Sophia Institute 
A Reflection from “Hearts Beating as One” by Raplh Martin The first significant and explicit encounter happened in the spring of 1916. Again, the three children were in the fields taking care of the sheep, and as normally devout Catholic children in a small town in Portugal, they were dutifully saying their Rosary. They had … Read more
A Reflection from “Devotion to the Angels” by Fr. Henri-Marie Boudon It was St. Michael who took up the defense of the honor of God against Lucifer, in the cause of the Incarnation of the Word; and St. John Chrysostom is of the opinion, that he was also one of the first to pay homage … Read more
A Reflection from “Padre Pio’s American Daughter” by Susan De Bartoli Whenever American soldiers came to San Giovanni Rotondo during the war, they always made their way to Mary’s house. She was their anchor. Since many of these young men spoke little or no Italian, Mary became their interpreter. She welcomed them as a mother … Read more
A Reflection from “Confessions of a Former Witch” by Anonymous Sadly, all the gurus I was following back then—from the famous to those in my own community—were either lying or working under the illusion of lies. At worst, they knew they were leading me down a dark road, further from God. Those who knew they … Read more
A Reflection from “Ineffable” by Allison Auth The Our Father is the recipe Jesus taught His disciples that includes all the ingredients of prayer needed to grow in a relationship with God. It starts secure in our filial covenant, calling God “Father” and progresses through praise, petition, and contrition. Let’s look at the individual words … Read more
A Reflection from “Angels of Light, Angels of Darkness” by Rev. Adam Blai The word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, if a land sins against me by breaking faith, and I stretch out my hand against it, breaking its staff of bread and setting famine loose upon it, cutting off … Read more
A Reflection from “The Soul of a Disciple” by Allan Smith Simeon’s prophecy was fulfilled at Calvary: “And a sword will pierce through your own soul also” (Luke 2:35). This sword was not physical, but spiritual—a sword of sorrow, sharp enough to open the depths of the mother’s heart. Mary suffered not because she doubted, … Read more
A Reflection from “The Secret of the Cure D’Ars” by Henri Gheon God was more ambitious for His saint than we are. He wanted to place him, in the eternity of his glory, as near as possible to Himself, one of the stars of the first brilliance. That sort of thing has to be paid … Read more
A Reflection from “Arise” by Laura Bedingfeld Whatever Martha may have understood of Jesus’ surprising affirmations (John 11), she quickly goes to get her sister Mary, who also comes to weep at his feet. The sisters’ sorrow has something deeper in it than simply grief at the death of their brother, and Jesus is profoundly … Read more
A Reflection from “My Days are in Your Hands” by Cardinal Fernando Filoni Long brown dress, head covered, gentle face, not too young. Almost like a vision, she walked very slowly, rhythmically, circling the Aedicule of the Holy Sepulcher. While others sat or stood in prayer, she moved gracefully, as if in contemplation, like … Read more
A Reflection from “Padre Pio’s American Daughter” by Fr. Susan De Bartoli Eleven months after she first set foot in San Giovanni Rotondo, Mary Pyle paused to write a note in her little diary. The words she penned on August 22, 1924, revealed the deep joy that was taking root in her heart: Behold we … Read more
A Reflection from “St. Paul of Tarsus” by Rev. Waldemar Chrostowski Paul’s speech before Festus and King Agrippa provided the opportunity for a new autobiographical summary, adapted—as the previous one (Acts 22:3–21)—to the particular circumstances of time and place. Each of these speeches shows dynamism and freshness, confirming that, in spite of passing years, … Read more
A Reflection from “Yoga Unveiled” by Linda Carl Prayer There is nothing the devil fears so much, or so much tries to hinder, as prayer. —St. Philip Neri For many years, I wrongly credited yoga as the source of peace in my life. It turned out to be prayer, the easiest and most effective … Read more
A Reflection from “Devotion to the Angels” by Fr. Henri-Marie Boudon Demons tempt fathers, mothers, and relatives, by the love of riches or honors, to compel their children, with a view to these objects, to enter into states to which God does not call them. Thus they will force them into the priesthood, or … Read more
A Reflection from “The Power of Reparation” by Fr. Raoul Plus, S.J In the revelations made to St. Margaret Mary, our Lord’s one object appears to have been to ask for reparatory sacrifices. Let us take a few examples from her life: On one occasion Jesus said to her: “Behold the Heart, which has so … Read more
A Reflection from “Humility of the saints” by Patrick O’Hearn The humble man, even though he be great in the eyes of the world, will esteem himself less than others, for he will always suspect that their internal greatness may far overreach his insignificant external greatness. He will therefore not flaunt his accidental superiority before … Read more
A Reflection from “The Face of the Heavenly Mother” by Venerable Jozsef Cardinal Mindszenty Mary, the Model and Ideal of All Women Sublime and lovely as the women of the Old Testament are, important as is the role they have played in the history of salvation, they are nevertheless only stars that grow dim before … Read more
A Reflection from “The Power of the Rosary” by Gabriel Castillo The apparition of Our Lady of Fatima is the most investigated Catholic event in Church history, with the most witnesses and highest level of approval. The site has been visited multiple times by different popes and has a feast on the universal calendar. Two … Read more
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