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Mother’s Day, Mary and the Bread of Life
This Mother’s Day marks one year since my mother succumbed to cancer. I miss her and think of her often. When I think of my mom, my mind usually turns to food or the family gatherings that were...
View ArticleIt’s rewarding to share wild game
I walked into the Ascension School building in north Minneapolis this afternoon as the heat index soared well above 100 degrees. As I waited in the hallway, principal Dorwatha Woods poked her head out...
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Enjoying a drive in the country
Not many folks in the country live within walking distance of their church. Pete and Regina Poncelet are fortunate enough to enjoy this blessing. After visiting with them this morning, I went on a...
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Mom and the Mass
My mom on her prom day. I had a big meeting last Thursday night. About 100 Respect Life representatives from the parishes showed up. Two women from my home town were present. One woman was a friend of...
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‘The End of Your Life Book Club’ shouldn’t be missed
Never was there so much life in a book about someone dying. Will Schwalbe’s memoir of his mother’s last two years glows with inspiration. This is a beautifully written new work that has an urging and...
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Famous people who were adopted
Licensed under Creative Commons by Paul Stein When it is the birthday of my friends and family members who are adopted, I make sure to tell them, “I’m so glad you were born!” Not every child is given...
View ArticleLooking back on 2012
Many people are diving in to their New Year’s resolutions right now, with almost a full year ahead to test their resolve. But, it’s not a bad time to look back, either. This year was one of my best...
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2 Matt Birk quotes that score extra points
Licensed undeer Creative Commons I was blessed to have Matt Birk’s brother in my fourth-grade class when I was a brand new teacher. For Valentine’s Day that year, I taught the students about...
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Where are the Women?
Mary anoints Jesus’ feet. During the conclave I happened across a group of protesters outside of the Archdiocesan Chancery office. As I was leaving the Cathedral parking lot, I noticed a woman...
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Walleye heaven!
Julie and Claire Hrbacek display part of their catch on Upper Red Lake I had the narrowest of windows to try and pop a few walleyes for the frying pan last week – about three hours, to be exact. Where...
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Living in Alaska, she’s got a prayer
I’m just catching up with a book that’s been in print for seven years, but the lag in time doesn’t do anything but add richness to Heather Lende’s fine work, “If You Lived Here, I’d Know Your Name:...
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Pray With Us
Madonna and Child ~ Licensed under Creative Commons Praying Together for Our Church Below is a letter from Jeff Cavins to the Archbishop Harry J. Flynn Catechetical Institute inviting us to pray. Let...
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Families are Messy…
Licensed under Creative Commons As we approach Thanksgiving and our opportunities to be with extended family, there is one thing we need to remember – families are messy. I am not talking about Uncle...
View Article2013 Outdoors highlights
As I look ahead to outdoor adventures in 2014, I think it’s worthwhile to take a look back on 2013 and recall the blessings of the year. There were many highlights, and I offer this list of the best...
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Pray, think and then speak
By Kristen Soley Fasting from unkind words is a fruitful opportunity that is borne of love. For many of us, this can be far more difficult than simply passing on that decadent chocolate dessert or...
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My Meeting with a Pro-abortion Feminist
I had the interesting opportunity this past week to have dinner with Kathy Sloan. Kathy is from N.O.W. – yes that is the National Organization for Woman. Kathy is on the board of directors and is the...
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Father, son and values tested in superb WWI novel
The moral life takes center stage in P.S. Duffy’s “The Cartographer of No Man’s Land,” a World War I novel that centers around a family and village in Nova Scotia and the impact of the first “war to...
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Turn, Turn, Turn…
To Everything Turn, Turn, Turn…. Or so goes the song written by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s. The lyrics, except for the title which is repeated throughout the song, and the final verse of the song,...
View ArticleSome walleye for the frying pan
As readers of The Catholic Spirit now know, I had a successful fishing trip to South Dakota’s Lake Oahe last month. I was invited to participate in the Bishop’s Charity Fishing Tournament, and I gladly...
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The Pope’s Top 10!
Finally – a “Top Ten” I can really use! David Letterman of the Late Show often used a fake and funny top ten list to get a good laugh but Pope Francis’ Top Ten should be printed out and placed on...
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