Uncle Eddy
St John Leonardi
Dear Leon, I don’t know why you are so discouraged by those difficulties you mention in your note. I would rather say that you should be glad about them. Any
Fr. John Bartunek, LC
October 9, 2026
Fr. John Bartunek, LC
Fr. John Bartunek, LC, S.Th.D, received his BA in History from Stanford University in 1990. He comes from an evangelical Christian background and became a member of the Catholic Church in 1991. After college, he worked as a high school history teacher, drama director, and baseball coach. He then spent a year as a professional actor in Chicago before entering the religious Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ in 1993. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 2003 and earned his doctorate in moral theology in 2010.
He provided spiritual support on the set of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ while researching the 2005 Catholic best seller, Inside the Passion, the only authorized, behind-the-scenes explanation of the film. Fr. John has contributed news commentary regarding religious issues on NBC, CNN, Fox, and the BBC. He also served as the English-language press liaison for the Vatican’s 2005 Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist.
His most widely known books are The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer and 60 Days to Becoming a Missionary Disciple.
His most recent book is Spiritual But Not Religious: The Search for Meaning in a Material World.
Fr. John resides in Atlanta and serves as Territorial Vicar for the Legionaries of Christ.
Uncle Eddy
St Pelagia the Penitent
Dear Penny, I just got a panicky note from your twin sister, who is extremely anxious about the state of your soul. I realize that she tends to overreact, but
Fr. John Bartunek, LC
October 8, 2026
Uncle Eddy
Our Lady of the Rosary
Dear Rose, I received a visit today from your guardian angel, who informed me that lately you have “opted out” of your commitment to pray the rosary (or at least
Fr. John Bartunek, LC
October 7, 2026
Uncle Eddy
St Bruno
Dear Bruce, I am quite exasperated with you. Your sister (God will bless her for it) has kept me duly informed of your deplorable dissipation in recent weeks. Why must
Fr. John Bartunek, LC
October 6, 2026
Uncle Eddy
St Galla
Dear Gladys, Here’s a thought experiment for you: imagine that you are lying in bed dying from cancer. You can’t sleep because of the pain. Suddenly St Peter appears to
Fr. John Bartunek, LC
October 5, 2026
Uncle Eddy
St Francis of Assisi
Dear Fran, You’ll never become a mature Christian (or a mature person, for that matter) if you don’t learn to control your emotions. I don’t mean eliminate them; I don’t
Fr. John Bartunek, LC
October 4, 2026
Uncle Eddy
St Hesychius
Dear Zeke, You probably feel so frazzled because you aren’t taking any time to spend alone with God in reflection, prayer, and silence. If you don’t make a point of
Fr. John Bartunek, LC
October 3, 2026
Uncle Eddy
Feast of the Guardian Angels
Dear Godfrey, When was the last time you thanked God for your guardian angel? When was the last time you thanked your guardian angel? When was the last time you
Fr. John Bartunek, LC
October 2, 2026
Uncle Eddy
St Thérèse of the Child Jesus
Dear Therese, God is not a grim examiner, or a scorekeeper, or a statistician; he is your Father. To fall into discouragement and anxiety because of your sins and imperfections
Fr. John Bartunek, LC
October 1, 2026
