Over 10 years ago, as I was preparing to come to work for Catholic Charities, a friend suggested I read “Evangelii Gaudium” (The Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis’ first apostolic exhortation. In those pages, I found not only an articulation of Catholic Social Teaching that would provide the practical foundation for the work of Catholic Charities, but also the honest voice of love and mercy that Pope Francis brought to the world. In that way, he has always felt like a guide in this work, and, like so many, I am deeply saddened by his passing.

Catholic theology and Catholic biblical scholarship have been companions through the centuries, but the travelling has not always been comfortable. Catholic theology untethered from the life of the Church or the biblical sources can lead to an excess of enthusiasm (as I witnessed growing up in Central and South America); drinking too deeply into historical critical biblical methodologies can leave both students and their teachers with a shipwrecked faith.

In these early months of the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, the intertwined calls of Pope Francis and Bishop James Golka urge us to be “tangible signs of hope.” Within the Diocese of Colorado Springs, we are committed to showcasing how our community actively lives out the call to hope during this Jubilee Year.

The month of May is a beautiful blessing in Colorado, often marking the transition from spring to summer. Gardeners are busily working the soil and excited for a fresh, new season. Garden tasks during this time can be both productive and spiritually enriching. Here are a few garden tasks for May that were inspired by the Holy Spirit: