Angel trembled with fear as she stood outside St. Vincent de Paul’s homeless shelter in Dayton. She wanted to turn around. She wished she had family members she could turn to who would help her. “I was scared to come to a place like this,” she said. “But now, I …

As we enter Advent, a season of preparation and hope, then joyfully celebrate the birth of Christ, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains offers us a prayerful and beautiful setting to mark these liturgical seasons. “Everything about the liturgy at the Cathedral Basilica during our Advent and Christmas …

At the time of this writing, my family of seven plus two mutts are in an Airbnb in our own town. Two weeks ago, a small leak in our bathroom turned into the space being gutted from water damage. We were assigned project managers, contractors, and an adjuster to boot. …

Three years ago, I was blessed with the opportunity to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. While in Bethlehem, I was deeply moved by a reflection on Luke’s Gospel. Standing in the fields where the shepherds once stood, I imagined myself alongside those shepherds, encountering the angels. As I …

Catholics engage with their faith in bodily and material ways—not just genuflecting, kneeling, and making the sign of the cross but thumbing rosary beads, collecting holy cards, and praying before statues and artwork. Unlike members of some non-Catholic faith traditions, Catholics have long fostered a kind of tactile piety. But …

As Tamara (pseudonym) drove to her abortion appointment, the radio played an ad for Pregnancy Center Plus (PCPlus). Her eyes welled with tears. In that moment, she changed course and drove directly to PCPlus. She was 12-weeks pregnant, her boyfriend had recently died in a car crash, and she was …

When Kathy Bendall reflects on her life, she does so with a sense of gratitude, peace, and earnestness in her speech. Her story is not defined by her mistakes; rather, it is evidence that by grace her heart was reshaped into new purposes. Bendall highlights the mercy of God and …

We do not hear much about the “last things” anymore. Death, judgment, heaven, and hell are often passed over. We hear even less about that state that many will experience before heaven, which is called purgatory. This purification after death has been a consistent part of Catholic teaching for hundreds …

(Note: The first installment of this 3-part series can be found in the November 2025 issue.) Some heard it as a child. Others were well into adulthood amid a lucrative career and serious relationship. That still small voice. That restless heart. That sense of emptiness despite having everything they thought …

Falling in love, getting engaged, and going through marriage preparation should be a beautiful, enriching experience. But ask Catholic couples married 25 years or longer about their marriage preparation, and many will respond that they met with their parish priest, completed a questionnaire, and attended a marriage preparation retreat; in …