Catholics hoping for a better world are in denial In the past few days, I have read a couple of thoughtful pieces by Catholic writers about the end of Roe v. Wade. The writers start out by being clear that they were glad to hear that it’s likely Roe was…

Number 1: They do not sparkle Listen, I have a lot of nerve telling people how to write about vampires properly. I mean, in the first place, vampires aren’t real. …

When the pipe dream meets the practical I always wanted to be a writer. And, technically, I almost always, since I started on my professional career path, have been a writer. In some form or another, “writing” or “writer” have been part of my job responsibility and/or my job title. …

It’s not just for moms You know what I’m talking about. It’s that general cleaning that gets done, absentmindedly, as one walks through a room. I pick up the socks to deposit in the hamper upstairs. …

My word-of-the-year for 2022 I don’t just mean “write more.” We create so many things. Memories. Space. Budgets! And so my goal for this year is not just to write more, although I very much want to do that as well. I want to create space in my house so…

a writing exercise My earliest memory I am walking down a hallway in my house. I know that I am walking toward my room, which is at the very end of the hallway. I know that I am going to bed, but I don’t remember saying goodnight to my parents. In this memory…

be gentle We come to you bruised and battered, each of us, from our personal struggles, which are legion, and from two years of pandemic, plus an insurrection — although only some call it that — from deep divisions within families and violence, from guns in schools, and everywhere else, really, and…

My favorite hymn, by many voices This is, far and away, my most favorite Christmas hymn. I get chills whenever I hear the opening notes. I mean, every goshdarn time. So I made a playlist of different artists singing it. Listed by artist and album on which the version appears. …

a poem Yes, my son was late for school; he missed the bus. He misses the bus every day now and I drive him to school. I drive him to school every day, but some mornings are harder than others. Some mornings are harder than others. …