The first time I saw his car, it took several moments to read through all the bumper stickers.  They were all pro-life and upbeat.  Some in English, some in Spanish, all of them extolling the virtue of bringing life into…

Thank God for the mediocre priests. 

Praise Him for the lukewarm and wishy-washy Church leaders.

Bless Him for the days of half-hearted adherence to Church teaching and the post-conciliar years of the infallible self.

And I mean that from the bottom of my…

I got the phone call as we were sitting down to dinner.

It had to be a matter of life and death, because I can’t remember my Dad’s sister ever calling me on the phone.

“He’s in the hospital, dying, and he…

It’s a typical daily Mass, and I’m participating from behind the glass doors where I’ve taken refuge with my loud toddler.  Belly bulging with new baby, it’s a struggle to kneel on the tile floor, and I am somewhat resentful.

“Lord,…

My cousin died last week.

It’s not like we were close — we hadn’t seen each other since we were kids, and there is no reconciliation between his “lifestyle” and mine.

Richard and his sister were adopted by my relatives when they…

Lent is winding down, but it’s still cold, and early Monday mornings are stiff with the desire to stay in bed.

I left my keys in my husband’s car last night, but didn’t realize it until all the children were in…

I like to muse about the family gatherings which will take place when I have passed into eternity.  I think about my grown children gathering over food, discussing politics and the weather, dandling my grand- and great-grandchildren on their knees. …

A Thanks-gathering update

On the tenth day of of Christmas, my true love gave to me – the chance to say thank you in DC!

In November, I related my family’s experience on the White House lawn where we gathered to say thank you…

Ours is no longer a twelve-passenger van.  Not since the dog chewed through one of the seat belts.  And now that the kids are getting bigger, we can’t fill all three seat belts in one row.  There has to be…

 Even with three layers on the bottom and four layers on the top, it was cold.  Winter weather, not fall.  Not even late fall.  But this is a season of thanks, and like the tenth leper, we were on our…