St. Joseph is a model par excellence of prayerful silence for the ordinary layperson. Why is he silent, though? What purpose(s) does his silence serve? How can we imitate him?
Why We Need Silence—4 Lessons from the Life of St. Joseph
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Do You Give Thanks No Matter What?
Gratitude is one of the easiest virtues to display. Anyone can say “thank you” and the occasions for doing so are innumerable.
Gratitude as a habitual disposition is rarer and far more radical.
What do you say “thank you” for? Do you mean it? Do you give thanks no matter what happens?
Prepare the Way! A Guide to a Holy Advent
Advent and Lent are both seasons of penance and preparation. Yet they are meant to be celebrated in unique ways. How? And what specifically might we do so that Advent isn’t merely a time-marking season leading up to Christmas?
Christ the King, Now and Forever
As Catholics, in our liturgical celebrations we frequently hear mentions of Christ’s kingship. It might seem redundant to have a whole solemnity identifying Jesus as King, when we have so many other feast days celebrating Jesus in other ways. So why have it?
Do You Appreciate the Gift of Yourself?
We often aspire to be like those we perceive as possessing desirable good qualities. But is this desire always healthy? How can we imitate the virtuous example of others while appreciating who and what we are?
The Mark Left By Depression: Hope
Sometimes, the struggle against sin, temptation, and human weakness seems overwhelming. At such times, looking to the past can be a source of hope.
Reclaiming Halloween as a Catholic Celebration
What is the significance of Halloween for Catholics? Why does this day matter for us? How can we celebrate this day and All Hallows Day (All Saints’ Day) in a holy way in our secular society?
How to Make a Better Confession: 3 Brief Tips from St. Francis de Sales
Do you go to Confession regularly and struggle with discerning what to confess? Mortal sins must always be confessed in kind and number, but what about venial sins? How much detail is it appropriate to give? How can we be clear and accurate, but also brief? How can we make a more devout confession without being scrupulous?
Christ Is Passing Through Your Life Today—Will You Follow Him?
Every day, Jesus passes through our lives and calls us to follow Him in ways both big and small. Where do we meet Him? In what ways does He call to us? How do we respond?
Why We Should Pray Before Bed (and Practical Ways to Approach It)
Praying before bed can be a challenge. We tend to feel worn down after a long day. Perhaps we’re distracted, restless, frustrated, or discouraged. We look forward to unwinding and falling asleep.
Yet prayer before bed, though it takes effort, can refresh our souls in a unique way. Here’s how along with practical tips on how to approach it.
How to Sanctify Your Driving
Driving is one of the most common human activities. A lot of us spend a great deal of time behind the wheel. During this time, we confront a number of dangers and temptations as well as opportunities to grow in virtue.
Given all this, it’s worthwhile to consider how we might sanctify this activity.
Constancy: A Virtue for the Distracted
Many of us struggle to focus during our prayer, work, conversations, or leisure time. Enter the virtue of constancy. This little-known virtue is key in learning to focus and to fight temptations to procrastinate, multitask, and chase after distractions.
Do Tiny Sacrifices Matter?
Do minuscule sacrifices like passing on adding a bit of extra cream to your coffee matter? Are they of any worth? How?
Suicide: Why and How the Church Opposes This Evil
Many people have had their life touched by the issue of suicide. I, personally, have grappled with suicidal thoughts and witnessed the consequences of someone committing suicide. Amidst all the sorrow caused by this evil, we might ask:
What does the Catholic Church teach about suicide? Why? And what can you and I do?
Why Mary’s Assumption Matters to Us
Many Catholics know the Assumption is an important event in Mary’s life. However, they frequently fail to ask an essential question: What does the Assumption of Mary mean for you and me, in both an immediate and an eternal sense?