Cardinal George: "...we have no greater model and advocate than our Lord’s own beloved Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary..."

The comments came against a backdrop of three international events: the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a threatened U.S. strike against Iraq, and a major U.N. summit on sustainable development.

Remembering 9-11-01
Two students at St. John Berchmans School on the North Side can see a work of art they helped create in every Catholic school in the archdiocese.

Stephanie Libreros and Amy Ryczek worked with classmate Susan Gray, who has since moved away, drew the poster featuring a globe, a star,a sun, an American flag and the words "Pray for Peace," as part of a project suggested by their religion teacher, Jeanne Devriendt.

Where grace abounds
The images of terrorism striking America are stark and powerful. So, too, are the words of those who experienced it, or lived through its aftermath. Here are a few.

"When the first plane hit there was a God-awful noise and the building was shaking," said Carole Eipers, experiencing the horror it in her office three blocks from Ground Zero. Eipers, formerly director of the archdiocesan Office for Catechesis, now is director of catechetics for the publishing house of William H. Sadlier, Inc.

Passing along the faith
When the dining room is the classroom, Catholic home-schoolers say parents can be the best teachers

As Labor Day approached this year, Lisa Menich, a member of St. Matthew Parish in Schaumburg, spent her days like most other parents: getting ready for school.

But Menich had to go beyond making sure medical forms were completed and school supply lists filled for each of her three children; for them, Menich is mom and teacher rolled into one, and she had lesson plans to prepare and curriculum to buy.

Menich has been teaching her children at home since her oldest, Zachariah, now 9, was in first grade. Hannah, 7, and Elijah, 4, also get lessons at home.

After the dust…
by Bishop Edwin Conway
By now, people often manifest their feelings of overload from reviewing, exploring and commemorating the anniversary of the disasters of Sept. 11. It seems every detail from every angle has been exposed and, in a few cases, exploited.