To become wholly pro-life, care for fragile families A decades-long study on vulnerable families aligns closely with the themes of Catholic social teaching. Katie is a 25-year-old single mom of two young children: a preschooler and burgeoning toddler. Living in a small town in rural Pennsylvania, Katie works in child care at a local day […]
After child loss, don’t forget grieving dads How can the church see, support, and stay with fathers after the death of a child? After the death of his son Eric in a mountain climbing accident, Nicholas Wolterstorff summed up the dilemma of the grieving parent in his book, Lament for a Son (Eerdmans): “I have no explanation. […]
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Offer up the little pains of parenting A mother rethinks the small sufferings of parenthood. I’ve always cringed when I hear the expression “offer it up.” While the phrase actually refers to something called redemptive suffering—the idea that our suffering can unite with Christ’s on the cross and, in doing so, can take on redemptive power […]
What is the X in Xmas? Even though we usually write Xmas for convenience, we are continuing with a sacred tradition. Abbreviations can be a blessing. At least I think so. They make communication easier. In the 21st century, an example of this is the way we often text with friends and family. Once you […]
A model of female leadership at Kolbe House Jail Ministry Meet MaryClare Birmingham, the first layperson to lead Chicago’s archdiocesan criminal justice reform ministry. After a winding career path that includes working both as an accountant and a physical therapist along with raising five children, criminal justice reform advocate MaryClare Birmingham affirms that she finally […]
This Advent, make room for a future without fear Do not be afraid. Good news of great joy is on the horizon. December feels like the soft landing every year could use. While January is often propelled by a crazed monster of executive function—New Year’s resolutions, goals and budgets, new semesters and scheduling!—the end of […]
Will supply chain shortages teach us to live with less? This Christmas season, American consumers may get a small taste of a common place in much of the rest of the world: scarcity. Toilet paper was the first product that seemed to disappear overnight as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold back in March 2020. Other […]
The church must find its way back to Jesus Christmas calls the church to refocus on its core mission, writes Father Bryan Massingale. Christmas celebrates a love so amazing it is beyond imagination and words. But what can this feast tell us about who the Catholic faith community is called to become, especially in times […]
6 names of Jesus to pray with this Christmas These three pairs of names can deepen your meditation on the mystery of the incarnation. Think of all the names you will write this season on Christmas cards, gift tags, shopping lists, and party invitations. Most of us have multiple names over the length of our […]