God designed our humanity in such a way that even from the very first moment of our existence, we are dependent upon other people to survive.

As humans made in the image of a trinitarian God who is a communion of persons, we aren’t meant to go through life alone. We’re made for communion - with God and with others. Or to put it simply, we are made out of relationship and for relationship. 

However (as I’m sure you’ve noticed) we live in a fallen world. And that...

Excerpt from Being Human Podcast Episode #123: Fake Science and Real Compassion

Although I don’t watch TV often, I recently had some downtime (which also doesn't happen very often!) and decided I wanted to veg out a bit. While perusing through the streaming channels for documentaries, I thought it might be interesting to find a show that would teach me how “the other side” thinks. 

I landed on a talk show hosted by Jon Stewart (who I think it’s safe to say...

Let nothing disturb you. 
Let nothing frighten you. 
All things are passing away. 
God never changes. 
Patience obtains all things. 
Whoever has God lacks nothing. 
God alone suffices.

This short prayer/poem by St. Teresa of Avila hits the nail on the head as she reveals the reality of God's providence and pervasive presence in our lives. In it, she encourages us to recognize that no matter what, all truly will be well and that all we truly need is God - the only One...

Have you ever read a passage from the Gospel and asked yourself, "I wonder what Jesus was feeling in this passage? What emotions was he experiencing here?"

(I would be willing to bet it isn’t all that often.)

For some reason, it’s easy to forget that Jesus actually felt things as we tend to gloss over the real experience of Jesus. 

In his humanity, he knew what it was to feel sadness, joy, and amusement … the sting of rejection, anger, apprehension…

To...

Ideally, the Christmas holiday is a magical time of year...a time that means really good food, exchanging of gifts, holiday movies, and family togetherness. But in reality, the holidays oftentimes bring along some less-than-ideal feelings. A time of the year which should be reserved for celebrating the birth of our Savior is oftentimes ravaged with stress instead. 

This scenario has been depicted in many a Christmas movie - crowded stores, long lines, overcooked...

"Stay quiet with God. Do not spend your time in useless chatter."

These wise words are from a sermon given by St. Charles Borromeo back in the 1500's, but I thought them a timely reminder for our present day.

There's definitely a lot of "chatter" in our modern lives - in the news, in social media, in our own heads. We're living through turbulent times, and all the change and uncertainty can amplify the "noise" of anxious ruminations, contributing to feelings of overwhelm.  

...

Most people don't believe me when I say this, but it's true: I don't watch the news. So a couple weeks ago when my wife mentioned something about a "storming of the Capitol" I thought she was referring to a scene from one of the Hunger Games movies!

So much for the hope that 2021 would bring some peace and calm with it...

The world feels completely upside down these days - we've all been put through the ringer, and it's hard to know which way is "up." Our culture is in a lot of chaos and,...

A short reflection for Epiphany, 2021. 

The year 2020 reminded us that it’s really scary to not be in control; to live in time where things can change rapidly from moment to moment.

We learned that what we take for granted now might be gone tomorrow, and that we have no way to know what will happen in our future.

With everything going on in the world right now, it can feel dark and frightening. So many people I've spoken to find themselves entering this new year with more...

~From Guest Blogger Dr. Emily Dowdell, CPI Psychologist~

The #BlackLivesMatter socio-political movement is a call to action.  It is a cry to be seen, to be heard, and for an end to injustice. Movements like this rise from decades and generations of unacknowledged pain.  It represents a call to recognize how our society and culture continues to perpetuate and support the violation of human dignity.  It is a call to reform.

The desire to promote and educate others about their...

In the encyclical put forth by Pope Francis back in 2013 titled On Faith (Lumen Fidei), he talks about faith as being a guiding light for us.  I remember reading it with my psychology lenses on, and had a few thoughts to share, especially as we now find ourselves in such dark times.

The introduction to the encyclical reminds us that Christ says, “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” It is this distinction...