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The Vice of the Lone Wolf Mentality

In nature, young wolves leave their birth packs to assert independence but to find new territory and a mate. Their time as “lone wolves” is a temporary phase, a bridge to renewed life in community. Prolonged solitude, however, spells danger. Without a pack, wolves face starvation, disease and diminished survival …
Surprise! Joy at Home Comes from Sacrifice

From the time my kids were babies, I wanted our family to live in a way that was massively distinct from the secular world, a way that was marked by faith and deep, abiding joy. In my holiest fantasies, my family culture was so steeped in devotion you’d be able …
Bertin and Humility

In a visually saturated world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and become desensitized to beauty. Visio Divina, Latin for “divine seeing,” encourages us to slow down and engage in visual contemplation, using art as a profound tool for connecting with the Divine. A GUIDE TO VISIO DIVINA Begin by making …
Refresher on the rules of fast and abstinence during Lent 2025

Ash Wednesday is March 5, 2025. Below are some of the rules and regulations binding on Roman Catholics on Ash Wednesday and throughout the penitential season of Lent. Summed up succinctly, Roman Catholics must fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Wednesday, March 5, 2025 and Good Friday, April …
Building Habits of Virtue During Lent

Lent is a season of moral and spiritual growth. For some, the principal approach is to deprive oneself of non-essential goods; we give up some pleasure or luxury. Others observe Lent by performing spiritual or corporal works of mercy; we add some activity or assume some burden. And, of course, …
Abstinence from Meat

Why do Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent? What is the history behind the practice? The Church’s penitential traditions date back to the first Christians. Jesus provided a model for fasting and abstinence during His 40 days in the desert and taught that fasting would be part of …
Seek the Lord for March 2025

Each year during the season of Lent, the Church affords us the opportunity to rekindle our relationship with God, both as individuals and as a community of faith. These 40 days are a time set aside to pray more, to embrace a spirit of self-denial and sacrifice, and to work …
The Beauty of Ash Wednesday Video

There is a certain peace and beauty as we begin our Lenten Journey with Mass during Ash Wednesday. This video was released several years ago, and this year Ash Wednesday in March 5, 2025. Check out the video:
Not Here by Accident At 100, Deacon Mike Ascolese has wisdom & service to share

At 100 years old, and after 46 years as a permanent deacon, Mike Ascolese still shares his wisdom and faith with all who meet him. As he rested on a bench in Eden Park when in his later 90s, Deacon Ascolese took in the Ohio River view while his now …