How we influence our families for good or ill
Influence goes both ways, so we need to ask ourselves some honest questions, both about how we are influenced and the influence we exert.
Fr. Michael Rennier
Fr. Michael Rennier graduated from Yale Divinity School and lives in St. Louis, Missouri with his wife and 5 children. He is an ordained Catholic priest through the Pastoral Provision for former Episcopal clergymen that was created by Pope St. John Paul II. He’s also a contributing editor at Dappled Things, a journal dedicated to the written and visual arts.
Latest articles by Fr. Michael Rennier
The value of letting go of the little things
Should I demand everything and everyone around me to be perfect and exactly how I want, or am I much better off living with gratitude for all the people God has put in my life?
Making a house into a home takes intention
A new book offers some helpful principles for creating the home that all of us desire, without suggesting that the same solutions work for every family. Here are some of the author's ideas.
You don’t have to be an extrovert to be likable
While for many of us, it takes a lot of energy to meet new people, the effort is worth it. Here are three tips to make it a bit less daunting.
Becoming a person who does new things
Besides gaining broader knowledge and new skills, we might even manage to slow down time.
How to make a decision
Decisions are increasingly being made on our behalf. There’s comfort in this. And yet, it doesn’t feel quite right, does it?
What does it mean to be a leader?
An early Church theologian gives some helpful thoughts on what leadership really is about.
How to relate to non-Catholic family
Whether you're a convert or a cradle Catholic with a lot of fallen-away relatives, there's no doubt that relating to non-Catholic family can be tricky.
How to overcome self-consciousness
The paradox is that the less we think of ourselves the more we become ourselves. Here are three concrete ways to help yourself move forward.
How to overcome despair: 3 tips from spiritual guide of Sacred Heart seer
The first piece of advice from Blessed Claude de la Colombiere, which I have not heard anywhere else, is remarkable
St. Barnabas and 3 steps toward the gift of encouragement
When I thought about the type of people I like to hang out with, the sort of people who leave me feeling energized, they all shared one personality trait – they were encouragers.
Are little white lies okay?
The more I live a life that I don’t have to lie about, the less I lie ... Aren't there basically three reasons we tend to lie?
Advice from St. Philip Neri on how to forgive
Forgiveness isn’t easy. It takes practice and intentional effort. Many of us have fallen into the habit of quickly and easily taking offense and it isn’t a quick process to change.
Francis of Assisi on how to build a life
A church cannot be rebuilt through thievery. But St. Francis wasn’t thinking about that; his head was full of dreams. The way to build a church is to build it.
Grasping at feet: Why art (and Scripture) is full of this odd symbol
They are an odd and striking symbolic image, so the fact they are used so frequently grabs our attention.
Hey kids (and everyone): Don’t be afraid to be embarrassed
I've started telling my kids that one of my goals in life is to "cringe-max."
The value of a worthy nemesis
When somebody told me, “Nobody wants you here as our pastor. You’re going to destroy our parish,” this is what I learned.
Do you hate art museums? Why (and how) to take a 2nd look
There are a lot of people who secretly dislike going to an art museum. I might be one of them. I’ll never admit.
Tourist or pilgrim: What’s really the difference?
A pilgrimage is like a homecoming, even if you are half way around the world.
The tiredness of the pilgrimage … is kind of the point
God was giving us an opportunity. We were being given the chance, in a small way, to suffer on our way to Rome.
