This Advent, Deacon Pedro teams up with Rabbi Aaron Flanzraich to see how Judaism can help us prepare for the coming of the Messiah. In the first episode, Deacon Pedro and Rabbi Aaron explore the meaning of words in Judaism. ...read more

The 2017 message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations was released Wednesday entitled, “Led by the Spirit for Mission”. In the message for this 54th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, the Pope reflects on the missionary dimension of our Christian calling. The Holy Father says that “commitment to mission is not something ...read more

It seems that every year we have the same discussion around this time: what is the real meaning of Christmas? and let’s keep Christ in Christmas. There are even campaigns to boycott department stores that refuse to acknowledge the “reason for the season.” It’s so easy to jump onto that band wagon. To add to this, “Christmas” starts ...read more

In light of the Consistory this weekend, I was going to deacon-struct Cardinals, but seeing as Fr. Rosica wrote a wonderful Reflection on the Role of Cardinals in the Church on Tuesday, I figured I could do something a bit different. Yesterday, Pope Francis made 17 new Cardinals. Thirteen of them will be Cardinal-electors, eligible ...read more

For the last year we have all been hearing of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Perhaps the most well-known are caring for the sick, visiting those in prison and instructing the ignorant. Around the world, hundreds of thousands of religious sisters and brothers dedicated their every day to these tasks. But there are ...read more

This has probably been the most tiring and surprising US election in history. It’s been a bitter and divisive campaign and one that has divided even Catholics. But the election is over and we have to move on. How does it affect us as Catholics? Deacon Pedro sits with Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB and with ...read more

“Seized by the unconditional love of Jesus, the Christ, and allured to the mountaintop, we embrace the mystical flame of contemplation as our life’s grounding. The silence and solitude of our life of prayer immerse us in a deep communion with God that draws us into a full and willing participation in the unfolding of ...read more

Recently I had a conversation which brought up the following question: When we are voting at a political election, as Catholics, is there a guide or principles that we should follow? The person asking the question had been told that there is a list of ‘non-negotiable’ principles that Catholics should follow when voting. I may ...read more

In the past, I’ve looked at what it means to be called and the meaning of discernment. I’ve also Deacon-structed the Vocations to the Single Life, to the Ordained Life and have dedicated many columns to the topic of Marriage. This weekend I am in Kansas City for the National Religious Vocation Conference convocation, so I thought ...read more

A few weeks ago, I went to a mass of celebration for Sr. Corazon Beboso, FMA's 40th Anniversary of Religious Profession (Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco). Sr. Cora is one of my super learning models. Her youthful and energetic heart is always a booster drink for my soul. “Yes Lord, Yes Lord. Yes Yes Lord… Amen, Amen” is her favorite song. I would guess she has sang this song at every single event I have attended. And, we celebrated her “YES” to the Lord for 40 years. ...read more