Paul VI invited us to deepen the call to renewal and to make it clear that renewal does not only concern individuals but the entire Church. Let us return to a memorable text which continues to challenge us. "The Church must look with penetrating eyes within herself, ponder the mystery of her own being… This vivid and lively self-awareness inevitabl...

Few words are as misunderstood in the contemporary English language as is the word spirituality. Probably the biggest misconception is regarding spirituality as something "other-worldly" and separate from us. Our spirituality is not "out there" but rather it is the transcendent within us. Spirituality is not some paranormal activity, an unachievabl...

(Excerpt from the journal article by the same title provided in Youth Ministry Access) In October 2018, the Church will gather as a synod of bishops to consider young people, faith and discernment. The outcome of this gathering is a process of transforming the way that the Church engages with young people so that youth and young adults are more gui...

"In this day and age, unless Christians are revolutionaries, they are not Christians. They must be revolutionaries through grace." – Pope Francis, The Church of Mercy   The events of this past year have shown why we need to be open to grace moving in our lives. There were times when it felt like the news was continuously looping deadly shootin...

I love Christmas! Celebrating the precious gift of Jesus, who perfectly embodied God's love for us, gives me such joy and hope. Just as God gifted us with Jesus, we too are called to be gifts to others. That's why I think it is so important that we encourage our young people to give of themselves to those most in need. Gifts can be self-serving and...

​"Where there is no vision, the people perish…" Proverbs 29:18 What's your vision for ministering with young people? I have been part of the interviewing group for hiring parish and diocesan youth ministry leaders and inevitably this question comes up. This is probably a question that we've been asked by a supervisor or by someone considering joini...

Twice in the last several months I've had priests tell me to pray, "Jesus, I trust in you." One was to help me through my little sister's journey through pancreatic cancer into the loving arms of our heavenly Father. The other was in Confession, when I shared that it was a struggle to accept her death. I've been reflecting on trust ever since. The ...

The tugging of our heartstrings is important because a deep, lived, felt experience of compassion reminds us that we are all connected and we are one human family. Years ago, while traveling to Mexico on a mission trip, I came across a very young child who was naked and severely malnourished. She raised her arms up to me, like every child does, as ...

Keeping up with the news can feel like a wild game of 'whack a mole.' Things pop up demanding our attention and we're struggling to whack it smartly on the head and mark it done or read. In the last three weeks, we've experienced a solar eclipse, earthquakes, wildfires, massive hurricanes, the repeal of DACA, threats of North Korean missiles...lots...

Sacraments and families are intimately connected in varied ways. The sacrament of baptism is all about joining the family of God. Reconciliation rejoins us to family; through grace we experience the freshness of right relationships. Eucharist calls us to the table to be joined with Christ as brothers and sisters. My grandson will be baptized next m...