Ciszek SJ

An elderly man sits outdoors with two young children on his lap, smiling at the camera. They are near a red picnic table in a wooded area with trees and greenery in the background. The man wears a light blue shirt, while the children are dressed casually for warm weather.

God’s Pursuit of Fr. Walter Ciszek, S.J….and Each of Us

I suspect every person—at one point in his life or another—has a moment when he reflects on where he’s been, where he is, and muses at where he might be going. Similarly, I suspect that each person also has a moment where he reflects (or even agonizes) on what might have been if another path…

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A black passport for the United States of America, a pen in a black notebook, a rosary, and a photo of Reverend Walter J. Ciszek S.J., all on a dark surface. The passport and the photo are in black and white, while the rosary is silver-colored.

On Pilgrimages

One hundred twelve years ago this month, Hilaire Belloc left his wife and several children (5, I believe) back in England while he made a pilgrimage across the continent to Rome for the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul. He began in his old garrison town where he served a stint in a French artillery…

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Three books on a shelf: "The Gulag Archipelago" by Solzhenitsyn, "A Soul in Exile" by Solzhenitsyn, and "He Leadeth Me" by Walter Ciszek. Books are upright with visible titles and authors' names, set against a green wall."

Reasons to Pay Attention to Solzhenitsyn, Mindszenty, and Ciszek

The excellent Catholic blog Rorate Caeli has a piece on the 4th anniversary of the death of Alexandr Solzhenitsyn. The author of the piece takes the opportunity to praise Solzhenitsyn and others within the Soviet Union for their heroism in standing up to the godless Communist regime. Similarly, he takes to task the Fathers of the Second…

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A smiling elderly man in a black hat and green coat, giving a thumbs-up while sitting on public transportation.

Fr. Walter J. Ciszek, S.J. Day

Today is Fr. Walter J. Ciszek, S.J. Day in Shenandoah, PA. St. Casimir’s, the boyhood parish of Fr. Ciszek hosts this annual day to pray for his Cause of Canonization. In typical good Polish style, there is Mass, a hearty meal, and a social afterwards. Why should we pray for Fr. Ciszek’s canonization? G.K. Chesterton once commented: The saint…

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