When you see holiness in a life well lived
Five years ago, on the eve of the feast of the Assumption, my grandfather passed from this life. A fresh college graduate, I had spent the previous few months living…
Rose Hawthorne Lathrop: A beautiful witness of end-of-life care
Most of us reading this article are young women. While many of us are still healthy and strong, we may soon, if not already, find ourselves as caregivers for aging…
Keep your eyes on the Master’s hands
“Keep your eyes on the Master’s hands.” A priest offered this advice to my husband and me during his homily on our wedding day. He encouraged us to take the…
Uncovering the hidden blessings of the melancholic
There is a popular book, written by Art and Laraine Bennett, that every Catholic should read. In “The Temperament God Gave You,” the authors identify four human temperaments that have…
How to find joy in Easter when you feel forgotten by Jesus
It’s Easter. But maybe it doesn’t feel like Easter to you. Maybe you’re still in your own Gethsemane, weeping, feeling alone in your agony. Maybe you’re still on the cross,…
Carrying the cross: A reflection on suffering
Suffering. Every human being experiences it at some point in this life. Rich or poor, old or young, male or female, it makes no exceptions. Grief, disease, anxiety, guilt, hunger…
Our greatest act of worship is returning the gift of the Cross
What do you get the person who has everything? God is clear throughout the Scriptures that the act of giving gifts is central to his relationship with us. From manna…
Finding healing after child loss with Red Bird Ministries
Kelly and Ryan Breaux live in Louisiana, have five children, and are the founders of Red Bird Ministries. They have teenage daughter, Estelle Gabriella, and four children in heaven, including…
How sharing in the Body of Christ can lighten your sufferings
Have you ever found yourself before the Blessed Sacrament feeling like nobody but Jesus could understand what you were going through or be able to offer any useful assistance? American…
Memento mori: A good motto for preparing to give birth
Preparing for labor and birth has reminded me of the ancient Latin and monastic saying: memento mori, remembering your death. As I wait through the last weeks of pregnancy with…