Just a short walk from my home is a cozy cafe that I visit daily. Many evenings I can be found sipping a great Fair Trade blend of coffee, nibbling on one of their delightful sweets, and engrossed in a…
Just Talk to Me
A How-To Guide for Adoration with Small Children
As part of my daughter’s American Heritage Girls troop service hours, each family is asked to volunteer at the 24 hour Adoration Chapel. 1 hour. 60 minutes. Doesn’t seem like a lot of time to give, but with small children…
Other People’s Vocations
“I don’t love it!” That’s what our then-four-year-old used to say whenever she didn’t care for something. Time to turn off the TV? Clean-up? Go to bed? I don’t love it. When I tell people I enjoy teaching religious education,…
Thanksgiving and Eucharist
Readings for November 22, 2012: Thanksgiving Day Mass For Americans, the term “Thanksgiving” conjures up images of turkey and cranberry sauce, parades and bowl games. These “traditions” have come to mark an event made a perpetual institution of American life…
Knowing the Person of Jesus
Being that the World Synod of Bishops recently covered the theme of the New Evangelization, I had been mining for quotes, ideas, and themes to engage here. This quote, however, stopped me: The Gospel that Jesus Christ came to reveal…
Two Callings: One God
Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the…
So, You Wanna Evangelize?
I have to be honest: I’m a reluctant evangelist at best. I don’t want to go face-to-face with anyone about religion or, really, anything. I don’t want to pretend to discuss something that’s going to turn into a defense or…
RCIA – First Steps in the Catholic Church
The goal of the New Evangelization is to spread the Gospel message – bringing fallen away Catholics back to the faith and introducing new Catholics to the faith for the first time. But what’s next? For adults, it’s RCIA, of…
Hasten the End
Readings for November 18, 2012: Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Whenever I lead a trip to the Holy Land, the question inevitably comes, “Will we visit Armageddon?’ This refers to the battlefield surrounding the ancient city of Megiddo where some…
Praying for the Holy Souls
It’s November and Catholics are reminded to pray for the release of the Holy Souls in Purgatory. While growing up, I was taught to pray and attend Mass on All Souls Day, November 2, for the souls. It wasn’t until…