By Michelle DiFranco I recently had the displeasure of deep-cleaning my fridge and finding a couple of forgotten items shoved way in the back or ‘hiding’ at the bottom of the fruit and veggie drawers. The neglected “food-turned-science projects” consisted of a zip-top plastic bag of liquefied parsley and a plastic container of chicken stock [...]
Feast Day: Jan. 5 Liberty is a perennial subject of concern in our society, but we don’t hear much about a certain type of liberty: spiritual liberty. The life of St. Genoveva Torres Morales (1870-1956) of Spain was marked by hardship. By the age of 13, she had lost both parents and several siblings and [...]
By Patricia Mish I recently landed a new job. I noticed the job description was a little vague but figured my role and responsibilities would become clear once I started. This has not happened. l have some ideas about how I can contribute. Should I tell my boss? If so, how can I go about [...]
By Cynthia Kaan It is a blessing to have friends beside us as we walk this earthly journey. But what do we do when it feels as if we are doing all the work in the friendship and our friend is just dialing it in? It helps to begin with a mindset that incorporates the following: [...]
By Pete Burak I’ll never forget the moment I met my wife. The initial jolt of attraction generated a nearly all-encompassing desire to get to know her better. This led to long phone calls (much to my chagrin she didn’t have texting), meals in the dining hall, distracted study sessions and eventually a daily rhythm [...]
Are the Old Ways Better Ways? Story by Joe Pisani Several years ago while I was driving through the North Country of New Hampshire, I stopped at an antiques shop in a small town and spent the afternoon rummaging through all kinds of treasures from the past — colonial era tools, vintage cribbage boards, folk [...]
By Michelle DiFranco In the Netherlands today, the feast of St. Nicholas is still celebrated with the arrival of “Sinterklaas.” And along with the festivities of the beloved Dutch holiday come plenty of sweet treats, including Kruidnoten, which are little bite-sized cookies made with cinnamon and other sweet spices. It is held by many that [...]
By Evelyn Barella Symbolism of the Advent Wreath The wreath, a circle, expresses God’s unending eternity. Evergreens symbolize God’s changelessness and our immortal soul. Three candles are purple, symbolizing that Advent is a season of waiting, expectation and preparation. The pink candle represents joy and hope in awaiting Jesus’ birth. The light radiating from the [...]
Story By Joe Pisani When I was in church recently, a couple renewed their marriage vows on their 61st anniversary. There was a blessing, there was applause, and I suspect there was some envy and confusion. How does a marriage last that long? I doubt there’s no one who can make marriage look easy, but [...]