COLUMNS
Drinking with the saints, reclaiming Catholic merriment
The mention of booze generates a look of horror among many of the non-drinkers living and working alongside Michael P. Foley in Waco, Tex., where the Catholic dad teaches at a dry Baptist college. There’s a “skittishness,” he says.
Care for our home
After what seems like months of speculation, Pope Francis' long-anticipated encyclical on human ecology was released June 18 -- and it does not disappoint. Divided into six chapters, "Laudato Si' ("Praise Be to You"), on Care for Our Common Home," is a rich exploration of the interconnectedness that exists among …
The blessing of putting others first is the blessing of faith
The morning news disturbs me.
The Hero-Complex
Several years ago, the movie Argo won the Academy award as the best movie of the year.
Timeliness can make the world run better
My nugget of wisdom for today's graduates isn't about bringing world peace or making loads of money. It isn't about "remembering these days because they are the best," and it isn't about "keep your friends close always.
Setting out on a moral life, even while driving
My wife and I drove across Pennsylvania yesterday after a weekend visit to my hometown. It's about a six-hour trip, so we did the usual things to pass the time. We talked about work and the children and called several of them. We prayed the rosary. We played the alphabet …
World's eyes are opened to creation
When it became known that Pope Francis was writing the first papal encyclical ever to concentrate on environmental issues, the natural question to ask was what did this have to do with the Catholic Church.
'Simple and Unexpected'
"Its beginnings were at the same time simple and unexpected.” That is the way St. Vincent de Paul described the beginnings of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, the community to which I have belonged for nearly 48 years.
Charleston tragedy should drive us to, not away from, church
There are people who will steal, but never from a church. There are those who will kill, but never in a house of God, where the faithful congregate to worship and seek God's blessings for themselves and others.
Moving beyond the taunts and pain inflicted by bullies
We all have at least one person who understands us but not in a good way. You know the person. No matter how much you keep your distance, they seek you out with words that make you feel 6 inches tall.
Moving to a better mental space
Moving to a better mental spaceWe froze our first summer in Seattle. I had just finished sixth grade when my family left the Midwest for this strange new land. It never got really warm during the days. And the nights were always cold.
The sting of death and power of love
The day before issuing his much anticipated encyclical on the care of creation, "Laudato Si'," Pope Francis set aside time for a very different topic -- the sorrow and agony we experience in losing a beloved family member.
Seeing the good and sunny side of life
Last week, I was strolling along a bright avenue filled with restaurants and coffeehouses when I heard a funny little creaking noise coming from behind me.
Heading to the beach -- with the pope's encyclical
I must admit, encyclicals are not at the top of my summer reading pile. So, even though a papal document wouldn't normally go to the beach, "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home" by Pope Francis is definitely a must-read.
Walking in beauty
In May, the Pew Research Center reported that young U.S. adults are not identifying with any one religion. Pew surveyed 35,000 people and found that the percentage of Americans who identify as "Christians" had declined by 8 percent since 2007. Overall, the report said those who define as "religiously unaffiliated" …
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