McGrath Institute Blog

I started daily 16-hour fasts in July of 2019 after researching the benefits of intermittent fasting. When I was presented with a concrete plan for turning fasting into a more intentional spiritual practice, I discovered something much more rewarding than physical discipline.

Built in 1831 as the headquarters for French missionaries working in northern Indiana, the Log Chapel was the first building on what is now Notre Dame’s campus. Fr. Sorin received the Log Chapel, along with the rest of the campus property, when he arrived in 1842. This one-room cabin with an attic served all of Notre Dame’s needs during its first year.

The campus at the University of Notre Dame is often regarded as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the U.S., and for good reason. The grounds crew maintains painstaking attention to detail during every season, ensuring the lawns are neatly manicured, flowers are perpetually in bloom during the warmer months, and Notre Dame is presenting its best self to any visitors. 

I started daily 16-hour fasts in July of 2019 after researching the benefits of intermittent fasting. When I was presented with a concrete plan for turning fasting into a more intentional spiritual practice, I discovered something much more rewarding than physical discipline.

Social media (and its potential vices) has been widely discussed since its inception. The conversation has become particularly fractured in the Catholic community—whether or not Catholics ought to take an active role in shaping our online culture is taken up in countless articles, op-eds, and debates. With Lent just around the corner, many people are considering fasting from social media, but it’s worth considering the potential gifts it has to offer the Church as well.