The “Small” but Significant Work of Spiritual Direction
“The work of a spiritual director is hidden to all but the person coming for direction.” – Deanna Bartalini
Claire Dwyer
Christ and the Church Militant
“(Sacramentum) was the word that the ancient Romans used to describe a military oath ceremony for a Roman soldier.” – Timothy Flanders
Social Awareness & Relationship Skills: Loving Our Neighbor Well
“We do not practice calm communication merely to have a pleasant life; we practice it so our homes and parishes become places where people can encounter Christ.” – Marge Steinhage Fenelon
Silence as Listening
“In the Christian understanding of prayer, silence is synonymous with listening.” – Fr. Jeremiah Shryock, CFR
Imitating Mary, Part 2: Amiability
“When thinking of the virtue you want, develop a game plan. Be specific.” -Sr. Mary Catherine Blanding, IHM
The God Who is a Blazing Furnace
“What, then, do we make of the God who calls himself ‘a consuming fire?’ Is He to be feared like fire that is dangerous, destructive, or deadly?” – Emily Berger
Intimacy and Unforeseen Encounters
“All those who are committed to daily prayer practices know that there are ebbs and flows to prayer.” -Thomas Griffin
You Forgot! A Reflection on a Central Spiritual Struggle
“What God is most concerned with is not that we forget small details of the law, but that we so easily forget the wonderful things He has done for us.” – Monsignor Charles Pope
Making Prayer Personal
“If God is not a personal and loving presence for me, then prayer becomes merely an intellectual exercise or a retreat into one’s imagination.” – Fr. Jeremiah Shryock, CFR
Empathy: Seeing Others with the Eyes of Christ
“Empathy is not the same as endorsement. To empathize is to understand; to endorse is to approve.” – Marge Steinhage Fenelon
Have Faith Like St. John the Baptist
“When the Spirit descends on Jesus, John has an ‘ah-ha moment’ in which everything suddenly makes sense.” – Jen Arnold
When You Lose That Praying Habit
“Vacation time or visitors to our home can also throw us off our spiritual routine.” – Deanna Bartalini
Imitating Mary, Part I: Being with Our Mother
“Ask: ‘Mary, what would you have me think, say, or do?’ Make space for her guidance.” – Sr. Mary Catherine Blanding, IHM
Abandonment to Divine Providence: What to do in Life’s Challenges
“Many of us are so busy trying to work through our day-to-day lives…that we sometimes we forget who is really in charge.” – Jen Arnold
Behold His Face: Encountering Christ in Icons
“Gazing at the Holy Face is a reminder of who He is and who I am.” – Ruth Engelthaler
Prayer Reshapes Our Inner Landscape
“When a person commits themselves to prayer, a subtle yet decisive shift begins to occur within the soul.” – Fr. Jeremiah Shryock, CFR
AI vs. Interiority and the Depths of the Word
“We have a litmus test for our own healthy engagement with AI and other technologies: Is it all fostering the depths, expansiveness, and rootedness of the interior life?” – Fr. Ignatius Schweitzer
The Bread of Life is Our Strength
“As Christians live in the world but not of it, they need a sustenance beyond any earthly blessing the Father might bestow.” – Dr. Anthony Lilles
