The Thing that Happened in Between
“I was one way … and now I am completely different. And the thing that happened in between … was Him.” These are my favorite lines from Season 1 of...
Saint Marguerite Bays // From Seamstress to “Godmother”
Marguerite Bays was born to a farming family in Switzerland in 1815, the second of seven children. She grew up helping her parents with household chores and gardening. In her...
On the Feast of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions
Everyone loves the stories of the young hero/heroine. Our hearts swell along with the music when justice is done and good conquers evil. Really, we need these stories to remind...
Friendship on the Feast of the Visitation
We were on our usual weekend double date when Angie told us she was pregnant, her first. I was pregnant too, four months, my second. Our husbands beamed as we...
Pentecost: The Exclamation Point
Recently my daughter and I attended a retreat for those preparing for Confirmation. In retreat fashion, the group was in the church basement acting out a skit from the scene...
Saint Damien of Molokai // His Heart for Missions
White sand beaches, towering sea cliffs, coral reefs, and vacation destination. This might be how some would describe Molokai, Hawaii’s fifth largest island. But one-hundred and fifty years ago, it...
The Complementary Intercession of Saint Joseph and the Blessed Mother
The old adage states that “behind every strong man is a strong woman.” Secular culture has typically subscribed to the notion of the man being the one who takes action,...
Holy Saturday // Recollection, Silence, and Hope
Growing up, I treated Holy Saturday as an early start to Easter. It may not have been the actual celebration of Easter, but I breathed a sigh of relief for...
The Thin Place of Good Friday
Today marks the darkest day of the Church year. It is the sobering remembrance of the Word Incarnate, crucified. Liturgically, it is the only day of the entire year that...
On the Feast of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
By the time I was preparing for Confirmation, I was mucking stalls after school, attending horse camp in the summer, and "Cowboy Take Me Away" was basically the anthem I...
Celebrating the Epiphany of Our Lord
On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of...
The Beauty of the Incarnation
I recently finished Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI. The most powerful lesson I learned from this book was the startling reality of the Incarnation. The news that God...
