Father Mark-Mary was ordained as a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal (CFR) in 2018 and lives at a friary in the Bronx. The mission of the CFRs is to wholeheartedly embrace Jesus through fidelity to the Church and her Sacraments. Paired with their commitment to prayer, contemplation, and study of Sacred Scripture, the CFRs serve those around them, especially the poor, in the footsteps of Christ.
Are you struggling with fear, anxiety, or feeling overwhelmed? Fr. Mark-Mary Ames reflects on what it means to truly surrender...
The "Preferential Option for the Poor" is a Catholic social teaching on how the Bible gives priority to the well-being of the...
What do a college party, In-N-Out, and St. Maximilian Kolbe have in common? They’re all unexpected moments woven into Fr....
What matters more than looking good and feeling good is that we are in fact good. How are our daily choices impacting the...
Can people tell you’re a Christian just by looking at you? We’re all called to live differently, set apart for the Lord, but...
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He (Jesus) woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be...
Do you ever feel like daily prayer is hard to fit into your routine? Fr. Mark-Mary introduces a simple four-step acronym —...
Struggling to hear God’s voice? Fr. Mark-Mary reminds us that while God never changes, He speaks to each of us in unique ways....
Sometimes, when we're frustrated with the world and how things are going, deep down, we're actually frustrated with God. Why...
What does discouragement look like? What should you do when discouragement strikes? Today Fr. Mark-Mary shares how to overcome...
Many of us might think that creation is just a “set you and forget you thing”, but what we may not realize is that God is...
Father Mark Mary and Sister Mariae Agnus Dei invite us to let Love write our story.
What does the Liturgy have to do with the Garden of Eden? How can art draw us into the beauty of God and His creation? Fr....
"Do you ever feel like you're too bad to pray? Like the sins in your life discount you from reaching God's ears? Is intimacy...
Fr. Mark-Mary talks about how to live your best life (but in a Catholic way). When we read the lives of the saints, we could...
God gifts everyone with beautiful talents. We don't all have the same talents, which gives each of us a unique place in God's...
Some folks maintain the notion that Jesus said we "have to love people" but "don't have to like them". Besides the fact that...
As we journey further into Lent, let’s talk about how we can escape the devil’s grasp. It's no secret that sin is prevalent in...
Do you feel marked by your sin? Do you struggle to believe you are not just the sum of your mistakes? Today Fr. Mark-Mary...
You may have heard that 2025 is the Jubilee Year and that the Easter season extends beyond Easter Sunday—but what do these...
We have a cause to celebrate. But we’re really bad at celebrating. Today, Fr. Mark-Mary teaches us how we can celebrate the...
We've all heard of the nearly infamous prayer, the Litany of Humility, before. But is there a danger in praying this litany...
Theophany: God wants to reveal Himself to each one of us. But our constant addiction to the pleasure chemicals of dopamine and...
How should we approach the beginning of Holy Week? Fr. Mark-Mary explains that following Mary's example is the most powerful...
Lent is almost over.... 40 days of fasting, prayer, and sacrifice have passed in the blink of an eye. How do you feel? Are you...
Are you reverently preparing to receive Holy Communion and the Word of God? Besides fasting from food, are you paying attention...
The meaning of the word sacrifice is to "make holy." This Lent we are offered the opportunity to let go of our control and...
Today, Fr. Mark-Mary guides us through discernment for how to hear the Father's voice more clearly this Lent through prayer,...
"Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift...
Do your Lenten practices feel arbitrary? Do your penances seem ineffective? If you're feeling this way, you might be wondering,...
Do you have anyone your life that consistently makes you feel seen, known, and loved? It's not magic—it's heroic charity, and...
2025 is a Jubilee Year of Hope for the entire Catholic Church, and Fr. Mark-Mary has all of the answers to your...
If you want to get to know the mother of your Saviour better, look no further. Fr. Mark-Mary has 5 books about Mary that...
Devotion to the Saints—those who have gone before us into heaven—is a worthy endeavor. We can be encouraged by their...
Christmas is here! It's a season full of homecomings and reunions with family and friends. Today, Fr. Mark-Mary invites...
How do I know what God wants for my life? How do I make decisions that I can feel certain are within his will for me?...
Do you feel called to marriage? Maybe you felt a call to become a priest or religious? But what if you are not accepted...
Do you struggle to find and maintain good Christian friendships? Do you feel starved for a community that supports your...
Are we really supposed to believe in miracles? Do we need to have a special faith to see them? Do they even happen...
An encounter with Jesus is important, but it’s difficult to wrap our head around such an abstract concept. Fr. Mark-Mary...
He is Risen! Indeed He is truly Risen! Today Fr. Mark-Mary challenges us to lean into the immense gift of this Easter season...
Are you looking to embark on a deeper spiritual journey this Lent in your daily prayer life? Inspired by desert spirituality,...
Fr. Mark-Mary shares 3 ways to be more intentional this Lent. These tips are also included in his new book, Habits for...
Father Mark-Mary shares a goal-setting technique that helped make Google...well, Google. But instead of using this goal-setting...
Fr. Mark-Mary gives some practical advice on how to do Lent differently this year. It begins with having the right mindset....
To seriously engage in evangelization we have to be provocative. We have to get people to ask why we’re not like everyone else,...
If you don't already have a "word of the year" for 2024 (or if you're open to a second one), Fr. Mark-Mary has one for you:...
We Are Made For Love Fr. Mark-Mary and Sister Mariae Agnus Dei explain how to let love rule your life. Every single person was...
How To Deal With Your Stuff Fr. Mark-Mary and Sr. Mariae Agnus Dei talk about how to let love deal with your “stuff”. We all...
What does my community have to do with my relationship with God? Communion and community come from God; isolation and division...
Prayer: Start Here St. Paul's call in Thessalonians 5:17 is to "pray without ceasing", but how do we do that in our busy lives...
It can be easy in our modern world to fall into the trap of envy and jealousy. When we dedicate our energy and focus on what...
October 1st is the feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, patroness of foreign missions and a Doctor of the Church. But what can this...
Finding Rhythms for Summer Summer break is a time for rest, recreation, and renewal. But what do we do with that space?...
Today Fr. Mark-Mary is joined by Sr. Maria Regina, S.V. the Vocations Director for the Sisters of Life, to talk about the...
Let’s take a breath and slow down. Sometimes we need to take the time to really think about our heart, mind, and actions....
Fr. Mark-Mary of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR) introduces Fr. Pierre Toussaint, CFR and Fr. Agustino Torres, CFR...
Fr. Mark-Mary asks Fr. Pierre Toussaint about his experience of racism and division in the Church. And Fr. Mark-Mary listens....
Brother Malachy isn’t messing around when it comes to listening to God’s will. He puts his entire conversion story on the table...
Mother Clare and Fr. Mark-Mary discuss how to live with uncertainty. Being uncertain about something isn’t entirely...
Brother Malachy and Father Mark-Mary reflect upon the challenge of giving everything to God. Many of us have gone all in for...
Father Mark-Mary suggests a simple spiritual exercise that could have a great impact on your life. He recommends taking a few...
Father Mark-Mary shares a goal-setting technique that helped make Google...well, Google. But instead of using this goal-setting...
Fr. Mark-Mary shares some insights that teach us how to live as Catholics while in quarantine. He reflects on the monastic...
The question “Do you really trust God?” was right in Father Mark-Mary’s face when a full-grown rhinoceros was running toward...
Fr. Mark-Mary discusses how to really pray the Rosary and go deeper than the external mechanics. Primarily it’s about...
If you’re struggling to hear God’s voice, take heart in Fr. Mark-Mary’s words of hope here. Complementing the advice given by...
Mother Clare and Fr. Mark-Mary encourage you not to fear giving God your hopes and dreams. If it’s seeming more and more like...
Jesus wants to free us from restlessness, but we so often go elsewhere for rest. We try to find rest in our social status,...
Sometimes when we have difficulties in prayer, we forget that everyone experiences these difficulties, even religious. Mother...