Open Window

The story I want to share with you today features one of my favorite saints, St. Therese of Lisieux who was born 150 years ago this year. This story comes from Shaela Blanchard, who lives in Colorado. Shaela is a stay-at-home mother of three little ones—11, 3, and 8 months. She is also a business owner.

I always love watching the children approach the altar for a blessing on their way to learn about God during the Children’s Liturgy of the Word.

With everything I have going on this fall, I wasn’t looking for anything else to do. Sometimes I have an idea, though, and I just can’t shake it. That’s how I felt when I first thought about volunteering to teach faith formation at our parish. I haven’t taught Sunday School since the year the pandemic […]

The whole weekend I had felt surrounded by God’s presence and love. But as the music washed over me, and I joined my voice to the others in that sacred space, I felt loved, comforted, and so at peace.

It was just an ordinary day. I was rushing around getting people ready for school, trying to make sure we didn’t miss the bus, explaining the schedule for the day, while keeping half an eye on my phone in case the workday was starting early. Then, all of a sudden, as my younger son was […]

Six years ago, when my sister was expecting her twin boys, I was rooting for them to come on my husband’s birthday. I thought it would be fun for them to share that day together.

Life is full of jumping spiders—and other things that are much more stressful and problematic. Nineteen years into marriage, I’m grateful that I don’t have to experience them alone.

As I sat in the waiting room, I thought I might have a few minutes to myself. Then the door burst open, and a mother and her two little girls came hurrying into the room. Fairly quickly, the older girl caught my eye and recognized me as an appreciative audience. She picked up her 3-year-old […]