The student body, faculty and staff at our children’s Catholic school have experienced more than their fair share of devastating tragedies this past year. One staff member had a stroke; two lost their parents. A teacher’s niece died; a student’s parent passed away unexpectedly. There’s nothing anyone can say to …

En su homilía de apertura para la XIII Asamblea General Ordinaria del Sínodo de los Obispos, el Papa Benedicto XVI dijo: “La Iglesia existe para evangelizar. Fieles al mandato del Señor Jesucristo, sus discípulos fueron por el mundo entero para anunciar la Buena Noticia, fundando por todas partes las comunidades …

by John Stegeman Nine days before Christmas I missed an opportunity to share my faith in Jesus. I took a walk from my office to the downtown Cincinnati Kroger. Anyone familiar with the area knows that the space in front of Kroger attracts all kinds. Sometimes there are panhandlers, other …

God is love. In this simple conviction is the vast mystery that when we experience love in our lives or deliver it out into the world, we find ourselves steeped in the very presence of God. We often feel this most intensely with those closest to us: spouses, children and …

El último domingo de enero marca el inicio de la Semana Nacional de las Escuelas Católicas, un tiempo reservado por las diócesis de todo nuestro país para destacar la importancia de una formación y educación católica, fiel e integral para la misión salvífica de la Iglesia. Durante esta semana celebramos …

The last Sunday in January marks the kickoff of National Catholic Schools Week, a time set aside by dioceses throughout our country to highlight the importance of faithful, integral Catholic formation and education to the salvific mission of the Church. During this week we also celebrate the feast days of …

On Christmas morning, in the opening prayer of the Mass at Dawn, we ask God to allow the light of faith, which radiates from the incarnate Word, to shine through in our deeds. This prayer reminds us of a beautiful truth: the gift of our faith is not something we …

Love in action. When you hear those words, what images come to mind? On a personal level, those words conjure up for me very concrete moments: of holding my children; of working so I can provide everything they need; of going on a walk with my spouse and listening while …

My wife and I attended Mass on a typical Sunday many years ago, but what happened that day was not typical—in fact, it changed our lives. Our pastor invited a parishioner, Joe, to share a personal witness about the importance of sacrificial giving. Until then, I thought people gave to …

I kept asking myself that question as I endeavored to write this column. Maybe it’s the thought of asking for something (even though we voluntarily and willingly give on a monthly basis). Maybe it’s because talking about money often makes people uncomfortable. In my quest to think more about stewardship …