December 19, 2004
A ‘different’ nativity
Just like the song says, it’s Christmastime in the city. OK, so in our current culture it’s more likely to be called “holiday time,” and you have to look closely between the decorations which celebrate Snoopy, Mickey Mouse, Frosty and the Grinch to find something which really reflects the season.
December 5, 2004
What crust!
Have we lost our minds? This may be old news by now, but the misadventure of the cheese-sandwich-that-looked-like-Mary deserves a closer look.
November 21, 2004
Holiday hang-ups
This is the time of the year when our holidays start to all jumble together. We barely recover from Halloween before we stumble over Veterans Day and then we’re sideswiped by Thanksgiving.
November 7, 2004
It’s over, sort of
As I write this, the polls haven’t yet opened, and won’t for many hours.
October 24, 2004
Connecting life, faith
I spotted the Virgin Mary relaxing in the garage of my mother-in-law’s Florida home. Lying in a dusty wheelbarrow, actually.
October 10, 2004
Mission and message
Sometimes the mission is the message. And sometimes the message is the mission. If that sound like doubletalk, stick around.
August 15, 2004
A big man, a big smile
I liked Bishop Conway. I don’t know anyone who didn’t. This being an issue of The Catholic New World which contains many tributes to the archdiocesan vicar general who died Aug. 9, I suspect there’ll be a lot of similar comments.
August 1, 2004
Kernels of truth
I’m partial to corn. Yes, to eat, crisp and sweet, loaded with butter and salt—but also to look at, as well as walk and drive through. This being the Midwest—corn capital of the world—that’s an adventure not hard to accomplish.
July 18, 2004
Where’s St. Christopher?
Trick question: In cabs, where does the most prayer take place? If you answered, “in the back seat” while careening through traffic, you could be wrong.
July 4, 2004
Faith, flags, fireworks
I’m writing this on the eve of our annual gush of national patriotism. But these days, especially since the horrible events of 9/11, July 4 isn’t so much a holiday as it is the centerpiece of national fervor: a time of flags and fireworks.
June 20, 2004
Acts of remembrance
Gardens are happy places, splashed with color, vibrant with life. That’s true even when the garden is a memorial.
June 6, 2004
A parable of today
A parable is a story, taken from life, illustrating some moral or philosophical truth. Jesus used parables to teach about the reign of God. Today’s column is a parable of sorts. At least, that’s the goal. You’ll have to tell me if it works or not.
May 23, 2004
Confusion of voices
Pentecost. Flames of faith. On fire with the Lord. The confusion of voices. Powerful preaching of love and forgiveness. Birthday of the church.
May 9, 2004
Pictures and penance
No, that’s not my picture in its usual place a couple lines farther down the page. The photo belongs to Father Richard Klajbor. And this is penance.
April 25, 2004
Unmentionables
It is conventional wisdom that to be safe at social gatherings it’s best to steer clear of two subjects: politics and religion. But this being a presidential election year, such mingling is difficult to avoid.
March 28, 2004
Here’s a plateful
One too many visits to a St. Joseph’s Table has left me with an appreciation of things buffet. So here’s a menu of comment to go along with your meals for the rest of Lent.
March 14, 2004
Telling it like it is
Cardinal George made the first stop in his Lenten series of vicariate evangelization talks March 3, paying a visit to St. Philip Neri on the Southeast Side. Problem is, I’m not sure who did the most evangelizing.
February 29, 2004
Lenten remembrances
As often as not, we Christians stumble into Lent, overwhelmed by busyness, and then try to catch up with the sense of the church’s time of reflection, remembrance and reconciliation before the glory of Easter.
February 15, 2004
Gibson’s passion
Lent, our traditional season of repentance and remembrance, begins this month (see the pope’s Lenten message, Page 14), but the observance this year is also focused on the Ash Wednesday opening of Mel Gibson’s movie, “The Passion of the Christ.”
February 1, 2004
Blessings and curses
The Catholic press (you’re reading an example right now) can be both a blessing and curse.
January 18, 2004
Star-crossed comments
It’s tempting to blame it all on Britney Spears. But that probably would be unfair.
January 4, 2004
Confronting culture
If confronting culture to change it is an ongoing goal of faith today (and it is), Cardinal Renato Martino may have gotten more confrontation than he counted on when he said he felt sorry for Saddam Hussein.
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