That night there were homeless, abiding in the alleys and crevices of buildings, keeping watch over their assorted plastic grocery bags by night. And they weren’t your down-on-their-luck homeless who just need a stroke of good fortune and they’ll be back in a good job and an apartment again. No, these are the kind whoContinueContinue reading “Advent Tuesday #4 | All is calm. All is weird.”
Tag Archives: Catholic
Advent Tuesday #2– Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Back in high school we were instructed to make “five-year” and “ten-year” plans, and I was never any good at those, which is OK, because between five and ten years ago I consecrated myself to Jesus through Mary and effectively ditched any personal plans for myself. Does that sound terrifying? I guess it is. JumpingContinueContinue reading “Advent Tuesday #2– Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception”
Advent Sunday #1
I usually sleep straight through the night. This is a grace, I know, And I am thankful for the blessing. To readers with restless legs and insomnia: I’m sorry. But a few night ago I was startled awake. I looked around frantic, Trying to determine what had shocked me alert. Half-awake, I roughly brushed myContinueContinue reading “Advent Sunday #1”
Living, dying, and both well
A few weeks ago, I met some old-but-far-flung friends halfway between their distant homes and mine. My friends, Lauren and Mica, are sisters; we’ve been friends since grade school for real, though. We drove out after work, exchanged happy greetings and unloaded at the farmhouse where we would be staying the night. And then, weContinueContinue reading “Living, dying, and both well”
Abundant Grace
Sometimes I wonder to myself, “How do people even get married?” Weddings seem so bizarrely beautiful. This man and this woman, promising lives and fidelity to each other forever and ever (well, until they die, at least). But how? How do people look at each other and decide this? How do they get to aContinueContinue reading “Abundant Grace”
“The best we have to offer”–A thought on ministry
Last summer I went and stayed at an all-girls Catholic sleep-away camp. For a week. Honestly, it was probably because they were short on helpful adult-chaperone-ladies, so I was asked by someone who knew someone and then, wouldn’t you know it: bam. A week in a cabin full of 13/ 14 year-old girls. Now, myContinueContinue reading ““The best we have to offer”–A thought on ministry”
La luna nublada
I was asked to share, at a meeting, what my experience in Philadelphia was like. So I wrote these jumbled words. Enjoy. ============================================================= The moment that sticks with me Is the moment, under the clouded moon, where they wouldn’t let me in to the gated-off city center, so instead I stood, shivering/ stranded/ crestfallen inContinueContinue reading “La luna nublada”
Wherein I protest Planned Parenthood, but the Satanists show up to support
I’ve been trying to think of how to approach this for the past few days, and I’m failing. Crash and burn on all of my brainstorms. 🙂 But, then I realized: I studied journalism. I can just start with the story, right? Last Friday my mom said to me, “Hey, do you want to prayContinueContinue reading “Wherein I protest Planned Parenthood, but the Satanists show up to support”
St. Max Kolbe plus Joshua plus Marshwiggles. Welcome to my brain.
Today is August 14. Today is the “Feast day” of St. Maximilian Kolbe. I did the math on the side of the desk-calendar the previous lady left here. On this day, ninety-four years ago, one of the infamous Nazi “doctors” walked down the stone steps into the dark dungeon where Kolbe had been left, withContinueContinue reading “St. Max Kolbe plus Joshua plus Marshwiggles. Welcome to my brain.”
I met some missionaries!
On Monday a crew of people showed up at my little-church for noon:fifteen mass and I was like, “Hey.” And they were like, “We’re from Colorado on mission to Detroit.” So I was like, “Cool story, bro, I’m going to sit over here and pray.” Not really, but kind of. Then I saw them againContinueContinue reading “I met some missionaries!”
Seashell Nell 