Lay Life in a Year

In college, I once went to a Chinese restaurant with a Dominican priest.  I was part of a group that brought Catholic speakers to campus, and after one talk, Father graciously joined us for dinner. When the waiter brought out fortune cookies, Father began unwrapping...

​​This nation was built by tireless, hardworking people—a spirit of determination we’ve proudly inherited. There’s a lot of goodness in that. But sometimes, without realizing it, this work ethic can lead us to a dangerous trap: believing our worth comes from how much...

A couple of weeks ago, I went on a pilgrimage to Rome, unsure what I was looking for—peace, clarity, maybe both. But as God often does, He surprised me. I met a priest who shared something that cut through the noise of life: no matter what divides us—politics,...

My dad was the youngest of seven, so our family celebrations were raucous. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and even random neighbors piled up around the dinner table, and everyone talked—loudly . As the youngest with the smallest voice, I often felt overlooked. The...

Going on a mission trip is deeply impactful. I remember years ago, when I was much younger, my home parish took a trip to Eastern Kentucky to serve the poor. It was eye opening in ways that I could have never anticipated. Yet, while the trip changed me, it didn’t...

There have been times when I’ve tried so hard to share my faith but felt like I was missing something. I wasn’t sure where I was going wrong until I had a conversation with my older sister. She helped me see that I wanted to follow God, but I wasn’t giving it my all—I...

Pope Benedict XVI tells a story about a clown who runs into a village, crying out that the circus is on fire. He jumps, shouts, and pleads for help—but the more he yells, the more they laugh. They can’t see beyond his costume, so they ignore him. Then comes the punch...

This week I want to do something a little different. We’ve talked A LOT about being called. We’ve said that the laity is called to: the universal call to holiness evangelize and sanctify the secular participate in our parish and help build up the Church But if we...

I think we've all been there—sitting through a homily when the "mission appeal" part comes up. Our minds drift, we hear the familiar phrases—“mission,” “help the poor,” “time, talent, treasure,” “spread the faith…” —and yet sometimes, it feels like the message gets...