I attended my first prayer meeting thirty-six years ago, when I was nineteen years old. Until that time, I was your typical "good Catholic boy." Continue »

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When Jesus walked among us two thousand years ago, he was completely human—even to the point that he was tempted in every way that we are, but without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Despite this truth, however, we still tend to underestimate just how much Jesus needed to pray. Continue »

An innocent, sinless virgin; a quiet, contemplative mother-to-be; a faithful, devoted wife and mother; even a "woman clothed with the sun" who is taken up into heaven (Revelation 12:1). Yet all these images run the risk of making us forget how human she was. Like any of us, Mary enjoyed many happy times with her family, as well as many challenges and difficulties. Continue »

When I was a Jesuit novice, I was introduced to a wonderful method of contemplative prayer. Actually, it’s more accurate to say that I was introduced to contemplative prayer—period. Continue »

The Catholic imagination has long been captivated by apparitions. In large part, this is because they magnify the reality of a heaven that loves so much that it reaches down to earth. It sprinkles paradise over our everyday world and stirs our appetite for the Eternal One. Continue »

Less than two years into her marriage, Marie received the crushing news that she had multiple sclerosis. She and her husband, Jim, were devastated, their hopes for a beautiful future dashed. As they searched for cures, their emotions oscillated between anger and resignation. Sometimes they prayed more. Continue »