In the spiritual realm, there’s almost nothing worse than dry prayer. You spend your whole prayer time either besieged by distractions or struggling to string together two good thoughts. Who would ever think this disturbing situation could be a sign of greater things to come?
Category Archives: Living on Grace
Accepting Life…Even When It Seems Unacceptable
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you.” -Jeremiah 1:5
Motherhood: A Journey to Sanctification
The Mongan family at daughter Kaitlyn’s wedding in June, 2017
I was not a good candidate for motherhood. Had I gone for a “job” interview, I would not have been given the job. If there had been a try out, like for a cheerleader squad, they would not have selected me for the team. I did not have the qualifications, the necessary skills or the “heart” required. I don’t think I even had a desire to apply for the job. However somewhere on my journey God grew within me a “mother’s heart.”
A Millennial Look at Humanae Vitae
“This love is above all fully human, a compound of sense and spirit. It is not, then, merely a question of natural instinct or emotional drive. It is also, and above all, an act of the free will, whose trust is such that it is meant not only to survive the joys and sorrows of daily life, but also to grow, so that husband and wife become in a way one heart and one soul, and together attain their human fulfillment.” Blessed Paul VI
The Prayer Webinar: Your Questions Answered
We have had quite a bit of interest in our upcoming series of webinars on prayer which will take place on Tuesday evenings at 8:00 p.m. EST beginning August 7 and running through September 11. People are wondering if they can skip a class, where they will get their homework assignments, how they will connect to the webinar, etc. The following will answer some of these questions.
Putting Up with Trials and Temptations
“What toil we must endure, what fatigue, while we are attempting to climb hills and the summits of mountains! What, that we may ascend to heaven! If you consider the promised reward, what you endure is less. Immortality is given to the one who perseveres; everlasting life is offered; the Lord promises His Kingdom.” – St. Cyprian of Carthage
The Beauty and the Power: Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel located on the main altar of Stella Maris Monastery on Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel (photo by Fallaner – CC BY-SA 4.0)
On the evening of February 14, 1876 in Pellevoisin, France, a young woman named Estelle Faguette lay dying of pulmonary tuberculosis. In mortal agony, and with just hours to live, Estelle begged God for the strength to accept death. Suddenly at the foot of her bed, the devil appeared and what happened next became one of the most remarkable interventions of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on record.
Is Your Cell Phone Invading Your Prayer Life?
Don’t you just love those prayer apps? Having a smartphone is like having a Bible, the Catechism, and your favorite prayer book in your pocket at all times. But there’s a downside. When you’re steeped in iBreviary and that notice flashes across the screen telling you “Amelia just responded to your Facebook post,” whether you tap on it or not, your smartphone just became a distraction.
Do You Have a Rule of Life?
The Precious Blood of Jesus: Balm of Love, Fountain of Mercy
“…one soldier thrust his lance into his [Jesus’] side, and immediately blood and water flowed out” (Jn 19:33)
