It’s October and our nights are much cooler and our days are getting shorter. Before long we will have our first freeze and another growing season will be a distant memory. This time of year, even spiders are looking for a warmer place to live for the winter. While the interior of our home is off-limits to these creepy arachnids there is one “spider” that is beneficial to invite inside.

Those of us who regularly interact with non-Catholic Christians and others who have left the Catholic faith are often puzzled about how to communicate accurate information about Catholicism in a manner that is readily digestible. We either overwhelm friends or inquiring relatives with long explanations or recommend books that are dauntingly theological; other times we are too simplistic or find ourselves ducking the difficult aspects of the faith.

The fall equinox and the first day of autumn arrives on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, at 08:44 a.m. EDT in the Northern Hemisphere. The equinox occurs at the same moment worldwide. So, it’s official — fall is here!

Those who understand the signs of the times are increasingly jarred by the hollowing out of the American middle class. The variance between owner and worker in today’s industries is greater than even Gilded Age barons; the increasing costs of education, health care, housing, and food are hampering the building of fruitful and faithful families in our land. The voices that tempt our citizens toward despair and violence are being accepted as alternatives to this present crisis, for it seems that representative government can only appear to be hopelessly corrupt with self-interest on every side, in every party, leaving a faithful Catholic confused as to ways to live out an authentic Catholic faith.  The deluge of social media only impersonates our sense of connection and happiness.

“And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is destined for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel, and for a sign that shall be contradicted.  And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.’” (Luke 2:34, 35).

“Now there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.” (John 19:25).