Lent is a time of preparation for Easter and includes fasting, praying, and giving alms. I hope to improve next year. I realize that Jesus did not just die for those who wholeheartedly embrace Lent, but also for those who fail Lent. The Lenten Season and Easter Catholics spend the Lenten season in a variety of ways. Some focus on fasting and then give their subsequent savings to people who need it. Others rededicate themselves to prayer, spending more time... Read more
The annual commemoration of the Paschal or Easter Mystery in the Church is a time to consider our own experiences of the Paschal Mystery. Three Days with the Apostles We can look back at Jesus’ followers and see their progression from the pain and sorrow of Good Friday to the joy of Easter. Good Friday In the Bible, the apostles make significant personal journeys in three days. Matthew’s Gospel suggests that when the people came to arrest Jesus, his followers... Read more
The demise of the Pac-12 conference this past year means unfortunate changes for student-athletes in ten schools. The changes will additionally affect the schools with which they compete. Why should media networks favor some college conferences over others? The Pac-12 comprised teams that traveled across town, across the Bay, within the state, and a maximum of 1500 miles maximum between the University of Washington and Arizona State. The greatest distance was covered in 3 hours by plane. Instead of working... Read more
When I taught high school students, some of them faulted their parents for raising them Catholic. They said that they would have preferred to choose for themselves. I believe that raising children in your faith does not limit them. Such an experience is a gift for them no matter whether they keep the faith later or depart from it. You Share What You Value with Your Children Parents want their children to be good people and have the skills they... Read more
A woman who is unfaithful to her husband violates her marriage vow. A businessman who cheats his customers violates the law. A US president who constantly lies and does not defend the Constitution violates the oath of office. Relationships And Trust People who tell lies are difficult to trust. Most adults would hesitate to have much to do with such a person. Truth underlies successful relationships. Telling the truth is an ethical issue, not just a practical or political one.... Read more
Dr. Ruth Gottesman’s billion-dollar gift to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine will enable the school to offer free tuition to medical school students. What a generous gift! Ruth and Dave Gottesman I had not heard of this couple until just recently and their generosity has lifted my spirits! Dr. Ruth Gottesman is now a widow; her husband passed away in September of 2022 after they had been married for 72 years. Ruth’s husband, Dave (Sandy) was an early investor... Read more
Public school chaplains concern me for several reasons. I do not even include the obvious separation of church and state issues. Chaplains Cannot Stand in for Counselors However well-intentioned, chaplains cannot stand in for mental health counselors. Are chaplains both a less expensive and less effective way of helping troubled students? I think so. Kansas Several states have considered or are discussing the placement of chaplains in public schools. In Kansas, state representative Bill Rhiley, suggested that “mental health challenges... Read more
In the news recently, the deaths of two people have reminded me that words have power. Words Have Power for Good: Alexei Navalny In some ways, Alexei Navalny was a regular guy. He grew up as an “army brat,” for the Red Army, and moved from base to base. He was a lawyer and married an economist. They were raising two kids. One might use the term “yuppie” to describe the couple. Words of Protest His captivity smelled of free... Read more
You may have encountered a few first-time parents who say something like this: “I was an expert on parenting until I became a parent.” People find some experiences easier to understand in theory rather than in practice. These assumptions make it hard to love others. Life “in Theory” It is a human temptation to think we understand various life situations from the outside. It is a human flaw if we do not learn over time that experiencing something personally differs... Read more
I encourage you to read “What I Wish More People Knew About American Evangelicalism,” by John Fea in the February 7, 2024 issue of The Atlantic. Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family made a positive difference in John Fea’s upbringing. Fea also urges those who are concerned about aspects of Evangelicalism to see the good that he finds there. Challenges to Seeing the Good The reports that Catholic bishops covered up priests’ abuse of children and shuffled them... Read more
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