Spirituality

Jesus, Scripture, and the Catholic Church teach that water baptism is necessary for our salvation. It washes away our sins, infuses our souls with grace, and puts us in communion with God and His Church. Still, many wonder why we need water for baptism. Why can’t faith in Jesus be enough? Accordingl...

About twenty years ago, I was at a Mass celebrated by Fr. Richard McAlear, OMI (frmac.org), a well-known priest with the gift and charism of healing. Fr. McAlear prayed over each person who came forward and spoke a few words with them. When it was my turn, Father held my face, looked into my eyes an...

Allow a moment for two brief definitions for the terms in the title of this reflection. They will be essential for understanding the progression of thought through this two-part series. The first term, “inheritance,” is the acquisition of a valuable possession or condition from a previous generation...

I had a very difficult situation arise in the wake of my father’s death. A person in a position of authority, who by all accounts was filled with light and joy, led us astray. I knew it was false. I battled against it alone. The difficulty for me was the seemingly radiant light and joy emanating fro...

Why Beginnings Matter for Bioethics and Moral Courage When does a human being begin to be? At first glance, the question seems simple, much as the question of when a person dies can seem simple. In reality, both stand at the center of the most urgent bioethical debates of our time. The question of h...

In our time, many Catholics are cautious about herbal medicine, fearing it may be something New Age or pagan. Or perhaps we think of it as “grandmother’s home remedies”—something people practiced when they couldn’t afford modern health care. And yet, by every measure, Americans are sicker with chron...

Q&A with Mystic Alicja Lenczewska, Part 2 On May 18, as the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception marks the birthday and liturgical memorial of its founder, St. Stanislaus Papczynski, it is fitting to reflect on this. One of the Congregation’s three principal aims is to help th...

The Gospel of St. John, in my humble opinion, offers one of the most important messages you will hear in the entire Bible. If the Catholic world fully embraced this message, the world would be set ablaze. Sadly, though, we do not fully embrace it, due to our pride. We think to ourselves, I know bett...

On February 9th, 2026, seventy-eight-year-old Catholic democracy activist Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in a Hong Kong prison. His crime: advocating for freedom of speech in China. As his daughter Claire Lai stated, “he will die a martyr behind bars.” Jimmy Lai: a name all lovers of democracy...

I recently picked up the book Joy Within His House: A Cloistered Nun’s Reflections on Following Christ by Sister Mary Magdalene of the Immaculate Conception Prewitt, OP. The book explores life within the cloister, which is a mysterious place for 99.999% of the world’s population. Her revelations are...

St. Peter wrote to a Christian community that was being persecuted for their faith in Christ: Beloved: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience cl...

Ascension Sunday presents a paradox:  Jesus leaves His apostles for Heaven, but He assures them He is always with them.  What kind of departure was this? Gospel (Read Mt. 28:16-20) Sunday’s Gospel records the end of Jesus’ forty days of post-Resurrection appearances and teaching.  The account of wha...