Read & Reflect
Articles, reflections, news, and homilies — thoughtful Catholic content for the faithful, published regularly.
Spirituality
Spirituality
Fulton Sheen’s Antidotes for Anxiety
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (Jn. 10:10). Jesus’ promise resounds in my head and heart, over and over again, but not without recalling the warning that precedes it. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy,” Our Lord prefaces. In placing these two statements tog...
Spirituality
The Consecration of the Philippines to Our Lady of Guadalupe
After journeying nearly 14,000 kilometers from Mexico, the Pilgrim Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe—gifted to the Philippines by the Bishops of Mexico—has finally arrived, not merely for a brief visit, but to embark on a historic, six-month pilgrimage that will bring her maternal presence to more than...
Spirituality
Catholics and Physician-Assisted Suicide
For the past decade, our culture has seen a rise in relativism which chooses personal opinions and desires over objective reality. One of the most controversial issues at this time is euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. There is an alarming increase in medical suicide, especially in Canada, w...
Spirituality
Evil Abounds, Utilize the Grace of Your Baptism
“Whoever does not take up His cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” (Mt. 10:38) We were shocked by the tragedy that struck a local high school in Tacloban City, Philippines, a few weeks ago, when two teenagers shot and killed three of their high school mates and wounded many others. There are in...
Spirituality
How to Achieve Whole-Person Holiness, Part 1
In his 2001 apostolic letter, Novo Millennio Ineunte (At the Beginning of the New Millenium), St. Pope John Paul II wrote about perfect holiness, stating: This ideal of perfection must not be misunderstood as if it involved some kind of extraordinary existence, possible only for a few “uncommon hero...
Spirituality
A Few Things Fulton Sheen Taught Me About Growing Older
In a few months, I will celebrate my 65th birthday. On that day, I will officially become a “senior citizen” and will be entitled to a few more discounts at the local shopping mall. I will also receive my first Old Age Security check. And it has already been earmarked by my ten-year-old grandson, fo...
Spirituality
The Fatal Problem with the SSPX “State of Necessity” Argument
As a former SSPX adherent, I understand the frustration and confusion many Catholics feel right now regarding the situation of the SSPX. I hope the following analysis will shed light on why the Vatican acted as it did, even though—as Pope Leo himself stated—the SSPX possesses many admirable qualitie...
Spirituality
Are There Waves in Heaven? What Surfing Teaches About Life and Faith
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by the ocean. The raw power. The primal mystery. The indescribable beauty. It’s why I have spent nearly three decades surfing. Few things have influenced me more, and I’m not alone. The Catholic philosopher Peter Kreeft, also a surfer, wrote a whol...
Spirituality
A Visit from Blessed Popiełuszko: “The Invitation to Holiness Is Indeed Possible”
A Visitor from Heaven, Part II: Apparitions in Northern Italy In Part I, I recounted the life of Blessed Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko, the Polish priest and martyr who was assassinated by the security services of the Polish People’s Republic in October 1984. He is said to have appeared to Francesca Sgobbi...
Spirituality
A Moral Compass for the Era of Algorithms
Comparative Analysis of AI Legislation in Europe vs. the U.S. in Light of Magnifica Humanitas The comparative analysis of the regulatory frameworks of the European Union and the United States in 2026 shows that both legislative approaches operate under fragmented conceptions of algorithmic governanc...
Spirituality
Catholics and the Freedom of Expression
Freedom of expression is deemed a basic human right by the Catholic Church. Being able to speak about the revealed truth of God has been the foundation of the Church since the very beginning, as witnessed by the Apostles who proclaimed the Gospel throughout the world. However, today, as throughout h...
Spirituality
Teaching Ourselves to Trust During Panic Attacks
Heart racing, vision blurred, sweating profusely, breathing deeply yet feeling winded. The desire to flee overwhelms any sense urging you to assess your situation and to calm down. Standing, walking, pacing, near tears, your bones feel like they are itching from the inside, and you cannot see the en...