The recently begun school year brought with it the smell of fresh pencil shavings, the squeak of shoes on newly waxed linoleum and a new round of stonewalling to the question, “What did you do at school today?” For generations, the most common answer to this question has been “Nothing,” followed closely by “I don’t know” … Continue reading How to Get Your Children to Tell You about Their Day at School
Do you remember John Lennon’s album from the early 1980’s, Double Fantasy? It was released just three weeks before his untimely death and ended up winning the Grammy in 1981 for Album of the Year. As someone who was very much into music at that time, I will never forget how the songs from that … Continue reading (Just Like) Starting Over . . .
by Ed Harpring July calls to mind the celebration of Independence Day, ice cream, cookouts, pools, beaches, or anywhere just to cool off. Almost these activities are associated with familes and family fun in the sun. This summer, however, the news spotlight has been focused on families who are in turmoil - suffering migrant families … Continue reading Separating Families on the Border and the Catholic Teaching on Immigration
by Deacon Stephen Bowling As July settles in and the days get hot, I marvel at just how many folks I’m seeing who actually are taking real, formal vacations. It seems the days of “giving it a miss” as Monty Python would say are becoming more and more infrequent – and I for one am … Continue reading The Power of Presence
by Deacon Derrick and Mistianna Barnes Today we're going to tackle head-on, one of the biggest questions we hear regarding having a successful marriage . . . Is it True ... Do The Couples Who Go To Mass Together, Stay Together? Derrick: I want to share with you some of the most intimate moments that … Continue reading “Is It True?”
by Ed Harpring Religious Freedom week is especially providential this year. In the last two days the Supreme Court has decided two significant wins in favor of for Religious Freedom. As Catholic News Agency reported on June 25, the Supreme Court vacated a Washington state ruling against local florist Barronelle Stutzman, who in 2013 declined … Continue reading Religious Freedom Week 2018
by Deacon Stephen Bowling It is no accident that Saint Thomas More is one of our exemplars for Religious Freedom Week. As a self-professed student of the man and his writings (both my offices are heavily decorated with his images), I find it comforting that the Church sees fit to place him very much “in … Continue reading The Sheer Audacity of Thomas More
by Ed Harpring "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.” MT 5:11 On June 4th, the Supreme Court decided the much-anticipated Religious Freedom case of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission in favor of Jack Phillips, a Christian baker who declined … Continue reading “Standing Up for Faith: The Supreme Court Decision on Religious Freedom”
It is nearly impossible to be engaged in current events without hearing the phrase “children at risk.” According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 24 million children in America — one out of three children — now live in a home in which the biological father is absent. However, nearly every study conducted through the social … Continue reading Pastoral Care . . . Fathers Matter
by Deacon Stephen Bowling I must confess writing about the concept of fatherhood fills me with a bit of dread. As a father myself, and as a son as well, I cannot help but think of the concept in terms of flaws and imperfection. The responsibility is so huge, the goal so important and the … Continue reading The Unattainable Heights of Fatherhood