Catholic. Pastoral. Trusted.
My doctor smiled as she entered the examination room and delivered the news I hoped to hear: “You’re good to go!” It had been two years since I learned that I had breast cancer, two years since I had had a mastectomy. Now, two years later, a mammogram confirmed what...
My cell phone rang at 5 a.m. I didn’t recognize the number—but I recognized my mom’s voice on the other end of the line. “There’s been a fire,” she explained. “We’re OK.” My parents had been staying at their vacation condo in Florida. A neighbor’s porch caught fire early in...
When Pope Francis announced the start of the Year of the Consecrated Life last November, he set forth three aims: To look to the past with gratitude, to live the present with passion, and to embrace the future with hope. While these aims were announced in the context of celebrating...
If I hear my car making a strange noise, I call my dad to ask his advice. He knows just about everything auto-related, so I trust his diagnosis and his opinion on the repair quotes from mechanics. If I have a question about my taxes, I call my mom. As...
The month of May is significant. It is the month in which Mother’s Day is celebrated. It is the month of graduations. And, for Catholics, it is the month of Mary. For me, this May holds special significance, as it is the month in which my youngest child graduates from...
A story of how one couple follows the example of our risen Lord, even when their pain seems unimaginable. It was the phone call every parent dreads. In the early-evening hours on the last day of 2014, the police called a close friend of mine with tragic news. A driver...
The safety drill on airplanes is familiar. After you’re seated, the flight attendant explains that if oxygen masks drop from the overhead compartment, parents must put their masks on first and then assist their children. As I sit through those drills, I sometimes wonder if I would be able to...
I’m the captain of a small boat that’s being buffeted by a hurricane. The only other passengers on board are my two terrified children huddled below deck. I grip the lifeline tightly and fight against the waves that try to sweep me overboard. I’m tempted to give in and let...