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The Calling of the Apostles by Ghirlandaio. Public domain Opening our hearts to Christmas For some reason, I was especially struck by the question the crowds, the tax collectors, and the soldiers asked…

The Power and the Beauty of the Creche It started simply.  He wanted to celebrate Christmas in a new way by re-creating the stable of Bethlehem. He would have a real ox and ass there, and they would…

(Reading a Christmas letter from Br. Philip Wilhelm, OFM, in the Philippines puts everything in perspective. This year Br. Phil wrote about a lunch he attended for 300 children who are deaf-mute, blind, or suffering from Down Syndrome, the service of…

Not just Catholics have a devotion to St. Anthony of Padua. He is a Saint for Everyman. Everyone misplaces or misses something important from time to time and it doesn’t just have to be tangible things like keys, money,…

The aircrew on duty at dinner: Nobody gets a long weekend. On Thanksgiving Day, while folks in the States were still asleep, military personnel at an airbase in the Arab Emirate of Qatar were sitting down to…

“Jesus is God, spelling Himself out in language that man can understand.” —S. D. Gordon Guests of the Spirit of Christmas Walking tour enjoy the Dicken’s Village. The meaning of S. D. Gordon’s quote becomes clear as…

Sunrise at St. Anthony Shrine and Friary I was reminiscing on the phone with a former friar yesterday. He remembered that during night prayer on Friday nights in novitiate we would use Psalm 88: “my one companion…

St. Francis wrote that preparing a will is one of the first duties of a person living in the world. But leave it to St. Anthony to help you find a way to get it done. You can…

A Great Friendship! – Br. Gabriel Balassone & Br. Adam Farkas Talk with Brother Adam Farkas, OFM, for even the briefest moment and you’ll be infected with his open heart and love for people. The Franciscan charism…

Fr. Valens Waldschmidt, OFM, and Fr. Cyprian Berens, OFM, at this year’s Jubilee celebration. Starting November 15, three familiar faces will turn up all over town (and TV) when the month-long Retirement Fund for Religious campaign is…