Not every word or phrase that pops into your head while you are praying is coming from God. But occasionally, we are free enough that God enters our consciousness with words or phrases that startle in their immediacy.
Faith in Focus
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Yes, the church needs to listen to former Catholics—and not just with an agenda of winning them back.
Is the church really interested in listening and learning from former Catholics? Or is it only “listening” to get them to come back to Catholicism?
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My white mom’s marriage to a Black man outraged my grandma. But she learned to love us.
My little family is living proof of the fact that change is possible. My grandparents went from fury to admiration of my parents’ love, and from shame to pride in their mixed race grandchildren.
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Fewer kids go to Catholic school today—but there’s reason for hope.
Enrollment in Catholic schools is at its lowest point in 50 years. But there are also reasons to hope that Catholic schools still have a vibrant future.
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Five spiritual tips to help you avoid pandemic despair
The pandemic is a terrible reality, but it is not hopeless. James Martin, S.J., offers a few tips drawn from Christian spirituality that have helped him avoid despair.
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When this historic Black Catholic parish was closed, its tight-knit community fought back—and won.
St. Adalbert’s-O.L.B.S. was the first Black Catholic parish in Cleveland, and we drove eight hours from New York City to Fairfax to make a short documentary on their history and rootedness. That was “the plan.”
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You will never regret going to the funeral
No one wants to be at a funeral. It means that a loss has occurred, hearts broken. But there are few other instances in which doing something we dread so deeply can mean so much.
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Harry Potter helped me to heal from incest abuse
The Harry Potter series helped me to create a fulfilling life after being betrayed by my family and the church as a survivor of incest abuse.
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4 lessons from Rutilio Grande, priest, prophet and martyr
Rutilio Grande, S.J., who will be beatified on Jan. 22, has much to teach us about how to live a life of Christian discipleship.
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3 prayer tips that will improve your life—whether you’re a person of faith or not
Each of these practices can be done in two to five minutes and require no religious background. And I promise that over time, they really can improve your life.