Why Do We Give Things Up for Lent?
by Jeremy Hiers, OSA When I was just beginning to discern a call to religious life, I came upon a song on the radio that would significantly impact my understanding…
by Jeremy Hiers, OSA One day little Johnny’s mother looked through the kitchen window and noticed he was playing Church with the family cat in the backyard. The cat was laying…
by Jeremy Hiers, O.S.A. "What have you come to see?" is the question Jesus poses to the messengers of John the Baptist in Luke 7:24-30. This might be a good…
by Jeremy Hiers, OSA When I was working for the U.S. Army, it was a common practice when one sent an email or called another to request something to end…
by Jeremy Hiers, OSA Isaiah 41:13-20 is a reminder to God’s people that despite the sinful things they had done, God would not forsake or abandon them. The people had…
by Jeremy Hiers, OSA Last weekend I went home to Cincinnati for a visit and some members of the family wanted to surprise my 7 year old niece and 3…
by Jeremy Hiers, OSA According to Brandon Vogt, author of the book Return: How to Draw Your Child Back to the Church, for every one person who enters the Catholic Church approximately…
This post was adapted from a retreat given by Fr. Allan Fitzgerald, OSA on Augustine's Routes to Contemplation. Yet another route of contemplation for Augustine - which is not open…
This post was adapted from a retreat given by Fr. Allan Fitzgerald, OSA on Augustine's Routes to Contemplation. Naturally, most important for all the routes is the element of silence…
This post was adapted from a retreat given by Fr. Allan Fitzgerald, OSA on Augustine's Routes to Contemplation. Another route to contemplation was Augustine's gazing at the world with wonder…
by Jeremy Hiers, O.S.A. What are you longing for? When I was a High School senior, I applied to enter the U.S. military. Military entrance involves a weekend visit to…
As we journey towards Christmas, the Advent season invites us reflect on the hope we have that Christ has come and Christ will come again to free us. Yet, throughout…
by Jeremy Hiers, OSA The centurion found in Matthew 8:5-11 was a man who understood the concept of authority. He was someone both subject to the authority of those who…
This post was adapted from a retreat given by Fr. Allan Fitzgerald, OSA on Augustine's Routes to Contemplation. Another route of contemplation for Augustine was charity or love itself. Charity…
This post was adapted from a retreat given by Fr. Allan Fitzgerald, OSA on Augustine's Routes to Contemplation. Let’s us now go to the expression “Return to your heart”. For…
O God, how magnificent are your works! In wisdom you have made them all. They are yours, you have made them all. Thanks be to You! But you have made…
How do we advocate for peace and justice in a world that is not always open to honest "dialogue" on the solutions we are all hungry for? Solutions that call…
By Jeremy Hiers, OSA How often do we think about the end times? In Luke 21:5-11, God invites us to reflect on just this. It is easy to get caught…
Disappointment, disillusion, disenchantment and boredom in life are unpleasant negative experiences, but they are not without positive fruit if we allow them to teach us something.