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Columns

Partners in the Gospel

By Elizabeth Foss
I have a theory about mothers of large families and Empty Nest Syndrome. We are not afflicted, at least not in the conventional way. As the friends who had babies with us when we had our first begin to enjoy (or lament) their empty nests, we see ours still quite full. Three of my children […]
1/25/16
Reading Time 3 min

At the heart of the tragedy of addiction

By Father Tad Pacholczyk
Addiction can be extremely harmful, and in some cases, fatal for those individuals ensnared by it. It can be seriously disruptive and damaging to those around them. Who is to blame when it comes to addiction? Family and friends may think to themselves, “Why can’t Jane just stop drinking?” Or, “Doesn’t Joe understand that his […]
1/20/16
Reading Time 3 min

A patron saint for writers

By Thomas J. Craughwell

Lots of saints were prolific writers, but St. Francis de Sales was not just prolific, he was persuasive. The little leaflets he published on the truths of the Catholic faith - written in clear, polished prose - brought thousands of Calvinists back to the church. And for nearly 400 years his Introduction to the Devout Life has been a beloved "how to" book on giving up sinful habits and growing closer to God.

1/20/16
Reading Time 3 min

Mercy begins at home

By Fr. Jack Peterson, Ya
Homecomings can be powerful moments. In this account, taken from the pages of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus returns home to Nazareth at the age of 30 after going away for some time to finalize preparations for His public ministry and to initiate it in Jerusalem. He knows that prophets often are not accepted in their own […]
1/20/16
Reading Time 3 min

What to do when a family member leaves the church

By Fr. John Catoir
Recently, I received a letter from a person desperate because his brother left the church in anger, saying a lot of what the church teaches is a myth. I told the person I would pray for the situation. But I imagine there are a lot of similar situations out there. Here are a few thoughts […]
1/20/16
Reading Time 2 min

Marlon Brando’s type of ‘love’

By Mary Beth Bonacci
I saw one of those celebrity magazines at the drugstore the other day. The headline read: “The 22 women Brando loved and destroyed.” I looked at it and thought, “This nation needs a serious national conversation about what the word ‘love’ means.” A few days later, curious what this “love” looked like, I googled the […]
1/19/16
Reading Time 4 min

An opportunity to grow

By Effie Caldarola
January can be a drag, a real letdown. The remaining Christmas cookies are stale crumbs, and the tree, once so respected, has been ingloriously dragged out of the house to be recycled into mulch. One by one, the Christmas lights in the neighborhood have gone out, as if some festive power grid is failing, and […]
1/13/16
Reading Time 3 min

One heroic minute at a time

By Christina Capecchi
Oprah Winfrey has joined Weight Watchers, which means she is not only a card-carrying, point-counting member of the weight-loss club, she is also a part owner. That’s how you do it when you’re Oprah: You go big or you don’t bother. For the 61-year-old billionaire, news of her involvement in the company and her investment […]
1/12/16
Reading Time 3 min

Belloc and Christendom

By Russell Shaw
Chatting with a British bishop who’d said the famous Catholic writer Hilaire Belloc sometimes came to his home when he was a child to visit his father, a friend, I asked the obvious question: What was Belloc like? The bishop didn’t say a lot, but I do remember this: “… an old man in a […]
1/12/16
Reading Time 3 min

‘Do whatever He tells you’

By Fr. Robert Wagner
The church puts forth the Blessed Virgin Mary as the model of prayerful intercession. We fly to her patronage with our petitions, knowing that she can present them to her Son, Jesus Christ, as only a beloved mother could. At the wedding feast at Cana, we witness Our Lady do just this as she interceded […]
1/12/16
Reading Time 3 min

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