In these (very) short essays, they explain how they encountered God in others and their faith grew because of it. They show how the Lord is present even where we least expect God.
Faith in Focus
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New York City’s Catholic Underground is an experience of church like no other
At Catholic Underground in New York City, hosted by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, I experienced a Holy Hour followed by an exhibit of Catholic art and artists.
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The blessings of becoming an American citizen
My life as a parish priest in Wisconsin is very different from my childhood in Nigeria. But I am so grateful to now be an American citizen, and despite its flaws, I love this country.
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Pope Francis knew about Marko Rupnik’s abuse. Why didn’t he punish him sooner?
When will the day come when we won’t see a headline about the church reluctantly admitting that they have spent several decades protecting yet another predator and feeding yet more victims into the flames?
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My Catholic grammar school is closing. Is our church dying or being reborn?
Is it my role to serve as witness to the death of something? Or should I be forging ahead to create something new?
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The young nun and Jesuit priest who gave us the Feast of the Sacred Heart
If you are faithful but unsure of yourself; if your heart is broken by a shattered relationship or the loss of a loved one; if you are an energetic young person, looking to set your heart on fire—the Sacred Heart is for you.
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St. John Francis Regis is lesser known than his Jesuit peers. Who was this saint?
John Francis Regis, whose feast Catholics celebrate on June 16, is not the most well-known saint. Unlike other Jesuits of his time, Regis did not have a particularly notable mission or die a martyr.
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20 years after Bishop O’Brien’s sex abuse cover-up and deadly hit-and-run, have Catholics in Phoenix healed?
All Catholics in Phoenix, on some level, felt the sting of the sexual abuse crisis. Dozens of priests and deacons were accused, leading many of us to question our faith. Have we come to terms with it?
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Sharing what’s in your Notes app can be surprisingly sacred
Our notes may be practical or they may be impressionistic. They may be things that we cannot remember or that remain important to us. But is it going too far to say there is something holy in the hearing of them?
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Failure is part of life—even for the church
It can take a lot of failure to get to success. When I think back on the things I failed at in my life, I see that the failures either taught me a hard lesson or nudged me forward on a better path.