COVID-19 has taught us many things, but for me one of the most painful lessons was that our society has a long way to go when it comes to treating our elders with love and dignity. When the pandemic took…
Sometimes we think that days like Father’s Day are a commercial gimmick to sell cards and make us spend money. This is partly true, but it can also be an opportunity for us to step back from all the goings…
Even at the best of times, motherhood is a leap of faith. Women know what awaits them: sleepless nights, worry, emotional and physical demands, financial pressures, exhaustion and much more. They can’t be sure their child will be healthy or…
Today we remember St. Joseph, in the year that Pope Francis has named as the Year of St. Joseph. Today, also, we begin a Year of the Family! When the Church honours a saint or honours families, it is one…
In much of Canada, most of us are at home with our families today as we celebrate Family Day (Feb. 16). Some of us can be forgiven if we face this with a little chagrin: so many have been working…
While writing Unlocking the Feasts and Seasons of the Liturgical Year for Novalis several years ago, one aspect that really struck me was how much energy the Church has invested in romance. In Quebec this day is still Saint Valentin, there is even…
A fresco of the Holy Family adorns the right side altar of the Church of the Assumption in Erinsville, Ontario – the church of my childhood. Mary and Joseph stand on the porch of their home looking out to the…
Today we celebrate Grandparent’s Day. If I had to choose the person who had the greatest impact on my devotional life, it would have to be my great-grandmother, Mary Taylor. When I was a small child, I spent a lot…
Whether we have a caring father we’re in touch with often or he is nowhere to be found, whether he is a model of how to live or his life has gone off the rails, Father’s Day gives us a…
Happy Mother’s Day! The day when we take moms of all stripes out for brunch, bring them flowers, spend time together… Well, that probably won’t be happening this year. And maybe that’s a good thing. As with other aspects of…