Letting Go
(2 minute read) Here we go again. This month my youngest son gets his learner’s permit, which means, in our state, that in approximately 9 months, we’ll birth a new driver. These 9 months will be fraught with anxieties, frustrations, and excitement, as were the 9 months I carried him...
Smile: Jesus is at the Door
(2 minute read) I once served at a soup kitchen that had a homemade sign taped to the inside of the door that read, “Smile: Jesus is at the Door.” I was a college freshman on a spring break service trip, and I was nervous. I knew that Jesus had...
Tips for Talking to Tweens and Teens about the Faith
(2 minute read) “If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.”– Yogi Berra The above quote from Yogi Berra is pretty profound. If we don’t know we were made for heaven, how are we going to live our lives as disciples? Tweens and teens...
Tips for Making Sunday a Sabbath Day
(1 minute read) “It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do without Holy Mass.” – St. Padre Pio “The institution of Sunday helps all "to be allowed sufficient rest and leisure to cultivate their familial, cultural, social, and religious lives" (CCC 2194). Unfortunately,...
Party People
(2 minute read) Last July, my neighbor asked my then 5 year old son how his summer was going. My son responded, “It’s going great. We have parties, like… every day. (big sigh) Yah, we’re party people.” I laughed so hard as I assured my neighbor that we don’t actually...
Tips for Preparing for Mass
(1 minute read) “The angels surround and help the priest when he is celebrating Mass.” – St. Augustine There is so much going on in a Mass that can’t be seen except through the eyes of faith. As children grow, they need to hear about what’s going on in Mass...
Tips for Talking to Your Children about Going to Mass
(1 minute read) “If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy.” – St. Jean Vianney Sometimes taking children to Mass is decidedly not joyful! The struggles to get dressed, in the car, and through the Mass with minimal whining, screaming, complaining, or foot dragging can seem like...
Jesus Loves Me, This I Know
I’m a practical person. I want to know what I need to do to get things done. When I dream about something, I soon turn to making it a reality—like a home improvement project or an island vacation. I know there are people out there who dream for the sake...
Tips for Shared Family Experiences (Part 3)
(1 minute read) Shared family faith experiences can foster strong connections among family members, build trust, and invigorate our faith. Here are 3 tips to explore different ways of praying as a family. Check out our guide to find many different forms of prayer and choose a way of praying that your...
Tips for Shared Family Experiences (Part 2)
(1 minute read) Participating in activities together creates and strengthens family bonds. Learning together as a family, where the parents are also learning rather than teaching, can be life-giving and enjoyable for everyone, and allows kids to take ownership of the experience just as much as the parents. Here are...