Parenting

BY GARY ZIMAK Do you know what it’s like to feel hopeless? I sure do. It’s happened on many occasions, but one incident stands out for me. It took place 22 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. My wife and I were sitting in…

by John J. Boucher Once, while setting up for a workshop about “adult children,” three parents approached me. Maria lamented, “I brought my kids to Mass every week, but only one out of three is now willing to go to church.” Frank added, “My…

by Bishop Robert Reed I had two fathers when I was growing up. I know that sounds strange. The fact is, my birth father, William, was killed in a car accident just before I received my First Holy Communion. My mother remarried a…

In his book, How to be a Superman Dad in a Kryptonite World: Even When You Can’t Afford a Decent Cape (Guiding Light Books, 2017), John Clark, husband and father of nine, draws upon his own experiences to discuss the value of fatherhood.…

The No. 1 question Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, hears from parents and grandparents is: “How do I talk to my kids about abortion?”  It certainly isn’t an easy conversation for adults, but children have a natural love of…

Summer vacation is coming to a close. As a parent you have the opportunity to instill a positive attitude and a strong work ethic in your child for the upcoming school year.  Ease into the routine Getting into the daily school-year routine…

As a convert to Catholicism, the Church’s teaching on birth control has been — by far — the hardest one for me to accept. Sounds funny coming from someone with seven kids, right? But it’s true. I’ve literally struggled to accept the…

I am a father and I love my children. Because of this, I want what’s best for them. But that goes without saying, doesn’t it? Love is, after all, willing the good of another. Growing up, I was blessed to be on the receiving end of this…

“Let’s go to France,” my fiancée Laurel, said. We were planning our honeymoon and had airline miles donated to us. It was the perfect opportunity to see where she studied abroad and traveled extensively. Yet, symbolic of marriage, we…

According to television and the internet, St. Patrick’s Day was made for the 21-and-over crowd and is best celebrated with green beer. But, if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve got children or grandchildren. And since you’re…