the blog
Reflections for the journey
Family Is Our School of Love
Today was spent in quiet reflection as I prepared to make my promises to become a member of the AVI (Apostles of Interior Life) Family. In the midst of quiet time in Adoration with Jesus, all of us who were gathered together were encouraged to reflect upon not only...
Five Things To Do For A Perfect Christmas
As we are now drawing super close to Christmas, the world has us in an absolute frenzy of preparations and “checking lists twice.” For those of us for whom Jesus is the reason for this season, it can be extremely disconcerting to traverse through these final days as...
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice!”
The entire season of Advent is all about preparation, but Gaudete Sunday is the Church’s way to signal to us that we need to kick our preparation into high gear. Why?
Preparing for the Greatest Gift of All
During the lead up to Christmas, we are inundated with numerous things to do. Gifts to be bought, cards to send, cookies and candies to bake, decorations to hang, parties, school pageants, and work celebrations to attend. The reality is that this time leading up to...
“Open the Windows and Let in Some Fresh Air”
Before the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII said that it was time to "open the windows [of the Church] and let in some fresh air." In the last 55 years since Vatican II, there have been many theories proposed about what the now Saint Pope John XXIII meant by...
Best Theory of How Credence Could Be a Dumbledore from Fantastic Beasts:Crimes of Grindelwald
Had to share this blog post from HogwartsProfessor.com as it brilliantly explains what (and how) the huge reveal at the end of the Crimes of Grindelwald is possible. From my lowly perspective of having being a Rowling fan since her first book was published in 1998,...
It Would Be A Crime to NOT Go See The New Fantastic Beasts Movie
So, I went and saw the latest movie installment of the Fantastic Beasts series: Crimes of Grindelwald, AND then I proceeded to also devour the screenplay. Once again, Jo Rowling has conjured up a brilliant and satisfying tale that will be enjoyed by fans both new to...
“The Smoke of Satan”
This last weekend, a new book, The Smoke of Satan: How Corrupt and Cowardly Bishops Betrayed Christ, His Church, and the Faithful...And What Can Be Done About It by Philip Lawler, was released that I wanted to highlight for everyone, but especially for Roman...
The Power of the Communion of Saints
A few days ago, I wrote about how much I love November, and how this is a truly special time in the life of the Catholic Church. Particularly because it is a month when we celebrate the fullness of the Communion of Saints. We begin by celebrating all who have...
Saints, Souls and All The Hallowed
I absolutely ADORE the end of October and the month of November. Probably not for the reasons that you might expect though, as my reasons have not much to do with the usual ghosts or goblins or spooky graveyards, but everything to do with the Communion of Saints. What...
7 Practices of the Saints That Are Possible For You Too
Many times when people hear stories about people who are saints, like Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Pope John Paul II, or Maximillian Kolbe, the response tends to be, “Well, that’s great, but I could never be like them.” The reality is actually quite the opposite, as all...
3 Reasons I Believe Dumbledore’s Sexuality Will NOT Be a Highlight of the Fantastic Beasts Movie Franchise
Recently, I was sharing with a friend my excitement about the upcoming November 16th release of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. His response was very subdued, and when I queried him as to why, he responded, “I’m just not interested in seeing the whole...
A Time of Joy and Hope
Am currently traveling back from the V National Encuentro (which is taking far longer than I expected since my flight got cancelled and I was rerouted!), but it's given me the opportunity to reflect and process on these last 4 days in which I was privileged to...
“Never Underestimate What One Saint Can Do To Change The World”
Today is the conclusion of my series inspired by a conversation with Everett Fritz, author of the recently released book, The Art of Forming Young Disciples: Why Youth Ministries Aren’t Working And What To Do About It. Everett had just shared with me the methodology...
“Train The Ministers First”
Today I continue sharing insights from a conversation that I recently had with Everett Fritz, author of the recently released book, The Art of Forming Young Disciples: Why Youth Ministries Aren’t Working And What To Do About It. After our discussion about the...
“Can’t Judge Success By The Number of Warm Bodies”
Today I continue sharing insights from a conversation that I recently had with Everett Fritz, author of the recently released book, The Art of Forming Young Disciples: Why Youth Ministries Aren’t Working And What To Do About It. Everett and I had spoken about the...
“Can’t Instruct People Into Discipleship”
Yesterday, I began sharing parts of a conversation that I was privileged to have with Everett Fritz, author of the recently released book, The Art of Forming Young Disciples: Why Youth Ministries Aren’t Working And What To Do About It. Today, I will focus upon an...
“Someone Needed To Speak The Truth”
Recently, I had the privilege of speaking with Everett Fritz, author of the recently released book, The Art of Forming Young Disciples: Why Youth Ministries Aren’t Working And What To Do About It. As we began our conversation, I asked Everett what had prompted him to...
Sharing Best Practices in the Vineyard
For those of you who may be unaware, part of my own efforts to say yes and pursue holiness in my personal life is through my work with high school students and young adults. Part of what drives me is the reality that so many people are "turning away" from the very...
Finding Peace Amongst the Wreckage
https://semcsem.wordpress.com/2018/08/31/finding-peace-amongst-the-wreckage/