Holy Week Reflection
Holy Week is upon us once again. At these well known points in the liturgical year, I am prone to think of Scrooge’s dismissive remarks about Christmas: “another year older and not a moment wiser.” But something struck me during the reading of the Passion Gospel on Palm Sunday that may lead to a scintilla […]
Reality
Today’s reality. You hear that a lot lately. But in Reality, nothing is different from when the pandemic was not the constant thought of society. Before the pandemic, we were all sinners and we still are. Before the pandemic, the greatest moment in the history of existence was the Annunciation, the Incarnation. It still is. […]
Perfection of Charity
For the better part of 35 years Katherine and I have lived in Virginia while Katherine’s parents have lived in Western Massachusetts. Because of this accident of geography, I am familiar with just about every possible way to drive between Virginia and the Berkshires. Freeways and backroads; direct, indirect, and completely out of our way. […]
On the Feast of the Holy Family
I have been struck, in the weeks since Christmas, about how often the life of the Holy Family is the subject of the Church’s attention at this time. It’s logical, given that we have just celebrated that rather incredible event of the birth of the second Person of the Godhead into a human family. This […]
Newsletter Spring 2021: Thanks Be To God…Even In Troubled Times
I am blessed to benefit from many good homilists at Sunday Mass. In preparation for Lent, one of those homilists pointed out that, as much as we must be particular in the confession of our sins in this life, when we encounter Christ at our final judgement, He won’t be running a finger down our ledger. The […]
Catholic organization pays off student loan debt for those entering religious life
Published in The College FixMaria Lencki – Franciscan University of SteubenvilleNovember 10, 2020 ‘The world needs these heroic young men and women’ The Fund for Vocations, a Catholic charitable organization, helps men and women respond to God’s call to religious life by paying off student loan debt that prevents them from entering the seminary or […]
Compass Catholic Ministries Podcast – Father Brent Bowen
Money Stories: The Effect of Student Loan Debt on Vocations with Father Brent Bowen Father Brent Bowen finished his undergraduate studies and promptly started his master’s degree. It was at that time that he realized his calling to become a priest. At that point, he had six figure student loan debt. His story shows how […]
Compass Catholic Ministries Podcast – Sister Ignatia Henneberry
Money Stories: The Effect of Student Loan Debt on Vocations with Sister Ignatia Henneberry Sister Ignatia Henneberry, with the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, had student loan debt when she started discerning religious life. She had faith that her debt would not be a barrier. Due to the generosity of others, including her […]
Compass Catholic Ministries Podcast – Anne Folan, Part 2
Money Stories: The Effect of Student Loan Debt on Vocations with Anne Folan, Part 2 In the last episode of Money Stories, Anne Folan spoke about the toll student loan debt is taking on vocations. In this episode, Anne is back to discuss what the Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations is doing to help this […]
Compass Catholic Ministries Podcast – Anne Folan, Part 1
Money Stories: The Effect of Student Loan Debt on Vocations with Anne Folan, Part 1 In this episode of Money Stories, Anne Folan discusses the toll student loan debt is taking on vocations. Anne is a member of the board of directors of the Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations, a nonprofit Catholic organization that makes […]