Spiritual Experience & Disciplines Archives

The Rosary Draws Us Close to Jesus Christ Our Healer

May 4, 2024

Does anyone sit back after 15 minutes of scrolling, give a peaceful sigh, and say, “Now that’s what I needed! I’m in a much better place now?” The world is filled with bad news, and, while it’s responsible enough to stay abreast of what’s going on,

‘To find your people’ – How Catholics are building intentional communities

May 4, 2024

St. Joseph Shrine in Detroit is a thriving parish. Just minutes from the center of downtown Detroit, the stunning, historic church boasts a burgeoning congregation and a thriving parish life, with events including processions, galas, and a weekend-long Oktoberfest that includes a stein-holding competition and

Piety and Virtue

April 30, 2024

I should pray more. And I definitely need to be a better person. Since I am now a Catholic, I believe there is an important relationship between prayer and becoming a better person. But as a Catholic, I don’t believe that becoming a better person

Seizing the Day the Christian Way

April 30, 2024

Is “seizing the day” the solution to our modern maladies, to the anxieties that we feel? We can see that there is a way of being attentive to the present moment, of carrying out the precise task demanded of us at all times, which is

“Suffering has the power to transform us to be like Christ…”

April 22, 2024

All of us suffer. We live in a fallen world, and suffering is simply a part of life. This suffering can take many forms, and we are all affected differently by it. But why do we suffer at all? How are we to understand suffering?

The Lord Loves Us in Our Weaknesses

April 19, 2024

For 7 years, I have lived with a chronic medical condition called bile reflux disease. My gall bladder stopped working, and I had it removed in 2017. Unlike many people who have their gall bladder removed, my issues worsened rather than getting better. The medications

What Does It Mean to “Fast” for the Saints?

April 19, 2024

In general, the modern era neglects the practice of honoring excellent people. We idolize the famous and popular and leave the admirable, the truly excellent, to the teachers and textbooks. But we ought to honor the excellent. Why? Because it is part of the virtue

Unleashing the Power of the Holy Spirit: the Vision of Encounter Ministries

April 19, 2024

Here in the Diocese of Lansing — and, indeed, in a growing number of Catholic communities in Michigan and nationally — Encounter Ministries stands as a beacon of hope and renewal. Founded on the bedrock of friendship and ignited by a shared passion for spiritual

Current Sacramental Preparation is Failing Lost Souls

April 11, 2024

Earlier this week, my spiritual daughter texted to tell me that the course she and her husband took in preparation for their baby girl’s Baptism was a 20-minute YouTube video. That was the entire preparation. I was disappointed, but not surprised. In the post-COVID era

The faith of the next generation

April 11, 2024

For years, religious leaders in the U.S. have raised concerns about the rise of the “nones” - people who profess to adhere to no faith tradition. Among American adults under 30, “none” significantly outranks Protestants and Catholics as a religious affiliation. There’s a certain conventional