What is Holiness?
Posted by Rachel Balducci in Family on Friday, March 02, 2012
Friday, March 2
“Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.”
Perhaps you have prayed like this before: “Lord, help me. I want to be holy, but I can’t. I keep failing.” Do not be discouraged. All the saints said this same prayer in one way or another. It is possible for you to be holy, to become a saint, right here on this campus... READ MORE
Be Holy
Posted by Rachel Balducci in Family on Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 27
“The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them: Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.”
It’s so inspiring to read about the lives of the saints and of the holy men and women of the Bible. A common theme seems to be their ability to give up everything to follow Christ—to endure hard times and extreme suffering and live a radical... READ MORE
Santo Subito!
Posted by Rebecca Teti in News on Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Are you getting excited about the beatification of Pope John Paul II on Sunday?
In my CNA column this week I shared a couple of personal memories of him.
What are yours?
I would love to hear how his teaching or witness affected your life.
Love Has Shown Himself!
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Faith on Thursday, December 16, 2010
At yesterday’s Audience, the pope highlighted a relatively modern saint.
Veronica Giuliani was a Capuchin Poor Clare whose 350th anniversary the Church celebrates December 27th.
She was a mystic with a mysterious connection to Christ’s passion, experiencing in some fashion the crowning with thorns, a wound in her heart, and the stigmata.
We know her life from some 22,000 handwritten pages of her... READ MORE
Lighting The Little Lights
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Faith on Wednesday, December 15, 2010
He’s not just the Pope, he’s the bishop of Rome.
Like other bishops, he visits his parishes. On Gaudete Sunday he visited St. Maximilian Kolbe parish, and delivered a lovely homily on the potential of parish life.
Apparently the parish has a large immigrant community, and the Pope had some remarks about communion that are relevant to any parish where multiple ethnic groups are present.
Your community... READ MORE
Holy Women for Advent
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Faith on Saturday, December 04, 2010
Pope Benedict has been delivering a smashing series of Audiences on the women saints of the Medieval Church.
At one point I thought to do a post on each address, but I’ve fallen behind.
Nonetheless, the lectures are so rich, the women and their qualities so varied (including figures I’d never heard of), it seems a shame not to at least collect the texts and note a few highlights—because the Pope... READ MORE
"Among the Future Saints"
Posted by Rebecca Teti in News on Friday, September 17, 2010
In spite of a terror plot against him, the Holy Father seems to be having another smashing success of a day, as I expected would turn out to be the case.
I tuned in this morning to his visit with school kids from all over Scotland, England & Wales.
I absolutely love the way he talks to young people. He keeps it simple, but he does not talk down to them.
...there is something I very much want to say... READ MORE
Entrepreneurs of Grace
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Faith on Monday, July 19, 2010
While we were celebrating Independence Day, the Pope was on one of his intra-Italian pastoral visits: this time to Sulmona.
His message to young people there should have particular resonance with Americans, who prize entrepreneurial spirit.
The Pope called the saints “entrepreneurs of grace.”
The remark came in the context of a discussion of prayer as the means for knowing one’s vocation:
the secret... READ MORE
With Youth In Malta
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Faith on Tuesday, April 20, 2010
As promised, here is the second moment from the Pope’s Malta pilgrimage that touched my heart.
In his meeting with young people in Malta, the pope took questions before he himself spoke.
I haven’t found a full transcript yet, but I love the first question because it is brave and honest.
It’s not coming from a pious kid who adores the Pope, but from a kid who is in some way not revealed more broken.... READ MORE
Mr. Molla Passes
Posted by Rebecca Teti in News on Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Pietro Molla, husband of St. Gianna Beretta, passed away Holy Saturday.
His pastor expects that Pietro, too, will soon have his cause for canonization introduced.
Holiness is meant to be the ordinary condition of Christians.
St. Gianna’s canonization is a sign for us of that, since in a certain respect she was just like any of us: a working wife and mother, muddling through her days, and finally having to bear a heavy cross, but trying to be a faithful disciple through it all.
It should be normal, yet somehow this tangible reminder of a saint who isn’t out of the distant past but a contemporary—her husband just passed away!—catches me by surprise.
Do you have the same reaction?
