“Hey Patti, I’m getting serious about praying for my family. I’m going to do a 40-day fast and daily rosary, do you want to join me?” My friend Shellie Rusch asked me this recently. She has six kids and we have a spiritual sisterhood in many ways. As a wife and mother of ten, I…
Every Mother’s worst nightmare: “I could not just watch my children plunge to their deaths so I threw my body in front of the vehicle.” “Come on, Mom, let’s go,” my kids begged. It was a typical plea from kids painfully waiting for adults to finish up so they could get on with their own…
This story was originally published in Amazing Grace for Families. It is an uplifting reminder of how amazing life and love can be. “I can’t do this anymore,” I told my husband Kevin. After three years of painful fertility treatments with no results, enough was enough. The strong medication and the extreme hormone…
The Ten Commandments are not good because God gave them to us; he gave them to us because they are good. You don’t have to believe God or even believe in God to realize that the rules for everlasting life are also good rules…
The day before ND’s historical victory for life, our little prayer group ventured into an emotional pro-abortion rally. “Let’s get together today at 2:00 PM to pray and balance the offensive that will occur at 2:30 at the capitol.” my friend Isabel texted me. I decided that praying for the unborn…
Adopting a sibling group of six had seemed like a good idea in theory, but in reality, it seemed to be pushing the Walgamott family beyond their breaking point. One of my sons had come into my room, distraught. “Mom, why do you let them treat you this way?” My children, ages…
With the glow of Christmas still burning brightly, it’s a good time to contemplate the New Year in light of the gift of the Christ child. What does his coming mean to you and how can you take that with you into 2013? Diet, exercise, and quitting smoking are typical New Year’s resolutions. Improved health…
Spiritual Direction is often misunderstood, misused, or overlooked. To help unmask the intrigue and bring it out of obscurity, I asked three priests–Fr. Mitch Pacwa S.J., Fr. John McCloskey III STD, and Fr. Wayne Sattler –to share their thoughts on spiritual direction. I will introduce each separately, and then offer their reflections.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, what do you suppose a video image is worth? What about a video image of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament? I oversee our religious community’s web site. I had the idea to provide a live image of our Eucharistic Adoration chapel which…
A man experiencing poverty goes to Mass, gives what little he has, and is rewarded generously. “If you want more of something, then give away what you have,” Fr. Nick Schneider preached on a recent Sunday at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit. “If you want more joy, then give joy to…
Baseball unified this father and daughter in this world and became a connection between them in the afterlife. As third base coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1992, I was at the top of the world. Although it was only March, it was obvious we had a strong team and could expect a winning season….
1. Pope Benedict XVI’s Congratulation to President Obama In his message, the Holy Father offered best wishes to the President, and promised continued prayers on his behalf. The Pope assured the re-elected President that he will ask God to help him in his high responsibility to the country and the international community. The Pope also…