Eleven years ago, I got on an airplane for the first time that I can remember and flew to Atlanta, Georgia. I was accompanied by three of my classmates from high school and a nun, and we were headed to … Continue reading
Eleven years ago, I got on an airplane for the first time that I can remember and flew to Atlanta, Georgia. I was accompanied by three of my classmates from high school and a nun, and we were headed to … Continue reading
John will celebrate his second Christmas later this month. It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a year since his last Christmas, or that he will be turning two this February. I’m excited for Christmas this year in a … Continue reading
A few weeks back, a petition was circulating social media sites regarding the firing of a theology teacher who had become engaged to her same-sex partner. Naturally, countless people, both Catholics and non-Catholics, gladly signed the petition by which the … Continue reading
When I was discerning the religious life, my fellow aspirants and I lived by the oft-repeated motto of living with our hands open. By this we meant that what we had been given could be taken away, that we must … Continue reading
I was a member of a True Love Waits Club when I was in high school, as were many of my friends. Personally, its impact on my life was long-lasting. I honored my vow, wore my True Love Waits ring … Continue reading
This past week, I had the opportunity to spend a day at a retreat center in northern Maryland, where I was able to do a little resting and recharging, as well as a lot of reflecting (and about an hour … Continue reading
When I’m sitting in my office ticking off the tasks in my planner, I like to break the silence with Christian Contemporary music (interspersed with the occasional country hit). Recently, I was struck by a particular song, or more specifically, … Continue reading
It should come as no surprise that my faith is important to me. I write about my faith. I teach it to children and teens on a regular basis. I talk about it with both friends and strangers (at their … Continue reading
In the nearly three years that I have been employed at my parish, my job description has undergone some major changes. When I was originally hired, it was as the part-time DRE. My roles included coordinating the children’s faith formation … Continue reading
Before I became a youth minister myself, I had been warned of some of the most prevailing challenges of the position. Preventing burn-out. Establishing and maintaining the proper order of things. Overworking yourself. Letting your pastor or a parish counsel … Continue reading