Columns Archive

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God’s Dogs

I have a confession: I’m a dog man. And I married a dog woman. I’m not talking here about some sort of “Teen Wolf” situation, I merely mean that we […]

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Miracle at Cana Encourages Us to Turn to Jesus

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time The Book of Isaiah furnishes this weekend’s first reading. When this third section of Isaiah was written, the Hebrew people had just emerged from a […]

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In Pacific Palisades, Paradise Lost

I have trouble talking about the loss without tearing up, as if the smoke and ash from Los Angeles traveled across the country to find me. My in-laws were French […]

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Make the Virtue of Gratitude a Priority This Year

Recently, amidst the Christmas season and its festivities, the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) schedule at the parish had us discussing the Eucharist and the Mass. That particular […]

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Breathing Life Back into the World

“We … see all round us every day the living turning into the lifeless. What we never see is the lifeless turning into the living.” – Owen Barfield When I […]

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Christ’s Own Baptism Reveals His Plan for Our Salvation

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord The feast of the Baptism of the Lord is very important to the Church’s process of bringing us to Christ because it reveals […]

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Hope and Its Enemies

As a new year begins, it’s natural to look to the future with a sense of hope. But for Catholics, the Holy Year 2025 presents a unique opportunity to explore […]

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Holy Attention: Reclaiming Quiet in the New Year

If you’re trying to write a book about quiet and you’re a mom of four, you might need a few extensions on your deadline. Such was the reality for writer […]

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Don’t Let Jubilee Year 2025 Pass You By

On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis ushered in a gift to the Church that comes once every 25 years: a jubilee year, this year themed “Pilgrims of Hope.” Jubilee celebrations have […]

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In Christ, We Find All Peace and Happiness

Fourth Sunday of Advent This weekend observes the last Sunday in Advent. The first reading is from the Book of Micah, who is regarded as one of the minor prophets, […]

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Why I’m Spending Christmas in Bethlehem This Year

This Christmas, while massive crowds of pilgrims will flock to Rome for the opening of the Jubilee year, I’ll be spending the holy season in Bethlehem. For many, Rome’s grand […]

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Advent: We See What We’re Looking For

I’m old enough to remember reading Highlights Magazine in the waiting room at the doctor’s office. My favorite feature was the hidden pictures puzzle. The task was to find a […]