Contents
Cover Story
10 Celebrating Mary: Our Perfect Guide to Jesus. God’s gift of life is wrapped in the gift of choice. How will you use it? Carol Monaco
Features
14 “My Time with Thomas Merton” Merton guided millions and made time for one. Jack Guidry
18 John Stands Apart: The unique fourth Gospel Theresa Doyle-Nelson
22 “Mother Mary, please help!” The Blessed Virgin calms our storms. Mary Vaughn Armstrong
25 Meditation: The Best Gifts Parents, grandparents, you’ll enjoy reading this. Ken Neuser
27 Vocation Story: Hope Keeps Us Moving, “I gain hope in their faith.” Deacon Chung Tran, CSsR
28 Around the Table: Add Some Spice to Your Holiday Season. Herbs, spices: links to the past and to health. Nancy J. Schaaf
30 Profile: Samaritan’s Purse, When disaster strikes, they’re there.
32 Fiction: The Candy Cane Bribe, Kerry Sloan
39 Poem: Christmas Is Here, Bonnie LeMelle Abadie
Columns
2 From the Editor: Our investment in all lives, Elizabeth A. Herzing
5 From the President and Publisher: Good things come… just wait, Fr. Byron Miller, CSsR
6 Just Live It: The miracle that summons us, Barbara Hughes
8 Plain Talk: A tangled web ….. Fr. Bruce Lewandowski, CSsR
16 The Redeemer, Mary, and You: The icon speaks with colors, Br. Daniel Korn, CSsR
17 Dear Padre: Do non-Christians go to heaven?……. The Redemptorists
26 Faith Hits Home: What the world needs…. Emily Blasik
In Every Issue
4 Mail
28 Around the Table Recipe
36 Around the Table Blessing
36 Bible Quiz
37 Catholic Crossword
38 On the Shelf
40 The Lighter Side
40 Game answers
