My husband and I often get asked if we’re done having kids, especially when we’re out with our wonderfully conspicuous four young children. When we respond that no, we aren’t “done,” some tell us we’re crazy, but most people want to know more. To some, we are akin to a circus act, but others are … Read more
November is the month that we as Catholics set aside to pray for the dead. More specifically, we are praying for the souls in Purgatory. It’s a word that most, if not all, Catholics are familiar with, but one that some might be hard-pressed to explain, especially to children. Here’s some information that might help … Read more
A family pilgrimage can be a wonderful and fruitful summer activity, an opportunity to grow in faith together as well as explore a new part of the country or even a new-to-you parish in your town. Whether you choose a location near or far doesn’t matter, as long as you enter into the spirit of … Read more
Summer brings with it such joy. Children celebrate being free from the confines of the school schedule. The days grow longer and the sunshine lasts past bedtime, which always seems to inch later and later as June progresses. As a parent, I love the joy my children find in summer and how that joy saturates … Read more
Mother Teresa once said that “joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” Tellingly, she also said that, “it is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to … Read more
Over the past few years, as a consequence of working with the very talented Rebecca Gorzynska on our Marian Consecration, I have had the opportunity to get to know a group of Catholic women makers. These women astound me with their creativity, their brilliance, their business acumen, and most importantly their faith. In getting to … Read more
It’s starting to feel like Summer . . . It’s finally warmed up here in Michigan, which of course means that we went from snow a few weeks ago to 90 degree temps, because of course. June is always a favorite month of mine- it always brings the expectation and anticipation that summer (and summer … Read more
We’ve gotten in the habit of listening to lauds and vespers sung by the talented Paul Rose of Sing the Hours. I’ve loved the opportunity its given my kids to get to know a form of prayer I’ve loved for over a decade and to become familiar with the rhythms of the psalms. William is … Read more
We spend 40 days preparing for Easter. We choose something to fast from; we put thought and effort into our prayer lives; we look for ways to give back to others in need. Then Easter arrives, and so many of us, myself included, are content to celebrate for the day and then go right back … Read more
One of my sharpest memories as a child is of my grandmother’s house. It was a warm, comforting place, one of my favorites to visit. I loved spending time there with her. And at the end of her hallway was a print of Raphael’s Madonna and Child. Gram lives with us now, and that same … Read more