How the Divine Liturgy helps me become more childlike
“Kiss icon! Kiss icon!” squeals my 2-year-old. She lunges forward and touches her lips to the icon of Mary and Jesus before us in the line for Communion. Other children…
How to find your family prayer style
Every evening around the world, Catholic families kneel together and pray the beautiful prayer of the Rosary in peace and joy. Meanwhile, other Catholic families kneel together and pray the…
There’s no better way to spend Mother’s Day
On my mother’s last Mother’s Day, in 1997, I was 13 years old. Earlier in the week, I had hitched a ride with a friend to the mall so that…
Planting seeds of faith in motherhood
“Rose ree! Rose ree!” My toddler squirmed out of my arms, attempting to reach for my rosary after hearing the beads clink together in the dark. Like most nights, I…
One year of grace: What god can undo with a willing heart
The liturgical calendar from Lent to Lent will forever remind me of my year of grace — the year my husband and I fully came to the Lord. This past…
How to find peace in the chaos of family life
Life is so chock-full of upheaval, confusion and change that it can start to make us feel like oranges being squeezed for Sunday brunch. This can be downright depressing, terrifying…
How to endure the silent season of childlessness
Childlessness is one of the most heart-wrenching and loneliest struggles a woman can experience. The pain is silent, leaving many feeling isolated and devastated that their time to be a…
When there is nothing left to say, say ‘Jesus’
My 1-year-old son has been practicing some new words recently. He loves to look around the house and point and name people and things: “Nana,” “Papa,” “Dada,”’ “Mama,” “Kitty,” “Nana.”…
The joys of being a godmother
A godmother. There is almost something mystical about the term. Children’s fairy tales are full of these kind, magical figures who always make things turn out right. That enchanting impression…
Experiencing childbirth in light of the Resurrection
A year or so after my first child was born, a pregnant friend and I were chatting about her plans for childbirth. She was unsure whether or not to use…