The Lenten season has begun for 2015. Many people are setting their goals and figuring out what they need to “give up” for the next 40 days. For some, the thought has crossed their mind, but nothing has been established.

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “Lent is the primary penitential season in the Church’s liturgical year, reflecting the forty days Jesus spent in the desert in fasting and prayer”. By fasting, Jesus shows his humanity and teaches us the importance of sacrifice, self-denial and bringing our human basic needs under the control of our will. But He also tells…

When I woke up this morning it was cold, really cold. The morning wasn’t a record breaker but five below zero is cold. That kind of cold grabs the attention in a way that an afternoon in May simply never does. I started thinking about other places that were probably colder and places that never get this cold and…

Matthew 25:35-40 — For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him,…

St. Luke’s Gospel tells us that the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a virgin named Mary and said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you”. But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for…

You know how sometimes when you’re driving someplace and you kind of zone out in thought and lose a bit of awareness of your surroundings? Or maybe you’re intently listening to something on the car radio and you go past the corner where you were intending to turn. A few weeks ago I was driving to my sister’s home…

Advent is the season when we prepare our house for the coming of Christ. It is He who wants to visit and offer to us the most incredible gift, God Himself. He is Beauty, Peace, Freedom, Happiness and Joy; in short Love. He doesn’t make any distinction to whom He gives this gift and He waits patiently for us…

This is one of my favorite holidays. For me, it has always been a time to gather with family, maybe do a little hunting and enjoy a wonderful meal with loved ones. Over the years, the meal has been cooked by others, but I now find myself tending a turkey on a large charcoal grill for several hours on…

As the leaves fall and the vegetation turns brown, our thoughts are turning towards preparing for winter. We are also preparing for winter at Catholic Charities and the Sojourner House, our homeless shelter in Eau Claire, WI. With what we thought were large numbers last year, this year will be bigger yet. The economic conditions…