her everyday existence according to the Church calendar, liturgy, prayers, and Mass. She believed wholeheartedly in Jesus’ proclamation, according […]

The Apparition of Saint Michael the Archangel is a revered event traditionally dated to the late 5th century near Monte Gargano in southern Italy. According to legend, a wealthy landowner lost his prized bull, which was later found kneeling inside a cave. When an arrow was shot into the cave to drive the animal out, […]