Yes, I'm remembering the six million Jews who were annihilated in the Holocaust, but I'm remembering the thousands of Catholics annihilated by the Nazis as well. In particular, I'm thinking of Dachau, and the Catholic priests who had been imprisoned there. I knew - still know, I suppose - one of the priests who had been imprisoned and suffered there at the hand of the Nazis. Read more
Mary listens to my pathetic plea and petitions her Son for me. At times, I see the results promptly. Other times, I receive a delayed response. Sometimes, I never see a result - at least not the result for which I'd hoped. But always, always, I immediately feel Mary's closeness to me, I sense her concern, am assured of her love for me, and experience a subtle calm overcome me. Mother, I have no wine. Read more
We all have "four friends" in our lives – people who have scooped us up in our helplessness and taken us to Jesus. Most likely, we've only recognized a small number of them. But if we look back over the years, will see that there are many, many of them and be able to give thanks for them. Read more
A regular stream of books crosses my desk every month, all with letters glowing with praise for the author and his/her work and requesting a review. I wish I could give all of them the time that they deserved, just as I would like other authors and reviewers to give my books the time they deserve. But real life happens, and I usually don’t have the luxury of hours to pour over the books and then write detailed reviews (much... Read more
The Church tells us again and again to honor our fathers and mothers, and it speaks with flourish about the beauty and fruitfulness of the vocation of motherhood. It tells us how to be good, holy mothers, but it doesn't always clearly tell us what to do when ours hasn't been. Read more
Over the years, I've discovered that figuring out a new road to take is far less important than the process of regrouping, recouping, and getting back up on my feet. In most cases, I discovered years later that I actually benefited from the broad siding, even though that seems an impossibility at the moment it happened. Read more
All during Advent, we read, talk, listen, and write about holding back on the Christmas celebrations because "Christmas isn't here yet." But all through the Christmas season we should read, talk, listen, and write about keeping the celebrations going because Christmas isn't gone yet. Read more
Imagine what could happen if we took all that's good about us and resolved to expound upon those gifts in 2015. On New Year's Eve, instead of making a list of all the rotten things we want to get rid of, how about making a list of all the wonderful things we want to accentuate? Read more
Those words came back to me as I stood there, and I suddenly felt a special connection to these simple men who, as Pope Francis has described, "smelled like their sheep," and were the first outside of his holy parents to actually see the Infant, to feel his presence, and to experience his glory. Read more
Christmas card sending seems to be becoming more and more like a Wild West showdown - people waiting for the other person to send a card first. Then, and only then, they send one back. Read more
Catholic to the Core
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