Catholic Life

Sunday Reflection: Daniel P. Horan on the third Sunday in Advent
Streams 'N Stirrings   
The First Words Spoken by Jesus
Toledo SND Blog   
Perhaps Mary and Joseph wondered what Jesus’ first words would be. One might expect the Hebrew words equivalent to “mama” and “dada.” Either word would have made his parents proud. The word for “father” (abba) would have deep meaning, since it would reflect divine sonship—although that would take maturity, a
Advent Hands . . .
Streams 'N Stirrings   
 Author: Catherine Alder I see the hands of Joseph. Back and forth along bare wood they move. There is worry in those working hands, sorting out confusing thoughts with every stroke. “How can this be, my beautiful Mary now with child?”  Rough with deep splinters, these hands, small, painful
Advent Hands
Streams 'N Stirrings   
Author: Catherine AlderI see the hands of Joseph.Back and forth along bare wood they move.There is worry in those working hands,sorting out confusing thoughts with every stroke.“How can this be, my beautiful Mary now with child?” Rough with deep splinters, these hands,small, painful splinters like tiny crossesembedded deeply in this choice
Benedictine Life as a Frontier Reality
Benedictine Sisters of Cullman, AL   
On November 11, 2025 Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at the Church of Sant’Anselmo on the Aventine Hill in Rome, marking the 125th Anniversary of its dedication by Pope Leo XIII in 1900. As many of you may know, Sant’Anselmo is the location where the Abbot Primate of the Benedictine
An Advent-ure of Love!
Streams 'N Stirrings   
 According to a story reportedly written by Leo Buscaglia, "On a cold day in December, some years ago: A little boy, about  10 years old, was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold. "A lady approached the young boy
Advent 2025: Getting Closer
Catholic Faith Corner   
Advent by Candlelight is a beautiful ritual that I was privileged to be part of Friday night. It took place at Espiritu Santo parish in Safety Harbor, Florida. After each giant candle on an Advent wreath was lighted, a high school student
My Early Impression of Santa Claus
Toledo SND Blog   
Unlike TV shows and Christmas commercials, the presents brought by Santa to my house were never wrapped with colorful paper and ribbon. Gifts came in brown grocery bags, and somehow my parents knew to which child the bag belonged. One Christmas I noticed a beautifully wrapped gift. It was really
Dilexi Te Advent
All this life and heaven too   
God is merciful love, and his plan of love, which unfolds and is fulfilled in history, is above all his descent and coming among us to free us from slavery, fear, sin and the power of death. Addressing their human condition with a merciful gaze and a heart full of
Lighting a Candle
At the Corner of Susan and St. Joseph   
I normally volunteer and stand public witness on Sunday mornings at Delaney Hall, the private for profit immigration detention center run by the GEO Corporation under a 15 year $1Billion government contract. This weekend however I was away until Sunday afternoon attending an intercongregational formation weekend with our Candidate. (One
No Room at the Inn . . .
Streams 'N Stirrings   
       Into this world, this demented innin which there is absolutely no room for him at all,Christ comes uninvited.But because he cannot be at home in it,because he is out of place in it,and yet he must be in it,His place is with the others for whomthere is no
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel | Cinematic Christmas Cover – The Piano Guys
Streams 'N Stirrings   
Cardinal Blase Cupich's Homily for December 7th, 2025
Streams 'N Stirrings   
Welcome, Winter!
Streams 'N Stirrings   
 Photo by S.F.The AgreementAs the Earth revolves around the Sun,we travel in an endless circle of Endings and Beginnings:end of Autumn–beginning of Winter;end of the longest nights–beginning of longer days;end of one cycle–beginning of the next.Winter Solstice is a pivotal moment, a touch-point in time:a betwixt and between.‘Tis the final
A little slow in our hurry . . .
Streams 'N Stirrings   
 Trust in God's holy slowness . . . Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are, quite naturally, impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.We should like to skip the intermediate stages; we are impatient of being on the way to something               
December 7, 2025: Carmen Ramos Preaches for the Second Sunday of Advent
Streams 'N Stirrings   
A Spirituality of Potholes
Mining the Now   
by Chris Koellhoffer, IHM    December 7, 2025 One of the side effects of living through an often frigid and icy winter season is its impact on roads and highways. Sooner or later, we’re almost guaranteed the appearance of the dreaded pothole. Small indentations, not so bad, but larger
The Pontifical Mission Societies National Directors Conference
Cardinal Seán's Blog   
Hello and welcome! I’m so happy to be back with you to share my experiences over the past month. My first event came on November 8th, when we had the Mass of Investiture for the Order of the Holy Sepulchre at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
Is Materialism Humbug?
Toledo SND Blog   
At this time of year I hear people decrying materialism, as if shopping for gifts is beneath our better selves. What’s the matter with matter (like decorations, toys, trees)? It’s energy! It’s interconnectedness! Nothing is only material; no gift or decoration is only material. There’s an energizing force that unites
In praise of... being a snowflake
All this life and heaven too   
When I wrote about Advent calendars last year, I didn't mention one in particular. For several years, Caritas Westminster, for whom I work, has been producing an Advent Giving Calendar used by individuals, and in parishes, schools and food projects within and beyond the Diocese. The idea is simple: for