When I was young, another child would sometimes let me fill in a page of her colouring-in book. As she handed me the crayons, there would be the warning, “Don’t go over the lines!” I always did. In spite of good intentions, a crayon would slip, or I’d try to improve the picture by adding Read more
Don’t pile pressure on women to look ‘authentic’ just after they have given birth. How disappointing that some people criticised Kate Middleton for looking “unrealistic” when she emerged, with Prince William and new baby, Louis Arthur Charles, for the press photocall. It seems that some people wouldn’t have been satisfied unless Middleton had come staggering Read more
Palm Sunday, I go to early morning Mass and the entrance hymn is an old friend! It’s an old, (1840,) Methodist hymn, “All Glory Laud And Honor!! Now I admit, the blessing of the palms and the reading of the Passion we’re moving, and the homily was first rate! But, as good as it was, Read more
Do you remember the childhood story Stone Soup? It’s an old folk tale about a couple of hungry travelers who creatively entice hesitant villagers to fill their large cooking pot with delicious soup ingredients. After the initial refusal of the villagers to feed the hungry travelers, the two men fill their pot with stream water, Read more
When the monsignor reached out and tenderly held the little boy’s face, I lost it. And it only got worse. When Pope Francis called the reluctant Emanuele up to whisper his question about where his beloved father went after death, I was crying so obviously that the other customers in line at Starbucks looked up Read more
Pope Francis this weekend will ordain eleven new priests for the Diocese of Rome. At a Mass in St Peter’s Basilica to celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Easter, otherwise known as “Good Shepherd Sunday,” the pope will also ordain five other men for two different religious orders. But only five of Rome’s 11 new priests Read more
It’s easy to start playing the Busy Parent Card. You know the one: You read an article about ways to better connect or deepen your relationship with God and say, “Yeah, well, glad that works for other people, but no way that works for me! I’ve got kids! I’ve got work to do! I’ve got people to feed and Read more
Worrying about possible drug use, alcohol abuse and drunk driving; concerns about smoking and vaping; pushing kids too hard to succeed in school and at sports; providing a home and financial support; paying attention to grades and schoolwork; getting them to eat healthy and go to church or temple or simply disconnect and get outside… Read more
People love him, there’s no doubt about that. The Messiah, some say, while others blaspheme, calling him Son of God. You wouldn’t think him worthy of any title, he looks so ordinary, a man in a simple tunic with a rope belt, an untidy beard. Yet I have seen him heal a child with bones Read more
Let’s start by telling the truth: we love a tiny fragment of the world’s population. I didn’t lose a wink of sleep over the Syrian women and children who died because of chemical weapons. I don’t feel a twinge of guilt when I eat my dinner and think of hungry, homeless families sleeping under interstate Read more