The Holy Ruckus (2024)

02/10/2023

October is Respect Life Month in the Catholic Church. For blogger Diana Murphy, a recent local tragedy that made national headlines serves as a reminder of how much each and every life deserves to be valued.

Every single life should be respected and valued.

18/09/2023

Whether it's water from Lourdes or dirt from El Santuario de Chimayo, pilgrims have long traveled to holy sites hoping to find elements to aid miracles. Blogger Tiffany Busko shares experiences from her own recent pilgrimage and the lessons she's learned along the way.

"God doesn’t ask you to prove your faith by visiting these sites. You exercise your faith by visiting these sites, just as you exercise your rights to live as a product of His Creation. Whether you have faith as small as a mustard seed or as large as a bush that grows like the vine that bears great fruit, God knows your faith depends on the relationship that you choose to have with Him."

God doesn’t ask you to prove your faith by visiting these sites. You exercise your faith by visiting these sites, just as you exercise your rights to live as a product of His Creation. Whether you have faith as small as a mustard seed or as large as a bush that grows like the vine that bears great...

12/09/2023

Parenting can be messy. In his latest blog post, father and youth minister Chris Donatto shares some insights a recent parenting battle offered when looked at through a faith-based perspective.

I hope that in my fatherhood I can mimic God the Father to the best of my ability. As a father to my girls, I want them to always be able to turn to me for whatever they need.

04/09/2023

Last month, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia was fined 3.5 million in restitution for a s*x abuse case, and the archdiocese failed to put out a thorough public statement or press release regarding the issue. Blogger Jenna McAndrew explains why the Church's silence in these situations is so harmful, and why Catholics deserve transparency and honesty moving forward.

Transparency is not just a courtesy. It is a moral obligation. Our Church leaders have a duty to tell people what is going on with their money, and Catholics have the right to know where their collection money is going.

28/08/2023

Back-to-school time can be really stressful for students, parents, school employees and the population in general. In her latest blog post, Samantha Cordella offers some tips and reminders to help us get through this season with grace.

With gratitude, commitment to the present moment, and the help of Saints in Heaven, I think those hard and full days might be a little easier to tackle.

07/08/2023

It can be scary to speak up in a cancel culture where people are quick to label someone as a bigot, homophobic, or worse. However, Catholics are called to be countercultural. In her latest blog post, Brynna Schroeder talks about why it's important to approach others from a place of love, and how and when to do so.

If we really love someone, we’ll let them know we want what’s best for them, even if they don't want to hear it.

24/07/2023

While attending daily Mass may not be possible for everyone's schedule or situation, the season of summer might offer more opportunities to find and attend a Mass that works for you. Blogger and mom of 14 Sam Fatzinger explains why the effort is so very worth it.

Frequenting any sacrament provides an amazing amount of grace to be the person God calls you to be.

17/07/2023

Showing up in your best with a like-minded, yet diverse, community for a shared ritualistic experience where you recite words (or lyrics) together... have you ever attended a concert that felt almost like a religious experience? Blogger Julia Strukely explains why this might be and what we can learn from her fellow Swifties.

This building of bridges between people of different viewpoints and backgrounds through a common experience and through word and ritual is another thing her tour has in common with the Church and one that perhaps we can take note of. We are more similar than we are different.

10/07/2023

After an unexpected terrifying moment in her own life, blogger Diana Murphy reflects on how to prepare ourselves to pray at times when prayer seems too hard.

Even if you feel at a loss for words, just acknowledging and opening your heart up to God is the most important part of prayer. He will hear you – even without pretty words.

26/06/2023

Momento Mori - Latin for "Remember, you must die" - is a popular saying in the Catholic community. In her latest blog post, Tiffany Busko shares how a major life transition caused her to reflect upon Memento Mori and many scriptural reminders of how to live as a disciple in today's world.

Don’t let the “Memento Mori” sentiment scare you. It simply reminds you that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. We understand that we are not of this world, and we understand the blessing of being made of another world.

19/06/2023

With all of the children's Bibles out there, how are we supposed to know which ones are the best for young Catholics? In her latest blog post, mom and Catholic theologian Siobhan Benitez conducts a children's Bible round-up to separate the wheat from the chaff.

There are so many Children’s Bibles out there. Some of them are great. Some of them look great at first (wonderful pictures!) but turn out to be terrible (anything from poor grammar to poor theology). I wanted to use both my parenting and theological skills to separate the wheat from the chaff.

05/06/2023

Marketed as a fun romantic comedy, the film 𝑈𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 surprises with some deeply pro-life themes that explore the sacredness, difficulties, and beauty of life itself – and how we are all connected. Bonus: that kid from Jurassic Park is in it!

𝑈𝑛𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 reveals many hard truths about the sacredness, difficulties, and beauty of life itself – and how we are all connected.

29/05/2023

In a culture that sets almost impossible standards of achievement, the sentiment of "always a bridesmaid" can apply to several areas of our lives. Julia Strukely considers this conundrum from a Christian perspective in her latest blog post for The Holy Ruckus.

The phrase of “always a bridesmaid” has multiple layers of uncomfortable meaning for me. It does not just apply to my vocation in life, but in all of the other areas of my life where maybe I have come close, but not totally achieved the highest mark.

22/05/2023

Have you ever been known for or defined by a physical attribute? Blogger Chris Donatto reflects on what being "that Catholic guy with dreadlocks" has taught him about youth ministry and Catholic life in general.

There is no cookie cutter way to be or look like a Catholic. We are a worldwide religion in different countries and cultures, and many different rites.

15/05/2023

Have you ever experienced a spiritual dry spell? As a young mom who recently moved overseas, blogger Kathryn Jensen can relate.

God knows our desire far better than we do. He knows our struggle and suffers alongside us.

08/05/2023

Suffering in life is inevitable - whether it's due to illness, hardship, brokenness, or trying to keep little children quiet during Mass. In her latest blog post, Katie Singleton reminds us of the many benefits of uniting our suffering with Jesus.

With or without Jesus, life can be difficult and requires a great deal of suffering, but when we suffer it with Jesus, it has meaning.

01/05/2023

It's no secret that technology can be useful while simultaneously being a source of depression and anxiety. In her latest blog post, Sam Fatzinger offers reminders and advice on finding happiness in a tech-obsessed world.

Teens need the like button, moms need the latest hack, guys need the best workout, and dads need to check their stock. So, we Google search away.

24/04/2023

Are you ready to keep climbing despite the obstacles? In her latest blog post, Brynna Schroeder shares what hiking real mountains can teach us about climbing life's metaphorical ones.

We are not just called to face the metaphorical mountains in our lives. We must embrace the trials in order to see the beauty that’s on the other side.

17/04/2023

We can't all be like Padre Pio or Mother Teresa. In his latest blog post, Chris Donatto reminds us that for most people, holiness happens little by little.

There is a spectrum of holy people that lived ordinary lives and extraordinary ones, and most of those lives of heroic virtue did not happen overnight. They happened “little by little.”

07/04/2023

Don't let this Good Friday pass you by. The Holy Ruckus challenges you to "enter in" to this holy day - and blogger Chris Donatto offers advice on how to do so.

On Good Friday, beginning on Holy Thursday evening, the light fades and you are in darkness and peril. Will you even make it to the end? The light is not visible at this moment. But you have to persevere through it. Holy Saturday is a day of quiet darkness and uncertainty, crescendo-ing with the Eas...

04/04/2023

How are you asleep in your spiritual life like the apostles who couldn't stay awake in the Garden of Gethsemane? In his latest blog post, Nathan Crankfield challenges us to examine which of our actions separate us from the cross and contribute to the call to "crucify Him!"

The truth of the matter is that we all say those words every single day of our lives. We yell “crucify Him” when we neglect our prayer life, when we intentionally miss mass, when we push the boundaries of chastity with ourselves or with someone else, when we lie, when we take the Lord’s name i...

20/03/2023

How do you even begin to parent in a world where things like gun violence, wars, earthquakes, bullies and cancer exist? Blogger Diana Murphy draws inspiration from the Holy Family on this Feast of St. Joseph after her own son's nightmares taught her a powerful lesson.

Parenting is a hard balance of protecting and letting go, of letting kids sleep in your bed and being honest about real nightmares when they come.

13/03/2023

It seems like a mad time of year in both the basketball world and the Catholic world! In her latest blog post, Brynna Schroeder outlines a playbook-of-sorts on how to approach the rest of the Lenten season - especially when it feels like we're far from the finish line.

With Lent upon us, many of us are fasting or making sacrifices, trying to imitate the life of Christ and bring ourselves closer to Him in the process. However, as many of us come to find, this can often feel maddening. Both March Madness and our Lenten challenges make it clear that this time of the....

06/03/2023

How do you respond when a much-anticipated experience goes nothing like you've hoped or envisioned? Jenna McAndrew shares her story of an unexpected diagnosis during pregnancy and contemplates what it means to "keep showing up" in the midst of suffering.

So many of us that are suffering in any way have asked God to take away our suffering in prayer. He is all-good, all-powerful, all-loving, and we know that he is the Almighty Healer. So why doesn’t He just heal us then? Paul believes it is because His power is made perfect in weakness.

22/02/2023

It's Ash Wednesday and Lent is here! How will you observe this season to strengthen your relationship with Jesus and prepare your hearts for Easter morning? Blogger Sam Fatzinger reflects on the meaning of Lent and offers out-of-the-box ideas for Lenten sacrifices.

Lent is a God-given opportunity to reset goals, priorities, and ideals. Where is God asking you to pick up your Lenten cross and follow Him?

13/02/2023

On this eve of St. Valentine's Day, the physical aspect of relationships might be on our minds even more than usual. Blogger and Catholic moral theologian Siobhan Benitez gets real about s*xual ethics from a Catholic perspective and offers parents advice on how to have "The Talk" with their kids.

*xualethics *x

Here’s the Catholic part of the Catholic S*x Talk. Hold on to your hats, ladies and gentlemen, because we’re gonna talk pleasure, marriage, and philosophy all at once.

06/02/2023

Why is a Catholic education so worth it? In her latest blog post, educator Tiffany Busko reflects on her Catholic Schools Week experience and the inspiration she draws from the patron saint of Catholic schools, Elizabeth Ann Seton.

"My school seeks to create well-rounded people through education, Catholic values, and a sense of community. Our teachers are role models for all of our students, influencing how they present themselves as they live the faith. As role models, we instill faith and confidence in our students. However, this only represents half the equation. Invisible to us, God works through love to give peace to faculty and students alike. He provides us with the grace we need to shape these young people – and for these young people to grow into His image."

Invisible to us, God works through love to give peace to faculty and students alike. He provides us with the grace we need to shape these young people – and for these young people to grow into His image.

30/01/2023

It's true: you can work, parent, and maintain a prayer life too! In her latest blog post, former stay-at-home mom Diana Murphy shares how a structured work schedule has strengthened her faith. She also offers five simple ways to help juggle vocation and occupation.

First, let me preface this by saying that ALL moms are working moms – regardless of whether you get a paycheck for your work or not.

23/01/2023

Grief is one of the most powerful emotions that we can encounter as humans. In her latest blog post, Kathryn Jensen shares some personal experiences of grief and suggests ways to find grace in even the darkest of circumstances.

In grief, we realize we are powerless. And in that humility, if we turn to God, we allow Him to pour into our emptiness and overflow of grace and mercy.

16/01/2023

In his latest blog post for The Holy Ruckus, Dr. Ansel Augustine shares how his work in ministry has been affected in an area known for its crime and violence. He also puts out a call to action for fellow people of faith while revealing how organizations such as the New Orleans Peacekeepers provide hope and resources for local communities.

I believe that it is our duty as people of faith to take an active role in creating a just society and addressing the problems of our brothers and sisters.

The Holy Ruckus