“Walk with your feet on earth, but your heart in heaven.” —St. John Bosco Six-year-old Peter sat listening to his older brothers and little sister chat excitedly about Santa. It was early October, not even close to Christmas, but they exchanged stories of hearing reindeer on the roof and how …

For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Mt. 16:25) “Your life is not about you,” our pastor said with a chuckle as he began his homily. “Sorry to disappoint.” I nodded in solemn understanding from the vestibule. …

On a play date with neighborhood girls, my daughter tucked herself behind a couch during an innocent game of hide and seek, then waited excitedly. The joy and color drained from her face when she spotted the witchcraft books there. We were blindsided to learn her friend’s older sibling practiced …

“Train the young in the way they should go; even when old, they will not swerve from it” (Proverbs 22:6). My kids and I have a “crew meeting” every morning at nine. We cover the plan for the day and the rest of the week to make sure everyone is …

“They’re projecting that AI assistants will be available to consumers within the next ten years. Looks like John and Jane Doe will have personal robots at home.” My brother Brian punctuated this statement with his brow raised in excited curiosity, then took a sip of his coffee. “Personal robots,” I …

As a 22-year-old bride with a theology degree, I was confident I knew what I was getting into on my wedding day. You can laugh; it’s funny, I know. This month, we’ll have 17 years under our belts. And when we look at the photos this year, we’ll have our …

I know my pastor well, for a parishioner. My husband and I were friends with him years before he came to our church. Father Anthony’s sense of humor is clever; he keeps a clean house and an even cleaner office; he’s grounded and compassionate; and he’s a movie buff with …

I remember the moment I realized my mother was a person. It’s a strange thing to say; but prior to my twenties, my mom more closely resembled a resource. I could turn to her with my needs, confident she would have the solution. As a mother, she gave; and as …

Our whole family was on the way to dinner with friends—I was behind the wheel. Andrew rode shotgun, exhausted from work, and our crew almost filled the back of the van. Almost. Its eight-passenger occupancy accommodates our family of seven with room for the occasional tag-along. With my oldest approaching …

Because I hail from the Deep South, my list of essential items for a Lenten fish fry may differ slightly from your own. Here’s what you need for a good, down home, Southern fish fry. 1. Fried (cat)fish. Growing up, this meant venturing out onto the Red River or Lake …