What About Me?
by Heather Vacca Voccola in News on Wednesday, February 01, 2012 11:59 AM
What about my rights? As a woman? As a Catholic? As a mother? As an American citizen?
What about me?
For the past two weeks, there has been a lot of talk in Catholic circles about the HHS contraception mandate and the March for Life I’ve read countless articles, blog reports and op-eds regarding this divisive decision and the lack of media attention toward the hundreds of thousands of people in Washington.
As a woman and mother with “rights,” I have a few questions of my own:
1. Paying for Immorality... READ MORE
Vote For My Guy Or You're Stupid
by Susie Lloyd in News on Friday, January 27, 2012 9:05 AM
“If you vote for him ... there will be no excuse for you before God.” —Facebook.
Election time is here! That singular moment when Catholics who hold exactly the same values based on faith, hope, and charity, tear each other apart.
Well not literally. But there is talk about sin and hell and who’s a real Catholic, and who isn’t. All based on the vote!
This is nothing new. It happens during every election. It’s a great way to make people get mad and stop listening. So why do we keep falling for it?... READ MORE
Fight or Flight
by Kelly Dolin in Family on Saturday, January 21, 2012 3:57 PM
Adrenaline assists the human body in mounting a response in times of trouble. Fight or flight—that’s what we’re supposed to do when facing peril. But what if instead your innate response is pure paralysis?
I’m about twelve years old. I’m window shopping at the mall. I exit one store and stroll into the mall area to wander through a car show. A man walks up and starts reading a display out loud. He makes some kind of small talk—I can’t remember what he said exactly.
I move on. And so does he. He... READ MORE
Thriving!
by Arwen Mosher in Family on Sunday, January 15, 2012 9:13 PM
I’ll admit it: when I read the title and opening paragraphs of Jen Fulwiler’s recent post at the National Catholic Register blog, I stifled a sigh. The piece is called “Moms of Young Children: The Time to Thrive Is Now” and I was afraid I was about to read another screed about how mothers could be fit, organized, and put-together (with harmonious marriages and deep spiritual lives) if only we would self-motivate, prioritize, and Make Time for Us.
I’m a mom of young children. I exhaust myself daily... READ MORE
In Praise of Unknown Engineers
by Jake Frost in Family on Monday, January 09, 2012 10:52 PM
Who can name the geniuses who have wrought our modern world? The scientists and engineers whose imagination, sweat and determination created the artifacts of material culture we use and rely upon each day?
I’m not talking Thomas Edison, Henry Ford or the Wright brothers. Everyone already knows about light-bulbs and cars and airplanes. But how about the inventor of the zip-lock bag? The lowly but lovely Swifter? Those hardy and child resilient Corelle plates?
Maybe they aren’t as exciting... READ MORE
Home By Another Way
by Kelly Dolin in Faith on Thursday, January 05, 2012 8:44 PM
In my work in The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, I am preparing to celebrate epiphany. In the atrium, we will ponder the long journey of the wise men; we will talk about the fact that they fell prostrate in the presence of their savior; we will read about how they returned to their country by a different way.
They returned to their country by a different way.
They had had an epiphany. We will say the word. We will define it - “a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential... READ MORE
Wonderful Christmastime
by Rachel Balducci in Family on Sunday, January 01, 2012 6:26 PM
We got the prettiest Christmas tree this year. As part of our annual family ritual, we loaded up the kids and headed out to the country to our favorite tree farm, just like we’ve done every year since Paul and I were first married.
Our very first Christmas, Paul tagged along with friends. I was working my weekend shift as the obituary writer at the paper, so the two of us grabbed a tree in town and he went along that Sunday for the ride.
The next year, and nearly every year since then, we have gone... READ MORE
Making (Imperfect) Memories
by Colleen Duggan in Family on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 4:57 PM
For the last couple weeks, I have planned various Christmas projects so the kids and I can work together in a constructive, memory-making kind of way. I admit to grandiose visions of homemade goodness prepared in an atmosphere of familial calm, peace, and love but the reality is more reflective of preschool playhouse bar room fights (if there were such a thing).
Take yesterday, for example.
As soon as I had organized the three older children in their cooking aprons, Patrick started shouting at... READ MORE
Merry Christmas, Baby
by Gina Loehr in Faith on Sunday, December 25, 2011 12:00 AM
I just can’t help it. Whenever someone says “The Infant Jesus” I immediately picture the dusty porcelain statue of the Infant of Prague with a chip missing from his nose in the back of church.
Robed in a white silk dress, wearing a crown full of fake jewels and holding a baby sized scepter, he is the picture of piety and delicacy. He’s not for cuddling or cooing; he’s not even for touching. He’s just for admiring from afar.
Stale images like this take up too much space in my stifled religious imagination.... READ MORE
Eyes On Your Own Nativity
by Kelly Dolin in Faith on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 3:00 PM
I recently gleaned some useful Christmas advice from a combox here at Faith and Family Live!. Commenter StephC was responding to a mother who is where most of us have been at one time or another: Overwhelmed. Tired, out of steam, even hopeless—and riding the Polar Express full speed into That Most Wonderful Time of the Year.
Steph’s advice? Keep your eyes on your own nativity. As we enter the final days of preparation for the great feast of Christmas, we would all do well to take this to heart.
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