Within months of being received into the Catholic Church in 2001, a Catholic friend who knew that I liked to “process” life by writing said to me, “Here’s a suggestion: don’t publicize or publish anything about your becoming Catholic for at least 10 years. Stay under the radar. Soak it all in. Don’t try to […]
5/4/23
Reading Time
3
min
By Elizabeth Foss
The last few months have been objectively stressful. There were unexpected trips away from home to provide necessary care to grown children who were sick and needed someone “on the ground” with them — my husband and me together, and then tag-teaming it, trading off so that one of us was at home and one […]
5/4/23
Reading Time
4
min
By Russell Shaw
Father Virgil Blum was fed up. He’d had his fill of anti-Catholicism and the frequently feeble Catholic response. So, Father Blum, a feisty Jesuit professor of political science at Marquette University in Milwaukee, decided to do something concrete about it by founding a Catholic and anti-defamation organization to protect the good name and interests of […]
5/3/23
Reading Time
3
min
By Christina Capecchi
It all started with a used coat. Betty Henson didn’t need her fuzzy green coat anymore, so she offered it to her son, an aspiring puppeteer. Jim stuffed and stitched it, creating a round head, dense torso and lanky limbs. He folded a deep mouth and split a ping pong ball to make the eyes. […]
5/3/23
Reading Time
3
min
By Fr. Steven Oetjen
Gospel Commentary April 30, Jn 10:1-10 There are many gates in Scripture. Cities and fortresses have gates. The Temple has gates. Even Hades has gates, and Christ said that those gates of hell would not be able to withstand the church he founded on Peter the rock (Mt 16:18). Today we hear about a particular […]
4/29/23
Reading Time
3
min
By Fr. Jack Peterson, YA
There are many beautiful aspects of our faith to ponder in today’s readings. I invite you to glance at three: the rock, the shepherd and the gift. First, let’s take the opportunity to marvel at the transformation of St. Peter. A little more than 50 days before his exhortation recounted for us today in the […]
4/22/23
Reading Time
3
min
By Mary Beth Bonacci
I’ve been going through my Dad’s stuff. He lived with me for the past two years of his life, so his presence still lingers in literally every corner of my house. It’s been difficult, but cathartic. One of the best parts of this final task has been discovering his notes. For as long as I […]
4/21/23
Reading Time
5
min
By Elizabeth Foss
Unexpectedly, I find myself in Virginia as the Easter season begins. My son required an urgent tonsillectomy, and that put me in the car driving south just as the church celebrated the resurrection. When I left Connecticut, it was dark and damp and cloudy. It felt like I hadn’t seen the sun in months, and […]
4/21/23
Reading Time
4
min
By Deacon Robert M. Silva
When the diocesan Office for the Protection of Children and Young People (OPCYP) was established 20 years ago in the wake of the church’s clergy sexual abuse crisis, the goal was to educate the laity and the clergy that child abuse occurs, teach how to detect the warning signs and most importantly, instruct how to […]
4/20/23
Reading Time
3
min
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6/8/26
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Father’s face