
Hallowed, Not Haunted
When my grandmother was young, she and some friends visited a fortune teller at a carnival. The soothsayer foretold that my grandmother, Eva, would have

When my grandmother was young, she and some friends visited a fortune teller at a carnival. The soothsayer foretold that my grandmother, Eva, would have

During my freshman year in college, my assistant professor in Composition 101 once went on a seemingly random rant against what was then a relatively

My siblings and I were blessed to attend Catholic schools for most of our education. At one point, though, my father found it necessary to

A Post-Christian Culture? Fifteen years ago, a colleague of mine lamented that a few students in her literature classes did not understand biblical allusions in

Musicians love harmony. There’s a soothing satisfaction when notes work well together. One would expect this principle to carry over into the way musicians relate

Imagine the joy of Mary on Easter morning! Think of her recently broken heart, rejoicing beyond her own imagining at the sight of her beloved

How often it is that teachers learn as much from the lesson as the students do? Preparing for RCIA class last month, I read over

The teaching of Christian morality ought to foster dignity, confidence, and contentment. Knowledge of the Commandments, the Gospel, Church doctrine, and natural law can help

The transition between the wondrous Christmas season and Ordinary Time can be critical. If the holidays have been especially spiritual, the letdown and return to

Two figures, a man and a woman in their 19th-century work clothes, stand in a farm field. Their heads are bent in prayer; their farm

Recently, I had the honor of presenting to our parish RCIA group on the topic: Christology, the Holy Spirit, and the Trinity. It was a

Most Catholic adults can recall the rhyming Guardian Angel prayer they learned as children. Recited daily, the prayer reminds children of their special angel, a

September finds schoolchildren back in the daily routine of lessons and learning. Summer camp and beach days yield to books and structured academics. Teachers return

A history text in my Catholic grammar school described a Medieval artist painting an ornate mural on the ceiling of a large cathedral. The chapter

An Example of Holiness Once, at a teachers’ workshop, I heard a woman describe a beautiful altar which she had created in her workplace. Each

Spiritual Nourishment for Ordinary Time Upon the heels of the glorious Easter season, Catholics celebrate Pentecost, followed by two more liturgical feasts. Ordinary Time has

Somewhere within the distant, rosy memories of my Catholic girlhood is the idea of a communion breakfast. Although I do not recall a specific event,

The outcry from pro-choice entities following the recent leak of the Supreme Court’s majority vote in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has been considerable.

As the season of Lent nears its end, I look back to evaluate my Lenten journey. Did I make real sacrifices? Did my prayer life