The religious life and spirituality of the Carmel were clear and defining calls in the life of St John of the Cross. At eighteen, after finishing his studies in rhetoric and classical languages with the Jesuits in Medina del Campo, Ávila, Spain, he started his journey into the Carmelite order in 1563. Shortly afterwards, he…
Advent is my favourite liturgical season of the year – a brief yet deeply meaningful time. I treasure its rich traditions: crafting the Jesse Tree, designing the Advent wreath, lighting candles that pierce the winter darkness, and enjoying the sacred melodies of Handel’s Messiah alongside familiar carols. The glow of Christmas lights against the countryside’s…
A group of 40 pilgrims set out from Dublin airport to the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico, via Amsterdam, under the good shepherding of Marian Pilgrimages guide, Michael Murphy, last October. Few of us knew each other, and each of us had our own reason for going. This was a very different and…
Lord, I am sorry. My connection with You is not so good this morning. I got up late and my morning prayer was poor. I’m sub-standard as often before. Yet, somehow, You always help and redeem the day. You assist, You make the difference between good and bad days, between win and loss. What to…
Not every Christian is called to be an apostle, prophet or evangelist, Pope Francis said, but all Christians can cultivate the fruits of the Holy Spirit by becoming “charitable, patient, humble, peacemakers.” Continuing his series of audience talks on the Holy Spirit, the pope explained that the fruits of the Spirit are different from charisms,…
Q: I have a question about the vocation of marriage. I’m very moved by the examples of widowed family and friends who continue to be very devoted to their deceased spouse, praying for them daily and visiting their graves. Often, they speak of looking forward to seeing their spouse again in Heaven. Does the Church…
Daniel Berrigan once said: “Before you get serious about Jesus, think carefully about how good you are going to look on wood!” That’s a needed caution because Jesus warned us that if we follow him, pain will flow into our lives and we will join him on the cross. What exactly does that mean? Is…
Christ is the Word of God in Scripture. God speaks to us in words to reveal Himself to us. Through all the words of Sacred Scripture, God speaks only one single Word, one speech. God inspired the human authors of the sacred books, but He is the author of them. The Church has always venerated…
On an Advent morning 12 years ago, the jazz great Dave Brubeck died, just before his 92nd birthday. Besides being a man of music, he was also a man of faith, who joined the Catholic Church as an adult. In many ways, it was fitting that he entered eternal life during Advent – in part, because (as…
St Ambrose of Milan, born in the 4th century into a prominent Roman family, is revered as one of the Church’s greatest saints and was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1298. His life exemplifies faith, humility, and an extraordinary legacy of leadership and scholarship. Raised in a household devoted…
Renata Milán Morales
Fr Ronald Rolheiser