 One of the most used phrases in our house of two young children is: “If you need something, just ask. We will help you!” It seems basic, but for two children learning the building blocks of how to be humans, it is a genuine lesson that parents must impart to their children: if you need something, you don’t need to yell, whine, pout, or suffer in silence, you simply need to ask. I must repeat an iteration of this phrase dozens of times a day. I share this not out of frustration–I would repeat myself an infinite amount of times to my children as they grow into little humans—but because it helped me understand a core concept of prayer that I have struggled with for years. Why, with an all knowing and omnipresent God, why do we have to ask for what we want? Shouldn’t God just know what we need and take care of it before we have to ask? Sometimes, I don’t want to have to ask—I just want it done for me. In today’s readings, Jesus shares a parable with His disciples that highlights the persistence of a person who asks another through a locked door for bread. After the parable, Jesus offers a now famous exhortation to His disciples: "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; Seek and you will find; Knock, and the door will be opened to you.” My daughters must also be thinking some variation of that about me. Shouldn’t my parents know what I need? Why do I have to ask him when they can see that I need attention? There is a difference between what we want and what we need. My daughters don’t need a slice of chocolate cake if they haven’t yet finished dinner, though they might passionately disagree. God knows that though we might earnestly desire something, it might not be what we need, when we need it, or how we need it. God knows better than we do. There are times when it feels as though God is indeed anticipating our needs. How many times have we been touched by grace at the exact moment we needed it? A phone call from a friend. A chance meeting. A new opportunity that comes when we need it? That is the work of a loving Father in Heaven who promises that we will have everything we need for our earthly journey. Why then, do we have to ask? Again, I return to the example of my children: why do I make them ask? First, I am trying to prepare them for the world—they will need to learn to advocate for themselves and what they need. They will need to learn persistence, resilience, and perseverance. If everything is given to them without involving their agency, they might become complacent. They might not learn to help themselves or others. The act of asking, seeking, and knocking helps us find God. It allows us to build a relationship with our good and generous God, who desperately wants us to know Him, to give us what we need, and to help us understand how much we are loved. It is in that dialogue with God that we come to know God more fully. In the act of asking, we have agency. We learn autonomy. We learn humility. We learn patience. We learn trust. We learn gratitude. We are given an example of how God wants us to be when others ask us for what they need. It is amazing when an otherwise incomprehensible whine or a sullen expression suddenly becomes “may I please have more pasta, Daddy?” Not because it satisfies my ego, but I can see it in my daughter’s eyes that she feels empowered and strong to ask me for what she needs. Similarly, she learns that she can trust me to give her what she asked for, and that I will always be there for her when she asks. God knows what we need before we ask it of Him, yes. But we become better humans when we learn that it’s okay to ask Him anyway, and to do so persistently. We might not always receive what we want - but we will always receive what we need. God is generous and loving, and wants to share both with us as any loving parent would. All we have to do is ask.
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 It was the Second Vatican Council which decreed, "From the very beginning of the church men and women have set about following Christ with greater freedom and imitating him more closely through the practice of the evangelical counsels, each in their own way leading a life dedicated to God." It is on this observation that I write in commemoration of the close of the Year of Consecrated Life, which Pope Francis inaugurated on November 30, 2014 (the First Sunday of Advent) and concluded on February 2, 2016 (the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple). Addressing all consecrated people in an Apostolic Letter, His Holiness expressed three aims for this great year: first, “to look to the past with gratitude;” second, “to live the present with passion;” and third, “to embrace the future with hope.” Similarly, he called upon the laity, “who share with them the same ideals, spirit and mission,” and the whole Christian people to become more aware of the gift of consecrated men and women, “heirs of the great saints who have written the history of Christianity.” Growing up, I was blessed to have been taught, mentored, and befriended by a number of consecrated religious, namely the Sisters of the Resurrection and the Lasallian Brothers. When I arrived at The Catholic University of America, however, my exposure to consecrated religious expanded to include the Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans), the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), the Little Sisters of the Poor, the Servant Sisters of Mary Immaculate, and the Pallottines (and their Apostolate Center!), to name a few! As I got to know each of them, I became more aware of the joy and the grace inherent of their living out their respective Order’s charisms and spirituality, be they involving education, service, contemplative prayer, or dogmatic theology. In spite of the differences between each order and the varying reasons each member had for professing, there remains one commonality: desiring to follow Christ and seeking to imitate Him more closely in a life dedicated to God. Of course, there are many ways of doing this— each religious order accomplishes this in accord with its unique spiritual character and gifts— as St. Vincent Pallotti encouraged, “Seek God and you will find God. Seek God in all things and you will find God in all things. Seek God always and you will always find God.” How one discerns entering religious life does not mean one has to force a change in his or her lifestyle; rather, it an acceptance of who one is and surrendering that to the God so loved since Baptism, thereby consecrating him or herself “more intimately to God’s service and to the good of the Church” (CCC 931). In my own discernment, I have found great relief in this understanding— that I can give myself to God as I am in love and He will help me to focus and purify that love in my heart which is to radiate from every action of Christian living. Similarly, the famed Trappist monk Thomas Merton expressed the relationship between discernment and the discerner: Discerning vocation does not mean scrambling toward some prize just beyond my reach but accepting the treasure of true self I already possess. Vocation does not come from a voice “out there” calling me to be something I am not. It comes from a voice “in here” calling me to be the person I was born to be, to fulfill the original selfhood given me at birth by God. As the Year of Consecrated Life concludes, let us remember that it concerns not only consecrated persons but the entire Church! Where would the Church be without the examples set by Saints Francis and Augustine, Ignatius and Dominic, or Vincent Pallotti and (soon-to-be-Saint) Mother Teresa and repeated in their respective Orders? The Church would no doubt be less effective in its charity and evangelization, as Blessed Pope Paul VI observed, “the ‘salt’ of faith would lose its savour in a world undergoing secularization.” Let us then respond to Pope Francis’s call to give thanks for the incredible work done by religious around the world and for their fidelity to their respective charisms while seeking to draw close to them in times of joy and trial and assisting them in their holy endeavors. Finally, let us continue to pray for God to send more numerous vocations among their ranks: may their discernments be a model for our own, that we may echo the words of the great Carmelite Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, “At last I have found my vocation: My vocation is love.” *This blog is reposted and was originally published February 2, 2016.* AuthorThomas Wong was an undergraduate at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
 If there is one saint that can be pointed to as having been extremely important to me over the past year, that saint is undoubtedly St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Four years ago, the only thing I knew about her was her existence — I could hardly even pronounce “Lisieux.” As I began to learn more about the lives of the saints and grow deeper in my own faith, I heard her name mentioned quite a few times. Still, she bore little interest for me. She was no philosopher or great theologian, she founded no order or movement, and she died surrounded by her sisters in the Carmel of Lisieux. Her “little way,” or what I knew about it second-hand, seemed so simple and hardly worth dwelling on too much. Perhaps other people took an interest in her, but she was not for me. Over this past year, however, inspired by a pilgrimage to Rome where she kept being mentioned, I began to learn more about St. Thérèse. I began to read her Story of a Soul, and I took a class this past spring that explored her teaching and influence as a Doctor of the Church. Only now, as I have been working through some of her letters over this past summer, has the immense devotion the Church has awarded to her begun to make sense. One of the primary things that I originally overlooked in the life of Thérèse was that her life was one of immense interior suffering. The spirituality of the “Little Way,” is beautiful, but I think we often fail to remember how agonizing it can be. For a soul seeking such intimate union with Jesus as Thérèse was, I think it is likely that the smallest imperfection, the smallest desire that did not give Him glory, felt like a spear piercing her side. The majesty of her “Little Way,” is to give these torments to Jesus and unite them with the suffering of His Heart. To put it another way, large acts of virtue are easy for us to remember, and we often have the consolation in being seen in them, even though recognition was not our object. The “Little Way,” calls attention to our smallest and most unnoticed deficiencies, and puts them before our eyes constantly, and we can do nothing to remove them save with Christ’s power. Thérèse, in her own little way, faced her faults with ever increasing abandonment to Jesus, and He, who gave Himself up for us and desperately wants us to be saints, will give unimaginable grace to those who hand their hearts over to Him. In Jesus, even our most immense sufferings become true joy, because we suffer with Him. Thérèse wrote the following to her sister Céline, prior to the latter’s own entry into Carmel: “Dear Céline, sweet echo of my soul!... If you only knew my misery!... Oh if you only knew…. Sanctity does not consist in saying beautiful things, it does not even consist in thinking them, in feeling them!... It consists in suffering and suffering everything. (Sanctity! We must conquer it at the point of the sword; we must suffer… we must agonize!) (LT 89).” Thérèse’s words on suffering can be hard to understand, but I find them to be some of the most profound words this saint has ever written. Why? Because suffering for Christ is the most joyful thing we can do. My favorite verse from Scripture is from the first verse of St. James’ letter: “Count it all joy” (Jas 1:2). To suffer for Christ through the most painful and hidden mortifications is an act of immense love. To suffer for Christ like Thérèse, who loved Christ through her dark night of faith and closed her earthly pilgrimage with “My God, I love you,” on her lips, was agonizing joy! There is nothing simple about the Little Flower, nothing lacking for the Universal Church. She reminds us all of the singular, inexpressible joy of loving Jesus and the burning desire to give ourselves entirely to Him. St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, Virgin and Doctor of the Church, gave the Church nothing short of one of most beautiful love stories ever told: the story of her soul and Jesus Christ. Miraculously, in our own way, we can learn from Thérèse and make this story our own. In truly loving Christ, everything, even the darkest nights of our soul, becomes joy. “For is there a joy greater than that of suffering out of love for You?” (Ms. C, 7r°) I am sorry that I overlooked Thérèse for so long. In her, I find the most profound spiritual master I have ever read. This past year in growing in my devotion to Thérèse, I have learned, above all else, that she can teach me love, “that love was everything, that it embraced all times and places… in a word, that it was eternal!” (Ms. B, 3v°). On this, the Feast of St. Thérèse, let us also remember to pray for women religious, especially cloistered nuns, who by their prayers and suffering, secure innumerable graces from heaven for all of us on earth. St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, pray for us! AuthorRyan is a Program Associate at the Catholic Apostolate Center, and he has contributed several articles to the Center's Ad Infinitum blog. Ryan recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the Catholic University of America, where he studied Philosophy and Theology. Currently, Ryan is a J.D. candidate at Catholic University's Columbus School of Law.
 The book of Genesis has multiple accounts of angels disguised as men. Recall the scenes of Abraham’s hospitality, Lot’s protection and deliverance, and Jacob’s wrestling match. Just as these three men engaged with angels as if they were human, we too can fail to recognize God’s intervention in our own lives. At times, it can feel as though God isn’t present to us at all. In the haze of these lonely moments, we may miss God’s hand. Looking back, however, we can find glimpses of God in the witness of those who accompany us. An excellent illustration of this secretive grace is in the book of Tobit. Here, we see angelic accompaniment in the adventures of Tobiah and the Archangel Raphael. We follow their journey, and in the end, rejoice in the restoration of hope to those who had been despairing. The story begins with Tobit, suffering from blindness caused by scales upon his eyes, praying for death. Tobit, however, has performed many works of mercy and is a righteous man. Therefore, he decides to settle debts in preparation for death. Despite Tobit’s resignation to die, God sends St. Raphael to bring healing. This is fitting because the name Rapahel means “God heals.” When the angel, disguised as an Israelite, first meets Tobit, the former foreshadows the recovery of sight by wishing joy and courage upon Tobit. After the greeting and Tobit’s lament of his condition, St. Raphael proclaims, “Take courage! God’s healing is near; so take courage!” (Tb 5:10). Little did Tobit know that “God heals” was truly with him and that a miracle would soon take place. The irony continues as Tobit wishes his son a safe journey saying, “May God in heaven protect you on the way and bring you back to me safe and sound; may his angel accompany you for your safety, son” (Tb 5:17). Despite not realizing the angelic nature of Tobiah’s companion, Tobit entrusts his son’s wellbeing to God’s care. Although he is suffering, Tobit exhibits profound trust in God, and we are called to do likewise. We may be blind to God’s presence in our lives and may not know how God will protect us, but we can trust in his providence. On the way, Tobiah and St. Raphael (referring to himself as “Azariah,” literally “YHWH has helped”) face trial, too. The first night of their journey, Tobiah almost loses his foot to a large fish (cf. Tb 6:3). However, by the instruction of St. Raphael, Tobiah is able to grab the fish and to procure its gall, heart, and liver (cf. Tb 6:4-5). These organs would be used to expel a demon tormenting Tobiah’s future wife and to restore Tobit’s sight. Had Tobiah not experienced this near run-in with the fish nor had St. Raphael to direct him, Sarah and Tobiah would have remained in despair. This reminds us that while God allows us to suffer, he uses our experiences to bring about healing for ourselves and others. Although it may take time for us to see this healing take place, we can trust that God is at work. Once we do experience this restoration, St. Raphael urges us to not be silent, for “a king’s secret should be kept secret, but one must declare the works of God and give thanks with due honor” (Tb 12:7). After encountering God and his angels, we are to live lives characterized by prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Through prayer, we give honor to God who has helped us and bear witness to his trustworthiness. By fasting, we acknowledge that God satisfies our needs, and we trust in his provision. Almsgiving allows us to extend mercy to others. By making God’s mercy visible through our own testimony and through service, we practice our prayer: “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Our hearts are transformed after walking with God and his messengers, angelic or not, and this grace overflows to bless others. We are never truly alone in the midst of our suffering. Just as St. Raphael revealed himself only after the healings took place, so too, we may not realize the impact of those who had walked with us. Looking back on these dark moments, let us not forget those who accompanied us, who didn't ask for payment in return, and who acted on the will of God even when we did not recognize it. Then, let us go forth to accompany others amidst their trials and so become witnesses of hope. May angels accompany us on the way to Heaven! St. Raphael the Archangel, pray for us!
 We probably have all heard the term “faith formation.” Sometimes this phrase is used simply as another way of saying religious education. Instead, these two words, “faith” and “formation” offer us insight into the stance that we need to take in the Christian life of discipleship. Our faith is a gift of God. Formation offers us ways in which we can grow not only in knowledge, but into a deeper encounter with Christ in faith. We are formed by him. We are formed for him so that we can be sent by him to witness our faith to others. Faith and formation work in tandem. They are both necessary for growth in the Christian life. A disciple is always learning and experiencing more in Christ through his Church. The missionary disciple or apostle, even though sent, is still always a follower of Christ, since it is Christ who does the sending. We return to him, especially week after week at Sunday Mass, to experience him in Sacred Scripture and, in an even more profound way, in the Eucharist, within the community of faith. We are formed by these encounters and go forth from them on mission for Christ. We come in thanksgiving for the faith that we have, for the community of faith, the Church, and in solidarity in the mission that we have been given as the baptized. This mission is meant to assist others in coming to deeper faith in Christ and deepening their formation as his disciples and apostles. As we do this, we are formed more fully by him and for him as well. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 When I was first introduced to the Congregation of Holy Cross as a student at Saint Mary’s College at Notre Dame, I was confused why their patron is Our Lady of Sorrows. I see myself as a cheerleader for my loved ones and try to bring joy to everything I do in life. Studying psychology and theology taught me more about the depths of joy and the paradox of holding joy and sorrow simultaneously. Joy and sorrow are not analogous to happiness and sadness. So, I can still bring joy even when accompanying others in sorrow. In the first letter from St. Paul to the Corinthians, we learn that faith, hope, and love are the three things that will last forever. We cannot have one without the other two. We have hope because we have faith and love. As a Christ-centered marriage and family therapist, I have a couple of images of the sorrowful mother in my office so my clients are reminded that they are not alone in their suffering. The Church provides a way to reflect on the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady. In each of these arrows that pierce her heart, she is either holding, searching for, or gazing at Jesus. The Seven Sorrows of Mary:
At the Wedding at Cana, Jesus told his beloved mother that if he began his public works, their humble life together as a family would never be the same. He would no longer be just her son but recognized as the Savior of all. She would no longer be just his mother but the mother of all. She consented to this road of suffering because she trusted God and meant her words at the Annunciation, “may it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) Imagine Mary at the foot of the Cross. She was full of sorrow watching her son take his last breaths. What kind of mother would she be if she was not sad watching her son suffer? In her tears, she believed (“Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” Luke 1:45) in the God she knew so intimately and loved with a heart that was not tarnished by sin. So, if it is okay for her to be full of sorrow, it is okay for each of us, too. We must be cognizant that our sorrow does not turn us away from the Cross in despair, but rather leads us toward the Cross in hope. We do not venerate the Cross because it is a torture device, but rather an instrument of salvation. Good Friday is not the end of the story, and Easter Sunday cannot exist without Good Friday. St. Paul wrote to the Romans that “all things work for good for those who love God.” (Romans 8:28) God does not waste anything and does not leave us alone in our sorrow. As Catholics, we believe in redemptive suffering; we can offer our suffering for the redemption of the souls of others. Mary is the first and greatest disciple and her intercession is incredibly efficacious. In my life and the lives of the clients I journey with, I have witnessed that the greatest transformation comes from seasons of sorrow. It is in those most challenging moments that Jesus and Our Sorrowful Mother embrace us with such tenderness and empathy. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.” (Hebrews 4:15-16) Mother Teresa so beautifully says that, “Pain and suffering have come into your life, but remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus - a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.” As you carry your crosses this week, may you see it just as a piece of the puzzle that God is building in your story. Jesus is not defined by the Cross; He overcame it. You are not defined by your crosses, either. St. John Paul the Great says, “we are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song.” In tragic circumstances, look for the heroes. In times of darkness, look for the light. I think of a hymn written by Steve Warner that is often sung on the campuses of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s College. The refrain is: “Cross of our hope, and tree of our salvation, Sown in our land, and spread near and far, Life-giving fruit, our portion and our promise, Ave Crux! Spes Unica!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk8fpSzM8LA *This blog is a repost and was originally posted September 14, 2023.* **This image is from: https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/study-of-the-pieta-127796** Author Annie Harton is a proud alumna of Saint Mary’s College and the University of Notre Dame. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, and speaker. Her self-published book, Single Truth: You Are More than Your Relationship Status, inspired her to start a business called You Are More. She specializes in helping singles and couples explore how they’re more than their diagnoses, their pasts, their jobs, and their relationship statuses while also reminding them that God is more than any problem they bring Him. Her podcast You Are More is now available anywhere you listen to podcasts. You can find out more about Annie and inquire about working with her at youaremore.org and annieharton.com  “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” This is how I begin all of my prayers; and it comes from a long tradition in Christianity. As Catholics, we usually accompany these words by making the Sign of the Cross with our hand. Why is this so important to our faith and to me personally? To begin, I suggest revisiting and praying the Nicene Creed as it is proclaimed at every Catholic Mass. This is our profession of faith. The Holy Trinity – three persons in one – is a mystery we mere mortals can scarcely understand, but it explains our identity as children of God. We are taught from the Old Testament that God the Father is the Creator, and He sustains all of the world. In the New Testament we are instructed that God the Son is our Savior, Jesus Christ – both divine and human in nature and whose behavior we strive to model. At Pentecost, as told in the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament, we are shown that the Holy Spirit is imparted to each of us as the presence of God in us who gives us wisdom and boldness to act as we are taught by Jesus. The unity of these three divine beings in one God is a profound gift I believe in complete faith, and it helps me understand who I am in His Kingdom. I am a child of the Father who loved me into being together with my earthly mom and dad, I am redeemed by the body and blood poured out by Jesus His Son for all my failings, and I am aided constantly by the Holy Spirit to live and profess the Christian life in joy and exuberance! I like to think of myself as being a flesh and bone human with supernatural assistance (as long as I cooperate with the will of God)! That is a pretty amazing disposition to live out of. We read in the Old Testament’s books of the prophets that God promised a Messiah to save His people, and then in Matthew 1:2-16 the genealogy of Jesus is recorded and spiritually comes to include each of us, who through our baptism become sons and daughters of God. This is an earthly and divine bond like no other in all of creation. There is so much more to us human beings than our earthly bodies and this temporary space we inhabit. We are walking, talking, living, breathing messengers of God the Almighty, commissioned to share love and mercy to every other living being around us. We are flesh and bone, but we are also spirit and intellect. When in right relationship with our Lord, we are the dwelling place for God to move and work in and through us. Understanding our identity and praying for guidance to live it out in what we do and say is imperative to being a member of the Kingdom of Heaven. This knowledge and the grace and virtues that flow from accepting our mission gives us the power to bring life and healing and hope and joy to a hurting, confused, and broken world. So, if you are ready to accept the mission, be prepared to be filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit and be equipped with all that is necessary to be a present day apostle! Several years ago, one of our young sons made a simple but beautiful bookmark for my husband as a gift. It was brightly colored and had the words: WORK FOR GOD! down the middle. This summarizes exactly what we are called to do and continues to be a great reminder as it sits in my husband’s Bible. The Holy Trinity is the foundation of all our Christian beliefs and it gives me great comfort knowing who I come from and who I belong to for time and eternity, even when I do not fully comprehend it. We can sing from the rooftops: “Holy Father, Holy Son, Holy Spirit, three we name Thee; while in essence only one, undivided God we claim Thee; and adoring bend the knee, while we own the mystery” (Holy God, We Praise Thy Name by Ignace Franz). To learn more about living as a missionary disciple, please click here. *This blog is reposted and was originally published May 25, 2021.* Author
 My six year old son is generally a good boy and really wants to make us proud of him. Every day I consider if we’re focusing on the right virtues that we want him to embody and whether he’ll be prepared to make the right choices throughout his life. Currently, his choices are much simpler than they will be as he gets older and I pray for him to feel God’s love and share it with others. Many mothers pray for their children all the time, but a woman who did this famously was St. Monica. St. Monica lived a life of virtue and fervent prayer. Although born and raised a Christian, she married Patricius, a man who was cruel and a pagan, and they had three children, who also lacked faith as they got older. Her eldest son was Augustine who led an immoral life, but St. Monica prayed for her husband’s and son’s conversion with a desperate fire. One year before his death, her prayers were answered and Patricius converted. Meanwhile, Augustine deceived his mother about his travel plans, but she ventured to never give up on him and followed him to Milan. There, she met St. Ambrose who became a spiritual advisor to her and, later, to Augustine’s as well. Without ceasing, St. Monica prayed for her son’s conversion and her prayers were answered on Easter in 387AD when St. Ambrose baptized St. Augustine and thus began his life of faith. Later, of course, St. Augustine would go on to write the Confessions and become a great theologian and Doctor of the Church. St. Monica died soon after her son’s conversion in 387AD, and she remains a patron saint of mothers, wives, and conversion. In an effort to impart some wisdom for our modern-day selves, who are full to the brim with things to do and places to be, let’s try ten ways to model virtuous lives like St. Monica:
Some of these examples may be challenging to achieve, but if we try with the little things, we could work up to the more involved actions as time goes on. St. Monica prayed and cried to such an extent, that her tears are said to have stained church floors. This fervence may seem extreme, but God used her love for her family in unimaginable ways. She knew God would answer her prayers, and in doing so, He used St. Augustine’s words and conversion-story to inspire hearts and change lives for thousands of years and more to come. We may never even realize the good that can come from the little we do in prayer. My son may never know the extent of the prayers that I pray for him and his future, nor the sacrifices my husband and I make for him, and he doesn’t need to! Having faith means trusting that our fervent prayers are enough. St. Monica believed this, and we can too. Resource: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-monica/
 "Fix your whole heart upon God, and love Him with all your strength, for without this no one can be saved." (St. Louis IX, King of France) St. Louis of France (1215-1270) was notable for many things from leading the 7th and 8th crusades to the Holy Land to domestic fronts like building one of the most illustrious liturgical buildings in France. Even today, the Basilica of St. Denis, where he currently is laid to rest, is a popular tourist attraction for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. St. Louis today, though, is remembered for being one of the most influential saints of his time. In the Middle Ages, saints didn't often come from kings, but rather the opposite. They come as one of the lower class, living off either the land or what strangers can provide for them. Some choose to go to monasteries, or they choose to go out into the desert. St. Louis is a prime example of someone who has not just the opportunity, but also the influence to make changes. Like St. Louis, we are all called to be crusaders for Christ. A crusader is distinguished by not what they do, but what they believe in. When St. Louis went on crusade, he brought with him his faith. Similarly, we are called to lead with faith and be a crusader for Jesus. I go to The Catholic University of America, and when looking at all of the banners, a message comes to mind. One banner that stands out says “Lead with Light”. As crusaders for Jesus, we must lead with the light in our souls that makes us children of the Father. As crusaders, not only are we called to lead with light, but we are also called to serve for the Lord. As a crusader, not only are we projecting what we believe in to be true, but we are also accomplishing acts for the faith we believe in. To be a Catholic means to serve and to be selfless. As Jesus came not to be served, but to serve, so must we serve others before we serve ourselves. St. Louis was prominent in this regard, serving as both king to a nation, general to his men, and father to his 11 children. For example, St. Louis was often known to be inviting homeless and disabled people into his castle to dine with him. Like Christ, he was also recognized to wash the feet of all the people who entered his palace. St. Louis is super important to me. My family originally was centered around the St. Louis area in Missouri, we are St. Louis sports fans, and it’s one of my favorite places in America to go to. When I was preparing for Confirmation, and learned about the actual St. Louis that is the derivation of all of my favorite things, I knew it was a calling. St. Louis spoke to me about his crusading traits that made him who he was and who he is to me today. I look up to St. Louis for spiritual help, and I hope that you will too. St. Louis IX, King of France, Pray for Us!
 In Matthew’s gospel, chapter 16, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” The disciples reply that some say John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or another prophet. When Christ presses them further, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter steps forward and answers, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Christ, responds: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, by my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I build my Church.” As Simon names Christ, Christ renames Simon. Simon’s recognition of Christ’s identity merits him a new identity, both by name, and by acceptance into God’s family. Simon, once son of Jonah, becomes Peter, child of God, disciple of Christ, the rock of the Church. Our Christianity—our proclamation that Jesus Christ is Lord—brings forth a new identity in all of us. The process first begins at baptism. On our behalf, our parents and godparents echo the sentiments of Peter through a profession of faith while the priest, describes our new identities through the words of the baptismal rite (emphases mine):
“You have become a new creation, and have clothed yourself in Christ. See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity. With your family and friends to help you by word and example, bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven.” Not only does the baptismal garment symbolize the state of our souls, freed from original sin, but it also reflects on the nature of clothing as a sign of identity. A priest in his collar, an athlete in his uniform, a mother with a diaper bag slung over her shoulder - what we put on our bodies says something about who we are. During our baptism, we are clothed with Christ - the pure and spotless victim, symbolized by a pure and spotless garment. The white of our baptismal garments also represents the invitation of Christ to all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, social status, or gender. Despite the divisions we impose on one another through our many secondary identities, Christ makes no distinctions among the members of his Father’s house. As St. Paul says in his letter to the Galatians: “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Our primary identity in Christ is universal and unified. So, what does our identity in Christ mean for us in the day to day? The baptismal rite covers that too. “With your family and friends to help you by word and example, bring that [Christian] dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven.” St. James puts it a slightly different way: “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” To the best of our abilities, as members of God’s family we must do two things: care and keep. Care: Be a doer of the word! Who needs your help? Ask God to show you who the orphans and widows are in your life, i.e., who needs you to provide something for them, whether it is material, emotional, or spiritual support. At some point, YOU will be a widow or orphan for someone else. When that time comes, ask God for the humility to accept help. Keep: Keep spotless your baptismal garment! Avoid the near occasion of sin, and when you don’t, repent and start over. Go to confession, receive the Eucharist, and spend as much time as you can in prayer. Grow close to Christ through your own sanctification. These directives from the baptismal rite and St. James depend on one another. The closer you are to Christ, the more you will serve his people. The more you serve his people, the closer you are to Christ. Notice that the baptismal rite specifies that you need the help of your “family and friends” to maintain your Christian dignity. You’re not in this alone. You have an entire community of believers behind you. Let’s be doers of the word together. *This blog is reposted and was originally published September 11, 2018.* AuthorLindsay Myers is a former Editing Associate at the Catholic Apostolate Center.
 Mission starts with Jesus Christ. Through Baptism, he gives us a share in his mission until he comes again. We are blessed to part of this mission and all of us are co-responsible for it. We need to collaborate with one another, not be in competition with one another, in living the mission that he has given each of us in communion. We do not know where the mission will take us. We are called to trust in Christ. Through the Holy Spirit, and guidance of the Church, we will discern where we need to go forth and how we need to do it. We will be surprised at times where the mission will take us. Sometimes, we might think that we do not fully have what is needed to do it. The Holy Spirit will give us what is needed. Usually, what is needed is that we collaborate well with other believers and are sharers in the same mission. When we do that, then our efforts will last. August 17th, I celebrated 40 years of Consecration in the Society of the Catholic Apostolate. When I first made the six Promises of the Pallottines - Chastity, Poverty, Obedience, Perseverance, Sharing Resources, and Spirit of Service in the same parish church of my Baptism, First Penance, First Communion, Confirmation, and later Ordination to the Priesthood, little did I know as a son of St. Vincent Pallotti where living the mission of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Apostle of the Eternal Father would take me. Every step of the way, there were others, laity, religious, and clergy, who shared in the mission with me. The mission starts with Christ, but we need to respond. We are not individuals on mission; we are apostles on mission! We are sent together and Christ is with us, the Holy Spirit guides us, unites us, and moves us forward. As we live the mission of Christ, let us be in prayer for one another. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank
 Strengthening Your Faith as the School Year Begins The beginning of a new school year brings a familiar change of pace. Summer schedules give way to classes, meetings, practices, homework, work responsibilities, and activities. Whether you are a student, parent, teacher, or simply someone whose schedule becomes busier in the fall, this transition provides an opportunity to establish good habits—not only academically and professionally, but spiritually. For Catholics, the beginning of the school year can be a good time to examine our relationship with Christ and consider how we can make our faith a more consistent part of daily life. Growing in faith does not necessarily require adding a long list of activities to an already busy schedule. Instead, it can mean intentionally making room for prayer, formation, the sacraments, and the witness of the saints. Here are several practical ways to strengthen your faith as the school year begins. Establish a Consistent Prayer Routine One of the simplest ways to grow in faith is to pray consistently. A busy schedule can make prayer seem like another responsibility competing for our attention, but prayer is not simply another task to complete. It is how we develop our relationship with God. Consider establishing a specific time for prayer each day. This might be first thing in the morning, during a commute, before going to bed, or during another predictable part of your schedule. Even a few minutes of intentional prayer can help establish a habit. Your prayer routine could include Scripture, the Rosary, the Liturgy of the Hours, spiritual reading, or simply time spent speaking with God and listening in silence. The important thing is consistency. A manageable prayer routine that you actually follow is more beneficial than an ambitious plan that quickly becomes unrealistic. Follow the Lives of the Saints The Catholic Church does not simply give us teachings to study; she gives us people to imitate. The saints demonstrate that holiness is possible in many different circumstances and vocations. They were priests and religious, parents and workers, scholars and students, missionaries and martyrs. Their lives remind us that following Christ is not limited to one particular way of life. The beginning of the school year is an especially good time to become more familiar with the saints. The Catholic Apostolate Center's Catholic Feast Days website is a useful way to incorporate the lives of the saints into your daily routine. The free app provides information about saints and blesseds, special devotions, and other celebrations of the liturgical calendar. It also provides daily notifications, making it possible to learn about a different holy man or woman throughout the year. Rather than simply noting a saint's name, take a few minutes to ask what that person's life can teach you. What virtue did he or she practice? What difficulties did the saint encounter? How did that person respond to God's call? Make Sunday Mass the Center of Your Week As schedules become crowded, Sunday Mass should remain a priority. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, and participation in Mass provides the foundation for everything else we do as Catholics. The beginning of a new school year can be a good opportunity to look at your Sunday routine and make Mass a fixed part of it. If you are a parent, consider how you can help your children understand that Sunday Mass is not simply another event on the weekend calendar. If you are a student, especially a college student living away from home, find a parish near your school and become part of its community. The goal is not simply to fit Mass into our schedule. Our schedules should be ordered around our relationship with God. Continue Learning About Your Faith Faith grows through prayer, but it also grows through formation. Catholics should continue learning about the faith throughout their lives. We do not need to become theologians, but we should seek to understand more deeply what the Church teaches and why. The school year itself can provide a helpful framework for this. Consider choosing one Catholic book to read over the course of a semester. It could focus on Scripture, the sacraments, the saints, prayer, Church history, or evangelization. The Catholic Apostolate Center's online store offers books and other formation resources that can be used for individual or group study. Resources such as The Art of Accompaniment provide practical ways to deepen our understanding of how Catholics are called to live and share their faith. The Center also offers resources related to St. Vincent Pallotti and Pallottine spirituality. You do not need to read an entire book at once. Set aside ten or fifteen minutes several times a week and allow the material to become part of your regular spiritual formation. Use Your Commute or Free Time for Catholic Formation Many people have small periods of unused time throughout the day. A commute, walk between classes, workout, or household chore can provide an opportunity to listen to something that strengthens your faith. The Catholic Apostolate Center Podcasts offer audio resources on Catholic faith formation, evangelization, Church history, and contemporary topics. The Center's On Mission podcast features conversations about practical aspects of Catholic life and missionary discipleship, while other audio resources include reflections and blogcasts. Listening to a Catholic podcast will not replace prayer or participation in the sacraments, but it can complement those practices and help keep your faith present throughout an otherwise busy day. Begin With One Habit There is no need to overhaul your entire spiritual life on the first day of school. Choose one habit and begin there. Pray for five minutes each morning. Learn about the saint of the day. Attend Sunday Mass faithfully. Read a Catholic book. Listen to a Catholic podcast during your commute. Find one concrete way to serve another person each week. Small practices, when repeated consistently, can shape our lives over time. The beginning of the school year offers a natural opportunity to establish those practices and to place Christ more intentionally at the center of our daily routines. As schedules fill and responsibilities increase, our faith should not become something we fit in only when there is extra time. Instead, our relationship with Christ should shape how we approach our studies, work, relationships, and responsibilities. A new school year is a new opportunity to grow in faith, deepen our relationship with God, and go forth as missionary disciples in the ordinary circumstances of our lives.
 As we begin this month of August, we trudge into another month of Ordinary Time in the liturgical calendar. That doesn’t mean, however, that we don’t have much to look forward to with feast days this month. August is filled with feast days from saints who lived less than a century ago, all the way to saints from the early Church—from religious to laity, from saints I’ve learned about my whole life, to saints I had never heard of before. Let us take time throughout this month of August to learn about the Christ-filled lives of these powerful saints. Saints who Founded Religious Communities: There are many saints this month who founded religious communities—all of which have had a great impact on the Church. St. Dominic founded the Dominicans, also known as the Order of Preachers, which is a religious order known for their preaching and rich intellectual history. St. Clare of Assisi worked with St. Francis of Assisi and helped found the Poor Clares, a group of contemplative nuns and the second branch of the Franciscans to be founded, just after the Order of Friars Minor. Back in the time of the early church, St. Augustine wrote the Rule of St. Augustine, which became the foundation for the Augustinians. In the 12th century, St. Bernard of Clairvaux helped spread the Cistercian Order, an order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and remains strong today. St. Cajetan helped found the Theatines which became a religious order with many bishops and intellectuals in the Church. With the help of St. Francis de Sales, St. Jane Frances de Chantal founded the Visitation Order which was a religious order open to women who had been turned down from other orders for poor health or similar reasons. The French mystic St. John Eudes founded two religious orders in the 1600s, both following St. John Eudes’ special devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. More recently, in the 18th century, St. Alphonsus Liguori founded the Redemptorists, a religious community with a special devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. In the 19th century, French priest St. Peter Julian Eymard helped found two religious orders, both with a special devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. At first, I found this list quite overwhelming. These saints founded and/or helped spread their religious orders, something I can’t even fathom, especially in our pandemic-affected world today. But then I recognized the beauty that comes to the Church as a result of this wide range of religious communities. Each community is called to follow their own unique charism, all while growing closer to Christ and bringing Him to others. After sitting with this, I realized that there is beauty in the lives of each of these saints and in how the Church works in many ways, through many charisms, to help lead everyone to a life of holiness. Martyrs in the Month: In a six day stretch next week, we will celebrate three well-known martyrs in the Church. Back in the early Church, St. Lawrence was killed and is famous for his quips as he was being grilled to his death—showing his faith in Christ to the end. Much more recently, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross was a Discalced Carmelite nun who was killed at the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II because of her Jewish heritage. Similarly, St. Maximillian Kolbe was martyred at Auschwitz, giving his life in place of another prisoner, and was thus bestowed the title “martyr of charity”. While we may not face martyrdom like these saints, we can learn from how they trusted Christ and pray for their intercession in our lives. Saints and Their Country: Later this month, we will celebrate the feast days of three saints who are known by their primary locations: St. Stephen of Hungary, St. Louis of France, and St. Rose of Lima. These saints all lived incredible lives, all very authentic to the community in which they lived. As we progress through this month, these saints can serve as role models for us in how we can follow Christ and bring others to Him in whatever region we find ourselves. As we walk through this August, let us look to the lives of the saints to learn to be saints right where God has called us to be through whatever charism He calls us to. To learn more about the saints, visit our Catholic Feast Days Website by clicking here. To view a calendar of the feast days in August, and each month, click here. *This blog is reposted and was originally published on August 3, 2021.* Author
 During my fifth year with D.C. United, the team brought in a nutrition specialist. The specialist gave his presentation and then looked toward a table in the middle of the locker room that held about 40 pill bottles of vitamins, supplements, mild pain relievers, gels, powders, and who knows what else. The nutritionist then walked over to the table, looked back to us, and said, “you know, if you just eat well you can throw all of these out. In fact, you’d be better off doing that.” He left the locker room five minutes later and never came back. For my first five years at DCU, I had been taking those vitamins and supplements at the recommendation of our strength and conditioning coaches and athletic trainers. Now a certified nutritionist deemed the whole thing a waste of time and had even said they could hinder our performance—I wondered what exactly to do. Who should I listen to? This memory has stayed with me because it matters a lot for an athlete what you do with your body. It matters how you train, eat, sleep, relax, and recover. You need to know what is helpful for your athletic development and what is unhelpful. I wanted to know if the pills and supplements helped me or hindered me. This all applies to athletic prudence in the natural realm. Prudence is the ability to judge rightly and act according to that knowledge. It is being able to think through things correctly and then make the right choice. Thus, athletic prudence is the ability to choose and act rightly in the realm of an athletic pursuit. We make decisions and then act based upon what we have concluded is actually helpful or unhelpful in relation to our goal. I would like to apply this same line of thinking to the virtue of prudence in the supernatural realm. We should be asking what is helpful or unhelpful in terms of our spiritual lives. Just like the nutritionist condemning our pill vault and making me wonder what was actually helpful for my soccer career, we should ask what in our lives helps or hinders us from going to God. In order for us to do this, of course, we must acknowledge that God is both our goal and a worthy (the most worthy!) goal at that. When I got to the height of my playing career I was devastatingly depressed for a very concentrated span of time (only several days). For months I pondered why I hit such a low point amidst more success than I had ever expected. Eventually, through the help of the Holy Spirit, I realized that God allowed me to feel the weight of my success without Him. It was an incredible grace—but also one that was difficult to really learn. Over time the truth that my soul was more important than my sport sunk in. I realized that much of what I had made my life about was, in the end, unhelpful for reaching the ultimate Goal who is God. I started applying my athletic thinking to my spiritual life. I started asking the right questions—is this helpful or unhelpful for my spiritual life? Should I be hanging out with this group of friends so much? Are my weekend habits really bringing joy to my life? Am I living as the person I want to be? Do I know who I want to be? These questions led—and continue to lead—me to Jesus, and I find myself needing to ask them again and again. Do the decisions I make help me become who I want to be? Or are my decisions hindering me from being that person? Athletic prudence helps athletes maximize their potential and use their God-given gifts to the best of their ability. This same principle can—and should—be applied to our spiritual lives. Are the decisions, actions, and principles that guide my life helpful? Are they leading me in a good direction? Prudence, says St. Thomas Aquinas, is the mother of the virtues. You cannot possess any virtue without the virtue of prudence because prudence is what enables us to recognize what is truly good (helpful) and then act according to that good. No athlete can become great apart from athletic prudence because athletic prudence enables the athlete to recognize and act upon what helps him or her become a good athlete. Far more important, however, is the realization that no person can become who they were created to be apart from supernatural prudence. It is not possible to follow Christ without first asking yourself what exactly it is you’re already following—what is it that shapes your decisions? It may be a desire for comfort, power, status, honor, wealth, success, popularity, or any number of things. But they all fall short. To be prudent you must know the end goal. You cannot attain the virtue of prudence in the whole of life without knowing that “it is Jesus in fact that you seek when you dream of happiness.” *This blog is reposted and was originally posted on September 17, 2020.* AuthorTaylor Kemp is an instructor for the Denver Catholic Biblical School as part of the St. John Vianney Seminary Lay Division in the Archdiocese of Denver. He is a former professional soccer player, amassing over 100 appearances over six-years in Major League Soccer (MLS) for D.C. United, and playing for both the youth and full United States Men’s National Team. Taylor holds an MA in Theology from the Augustine Institute and BS in Business Management from the University of Maryland, College Park.
 "Though faith is above reason, there can never be any real discrepancy between faith and reason. Since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, God cannot deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 159). While it may come as a surprise, this quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church is taken from the dogmatic constitution Dei Filius of the First Vatican Council in 1870. For centuries, the Church has clearly taught that faith and reason are not opposed to one another. We can come to understand more deeply human life and truth through both. Those on mission for Christ need to use both. Simply presenting faith in a world that values reason, particularly scientific reason, is not enough. The person of reason wants to be sure of things. Faith is seen as something that is far from sure. Pope Leo offers a critique to this view in Magnifica Humanitas when he says, “The light of faith offers a perspective on reality that helps us recognize what we call the ‘contingency’ of the things of this world” (118). What he means is that this side of life is fleeting, and eternal life is just that, eternal. Those on mission for Christ recognize well this both/and. We are on mission in the world and also live for the world to come. We use our reason to understand the things of this world and hopefully change them for the good. Our faith helps us recognize that all things in this life will eventually pass away. Faith and reason equip us well for doing the mission of Christ in the world. May the charity of Christ urge us on! In God, the Infinite Love, Fr. Frank Author Fr. Frank S. Donio, S.A.C., D.Min. is Founding Director of the Catholic Apostolate Center and a member of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (Pallottine Fathers and Brothers). He is also concurrently Provincial Rector of the Pallottines of the Immaculate Conception Province and Executive Director of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men of the United States (CMSM).
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