Sandy, my older brother, and I both went to St. John Vianney High School in Los Angeles, staffed by Dominican friars. It engendered a great fondness in us for this great cleric, who is the patron saint of parish priests. In the 18th century, with the battered Church in France brought to her knees by revolu-tion, God raised up an unexpectedly gentle champion of the faith.

Few issues have unified Catholic and Christian faithful like the fight against abortion. The 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling galvanized churches around action and ideology, prompting generations to protest, invest money, and vote in support of unborn children. Where do we go next with that passion and energy now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade?

We have witnessed a dizzying array of ideologies since the 1960s that threaten the truth and meaning of human sexuality. In the past decade, the gender (activities, roles, and norms of men and women) and their sex (that binary biological designation of a human being as male or female) are being uncoupled with increasing frequency.

Vines can be charming and add vertical interest to the landscape. They are considered to be under-used and tend to be over looked at our local nurseries. Silver lace vine is a great choice for gardeners in our diocese who are interested in a fast-growing, easy going and undemanding vine.

Truly, we are creatures of habit. Used to standing for the Gospel Acclamation’s alleluias immediately following the Epistle, congregations at Mass are usually caught by surprise when the Sequence appears instead. Often left without instruction by the lector or cantor, worshippers stand, hesitate, then self-consciously resume their seats.

Twenty-nine-year old Dom Brand of South Carolina, in an apparently random act in 2020, shot and killed an 80-year-old woman named Mary Ann Elvington.

For years, Catherine Huss’ twin passions were evident: faith and fashion.

The 30-year-old Catholic never felt that her faith was at odds with her penchant for apparel. But the career path she projected for herself did appear lonely. She wasn’t aware of any other Catholic fashion designers. 

Many years ago, I watched an older woman making Ukrainian Easter eggs at an international crafts fair. The complex process, intricate patterns and bright colors fascinated me, so I purchased a kit and spent time during Lent trying to master the traditional art of “Pysanky,” as the eggs are called.