Holy Spirit
The Ascension as a Gift of Faith
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Ascension. (Depending on where you are; check your local listings.) It’s worth pondering: Why did Christ ascend? Why, having conquered death, did He not remain? Wouldn’t it have been simpler for a…
A Link in a Chain
Homily preached by the Reverend Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Ph.D., S.T.D., at the Church of St. Pius X, Forked River, New Jersey, for the Confirmation of Nolan Santos. ‘I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons,’ wrote our latest…
Crossing Yourself When You Enter the Church
Many readers here likely witnessed Baptisms recently, especially if they went to the Easter Vigil Mass. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, we seem to have been blessed with a good number of Baptisms this year. Let’s pray that this undeserved gift…
Evelyn Waugh’s America – The Catholic Thing
This month makes 60 years since the death of the British author Evelyn Waugh, known both for his superb satires on the modern world and his ability to communicate the beauty and goodness of Catholicism. So, a sharp irony marked his life. Satire…
Easter: God, Love, Life – The Catholic Thing
During the first half of the 20th century, there emerged an extraordinary constellation of English Catholic writers, many of them converts, who had the great gift of being able to explicate the Catholic faith on a popular level without watering…
Remembering the Rest of the Story
Several friends have recently asked for prayers as mothers, friends, even distant acquaintances are seriously ill or lie on their deathbeds. News comes, too, for those of us with memories of storied moments in sports that the great Notre Dame…
Sheila Walsh: When Jesus Shows Up
By The Stream Published on December 9, 2025 Sheila Walsh shares the insights she has gained from a lifetime of seeking the presence of God. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eazbKCoQIbw Like the article? Share it with your friends! And use our…
Seven Considerations on the Immaculate Conception
Many Catholics misunderstand today’s feast, which is also the patronal feast of our nation (the first country to claim her under this title). They confuse the Immaculate Conception of Mary with the virginal conception of Jesus. But today we…
Awakening to the Father Cry
Several years ago, I was scheduled to preach at a New Year’s ministry gathering on the future of the Pentecostal movement among new generations in the twenty-first century. Keeping with my custom, I had enjoyed turkey, toys, toddlers, and…
Too Busy to Pray? – The Stream
By The Stream Published on November 1, 2025 No Time to Pray? Here’s Your Fix! If your days are packed and prayer keeps getting squeezed out, don’t quit — shift where you pray. In this 14-minute video, Vlad Savchuk shares how he keeps unhurried…