One of my very first jobs as a liturgical leader was to train communion ministers. I was a college student in southern Missouri, and the local bishop had given permission for our Catholic student center to have lay communion ministers … Read More
This is a crisis of hospitality in Catholic parishes in the United States. The share of Americans who are Catholic declined from 24% in 2007 to 21% in 2014, according to the Pew Research Center. This is a greater net … Read More
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time—A I’ve just listened to a podcast geared toward millennials (I’m not one) that teaches them life skills. Today’s episode was on how to study. In college, my study habits involved the usual mix of rereading, … Read More
This article was co-written by my friend, Terry Burrows, and me. Terry is the associate director of catechesis for the Diocese of Monterey. As we search for ways to stay connected to each other and our faith practices, many are … Read More
If Julia Child is not a saint, she is at least a “blessed” in my book. She changed how Americans understand meal sharing, and meal sharing is central to our lives as Catholics. What Julia Child and the TV chefs … Read More
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Many of us whose primary work is in service to the church may never find ourselves rich in earthly treasure. And yet, there still is a warning for us in today’s parable of the rich … Read More
We have all seen signs like “Do not litter” or “Keep off the grass.” These signs exist because people are littering and walking on the grass. The church has a “sign” like these. In a variety of forms, it says, … Read More
Yesterday someone from my homeowners association taped a flyer to my door listing 16 things we’re not supposed to flush down the drain, including bandage wrappings, car oil, paper towels, and toys. I assume the reason they did that is … Read More
Readings for the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Rules can be hard to follow. On the other hand, they sometimes are too easy to break. We’ve all encountered a coordinator who goes absolutely “by the book” with no leeway for … Read More