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Relationships
Faith by proxy
by Susie Lloyd When I was 8 days old, my parents carried me to the baptismal font and gave me the gift of faith by proxy. Nobody asked me first. My godparents were my oldest brother Jon and my grandmother. It was their job to recite my…
Praying for our adult sons and daughters
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…
Fatherhood (video, 10-mins.)
Fatherhood The presence and involvement of a loving father is critical in the development of a child. True fatherhood models itself on God the Father. Former MLB player Mike Sweeney and others share how the faith of a man should shape his…
“You have kept the good wine until now.”
BY JOHN S. GRABOWSKI Exploring the Riches of the Empty Nest At first glance, it may seem more than a bit of a stretch to apply the words of the head waiter at the Wedding Feast of Cana to the situation of Catholic couples who reach the…
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…
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…
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,…
Coping with unemployment: ‘Be not afraid’
The Catholic Church has always extolled the virtue and dignity of work. Popes have written about it. Catholic social teaching explains the theological foundation of it. We even have a patron saint for workers in St. Joseph. So what are we…
Expressing anger appropriately in our modern age
Whenever an injustice befalls us, it’s natural for anger to surface. Think of the times you have experienced betrayal, deception, or some type of misunderstanding. It’s not an emotion we’re comfortable with, especially as Catholic…
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…