The doctor reluctantly dialed the number. A patient had suffered terrible injuries playing baseball, and he needed to inform the young man that his prognosis was grim. As the phone rang, the doctor searched for a gentle way to deliver the news. He decided to tell a joke: Patient: “Doctor, …

by Michelle Dushesnsky Death is not a lighthearted topic of everyday conversation. Yet, it is something that unites us as human beings. All of us will face death – and, in the meantime, all of us will experience the death of loved ones. Regardless of the circumstances, losing someone is …

by John Stegeman When in a cemetery, people speak in hushed tones and maintain a certain decorum. It’s almost as if it is hardwired into humans to respect the final resting places of our fellow men and women. While all burial places deserve that level of respect, Catholic cemeteries have …

St. Augustine’s Parish Cemetery is an essay in local history written in marble and granite. The monuments, headstones and small chapel hint at the lives and experiences of those who rest there. The cemetery’s land, set aside in 1836 on the south side of Minster, is one of the oldest …

Death is a part of life. It may be paradoxical to say but is undeniably true. We cannot escape the reality that we will all face death – both ourselves and those we love. Yet we live much of our lives ignoring this basic fact. We distract ourselves away from …

I have heard that Pentecost is the Church’s birthday, but I have also heard that Good Friday is when the Church was born. Which is correct? The Church is the family of God; she is the body of Christ. Because the Church is truly a body, she has a birthday, …

“To die would be a great adventure.” – Peter Pan The 1991 film Hook, though met with little critical acclaim, remains a classic for many Millennials. Directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg and featuring music composed by the great John Williams, the film stars cinema giants Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts …

When public liturgies were first suspended due to COVID-19, one of the topics of conversation among family members was about the dispensation from the obligation to participate in Sunday Mass. Do we go to Mass because we are obligated to do so, or is there something else that drives our …

On Apr. 9, 1945, German Lutheran theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer was executed by hanging at the Flossenbürg, Germany concentration camp two weeks before American troops liberated the prison. A mere 39-years-old, Bonhoeffer was arrested because he associated with parties who conspired to assassinate Hitler in July 1944. While he was active …

Alleluia! He is risen! The word “Alleluia” is Hebrew for “Praise the Lord.” It is a particularly appropriate exclamation during the Easter season as we celebrate Christ’s triumph over sin and death. For many of us, the continuing restrictions designed to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 have made the last …