Posts by Julia

Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center

Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center West Hartford, Connecticut About Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center Holy Family ministers to some 19,000 men, women, and youth each year with a message of hope, spiritual growth, and transformation. Since 1951, our retreats have provided people with an opportunity to quiet their minds, nourish their spirits, and explore their relationship with God. Situated on 48 idyllic acres, Holy Family is...

Doubting Miracles, Or A Reason To Believe

(by Joe Simmons, SJ) This past weekend witnessed the canonization of seven new saints in Rome.  For holy men or women to be recognized as capital-S Saints in the Roman Catholic Church, typically two miracles need to be attributed to their intercession.  Usually these come when someone is healed without an easy medical explanation. Call me the modern skeptic, but I always found this litmus test to be… well… troubling, I guess.  In my...

A Novena To Mary For Forgiveness

A novena is a nine-day period of private or public prayer to obtain special graces, to implore special favors, or to make special petitions.  Novena is derived from the Latin, “novem,” meaning nine.  As the definition suggests, the novena has always had more of a sense of urgency and neediness. Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, I ask for the willingness to forgive and the grace to...

On Groaning

Round Tones It’s almost onomatopoeia: sounding like its meaning. Like the word, buzz. OW— on the way to an OU-ch. It always strikes me when words contradict themselves. Take the word, rock: As a noun it means something that is absolutely stationary. As a verb it means to be in movement. Radical movement. Movement with sharp edges. So, back to groaning. That can be agony. Or joy. Or so I’m told. It’s fun to see what...

Prayer To Archangel Michael In A Time Of Difficulty

Glorious Archangel Michael, Prince of the Heavenly hosts, valiant defender of the church, you are always ready to assist the people of God in time of adversity.   Be with me now in my hour of difficulty that I may walk steadfastly along the way of discipleship.   I have confidence that through your intercession the Lord will grant me all the spiritual graces and strength that I need to follow Jesus more closely, and that one day I may...