Blessings that are Difficult to Receive

When our prayer takes us to the Mount of Olives, we discover the mystery of the Cross in all kinds of trials.   Before that impending evil life throws at us, we often find our desires on a collision course with God’s desires.  Some of these trials come from “without” in the form of difficult circumstances.  This could be in the form of a grave injustice or natural catastrophe.  The Lord does not always... Read More

The Wounds of a Savior

I was resting my head on the stiff airplane seat, exhausted from having woken up so early to get on my flight. As my New Year’s resolution, I had decided to initiate a strictly spiritual commitment, having felt the urge to jump-start my prayer life. I promised myself to recite the rosary once a day, in honor of my consecration to Mary, as well as to meditate on the mysteries of the rosary. I had been faithfully fulfilling... Read More

I struggle with the Rosary, can you help me?

Fr. John Bartunek and Dan Burke talk about why some struggle with the Rosary and how to overcome these struggles.   About Dan BurkeDan is the founder of Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction and author of the award winning book, Navigating the Interior Life - Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God. Beyond his “contagious” love for Jesus and His Church, he is a grateful husband and father of four, the Executive... Read More

Should I set aside my meditation and vocal prayer to go deeper in my spiritual life? (modified)

Q: Dear Dan, I have a rule of life (firm spiritual commitments) and as part of that rule I have been meditating (Ignatian) and praying the rosary and the Liturgy of the Hours daily for years now. My struggle is that I have heard that if I sense the Lord’s presence (which does happen), that I should set these prayers aside and focus on the Lord. I am confused, I thought that focusing on God is what I am already doing. To... Read More

I am struggling with my Rosary prayer. Where should my attention be during the Rosary?

Q: Dear Dan, I used to pray the Rosary daily, but lately I have become frustrated with it and am confused about where my attention should be focused while praying it. One Hail Mary, I find myself meditating on how painful it must have been for Jesus to be scourged at the pillar, and what great love it took for him to tolerate that for our sake. However, during that prayer, I was not paying attention to the actual words of... Read More

Is it possible to pray at the speed of light?

Q: Dear Dan, I recently determined that I would begin praying the rosary regularly and as part of that commitment, I attend a weekly rosary prayer group at my parish. I was initially excited to attend but have found that the speed of their prayer is a bit blinding. They prayed an entire mystery along with other prayers in about ten minutes! I don’t quite know how to keep up. Can people really pray at high speed like... Read More

Of Rosaries and Wars

On October 7th 1571 the Catholic Holy League of Europe met the invading naval power of the Ottoman Empire, and over 400 ships and 100,000 men fought on seas of western Greece. In what some historians describe as the most significant naval battle since the birth of Christ, a politically fractured Europe – led by the illegitimate son of Emperor Charles V, Don John of Austria – stood as the last line of hope against a full-scale... Read More