“What I know of the divine sciences and Holy Scriptures, I learned in woods and fields. I have no other masters than the beeches and the oaks.” – Saint Bernard of Clairvaux This past weekend, we went on a family camping trip in the local state forest. While we certainly enjoyed ourselves, I will admit […]

Why then, since we are watched from above by such a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of all that weighs us down, of the sinful habit that clings so closely, and run, with all endurance, the race for which we are entered. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the origin and the crown […]

A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of meeting Matthew Christoff of the blog, The New Emangelization. Matthew is a convert like myself, and he has dedicated his considerable talents and wealth of experience to the service of the Christ and his Church. He especially has a heart for men’s evangelization, and he is passionate about inspiring us to […]

It’s no secret that I’m a big Tolkien fan. Not only are his works fantastic literature, they are also rich with Catholic motifs that inspire one to fight for what is good and true in the face of growing darkness. Then there’s the films. While I’m highly disappointed with the new Hobbit movies, I think the Lord of […]

When we think of great mystics and wonder-working saints, we often think of those who lived centuries ago. Yet, St. Pio of Pietrelcina was both a mystic and a performer of many miracles—and he died in 1968, only 46 years ago. In many ways, this saint was and is a contradiction to our scientific, rational age, and despite their eagerness […]

Blessed John Henry Newman was a consummate Catholic gentleman. Reviled by many of his closest friends for converting to Catholicism, he bore insults and attacks on his character with patience and charity. Here is his description of a gentleman taken from his work The Idea of a University, published in 1854. Keep in mind that Newman is here […]

Throughout the course of our lives, we each encounter difficulties, sufferings, and trials. “Great is the anxiety all men are doomed to, heavy the yoke each son of Adam must bear, from the day when he leaves his mother’s womb to the day when he is buried in the earth, that is mother of all” […]

The following is a guest post by Michael Lichens. So many have been shocked by the news of Robin Williams and what appears to be his self-inflicted death. For years, he was to me a poster-child for depression. Laughter became his shield, as it has for many who suffer from mental anguish, but he still was internally haunted. I […]