Archive for May 2017

My family prayed the rosary every night usually in the living room or traveling in a car. There was no thought of ever skipping the rosary, but when there was an exceptionally good program on TV, we prayed the rosary during the commercials. We learned there’s always time to get your prayers “in.” Vacation time…

At this time of year it’s hard to find a parking place in metroparks. The birders have returned, migrating to the parks to satisfy their passion to see a Waxwing or a Great Crested Flycatcher. There’s a thrill in seeing whether it’s birds, stars, meteors, rainbows, a five-star movie, or the pope. The oohs and…

Recently a friend asked for prayers for her daughter. When this intention came to mind, I prayed a short prayer. Throughout this time I kept feeling the urge to do more. I decided to give this woman a Fatima rosary, along with a note about Our Lady of Fatima and the observance of the 100th…

May 13 is the 100th anniversary of the apparitions to the three children in Fatima. Our Lady of Fatima has been a strong Marian devotion for a century, especially praying for peace. Many have gone to Portugal to ask for Mary’s intercession at her shrine. Others have experienced her aid at home. Whatever Mary’s title,…

In late April I participated in the dedication of St. Joan of Arc Church in Toledo, Ohio. Many Catholics never have such an opportunity, and if they do, it may be a once-in-a-lifetime event. The experience is profound given the richness of the symbolism. What affected me the most was the dedication of the new…

The three of us living in Waterville ordered a take-out Chinese meal. Of course it came with fortune cookies. Mine read “The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.” Surprised that the little paper had something profound, I kept it. I’ve reflected that nothing will be changed if we don’t become…

Often the date of death is called one’s birthday into eternal life. Consequently the date of death sometimes becomes the day on which the Church celebrates canonized saints. If our foundress Hilligonde Wolbring (in religious life Sister Maria Aloysia) ever becomes canonized, May 6 could become her feastday. That date would be felicitous, because one…