May 13, 2020

A statue of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American to be canonized, is seen at Our Lady of the Island Shrine in Manorville, N.Y., March 25, 2021. (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz)

In the Footsteps of Saint Kateri

Saint Kateri Tekakwitha repeats the example of the saints: Holiness thrives on the cross, anywhere.

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On the Feast of Stephen: A Meditation from Pope Francis

December 26: Violence is Conquered by Love http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122616.cfm Readings: Acts 6:8–10; 7:54–59; Matthew 10:17–22
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man looking at a valley | Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash

Franciscan Inspirations: God Doesn’t Punish

It is common for religious people to attribute natural disasters as a punishment by God for sins. If that’s true, then God’s aim is off target because it’s usually the innocent who suffer rather than the guilty.
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Kids praying | Photo by Carlos Magno on Unsplash

Franciscan Inspirations: The Power of Novenas

The Latin word novena means “nine.” Novenas are a form of prayer in which a person, individually or with a group, prays for some special intention for nine days.
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Jesus and his apostles

Franciscan Inspirations: Jesus Chooses His 12 Apostles

Many people find Jesus’ choice of his apostles curious. Why did he choose them in the first place? A cynic might think he could have done better blindfolded. The account of Jesus’ selection of his apostles as related in the ...
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Sup, Jesus?!

Jesus Becomes a Brother to All Creatures

When the Word took on flesh in Christ, not only were human beings lifted up to a new and glorious dignity, but all other creatures were lifted up as well.
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Jesus and his passion

Jesus, the Passion, and the Garden of Gethsemane

We speak of one section of the Gospels, that which narrates Jesus’s life from the Last Supper until his death and burial, as chronicling his “passion.”
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