We are in Advent, preparing to celebrate God’s incredible act of kindness to us human beings. Kindness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, meaning that God is alive and active in us. On the Internet I saw a list of things considered good etiquette. This inspired me to draw up a list of twenty […]
Len Calabrese, a friend of mine, wrote an article for the series “Why I Am Catholic” in his parish’s Gesu News. Thinking that his reflection is a good refresher for all of us Catholics, I asked Len for permission to share it on my blog. Here’s hoping that it evokes a deeper appreciation of your […]
In the Pastor’s Notes of the bulletin from St. Dominic Church (where I spent many happy years) Father Tom Fanta offers some tips for a pleasant and holy Thanksgiving. I thought they were worth sharing and think you will too: There is always a bit of tension as families prepare to gather for a holiday. […]
Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving. Now safe travels!
This is a continuation of the previous blog post: We should not hesitate to relay to someone a positive remark that a third party has made about the person. To pass on praise is to do a friend a favor. Ego inflation is one kind of inflation we should not fear today. Most of us […]
Years ago I wrote the article “In Praise of Praise” that was published in the Catholic Digest. It still holds true today. Because it is quite long, I will post it in two parts . . . Mollie was the sunshine on our faculty. She had the gift of creating joy wherever she went. If […]
Recently a friend said that mindfulness is helping her through a grieving process. Mindfulness is living fully aware of the present moment: who we are, what are we feeling, and what is happening right now. Rooted in Buddhism, mindfulness is gaining in popularity today. Often we dwell on things of the past. Remembering and cherishing […]
National Vocation Awareness Week is November 3-9. As a former vocation director for my community and for the Diocese of Cleveland, I can attest that promoting vocations is hard work! But it doesn’t depend on individuals who do it as a full-time ministry. Parishes can be powerhouses for stirring up vocations. I’ve just read a […]
My nephew Andy recently brought me a gift from Guatemala: the most beautiful rosary I’ve ever seen, the blue one pictured here. As its name implies, the rosary is a prayer comparable to offering Our Blessed Mother a garland of roses. Since we are in October, the month of the rosary, I offer you some […]
Today is Columbus Day, and last week I spent touring Washington, D.C., and Virginia with a group. The experience left me with a thirst to learn more about American history and a gave me a renewed appreciation for our democracy. My brain is on overload now with information about our history. I think it’s fitting […]
The Sisters of Notre Dame of Chardon, Ohio, belong to an international congregation of more than two thousand apostolic women religious. We are one in mind and one in heart for the transformation of the world in Christ. 