I joined this blog more than a year ago at the kind invitation of its founder, Webster Bull, and his writing partner, Frank Weathers. These two guys are like brothers to me now, even though I never have met Frank in real life, Webster has never met Frank, and I hadn’t met Webster until after I started “working” with him. I have been blessed to have been able to share this space with two great men. And to meet my... Read more

It’s no secret that I’m a gearhead, unless you just stumbled in here today for the first time. If it is fast, I like it! I don’t care whether we are talkin’ cars, boats, planes, go-karts, even the pine-wood derby. You name it. Speed, and the drivers with the skills to thread the needle and run across the razors edge, and win, is a testament to the wonderful human creature that God created.Because as creatures go, humans are pretty slow.... Read more

My husband and I and our parish friends have waited months for the BIG DECISION. I surprised myself by leaving Mass tonight oddly unaffected by the Bishop’s announcement that our parish will be changing its name and merging with two other parishes.  I felt nothing, absolutely nothing. As I pulled out of the parking lot and headed to the grocery store, I turned on the car radio. Matt Maher’s “Christ is Risen” was playing.  I realized once again I’m not... Read more

Last night I had the supreme privilege and pleasure of hearing our eldest son play with his chamber music ensemble a concert of Bach and Vivaldi at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Trenton, New Jersey. (Here they are performing in Florence several years ago. )  What moved me the most was when the children performed Vivaldi’s Gloria, accompanying  the Absalom Jones Inspirational Choir.As Frank has written on these pages, Vivaldi was a Catholic priest. What I discovered last night by reading... Read more

St. Philip Neripainted by Fr. Kevin Kelly -Feast of St. Philip Neri Did you know the Church has a Patron Saint of Joy? He’s St. Philip Neri. Today is his feast day. Friends from our parish invited me to attend a Mass tonight at  7 o’clock to celebrate. We joined dozens of worshippers at the New Brunswick Oratory of St. Philip Neri, including five Oratorian priests, one Oratorian brother, and 14 secular Oratorians. Beautiful and unexpected (and new!) to me... Read more

My beautiful friend Ann Burt, who I first met on these pages, (and later in real life in her hometown of Raleigh, NC!)  has found a vocation making retablos. The small devotionals are labors of love; Ann runs a decorative painting business for a living.  My husband and I gave a retablo to our son Gabriel, on his Confirmation day. I have just ordered a slew of them for friends in my life who are marking milestones and who have... Read more

 Guest post by Dwija Borobia Dwija Borobia, 30, her husband, and their four young children decided to buy a house – sight unseen – in rural Michigan off the internet. Two months ago, we ran a piece of her story here.  Here’s another piece. When I’m presented with a challenging circumstance, when the road gets a little bumpy and the things aren’t going the way I wish they would, I clam up.  I need time to process the valleys of life. ... Read more

Renoir’s “The Beach at Purnic” Summer Cometh by Lady Lindsay Summer cometh, Wild bee hummeth, In the sedge the kingcup blows; Gorse and briar Break to fire ‘Mid the woodbine and the rose. Where the larches Build green arches Coos the ring-dove, caws the rook; Mimic laughter Follows after From the streamlet’s sheltered nook. Summer passes, Lads and lasses! Hand in hand we’ll jog along; Love comes sweetly, Love goes fleetly, Through the pauses of our song. Read more