Some of my greatest experiences of peace came when wandering the woods as a child. My backyard was a lovely forest that boasted of nothing extraordinary. The foliage towered above my small frame when I hiked steep hills, grabbing rocks and branches so I could pull myself along. The environment …

by Father Jeffrey M. Kemper “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that all who believe in him may not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn: 3:16) God calls us not to simply follow the rules, but to be in a relationship of love and life …

by Mary Farrow Denver, Colo., Dec 21, 2020 / 01:01 pm MT (CNA).- Every time Christians recite the Apostles’ Creed, they affirm their belief in what will happen to them after death: “’I believe in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.” The belief in the resurrection of one’s …

Vatican City, Dec 8, 2020 / 04:08 am MT (CNA).- Pope Francis announced a Year of St. Joseph Tuesday in honor of the 150th anniversary of the saint’s proclamation as patron of the Universal Church. The year begins Dec. 8, 2020, and concludes on Dec. 8, 2021, according to a …

by Mary Farrow Denver Newsroom, Dec 1, 2020 / 02:55 pm MT (CNA).- For the past 16 years, Elf on the Shelf has become a tradition, both hated and loved, for families in the days leading up to Christmas. Based on a book and accompanying doll, the elf is a …

When I was 19, I traveled to the poorest country on this side of the world. As a middle-class, Midwestern white-kid traveling to Haiti on a mission trip, I had strong faith and missionary zeal, but nothing could have prepared me for the kind of abject poverty I had only …

by Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Oct 18, 2020 / 05:13 am MT (CNA).- Catholics, by virtue of their baptism, must affirm to the world God’s primacy in human life and in history, Pope Francis said Sunday. In his weekly Angelus address Oct. 18, the pope explained that “to pay taxes …

A long time ago, as a young person, I played with tarot cards and a Ouija board. These always seemed to me to be just entertainment, but now I understand the Church believes these can be dangerous. Why is this? In an increasingly secular society, we can easily fail to …

by Mary Farrow Denver Newsroom, Oct 4, 2020 / 05:11 pm MT (CNA).- The nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court would make her, if confirmed, the sixth Roman Catholic on the nine-person court. While this is deeply concerning to some – and a reason to …

Signs are often tricky and fuzzy. They’re not always such a good tool for helping you make a decision. Let’s be honest: we want shortcuts. We want God to do the hard work and make big decisions for us. Doing God’s will is the purpose of life, but that does …