Precious Gift of Life
For three weeks in a row we are celebrating the funeral of a Sister, and some Sisters are under Hospice care, the vestibule to the next world. This is making me more conscious that my life too has an expiration date. It has also heightened my awareness of how precious my life is. Each morning […]
Listening to God
Listening to God is essential for cultivating the spiritual life. During Lent a frequent refrain is “If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.” God speaks to us through multiple channels. It is dangerous and dumb to put his voice on mute. Listen to Scripture The Bible is God’s Word. Sometimes it can […]
DNA Facts from a Friend
A marvel of our human body
Happy Chance Encounters
God sometimes plants a chance encounter along the path of our life that amazes us and makes a big difference. Encounter in Hawaii Every day I post a cartoon on Facebook (except now during Lent). This has become a ministry for me. Many people tell me they enjoy reading the cartoons and ask where I […]
Black Saints, Present and Upcoming
February is Black history month. In its honor, I present a few Black Saints and those on the way to canonization. The Process of Canonization Usually five years after a person’s death, someone petitions a bishop to open a cause for canonization. After approval,the proposed person is called Servant of God. An appointed person gathers […]
Visit to Guatemala
My nephew Andy invited me to visit him in Guatemala so a member of his family could meet his girlfriend, who isn’t able to enter the USA. Last week he treated me to a vacation jam-packed with activities that left me exhausted but full of wonderful memories. Seeing this country firsthand was an eyeopener. I […]
Pier Giorgio Frassati, A New Young Saint
Pier Giorgio is the subject of a book I just read. I’m glad I did because I hadn’t been acquainted with this young man. What an appealing model for young people today! He was born in Turin, Italy, on April 6, 1901. Pier’s mother was a painter and practiced the minimum of faith. His father, […]
Silence Is Precious
Silence is easy to come by for me lately—now that Ohio is wrapped in a thick blanket of snow. The other day I sat mesmerized, watching the large, lacy flakes dance their way down from the sky. Silence, God’s First Language God speaks in silence. Remember how the prophet Elijah waited for the Lord to […]
Saints for Fun
Because joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, naturally saints have a sense of humor. They are not the solemn, dour people as sometimes assumed to be. This quality makes them attractive. Arguably the prime example of a saint who loved to have fun was St. Philip Neri. He walked around in shoes too […]
Children and Prayer Anecdotes
We all have memories of learning how to pray. I remember my mother practicing the Our Father and other prayers with me as I swung in our basement. This was for my Wednesday catechism classes. My friend’s Italian mother used the Hail Mary, which speaks of “fruit of thy womb,” to teach her about the […]