Franciscan Spirit Blog

St. Anthony of Padua

St. Anthony, Help Me Find…Beauty

St. Anthony of Padua, that Hammer of Heretics, serves as a model to me that I am to preach against any dualism within myself that blocks an openness to beauty.
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Rosary on a bible | Photo by Anuja Tilj on Unsplash

Lent: Let’s Get Back to Basics

Returning to the Lord means moving away from many things that distract us. But how to do it?
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Dunes in the desert

40 Days in the Desert: A Lenten Meditation

Some years ago I heard a psychologist give a talk in which he shared this insight: A love relationship is a relationship of trust.
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person in hell

Notes from a Friar: A Look at Hell

A lot of people have questions about heaven, hell, and purgatory. To better understand hell, let’s review a bit. Everything about God and us centers on relationship. Heaven is complete and perfect union with God for eternity. Purgatory is union with ...
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black and white image of a cathedral in Spain

Four Great Spanish Saints

I’m pleased to share memories so that readers can follow my path across Spain and become better acquainted with these inspiring saints.
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Prayers to Saint Anthony of Padua

It is a venerable Christian tradition to turn in prayer to Anthony of Padua—and to other saintly men and women already enjoying the glorious presence of God.
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Mother Teresa embraces a child

Fr. Gary Caster on Mother Teresa

Fr. Gary Caster will be the first to admit that his life has been touched by countless moments of grace. One memory in particular stands out.
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