 “Human beings are created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by means of this to save their souls” - Spiritual Exercises These are the words that St. Ignatius of Loyola chose to begin the first week of his famed Spiritual Exercises, where he sought to guide those who read it to be able to better discern what exactly God wanted them to do with their lives. This question--What does God want me to do with my life?— is one that Ignatius wrestled with a lot, but ultimately led to his encounter with Christ and to him becoming one of the greatest saints in the history of the Church. Iñigo de Loyola (later Ignatius) was born in 1491 in a small Basque town in Spain to a noble family. He grew up idolizing the chivalric figures of the Middle Ages, and dreamt of one day becoming a dashing military man with the prestige, wealth, and women that often came with that social status. This dream would later materialize; joining the army at 17, he began to chase after women, move up the nobility social ladder, and fight in battles, one of which would be the turning point of his life. Defending a fortress in Pamplona from a French attack, a cannonball ricocheted into his leg, severely injuring him and requiring multiple attempts to set the bone back in place (something that would leave one of his legs permanently shorter than the other, causing him to limp for the rest of his life). As he recovered in his castle, Iñigo began to read about the life of Christ and the lives of the saints, and was inspired by both. His dream life pulled out from under him, he realized that this life was leaving him empty and chasing after temporary glories and pleasures, while thinking about imitating the life of the saints left him feeling joyful and fulfilled. Now recovered, he decided to go on a journey to find out what exactly God wanted him to do, and that adventure, full of glories and struggles, would eventually lead him to begin what is now known as the Jesuit order with friends he made at the University of Paris. Moments of transition, whether it be finishing school, changing jobs, getting married, and so on, can often be stressful times. There can be a temptation to worry, despair, or seek to take control to prevent anything unknown from hurting us. I myself can relate to this as I come to a close in my time as an undergrad student, not knowing what the future holds for me. But the evil one tempts us with these because he knows transition moments can also be moments full of God’s grace. Moving out of an old way of living to a new one provides an opportunity to encounter God by asking him, perhaps for the first time, what he wants for us in our lives, and entering into that surrender, wherever it may take us. Ignatius became the saint he is partly because of that terrible wound, which crushed both his leg and lifelong dreams. But without it, he would not have been able to have that profound encounter with God that dramatically changed both his life and the history of the world. However, that surrender requires believing that God alone satisfies our deepest desires, and that by him and for him we were made. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it: “Only in God will he [man] find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for” (CCC 27). If God alone gives us the fulfilling happiness we are looking for, then it makes the most sense to do as he wills. Doing so not only makes us happy but also glorifies God, because when our will and the will of God are in sync, wonderful things always happen. Seasons of transition ought then not to be viewed with fear and trepidation, but instead welcomed as opportunities to get closer to God and to better understand what his will for our life is, always keeping in mind the words of our Lord, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete”.
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 What does the story of Martha and Mary have to do with the 3rd commandment? When Jesus tells Martha “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things” (Lk. 10:41, NAB), it reminds me of how many of us live our lives and how useful it is to take a day of rest. Many of us are worried and anxious about a wide variety of things. These things could include work, money, politics or even family. We find that it is often difficult to pause, take a breath, and enjoy life without having to be worried or anxious. Luckily, Catholics around the world have a day of the week where we are encouraged to rest. How often do we actually rest on the sabbath? As a college student living in the Washington DC area, I witness firsthand the busyness of everyday life. Perpetual traffic on the capital beltway, sports, after school activities, networking, and dinner plans are all examples of things that constantly pull at my attention. In countries I’ve visited in Europe and Latin America, most places close on Sundays, encouraging real rest. In the U.S., everything stays open, making it even harder to slow down, even when we want to. In our culture, we confuse busyness with worth and productivity with purpose. This leads to many problems in our culture today such as anxiety and burnout. The Sabbath is a gift; it allows us to pause, slow down the pace of life for a day, and glorify God. Bishop Burbidge of the Diocese of Arlington in his July 6th article writes “ When we keep the Sabbath holy and sanctify it to the rest God desires for us, we practice a leisure which is active and fruitful. The Lord’s Day is not simply a break from work but a time to lift our hearts to God in worship, to contemplate his goodness, and to rest in his love.” Perhaps this summer, when the sun is out and the weather is nice, we can take advantage of the excellent opportunity to go outside and rest. It gives us a much needed dose of vitamin D, allows us to rest the strain from our eyes from staring at screens and books for long periods of time, and a breath of fresh air. It also allows us to come into contact with God’s creation, which can be a powerful tool in prayer. The beauty of being surrounded by his creation aids us in prayer because true beauty is one of his attributes. In his article, Bishop Burbidge recommends praying the rosary or doing spiritual reading this summer. Both are excellent ideas. While they can be done just about anywhere, consider doing them outside, maybe in the shade or by the pool or a lake as a way to refresh yourself more thoroughly. I believe that if Martha devoted more time to leisure, she would not have been so anxious when she welcomed Jesus into her home. In conclusion, the story of Martha and Mary serves as a reminder of the importance of keeping holy the sabbath. Like Martha, many of us are caught up in the busyness and anxieties of daily life, often forgetting to pause and focus on what truly matters. The Third Commandment calls us to do just that—to set aside one day a week for rest, worship, and renewal. It’s not merely about avoiding work, but about reconnecting with God, ourselves, and the beauty of His creation. As Bishop Burbidge reminds us, true Sabbath rest is active, meaningful, and rooted in God’s love. This summer, let’s take this advice to heart: pray, reflect, enjoy nature, and truly rest. By doing so, we not only honor God’s commandment but also nourish our souls in a world that rarely slows down.
 I have often heard homilies and talks that recount people recognizing something different in Christians. Strangers or friends are drawn in by a sense of joy that can radiate from a Christian. This joy can puzzle or confuse people. We live in complicated times and we each carry our own struggles. Yet the message of Christianity is that our joy begins deep below the surface. Our joy is nothing less than Jesus Christ: God became man who suffered and died for our sins and rose again on the third day. Now, this all sounds nice, but I know it can be difficult to actually feel this joy in the midst of life. More than once when I’ve heard these homilies I’ve thought to myself, “Is that me? Do I feel and radiate that joy?” Mary Magdalene is, I think, a perfect friend and example to turn to when these questions arise. One of my favorite lines in the Bible comes from the account of her leaving the tomb after Jesus’ resurrection: Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples (Matthew 28:8). Mary had just barely buried Jesus and now she is hearing that he has returned. Even with her deep trust in him, I can imagine this was hard to believe and left her puzzling over what would come next. Yet she didn’t remain in the fear and confusion; she allowed herself the excitement of his resurrection too. As I was reflecting on Mary’s life, it occurred to me that this probably wasn’t the first time Jesus had left Mary feeling these juxtaposed emotions of fear and joy either. Our first introduction to Mary Magdalene is in Luke’s Gospel. As Jesus continues his public ministry we hear that he is accompanied by the twelve apostles “and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out” (Luke 8:2). The specifics of her healing are left to our imagination. However, I think we can safely assume that this interaction left her with ample amounts of fear and joy, with thoughts like, “I can’t believe I’m finally cured of this! But is it too good to be true? How do I live now?” Prior to encountering Jesus, Mary had very much lost her way. She would have grown up learning the psalms, aware of God’s deep care for her and the Jewish people, but one decision led to another and she was no longer living in that covenant of love. Today, in big and small ways, we can also find ourselves straying or getting pulled from the path of holiness. It is an unfortunate part of nature that in these moments we may feel like we’ve gone too far and there is no turning back. However, if we look to Mary Magdalene we see a woman who was able to receive Jesus’ healing love and overcome the obstacles that had been put in front of her. In Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis said, “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Jesus joy is constantly born anew” (EG 1). Mary Magdalene was able to experience this joy because of the hope she had in Jesus. He had touched and changed her life, and her trust in him gave her confidence that he would continuously fulfil his promises. In our own lives, our Christian joy doesn’t mean that we have lived perfect lives or that we go through life with a constant cheery disposition. It means we are confident that despite our weaknesses and the setbacks we encounter, we too can always seek and hope in the good providence of our Lord. Whatever the shape or cause of our fear, there can always remain a joy that Jesus is with us in it. As Catechism 30 reminds us, “Although man can forget God or reject him, He never ceases to call every man to seek him, so as to find life and happiness.” Our joy is found in the knowledge that no matter what is happening within and around us, God always remains with us. AuthorErin Donn is a campus minister at an all-girls Catholic high school and lives in Washington, DC.
 "Remember that the Christian life is one of action; not of speech and daydreams. Let there be few words and many deeds, and let them be done well." – St Vincent Pallotti We are called to go forth, not wait for others to do it. St. Vincent Pallotti was clear about this through his understanding that all followers of Christ are also apostles. We are sent by Christ into a world in need of deeds of faith and charity. Growing in holiness is not easy, we need the grace of Christ, assistance of the Church, and willingness to strive to be a saint. Similar to the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16), it does not matter when you begin working for the Lord. The important thing is that we do for him, that we live his mission to go forth proclaiming the Good News and being his healing presence to others. The owner of the vineyard, Jesus Christ, invites us to labor for him there. He tells us that he will give us “what is just” (Matthew 20:4). He offers us the opportunity for eternal life with him. St. Vincent Pallotti understood this well, not only for his own life, but for the lives of all. Some people talk a good talk or dream about doing something someday. Neither of these are what Christ is asking of us. He is asking for action and deeds on our part, not for ourselves, but for him. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 Summertime is here and with the change in schedules and weather, people make plans for vacations or simply enjoy a more relaxed routine. Our family vacations over the years were full of outdoor adventures in the mountains or at the beach visiting our extended families. Wherever you choose to vacation – even if it’s a staycation in your hometown – can be a beautiful time full of spiritual refreshment. Years ago, when I was in the trenches with six kids aged 18 to newborn, I read a book called Sanity in the Summertime: The Complete Summer Survival Handbook for Moms by Claudia Arp and Linda Dillow. I adopted many of their great ideas and incorporated some of my own to bring more of the richness of our Catholic heritage into our family life. This time of refreshment is a wonderful time to renew your relationship with the Lord and to help those in your family to cultivate their individual faith life. I have compiled a list of the things that we incorporated into our vacation and summertime routines over the years. This list is just a beginning and the potential for summertime recreation is limitless based on your family’s personalities and interests.
The beauty of vacation time or a more relaxed summer schedule involves soaking up the blessings of the time and intentionally bringing Jesus into the season to enrich your faith life and discover the creative ways God is moving in our lives. He has given us everything. When we can slow down and change the pace and the environment for a little bit, we can see more clearly His love and provision for us. This clearer vision of our communion with God enables us to deepen our relationship with Him and to answer His call. Let this song be our mission in our vacationing: “Day by day, Day by day, O dear Lord Three things I pray: To see Thee more clearly, Love Thee more dearly, Follow Thee more nearly- Day by day” Lyrics by Robin Lamont *This blog is reposted and originally published June 29, 2021.*
  It’s hard to believe that the 350th anniversary of the apparitions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary concluded this past week. Communities within the Church were keen to observe this occasion, such as the Knights of Columbus through their Pilgrim Icon Program. Devotion to the Sacred Heart is special in my own spiritual life, a devotion that I share with my best friend. I started this particular devotion when I was in seminary, studying to be a priest at a previous point in my life. The Sacred Heart is Jesus' invitation to return to the heart, to the center of who we are as a person. The heart is the core of our being, where we can encounter the divine love of Jesus. It is at the heart where Jesus was moved to compassion whenever he encountered those suffering and afflicted, as we hear in the gospels. In his last encyclical, Dilexis Nos (He Loved Us), Pope Francis reminded us that the heart is the pulse of humanity and we need to return to the heart in order to remember who we are: God’s beloved. “The heart of Christ is ‘ecstasy’, openness, gift and encounter. In that heart, we learn to relate to one another in wholesome and happy ways and to build up in this world God’s kingdom of love and justice. Our hearts, united with the heart of Christ, are capable of working this social miracle,” (no. 28). The Sacred Heart has a unifying effect when embraced. During the Jubilee of the 350th anniversary, my family welcomed the Sacred Heart of Jesus through a Sacred Heart Enthronement. I came across this beautiful tradition through the Sacred Heart Enthronement Network, a nonprofit based out of Columbus, OH that was established to help others live out and promote Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Through their outreach apostolate, Welcome His Heart, individuals have the opportunity to fulfill that devotion through the home enthronement process. A home enthronement can be carried out in five easy steps:
My family chose to do a Sacred Heart Enthronement this past Sunday, June 22nd, on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. This was a great occasion to commemorate the conclusion of the National Eucharistic Revival and the Jubilee of the 350th anniversary. There is a beautiful relationship between the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart, particularly through the First Friday Devotion where the faithful are invited to seek the Sacrament of Reconciliation, attend Mass, and receive Holy Communion on the first Friday of each month to make reparation to the Sacred Heart. As Pilgrims of Hope during this Jubilee Year of Hope, I invite you to consider welcoming the Sacred Heart of Jesus into your home. Make this beautiful tradition a part of your own family tradition. When Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary, he spoke of 12 promises to those who honor his sacred heart. Two of those promises include Jesus giving us the necessary graces for their state in life and giving us peace in our families. At a time when peace is desperately needed in our world, let us start with our families and welcome the Sacred Heart of Jesus into our home!
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