Read & Reflect
Articles, reflections, news, and homilies — thoughtful Catholic content for the faithful, published regularly.
Spirituality
Spirituality
Stanisława Leszczyńska: The Midwife Who Served in Hell
May marked the 130th anniversary of the birth of Stanisława Leszczyńska, a Servant of God and midwife at Auschwitz-Birkenau. The unveiling of a monument in her honour was preceded by a solemn Mass at the Visitationist Church in Warsaw. Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, the Archbishop of Kraków, presided over t...
Spirituality
Why We Feel Unworthy and How to Overcome It
I often ask young people whether they have considered a call to religious life or the priesthood. One of the usual responses I get is, “I don’t feel worthy of such a vocation.” These usually come from people who claim they are God’s beloved children. If we truly believe that we are children of God,...
Spirituality
Trust and Surrender Must Be Worked On
I was looking at Psalm 12 and was compelled to think about my own tendency toward self sufficiency which, by itself, is an exercise in pride that I keep working on by building the virtue of surrender to Christ. The proud man’s first temptation is rarely open rebellion against God. Rebellion often be...
Spirituality
The Soldiers Who Came to Padre Pio
During World War II, the quiet mountain town of San Giovanni Rotondo was transformed by the arrival of American soldiers. The narrow streets that had once echoed with the footsteps of pilgrims were now filled with military vehicles, unfamiliar accents, and young men far from home. For Mary Pyle, the...
Spirituality
Returning to Babel or Jerusalem: Our Response to the Cultural Shift of AI
The world is experiencing a dramatic shift in how economies work and people live because of the emergence of Artificial Intelligence. Such an enormous shift has not occurred since the Industrial Revolution, which changed nearly everything about how people lived. None of us individually can change t...
Spirituality
Why Multiverses Are Unlikely: Fundamental Constants and the Fine Balance of a Habitable Universe
The Fragile Conditions of a Habitable Universe The possibility of a habitable universe seems to depend on extraordinary sensitivity upon a set of fundamental constants. Modern physics describes the universe using the gravitational constant, the speed of light, Planck’s constant, the cosmological con...
Spirituality
The Philosopher Hitler Feared Illumines the Sacred Heart
Two of my favorite Catholic days take place in early summer: the feast of the Visitation on May 31st and the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart on a Friday in June (the date varies based on Easter). At first glance, these two devotions are separate. One, a mystery of the rosary, is for Our Lady; the othe...
Spirituality
Humility Is the Gateway to Heaven
Q&A with Mystic Alicja Lenczewska, Part 3 June is a month especially dedicated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is the time when we give particular honor to the humility, love, and mercy of Our Blessed Lord, who died in atonement for our sins. Among the many Polish hymns sung on this occasion,...
Spirituality
We the Troubled Sheep and Our Good Shepherd: 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
In Sunday’s Readings, Jesus sees a crowd following Him that moves Him to pity. Why? Gospel (Read Mt. 9:36-10:8) As Jesus was making His way through the villages of Galilee, St. Matthew tells us that “at the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them.” This is a rare description...
Spirituality
June: The Month When Heaven Comes Close
June is one of the most beautiful months in the Catholic year. Having journeyed through the splendor of Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, and Trinity Sunday, the Church now turns our attention to mysteries that are at once profound and deeply personal. Corpus Christi and the Solemnity of the Sacred Hear...
Spirituality
The Wonderful Secret About Reparations to the Sacred Heart
Because of the increase of evildoing, the love of many will grow cold. (Mt. 24:12) St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was born in seventeenth century France, at a time when religion in her native country had grown cold. What is interesting about the “coldness” of the hearts of the faithful in France during...
Spirituality
Finding Freedom Through Faith: My Journey of Healing
Throughout my life, I have faced a silent struggle that many might overlook—an eating disorder combined with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The path to recovery has been filled with challenges, yet my faith has become a wellspring of healing and hope. I wish to share how turning to scripture a...