Bringing the Light: Preparing for Advent
One of my favorite memories of our first home in Minnesota was going out on a cold night (which we had no business going out into). It was probably near...
Leaves + Trees
I think my mind will always, at the autumn time of year, drift to an old Jesuit. The letting go of fall, The relinquishment of harvesting The giving of gratitude’s...
St. Francis of Assisi and the God of Creation
Today marks the much-celebrated feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Without him, our churches would be void of Crèches at Christmastime and our animal companions would go unblessed (for starters)....
St. John Chrysostom: The Best and Worst Idea
How romantic, I remember thinking. Getting engaged on the heels of a charity bike ride, in front of the chapel where we’d walked on our first date... How memorable. And...
Counterparts: On the Feast of St. Clare of Assisi
There was a time after I finished school that I lived in a community of volunteers. We talked a lot about the potential for conflict, the importance of ‘I’ statements,...
St. Kateri Tekakwitha: Lily of the Mohawks
Growing up, I remember packing my sit-upon and mess kit to attend Camp Sacagawea as a camper, and later, as a counselor each year through high school. My grandfather whittled...
Desire + Love
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor...
St. Rita: Hope and Honeybees
Have you ever felt like you need a cheerleader? A friend who knows how to speak courage, hope, peace, and possibility to your troubled mind as you agonize over details...
Mother + Child
Mother, Your voice learning to soothe Your new child Was the first home-sound We hear before we could see. Your young eyes Gazing on us Was the first mirror Where...
The Annunciation: One "Yes" at a Time
The Annunciation is a marvel to me. As it should be, I suppose. You see, unlike so many women who hoot and holler with joy at the news of a...
Lodgepoles: On Holy Thursday
In another lifetime, I spent a summer working in Yellowstone National Park. I lived with a park ranger, wore a wide-brimmed hat, a khaki button-up shirt with green forest service-issued...
Held Captive: St. Josephine Bakhita + Human Trafficking
In my former job, I accompanied groups of young adults to the U.S./Mexico border each year. The point of the trip was to serve as a pilgrimage to learn what...
