x Close
World at Prayer blog
Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Pompeii was an ancient Roman town city located near modern Naples, Italy. In 79 AD, the city was greatly devastated by the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius, which destroyed it and buried it under nearly 13-20 feet of ash and lava. I think Netflix has a series of documentaries about this. The eruption killed the city's inhabitants and buried it under tons of ash. Plaster was used during the excavation to fill the voids in the ash layers, revealing the exact position of the victims. Several years later, while construction workers were laying the foundation for a building outside the city of Pompeii, they made a very strange discovery.
Share
Today, Catholics around the world unite in marking the feast of the Assumption of Mary, a solemn commemoration of the end of her earthly life and assumption into heaven. On November 1, 1950, Pope Pius XII defined the Dogma of the Assumption, declaring, "The Immaculate Mother of God, the Ever-Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory."
Share
Brief and contemporary inspiration focused on hope and family prayer will be delivered to your inbox! Articles include live video, written word, and links to resources that will lead you and your family deeper into faith.
Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
An older man collapsed on Brooklyn Street and was taken to Kings County Hospital. From a faded address in the man's wallet, the hospital authorities tried deciphering the name and address of a marine, who appeared to be his son. They then made an emergency call for the marine. When the marine arrived, the older man reached out his hand feebly. The marine took it and held it tenderly for the next four hours until the older man died. After the man had passed away, the marine asked, " Who was that old man?" The nurse said, "Wasn't that your father?" "No," said the marine, "but I saw he needed a son, so I stayed."
Share
Let me take you to a CCD class of confirmation students today. The teacher asked students in her class which part of the Eucharist or Mass was the most important. One bright student immediately answered, “it is the Consecration.” Another one said, “no, it's the rite of penitential service.” Another said, “it's the rite of communion when we receive Jesus through His body and Blood.” Another one added that it's “the proclamation of the Word.” What would your answer be if I asked you this question?
Share
Healing the family | Learn more about our faith
The Scriptures and Church tradition use many images to describe God, reflecting His infinite nature of love. Similarly, various images depict the people of God whom God has drawn to Himself throughout salvation history. Prophet Hosea paints another beautiful metaphor of God as a parent to a wayward child. Hosea speaks of God's love for Israel: "I taught Ephraim to walk. I took them in my arms and fostered them like one who raises an infant to his cheeks; I stooped to feed my child." In the year 2018, the school where I worked suffered the loss of a 6-year-old child.
Share
Learn more about our faith | Why pray?
Come with me to a small town that had been "dry" for years—i.e., 'without any bars or pubs or alcohol consumption.' Eventually, some of the businesspeople decided to build a bar in that town. The local Christian group was alarmed and concerned at this latest development. They decided to have an all-night prayer to ask God to intervene. Work on the construction of the bar progressed until the week before opening, when lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground!
Share
