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 [...]
By Sister Ann Shields 1st Sunday of Advent: November 28 In this first week of Advent, let us focus on preparing our hearts and souls for the great feast of Christmas. We are, in a certain way, invited to the celebration of his birth-day as we attend Midnight Mass or the Mass on Christmas morning. [...]
By Michelle DiFranco It’s the official drink of the “Please join us for refreshments after Mass” Catholic fellowship hour. Its translucent color has earned a reputation for satisfying the eye in contrast to its environment – the pale yellow cinder block walls and brown tiles of the church basement. It’s the one “refreshment” that sits [...]
By Cynthia Kaan Are you and your group of friends just starting out and wondering if you can afford to do a gift exchange? Why not try this — do away with friend gifts altogether! Celebrate the true spirit of Christmas without material gifting. 1. Adopt a family together. Why not grab an angel or [...]