The American Catholic Almanac: A Daily Reader of Patriots, Saints, Rogues, and Ordinary People Who Changed the United States, by Brian Burch and Emily Stimpson, is one of those books you will return to again and again. It’s a fine resource…
The Conewago Chapel
Practical Ideas for Faith Formation Classes
I spend much time thinking about how to share the faith with families. The fact that it is my job is only part of the reason, the main reason is because it is important. This school year I have implemented…
The Sneakiest of the Deadly Sins
Readings for October 12, 2014: 28th Sunday of Ordinary Time At age 16, life was about rock ‘n roll. If my own band was not performing on Saturday night, I was out in the audience, watching another band. It would…
Reconciling Love and Justice
Psalm 145:8-9 tells us that “the Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The Lord is good to all and compassionate toward all his works.” Does this mean that God will forgive anything? He is…
Make Babies
Sixth-grade catechism class naturally covers a lot of Catholic themes during its year-long trip through the Bible. One of them is marriage and children. I don’t ever stand in front of the kids and say, “Marriage and babies are good,…
Blessed, Beautiful and Bodacious
Pat Gohn, cancer survivor, celebrates womanhood by exploring a woman’s dignity, gifts and mission with exciting, personal stories. Discovering the gift of her womanhood brought her into a deeper relationship with God, her husband, family, and, to her surprise, the…
Cutting Through New Evangelization Branding
What is the New Evangelization? Given all the events, programs, and committees claiming the phrase “New Evangelization,” it’s actually kind of hard to tell sometimes. By the time “New Evangelization” talk makes its way from diocesan conferences and ministerial discussions to…
Peace and Security
Readings for October 5, 2014: 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time A few years ago, I toured northern England. There, stretching 73 miles from coast to coast, the Roman Emperor Hadrian built a massive wall. Constructed of stone, it was built…
The Awe and Wonder of Creation
I have always loved the stories of St Francis Assisi and the animals. I’m sure most people are familiar with the story of the wolf that was attacking a village and how Francis was able to speak to the wolf…
Evernote as a Prayer Journal
It may sound overly geeky — the idea of using a tool like Evernote to help you with your prayer life. But then, I’m a pretty big geek. In their marketing lingo, Evernote says of itself, “For everything you’ll do,…