When You Need a Life Jacket

Years ago when I was overwhelmed by a seemingly impossible task and beset by criticism, lack of support, and bad luck, a woman I didn’t know came to visit. She proposed another job for me to consider taking on. As I walked her to her car, I said, “Pray for me.” Right then and there […]

(Holy) Poor Souls and Saints: The Next World

The day after I flew home from a conference in Chicago, I googled my name. (That sometimes proves interesting.) That night a shocking notice appeared—an obituary for Kathleen Glavich! Did our plane go down? Am I in twilight zone? Am I dreaming? I didn’t feel dead. I clicked on the notice and it took me […]

When Things Go Wrong

We all have periods in our lives when so many things go wrong, we wonder what else could happen…and then, surprise, it does! The other day at 6:30 AM I got in the car to go to Mass in the dark, and the key wouldn’t turn in the ignition. This had never happened before. In […]

Saints, Human Like Us

What is your concept of a saint? Do you think of someone pale and sickly, serious (if not downright grim), dressed in religious garb and living in caves or on clouds? Actually the saints had their feet on the ground. They were not all angels, although angels are included in the term “saints.” Saints were […]

Communion of Saints at Mass

In preparing to give a workshop on the liturgy, I was struck by a truth that seldom comes to mind: As we praise and thank God at Mass, all of the angels and saints are with us. This includes all of our loved ones who have “crossed over” and are now with God. They are […]