The Church gives thanks for all the manifestations of the feminine ‘genius’ which have appeared in the course of history, in the midst of all peoples and nations; she gives thanks for all the charisms which the Holy Spirit distributes to women in the history of the People of God, for all the victories which [...]
When I was 17, I had to get blood drawn. My mom went with me, and the phlebotomist happened to be an old acquaintance of hers. Making small talk, my mom asked the phlebotomist how her daughters were. She mentioned that one of her daughters was going through Confirmation, albeit reluctantly, and that she was [...]
As a young girl, I always loved the Sundays when a Baptism took place in the context of the Mass. There were many reasons I found Baptisms captivating; for starters, they punctuated our usual Sunday routine with something out of the ordinary. But more than that, I was drawn up into the joy and the [...]
Every New Year’s Eve, my family attends Mass at St. Joseph or Sacred Heart Church. As a child, I always thought this was another one of my family's traditions - a way of welcoming and ushering in the new year. Only later in life did I realize that this tradition was much more profound and [...]
We ring in the nw year with high hopes, dreams and ambitions. The promise of the unknown, a year untarnished, a clean slate, inspire many people to become better versions of themselves. Perhaps as we begin 2021 and journey towards the season of Lent, God is calling us to make a new vow — one [...]
If you were to ask me what I associate with the word “thanksgiving,” the first image that would pop into my mind is one that involved a delicious meal, family, pies, a crackling fire, fall leaves and darkening days. If you put “thanksgiving” into Google images or Pinterest, you are greeted with visions of script [...]
Today is Pentecost. It also happens to be my birthday. Two very important events (at least in my world). Last night, when I went to bed, I was thinking about how I thought life would be at 27. I've always loved having a plan. When I was 16, I knew that by 22 I'd be [...]
It was a Tuesday afternoon. I was sitting in a nearly empty Church, staring at the crucifix, praying. Out of of the corner of my eye I saw two people slowly shuffling their way down the side isle. My eyes trailed away from the cross as I watched this old couple taking baby steps. It almost looked [...]
Sometimes, I am like the Apostle, Thomas, full of doubt. I have been told that Jesus is risen, that He is the Son of God, but I want proof. I want to put my fingers in His hands and in His side. I want to see His resurrected body standing before me. If you’re anything [...]
For some, it is easy to dismiss the sacraments as empty rituals, meaningless signs. Indeed Ratzinger comments on this growing trend in his book Theology of the Liturgy: The Sacramental Foundation of Christian Existence: The man of today is certainly interested in the question of God, and he is even concerned about the problem of Christ; [...]
Caitlin Sica 