Offering Your Day for Special Intentions
“Christ the Lord, High Priest taken from among men, made the new people ‘a kingdom and priests to God the Father.’ The baptized, by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated as a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, in order that through all those works which are those of the Christian […]
Ending the Day with Our Lord
At the end of a busy day, how important it is to spend some of our remaining time with our dear Lord! We thank Him for a safe day, ask His blessings on our night, pray for ourselves and others, and ask forgiveness for our sins. “He who does not pray deprives himself of what […]
Living Daily Life with Our Lord
Most people live busy lives, and it’s easy sometimes to forget God in the midst of the activity. One way to remember God frequently throughout the day is by praying short prayers, also called aspirations, which we can pray even in the midst of our occupations. St. Bernadine of Siena, a Franciscan well known for […]
Preparing for Confession
Part of preparation for confession is examining your conscience, calling to mind the sins you have committed since your last good confession. Fr. William Saunders tells us: “We need to hold up our life to the pattern of life God has revealed for us to live. For instance, we take time to reflect on the […]
Confess with Trust
Going to Confession is a key part of living the Catholic life. Taking a cue from the beautiful saying for a priest, “Say this Mass as if it were your first Mass, last Mass, and only Mass,” Fr. Ed Broom suggests adopting the principle “Confess as if it were your first, last, and only time.” […]
Rejoice Every Day in Your Faith!
The Nicene Creed, also called the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, is familiar to practicing Catholics because they hear it at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. It is also prayed on other solemnities. St. Leander, bishop of Seville (brother of St. Isidore of Seville), who died about the year 600, was the first to introduce […]
The Athanasian Creed, Another Profession of Faith
The Athanasian Creed is a long profession of faith dating back to the 4th or 5th century. Especially explained in this profession are the Trinity and the Incarnation. It has been attributed to St. Athanasius, a staunch defender of the true Faith, but it is now thought that St. Athanasius is not the author, although […]
The Apostles’ Creed: An Act of Faith
The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that the Apostles’ Creed is “a faithful summary of the apostles’ faith.” And St. Ambrose comments: “This Creed is the spiritual seal, our heart’s meditation, and an ever-present guardian; it is, unquestionably, the treasure of our soul.” Praying the Apostles’ Creed is an act of faith. St. […]
Our Lady of Sorrows
As the mother of Jesus, Our Lady had much to suffer, as prophesied by Simeon at the Presentation in the Temple: “[A]nd Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a […]
Asking the Intercession of Our Angelic Friends
St. Michael’s help is so important in our world today as we try to navigate through this combat zone without falling prey to the enemy of our souls. The beloved Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel is one way to ask this great Archangel’s help; another is the St. Michael Chaplet, which, besides asking St. […]