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Relationships
The power of our presence to one another
Here we go again, I thought to myself as I entered the care facility to visit “Margaret,” the woman to whom I was assigned to visit as a volunteer with a local hospice organization. I drew a breath, said a quick prayer, knocked on the door,…
A Catholic response to suicide
The severity of the suicide epidemic in the United States is a public health issue. What causes it, how to understand it, and how to prevent it has become a more common conversation, and yet suicide still remains a complex, sensitive, and…
Managing grief during the holidays
Grief has no timeline. There are moments in which memories of our deceased loved ones flicker in both the mind and heart, unexpectedly and unbidden. Our calendar years are peppered with these intense emotions of heartbreak and tenderness,…
How you can help someone who has died by suicide
There’s always a sense of shock when someone close to us dies. The deeper our love, the more overwhelming our sorrow. That’s especially so when that death was sudden and unexpected. Most of us experience that type of loss at some point in…
Five ideas to strengthen your relationships during the summer
Summer is the season of fun in the sun! The blessing about summer is that the overall pace of life has slowed down, the days are longer, and typically you have more time to squeeze in extra social gatherings, fun with family and friends, or…
9 Signs of a Healthy Relationship
One of the most common questions I am asked as a Catholic psychologist relates to whether or not someone is in a healthy relationship. Often a young woman will give me a certain scenario and ask me to comment on whether it is a “make it or…
A moment in time: Try not to forget
Do you ever wonder what memories will remain with you the longest? What will hold the most importance to you? What you will grasp tightly if your memory begins slipping in old age? My grandmother is suffering from Alzheimer’s and is…
Marriage at the dinner table
Food can bring couples together. Here's how.
The Church’s Revamped Rite of Marriage Explained
A fun part of helping a couple get ready for celebrating marriage is to let them know at some point that they — not the priest or deacon — are the ministers of the sacrament. The bride and groom mutually confer the sacrament of Matrimony…
Saying I Do to Financial Security
Whether you and your spouse are newlyweds or approaching a silver anniversary, how you manage savings, retirement, and other personal financial issues is critical for both your family finances and your marriage overall. Here are five tips…
