Today is the feast of Saint Blaise, a day on which you may have the chance to have your throat blessed. Blessed candles on February 3, ashes on Ash Wednesday, palms on Palm Sunday, along with holy water, relics, statues, and rosaries, are sacramentals. The Catechism of the Catholic

Did you ever eat one of those Dove chocolate hearts? Do you read the little snippets of “love advice” on the inside of the foil wrappers? A retreatant or a visiting director from last weekend’s directed prayer experience must have gifted us with a bowl full of these hearts, wrapped

I stayed up late last night to watch our President give his 5th State of the Union address and to listen to the Republican response. And then I could not get to sleep! Questions kept coming to me: What are the “great divides” in our hearts? our lives? Whether or

All of us possess a “once upon a time” in our lives. Then something happened. God shifted things around, and we had a choice. We could accept and go with God’s flow, or we could say “No way.” If we let God break in, we found the “pearl of great

As I sat on the bus waiting for my fingers and toes to warm up after 3 ½ hours of standing and walking outside on the streets of Washington D.C., I reflected on what an amazing experience the March for Life was for me. Bundled under 5 layers of clothing

Each year we gather the employees of our Sisters of Notre Dame Sponsored Ministries and honor those employees who are marking an anniversary year of employment with us, and each year I find myself a bit overwhelmed. These are individuals who have committed to more than a job; they make

When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple to present him as in infant, they encountered two wisdom figures – Simeon and Anna. We’re told in the Gospel that these two individuals spent a great deal of time in the temple (and had done so for years!) awaiting the

We Christians have so many opportunities to change our hearts. We make New Year’s resolutions, reflect on our heart literally and figuratively at Valentine’s Day and during Heart Month, and use Ash Wednesday (quite late this year) as our perennial call to change. But first we need to change our

How Mary and Joseph thrilled when Jesus may have said his first word, “Mama,” or in Hebrew, “Amma.” A year and more ago Mary had consented to be the mother of the Messiah. “Be it done unto me according to your word,” Mary said. And every day after that, God

Although I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, saving that self-correction for my annual retreat usually in late spring, I admire those who do. It certainly feels right to look toward a new year with a desire for a new “you.” Perhaps you have some thoughts about your self-improvement and are