Pope Leo XIV’s Lenten message offers a novel approach toward peace on earth. Whereas world leaders hold international conferences to reduce nuclear arms and secure
American Catholics who voted pro-life in the last Presidential election may have found themselves doing a double-take this month. Our President, widely considered a pro-life
My community theater company’s 2025 holiday production got an unexpected and unprecedented advertisement by none other than the Pope himself. In November, Pope Leo XIV
Sometime during late childhood, I acquired a Christmas prayer card with these words on the back: Holy and blessed be the hour and the moment
My friend used to sing a song to her small children that said, “Be careful, little eyes, what you see.” Singing it, she sounded joyful,
If you’re familiar with contemporary musical theater, you may already have guessed which Old Testament story the title above references. If you haven’t guessed, here’s
In 1965, the good sisters in my Catholic school taught children to pray, “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.” About ten
A holiday trivia question: Which fictional character said, “Mankind was my business”? Perhaps you’ve guessed it. In case you aren’t sure, this line comes from
Each Monday morning, a faculty prayer service ushered in the week at the Catholic school where I once taught. Teachers gathered in the library, and
The grounds at the National Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Washington, New Jersey lay serenely in the bright noonday sunshine. It
The curtain has closed. The applause has long ended. The props are stored, and the last of the costumes are drying on the clothesline in
Love. Hate. Pride. Fifty years ago, these words suggested different concepts than today. Love was a fuzzy, feel-good word, accompanying cartoons of cute cherubs holding
It was silly to comment on a Facebook post. I “went down the rabbit hole,” as my daughter sometimes says when one becomes too involved
“My name is Patrick. I am a sinner, a simple country person, and the least of all believers. I am looked down upon by many.
Don’t let this title mislead you. The idea of slowing down for Lent brings to mind a resolve to minimize unnecessary busyness and allow time
At this time of year, many families of Catholic children are choosing a school for September. Whether the child is a preschooler, a potential transfer
In early January of 2024 a classic Nor’easter brought snow to our area for the first time in two years. When winter storm Ember dropped
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
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
