Invite a friend to Join: htoh.us/advent Prefer to listen? Follow our Faith Seasons Podcast on Spotify Week 3 | Which Nativity Piece Inspires You?A reflection from Fr. James Kubicki, SJ Fr. James Kubicki, SJ Back in the mid-1980s, I was the vocation director for the Jesuits of the Upper Midwest, and I lived at our novitiate in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The novice master, who was a great spiritual director, and his assistant, who was an artist — a sculptor — came up with an idea one Advent. On the...
1 day ago • 4 min read
Invite a friend to Join: htoh.us/advent Prefer to listen? Follow our Faith Seasons Podcast on Spotify Week 3 | What Does the Creche Say to You?A reflection from Fr. James Kubicki, SJ Fr. James Kubicki, SJ They say that the very first nativity scene did not consist of statues, but of living persons. Just over 800 years ago, in Greccio, Italy, Saint Francis of Assisi gathered the townspeople in a place where there were animals and a manger filled with hay. He brought along a young couple and...
2 days ago • 4 min read
Invite a friend to Join: htoh.us/advent Prefer to listen? Follow our Faith Seasons Podcast on Spotify Week 3 | When Our Hope Feels FragileA reflection from Ms. Paula Kowalkowski Ms. Paula Kowalkowski Jesus, hope of the world.Jesus, light in our darkness.Here we await you, O Master divine.Here we receive you in bread and in wine.Jesus, hope of the world. Advent greetings to all. When we are in the midst of grief, loss, and suffering, the concept of hope — and having hope — can be very...
3 days ago • 3 min read
Invite a friend to Join: htoh.us/advent Prefer to listen? Follow our Faith Seasons Podcast on Spotify Week 3 | When Our Hearts Are HeavyA reflection from Ms. Paula Kowalkowski Ms. Paula Kowalkowski Advent blessings to you. This is a piece from the Taizé community: “Wait for the Lord, whose day is near. Wait for the Lord. Be strong. Take heart.” We are waiting for the Lord in this Advent season. The song also says, “Be strong. Take heart.” Sometimes that is so difficult to do when you are in...
4 days ago • 3 min read
Invite a friend to Join: htoh.us/advent Prefer to listen? Follow our Faith Seasons Podcast on Spotify Week 3 | Where Have You Gone, God?A reflection from Ms. Paula Kowalkowski Ms. Paula Kowalkowski Advent blessings to you as we come close to December 21st — the longest night of the year. In many faith traditions — a Blue Christmas service, or Longest Night service, is held for those of us who have experienced grief, loss, suffering, and sadness during the year. These services can be...
5 days ago • 4 min read
Invite a friend to Join: htoh.us/advent Prefer to listen? Follow our Faith Seasons Podcast on Spotify Week 3 | Finding Joy in Times of SorrowA reflection from Fr. Michael Sparough, SJ Fr. Michael Sparough, SJ Happy Third Sunday of Advent—Happy Gaudete Sunday!Gaudete is Latin for Rejoice! Rejoice! We’re drawing close to Christmas. This season stirs deep emotions. The nights glow with Christmas lights, yet next Saturday marks the longest night of the year. Holiday music fills the air; stores...
6 days ago • 5 min read
Invite a friend to Join: htoh.us/advent Prefer to listen? Follow our Faith Seasons Podcast on Spotify Week 2 | Trust in God's ProvidenceA reflection from Fr. Sean Grismer Fr. Sean Grismer Beloved, in this Advent season, I want to take a moment to reflect upon the confidence that we can have in God’s providence. People will say, “Oh, that was a coincidence,” but as Catholics, as Christians, we don’t actually believe in coincidences — because that would mean God has no hand in his creation. Yet...
7 days ago • 4 min read
Discern & DecideNavigating Life's Choices - A Virtual Retreat htoh.us/discern Greetings from Heart to Heart! Join Fr. Michael as he leads a virtual retreat based on our new video series Discern & Decide starting Tuesday, January 6 and running for 6 weeks. This virtual retreat is in collaboration with Bellarmine Jesuit Retreat House, Heart to Heart's home base for ministry. What is Discern & Decide? Discern & Decide is a 12-part video series on spiritual discernment, rooted in the Ignatian...
8 days ago • 1 min read
Invite a friend to Join: htoh.us/advent Prefer to listen? Follow our Faith Seasons Podcast on Spotify Week 2 | Bring God's Love Into Your HeartA reflection from Fr. Sean Grismer Fr. Sean Grismer Beloved, in this Advent season, I want us to take a moment to reflect on the gift of Mary’s heart. In Scripture, multiple times it says that she takes these things and she ponders them in her heart. She ponders these things in her heart. What does that lead us to? The gift of pondering. Scripture also...
8 days ago • 4 min read