February 1208. A young Italian goes to Mass in the little church of St. Mary of the Angels, on the plain below the Umbrian town of Assisi. It is the feast day of St. Matthias, and the gospel reading is of Jesus sending out his disciples: "As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near.' Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff. . . ." (Matthew 10:7, 9-10). Continue »

It may seem like just a single moment in your life, but right now, every moment, a river is coursing. We can usually only see it in retrospect. We realize that as we were making a certain decision, this factor from the past was pushing us one way, another factor was shading our thinking in another way, hopes for a particular future were inspiring us, and in the midst of it all, coincidence, happenstance, and any number of other factors were also at work. All kinds of things are going on, including, perhaps, a plan, greater and deeper than we could have realized then or even grasp now. Continue »

On August 2, 1942, the German S.S. stormed a Carmelite convent in Echt, Holland, and demanded that one of its nuns, Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, be handed over immediately, along with her sister Rosa. The convent was thrown into confusion: The prioress begged for more time, sisters threw together some belongings for the two women, and alarmed neighbors gathered outside. Only Sr. Teresa maintained her composure. “Come, Rosa,” she said calmly. “We are going for our people.” Continue »

As July 31, 1556, was dawning, Ignatius of Loyola uttered his last words, “O my God!” Quickly, the news of his death spread through the streets of Rome. People exclaimed, “The saint has died.”

In 1622, Ignatius was indeed proclaimed a saint. Gregory XIII’s declaration echoed what the common people knew all along: “Ignatius had a heart big enough to hold the universe” (Mary Purcell, The First Jesuit: Saint Ignatius Loyola [1491–1556], p. iv). Continue »

Since at least the year 354, this day has been set aside to honor the apostles Peter and Paul. The memory of these great apostles and our reverence for the work of grace in their lives have pierced the hearts of the faithful ever since. Of all the men and women who have ever lived, these two were chosen to be the apostles to the Jews and the Gentiles. Continue »

To her many friends and admirers, Clare of Assisi was a model of medieval womanhood. Born around 1193 into one of Assisi’s noble families, she seemed to flourish naturally in an environment of privilege and prestige. Her father, Favarone, was an accomplished warrior-knight, and her mother, Ortulana, was known both for her ability to manage her extensive household and for her personal piety and charity. Continue »