Christian Witness in Egypt 

It’s not easy being Christian in Egypt. A few years ago, I came across an article by a writer named Matthew Schmitz about the zabbaleen of Cairo. The literal meaning of this word is “garbage picker,” and it refers to the residents of Mokattam Village, almost all of them Christian, who make their living collectingContinue reading “Christian Witness in Egypt “

Pope Benedict XVI, R.I.P. 

On February 11, 2013 I was sitting in a Roman lecture hall, taking notes and trying not to be distracted by my Australian classmate whose phone kept buzzing. Finally, he turned to me and whispered, “The Holy Father just resigned.” I looked at him skeptically, saying, “That’s not possible. Someone is pulling your leg.”  AContinue reading “Pope Benedict XVI, R.I.P. “

God’s Plan for St. Martin 

In the first thousand years of Christianity, St. Martin of Tours was one of the most widely-venerated and beloved saints in the Church.  Born to pagan parents just a few years after the legalization of Christianity in 313, Martin embraced the Christian faith at an early age. As the son of a retired Roman militaryContinue reading God’s Plan for St. Martin “

The Beautiful Life of St. Francis 

In the Italian city of Assisi there is a small church named San Damiano located halfway down the hill upon which the city is built.  There, in the year 1205, the young Francis knelt in prayer before a large crucifix. Suddenly, he heard the voice of Christ speaking to him from the crucifix, calling toContinue reading The Beautiful Life of St. Francis “

Parish Potential 

Next Saturday, August 13, is the feast day of Blessed Michael McGivney.  Fr. McGivney is well-known for having founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882, which today is a Catholic fraternal organization that has over 2 million members worldwide, providing hundreds of millions of dollars in charitable giving as well as countless man-hours of serviceContinue reading Parish Potential “