Art of living Well

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Art of living Well

The Habit of Conversion

Scripture proclaims, “Though the just fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble from only one mishap” (Proverbs 24:16). The truth is that even the saints fell victim to the enticements of daily sins. Their perfection was not...

Art of living Well

On the Threshold of Conversion

I have a hypothesis about men aged 18-30. I believe that empires and civilizations rise and fall based on their ability to meaningfully engage this demographic in the pursuit of virtuous living and high ideals. Everyone suffers when young men...

Art of living Well

The Art of Dying

I will never forget the grace with which my grandfather died. He had been struggling on and off for many years until he came to the point that he decided not to pursue extraordinary treatment for his lung cancer. After...

Art of living Well

The Transformative Power of Listening

Being judged and critiqued can be one of the most difficult experiences. Although we all need honest evaluation and feedback, often we crave that experience of unconditional love in which a friend or a spouse delights in who we are...

Art of living Well

Bringing Stillness to the World

Violence, oppression, and the attitudes whereby people treat each other as objects all have their origin in the disorders of the human heart. Evil is not simply an external force that blindly acts in the world. Rather, it is a...

Art of living Well

The Fear of Suffering

The story of Brittany Maynard has recently come to my attention. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the story, Brittany is a young woman who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Instead of undergoing the long...

Art of living Well

Cultivating Stillness in the Family

Watching footage of St. John Paul II, I have always been struck by his calm, pleasant demeanor. In the midst of great activity and constant traveling, he seemed to possess an inner reservoir of tranquility. It did not seem that...

Art of living Well

Challenging the Core to Reach Out to the Margins

In many places, the current paradigm seems to be that we should support and encourage the core of our parishes while trying to call to conversion those on the outside. Our teaching and preaching can be geared towards the big...

Art of living Well

When Prayer Breaks In

The Holy Spirit can break into our lives in the most unexpected of ways. A friend related to me how sometimes her mind wanders during meditation, and in this wandering, she begins to think about her chores and her to...