Franciscan Spirit

Sisterhood of Saints: Elizabeth Ann Seton

Melanie Rigney October 15, 2018

Elizabeth Ann Seton and her husband had a busy, beautiful life together in Lower Manhattan. They cohosted a party for George Washington’s sixty-fifth birthday. They lived next door to Alexander Hamilton. They were stalwarts of the Episcopal church, and set a good example for their children in their charitable activities.

Franciscan Inspirations: We Are Children of God

Jim Van Vurst, OFM October 9, 2018

We are here because of our unique history. And change, no matter how remote, alters everything. If our parents had not come together, we would not be.

Family walking on the beach | Photo by Kevin Delvecchio on Unsplash

Hey, Mom and Dad…Slow Down!

Susan Hines-Brigger September 10, 2018

The other day I was driving to work when I got caught in a massive traffic jam courtesy of a construction project.

Pope Francis leaves at the conclusion of an evening prayer service in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Dec. 31, 2021. The traditional service on New Year's Eve is to give thanks for the past year. (CNS photo/Remo Casilli, Reuters)

Pope Francis: Fix the Clergy Sex-Abuse Crisis Now

Pat McCloskey, OFM August 23, 2018

Dear Pope Francis: I write about how the Catholic Church responds to clerical sexual abuse and the bishops or superiors who have enabled it.

A Reflection on Planet Earth

Kyle Kramer August 16, 2018

In an era when people form and reinforce their opinions entirely within a chosen bubble of like minds, any earnest quest for truth seems almost quaint. How did truth become so passé?

St. Clare of Assisi: A Little Plant or a Mighty Oak?

Fr. Don Miller, OFM August 11, 2018

East of the Piazza del Commune in Assisi, stands the Cathedral of San Rufino. Near the church and its adjacent piazza once stood the home of the nobleman and knight, Favarone Offreduccio and his wife, Ortulana.

Mother and son cooking | Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

Mothers Unite!

Susan Hines-Brigger August 6, 2018

I have an announcement to make: My kids are not perfect. They never have been; they never will be. They throw fits, argue with one another, cop attitudes, and don’t always listen very well. They’re kids. And I love them more ...