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November 2015

November 23, 2015

On Thanksgiving, the Gospel of Happiness, and Finding the Good in Darth Vader

It started as the happiest day of Christopher Kaczor's life. His wife was in the...

November 13, 2015

When Faith, Determination, & Ingenuity Saved Lives: A Review of “The 33”

I choose to believe we'll all get out. So says Mario Sepulveda (Antonio Banderas) to...

November 12, 2015

Overcoming Envy and Jealousy

The following is the text of the Christopher News Note “Overcoming Envy and Jealousy” (which...

November 03, 2015

VIDEO: Father Jonathan Morris on the Importance of the Saints

In light of the fact that we celebrated All Saints Day on November 1st, Father...

October 2015

October 23, 2015

‘A House Divided Against Itself Makes the Devil Smile His Great Grinchy Grin’

Singer-songwriter and frequent "Christopher Closeup" guest Sarah Hart got a bit perturbed at the incessant...

October 21, 2015

Why Patricia Heaton Traveled to Africa to Make Soy Milk and Build Bicycles

When Emmy Award-winning actress Patricia Heaton got time off from filming her hit sitcom "The...

October 15, 2015

Writer/Director Randall Wallace on Living a Braveheart Life, Faithful Suffering, & Loving God

"I felt that God was right in my face." That was one girl's reaction after...

October 14, 2015

VIDEO: Father Jonathan Morris on Being a Light in the Darkness

When Father Jonathan Morris started doing some work on behalf of The Christophers, he noted...

October 13, 2015

An Ideal Book for the Overly Busy, Those with Spiritual ADD, and Everyone Else, Too

Three minutes a day. That’s the minimum amount of time that The Christophers’ founder, Maryknoll...

October 07, 2015

Building a Relationship with Jesus

The following is the text of the Christopher News Note “Building a Relationship with Jesus”...

October 06, 2015

A Catholic In Recovery from Addiction and Hopelessness Begins New Ministry

Scott Weeman started drinking as part of a social routine. Ironically, that routine drove him...

October 01, 2015

St. Thérèse and the Rose-Tinted Glasses of Grace

(All images property of the Society of the Little Flower) 2014 was a dark and...

September 2015

September 29, 2015

Girl in Wheelchair Blessed by Pope Francis Believes She’s On the Road to Healing

(Photo property of WCBS TV) When Pope Francis arrived at Kennedy Airport last week, 12-year-old...

September 29, 2015

When a 92-Year-Old Woman Met The New Great-Grandchild She Was Praying For

Ninety-two-year-old Millie Martin is confined to her bed due to congestive heart failure, but her...

September 28, 2015

Four New Nicknames for Pope Francis in the Aftermath of His U.S. Visit

(Photo courtesy of The Tablet) Before the euphoria fades from the visit of the People's...

September 15, 2015

Actor David Oyelowo Talks His New Film “Captive” & the Perpetually Redemptive Grace of God

Actor David Oyelowo made a big impression on American moviegoers as the star of the...

September 14, 2015

God Loved Me in My Brokenness, Says Fmr. Meth Addict, Hostage Hero & Subject of Film “Captive”

"I'm gonna die, and this is what I deserve." That was the first thought that...

September 10, 2015

Oprah, Colbert, Mets, Yankees, & More Welcome Pope to U.S.

Watch the :60 second video below as a number of high profile entertainers, athletes and...

September 09, 2015

Family Ties & Perceptions of Truth in “Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Truth Be Told”

We live in an age in which we think we know the whole truth about...

September 08, 2015

God Creates Beauty From Ashes: An Interview w. Taya Kyle, Widow of “American Sniper” Chris Kyle

"I've learned that when God promises beauty through the ashes, He means it." So says...

September 01, 2015

VIDEO: Father Jonathan Morris on Dealing with Loneliness

When we think of pain, we often consider it in physical terms, like a headache,...

August 2015

August 19, 2015

Sister Annie Credidio Brings Healing to Society’s Untouchables

When American-born nun Sister Annie Credidio moved to Ecuador in the mid-1980s to be a...

August 12, 2015

How Hope & Faith Got Two Young Women Through 10 Years of Captivity and Sexual Abuse

Considering that Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus were kidnapped, held hostage, abused, and repeatedly sexually...

August 04, 2015

A Vision of Heaven in Central Harlem: iHope Finds Beauty Amid Brokenness

You might expect a school for children who've suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBI) to be...

July 2015

July 15, 2015

A Morning Prayer from St. Thomas More

Blogging has been light lately because I'm working on The Christophers' annual "Three Minutes a...

July 08, 2015

Fairy Tales, Deeper Truths, & Illustrating God’s Love for Children (and the Young at Heart)

(All photos and artwork property of Katy Betz Studio.) Like a lot of kids, Katy...

July 07, 2015

Appreciating Our Elders in a Stay-Young-At-All-Costs World

The following is the text of the Christopher News Note “Appreciating Our Elders” (which was...

June 2015

June 23, 2015

How an Elderly Nun Brought Hope, Purpose and Joy to a Young Man at a Crossroads in Life

At the age of 31, John Schlimm was at a crossroads. He had spent his...

June 16, 2015

Helping People Live and Die with Dignity: A Look at the Film “The American Nurse”

Inside the Villa Loretto Nursing Home in Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin, Sister Stephen Bloesl gathers the...

June 11, 2015

How an Angry Letter to a Priest Led to a Life-Changing Friendship and Job

Can an angry letter to a priest result in a friendship that also has a...