The Guardian U.K. recently published an article entitled Should we care that smart women aren’t having kids? The piece was based on the work of Satoshi Kanazawa, a London School of Economics psychologist who conducted research on the link between intelligence and maternal urges and wrote the book The Intelligence Paradox based on his findings. […]
Some families are already gearing up to start school on Monday. We don’t start back until September 8, just after our parish festival. But no matter when you begin, here are some ideas to take your religious education to the next level. If you are doing all this already, kudos to you. Pray every day […]
I’ve always had some sort of exercise routine—even if it wasn’t much of a “routine,” per se. Eating well and staying fit has been part of my life more out of necessity than desire. It rises from chronic illness rather than vanity. The catalyst for me “working out” has been my calling to live out […]
I would like to think that it all started with the “Y” cord, but I know that is not so. Maybe it would be more accurate to state that perhaps it started with the words, “Why not?” We were presenting a marriage preparation class to thirty-five couples the other day, and wanting to give them […]
When I signed up for RCIA classes at our parish in September 1996, I failed to read the fine print. Graduation, otherwise known as Confirmation, would be at the Easter Vigil. Since my daughter’s school had spring break the week before and the week after Easter, we had planned a dream vacation and booked non-refundable […]
In my previous article, I discussed marriage, Holy Matrimony, catechesis, and the call of Catholic couples to live their marriage as a sacrament and a sign of contradiction. A part of that witness is in taking up our own crosses daily by making the small and sometimes even the big sacrifices for our spouses (and our children […]
With the school year starting soon, here’s a sampling of questions from recent emails: Q. Our school district is revamping the curriculum to comply with the new Common Core State Standards, but we don’t know what that will entail. Will my kids be behind since they have not had this curriculum from the beginning of […]
Sometimes you see the storm coming from miles away. The sky darkens long in advance, the thunder roars loudly from a distance, the wind whips up and turns cool. You expect those storms and can plan around them a little, or at least plan for them. I don’t mind a good storm. You can enjoy […]
The dreaded phrase, “I think it would be better if we were just friends,” has been feared by teenagers for decades. The fear that, after professing love for a girl, she’ll look at him and whip out this infamous line has kept many a boy from even suggesting that next step. And though much could […]
Dear Facebook, You keep asking me: “where did you go to College?” and you are making suggestions based on where some of my friends studied. If you must know, I went to the Université du Sud Toulon-Var, France (it was called Université de Toulon et du Var or UTV twenty years ago). I don’t give […]
You’ve got to take whatever life throws at you. And if you’re a parent, you probably have to wipe it up, too — especially when it comes to craft time. Few words can strike more fear in the hearts of parents with young toddlers than “craft time.” When the paint is flying and the glue […]
The Common Core State Standards are raising tremendous controversy as politicians, educators, and parents analyze their accuracy and effectiveness; however, any analysis of the content of the Common Core State Standards necessarily ignores the main objection to these, or any federal standards, imposed on American schools. The fact is that any federally imposed standard violates […]
Everyone has worries and something to worry about. How will I make the payments? What do they think about me? Will I do well on my test? Will my son get a good job? And for those dating: “Will I find the right person?” These are normal and healthy thoughts. They are worries that acknowledge, […]
I awoke before dawn and was assaulted by the knowledge that today the President of the United States was coming to our little neck of the world. From the moment I heard about his little visit I had been torn, frustrated and angered. Why here, why come to a high school in a remote southern […]
If you do an internet search for “church veil” or “mantilla”, you’ll come across many websites dedicated to wearing a piece of lace covering on your head during Holy Mass. You’ll also find many blog posts and articles that ask the question: should I or shouldn’t I wear a mantilla? The reasons for veiling are […]
The moment doesn’t last that long. A few minutes, tops. It happens every Saturday morning I’m able to drag my body out of bed at 6 o’clock to join my brothers in Christ at a local Bread Company. Either Larry Boldt or Jim LaVictoire passes out a card to each member of our group — […]
Q. This week’s suspension of New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez and 12 other major league players for ties to performance-enhancing drugs is yet another example of celebrity athletes setting a horrible example for their young fans. It seems celebrities of all stripes enjoy the fame and fortune that comes with their high-profile careers but never give a thought to […]
In a column on Salon.com, Jessica Ciencin Henriquez – a fabulous writer, as far as I can tell – called her virginity at marriage a mistake. Wedding night sex was not what the church (nor the purity ring she wore) promised it would be. Neither was her marriage. Six months into it, Jessica wrote, “the […]
It’s daunting to think about schooling many children, all different age ranges, in a busy house. It takes a bit of creative thinking but it can be done. Each summer before the year starts, I start praying about our schedule, and I ask my husband to pray about it too. I have some tips and […]
In recent times there has been somewhat of an appropriate backlash against the idea that a girl is supposed to be an idle “princess” just waiting around for her Prince Charming. In fact, not to long ago I wrote a post about how we don’t actually have to wait another minute for our love story […]
Sanctity. This is the first rule of a Catholic man. Be a saint and create the most fertile ground for your spouse to be a saint. Share your dessert. This is one of the hardest tests. You have eaten a good dinner. The sweet tray is brought to your table. She says she does not […]
Being father to five young boys and maintaining both a university teaching post and a busy clinical practice would seem to be a prescription for physical and emotional meltdown. Yet in addition to all this, Catholic psychiatrist Dr. Aaron Kheriaty found time to write a very practical and much-needed book on depression. The Catholic Guide […]
In England, “gay marriage” is now officially legal though still not ontologically possible–which precipitates another round of posts about marriage and Holy Matrimony. Monsignor Charles pope wrote one on this following the US Supreme Court’s decisions on DOMA and Proposition 8–really, he was revisiting an old post. And of course, a few responses were written […]
Q. Pope Francis’ recent comments about gays — meant to be loving and conciliatory — have unfortunately created tension in my home. My teenager believes his comment, “Who am I to judge?” means that we should accept homosexuality as a normal occurrence and, therefore, something we shouldn’t reject. I’m certain that’s not what the pope meant — […]
