Catholic Apostolate Center Resources

“Practice patience toward everyone and especially toward yourself. Never be disturbed because of your imperfections but always get up bravely after a fall.” -St. Francis de Sales
 
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Rome, Italy. To this day, the pilgrimage showers graces into my life. One day on the pilgrimage, we went to the Basilica of Sant’Agostino and prayed in front of a painting by Caravaggio called the Madonna di Loreto. In it, Caravaggio paints dirty, unkempt pilgrims kneeling in front of Our Lady and Jesus. Two years later, the image is still embedded in my mind.
 
The Rome pilgrimage seemed to be a small microcosm of my life. My struggles and weaknesses were the same struggles and weaknesses I encountered back at home and work, yet in Rome they had a different weight. My frustrations with my weaknesses were still there, but it wasn’t until I was looking up at that painting that I realized that the pilgrimage was a process.
 
My sin and weakness, my toil, my striving for sanctity—all of this was a process. The walking, the waiting, the impatience, the stumbling, the praying, the joy, the suffering—all was part of my pilgrimage and contributed to the end or goal: sanctity. I found myself praying for patience, and was informed by a fellow pilgrim that the root word of patience is “to suffer.”  I found this definition fitting for the journey.
 
Today, we are all on a pilgrimage aimed toward Heaven. In my walk, I find myself quickly frustrated at my stumbles, my repeated sin (that for some reason I just cannot get over), my judgment, my lack of love, and the list could go on. This frustration with the pace of my walk on the pilgrimage to salvation is not helpful for the walk—it is inhibiting. My walk requires patience with others and with myself.
 
Looking at that painting by Caravaggio, I realized that we are the pilgrims—dirty from the journey, imperfect, on our knees asking Our Lady for the gift of her Son.  He receives all of us as we are on this walk, and patience in the process will lend to an easier recovery after a stumble, a lighter load to carry. Let us grant ourselves patience throughout our pilgrimage to our end, Jesus Christ.
 
As St. Teresa of Calcutta reminds us, “We have only today. Let us begin.”

Author: Elizabeth Pawelek received her Master's in Leadership for the New Evangelization at the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado.

Resources: 

Listen to On Mission

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St. Teresa of Calcutta

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Why is St. Jude Thaddeus known as the patron saint of hopeless cases, and how does devotion to Christ's apostle bring hope to those facing impossible trials? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Anna Mitchell welcomes back Fr. Frank Donio, SAC, Director of the Catholic Apostolate Center and Pallottine priest. 

Fr. Frank shares the rich history of the St. Jude Shrine in Baltimore, Maryland, which has been cared for by the Pallottine Fathers and Brothers since 1917. The Novena to St. Jude began in 1941. It became solely a shrine in 1989. He discusses the perpetual novenas, daily confessions, live streams, and digital petitions that connect pilgrims from around the world to the shrine (stjudeshrine.org). Fr. Frank also shares a deeply personal story of St. Jude’s intercession in his own family, while explaining the iconographic symbolism of St. Jude—including the image of Christ, the club of his martyrdom, and the flame of the Holy Spirit that inspires unwavering Christian hope. 

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Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

This summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Rome for the Jubilee of Youth. This certainly was one of the most incredible weeks of my life; not only was I in Rome and Europe as a whole for the first time, but I was there for a Jubilee Year, something that usually happens only every twenty-five years. The city was overflowing with pilgrims; everywhere you looked there would be a bus full of people from different countries all meeting in Rome. It was here, amidst a packed city with tiring cobblestone streets that I encountered St. Gaspar del Bufalo. 

Tucked away in Rome, just a short walk from the famous Trevi fountain, there is a small church on a street corner called St. Maria in Trivio. In this little church, which rivals many churches here in beauty, there is a beautiful side altar dedicated to St. Gaspar del Bufalo, in which his tomb is encased. The tomb is designed as a statue of St. Gaspar, presumably in his final moments. He is pictured raising his head and looking at the crucifix he is holding. In his final moments, St. Gaspar looks up and sees that instrument of man’s redemption by which the Lord’s Precious Blood was shed for the redemption of the whole world. 

Our chaplain surprised us by saying that we would be having Mass on this very altar. I had never heard of St. Gaspar before, but his story intrigued me. After hearing about him, I was inspired by his devotion to the Precious Blood. He was a priest in early 19th century Rome who had a tireless commitment to the poor and the preaching of the Gospel. What distinguished him, however, was his strong devotion to the Precious Blood of Christ. Like the Precious Blood, St. Gaspar poured himself out in service to God and His Church, and he called people to deeper conversion to Christ through devotion to His Precious Blood. 

St. Gaspar was no stranger to turmoil; he lived through Napoleon and was a missionary in the Papal States during a time of great banditry. Through all of this, he fought not with physical arms, but with a strong love of Christ and His Precious Blood. Following the example of St. Gaspar, it is important to reflect upon the Blood of Christ and draw closer to the mystery of it. The Blood of Christ, the Blood of God-incarnate was shed for all of us. One drop of that blood would have been sufficient for the redemption of the human race, but, as a sign of God’s inexhaustible love, Christ poured out His blood abundantly. St. Gaspar reminds us that this Precious Blood was poured out for you, for me. Despite our sins and our failings, we must be ever conscious of the fact that Christ loves us so deeply that He poured out His Blood for us. 

May we learn from the example of St. Gaspar and draw deeper to the mystery of the Precious Blood of Jesus learn of His great love from “the sprinkling of his Blood, in which lies all our salvation.” 

St. Gaspar del Bufalo, pray for us!

Author: Ryan Corey worked as a summer associate at the Catholic Apostolate Center, where he assisted on the newsletter, blog, podcasts, videos, and various other projects. Ryan is a student at The Catholic University of America studying Philosophy and Theology. He is involved with Campus Ministry, the Knights of Columbus council, and he is currently serving as a member of the College Councils Advisory Board for the Knights. Ryan is originally from Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Resources: 

Listen to On Mission

Read the Ad Infinitum blog

St. Gaspar del Bufalo

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Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

How are lay Catholics called to be active agents of the New Evangelization rather than passive spectators in the pews? On The Son Rise Morning Show, host Anna Mitchell welcomes back Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C., Director of the Catholic Apostolate Center, to explore the Magisterium's teaching on the vital role of the laity in spreading the Gospel.  

Fr. Frank examines how Pope Benedict XVI’s apostolic letter Porta Fidei urged the faithful to rediscover the joy of believing and to radiate Christ’s love through everyday witness rather than self-righteousness. He then highlights how Pope Francis built upon this vision in Evangelii Gaudium, emphasizing that every baptized person—regardless of their level of theological education or office—is called to be a "missionary disciple." Discover how living the faith with authentic joy, charity, and personal engagement can transform the world around us. 

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Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

How are lay Catholics called to share the Gospel in their everyday lives? Fr. Frank Donio, SAC, Founding Director of the Catholic Apostolate Center, joins host Anna Mitchell on The Son Rise Morning Show to continue exploring the development of Church teaching on the role of the laity. Focusing on Pope St. Paul VI’s Evangelii Nuntiandi and Pope St. John Paul II’s Christifideles Laici, Fr. Frank discusses the family as the "domestic church," the co-responsibility of young people in the Church's mission today, and practical, everyday ways to witness to the faith in the workplace and local community. 

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Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Lorenzo Ruiz, the protomartyr of the Philippines. A professional calligrapher, he was falsely accused of murder and ultimately hanged to death in Japan. Despite his end, St. Lorenzo remained faithful to God, exclaiming his last words: “I am a Catholic and wholeheartedly do accept death for God. Had I a thousand lives, all these to Him shall I offer.” 

During St. Lorenzo’s canonization, St. John Paul II said this of martyrs:

“In their sufferings, their love and imitation of Jesus reached its fulfillment, and their sacramental configuration with Jesus, the one Mediator, was brought to perfection.”

When I read about St. Lorenzo’s life, I became fascinated by the last moments of a martyr’s life. St. John Paul II noted that these last moments marked the fulfillment of their love and imitation of Jesus. A martyr’s love for Christ is so marked in the moment they offer their life that the severity of their situation does not have any bearing on the love that burns in their heart. 

Out of curiosity, I came across the last words of saints who had an impact on my own life:

St. Paul the Apostle:
“I am even now ready to be sacrificed, and the time of my dissolution is at hand. I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith. As for the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice which the Lord, the just judge, will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love His coming.”

St. Dominic de Guzman:
“Have charity one for another, guard humility, make your treasure out of voluntary poverty” and “Do not weep, I shall be of more use to you after death than I ever did in life.”

St. Therese of Lisieux:
“I have reached the point of not being able to suffer any more, because all suffering is sweet to me. My God, I love you.”

St. Teresa of Calcutta:
“I love you Jesus.”

St. Pier Giorgio Frassati:
"May I breathe forth my soul in peace with you."

Read the last accounts of saints - it's a humbling experience to see that, despite the different circumstances their earthly life ended in, similar themes and sentiments are shared. All accounts share a testimony of love, of going to the Father. The present moment fades, but what they take with them is a clarity of thought, one of resolve and peace.

One beauty of our Catholic tradition is the opportunity to read the accounts of holy saints throughout history who have courageously offered their lives for the Church. Fundamentally, their lives were offered out of love, and that burning love preserved them in the toughest moment of their earthly life. Their suffering in the end, redeemed through Christ, was the highest expression of their love to God. We can turn to the cross as that reminder.

The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the “one mediator between God and men” [1 Timothy 2:5]. But because in his incarnate divine person he has in some way united himself to every man, “the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the paschal mystery” is offered to all men (CCC #618). 

As we reflect upon the saints’ lives and come to learn about their last moments, let us call upon their intercession, that we too might meet those tough moments in our lives with the same love burning in our hearts. Our lives will take us on different paths, but back to God. If we stay true to the path of love, may our last words echo a similar breath of love and peace. All you Holy Saints of God, pray for us!

Author:

Patrick Laorden serves as a Grant Writer for Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford. He's also part of the Lay Fraternities of St. Dominic and active with the Knights of Columbus at his parish.

Resources: 

Listen to On Mission

Read the Ad Infinitum blog

St. Lorenzo Ruiz

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Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

On this episode of the Son Rise Morning Show, Fr. Frank Donio of the Catholic Apostolate Center discusses the role and empowering mission of the laity through the lens of Venerable Fulton Sheen. Fr. Frank highlights Sheen’s tenure as national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and his influential role at the Second Vatican Council on the decree on missionary activity, Ad Gentes. He notes Sheen’s emphasis that mission is defined not merely by what it is, but where it occurs—underscoring that all the baptized are called to be missionaries in their everyday lives. 

The conversation also explores the true meaning of the lay apostolate, correcting misconceptions that lay involvement is limited to liturgical roles within church walls. Reminding listeners that the Church cannot become a closed "club," Fr. Frank and host Matt emphasize that the laity are sent forth from Mass to witness Christ in the workplace, schools, and secular corners of the world where clergy cannot easily go. Fr. Frank connects this outward mission to the legacy of St. Vincent Pallotti, pointing out that every modern pope has reaffirmed this essential calling of lay people to show the face of Christ to the world.

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Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

As a former high school theology teacher and perpetual theology student, I like to think of myself as a Catholic theology nerd. I like to write papers on obscure, confusing Old Testament Bible passages that I’ve studied, and I love sharing what I learn about God, His Word, and His Church with others. So, when I became a parent and my infant son did every single thing a baby could do during the one hour Mass (including pooping LOUDLY during the consecration), I was both shocked and frustrated. ‘I just want to pray!’ I exclaimed internally. This was my one hour per week to get out of the house and experience the beauty of Mass! I thought: ‘Finally, it was my turn to be encouraged and spiritually fed.’ Instead, I fed someone else.

Fast forward four years, and my husband and I have three children under 5 years old in the pew with us, and our funny stories about the things that have happened during Mass could fill a book and make you laugh till your sides hurt! From chasing a toddler track star down the main aisle to a child bursting into tears after receiving Lenten ashes saying between sobs, “But I don’t want dirt on my face!,” no Sunday Mass with the Ferguson family is ever boring. 

Sometimes, just sometimes, I’m able to detach from my embarrassment long enough to laugh. More often than I’d like to admit, I find myself tired, weary, and overall just at a loss for how to survive Mass with my little saints. Recently, the Holy Spirit filled me with an idea; ‘Ask other moms what works for them.’ So, I did. I polled every mother of small children I knew, and what I got in return was nothing short of pure mom genius! 

In speaking about Mass with small children, many of the moms pointed out that the frustrations we parents often feel in Mass are normal and reasonable.

One mom said, “It's OK to feel sad about [how different Mass is with children compared to going to Mass before having kids] because it is frustrating and can start to feel like spiritual dryness if you aren't able to devote the same amount of attention to [Mass] as before.” 

“This is a new season of life to get used to,” a different mom explained, “and you probably won’t be able to pray the same way at Mass as you did before motherhood. Accepting that means less frustration, … There will come a time again when the kids are older and aren’t as needy and you can focus on the Mass again.”

Mass as a parent with young children will not (and should not) look the same as Mass when you were a single adult. It could be that for many Sundays, we parents just won’t hear the homily, or we miss the readings and the Eucharistic prayer because someone got fussy or needed to be changed, or said they needed to go potty for the fourth time in an hour.

During these years, still another explained, “You may not ‘get much’ out of Mass for yourself. Think of it as a season of ‘giving much’ at Mass. Don't guilt trip yourself over being distracted by your kids, just offer it to the Lord. In a way, you are offering more to Jesus by coming to Him when it is difficult and you don't get much spiritual sweetness - not to mention that you are bringing Him your children, the most precious gift you can bring to the Church!” 

Personally, I like to imagine the rest of the parish community saying, ‘You care for that precious baby or toddler, we’ll handle the Mass responses.’ After all, everyone present prays the Mass together, as a community, so when my attention is divided, someone in the pew next to me can focus on my behalf, and pray on my behalf. 

Still another mom put it this way: Caring for your children during Mass “is your mission work. It’s okay if they whine and talk, … They’re little and can only handle so much. They’re going to have times where it’s too much! … Sometimes it’s okay if [it feels like] the only good thing about Mass was that you showed up.”

How powerful it is to ponder the difficulty overcome by parents who continue to show up to Mass, week after week, when they know it will be a struggle! Acknowledging the challenge and continuing to bring your children to Mass is truly a commendable endeavor!   

The Greatest ‘Catholic Mom Wins’
Overall, I received responses back from 17 young moms with littles ranging from newborns to toddlers across half a dozen states. When asked, “What tips or tricks do you have that helped make attending Mass with little ones easier?” From parent to parent, here’s their best advice: 
 

• “Choose a Mass time that works for your family. I liked going first thing in the morning … because our kids were fresher in the morning.” 
• “I tried to plan nap time around when Mass started.”
• If you choose to attend an early morning Mass, “set [out] outfits the night before (even for myself).”
   
• “We tried different areas of the church until we found “our spot”. We like sitting [in] the back row of [the] church so there aren’t any distractions behind us. And if our kids are crying or need to use the restroom we can get out quickly. … For the big kids we try to have a Catholic coloring sheet or some small toys they can play with quietly until they become of age to be able to pay attention more fully. We’ve also tested different Mass times and found that our kids do best at the Noon Mass.”
   
• “We have a church book bag that we keep in the car, [and] the [books in that church bag] are only books they see at church; they seem “new’ and not something that is played with all the time. I use books … that are religious based like a Noah’s ark book or Toddler missal, etc. … I also have realized that sitting where they can see what is going on really helps too. Basically we can explain what is happening a lot easier this way.” 
   
• For babies, we always bring “a clip and tether that keeps the teether [or pacifier] attached to the child.”
   
• If you have more than one child, “sitting between children [helps a lot], so as they [do] not get each other overly excited.” 
   
• Bring “Books about Mass! Books about saints or Bible stories for them to look at during [the Mass]. A couple of favorite small toys or a favorite stuffy (keep it light. Don’t get overwhelmed with their stuff), definitely a snack or two and water!... [and] Talk to them about everything that’s happening in Mass!”
   
• “When managing kid behavior, prioritize silence over stillness. If a kid is screaming or making noise, that's distracting others, so … [you can] take them to the back. But if kids are walking up and down the aisles a bit, it's not a big deal. I have boys and it's simply not realistic to expect them to sit still for an hour … But they can usually fidget or color quietly. And when they can also participate noisily (Alleluia, Great Amen, etc.) encourage and model it! … Sitting up front helps my kids behave better because they can see what's going on and get interested to participate, and I think also because they are visible to others, … a certain amount of ‘stage fright’ tones them down.” 
   
• Finally, “remember to ask Mary to help you mother them like she mothered Jesus.”

Author:

Meg Kanatzar Ferguson, D.Min. is the Curriculum Coordinator at the Catholic Apostolate Center. She helps develop online course materials and curriculums and assists with the development of Catholic Apostolate Center publications.

Resources:

Listen to On Mission

Read the Ad Infinitum blog

Marriage and family resources    

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Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

On this episode of the Son Rise Morning Show, Fr. Frank Donio of the Catholic Apostolate Center begins a new series on the development of Church teaching regarding the laity, prompted by the U.S. bishops' ongoing consultation for a forthcoming document on the lay faithful. Fr. Frank starts at the Second Vatican Council with the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, and its proclamation of the universal call to holiness—the teaching that holiness is possible not only for monks, cloistered nuns, and clergy, but for all the faithful, each in his or her own way.

The discussion also turns to the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, Apostolicam Actuositatem, which affirms that all the baptized share in the priestly, prophetic, and kingly office of Christ and are sent by him on mission in the Church and in the world. Fr. Frank highlights St. Vincent Pallotti as a forerunner of this teaching, and recalls the Pallottine role—alongside a young St. John Paul II—in drafting the decree that continues to shape the Church's vision of the lay apostolate today.

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Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

Gregory the Great offers us invaluable lessons in living the Christian life. He models for us morality, service, prayer, among other attributes. This blogcast explores “The Reluctant Pope" from the Ad Infinitum blog, written by Don McCrabb and read by Jonathan Harrison.

Do you have a favorite saint? As Catholics we enjoy the “communion of saints,” a treasure trove of ancestors in the faith, who “intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 956). They learned from Jesus, were perfected through their love for him, and offer their wisdom to us and our struggles to God. One of my favorite saints is Gregory the Great (540-604). 
I was 44 when I met St. Gregory. I was preparing to teach an introduction to pastoral ministry class to seminarians. At the time, psychology and sociology shaped pastoral care. St. Gregory offered an accessible, faithful, and practical approach. My students loved him. 

St. Gregory was born into a wealthy family in Rome. By his early 30’s, he was Prefect of Rome – like a city manager – responsible for roads, aqueducts, and safety. After his father died, he resigned his position, gave away his vast estates, converted his family home into a monastery (Saint Andrew’s), and became a monk. Eventually, the Pope called him into service, made him his personal envoy to Emperor Tiberius, and then returned to Rome to be Abbot. In 590, after a terrible flood, the pope died, and the people elected Gregory to be pope. He resisted and appealed to the emperor who denied his request. He was consecrated pope on September 3, 590. 

St. Gregory has been, and continues to be, a blessing to me. Here are five lessons I learned from St. Gregory. 

Scripture: St. Gregory treasured the time monastic life gave him with scripture. It was the foundation of his prayer, shaped his teaching, and inspired his preaching and writings. His secretary said that a dove would land on his shoulder, he would stop, listen carefully, and then dictate his homily. St. Gregory is often depicted with a dove near his ear to represent that he was docile to the Holy Spirit. He is the patron saint of teachers. 

Prayer: Catholics cultivate a personal and communal prayer life. St. Gregory drew inspiration from the lives of others. He was the first to write a biography of St. Benedict. He complained that his papal responsibilities took away from his prayer time. St. Gregory reformed the liturgy, adding the Our Father before communion. While he did not create Gregorian Chant, he was the first monk elected pope, and, with 15 other popes named Gregory, was a source of inspiration to other popes. He is also the patron saint for musicians. 

Morality: St. Gregory would not separate spirituality from morality. Indeed, the moral life is the personal and practical spirituality of the Christian. Our actions – to do good and to avoid evil – is how we live out our relationship with God. St. Gregory’s greatest work is the Morals in Job. Its actual title is An Extensive Consideration of Moral Questions and is six volumes. His moral sense extended to the papacy being the first pope to refer to his role as the “servant of the servants of God.” 

Care for the Person: St. Gregory was aware of the struggles of moral life. He believed it was the responsibility of bishops and pastors to provide pastoral care for the faithful – to accompany them through their moral decision making. Consequently, he wrote Pastoral Care to give pastors a practical way to respond based on the type of person they engage: introverts differently than extraverts, aggressive differently than the docile. 

Mission: When St. Gregory returned to Rome to become Abbot, he encountered youth from England which awakened a desire to leave Rome and be a missionary in Britain. He responded to that call by sending Augustine and some other monks from his abbey to England. He encouraged them to give a Christian meaning to some of the shrines and rituals of the people. The Church took root in England and Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury. ​

​St. Gregory lived during turbulent times. We live during turbulent times. St. Gregory rooted himself in scripture and scripture infused his personal prayer and celebration of the Eucharist, his approach to the moral life, his care for others, and his passion for mission. Perhaps these merits drawn from his life can do the same for us.

St. Gregory, pray for us! 

Author:

Don McCrabb, D. Min., a pastoral theologian, is the former Executive Director of the United States Catholic Mission Association.

Resources:

Listen to On Mission: The Papacy

Accompaniment

Read the Ad Infinitum blog

Learn about St. Gregory the Great

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Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.