St. Thomas More is widely known as "a man for all seasons," but he is best known for the final season of his life. A prominent government official when Henry VIII seized control over the church in England, Thomas refused to go along with the power grab. For that, Henry had him executed, in January 1535. Continue »

Joy and holiness are intimately interrelated. When holiness unfolds in the context of our daily life, joy increases in the same process. Deep joy is growth in holiness. Continue »

John the Baptist reached beyond himself, both backward and forward in time. He represented the history of Israel, waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a messiah. And he pointed to the future, announcing the coming of the Messiah who would establish the reign of God. Continue »

Teresa of Ávila is a woman, a saint, a mystic, and a doctor of the church. She is best known for her reform of the Carmelite community in sixteenth-century Spain and for her many inspiring and profound writings that were saved and circulated in the decades after her death. As a woman of prayer, Teresa is a good model for anyone who wants to live a simple life with God in the midst of a complex world. Continue »

In the seventeenth century, French fishermen, fur traders, and explorers were landing in New France, which included not only Quebec but all the lands watered by the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes. They traded and made alliances with native tribes such as the Hurons and Algonquins. Continue »

Holiness is not a matter of any one particular method of spirituality. It is a disposition of the heart that makes us small and humble within the arms of God, aware of our weakness, but almost rashly confident in his Fatherly goodness. ~Thérèse of Lisieux Continue »