I recently spent a couple of days in Saratoga, visiting my cousin and his family who have a home there. Not far from their place I noticed a church dedicated to the French Jesuit missionary St. Isaac Jogues. This gave me the idea to look up how far I was from Auriesville, NY, the placeContinue reading “The Martyrs of Auriesville “
Category Archives: Saints
Bartolo Longo
Blessed Bartolo Longo had a very unusual path to sainthood. Born in 1841 into a devoutly Catholic family, as a young man he went to study law at the University of Naples. The 1860s was a time of great social-political turmoil on the Italian peninsula, with a rising nationalist movement led by General Giuseppe Garibaldi,Continue reading “Bartolo Longo “
What’s in a Name?
As the Church gets to know its new pope, one of the things that is helpful to consider is the name that Cardinal Robert Prevost took upon his election to the See of Peter. It has been the tradition since the sixth century for popes to adopt what are called “regnal names,” and the nameContinue reading “What’s in a Name? “
The Popes and Our Mother
The papal conclave of 1914 resulted in the election of Pope Benedict XV, who would reign during the intensely difficult period from 1914-1922. When the First World War broke out less than two months before Benedict’s election, many believed it would be a short, decisive conflict. But by the end of 1914 the sides had settledContinue reading “The Popes and Our Mother “
Sanctified along the Way
“Hallow” is the number one Christian prayer app in the world. This Lent, it has featured daily readings from The Way, a spiritual classic first published in 1934 by St. Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei. The Way is a book filled with short, paragraph-long meditations on various subjects. The intended audience for theseContinue reading “Sanctified along the Way “
The Greatness of St. Patrick
A priest friend of mine who grew up in the Chicago area once shared with me the story of his Confirmation. The bishop, upon arrival, decided he wanted to meet with the young men and women he would be confirming that afternoon, including my friend. He went around the room and shook their hands, askingContinue reading “The Greatness of St. Patrick “
Tenderness in Small Things
In a recent article published on Word on Fire, author Leah Libresco Sargeant wrote about the second miracle attributed to Pier Giorgio Frassati that will lead to his canonization by Pope Francis this summer. Handsome, charismatic, and deeply religious, Frassati was known for organizing mountain climbing excursions with his friends, for encouraging his peers toContinue reading “Tenderness in Small Things “
Protomartyr
The fourth week of Advent is usually cut short by the arrival of Christmas, which is the beginning (not the end!) of the Christmas season. One of the things I love about the first days of the Christmas season are all of the beautiful feasts contained in them. Right on the heels of the celebrationContinue reading “Protomartyr “
Gratitude
Gratitude brought Dorothy Day to God. In 1925, Day was living in a bungalow on the beach in Staten Island. She had spent the past ten years working in Manhattan as a journalist documenting the radical political movements she supported, and living a bohemian lifestyle with artists, playwrights, and activists in Greenwich Village. An abusiveContinue reading “Gratitude “
St. Charles Borromeo
This can be a busy and stressful time for young people who plan to go off to college next year. For those who are going through the process (and their parents), St. Charles Borromeo (1538-84) might be a fitting patron saint to turn to for help in making a good decision. That’s because St. CharlesContinue reading “St. Charles Borromeo “
The Parish of St. Cecilia-St. Gabriel 