Catholic Entrepreneur. Personal and Business Coaching for Christ-Centered Businesses Owners.
Every saint has a past, every sinner a future.
Before he was a saint, Ignatius of Loyola was a soldier, diplomat, egoist, and womanizer driven by the desire for fame, fortune, and recognition.
Then, on the field of battle in 1521, he got a cannonball to the leg that nearly took it off.
In the blink of an eye, the arrogant, pompous, and worldly 18-year-old was humbled.
His military career was over just a year after it began.
He was carted away to recover what was left of himself and limped for the rest of his life.
It was during this time in recovery that he moved beyond the WORLDLY by reading The Lives of the Saints, recommended by his beloved sister-in-law, Magdalena.
But must we all meet such a dramatic fate to come to Christ?
The topic of Masculine Surrender was top of mind in my bi-weekly men’s group this week.
Among several insights, we concluded how diametrically opposed Christian Masculinity is to current trends of modern masculinity. The Christian man is called to imitate Christ …More
Life can get pretty scary.
And it’s not always clear what’s going to happen next.
In fact, by now, I think that is the default most of the time for most people.
But that creates anxiety. After all, how are we supposed to meet the new week like this?
The immortal image here depicts the scene from the Gospel of Mark by Rembrandt van Rijn.
As always, Jesus shows us the way - and (as usual) it’s not what we’re expecting.
The sleeping Jesus (showing us his human limits) is awoken by a raft of panicking grown men.
Jesus wakes up (probably rather flustered) and says to the storm, “Quiet! Be still.”
He then asks the disciplines: “Why were you afraid? Have you so little faith?”
Mark continues: They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
As usual, Jesus is full of surprises.
As we go into this week, let’s ask for the faith to weather whatever storms may come and have the courage and strength to be still.
I write today with a heavy heart about a personal faith-related discussion that I had yesterday with a local Vicar—the matter related to a material desecration that took place (of all days) on Christmas Day.
A friend and I were both witnesses to it.
While the incident was a misunderstanding, it was clearly and blatantly avoidable. Anyone with a discerning heart and mind could obviously see the circumstances that lent themselves to it.
This same friend and I wrote a letter to the Vicar about it. We did receive an appointment to discuss the matter in person. However, by the end of the discussion, the vicar’s posture and message regarding the incident became clear. And, while not explicit, the general message was:
“s#!t happens”
For Catholics, the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith.
Everything else is a distant second.
It was the equivalent of hearing from the doctor charged with caring for your father or mother that they fell down the stairs during their hospital stay……More
Not only CAN you - You SHOULD.
Here’s why.
Yesterday, I participated in a focus group as part of a research study for a friend’s Masters Research. The Topic was DIGITAL DETOX.
While digital usage varied greatly, the feeling was unanimous:
The less digital, the better.
Moreover, there were a handful of themes that continually resurfaced in the conversation.
Things like:
The importance of silence
The need for relief
The continuous stream of information
Joy of Missing Out (JOMO)
The fact of the matter is clear.
Our brains are NOT designed to deal with the amount and speed of information that they are presently encountering. Trying to get “caught up” (another recurring theme) is thereforea losing strategy. So what to do?
Slow down. Retreat is not surrender. In a sample of 8 people, I believe all, except one, said they were less stressed during digital detox than outside of it. Your time is your most valuable asset.
I’ve been saying for years now that the ability to simply FOCUS is quickly …More
Really intelligent people tend to make this really stupid mistake.
This is Otto von Bismarck, former Chancellor of Germany.
Despite almost universal acclaim for his diplomacy, even he made a really stupid mistake.
Between 1871 and 1878, Bismarck’s goal was to subordinate the Catholic Church to the newly unified German Empire, fearing that Catholics (who looked to the Pope in Rome) were a "threat" to national unity. This time became known as the "Kulturkampf" (Cultural Struggle).
By 1878, Bismarck realized the Kulturkampf was failing. Instead of breaking the Catholic Church, the persecution had unified Catholics and strengthened the Zentrum (Center) Party. Needing Catholic support to fight his new political enemy—the Socialists—Bismarck began a slow "retreat" from these policies, eventually repealing or modifying most of the laws by 1887.
The lesson: Don't be like Otto. Stay in your lane. Hire help.
Will Pope Leo XIV listen?
Otto von Bismarck, despite his diplomatic brilliance, misjudged his attempt to weaken the Catholic Church during the Kulturkampf (1871–1878). Instead of undermining Catholic influence, his policies unified Catholics and strengthened their political party. Realizing the failure, Bismarck reversed course to gain Catholic support against Socialists, rolling back most measures by 1887.