Diane M. Houdek

Like Jesus, Saint Francis made the hearts of the disciples burn when he spoke to them.

One of the hallmarks of Francis’s life was a deep joy in the love of Christ and the glories of creation.

For St. Francis, meditating on the Passion was a means of uniting himself completely to the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

Betrayal strikes at the heart of relationships, at the trust that we rely on to keep us in community and family.

In this holiest of weeks, we are challenged more than ever to think about our own relationship with money and material goods.

The tension between material possessions and the spiritual life has always been part of religious life.

Just as Francis and his brothers welcomed Clare, the communion of saints encourages us on our way.