Yesterday, I began the spiritual exercise Exodus 90 with a cohort of local men. There’s quite a few disciplines involved, such as extra prayers, intense physical exercise, fasting, and cold showers to name a few. It isn’t easy—but in the big picture of human suffering, most of the sacrifices required are relatively small. Exodus 90 […]

Modern historian and commentator Kenneth Clark said in his popular BBC show Civilization, “Western Christianity survived by clinging to places like Skellig Michael, a pinnacle of rock [seven] miles from the Irish coast, rising seven hundred feet out of the sea.” It’s an intriguing claim, crediting the solitary monastery on Skellig Michael with a role in the […]

Recently, an unlikely thinker has exploded on the world stage. His name is Jordan Peterson. A Canadian clinical psychologist and professor, he is an unlikely candidate for a global intellectual superstar. Yet, his YouTube channel has over a million subscribers, his recent book has risen to a global bestseller, and his current lecture tour is […]

There are different kinds of knowledge. There is the abstract knowledge of facts and ideas, and then there’s the knowledge that comes from experience. While both forms of knowledge are legitimate, there is little doubt that the knowledge from lived experience is deeper and more profound. Take for example the learning of a martial art. […]

Silence. It’s a word that is both appealing and terrifying. It is a word that can either connote peace and calm, or frightening isolation. While some might find the idea of silence appealing, the truth is, most of us don’t do well with perfect quiet. Have you ever sat alone in a room, only to hear sounds you had […]

Fasting – a word we normally reserve for Lent. Once Easter comes, we box it up and package it away until the next Lent. Yet this should not be so among Catholic men. A while ago, Sam discussed the great benefits of fasting. Now you may be thinking … Fasting sounds great, but where do […]

Lent is a season of penance and ascetical warfare. The enemy is concupiscence, the world, and the devil. The goal is pure hearts so that we can joyfully celebrate the resurrection of our Lord at Easter, the greatest feast of the liturgical year. In a way, Lent should be a microcosm of our entire struggle on […]

“Fight or die.” – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli Perhaps one of the greatest temptations in the Catholic life is that of complacency. We go through the motions, attending Mass on Sunday and maybe going to a parish program or two, but the Faith never really penetrates deep into our souls. It remains a superficial reality; just […]