The Simple Path to Heaven
by Katie Sciba Two weeks after our wedding, Andrew and I boxed up the studio that was more his than ours and moved to Louisiana. I did my best to fashion a home in our five hundred square foot apartment, and we spent rainy days watching movies and reading on …
We are Not Just Another Brick in the Wall
by Kenneth Craycraft In 1979, the rock group Pink Floyd released a concept album called “The Wall.” Written by now disgraced band leader Roger Waters, the record is angry, depressing, and claustrophobic. It is the fictional story of a cynical, despondent rock star who attempts to construct a wall around …
Putting it Together Bit by Bit
INTO YOUR HANDS – JANUARY 2026 When I was a young child, I enjoyed playing with building blocks. Frequently, my siblings would come and topple my construction, but I would simply start building again. Soon, those blocks were replaced with Legos to construct much stronger and more intricate things. As …
Obituary: Sister Barbara Fiand
Sister Barbara Fiand, a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur, born in Java, Indonesia, died peacefully on Dec. 30, 2025 at the age of 85, in the 45th year of her religious life. Her passing is mourned by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, her nieces and nephews, and dear …
Bell Tower Demolition Marks Turning Point in Future of St. John the Baptist, Maria Stein
Today, the bell tower of St. John the Baptist Church in Maria Stein is being carefully demolished following the collapse of the west wall of the church on Monday, December 29, 2025. Seven months after a fire ravaged St. John the Baptist Church, the west wall of the church collapsed …
Holy Door closes as faithful prepare for special 2033 jubilee marking Jesus’ death and resurrection
By Tessa Gervasini Jan 6, 2026 / 06:00 am As Pope Leo XIV closes the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica on Jan. 6, the feast of the Epiphany, and the 2025 Jubilee Year comes to an end, the Catholic Church begins to anticipate another jubilee — one that will mark …
Pope Leo XIV closes St. Peter’s Holy Door, concluding Jubilee of Hope
By Victoria Cardiel Vatican City, Jan 6, 2026 / 07:00 am Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday closed the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, bringing the ordinary holy year to an end — a time of grace that invited Catholics to conversion, reconciliation, and hope. The pontiff processed toward the Holy …
‘As men, you’re called to act!’ speaker says to a packed room of young men at SEEK 2026
By Amira Abuzeid Jan 6, 2026 / 07:00 am Hundreds of young men at the SEEK 2026 conference in the Fort Worth, Texas, Diocese this weekend filled a cavernous room to learn about what it means to be a man formed by “Jesus Christ and his Church.” John Bishop, founder and …
Bishops invite faithful to pray novena for the unborn
By Tessa Gervasini Jan 6, 2026 / 14:00 pm The United States bishops have invited Catholics to pray an annual Respect Life novena for the protection of the unborn. The Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is sponsoring the “9 Days for Life” prayer that will begin on Friday, …
From Criminal to Comic
Shayne Smith was born into a world of organized crime. He and his three brothers endured abuse at the hands of their step-father and ultimately took after him as full members in a motorcycle gang. Robbery and violent crime became their full-time jobs. But then, Smith and his brothers chose …
