Meet Your New Territorial Directive College

September 1, 2026 / Consecrated Women, Legionaries of Christ, Regnum Christi, Regnum Christi News, Whole Territory

What is the Territorial Directive College of Regnum Christi?

The Territorial Directive College (TDC) is a collaborative governing body responsible for guiding the mission, identity, and apostolic direction of Regnum Christi across the North American Territory, which includes the United States, Canada, and the Philippines. Composed of Legionaries of Christ, Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi, and lay Regnum Christi members, the TDC provides unified leadership for the territory, ensuring that Regnum Christi’s charism is lived cohesively and fruitfully in its institutions, apostolic initiatives, and localities.

In August, after a summer during which the Legionary and Consecrated Women’s territorial governments received new leadership, the North American Regnum Christi Territorial Directive College gathered in Atlanta, Georgia, for the first meetings of its upcoming term, including three new members.

The Territorial Directive College is now made up of:

Fr. John Bartunek, LC, territorial director of the Legionaries, and president of the Territorial Directive College (RRCF 26).

Katie Tuttle, territorial director of the Consecrated Women, and new vice-president of the Territorial Directive College (RRCF 28).

Fr. Timothy Walsh, territorial vicar of the Legionaries of Christ, and new member of the Territorial Directive College.

Helen Yalbir, first councilor of the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi, and a member of the Territorial Directive College.

Maria Gaviria, lay Regnum Christi member who has been renewed for a second term.

Andrew Rawicki, lay Regnum Christi member and new member of the Territorial Directive College

Together, these six members bring a wealth of experience, vocational perspectives, and apostolic commitment that will shape the life of Regnum Christi in the North American Territory over the next three years. As they begin this new term, the College looks ahead with confidence and hope, united in guiding Regnum Christi’s evangelizing work in making present the Kingdom of Christ throughout the territory.

As this newly constituted directive body began its collaborative governance, it laid the foundation for the discernment, planning, and territorial leadership that will guide Regnum Christi’s mission across the United States, Canada, and the Philippines for the next three years.

On September 1st, 2026 the TDC sent a letter to all Regnum Christi members of all vocations in the territory, thanking Fr. Shawn Aaron, LC, Kathleen Murphy, and Charlie Bradley for their service on the previous TDC, and sharing about their first meeting and its fruits:

A couple of weeks ago we enjoyed being together in person for our first offsite to experience the power of the Spirit that continues to call us forward to extend his Kingdom by making Christ present in all hearts and in society. It is impressive to see the wonders the Lord is already doing through Regnum Christi… What is the Lord telling us with all he has been doing in and through all of us as Regnum Christi? As he did with the apostles, he encourages us who have experienced him to launch out in mission, sharing him and the power of his love throughout the world.

During these days we also had the opportunity to review the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan and have reaffirmed this as the direction we want to take. This plan is a strong witness to the quality of the discernment many of you participated in during the preparation for the 2024 General Convention. May the takeaways expressed in the General Convention Communique continue to enlighten our path forward, trusting in the Lord who guides us each step of the way.

Meet your new Territorial Directive College!

Fr. John Bartunek, LC

Territorial Director of the Legionaries of Christ
Atlanta, Georgia

“I can think of nothing more exciting than providing the Church with mature, mission-ready Regnum Christi apostles, and I am eager to do my part as a Territorial Directive College member to help provide more and more of them.”

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 joined 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 Legionaries of Christ in 1993. He was ordained in 2003 and earned his doctorate in moral theology in 2010. He has taught moral theology at various ecclesiastical institutions at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

He 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. He is an accomplished author with many books. His most widely known books are The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer and 60 Days to Becoming a Missionary Disciple.

He has also written three Regnum Christi Essays: Sharpening Your Tongue: An RC Essay on Charity in Our Words, What Is Regnum Christi? An RC Essay on the Statutes of the Regnum Christi Federation and the Rule of Life for Lay Members, and Our Formation Pathway: An RC Essay on Integral Formation and the Journey to Christian Maturity. His series of Do-It-Yourself online Catholic Retreat Guides is available in multiple formats at RC Spirituality.

Fr. John currently resides in Atlanta, where he is serving as territorial director for the Legionaries of Christ.

Looking forward, Fr. John sees Regnum Christi poised to enter into a new phase of growth and apostolic creativity in the coming years, and he welcomes the opportunity to be part of that growth.

“We are just starting to discover what it means to live our shared charism as a true spiritual family and apostolic body. I can’t wait to see how the Lord will lead us forward in that ongoing discovery, and all the fruits our journey will bear for our own members and for the entire Church throughout the various countries included in our territory. I can think of nothing more exciting than providing the Church with mature, mission-ready Regnum Christi apostles, and I am eager to do my part as a Territorial Directive College member to help provide more and more of them.”

Fr. Timothy Walsh, LC

Territorial Vicar of the Legionaries of Christ
Atlanta, Georgia

“I thank Our Lord for inviting me to participate in his ongoing plan for Regnum Christi in such a special way.”

Fr. Timothy Walsh was born and raised in Cornwall, Canada. After studying physics at Laval University in Quebec, he entered the Legionaries of Christ Canadian novitiate. He did his philosophy and theology studies at the Pontifical Atheneum Regina Apostolorum in Rome and was ordained to the priesthood on December 23, 2006. Fr. Timothy served in the Legionaries of Christ high school seminaries in Indiana and New Hampshire for eleven years and has also worked with Regnum Christi in Cincinnati and Houston. From July 2020 to 2026, he worked at the Legionaries of Christ Novitiate and College of Humanities in Cheshire, Connecticut. He is currently serving as territorial vicar for North America and is based in Atlanta.

In the introduction and onboarding meetings for the new TDC held recently in Atlanta, Fr. Timothy was deeply impressed with all of the members, as well as those supporting them on the Mission Support Team.

“I thank Our Lord for inviting me to participate in his ongoing plan for Regnum Christi in such a special way, and I ask Our Blessed Mother to help us and keep us close to her Son’s heart.”

Andrew Rawicki

Lay Member of Regnum Christi
Dallas, Texas

“I pray that the Lord works through me and each member of the College to bring about the fruits that he wishes for our members, the Church, and society.”

Andrew Rawicki and his wife, JoAnna, live close to ten of their thirteen grandchildren in Dallas, Texas. A convert from Judaism, Andrew entered the Church in 1991. He and his wife were introduced to Regnum Christi in 2000 through the Conquest and Challenge camps that most of their six children attended at Camp Bocamb in Louisiana, and Andrew associated to Regnum Christi in 2001. He has served as the men’s section director and the renewal coordinator in the Houston locality, as well as the men’s section assistant and Hub City director for Holy Week Missions while his family resided in San Jose, California.

Andrew served as the local director for Regnum Christi Dallas from July 2020 to June 2026. Over the past two years, he has served on the board of trustees for The Highlands School and completed the spiritual direction certificate course through Divine Mercy University.

Andrew is honored and humbled to be serving as one of the two non-consecrated members of the TDC, and is looking forward to beginning this new chapter.

“I pray that the Lord works through me and each member of the College to bring about the fruits that he wishes for our members, the Church, and society. Lord, let me serve my brothers and sisters in Christ with fortitude and humility, helping to build the Kingdom more fully in my heart, in the College, and in everyone impacted by us.”

Maria Gaviria

Lay Member of Regnum Christi
Sarasota, Florida

“I am excited for all that Christ has in store for the North American Territory and for the ways he will continue to enkindle his mission through us.”

Maria associated to Regnum Christi in Jacksonville, Florida, in 2007. Over the years, Regnum Christi has been a spiritual family for Maria and her family, helping them grow in friendship with Christ, deepen their Catholic faith and discover the joy of living as apostles together.

After moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, Maria and her family quickly found a familiar Regnum Christi community through Challenge, Conquest, weekly Encounters with Christ, spiritual retreats and the shared experiences of journeying in faith together. Maria experienced that same sense of communion during her visits to Colombia, where she was born, and often connects with the local Regnum Christi community when she is there.

Her mission in the Movement has included leading three international World Youth Day missions, helping establish Holy Week Mercy Missions in Cincinnati, serving as a guest lecturer at Anáhuac University Puebla in Mexico, accompanying young adults, and serving in local and territorial leadership. She is also a parishioner at Our Lady of Angels and enjoys serving in parish life.

Maria spent her professional career in leadership roles at Procter & Gamble, where one of the accomplishments closest to her heart was establishing the company’s first Catholic employee network, now present in more than 20 countries. Today, she provides people and organizational development consulting and mentors young professionals. She holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of South Florida and a master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology, which she pursued from a desire to deepen her Catholic faith and relationship with Christ and to grow in service and apostolic leadership.

Maria is co-founder of Catholic Caregiver with her daughter Natasha Goodwin, a mission born from their family’s experience caring for Maria’s mother. Catholic Caregiver cares for the caregiver, helping daughters and sons care for their aging parents with dignity while navigating this season with greater clarity, strength, and peace.

Among Maria’s greatest joys is her vocation as a mother to Natasha and Philip, and she is joyfully entering a new chapter as an abuela. She loves cooking and gathering family and friends around the table, morning gratitude walks by the lake, and participating in works of mercy and missions, locally and internationally. Maria currently lives in Sarasota, Florida and is serving her second term as a lay member of the North American Territorial Directive College of Regnum Christi.

“Our first meeting of this new term began with an hour of adoration that set the tone beautifully for what lies ahead—my hope is that we continue to keep Christ at the center, remaining attentive to where he is leading us and ready to respond with boldness. I am excited for all that he has in store for the North American Territory and for the ways he will continue to enkindle his mission through us.”

Katie Tuttle

Territorial Director of the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi
Chicago, Illinois

“I am eager to get to know the different localities, to witness and celebrate the wonderful work being done throughout the territory, and to see how the Holy Spirit is inviting and sending forth Regnum Christi members in this time.”

Katie Tuttle was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. She met the Consecrated Women on a Regnum Christi mission trip to Mexico during Holy Week during her senior year of high school, and interrupted her undergraduate studies at the University of Dayton to discern her vocation. Katie was consecrated in 2003 and finished her formation in Greenville, Rhode Island, completing her bachelor’s degree in education and development, and obtaining a master’s in religious sciences.

Katie worked as an assistant secretary in the office of the territorial director. She served as a mentor and formator for the young women in the Immaculate Conception Program in Michigan, then moved to Houston in 2016 to work in young adult ministry. From 2020 to 2026, she lived in Houston and served as the community director of the Consecrated Women and as a territorial council member.

Katie currently lives in Chicago and serves as the territorial director of the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christ in North America.

Grateful for the leadership and service of the previous TDC, Katie looks forward to collaborating with the other current members of the TDC and the Mission Support Team in service of the mission.

“I am eager to get to know the different localities, to witness and celebrate the wonderful work being done throughout the territory, and to see how the Holy Spirit is inviting and sending forth Regnum Christi members in this time.”

Helen Yalbir

Territorial Vicar of the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi
Dallas, Texas

“I am confident that the Lord will continue to work through each TDC member and the gifts, skills, and experience they bring.”

Helen Yalbir is originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. She completed her BA in English literature at the University of Saskatchewan and served as a Regnum Christi missionary in Calgary, Alberta, before consecrating her life to Jesus in Regnum Christi in 2006. Helen later obtained a BA in religious and pastoral studies, magna cum laude, from Mater Ecclesiae College in Rhode Island, and pursued additional formation through certifications in Catholic youth ministry at Franciscan University of Steubenville and spiritual direction at Divine Mercy University.

Driven by a passion for evangelization, accompaniment, and forming apostles for the Church, Helen has dedicated her life to helping others encounter the love of Christ in a personal and transformative way. From 2013 to 2021, Helen served in Washington, DC, accompanying and forming youth and young women in their growth as disciples and apostles of Christ, with a particular emphasis on personal accompaniment, evangelization, and leadership development.

Helen currently lives in Dallas, Texas, serving as community director of the Consecrated community there while accompanying and forming young adults in the Dallas area. In addition to her local apostolic mission, she has also served the North American Territory in governance and advisory roles, including as councilor to former territorial director Kathleen Murphy and now as territorial vicar of the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi and a member of the Territorial Directive College.

Reflecting on this newest role, Helen says,

“I am confident that the Lord will continue to work through each TDC member and the gifts, skills, and experience they bring so as to take a new step forward together in our mission of evangelization as a spiritual family and apostolic body.”

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Welcoming Betty Rivera: New Director of RC Education

September 1, 2026 / Christian Life, Consecrated Women, RC Education News, Regnum Christi News

“As the Board discerned the future leadership of RC Education, Betty's extensive experience in RC School administration and governance, strategic vision, collaborative approach, and deep understanding of the mission and identity of RC Schools became especially evident. The Board is confident that her leadership and experience will help RC Education continue serving our schools with professionalism, excellence, and fidelity to our mission.”

In a letter to the leadership and staff of Regnum Christi Schools across North America, the board of RC Education introduced Betty Rivera, a Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi, as the new Executive Director of RC Education, effective September 1^st, 2026.

Betty, originally from Monterrey, Mexico, is a Consecrated Woman of Regnum Christi with more than twenty-five years of international experience in leadership, formation, apostolic development, and Regnum Christi governance. She holds two bachelor’s degrees (Education and Development from Anahuac University in Mexico, and Religious Studies from the Regina Apostolorum Athenaeum) and two master’s degrees (Educational Leadership from Anahuac University, and Theology with a focus on consecrated life from Christendom University ). Throughout her years of service, she has worked extensively to support the mission of forming apostles and strengthening Regnum Christi apostolates around the world.

Betty’s dedication to the formation of the next generation of Christian leaders in Regnum Christi is longstanding. For ten years she worked in ECYD in Rhode Island, Mexico City, Michigan, and Atlanta. For four years, she served as Assistant Director and then Executive Director of Everest Academy Manila.

In 2020 she was appointed as territorial director of the Consecrated Women in Spain, and was renewed in that mission in 2023. As territorial director, she served on the board of Regnum Christi’s seven schools across Spain, and she brings this broad experience with her into this new mission in North America.

Betty lives in the Consecrated community in Houston, Texas, where she will also support the Regnum Christi Young Women’s section in a part-time capacity. She is looking forward to travelling to the RC localities across North America where Regnum Christi’s eight schools are located and connecting with people locally to deepen her understanding of the Regnum Mission that is lived there.

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Regnum Christi Spirituality Center Uncle Eddy

St Drithelm

September 1, 2026 / Uncle Eddy

Dear Drew, Glad to hear that things are going well. Is it possible that they are going too well? I don’t want to be the proverbial wet blanket (unless you’re burning to death, that is), but we should always keep in mind our Lord’s words, “rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). In other words, don’t luxuriate too much in earthly happiness (which you seem to be experiencing), because it might make you forget about the rest of the story. Which reminds me of today’s saint’s odd story. Drithelm was a virtuous man, father of a healthy family that lived in the north of England. One day he died – or at least it seemed so. The next morning, while his friends and family were gathered around his corpse, praying, he suddenly came back to life, freed from all signs of the illness that had apparently killed him. He immediately put his affairs in order, liquidating his property and dividing it equally among his wife, his children, and the poor, then presented himself to his king, and requested that he be admitted to the monastery under St Ethelwald’s care. From that day forward he lived a life of simplicity, prayer, and penance, giving such good example and such good advice that he was responsible for numerous conversions. What had happened on the night of his “death” that made such an impression on this humble saint? Well, it seems that his guardian angel had taken him on a supernatural safari (near death experience?), and he learned well from what he had seen. First he was taken to a narrow valley whose walls were burning on one side and frozen on the other. Numerous souls were being pitched back and forth between the burning sides. The angel explained that this was where souls who had repented on their deathbeds were being purified for heaven. Then he was given a glimpse a burning pit, filled with countless people and gross demons, that emitted an intolerably disgusting stench and bloodcurdling screams. That was hell. Next he was brought to a lush green valley where thousands upon thousands of peopled danced and laughed in little groups. Plentiful flowers wafted a delightful aroma (which counteracted the foulness of the hellish furnace). He thought that was heaven, but his guide informed him that it was where souls who were living a good (but not perfect) Christian life went after they died; there they learned the perfect love of the saints so that they could eventually enjoy heaven. His last stop was on the outskirts of a place full of light and even more beautiful music and laughter – it made the other field seem dark and boring. The angel wouldn’t let him in there; it was heaven, and he had to be satisfied with only a whiff. When he returned to consciousness, he resolved to take on a life of prayer and penance, for the sake of winning as many souls as possible for the eternal Kingdom. An extraordinary experience, yes; but purgatory, hell, and heaven are indeed real, as our Lord himself and the Church have never tired of reminding us. And their reality can give us stability as we brave the ups and downs of life. And you need some stability, so keep them in mind. God bless, Uncle Eddy

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What If I Get a Vasectomy?

September 1, 2026 / Ask a Priest

Q: My wife and I just had a child, and the pregnancy was very hard on her. She had gestational diabetes and high blood pressure and had no energy. We do have our marriage convalidated and are getting our daughter baptized. I was wondering what my standing would be with the Church if I were to get a vasectomy and if it is forgivable with confession if it affects my standing. We are still pro-life and open to fostering or adoption if that is what God is calling us to. But with the complications my wife had with her previous pregnancy, we are worried another one could have worse complications. I appreciate any insight I can get. — K.

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC:

I’m sorry to hear about your wife’s health problems.

Our Lord has allowed a cross in your lives right.

The cross can be an instrument for growth in holiness if carried well. And God always gives us the grace to carry the cross he allows in our life.

As to your question: You cannot undergo a vasectomy. That would be both a contraceptive act and an act of self-mutilation — both objectively grave sins. And they are not pro-life acts.

You mentioned having had your marriage convalidated and now have a daughter who will be baptized. Those are great graces of God.

You don’t want to repay God for his generosity by offending him with a vasectomy. And you certainly don’t want to offend him gravely by thinking you could just confess it afterward. That, frankly, would be an insult to Our Lord.

This is the moment you need to have faith and to rely on the grace of the sacrament of marriage to sustain you.

If you and your wife need to practice NFP, try to embrace that with a spirit of faith. This gives you the chance to show love to each other in non-physical ways.

You might want to encourage your wife to get a second opinion about her health with a NaProTechnology-trained doctor.

And you want to pass on the faith to your children? You will help to do that by being faithful to what God asks of you, especially regarding marriage. See if your parish or diocese has a marriage-support ministry that could help you.

This is a moment to intensify your prayer life and sacramental life. Find a solid, regular confessor to guide you (and don’t let anyone tell you that a vasectomy is OK).

I hope some of this helps. Count on my prayers.

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September 1, 2026 – Power, Authority, and Amazement

September 1, 2026 / Daily Meditations

<a href="https://rss.com/podcasts/rcdailymeditations/3104487/">September 1, 2026 – Power, Authority, and Amazemen | RSS.com</a>

Tuesday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 4:31-37

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

Opening Prayer: Dear Jesus, open my heart and my ears to listen to your words with childlike amazement. May the power of your words govern my mind and my heart to whatever it is you desire of me today. I believe in your all-consuming interest in my life, even though I don’t always acknowledge it. I hope in the strength of your grace to sustain my efforts to respond to your love today. And I especially thank you for blessing me with a new day. Lord, you aretrustworthy in all your words, and loving in all your works (cf. Ps 145:13).

Encountering Christ:

Jesus Speaks with Authority: Luke begins Jesus’ public ministry highlighting his competency as the Redeemer. Jesus wants to make his Lordship known so we understand who he really is and what he is capable of doing. He challenges any of our doubts with his firm, clear, and direct command to heal our broken humanity. With a spoken word and simple gesture, he reveals the intent of his heart to cure us of the hold of the devil and the effects of sin. When was the last time someone spoke in a way that made a deep impression upon me? Who in my life has spoken or acted with authority to bring me to live in the truth and give deeper meaning to my life? Thank the Lord for a good confession, a stern rebuke from a loved one, or sound advice from a friend or spiritual director as ways his authority continues to make me see and embrace my need for his healing power.
Jesus Commands with Power: The demons recognized Jesus’ powerful presence and identity as the “Holy One of God” and “Son of God.” They fled and lost their grip when they encountered the Lord’s authority. Faced with evil or temptation, we need not fear. We can exhibit courage simply through an act of faith, such as making the sign of the cross and invoking the Lord’s name, with the same effectiveness to release the power of the Lord. His power is still accessible to us. There is simply no limit to God’s authority, goodness, and mercy. No matter how many times we may turn our backs on God, reject his approaches, or abuse his gifts, he will never give up on us if we keep trusting in the power of his grace.
The Amazement of the People: It is easy to take so much for granted and overlook the magnificence of God’s action taking place around us. What does it take to capture my attention, to be in awe, and to recognize the power and majesty of God? Am I amazed at who Jesus is and what he can do in my life? Even more amazing is how he continues to advance the kingdom through the sanctification of my daily life. He continues going about doing good and touching the lives of others through me! Jesus opens a new path before us each day! By faith in Jesus, we can once again place ourselves before God. We can pray to him and be certain that his grace is having an effect on our life and impacting the world around us.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, I know I can be complacent and take for granted the goodness of the Father’s providence in my life. Yet, you never stop challenging me to be vigilant in turning away from evil and leading me toward what is “true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and gracious” (cf. Phil 4:8). Let me be amazed by your words and open to the truth revealed to me in Scripture. Wake me up from my dullness of heart. Help me, Lord, to experience true freedom in your vision of how I should live.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will pay special attention to where I am attached to a bad habit or where I give into temptations of pride, vanity, or lust. When I recognize those things, I will pause and call to mind your powerful words, invoking your name “the Holy One of God” to have authority over my life. I will then ask your forgiveness and that, in your mercy, you show me how to be more like you.

For Further Reflection: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1293-1299, on the sacrament of confirmation

All-powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit you freed your sons and daughters from sin and gave them new life. Send your Holy Spirit upon them to be their helper and guide. Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge, and reverence. Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Lucy Honner is a Consecrated Woman of Regnum Christi and the Assistant Director of Campus Ministry at University Catholic, a community of students in the Nashville area who are serious about their faith. Since 1998, she has exercised her apostolate as a speaker, spiritual director, integrated health coach, and retreat director throughout North America.

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Shifting into Higher Gear

September 1, 2026 / Regnum Christi News, Weekly Message, Weekly Message Blog

Dear Friends,

With the coming of September, we in the Northern Hemisphere start to put summer behind us and focus more on the new school year and the work world.

As the schedule revs up, it is a good moment to see where the Holy Spirit is inviting us to go deeper in our relationship with our Lord.

We might have felt the nudge to attend daily Mass more often, or to read the Catechism cover to cover.

Or perhaps we feel compelled to do more for the parish or the community. This could involve reaching out to the poor, launching a Bible study group, or helping with a renovation project. There is always something to be done.

This week, the Church observes the memorial feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta. Mother Teresa had a famous response to those who hesitated about trying to help others: “Do it anyway.”

Since charity begins at home, our efforts in the spiritual life should include our immediate and extended families. This can include a range of practices.

Pray for and with family members. Pray together before every meal. And offer up sacrifices for the conversion of those who stopped attending Mass or going to confession.

Make religious themes a common topic of conversation at the dinner table or in the car. Be careful about the kinds of TV shows and movies you allow in your home.

And think of inviting family members to join you in volunteer work. Their participation could help them to rediscover their faith and realize how much they can contribute.

For inspiration, try praying with our Retreat Guide on Mary Magdalene, the apostle who told the apostles that the risen Jesus still wanted their collaboration.

Even if we come away with only partial ideas about how to live the faith more fully, do it anyway. The Holy Spirit will work with that.

In Christ,
Father Edward McIlmail, LC

Ask a Priest contributor
contact@rcspirituality.org

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St Aidan of Lindisfarne

August 31, 2026 / Uncle Eddy

Dear Adelaide, How’s the weather over there? I would tell you how it looks here, if I could see it. They haven’t let me out of this windowless office space for I don’t know how long. Ugh. I offer it up for your and all your cousins – maybe my little bit of suffering can make up for what my eloquence lacks. You mentioned that the Catholic group you started last year has dwindled somewhat. Instead of decrying the spiritual laxity of your fellow students, I think you should rather look to yourself for the cause of stultification. Everyone needs Christ, and he satisfies every human heart. Therefore, if your activities are not attracting people, it may be because you are simply not presenting Christ and his marvelous doctrine in an effective way. The case reminds me of today’s saint. Aidan was one of the great Irish monks who founded monasteries in Scotland (and everywhere else, eventually) after the epoch of St Patrick. At the time, a Christian (St Oswald) came to the throne of Northumbria (northern England), and asked the Irish monks to send someone to help his pagan people embrace the true faith. They sent a rather gruff fellow, thinking he would be tough enough to meet the challenge, but he failed miserably. When he got back to the monastery, he attributed his lack of success to the unruliness of the English people. Aidan piped up by saying that it was the monk’s fault, not the people’s; they needed the milk of mild doctrine, and he had tried to shove solid food down their throats. Everyone was impressed with Aidan’s prudence, so they nominated him to take up the mission. King Oswald gave him the bishopric of Lindisfarne, which became the center of Aidan’s activity and a longstanding source of holiness for all of northern England. Aidan traveled throughout the kingdom, always on foot, serving the poor, building churches, and speaking plainly and convincingly to the people about the wonders of Christ’s Kingdom. His preaching benefited from his many miracles, and soon the obstinate natives were won over to the sweet yoke of Jesus. You must meet your classmates where they’re at, my dear niece, if you want to help them move closer to the Lord. Of course, doing that requires humility, of which you need a refill, if I may be blunt. Sincerely, Uncle Eddy

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August 31, 2026 – Thank God He’s in Control

August 31, 2026 / Daily Meditations

<a href="https://rss.com/podcasts/rcdailymeditations/3104486/">August 31, 2026 – Thank God He’s in Control | RSS.com</a>

Monday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

Luke 4:16-30

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury.They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

Opening Prayer: Lord, open my heart to receive your revelation in my prayer today.

Encountering Christ:

Revelation: Early in Jesus’ ministry, he revealed himself to the listeners gathered at the synagogue by claiming that he fulfilled the Scripture he had just read. To the people gathered there, the moment might have been indistinguishable from any other public reading of Scripture—until this reader proclaimed he was God. At first, they seemed amazed by him, perhaps captivated by his charisma and the authority with which he read. But very soon, their mood shifted, and they rebelled against Jesus. They rejected Jesus, assuming that being “Joseph’s son” and “Son of God” were incompatible. Sometimes what Jesus reveals to us can seem as confusing, unlikely, or paradoxical. It takes faith to accept what he wants to teach us. Let’s put aside any preconceived notions of how God wants to work in our lives and truly listen to the Son of God as he is revealed in the Scriptures.
Prophecy at Home?: It’s often those closest to us who reject us when we try to share our faith with them. We have to ask ourselves, “Have I witnessed to them in imitation of Jesus,” having prayed first, with purity of intention, full of love for the other, docile to the Holy Spirit’s inspirations, using “gracious words”? If we’ve done what we know God was asking, and we feel persecuted (or just unappreciated), we can unite our sorrow with Jesus and console ourselves as Jesus reminds us that “no prophet is accepted in his own native place.”
He Disappeared: Even though Jesus walked among us as a man, his divinity was ever-present. He never lost control of the situation, enduring with full assent even those painful moments of his sorrowful passion, for our sake. As the crowds from the synagogue surrounded him, intending to throw Jesus off the cliff, he merely passed through them. His command of the surroundings should console every modern-day control-freak believer. He is completely capable of handling our problems according to his most holy and perfect will.

Conversing with Christ: Lord, when I don’t understand why I sometimes find myself in difficult circumstances, you have shown me that, despite how it may look, you are in control. “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28).

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will look at the stressful moments ahead in this coming week and turn them over to you.

For Further Reflection: Scripture verses about trusting God

“When I am afraid, in you I place my trust” (Ps 56:4).
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” (Jn 14:27).
“For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim 1:7).
“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6-7).
“Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious: I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand” (Isa 41:10).

Maribeth Harper celebrated paying the last tuition bill for her kids’ college by writing a book for parents who have college-aged young adults: A Spiritual Toolbox: Tips for Parenting through the First Year of College. She is a wife of over thirty-five years, mother of four, and grandmother of twelve and counting.

August 31, 2026 – Thank God He’s in Control Read More »

St Felix and Adauctus

August 30, 2026 / Uncle Eddy

Dear Felicity, I knew that college would challenge your faith more than high school, but I didn’t think it would happen so fast. Even so, you shouldn’t be alarmed. Why do you think God instituted the sacrament of confirmation? Because we need an extra boost of grace to be faithful followers of and witnesses to Christ in this unchristian world. The joys of the Christian disciple are deep and real (actually, they are incomparable), but they do not displace difficulty and suffering. Therefore, be brave, be strong, be like your Lord, and he will take good care of you. The story of today’s martyrs may boost your morale. The story is simple. Felix was a dedicated, happy Roman priest apprehended for his faith when the Emperor Diocletian commenced his famous persecution. They tortured him, hoping to convince him to sacrifice to the pagan gods, but he stayed firm. As they marched him off to execution, a stranger (also a Christian) watched him pass by. He was so inspired by Felix’s calm and joyful countenance in the face of death that he made a public profession of faith right there in the street, crying out: “I confess the same law which this man professes; I confess the same Jesus Christ; and I also will lay down my life in His cause.” The judges took him at his word, and the two knelt side by side on the chopping block that very day. So, my happily named niece, by bearing up under modern pagan onslaughts, you are worthily upholding your ancient brothers’ torch. May the inscription on these two saints’ tomb be an encouragement for you. It was written by Pope St Damasus: “O how truly and rightly named Felix, happy, you who, with faith untouched and despising the prince of this world, have confessed Christ and sought the heavenly kingdom. Know ye also, brethren, the truly precious faith by which Adauctus too hastened, a victor, to heaven.” See you soon, God-willing, Uncle Eddy

St Felix and Adauctus Read More »

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