The Universal Church has entered the liturgical season of Lent, known as the Great Fast, to prepare her children to celebrate worthily the resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.  Grumbling tummies join the church choir as we accompany Christ in the wilderness for forty interminable days while our prayer, fasting, and almsgiving help purge vice and grow the virtues indicative of the children of God. 

Youngsters astonish parents with unexpected occasions of instantaneous affection. Their compassionate little hearts eagerly prompt them to help Mom or Dad. And these wonderfully impulsive incidents become cherished memories.

In this liturgical “ordinary time” of year, we Catholics have a case of the “in-betweens.” We’ve celebrated the birth of Jesus at Christmas and know Lent will soon be here, followed by his resurrection and the glorious celebrations of Easter. During this “in-between time” what is a gardener to do? This ordinary time with its bitter temperatures, and frozen solid ground, all we’re asking for is a little patch of green grass!

The Diocese of Colorado Springs Young Adult Ministry began the Jubilee Year with a trip out to Salt Lake City, Utah, for a five-day life-changing journey. Sponsored by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), SEEK is an annual Catholic conference geared towards young adults. With 18,000 participants, hundreds of seminarians, priests, and up to 20 bishops in attendance, it is hard to walk away from the week without a changed heart. This year, our group was nine young adults strong, and we were proudly accompanied by a few of the Salesian sisters.

Brrrrrr! Winter is here. The beautiful snow, the crisp cold air, the green of the pines and God’s vivid blue sky. We are blessed to have all four seasons in our diocese and yet all agree that at times our seasons can seem to be a bit mixed up with their topsy-turvy-temps!  The season of winter has a purpose in our gardens. It brings a time for rest, rejuvenation and the cold can bring death to diseases and some of those pesky garden pests.

The Jubilee Year of Hope is underway.  Pope Francis opened the St. Peter’s Basilica Holy Door on December 24, 2024, and Bishop Golka welcomed the Jubilee for our diocese on December 29, the Feast of the Holy Family.

“Where flowers bloom so does hope.” — Lady Bird Johnson.

If you haven’t experienced the amaryllis, you should, and if you have, you know that its beauty can only be described as spectacular!

The halo is a phenomenon seen in nature as a ring around the sun or moon, a result of refracted or reflected light. The corona (Latin for “wreath”) surrounding the sun during a total eclipse is similar. Any of these forms of halo may be called a nimbus (Latin for “cloud”). Some authorities suggest that these titles may be used interchangeably, along with aura, aureole, glory or gloriole (Latin: “a small glory”).

Sometimes in the midst of all the familial, commercial and year-end activities that are a part of the holidays, our spiritual life can take a bit of a hit. Here are some book recommendations that might help remind us all about why this season should be filled with wonder and joy, and not simply frenzy.

Christmas is amazing. It is a homage to the singular, foundational event of Christianity, yet it is celebrated and promoted by people worldwide, regardless of faith.  In the United States, it is the only religious day that is also a federal holiday. Whether you go to midnight Mass, Christmas Eve service, or make a point to say “Happy holidays,” if you engage with the holiday season, you are acknowledging the birth of Christ. And regardless of what you believe in that respect, you cannot deny the central importance of the implications of that idea.