Our Friend Death Part II of II Today, we will continue our look at death through dying, which we began in Part I, and consider how the Divine Jeweler will appraise us. I actually had the experience of thinking one of my sons had died. When my husband Mark and I came upon
Our Friend Death Part I of II As the saying goes: “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” But taxes you can avoid and evade; death–not so. Therefore, the only logical response to death is to embrace it…or at least accept it. After all, it’s not like we have a choice. While traveling back
Telling the Truth: Confessions of a Former Tabloid Writer What do O. J. Simpson, The Bachelorette, Charlie Sheen and Angelina Jolie all have in common? The tabloids love them. On the way to the grocery store checkout, one cannot help but notice headlines flashing the latest scandals. If the high point of your day was
How Can I Forgive When I Can’t Forget? While many people believe forgetting an injury is part of forgiveness, Fr. Justin Waltz, pastor of St. Leo’s Church in Minot, ND, suggested just the opposite. In fact, he stated that forgetting is not even possible. “The only type of forgetting I have heard of is stuffing,”
How to Pray Like Jesus Monsignor Thomas Richter, who was the vocations director of the Diocese of Bismark for eleven years, became the pastor at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck, ND in 2012 and is Chaplain of the Catholic Physicians Guild for the Diocese of Bismark, North Dakota, gave a talk once where he
In our previous post, we examined what the Golden Rule, the Our Father and other Scriptural references teach us about love and mercy, and how we need to develop a new attitude in treating difficult people. Today, we will look at the Scriptural justification for this new outlook, why God might allow difficult people to
When you stop to count your blessings, do not forget to give God a big thank you for all the difficult people in your life. Those cranks that cross your path and darken your doorway are just bursting with the potential to bless you. Every person who provokes you is an opportunity, but it all
Last month, my sister alerted all five siblings that the end was very near for our 81-year-old mother. She’s been in a nursing home for a year, but was hospitalized with renal and congestive heart failure among other maladies. I was on a plane the next day, and for six days, was at her bedside.
Spiritual Direction is often misunderstood, misused, or overlooked. To help unmask the intrigue and bring it out of obscurity, I asked three priests–Fr. Mitch Pacwa S.J., Fr. John McCloskey III STD, and Fr. Wayne Sattler –to share their thoughts on spiritual direction. I will introduce each separately, and then offer their reflections. Father Mitch Pacwa
