Natalie HoeferLast Updated: December 15th, 2022Featured Pilgrimages, Germany
Some Christmases stand out more than others for various reasons—a favorite gift, an idyllic snowfall, a Christmas where the whole family made it home. One Christmas stands out in my mind for family who wasn’t home. I have only one sibling, an older brother. We fought and squabbled like most siblings. But when he went … Read More
More than 1 million pilgrims travel each year to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Known for its size and giant mosaic of Jesus, the basilica leaves its hundreds of thousands of pilgrims in awe every year. The largest Catholic basilica in the United States stands at 237 … Read More
Natalie HoeferLast Updated: November 22nd, 2022Saints, Spiritual Reflections
November 17 is the feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Given her work in feeding the poor, she could easily be called St. Elizabeth of the Hungry! This 13th-century saint is the patron of several causes, one of which is what she is most noted for in her lifetime: charity. St. Elizabeth was a princess, … Read More
Andrea JLast Updated: November 22nd, 2022Saints, Spiritual Reflections
On November 11, we celebrate the feast of St. Martin of Tours, often remembered for giving half of his cloak to a poor beggar. Though mocked for this act of charity, Martin later received a vision from Christ saying it was He himself whom Martin helped. The figure in this vision was wearing the cloak … Read More
Andrea JLast Updated: October 29th, 2024Monthly Devotions, Spiritual Reflections
In the Catholic Church, the month of November is dedicated to the poor souls in purgatory. These are those who have died, but not yet obtained the full glory of Heaven. This devotion is most notable through the celebration of All Souls Day on November 2. Though often the theology of purgatory is thought to … Read More
Andrea JLast Updated: October 20th, 2022Camino de Santiago, Spain, Upcoming Pilgrimages
In Santiago de Compostela, Spain, a jubilee year is held every time the Feast of St. James the Greater falls on a Sunday. The most recent time this occurred was on July 25, 2021. With pandemic restrictions in place, not as many visitors were able to travel to Spain in 2021. Therefore, the Holy See … Read More
Natalie HoeferLast Updated: October 14th, 2022Marian Shrines of Europe, Spiritual Reflections, World News
I was 9 years old when I checked out a storybook from my Catholic school’s library about the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima to three shepherd children in Portugal in 1917. The story mesmerized me. I felt a bit of holy jealousy, since Lucia, one of the seers, was my age at the time … Read More
Andrea JLast Updated: May 12th, 2023Marian Shrines of Europe, Monthly Devotions, Spiritual Reflections
The traditional Catholic dedication for the month of October is to the Holy Rosary. This tradition dates back to the late 16th century after the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. Pope Pius V attributed the victory of the Holy League over the invading navy to the power of the Rosary. He had called … Read More
Natalie HoeferLast Updated: September 22nd, 2022Marian Shrines of Europe, Spiritual Reflections
What month has the most Marian feast days? Surely it’s May, the month of Mary. Or perhaps it’s October, the month of the Rosary? Surprisingly, the answer is September. Three Marian feast days were celebrated this month: the Nativity of the Blessed Mother on the 8th, the Most Holy Name of Mary on the 12th … Read More
Andrea JLast Updated: September 15th, 2022Uncategorized
Each year at the Easter Vigil, we recall the pathway of salvation history through a series of seven Old Testament readings. The third reading is from Exodus and recounts the dramatic passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea into safety on the other side. One year, the reader for that reading gave a particularly … Read More
Andrea JLast Updated: December 20th, 2024England, Saints, Spiritual Reflections
Yesterday, the world entered a period of mourning for the longest reigning English monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Her life and death have been marked with all the celebrations and festivities fit for an earthly queen. Over the next few days, or even weeks, there will be news reports, tv programs, special newspaper editions, and the … Read More
Andrea JLast Updated: June 5th, 2024Italy, Pilgrims' Stories, Spiritual Reflections
Twenty years ago this spring I traveled to Rome for Holy Week and Easter. I was studying abroad that year and before I left I told all my friends at the Newman Center that I was going to see the Pope for Easter and I’d love if anyone would like to join me. One friend … Read More
Natalie HoeferLast Updated: August 19th, 2022Spiritual Reflections
It’s mid-August, and I just returned from running errands at several stores. They were packed. At the first store I wondered why, and then I saw the overhead sign: “Back to school sale!” While many students now return to classrooms as early as July, I still associate August with “back to school” time. This month … Read More
Andrea JLast Updated: May 12th, 2023Featured Pilgrimages, Marian Shrines of Europe, Monthly Devotions, Spiritual Reflections
August is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart. This may seem odd nowadays, considering the Feast of the Immaculate Heart is in late spring or early summer. However, the Feast of the Immaculate Heart was once celebrated on August 22nd – the Octave of the Assumption – for a period of about 25 years. Towards the … Read More
Andrea JLast Updated: August 4th, 2022Pilgrims' Stories, Spiritual Reflections
This weekend we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration, where the disciples encountered Jesus’ divinity in a profound way. This encounter was so meaningful to them that they wanted to stay there and bask in His glory. The same can happen to us throughout our own spiritual lives. Whether in prayer, on retreat, or even … Read More
