Imagine: we are gathered with our family and friends, waiting for a report on a very serious, life-changing operation for a dear friend. Finally, someone brings the good news that the wait is over. The operation was enormously successful, and we can celebrate! But instead of expressing our exciteme...
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One of my friends got involved in Toastmasters, an organization that focuses on improving public speaking and leadership skills. One aspect of the first meeting she attended was the Word of the Day. Participants were encouraged to use the word as they could in their speeches, interactions, and dial...
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Though Christians are not supposed to be deceptive, “Newman Club” is indeed a deceptive title.  It is not until one looks at our mission statement for“Catholic Campus Ministry” that they realize the Newman Club is not a club but a ministry. Other clubs throughout campus...
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Our decisions matter. They are not arbitrary happenings, nor are they irrelevant to the rest of the world. As Pope Benedict XVI wrote in Introduction to Christianity, our end “is based on decisions…the final stage of the world is not the result of a natural current but the result of res...
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Advent is upon us! When many of us make our lists this time of year, we probably include decorating, shopping and baking; but fasting, extra praying, giving alms and doing penance may not make the top of the list. However, I'm on a mission this year to make Advent the penitential season it's meant...
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I have a bit of difficulty trusting God. I don’t doubt God’s absolute love for me and desire for my every good. I simply don’t understand how I can trust him. Joseph Ratzinger (Pope-Emeritus Benedict XVI) explains in his “Introduction to Christianity” that, “As t...
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The Love and Fidelity Network posted a talk that fanned the flame of my passion for the importance of the family and a strong marriage culture. Helen Alvare, JD, a law professor, author, and speaker with an impressive list of accomplishments and involvements in the Catholic, family, and marriage wo...
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Adjusting is an interesting process—one that has led me to the significant conclusion that I should structure my days around daily Mass. As a college freshman in her first semester, I have certainly heard my fair share about adjusting. Much of this talk and advice gave me the understanding th...
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What is your first thought when someone mentions service? Is it an image, an event, a phrase – or maybe it’s just a feeling that comes to mind? If you said helping out with parish events, volunteering at a soup kitchen or even helping a friend remodel their house, you’d be correct...
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Years ago, when I interviewed Kathy DiFiore, an exemplary woman who founded a network of shelters in New Jersey for homeless teenage mothers and abused women, she mentioned how the inspiration for her ministry came while she was praying, "Lord, make me a channel of your peace."    &#...
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