The Second Week is a school of discipleship. In discipleship you enter into a relationship that leads you deeply into the sentiments, thoughts, and values of another person. This school requires patience, fueled by a great desire to...

Years before I’d ever heard of St. Ignatius Loyola and his Spiritual Exercises, I was learning spiritual principles through creative writing. I had been writing stories, poems, and songs since my early teens, and when I got serious about...

Each summer I embark on an eight-day silent retreat at a retreat center. It is one of my favorite parts of the year, as it is a chance to reconnect more deeply with God in a slower, more intensive...

As an on-call shelter volunteer, I spent some evening hours in a mother-baby unit with a woman whose child was less than a day old. Her family was too far to be physically present; we volunteers offered round-the-clock patient...

When I speak of dreams here, I don’t mean the mind’s journeys while you’re sleeping. I refer to dreams—visions, imaginings—you have for yourself, for those you love, for your larger community.Dreams do make a difference, but how exactly? When...

In our urban backyard, we have a chicken coop constructed just right to fit our five, almost full-grown chickens. My animal-loving family promises me eggs are just around the corner. Having a chicken coop in the backyard, however, means...

The modern world, for all its marvels, is simply too noisy for our own good. We cannot think straight with the cacophony of competing values presented by advertisements, the media, politicians, and the people around us. In order to...

My husband and I recently took a vacation to a nearby beach and state park, and I returned with a divine souvenir. I was looking forward to spending time immersed in the beauty of nature. There’s something about the...

The Anima Christi prayer has been attributed to St. Ignatius Loyola, but it has ancient roots, having lived within the soul of the Christian community for many centuries. We can see why its phrases would be associated with Ignatius;...

Decorate your space with the inspiring words of Pope Francis. Phrases encouraging joy, prayer, and sharing are paired with vibrant illustrations on a set of posters you can print for classroom walls or a child’s playroom.Words and images are...