Posts by A. Serrani
Prayer isn’t “one-size-fits-all”
This is Fr. Eduardo Rivera. He is the Campus Chaplain at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. His experiences learning to pray at home and growing through discerning the priesthood taught him what prayer is all about.
Becoming a priest is intense. In Fr. Eduardo’s experience, prayer was his life line when discernment and adjustment to religious life felt overwhelming and lonely.
And that intensity wasn't all bad. He realized that when he stepped away from the distractions of the world to focus on prayer, he found his prayer unique style. But it wasn’t immediate... it took practice.
He realized that quiet time with just him and God was the most effective way for him to pray. His routine for meditation might not be your preferred method of prayer, but who knows, maybe it is exactly what you have been needing.
Thinking about the various ways to pray, check this out for 10 new ways to pray.
Check out the Catholic daily readings from Scripture.
Betrayal and Silence
After a devastating athletic injury, Kamryn felt betrayed by God. In the silence of her prayer through betrayal, while resting in her desolation, she found hope as God spoke to her.
This is Kamryn Spell. She is a student and athlete at the University of St. Thomas – Houston. Find out what “word” came to her in prayer and how it led her to trust in God's plan for her life - even if it meant going to school.
When Tradition is the Biggest Innovation
When thinking about innovation in education, we often imagine sleek, modern classrooms filled with smart boards and the latest technology. You wouldn’t be wrong to think that. However, when Dr. Alexis Kutarna and the faculty of Cathedral High School in Houston, Texas think about innovation, they look back and pull from the wealth of tradition behind Catholic education, and aim to do something different. They are not focused on educating their students to simply find a career. While they they do prepare them to do so, they supremely focus on educating the whole person, preparing their students to be good citizens, good Catholics and good people.
In this conversation, Dr. Richard Ludwick, President of the University of St. Thomas in Houston, Texas, talks to Dr. Alexis Kutarna, Principal of Cathedral High School in Houston, about the link between tradition and innovation to learn how they apply Catholic Tradition in a modern educational context and why every student should learn how to sing.
Prayer in war and tragedy
Chris knows adversity ... and strength. He has seen people tragically bottom out while witnessing others live with courage. All these experiences have shaped him, and through prayer in tragedy and war, he has realized what’s most important.
This is Christopher Zeglin. He is the Associate Vice President of Marketing at University of St. Thomas-Houston. A United States Navy Veteran, Christopher talks about his time working in anti-terrorism, the tragic loss of his mother and brother, and the one thing that remained constant. Hear his story of heartbreak, strength, and perseverance.
Be Not Afraid
In this episode of our series looking back at World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, we follow Magdalena Escoto. For her, going to World Youth Day was the perfect end to her college career, but she was not prepared for how gathering with Catholic Youth from around the globe would change her.
Magdalena talks about the highs and lows of the pilgrimage. Hear about her experience of extreme discomfort walking to the Vigil Mass, the doubts and fears she carried with her about her future, and how the words of hope from Pope Francis gave her sense of confidence in her future that she didn't realize she needed.
We Were Made for Greatness
Annie Nguyen had high expectations going into World Youth Day 2023! Now, looking back a year later, not only were those expectations met, they were exceeded!
Today Annie tells the story of how a chance encounter with a girl from Australia helped her see that not every souvenir is material. She remembers how a talk by Bishop Robert Barron helped her consider her priorities and how they do and do not lead her to God. And she shares how the witness of over 1 million youth from around the world made her reevaluate her own relationship with prayer and how recommitting to prayer changed her life!