What is our job, as Catholics, when our nation tumbles into chaos, violence, and political mayhem? This is a fair question to ask, especially for anyone living in the United States these days. Unfortunately I do not hear a lot of people asking it. Everyone seems to think they know exactly what their job is. [...]
Author: Ambrose Bean
Ambrose Bean is a debater and writer looking to lead Catholics back to the Vine.
The Lost Art of Hospitality
St. Peter himself told Christians that they should "practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another" (1 Peter 4:9). Better yet, this verse comes from the Bible, which means the Holy Spirit inspired it. Just as with all the other commands we find in the Bible, we should take this seriously. We should not read it in [...]
Find Some Quiet
The recent spread of COVID-19 has given all of us an excellent opportunity! I won't pretend to be an expert under the circumstances. Like many others, I have also been confused about what to think and how exactly to handle this unique and unexpected situation. I do however think there is one thing we can [...]
I Give Through eGive
There are a bunch of paper cards at the back of my local church. They are pretty simple, and when you first see them, it isn't clear that they have any purpose whatsoever. All they have written on them is the sentence: "I give through eGive!" The "eGive" being referred to is actually a pretty [...]
Ep 1 – St. Francis de Sales – A Christian Approach to Poverty
This is an excerpt taken from St. Francis de Sales's book, "Introduction to the Devout Life." Text edited by Ambrose Bean. Audio edited by Stephen Bean.
Is the Halftime Show a Big Deal?
"Oh, c'moooooon," says the skeptic. "It's not a big deal." How sure of that are you? How can you possibly watch that without feeling unsettled and disturbed? The first problem is with those women and what we've done to them. We pumped them so full of fame and praise and money and license that they [...]
Mass Distractions
I was very distracted during mass today. There were a number of things happening around me that made it hard to focus on what was happening at the altar. They were the typical things. The kids behind me were restless and vocal. The sign of peace was awkward. The music selections were questionable. I was [...]
Wait…It’s Friday
Many of us are aware that Friday is a "day of penance" in the Church and that, for a long time, Canon Law required Catholics to abstain from meat on all Fridays. If you know this, you probably also know that the Canon changed, and Catholics are no longer bound to this practice under pain [...]
Prayer and Discernment
We all have difficult decisions to make in our lives, and perhaps the most important decisions pertain to our vocations. In the beginning we ask whether we're called to marriage or the religious life. If we decide we're called to marriage, we wonder who we ought to date. If we start dating, we begin discerning [...]
Taking Yourself Too Seriously
"No, don't post that! I look terrible in that picture!" "I shouldn't have lost. You got lucky." "I didn't get a good grade, but it was just because..." "Please don't think my house always looks like this!" "No, I really am a good driver." "I swear I'm not always like this." "I knew that!" "What [...]
