Join Dr. Tim Gray in this powerful 14-part series to discover the Gospel of Mark like never before. Immerse yourself in this action-packed Gospel that offers Saint Peter's account of Christ's life and teaching. Combining the insights of Dr. Tim Gray with the masterful artistry of the Augustine Institute, this Lectio series uses the Church's rich tradition of Lectio Divina to help you better understand and better pray with the Gospel of Mark.

I’m pregnant! What a joyous announcement. It is at that moment that the words God spoke to Moses when Moses asked God His name are applied to the child in the womb, “I AM!” God replied to Moses: “I am who I am.” Then he added: “This is what you will tell the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” (Exodus 3:14) How blessed we are to have the gift of life. How blessed we are to have been given life by our parents. How blessed are you who are parents, using your God -given life giving power to create children who will live forever.

In this highly relevant talk, Bishop Robert Barron shares observations from his dialogue with critics of his YouTube videos. He eloquently illustrates how our Catholic intellectual tradition can clarify the confusion that is so prevalent in our culture about matters of Christian faith and life.

Separation! Insults! Negativity! Take the first letter of those three words and we have SIN. Sin is both personal and communal. As we listen to all three readings at Mass today, we see that Jesus came to take away the power of sin by facing it head on and enduring its power as He was crucified. His Resurrection clearly shows His power over sin, a power He very much wants to share with us personally and communally. Even though the author of life was put to death the power of sin could not and did not prevail over Him. His power over sin is the love that flows constantly and unrelentingly from His Sacred Heart.

At times we wonder if we can do what we have committed ourselves to do, and at other times we jump in with enthusiasm, courage, and joy. We never know exactly what the future holds for us. One of the questions I pondered before I took the final step to ordination as a priest was, “Will I be able to do what a priest does?” As time goes by, I have learned many things and I thoroughly enjoy being a priest.

One in four people will be affected by a mental health problem at some point in their lives, yet the stigma surrounding mental illness silences many and prevents faith communities from responding compassionately and effectively. This eight-session course—designed for use in small groups—explores the realities of mental health and illness, as well as the vital need for faith-based community conversations about these topics. The sessions are accompanied by compelling films that feature the stories of Catholics living with mental health challenges, along with the insights of archbishops, theologians, and psychologists. The course also includes a Leader’s Guide, Participant’s Guide, and additional educational and spiritual resources.

Join Catholic experts and book lovers with decades of experience in publishing for in-depth weekly discussions of relevant Catholic texts. Hosted by Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ (Founder of Ignatius Press), Vivian Dudro (Senior Editor at Ignatius Press), and Joseph Pearce (Director of Book Publishing at Augustine Institute). These discussions are part of an online community that reads and discusses a different book each month.

Happy Easter! With all that has been going on in our world for more than a year now, we surely need someone to lift our spirits. Realistically we still seem to have a way to go to get beyond the coronavirus and the effects it has had on us. Two thousand years ago there was a day that changed human history. What seemed to be defeat turned into hope renewed. Hopes dashed and the victory of human ignorance and evil intentions was short lived. Good Friday was followed by Easter Sunday. Jesus rose, showing His power over sin and death. His is the only power that will enable us to face evil and rise above it.

Welcome! I am so happy that you are here. These are the words and sentiments expressed in the readings and prayers as we begin this week called Holy Week. Today is Palm Sunday, the day Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem. The welcome turned sour in a matter of five days. Jesus did not enter Jerusalem thinking He had finally reached everybody and that what He came to do was completely understood. In Matthew 20:17-19, Jesus takes His apostles aside and says; “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” We have a pithy saying: “Forewarned is forearmed.” This is not the case for Jesus. Foreknowledge or forewarning did not make Him take up arms or make Him fearful, or cause Him to turn around and just walk away. That is what makes this week Holy Week. While God’s love in Jesus was questioned, attacked, and rejected in Jesus, that love would not be deterred, abandoned, or compromised. Jesus did exactly what needed to be done in the situation He was in at that time in that place.

Teach your kids about God and the alphabet with Totally Toddlers The Alphabet! From the creative team who brought you the popular Catholic series, Brother Francis, this series will immerse your kids in the series’ colorful animations. Introduce them to the beautiful world of words through this entertaining and wholesome show. Your kids will want to watch Totally Toddlers over and over again. With animated letters coming to life, happy songs, and cheerful melodies, teaching the basics of the English language becomes a pleasant and unforgettable experience.

“Lord if you had been here my brother would never have died.” These words are from one of the Gospels we will read at some of the Masses in our parish this weekend. They are from John 11:1-45 which is the account of the raising of Lazarus after being dead four days in the tomb. Before those words were spoken to Jesus by the sisters of Lazarus they had sent word to Him that, “The one you love is ill.”

Jesus did not drop everything and come immediately and cure Lazarus. He waited two days and then went, two days too late as far as the sisters of Lazarus were concerned. But Jesus does far more than cure Lazarus from a fatal disease, He raises him back to life, a life Lazarus would one day leave again in death. The earthly joy of the sisters and Lazarus would one day be surpassed by the joy of God’s presence with one another in heaven.

“Ya Gotta believe!” This was a pithy statement coined by pitcher Tug McGraw when the Mets had some success in their history. When we want to be practical we say, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” In the Gospel we will use at some of the Masses this Sunday (John 9:1-41), we have the account of Jesus curing a man born blind. As astounding as this miracle was, there were religious leaders who refused to believe what they saw. They had a bias against Jesus and as a result refused to see the powerful, healing power of God’s love right in front of them. Their downplaying of the miracle caused them to say Jesus healed on a Sabbath and they even questioned the man’s parents about whether or not the blindness was from birth. Jesus and His healing power were right in front of them, yet they did not want to believe and sought reasons to discredit Jesus.

This Lenten season, be sure to take advantage of the Sacrament of Confession.In this audio talk, using clever examples and insightful stories, Ken Yasinski reveals how each of us can obtain freedom from the burden of our sins through the forgiveness that is readily available in this beautiful sacrament.

The Holy Shroud of Turin was called the greatest relic in Christendom by Pope St. John Paul II. In fact, the Shroud is the most studied scientific object in the entire world. Fr. Peffley presents new, detailed scientific and medical evidence for the authenticity of the Holy Shroud. This presentation brings greater clarity to the depth of the agony of our Lord's sorrowful Passion, which he voluntarily took on for love of us.

One of the things we take for granted every day of our lives is the availability of water. All we have to do is open a spigot and we have more than we need. We use water to wash, nourish plants, cook, travel on, and refresh our bodies. A number of Lenten seasons ago we had parish projects to raise money to drill wells in two different villages in Nigeria. We helped people to have a resource of water in the center of their villages so they would not have to walk miles with pails to and from the river to bring water to their homes.