I can't help thinking — or am I just hoping? — that there is something in the traditional observance of Advent that is beginning to speak to people for whom Christmas is not a religious event.
In some ways we get used to living in a country of war, until something happens to keep us alert to danger. This happened when I went to Loikaw, Myanmar, to visit my parents and Good Shepherd Sisters who work there.
Prayer, humility and love mark the short life of Blessed Maria Helena Stollenwerk of the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit. These attributes were not mere virtues; they were action verbs. She lived them.
Horizons - Look to the youngest saints (and soon-to-be saints) we have in our tradition for examples to imitate. They are who Jesus says is the greatest in the kingdom.
When I looked at a U.S. map, I realized that I did not know the South. More than that, the South made me nervous. So, I said to myself, if I want to "bridge divides," maybe I should start with the divides within myself.
Sr. Begoña Costillo reflects on the implications of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how it transcends physical borders to reach into the depths of human desires and ambitions, with devastating consequences.
I've had colleagues, friends and even GSR editors tell me something along the lines of "You take a left field approach." I take that as a compliment. It serves me well when traditional prayer isn't working for me.
Is silent prayer about praying amidst a peaceful external environment, or does it mean being silent within? Is it merely about keeping one's mouth shut or about listening?
Scripture for Life: We celebrate this Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, on the heels of the first session of the synod on synodality. The synod is calling us to learn how to journey together as church and as the people of the world.
Dominican Sisters in Vietnam have collaborated with Sisters of Xuan Loc from the Holy Cross congregation, seeking to raise money from benefactors to assist the poor families in remote areas.
I realized my diet is not only the food I eat, but it is what I watch, what I listen to, what I read, the people I hang out with, and the things I subject my mind and soul to.
Sometimes I wish I was more like my mammalian relatives who go into hibernation and just let life go on. Where can I find hope? Then three recent experiences offered me a new perspective, just in time for Thanksgiving.
How many more hidden treasures like Sister Atanazia exist, quietly making a difference in the lives of marginalized communities? How many sisters have stories of resilience and love that remain untold?
Ministering to persons, especially children and youth with different abilities, is difficult. Still, through constant prayers, I find my inner strength to continue to bring Christ to them.
Horizons - Each altar de muertos honors and rejoices in the lives of the ancestors and our loved ones gone before us. It's a way to remember that each of us living today is the legacy and dream of our ancestors.
The month of November is when the church reminds us to pray for our faithful departed. The month to pray for the dead is a time to thank God for them, and uphold the values and legacies they passed on to us.
Despite years of intermittent warfare between the Palestinians and Israel, we have hoped that simple decency, public morality, honest governments and personal conscience would sweep down, writes Joan Chittister.
All Souls' Day is observed Nov. 2. We believe we will all return to God and be judged according to our deeds. Death becomes meaningful when anchored in the hope of resurrection. Jesus is our way to reach our destination.
The words of Jesus, "Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled and the one who humbles himself will be exalted," have guided Sr. Molly Fernandes's journey to a life with purpose.
