Suffering looks different for everyone. For some it’s going to a job every day that they hate, for others it’s battling mental illness and for many it’s a physical injury or illness. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum of suffering, it’s a topic we can all, unfortunately, relate …

The National Men’s Conference is a one-day event filled with virtue, inspirational speakers, fellowship, networking and spiritual growth. Hosted in Cincinnati at Xavier University on March 25, its goal is to bring men together in faith, regardless of where they may be on their faith journey. “[The conference’s] sole mission …

If you’re anything like me, when you hear the word “evangelization,” you tend to immediately curl up on yourself and consider hiding under a table. The term can conjure images of mega-churches, religious pamphlets and people approaching me to talk about religion and make me uncomfortable. That’s not a great …

Rick Brandell, a member of St. Maximilian Kolbe parish in Liberty Township, was inspired to write a children’s book about faith while praying the Rosary one day. He mulled over that seed of inspiration for six months before deciding it was time to act. “The idea was that I should …

“What made you decide to convert to Catholicism?” This is one of the main questions I’m asked when people find out I’m a convert, especially friends in Catholic circles. There are a lot of factors I can point to in response. I married a cradle Catholic who had a reversion …

I will be the first to admit that growing up with a public school education served me well. I was not Catholic as a child, and my parents did a great job teaching me about Jesus and taking me to Methodist Sunday School on their own time. I was fortunate …

Have you ever felt “spiritually dry”—that sense of struggling to pray, not feeling connected to the Creator, or even doubting? Maybe you’re not praying as much or wondering what you did to deserve something bad happening in your life. I certainly have, and I know I’m not the only one. …

Over the past year, my husband, Mark, and I saved and planned a big vacation for our 15th wedding anniversary. It involved a lot of work, including driving 14 hours one- way to drop our children off in Louisiana with family, taking multiple flights to various connecting airports, securing our …

“Mom, I love you. You know what I love about you? I love that your arm is so squishy and soft to lay on.” So spoke my six-year-old daughter as she snuggled up next to me in bed. The pattern of my thoughts at her words went something like this: …

As I write this note on March 17, 2020, the world around us seems to be devolving into chaos. Schools are closing for the next three weeks and parents are tasked with conducting lessons at home. Parents, in turn, are scrambling to figure out how to continue to bring in …