McGrath Institute Blog

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. (Mark 3:13–15)

Jesus knew the importance of teamwork. In building a team of twelve Apostles, he made working together to build the Kingdom of God an essential element of the Christian faith, and a delicate but fundamental task of Christian leaders. So too must we foster a sense of belonging, community, and purpose. 

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.

Looking for new ideas or resources to engage your faith or your ministry? Here are our weekly curated links, including offerings in each of the following categories: Prayer for the Home, Educational Opportunities, Resources (for ministers, educators, parents, etc.), and Flourishing and Fun.

The nature of leadership, authority, governance, and responsibility in the Catholic Church has been debated since the Apostles began sending out delegates and anointing presbyters and deacons to help serve the growing Christian community. The Church has historically relied on clergy and religious to further its mission, as well as dedicated laypeople; however, with the emergence of “Nones“ (religiously unaffiliated young people) and the decline (and challenges) in religious vocations, a gap has developed between the expectations of the faithful and the ability of the Church to fill many of its non-ordained leadership roles.

Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, a man better known simply as Padre Pio (1887–1968). Even before his death, Padre Pio was a source of fascination for many people, and stories of his remarkable holiness and supernatural gifts abound, some of which are truly astonishing, some of which border on outlandish, but all of which inspire us to take a closer look at this humble Capuchin friar, who was so intimately united with Christ in his heart, so closely conformed to Christ in his soul, that even his own body was also conformed to Christ, marked with the wounds of Christ’s Crucifixion.