(Photo: Unsplash) A 2025 YouGov poll revealed some interesting factoids about Americans’ reading habits — or lack thereof. 40% of us didn’t read a book last year. About a quarter of the country read one to four books in 2025, and 13% clocked in at between five and nine books in all formats (print, electronic, audio). 19% of us did 82% of America’s book reading. So let’s up our game. Herewith, some suggestions for your own reading pleasure this summer, which I hope you’ll pass

During a service day during a trip to the Archdiocese of Denver for Steubenville of the Rockies, Father Mike and his group learned what it means to “fill the void of loss with faith” at Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery. (Video by Ascension) When a loved one passes, there’s a lot that goes on: funeral arrangements, property and inheritance management, family dynamics, strong emotions and powerful grief. Saying it’s a difficult time is an understatement. Yet the Church walks int

Mary Magdalene's story reminds us that even after we stumble, Christ never stops calling us back to himself. Penitent St. Mary Magdalene and Eight Stories from her Life by Maestro della Maddalena. Tempera and gold on wood panel, 180x91 cm, Date: 1280 – 1285. Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence, Italy. (Photo by Elizabeth Zelasko) I was hesitant to watch The Chosen. I grew up with an image of Jesus burned into my mind from watching Jesus of Nazareth, starring Robert Powell. It w

Founded by Italian immigrants in 1894, the historic North Denver Italian parish remains a living symbol of faith, heritage and the American dream. Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in North Denver stands as a testament to the Italian Catholic community in Denver. (Photo by Anne Barhyte, courtesy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Denver) By Jenna Peccia and Dominique Lillo Long before North Denver became known for trendy restaurants and modern rowhomes, before the city skyline

A call to renewal rooted in history and mission (Photo: Lightstock, created with AI) By Forest Barnette In the span of the memory of the Church, 250 years is just a drop. While the United States is right to swell with pride at the accomplishments of the Founding Fathers, Catholics claim a heritage at least as old as Abraham. Despite the youth of America and Colorado, God has nevertheless moved in big ways through the Centennial State to encourage and renew his people. The Jun

Jeanne d'Arc by Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1879. (Photo: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons) If it is possible to fall in love with someone you have never met, I fell in love with Jules Bastien-Lepage as a young art student in New York City. There have been few painters, in my opinion, that have been able to bring the natural world into sharper focus without being a photo realist painter. I have never been drawn to photo-realistic paintings. We have cameras to capture such thin

What the Church celebrates — and challenges — in the American story (Photo: Lightstock, created with AI) By Austin Mernagh Theology and Social Studies Teacher Arrupe Jesuit High School, Denver Growing up in the Midwestern United States, I have fond memories as a kid on the 4th of July. Fireworks going off on every street, family and friends gathering around and enjoying homemade dishes and barbecue. The one thing that stood out the most was the presence everyone gave each o

(Photo: Lightstock) While praying through the second letter of St. Paul to Timothy one morning, the words in the chapter seemed to leap off the page and strike me in the heart. As someone who writes and reads online, I feel ever more strongly the need for wisdom and discernment in what I consume and say. The digital world is the new Wild West: a place of bots and trolls, but also an opportunity to evangelize. You and I might be one of the only Catholic voices others hear (or

(Photo: Unsplash) I just read a study that started by saying, “Pre-marital sex predicts divorce, but we do not know why.” The study found that the odds of divorce for these couples are double to triple — increasing as the number of sexual partners increases — over those who saved sex for marriage. These results remained consistent even after adjusting for religiosity, beliefs and values. In other words, it isn’t just because the “savers” are religious and hence don’t believe

The story of America and Colorado is ultimately a story of God’s faithfulness, mercy and invitation to holiness. (Photo: Adobe Stock) Blessed be the name of the Lord, now and forever. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made Heaven and earth. That formula for an apostolic blessing, a benediction that bishops give, has a lot to teach us as we reflect on our country’s last 250 years and our state’s last 150 — years marked by courage, sacrifice and perseverance — and as we

Through Bouguereau’s Pietà, one mother reflects on Mary, suffering and the staggering beauty woven into love itself during the month of mothers and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Pietà by William-Adolphe Bouguereau, c. 1876. (Photo: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons) “What on God’s good earth is more glorious than this: to be a mother?” Venerable Jozsef Cardinal Mindszenty As a mother, I can only answer, “nothing.” And while there are myriad paintings I could have chosen to hono

Venerable Emil Kapaun’s holy, courageous priesthood brought others to Christ amid great darkness and suffering

(Photo: Lightstock) By Jordan Langdon CEO + Marriage & Parenting Coach Families of Character During a recent Parenting Workshop at St. Thomas More Catholic School, I invited parents to reflect on their favorite childhood summer memories. “We rode bikes until the streetlights came on.” “My dad grilled every Sunday night.” “My cousins slept over for a week every summer.” “We caught fireflies.” “We went to the pool almost every day.” “There was always time.” As parents shared th

Amelie Lock and Michael Shepherd Jordan record a scene from Welcome to Hope Springs at Shock City Studios in St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Adam Pane, courtesy of the Augustine Institute) By Madison Van Frank In our noisy, overstimulating, screen-centric world, many of us have tried to simplify our own relationships with technology. This is what we’re supposed to do as Catholics, right? Unplug from the world, disconnect and turn off our screens. Although we’re fighting the go

(Photo: Lightstock) By Randall Vette, PsyD St. Raphael Counseling, a ministry of Catholic Charities The most repeated phrase in all of Sacred Scripture is some variation of “Do not be afraid.” Apparently, the divine author knows what we need to hear because the most common mental health issue, by far, is anxiety — a fear-based emotion that becomes excessive. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 19.1% of U.S. adults experience clinical symptoms of anxiety annua

(Photo: Pixabay) By Sandra Morales Associate Director of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment Archdiocese of Denver A Lot of Content, Little Presence A couple of years ago, in my work with couples, I began to notice a recurring theme. I found myself reflecting on marriage and technology: how strange it is that we have more resources, tools, podcasts, books and apps than any previous generation and yet communion between spouses can feel surprisingly fragile. Sitting with couple

The Tribute Money by Masaccio, c. 1424. (Photo: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons) Here’s a story for you. One day, I was worrying about money and taxes, and I shared my troubles with my brother over the phone. He told me he was on his way into Mass and would call me back when he got out — and he did. The Gospel reading that day? Matthew 17:27, the story of Jesus and his disciples needing to pay the temple tax. Jesus tells them to cast a line into the sea, and in the mouth

(Photo: Unsplash) On April 22, people across the United States and the rest of the world celebrates Earth Day. First officially held on April 22, 1970, Earth Day has continually commemorated a commitment to conservation and ecological awareness, with many organizations encouraging water conservation, voluntary energy blackouts and calls for global climate education. Christians share a special dedication to these ideals, as we are called to care for our common home and to stew

What can the story of an all-powerful ring, a dark lord, a humble hobbit and his ragtag fellowship of companions teach us about the spiritual realities of the world and the ultimate meaning of life? Renowned J.R.R. Tolkien scholar Joseph Pearce unlocked the answer to this question and much more in a Feb. 24 private lecture given at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. Pearce has written three books about Tolkien's life and works, in addition to many others that

John Allen with Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. (Photo: Thomas S. Major via Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0) Early Sunday morning, July 28, 2002, things were looking grim for the closing papal Mass of World Youth Day in Toronto. The previous four days had been a tremendous success, symbolized by hundreds of thousands of young people making the Way of the Cross up Toronto’s great north-south boulevard, University Avenue: an act of Christian witness the likes of which had never been