He approached from the far side of the table taking the seat next to mine and posed this question, “How did I know that Mary really interceded in my life and could the blessings I encountered really be possible?” Perhaps, I could give him some “concrete examples?” I had just finished giving a little personal [...]
Years ago, a local newspaper columnist praised the fare of TV prime-time viewing. She supported modern examples of broken families as being the sitcom subject of choice. Betty, the columnist, cheered the portrayal of brokenness in place of idealistic programs such as “Leave it to Beaver,” “Father Knows Best,” or the “Brady Bunch.” There were [...]
In early 2012, the Pontifical University in Rome held one of its most important conferences ever. “Towards Healing and Renewal” was an international symposium, sponsored by the Vatican , devoted to the terrible abuse crisis in the Church. What made the event so extraordinary is that is was opened, not by a high-ranking prelate but [...]
For the past several weeks, Catholics around the Internet have been talking about a scandal, and, surprisingly, they’re more or less in agreement. It is a real-life scandal of a bishop who forgave a criminal for robbing from him. It is a fictional scandal of a criminal who broke parole, became a successful businessman and [...]
Oftentimes the seasons of Lent and Advent are filled with our good intentions about what we will do, what we will read, and the changes we will make in our daily lives. The weeks stretch out ahead of us and we begin with great plans and an eagerness to experience the holy season in a [...]
We live in a busy world that is changing at the speed of light. Yet, good manners never go out of style. Most of us parents emphasize the importance of please, thank you, and excuse me, and do our best to insure that our children are polite, but when it comes to the finer points [...]
In The Discernment of Spirits, an Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living, Fr. Timothy Gallagher has endeavored to write a “how-to guide” on the reading of the Ignatian Rules. He has broken down each rule and explained what is meant by it. He supports his descriptions with vignettes from the lives of users of the Ignatian [...]
Last week at a speaking engagement in Illinois, I asked my audience of parents to tell me about their kids. Not just “tell” me about them, but brag. I gave them permission to boast. Pull out the smartphone, if they wanted, to show off the photos. I had to cajole them into doing it. Hard [...]
Straight from My Heart is a collection of fifteen short stories and seventy-three poems, approximately chronological, with each story being independent and individually rewarding. Yet all of the pieces collectively draw the reader to something larger. The stories are engaging, at times fascinating, and always thoughtful. Patricia Devlin’s stories follow an autobiographical journey through the [...]
When I received a review copy of the newly-published book, Facing Infertility – A Catholic Approach, I was a bit surprised there wasn’t already a Catholic book which specifically dealt with the topic of infertility. When I searched online, I could only find secular or Christian books on this subject. Jean Dimech-Juchniewicz’s new book is [...]
If you knew beforehand that a gunman planned on going to a kindergarten class at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, would you do everything in your power to avert the violence and save innocent lives? During a news conference on January 16, President Obama expressed that if we could save even one life [...]
Frozen Footprints (Tumblar House, 2012) is the latest contribution to Catholic suspense by Therese Heckenkamp, author of Past Suspicion. I freely admit, suspense is not my genre of choice, but Heckenkamp once again managed to keep me interested and invested in this story. Charlene and Max Perigard are twins, raised by their grandfather, a wealthy [...]
I’m working my way through a book called Everyday Sanctity, written by Schoenstatt Sister of Mary, M. A. Nailis. With texts from it’s founder, Fr. Joseph Kentenich, this volume addresses one of the pillars of the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement, everyday sanctity, which is the practice of giving everyday life the character of holiness. Although it’s become [...]
During the summer of 1998, our family faced the sudden death of our twelve-year-old son. He was perfectly healthy that morning, but during the night, his airways had a spasm and closed up. We discovered him blue and not breathing. I said “faced” because we came face to face with death; waiting for medical help, [...]
(Okay, so that’s really an 8-book list.) If you listen my podcast, Among Women, you know I have a passion for three things: first, to encourage women to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and their Catholic faith; second, to celebrate the beauty and genius of their womanhood; and third, to call women to [...]
Every once in a while, a book lands in your hands at the perfect time. For me, that happened this month when I received my lovely review copy of Cravings: A Catholic Wrestles with Food, Self-Image, and God by my friend and fellow writer Mary DeTurris Poust. The book arrived just in time for me [...]
Last night I finished reading Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, M.D (2008). My family physician recommended the book at my annual checkup last month. I told my doctor of my various discomforts and moodiness—I’m pretty healthy, but hadn’t been feeling 100%. He didn’t offer pills or [...]
“Is this all there is?” Colleen Carroll Campbell found herself asking that universal question midway through college. Every generation needs to discover the role of faith in their lives and to seek answers to the hard questions such as the meaning of life and the role of suffering. While human nature may remain fairly consistent, [...]
A Very Brief Biography Rev. John Banister Tabb (March 22, 1845 – November 19, 1909) was a Catholic priest and professor of English. Born into one of Virginia’s oldest and wealthiest families, at “The Forest” in Amelia County, Tabb fell in love in his teens, though his marriage proposal to the neighbor girl was declined. He [...]
Digital media has changed the landscape of the entertainment industry. Traditional music albums have been replaced by MP3s, and streaming services are now delivering movies to your home instantly. Will the same hold true for the book publishing industry? Will ebooks become the new medium of choice? According to the Center for Applied Research in [...]
How many books begin with an invitation to a slumber party? This one does! Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle’s richly personal, but powerfully catechetical new book, Rooted in Love: Our Calling as Catholic Women, is as delightful, intimate, and honest as a 3 a.m. chat with your best friend over a cup of hot chocolate, and I can’t [...]
On a dark February afternoon in 1988, 25 students in a U.S. Constitutional History class waited expectantly in a little-used dining hall on the campus of Grove City College (in Grove City, Pennsylvania) for a special guest lecturer to arrive. I was the professor in charge of that class. Through the doors of that meeting [...]
What is the difference between a child born in the Twenty-first century and one born in 300 BC? Nothing, since human nature is unchanging, but everything, if modern child-rearing techniques are applied. Human nature never changes, be it during ancient times or in the modern world. Thus, Aristotle’s philosophy was as brilliant in 350 BC [...]
An interview with author Rod Bennett A fascinating new novel is out in paperback today which ought to be of great interest to Catholic Lane readers with a taste for fantasy or science fiction. It’s called The Christus Experiment and it’s the first major work of fiction by Rod Bennett, author of the popular Catholic apologetic Four [...]
