God gives us what we need and He gives us what is good for us. And our Mother – the Blessed Mother – is often pulling the strings. In a moment of a profound crisis of doubt – doubting if he should flee the terror of the Communists in Madrid during the Spanish Civil War […]Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: ... Read more

What does devotion look like?  Some years ago when we started Aquinas Academy in Pittsburgh, I would bring the students to the chapel after lunch to visit the Most Blessed Sacrament. It was wonderful to see how eager and open they were to visit Jesus.  Two young girls, in 5th and 6th grade, would always make a […]Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: ... Read more

On the mantle in the living room over the fireplace in the home I grew up in, we placed items of honor for all to see: a picture of my grandparents on their wedding day; my brother’s diploma from Medical School; an antique clock; a crystal vase; a statue of the Blessed Mother and a statute […]Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: ... Read more

A vessel contains and delivers things. A sailing vessel contains and delivers sailors and cargo. A crystal vessel may contain precious perfume. The more precious the treasure, the more beautiful the vessel. The Blessed Mother contained and delivered the Son of God, and in the spiritual vessel of her soul dwelled the Holy Spirit.   Have you […]Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: ... Read more

What’s the most joyful day of the year? For me, it’s always Christmas Day, and the birth of Christ would not have been possible without Our Lady, so that’s why we call her “Cause of our Joy.” Mary brings Jesus, which means Mary brings joy! Years ago I toured Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Waters house […]Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: ... Read more

I never heard of the Litany of Our Lady of Loreto until I was 12 years old when I attended a summer leadership camp organized by young men of Opus Dei. We would pray the Rosary around the campfire at night and then pray the Litany after the Rosary. As a youngster I thought, “This […]Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: ... Read more

The first of thirteen symbolic titles of Our Lady in the Litany, this calls to mind the magnifying power of a stainless mirror. Christ is the Light, and Mary reflects the light, like a mirror; Christ is the Sun, Mary is the moon; you cannot look at the sun directly, but you can gaze upon […]Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: ... Read more

Semper fidelis — always faithful. That is the inspiring motto of the United States Marines who are faithful to country, ready to serve and defend our country to the point of death. The Blessed Mother is always faithful to God, always faithful to Jesus, always ready to stand by Him in the hour of his […]Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: ... Read more

The title Virgin Most Merciful reminds us of Our Lord’s words at the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” At the end of the world, when we are all lined up for judgment day, and Jesus Christ is sitting on his throne, I don’t think any of us […]Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: ... Read more

We’ve all heard stories about how a mother can have almost super-human strength when it comes to protecting her young child. Well, Our Lady has more than super-human strength when it comes to protecting us. She has “super natural” strength, so if you need something, pray the rosary every day for that intention. There’s a […]Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: ... Read more

There are close to a quarter million Catholic Churches in the world today, with an average of 5000 parishioners each. Step into a Catholic Church anywhere, and you should always see four things: the Tabernacle, the Altar, the Crucifix, and an Image of the Blessed Mother, usually up in the front, either on the right […]Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: ... Read more

The second of the six Virgin titles, “Virgin most Venerable” is based on Our Lady’s declaration of fact – and at the same time a prophesy that has come true. When Our Lady visited her cousin Elizabeth in Ein Karem, St. Elizabeth wondered why she was so lucky to be visited by the Mother of […]Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: ... Read more