Catholic Apostolate Center Resources

This blogcast explores “ Preparing for Lent ” written and read by Sarah Harrigan. In this blog post, Sarah shares some of her practices for Lent and how they help draw her closer to Christ.   While these can sometimes seem similar to giving something up (i.e. only getting takeout once a week), I challenge you to reframe your thought process regarding these goals. Instead of thinking of them as a n...

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on the “The True Shape of Christian Hope” section of Spe Salvi by Pope Benedict XVI. 32. A first essential setting for learning hope is prayer. When no one listens to me any more, God still listens to me. When I can no longer talk to anyone or call upon anyone, I can always talk to God. When the...

This blogcast explores “ St. Anthony, Pray for Us ” written and read by Krissy Pierno. In this blog post, Krissy shares some of the history of St. Anthony, how he became the patron of lost things and how to incorporate devotion to him in everyday life.   St. Anthony of Padua has been characterized as a humble and positive man, a man of incredible penance and zeal, full of courage to preach, and co...

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on the “Appeals for Hope” section of the Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year by Pope Francis. 16. Echoing the age-old message of the prophets, the Jubilee reminds us that the goods of the earth are not destined for a privileged few, but for everyone. The rich must be generous and not avert th...

This blogcast explores “ Learning Lessons of Prayer and Penance from Our Lady of Lourdes ” written by Dana Edwards Szigeti and read by Fatima Monterrubio Cruess. In this blog post, Dana shares some of her insights she learned by attending a virtual pilgrimage to Our Lady of Lourdes , France and how our Lady calls us to prayer and penance.   Prayer is transformative and plays a huge part in helping...

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on the “Signs of Hope” section of the Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year by Pope Francis. 7. In addition to finding hope in God’s grace, we are also called to discover hope in the signs of the times that the Lord gives us. As the Second Vatican Council observed: “In every age, the Church has...

This blogcast explores “ Do I Follow? " written by Fr. Andrew P. St. Hilaire and read by Brian Rhude. Title: Blogcast: Do I Follow?   Description: This blogcast explores “ Do I Follow? " written by Fr. Andrew P. St. Hilaire and read by Brian Rhude.   In this blog post, Fr. Andrew reflects on St. Andrew’s following of Christ and our own call to follow Christ.   This year’s theme for the 2023 New Yo...

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. reflects on the “Anchored in Hope” section of the Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee Year by Pope Francis. 18. Hope, together with faith and charity, makes up the triptych of the “theological virtues” that express the heart of the Christian life (cf. 1 Cor 13:13; 1 Thess 1:3). In their inseparable unity,...

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. continues the series about the Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope. A pilgrimage is a spiritual journey and travel of a person to a holy place. Pilgrimages are distinct from a vacation or a trip and are an analogy of the pursuit of Heaven on the Earthly journey and are means by which the faithful experie...

This blogcast explores “ Look Up, Set Out, and Give " written by Kate Fowler and read by Tom Carani. In this blog post, Kate recalls the example of the Magi and encourages us to keep our head held up and our eyes on our goal of deeper relationship with Christ.   This Incarnation is awe-inspiring. So awe-inspiring, in fact, that it even draws strangers. The Messiah foretold was long-awaited by the...

This blogcast explores “ Ready Our Hearts " written and read by ​Fr. Frank S. Donio, S.A.C. In this blog post, Fr. Frank encourages us to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ at Christmas time.   Christmas approaches. We are nearly through our Advent waiting. What has this time been for us? As we enter the joyful season of celebration of the Incarnation, we have an opportunity to embrace th...

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. continues the series about the Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope. A pilgrimage is a spiritual journey and travel of a person to a holy place. Pilgrimages are distinct from a vacation or a trip and are an analogy of the pursuit of Heaven on the Earthly journey and are means by which the faithful experie...

This blogcast explores “ Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence " written and read by Jonathan Sitko. In this blog post, Jonathan reflects on the popular Advent hymn and it’s connection to the Nativity of Christ.   As a brief refresher, it is a song whose lyrics are based on the Divine Liturgy of St. James and has been used as a hymn in Greek since around the third or fourth century. Speaking about the...

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. continues the series about the Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope. A pilgrimage is a spiritual journey and travel of a person to a holy place. Pilgrimages are distinct from a vacation or a trip and are an analogy of the pursuit of Heaven on the Earthly journey and are means by which the faithful experie...

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. starts a series about the Jubilee Year 2025: Pilgrims of Hope. The Holy Father has announced that 2025 will be a Jubilee Year, something which happens every 25 years. The theme for Jubilee 2025 is “Pilgrims of Hope,” and it will be a year of hope for a world suffering the impacts of war, the ongoing effe...

This blogcast explores “ Embracing Advent " written by ​Helena Romano and read by Amy Cardin In this blog post, Helena shares how the Advent season stands apart from Christmas and helps prepare our hearts and souls for the coming of Christ and this period of preparation can even lend itself to a more exciting Christmas.   When we experience Advent in this way, the anticipation for Christmas builds...

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. continues the series connecting Advent to the Eucharist and focuses on the connection between the Eucharist and Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time. "The Eucharist is also “A pledge of future glory.” A beautiful ejaculatory prayer, composed by the great St. Thomas Aquinas, and soon adopted by the C...

This blogcast explores “ Finding Time to be Thankful ” written and read by Sarah Harrigan. In this blog post, Sarah shares some of the joys and benefits of keeping the things that we are grateful for at the forefront of our minds.   In prayer, I have found myself trying to be more present in the moment, more thankful, and more reflective in my thoughts. I try to write down the moments when I find...

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. continues the series connecting Advent to the Eucharist and focuses on the connection between the Saint Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, and the Eucharist. Fr. Frank connects St. Joseph to the Eucharist and how he adored the Lord Jesus incarnate in the womb of Mary and beyond. Like St. Joseph, we are...

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. continues the series connecting Advent to the Eucharist and focuses on the connection between the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Eucharist. Fr. Frank makes the connection to Blessed Virgin Mary and the Eucharist. We are called to take Mary as our mother and she invites us to do whatever Jesus tells us. We f...

This blogcast explores “ The Musical Tradition of All Souls' Day ” written by Emily Lomnitzer and read by Fatima Monterrubio Cruess. In this blog post, Emily shares some of the history behind All Souls’ Day’s most famous musical compositions, for example, by Mozart, Verdi, or Andrew Lloyd Weber.   Moving forward in history, we see some of the greatest composers creating masterworks called “requiem...

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discusses begins a new series connecting Advent to the Eucharist and focuses on Christ as the Lamb of God in the Eucharist. Fr. Frank makes the connection to what the priest says when showing the Eucharist: “Behold the Lamb of God”, the Sacrifice of the Christ the Lamb of God for us, and the Mass as a re...

This blogcast explores “ St. Andrew: What We Can Learn From The "Hidden Apostle" In Evangelization " written by Danielle Schmitz and read by Meghan Abando. In this blog post, Danielle shares about the model of St. Andrew and how he brought St. Peter to Jesus. We are called to bring others to Jesus so that they can fulfill the mission God has in mind for them.   As we celebrate the Feast Day of St....

In this segment from the Son Rise Morning Show on Sacred Heart Radio , Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. discusses Male Religious communities and the difference between Apostolic and Contemplative communities. Apostolic communities are characterized by their work of charity in the world. They are sent out to care for those who are suffering and witness Christ. The contemplative communities emphasize the nee...

This blogcast explores “ St. Therese and the Power of Intercession " written by Danielle Schmitz and read by Meghan Abando. In this blog post, Danielle shares the intercessory power of St. Therese of Lisieux and how we are called to intercede for those in our lives, like St. Therese.   St. Therese realized that our prayer has power because it is the cry of children to their Father, a Father who ca...