Author name: Molly Hostetler

What a blessing, what a privilege, to think of the Eucharist as it is celebrated around the world, and to experience participation in the sacrament. One Mass for the vast diversity of humanity. There is this unity of the body of Christ, no matter where in the world we find ourselves, that we can enter into the mystery of the Mass and be one with all Christians of all times and places, and really participate in the communion of the saints.

One of the reasons it took me so long to discern my vocation was that I was constantly looking for absolute certainty about whether or not I was called. I was told to consider whether I was “called” but I wasn’t sure what that “calling” looked or felt like. I was told to seek out the deepest desires of my heart—that my true vocation would satisfy me in a way that the other options would not. But I wasn’t sure how to identify the deepest desires of my heart.  

The best way to discern whether you are called to religious life is to prepare for religious life. In the same way that an athlete prepares for a competition, or a student for university study, you can begin readying yourself now for religious life.

There’s no theologian more famous or more influential in the West than Augustine of Hippo. The story of his conversion, the Confessions, is one of the most famous Christian books outside the Bible itself, and simply taken as literature, it’s a masterpiece. Many critics would say it’s the first real autobiography: Augustine writes not just the events of his life but even more about the inner workings of his own soul. No one ever subjected himself to a more merciless self-examination. 

The new day dawns first on Kiribati. It has to start somewhere, and the International Date Line makes a sudden dodge to the east to avoid slicing this sprawling chain of coral atolls in two with the blade of the calendar. It’s a country with a Catholic majority, and as the first rays of sunlight gild the tops of the coconut palms, morning Mass is already under way.  

I loved studying the teachings of the greatest doctors of the church in the area of spirituality. It took me a long time from starting with John of the Cross and working through all six of the doctors I present in The Fulfillment of All Desire but I can’t tell you how helpful their wisdom has been for my own life and what a valuable resource this book has been for tens of thousands of its readers (and listeners!). I think God gave me the grace to be able to present their teachings in a clear, understandable, orderly way providing an amazing road map for all of us as we continue on the spiritual journey. Let me, in this short blog, share just one of the many amazing and helpful insights that have meant a lot to many people, including myself. Francis de Sales provides important insight into something he calls “affection for sin.” 

In Genesis we read the beautiful story of God’s creation of the universe. After physical creation is completed Adam and Eve are present in the garden. The very first of God’s laws is introduced: Do not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden. Into this situation enters the serpent, who was “more subtle than any other wild creature that the LORD God had made” (Gen 3:1).

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Sixth Annual Gala Dinner. We were excited to host this year’s Gala in Atlanta at the Cobb Energy Centre. This year exceeded all our expectations. Not only was this our most well-attended Gala to date, but we also had the opportunity to honor two of our good friends, Tim Busch and Betsy Orr. 

Jesus was very clear about the reality of the Devil. He exorcised demons in seven major Gospel accounts. He differentiated between healings of natural illness, healings of the effects of sin, and the casting out of demons. He empowered and explicitly charged His disciples to cast out demons as part of their mission before He ascended to heaven (see Mark 16:17).