By Jim Berlucchi When we started working from home during the pandemic, I thought it was going to be short-term. Now, it’s clear that I’m going to be working from home for quite a while, possibly permanently. What are some strategies I can employ to work effectively and not feel completely isolated? Imitate the former. [...]
By Sheri Wohlfert When I was a little girl, a new school year came with some guarantees: a new dress, new shoes, new pencils and some excited sleepless nights. This new school year is teeming with uncertainty instead of familiar guarantees and expectations. In the face of this uncertainty, here are some strategies to help [...]
Recent events have reignited national protests in the United States. The death of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer has sparked a response in cities across the country; sadly, some of those protests have devolved into riots and lootings. George Floyd’s death follows several years of similar incidents – the deaths of [...]
By Steve and Bridget Patton She says: I'm not really willing to take a chance on COVID-19 to do it. Is it worth risking death to visit your grandchildren? Look at it this way: every time you drive your car, you risk losing your life. Likewise with riding a motorcycle, sky-diving or swimming with [...]
By Sheri Wohlfert “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Sm 3:10) My mom used to say, “God gave us two ears and one mouth so we could listen twice as much as we talk.” The older I get, the more I realize I need to put her wise words into practice. I’m often guilty [...]
St. Alphonsus’ Act of Spiritual Communion might be comforting during these days when we are separated from one another, but connected as the body of Christ: My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I [...]
By Pete Burak Our family loves Miss Bobbi. For the past six years, when we’re outside, inevitably, Miss Bobbi ventures across the street for three huge kid hugs and the latest neighborhood news. She’s a gift to our family, and I believe we are a blessing to her too. Recently, these exchanges have looked and [...]
Mission doctors count their blessings for safely returning home. By Shelley Wolf Two Connecticut doctors were just beginning a medical mission in Ghana, West Africa, when the first cases of the coronavirus hit and the country went into lockdown. Worried about getting access to food and the newfound feeling that foreigners were no longer welcome, [...]
By Michelle DiFranco A couple of months ago, it all began. Cancellations of large events, followed by cancellations of schools and then … the cancellation of Mass. News of the pandemic was changing every minute for the worst … it was something that, for most of us, felt unreal. I vividly remember one day needing [...]
Set up a space in your home for prayer/worship. Consider covering a table with a tablecloth or another nice cloth of the seasonal liturgical color. Place a Bible, a candle and a cross or crucifix on the table. Straighten the space, and arrange enough furniture for all. Have everyone go to the bathroom, get drinks, [...]