Take a pilgrimage with Steve and Janet Ray!
My New Article: “The Role of Catholic Grandparents”
Baptizing our first GREAT-grandchild this month reminded me again of the sacred duty and special privilege grandparents have. 
Vine, Branches & Fire: Where Will You End up?
One must care for their land. We own 1/2 an acre of land and a while ago I was cutting wild vines out of the trees and burning them. The overgrown branches from the bushes and trees were also trimmed and burned.
The flames brought to mind the words of Jesus in John 15:5–6,
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.”
This is a good visual for Jesus’ warning—a dire warning!
FOOTSTEPS OF ST. PAUL MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE
Join Janet and Steve Ray at sea this fall!
FOOTSTEPS OF ST. PAUL MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE
OCTOBER 21 – NOVEMBER 3, 2026
Don’t miss the original “seminar at sea” with Janet and Steve Ray! This incredible itinerary was developed by Steve to share the story of the Bible with you.
If the Church was born in Israel, it grew up in Turkey and Greece. Step back in time and walk in the footprints of St. Paul!
St. Paul and the New Testament will come alive on this journey. Steve
has chosen a specialized itinerary for his groups with terrific guides
and drivers. Steve will be giving talks along the way, and best of all,
Father James Conlon (our spiritual director) and Steve will conduct a
mini-seminar aboard the ship while at sea!
PILGRIMAGE HIGHLIGHTS
VISIT 10 BIBLICAL SITES
Walk the path of St. Paul in Athens, Crete, and Rhodes and see where he preached in Ephesus, Philippi, and Corinth. These sites and more bring the Bible to life during this incredible pilgrimage by land and sea!
CELEBRATE MASS AT THE HOUSE OF MARY
Visit this holy site where Mary spent her final days with St. John. After Mass, continue to St. Mary’s Church, home of the Third Ecumenical Council, for Steve’s talk on “Mary, Mother of God.”
PRESENTATIONS BY STEVE
Alongside Father James Conlon, Steve Ray will give a “Seminar at Sea.” Spend afternoons on the ship hearing about “The Life of St. Paul.” Talks will also be shared at each of the biblical sites along the way.
Older Posts
What was Mary’s Lineage – Was She from the Priestly Line?
For the most part, it is assumed that Mary comes from the kingly line of David through the tribe of Judah. But is there a
France 4: Le Mont St Michel
Three hour drive to the stunning Le Mont-Saint-Michel, in the water off the coast of the Atlantic. 350 step climb! Celebrated Mass there at St.
France 3: Normandy and D-Day
We drove two hours to get up near the area of Omaha Beach. In the small country town of Trévières we found a lovely old
The Catholic Church and Her 23 Liturgical Rites
I was recently asked if there was a difference between the “Catholic Church” and the “Roman Catholic Church”. Are they the same thing? What is
France 1-2: Fly to Paris, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Pont-Audemer
Day 1 marks the flights from the United States to Paris. Day 2 we call “Arrivals Day”. We all met at the Charles de Gaulle
Purgatory? Doesn’t that Deny the Work of Christ?
What’s the Deal with Purgatory? by Steve Ray Isn’t the finished work of Christ sufficient? Didn’t he pay for all my sins? Why the heck
My Grandfather Helped Build Mundelein Seminary
Truly a fun and rewarding experience digging back into the family history. Our family had a line of builders and carpenters back to the Revolutionary
What Do We Mean by “Unanimous Consent of the Fathers”
Unanimous Consent of the Fathers By Steve Ray The Unanimous Consent of the Fathers (unanimem consensum Patrum) refers to the morally unanimous teaching of the
A Friend Asked Where Dinosaurs Fit in the Creation Story
A friend wrote to me about a friend of his and asked me for advice. He wrote, “I saw a childhood friend over the weekend
Saving African Children from Trafficking
At the airport heading to France leading our “Saints & Shrines of France Pilgrimage “. Saw a couple with two young boys from Africa. Their
St. Luke’s Feast Day: Meet Luke, the Friend of Mary
Her face shone as she related the stories—the words were vibrant, and although she was older now, her memory was excellent. He sat enraptured as
My Free St. Paul Timeline and Info on our St. Paul Cruise
Since many people are unfamiliar with the life and timeline of St. Paul and his epistles, I am posting my St. Paul Timeline so everyone
“The Longest Day” in Prep for our own landing on Beaches of Normandy!
This week Janet and I are leaving for Paris France. Our group will follow us a few days later where we will be touring the Saints and Shrines of France. We will also be visiting Normandy where D-Day took place 75 years ago on June 6, 1944. Today we are watching that spectacular movie entitled […]
Cracked me up! Opposum
Since we have a lot of opossums around our house, I particularly enjoyed this one. This cracked me up.
Why Bird Watching? Lovely Article and a Hobby of ours from Childhood
When I was six years old, my dad moved us out of Detroit to live in the country. He turned three acres of fields into
