The Christmas stockings

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 05:00:00 GMT

“Come look at the stockings,” my boyfriend said.

Dan led me into the family room of his parents’ house, where four colorful stockings hung from an old-fashioned firep...

My Mom is the Best Contest Results!

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 05:00:00 GMT

It’s true, of course, that God is neither male nor female. But it’s also true that our parents, at their best, are tangible signs of God’s love and care for us. The Scriptures are full of both paternal and m...

8 keys to keeping kids Catholic

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 05:00:00 GMT

"I can’t understand it!” she wailed. “I sent her to Catholic school for 12 years and she doesn’t even go to church!”

If I had a nickel for ev...

My Dad is the Best!

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 05:00:00 GMT

We asked you why your dad is the best – and you told us! Here’s what you had to say! Read these readers’ responses, then check out our

Adventures of a wary godmother

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

I suppose I should’ve expected the stunned expression that came across my goddaughter’s face when I told her the news. But I definitely wasn’t expecting that she would flee across the room and dive for cover in Grandm...

The journey that changed my life (Part 1)

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

As my family approached the small village of Radvan, Slovakia, on a sunlit summer afternoon in 1982, we were struck by the sight of dozens of people running through town clasping bouquets of yellow daisies. “Ritter! Ritter! Ritter!&r...

The journey that changed my life (Part 2)

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

In Part 1 of author Larry Levitt’s story, “

The Catholic Digest Wedding Guide - more frequently asked questions

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:00:00 GMT

How do I go about getting married in the Catholic Church?

Once you’ve decided to get married, you need to call your local parish office and tell them you wish to begin the marriage prepara...

My wonderful, unusual Catholic wedding

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:00:00 GMT

There’s an old saying that says if you want to hear God laugh, make a plan. As a young girl I had two plans: I would never marry someone named Ken (my name is Barb), and I was not going to get married in the month of June (too clich&...

A survival guide for the two-faith family

Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Bethany is a practicing Catholic. Jim, her husband of four years, is a largely fallen-away Lutheran. Despite the potential challenges, they managed to negotiate their faith differences...

How can I keep my kids Catholic?

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT

We stand on the sidelines of our sons’ soccer match, a gaggle of parents stamping our feet against the creeping cold, huddling under umbrellas away from the drizzling rain that began with the game. As the game slip-slides away, we become...

How to help our college-age children keep the faith

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT

I didn’t notice him come in. The college snack bar was noisy that day and full of students like me wanting ice cream on a very warm October afternoon. My chemistry class was in an hour and I sipped my milkshake while perusing my notes fr...

Grandparenting isn't for sissies!

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:00:00 GMT

I started praying with my oldest grandchild when he was still in his crib. If I were lucky enough to tuck him in at night and still had the energy to complete a rational sentence, I’d take his soft, pudgy hands in my own and make the Sig...

What should we tell the kids?

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Two of the biggest lies parents tell themselves are “kids are oblivious” and “kids are resilient.” The truth is, kids are neither. It is well known that children are great barometers of a family&am...

Grandpa and Sinbad the Sailor

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:00:00 GMT

My kids had plenty of reasons to love their grandpa. For starters, he was always sending gifts and “monies” for school supplies and fie...

My mother the worrier

Fri, 01 May 2009 05:00:00 GMT

"Call me when you get home!”

“Put a turtleneck under that. Do you want to get sick?”

“Don’t make eye contact with strangers!”

Marriage at the dinner table

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 05:00:00 GMT

I would like to be able to say that the “stunned” feeling that came upon my husband on the day he first thought of marriage was caused by me — by my exceptional beauty, loving ways, scintillating wit, and rare intelli...

My first love letter

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Hugging each other tightly, I pressed my cheek against the soft leather of his jacket, breathing in the faint scent of sandalwood cologne. This was supposed to be our goodbye to each other, the end of the most wonderful weekend of our lives. But a...

A letter to a young bride and groom

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 05:00:00 GMT

In 1993, when my husband and I got engaged, Bill was 23 and I was 24. At the time, I squinted in confusion whenever the priest, in our pre-marriage conversations, would call us “kids.” I had been a voting adult for fully six ye...

Shepherds, kings, gold-foil stars...and llamas

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:00:00 GMT

My friend Julia and I love to meet for dinner once a month without husbands or kids. We usually go to the same Chinese restaurant and order the same dishes. It’s really not a...

It's never too late for love

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Since the time of the Revolution, Americans have penned war-related letters that express every conceivable human emotion, sentiment, and experience. And the motivations behind writing this correspondence are as diverse as the letter writers themse...

Going back to my old school

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 05:00:00 GMT

Our 13-year-old is in the process of choosing a high school. After eight years in her parochial grade school, it’s time to move on. She wants to go to Catholic school &md...

Mom takes the train

Thu, 01 Nov 2007 05:00:00 GMT

The book Howard’s End by E.M. Forster begins with this epigraph: “Only connect.” In the book, people interact, share, clash, connect,...

Kids and their Grandparents

Sun, 02 Sep 2007 05:00:00 GMT

A very special bond
Readers write in with grandparent-grandchild memories

Admiration. Inspiration. Adventure. The grandchild-grandparent relationship often brings ...

I love being a grandmother...

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Of course, as your stories show, a grandparent’s bond with a grandchild is one that needs no holiday or fanfare, but can be celebrated every day of the year.
On the day that our daughter-in-law, Sara, was in labor with our fir...

Yellow buses and fond memories

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Last fall, my morning commute was slowed by a yellow school bus that had stopped to pick up students for their first day of school. Watching the little ones with their freshly scrubbed...

Grandkids say the darndest things

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Heading home?
I&...

A very special bond

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Mints bring back memories

Elephants, ice cream, and souvenirs

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 05:00:00 GMT

It is definitely easier to stay home and watch television than to take three kids to the circus. To venture out on an entertainment adventure involves logistics, money, energy, faith, ...

What my dad taught me

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Father’s Day reminds me of the many reasons I have to thank dear old Dad. Aside from the DNA, I inherited other impressive traits from him. Some, such as the ability to throw...

Don't wait, celebrate!

Tue, 01 May 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Time really does fly. We were looking forward to a significant anniversary — our 50th — in just a little more than a year. Like most couples, we’d always celebrated our anniversary — sometimes routinely, oth...

Rock star in the family

Tue, 01 May 2007 05:00:00 GMT

We have four kids, so it was bound to happen. Our son is starting a rock band.

He came to me and asked me to get him guitar lessons. He doesn’t know h...

Our famliy is late!

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 05:00:00 GMT

We are never on time. If you have ever invited us anywhere, you know that is true. If you don't know us, take my word for it.

We can't help it. Even fo...

Help! My teen daughter is a witch

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 GMT

Irene and her teenage daughters, Margaret and Madeleine, are devoted members of their parish. Both girls are active in Girl Scouts, where they became drawn to Jess, a member who spoke openly of having left the Church for the practice of pagan witc...

My sister's adventurous life

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 05:00:00 GMT

My sister and I grew up side by side in an apartment in New York City. Though we both still live in the area, her life has be...

Praying with our kids

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 05:00:00 GMT

Autumn is a good time to inventory the prayer life of our children. Do we pray with our kids? How often? Why or why not? Prayer is more than an extracurricular activity. Just as nutritious food, sleep, and fresh air are essential for our children&...

Catholic Digest

Single Dad Wins Super Bowl Tickets

Mom’s kitchen

Dancing with my son

My husband, the romantic?

Relocating for love

The Christmas stockings

My Mom is the Best Contest Results!

8 keys to keeping kids Catholic

My Dad is the Best!

Adventures of a wary godmother

The journey that changed my life (Part 1)

The journey that changed my life (Part 2)

The Catholic Digest Wedding Guide - more frequently asked questions

My wonderful, unusual Catholic wedding

A survival guide for the two-faith family

How can I keep my kids Catholic?

How to help our college-age children keep the faith

Grandparenting isn't for sissies!

What should we tell the kids?

Grandpa and Sinbad the Sailor

My mother the worrier

Marriage at the dinner table

My first love letter

A letter to a young bride and groom

Shepherds, kings, gold-foil stars...and llamas

It's never too late for love

Going back to my old school

Mom takes the train

Kids and their Grandparents

I love being a grandmother...

Yellow buses and fond memories

Grandkids say the darndest things

A very special bond

Elephants, ice cream, and souvenirs

What my dad taught me

Don't wait, celebrate!

Rock star in the family

Our famliy is late!

Help! My teen daughter is a witch

My sister's adventurous life

Praying with our kids