God at the center of Thanksgiving
If most people were asked to describe a "typical" or aspirational Thanksgiving celebration, they would likely describe a scene such as that portrayed in Norman Rockwell's iconic 1943 painting, "Freedom ...
Encouragement in Ordinary Time
Pope Leo XIV recently released the first extensive document of his papacy, "Dilexi Te," an Apostolic Exhortation on love for the poor. Almost immediately, pundits responded, some thoughtfully and others ...
Dressing up for Ordinary Time
For better or worse, my childhood days were lived before the age of the digital camera. So, the stories of my early life are preserved in shelves full of photo albums. As is likely the case for many, ...
A treasury for Ordinary Time
After many years spent in Catholic higher education, I have been pleasantly surprised to learn more each year about beautiful traditions and celebrations previously unknown to me. Thus, I was recently ...
A 'fruitful heritage' in Ordinary Time
As September dawned, eyes turned to Rome with joy to celebrate the canonizations of two young men -- Sts. Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis. In a particular way, many hoped that the holy lives of ...
Known by name in Ordinary Time
The start of every new semester is packed with activities that always manage to take me by surprise, even though they happen every term. These are the days to fine-tune my syllabus, adjust to a new class ...
A warm welcome in Ordinary Time
I was visiting a parish not my own when a young girl of about five greeted me. With a shy smile and the quiet encouragement of her family, she handed me a hand-colored greeting card welcoming me to her ...
New beginnings in Ordinary Time
Unbeknownst to me, when I changed my calendar to August, I entered "National Back-to-School Month." As fond as I am of new school supplies and the scent of new books, not even I knew that this is celebrated ...
