Catholic author J.R.R. Tolkien (the initials stand for John Ronald Reuel) influenced millions through his popular writings of  fictional tales of a world called Middle-earth. His introduction to this world, “The Hobbit” (published in 1937), was later greatly expanded into an epic tale of war, courage, beauty, grace, and friendship called “The Lord of the Rings” (LOTR) trilogy, which consists of “The Fellowship of the Ring” (1953), “The Two Towers” (1954), and “The Return of the King” (1955). Many have read these works growing up; still more have been pleased by the cinematic rendition of these works by Peter Jackson.

Friar Raymond della Vigna was perplexed.

Sometime in 1375, the priest, a member of the Order of Preachers founded by St. Dominic, was celebrating Mass. As the moment of consecration approached, he prayed that the wafer of bread he held would become the veritable body of Christ by virtue of his speaking the words of Jesus at the Last Supper, “For this is My body”.

Father Matthias Joseph Scheeben (1835–1888) was a German Catholic theological writer and mystic. The generations that followed Scheeben regarded him as one of the greatest minds of modern Catholic theology, but his writings have not always been available to the lay reader.

It’s October, and our Colorado weather will soon chase away our flower-filled gardens. The temperatures will freeze our vegetable plots and make them a distant memory. Now is a good time to start planning for next season. Rock gardens are a great choice that can be a mix of plants, flowers and rocks that seconds as a work of art.

Abortion has become one of the primary means of perpetrating violence against women, however, most of society does not see it this way. We need to begin reframing abortion for what it really is — domestic violence.

In this era of podcasts and streaming services, vigilant Catholic parents will want to search for cinematic productions which tell absorbing stories without descending into standard societal sinkholes: needless profanity; permissive drug use, cheerless nudity; sympathetic portrayals of sexual depravity; and smirking dismissals of the existence of God 

I was reading at a Starbucks on the northeast side of Colorado Springs one morning last month when a teenage couple walked into the cafe. The girl was pulling a large suitcase and was wearing a baggy beige Cabela’s sweatshirt with pictures of deer and oversized grey sweatpants. The boy was similarly unkempt, wearing jeans three sizes too big and a dark, zip-up hoodie with pictures of marijuana leaves down the sleeves. His black hat was pulled low across his forehead so that his eyes disappeared behind the bill. The girl ordered and they went onto the patio to smoke as they drank, leaving the suitcase inside.

If you grow onions, now is the time you are enjoying the harvest. Lucky you! Who can resist the wonderful scent of sauteed onions cooking in the kitchen, or the fresh bite of pickled onions on a favorite sandwich. If you haven’t grown them and you have a lot of direct sunlight in your yard you might want to consider this.

How many priests can say their apostolic endeavors brought relief to galley slaves, were involved in international diplomacy — or were abducted by pirates?  Well, my friends, hold onto your hats as we explore the tumultuous life of St. Vincent de Paul. 

Sometimes, we Catholics get our heads stuck on a particular challenge in the church and don’t realize how it may be affecting other faith traditions. So it is with “The Great Dechurching” (Jim Davis and Michael Graham, Zondervan Press, 2023), a thoughtful and accurate depiction of the largest and fastest religious shift in U.S. history.

While as a deacon and a writer I tend to pray about the challenges that the Catholic Church faces (scandals, politics, programs, recovery from COVID, etc.), I completely missed the broader trends affecting virtually all Christian churches in America.