Did you start off 2014 by making some new year’s resolutions? If so, that’s great, and by all means keep it up. But if not, don’t let that become a reason to beat yourself up. Instead, think about how you’ve actually made positive changes in your life. All of us have improved in some area at some time in our lives. Usually we do that when we have enough motivation. As a rule, we don’t change because we made resolutions but because we have to respond to the demands o...

As I’m writing this letter to you, a procession of cars carrying mourners is leaving the funeral home across the street from the coffee shop where I sit. A job interview is being conducted at the table next to mine. The candidate for the job is anxiously enumerating her past accomplishments, repeating too many times that she can "make it happen" and won’t be "a flash in the pan." I watch the people walking quickly down the sidewalk, bundled against the cold, carrying their secre...

An “inventory” of sorts has recently been re-shared over 6,700 times on Facebook: “Fill an empty jar with notes about good things that happen. Then on New Year’s Eve…see what awesome stuff happened this year.” One of our sisters said that her cousin and husband did that in 2013 and accumulated a box worth. As we begin 2014, we here at Pauline Books & Media want to tell you that you’re in our box! Any particular reason? Well, for starters, in th...

Wishing you a joy-filled and holy Christmas and New Year 2014!As we contemplate the Christ who desires to be reborn in us we are filled with awe. He strips himself of his divinity so that he can share totally in our humanity. He comes as an infant so that he can be held by us; he comes in utter poverty so that we can approach him and learn what true wealth is. Even in the manger he is Way, Truth and Life!God reaches down to us and lifts us up in his Son. May we imitate him by reaching out to tho...

The Daughters of St. Paul wish you blessings with this Christmas Prayer     

As Daughters of St. Paul, we celebrate New Year’s Eve and Day differently from most people! On New Year’s Eve, we begin retreat with an hour of adoration, and each sister is free to continue her adoration till midnight. The following morning, we continue retreat and conclude it at noon on New Year’s Day. (It’s an awesome way to start the New Year: if you don’t believe me, you should try it!) We sisters “pray out” the old year in a spirit of thanksg...

One month after the largest typhoon on record hit the Philippines, most of the world has moved on to other emergencies, public and private. For that country, though, “normal” has forever been relativized. About 80% of the city of Tacloban, capital of the province of Leyte, was destroyed by wind and six-foot tall waves. As of last week (Nov. 30), 5,632 people have died, 1,759 remain missing, over 26,000 sustain injuries, and 4 million nationwide are displaced. If nothing else, th...