Discernment is much more than mere decision making; it is, first of all, a habit, a way of seeing that can permeate our whole life. As is made clear in John 9, it is the movement from seeing things merely from a human perspective to seeing from a spiritual vantage point, continually looking for evidence of the work of God in order to join him in it.

In a world increasingly divided by ideology, conflict, and uncertainty, the election of Pope Leo XIV has breathed new life into the Church’s mission and message. As the 268th successor of Saint Peter, Pope Leo XIV steps into the shoes of the fisherman not merely as a custodian of tradition, but as a bridge-builder—reminding the faithful that the Gospel is ever ancient and ever new.

Our strongest weapon is not physical but spiritual, in the form of prayer. As we go along this crisis, this is the best time to revitalize ourselves with Mama Mary in the prayer “Hail Mary.”

Carlo Acutis was a devoted Catholic teenager who used his interest and skills in technology to share the Gospel. Carlo was beatified in 2020 and is on the path to sainthood. His life story and his legacy are an inspiration for today’s young disciples. This article shares a biography of Blessed Carlo and offers lessons and an activity for Catholic kids. 

Even if you’ve been giving something up for Lent for many years, it’s easy to find yourself strugglingas time goes by. When that leads to breaking your Lenten promise, you might feel discouraged or thatyou’ve failed in your relationship with God. What should you do?

God’s greatest gift to humanity is the ability to be joined to Him intimately, in a way that no other form of creation can. All of God’s creation reflects His goodness in some way, but only humans can share in God Himself. Take a moment to consider this; on a somewhat simple level, we are able to share in His joy, suffering, and longing. We are told in Exodus 14that God “is a jealous God,” and we can share in that too. On a deeper level, however, we can literally and physically unite ourselves with God in the flesh when we consume the Holy Eucharist. No other work of creation can do that.

Happy New Year! With the start of a new calendar year and the entrance of a new liturgical year this past month, there is so much to reflect on and look forward to. Some of our highlights from this past year includes…

Thiếu Nhi Thánh Thể Rất Thương Mến,

Nhìn lại trong suốt năm qua, chúng ta cùng nhau cảm ơn Anh Cả Giêsu, đã luôn dìu dắt và gìn giữ chúng ta trong tình yêu và ân sủng của Ngài.

Mother Angelica once said that she wished many years in purgatory to those biographers’ who sugarcoat the lives of the saints. Often, when we read about the saints, we hear only about their joys and spiritual feats. We read about their daring adventures to convert souls in distant lands, their lengthy hours of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, and their courage to face death with peace and joy. The list goes on.

Consecrated life is a call from God. For many individuals, it happens unexpectedly; only in hindsight does one realize that one was chosen. Some experience a personal, profound and unforgettable loving call from Christ and are gripped by God forever! That's exactly what happened to me. 

Preparing for Hurricane Irma has given me a fresh perspective on what matters most. With each alert, evacuation notice, and email telling me that work would be canceled for “x” amount of days, my panic level rose. The uncertainty of the storm’s path falling on my city and then my family’s city kept us all in constant contact reviewing our emergency plans. 

I sometimes joke that, 30 years ago, I bet my life and my career on higher education, the Roman Catholic Church, and the American form of constitutional government — three unshakable, bedrock institutions. It's true, of course. It's not much of a joke. But across the last several years it has come to seem funny that I could have thought those three were a good bet.

Most people, when talking to me about the sacraments, will bring up Baptism andEucharist. If I converse with them long enough, they may also mention Penance andMatrimony, perhaps Confirmation. But Holy Orders or Anointing of the Sick seem to be way down on the list in many people’s minds if mentioned at all.

Pope Francis again denounced “the globalization of indifference” and said “a painful truth” is that “our world is daily more and more elitist, more cruel towards the excluded,” as he celebrated Mass in St Peter’s Square on the 105th World Day of Migrants and Refugees on Sept. 29.

So you’re probably going to become a nun, right?” my best college girlfriend said casually as we chatted about my post-grad-school plans.“

I don’t know for sure,” I replied, “but it’s a distinct possibility.” The question surprised me both because it was so nonchalant and because it had come from a woman with a fairly comprehensive view of who I am. She has seen the good, the bad and the un-nunly.

At the end of his general audience in St. Peter's Square on March 8, International Women's Day, Pope Francis led a round of applause for women.

He thanked the world's women "for their commitment to building a more humane society" through their ability to see and understand the world "with a creative gaze and tender heart."

"It is right for them to be able to express these skills in every sphere, not just within the family," he wrote in the preface to a book, "More Women's Leadership for a Better World: Caring as the Engine for Our Common Home."

If we think Christianity is a weak, dying reality, we are absolutely wrong, as I’ve tried to show. But the absolute strongest sign of this is the witness of martyrs.

Pope Francis often explains why the martyrs are a sign of hope — and that, sad as it may be, we have more hope than ever.

To die well is to be able to reconcile with God and our neighbors, to feel that we have completed our life’s work, and to train those who follow to do the same. But the only thing that really matters is whether you join with God in the Beatific Vision.

As we look onward to a new year, we are tremendously grateful for all the blessings the Lord has bestowed on our small but mighty Liên Đoàn Phaolô Hạnh. In 2023…

We reflect on the lives of those living with disabilities, understanding the importance of placing them at the heart of our society. They bring unique perspectives and strengths that enrich our communities.