Stand Firm, Be Strong

Octaves include the seven days following a particular Feast Day or Solemnity, with the Feast Day or Solemnity itself included – thus, a total of eight days (“octave” referring to “eight”). Prior to the Second Vatican Council, “Octave celebrations” were numerous in the Latin Rite. ... Show More

The Blessed Virgin Mary’s Assumption of her body and soul into Heaven makes very clear to us that there is room for our humanity in Heaven. Don't miss today's edition of Open Line Tuesday with Fr. Wade Menezes. 

Widely neglected in our day and age, but of great importance for growth in the spiritual life and for the ordering of one’s temporal life, is the occasional making of a spiritual retreat – at least annually. This is true for everyone, regardless of their vocation and state in lif ... Show More

The Fatima Prayer, said at the end of each decade of the Rosary, was given to us in the Marian apparition at Fatima. Fr. Mark-Mary draws from Romans 8:28, balancing between gravitas and hope, explaining how we can reflect on both of these concepts as we pray the Rosary. Today’s f ... Show More

Mary is the general of an angelic army, and her aim is fighting for us, protecting us from harm. Fr. Mark-Mary, with help from St. John Henry Neumann, explores the authority vested in Mary’s title of Queen of Heaven and Earth. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Coronation of Mar ... Show More

The Catechism introduces us to Mary’s Immaculate Conception and explains why God preserved her “immune from all stain of original sin.” Fr. Mike answers a common question asked in response to this revelation: “Why didn’t God just preserve us all from original sin?” His answer mig ... Show More

On August 15, the Church celebrates the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Mother. She is the woman clothed with the sun, the moon is beneath her feet, and is crowned with twelve stars. We love her tenderly and through her actions she shows us what a life of faith looks l ... Show More

Friends, on this Fourth Sunday of Advent, we come to the Advent figure par excellence: the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. What I want to do in this homily is to look at some of the Church’s classical titles of Mary. These are not simply pious exclamations, but rather ver ... Show More

The Catechism demonstrates how Christ’s resurrection is “essentially different” from other cases of resurrection in the Bible and shows us how his rising from the dead is a “work of the Holy Trinity.” Fr. Mike emphasizes that Jesus was not merely “resuscitated” from the dead, as ... Show More

What will happen to humanity and the entire universe at the end of time? Fr. Mike shares with us the joyous hope of the new heaven and the new earth that awaits us after the Last Judgment. We learn that “at the end of time, the Kingdom of God will come in its fullness,” and all o ... Show More

For those with any lingering doubts or questions, the Catechism offers five reasons for Mary’s perpetual virginity. Fr. Mike digs into each reason and explains what each of them means for us as spiritual sons and daughters of our Immaculate Mother. Today's readings are Catech ... Show More

If getting to heaven were anything like getting into the Olympics, no one would make it. None of us are good enough to spend eternity in God’s presence. But Father Mike Schmitz reminds us that we don’t have to be good enough. God wants us to surrender our lives to him, accepting ... Show More