The Church celebrates the feast day of one of the most popular saints of our times, St. Therese of Lisieux, on October 1. She was dubbed by Pope Saint Pius X the “greatest saint of modern times,” and her legacy and spiritual teachings live on in the multitude of Christians who follow her “Way of Spiritual Childhood” or her “Little Way.” On October 19, 1997, Pope John Paul II declared St. Therese a Doctor of the Church in honor of... Read more
According to the remarkable mystic and saint, Padre Pio, “the more Jesus wishes to raise a soul to perfection, the more the cross of tribulation increases.” This was certainly true for the Capuchin friar and priest whose feast day we celebrate on September 23. He suffered with the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, along with numerous other trials and sufferings, for 50 years. He became so close to Christ that Our Lord allowed him to bear the very wounds which... Read more
In 1973, a Japanese nun by the name of Sister Agnes Sasagawa is reported to have received messages from the Blessed Mother. Upon entering the Institute of the Handmaids of the Holy Eucharist, near Akita, Japan, Sister Agnes suddenly became completely deaf. She experienced the stigmata and apparitions, during which she was entrusted with messages for the world. Our Lady emphasized repentance and prayer in her apparitions to the nun. A wooden statue of the Virgin Mary was reported to... Read more
Jimmy Buffet is a wildly successful musician and entrepreneur. Through his music, he conjures up images of life as a perpetual tropical paradise, ‘watchin’ the sun bake,’ salty margarita in hand. Growing up in Mobile, Alabama, he graduated from my daughter’s high school, which was then McGill Institute, now known as McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, and briefly attended Auburn University. Living along the Gulf Coast near the sandy beaches inspired the singer and songwriter to create his unique brand, which... Read more
Given the choice between feeling very hot or very cold, I will choose the stifling heat any day. The end of Summer in the South is made up of scorching, 100-degree days, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. The heat reminds me of my youth – hot summer days as a child, playing baseball until the sun set and five-mile midday runs around the lake in college, feeling refreshed and energized upon returning home. The summer heat also reminds me... Read more
“What is truth?” This is Pilate’s well known retort to Jesus when questioning him in trial before Jesus’ Passion and Crucifixion. In John’s gospel, Pilate asks Jesus whether he is a king, to which Jesus responds,”You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” There Is an Objective Truth If we believe that Jesus who he... Read more
We all know the story of the Prodigal Son. Much attention has been given to the wayward son who asked for his inheritance early, then squandered it all on a life of dissolute living. We all know how he found himself in dire straits and had a conversion of heart, bringing him to his knees in humility and repentance, and returned to his father’s home asking for forgiveness. The Older Brother An important lesson can also be drawn from the... Read more
What does God say about worrying? He tells us to “have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”(Phil 4:6-7) The Worry Cocoon “Have no anxiety at all” can seem like a very tall order for some people like me. The past couple of weeks have been especially stressful and anxiety-provoking for... Read more
As a mother, I often think about the Old Testament story of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac with awe and amazement. God put Abraham to the test in an unthinkable way. Nowhere in the story does it say that Abraham questioned or complained about what God was asking him to do. God said to him, “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There offer him up as a burnt offering on one... Read more
Social media has become a way of life for a large percentage of Americans. According to data collected by Statista, 79% of people in the U.S. have a social media profile. That translates to 244 million social media users in the U.S. in 2018. It has become one of the most popular ways we communicate with each other. Pros and Cons of Social Media Social media can be a great blessing as a method of keeping in touch with others, transmitting... Read more
The Way of the Wildflowers
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