My mother was the first one of us to encounter Distributism. (She’ll find that out when she reads this article!) But when she made the decision to cast aside a job title and paycheck, in the eyes of the world, to begin the world of our family with my father, she was on the path. […]
The LORD came and stood there, calling out as before: Samuel, Samuel! Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10) Jesus said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was […]
This is the time of year when Christians are most focused on the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Reflection on the Holy Family is more than just the Nativity scene. Naturally, Christmas focuses on the birth of the Saviour, and Mary and Joseph play key roles in this most important event. But, there […]
The Christmas season brought an influx of articles and posts about family. Normally, “family” is one of those words that evokes that warm, toasty feeling. When dating, family can cause much anxiety, though. Not only do people assess individuals as spousal material based on their own merits, but they also critique their family background. My observation is […]
I’m a bad Catholic. Do you know how I know? I took my Christmas trees down before Epiphany. That’s right. By January 2 I couldn’t stand the clutter anymore and we took them down. I did leave the Nativity scene up, but the trees are gone. I’ve never done the Liturgy of the Hours. Never. […]
There’s a radical idea surfacing in the world of psychology, and it may turn out to be a game changer when it comes to parenting in America. Thinking. That’s right, thinking. But not just thinking – smart thinking. Imagine what might happen if we stop parenting by thoughtlessly developing habits over time and instead institute […]
I sit here amongst a discombobulating array of items that all beckon my attention. Butz, the bird annihilator has bagged the catch of the day and the remains lie strewn all over the front room. I have already performed the grisly task of dislodging bird pieces from the table and now feathers which used to […]
One of the most amazing things about fatherhood is my children’s capacity to analyze every little thing I do. Give them an inch and they will take it a mile with anything I either said or did. No one ever wants to be challenged or corrected for their wrongs. This is a basic fact of […]
Time has gone by quickly, but it has been eight years since I started working as a Catholic writer. In that time, my mission has remained the same – I have always wanted to help women find God in the everyday busyness of their lives. I walk in those shoes. I know how crazy life […]
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. (John 3:16) I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. […]
It’s that time of year. Billboard selects the Best of the Year in Music (I like Adele too). Newsweek determines Epic Wins (Tebow) and Fails (Tiger). And the Most Fascinating People of the year are named by ABC News (Steve Jobs, OK; but I’m afraid Barbara missed the mark with the Kardashians). Here’s my contribution […]
When you stop to count your blessings, do not forget to give God a big thank you to for all the difficult people in your life. Those cranks that cross your path and darken your doorway are just bursting with the potential to bless you. Every person who provokes you is an opportunity, but it […]
It’s that time again — time to predict trends for the new year. Prognosticators from every sector are saturating cyberspace with predictions in virtually every arena, including politics and economics, climate, technology, education, recreation and fashion. But my favorite trends to watch are in an arena that probably shouldn’t be trendy at all: parenting. For […]
After being married for almost two and a half years, I’m not sure men really “get” the power of stories. Perhaps it’s that difference in our brains — you know, the women’s-brains-are-like-spaghetti, men’s-brains-are-like-waffles theory. Whatever the cause, all I know is that when my husband has something to report to me, he generally does so […]
Do you ever feel like going out on the front porch and yelling, “Christmas didn’t end on December 26!” While the focus turns to New Year’s Eve, festivities continue for a few more days. In the meantime, the discount bins start filling with Christmas leftovers and the radio stations go back to their typical fare. […]
As a young adult I was pretty sure about the calling God had in my life. I met the girl that I would end up marrying and knew we would raise a family. I thought about religious life but had a longing for a family. I look at my life now with a beautiful bride, […]
At this time of year, we long to welcome the Christ child into our trembling hearts, these empty mangers aching to be filled; for it is in a child that we first see the face of God in humanity, and through His shocking act of humility that we begin to see ourselves in Him. Blessed […]
You know the saying: ”I was a great parent before my kids were born.” No doubt I fell into that category, and was a loving, patient and confident mother 24-7. Then our two little doses of reality arrived: How do I comfort an inconsolable infant in the middle of the night? Manage a fussy toddler throwing a […]
When I climbed into bed, the sheets felt like thin strips of refrigeration. I pulled the comforter up to my ears and shivered as I waited for my body to generate enough heat to turn my toes from blue to toasty. Now, at 3:35 in the morning, a wave of warmth rolls over me like […]
Dear Anthony, I’m getting married in June to the most wonderful man in the world! But we are having a disagreement about how to handle our last Christmas as a non-married couple. We can’t make it to both our families, but we cannot agree on whose family we should be with. I assumed he would […]
“I can’t take waiting any more!” My nine-year-old son emphatically announced. “I want to open my presents.” “But that is what Advent is for. It is a time of waiting,” I responded, attempting to reinforce a bit of religious instruction in the midst of the whining. “Advent is twenty-eight days of torture!” I don’t think […]
Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So […]
“You don’t move to Washington, D.C., to get married, you move here for your career.” Huh? What? I spotted this line in a new Washington Post article about the supposed plunging popularity of marriage in the U.S. If you have not seen the piece – you can find it here. In general – I think […]
One day last year around this time, my then-4-year-old daughter and I stopped by a local Catholic store to pick up a gift. As you can imagine in a Catholic store during Advent, there were several Nativities on display. While I was browsing the candles, Vaughn was enjoying the Nativity scenes. I noticed she was […]
