It sticks out like a sore, green thumb in the middle of a sober liturgical period. As a lifelong Catholic — and a lifelong Irishman — I struggle with squaring my prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial with a holiday (one of my favorites) whose excesses include dying an entire river green. When I’m supposed to be fasting and giving things up and attending penance services, along comes this holiday — this feast day — that contradicts the whole Lenten vibe with its parades and corned beef. Find more about Saint Patrick online.
3 ways to tackle marriage stress
Catholic husband Cory Busse writes, if your marriage is anything like mine, there’s only one thing you can count on: perfect marital bliss 24/7! Only kidding! Marriage is hard work. Go online to find three ways to turn some of the most stressful marital moments into opportunities for a stronger union.
It’s not that easy being (ever)green
There’s something about a Christmas tree that draws one to it. Even though your tree is probably bone dry and headed to the curb (or to its box in the storage space if your tree is artificial), who among us doesn’t take heart in a living thing that thrives and grows year-round and maintains its color even in the harshest of conditions? Evergreens are an important symbol during the Christmas season in the Church. But why? What is it about the evergreen that it has become such an enduring symbol of our Catholic faith? Find out online.
Not the same old (Christmas) story
Every year around this time, we’re bound to hear a familiar set of narratives in the media. How much we’ll spend. How far we’ll travel. How far behind retail sales are compared to last year. It’s time to put aside the tired stories. Here are three replacement conversations we should be having this Christmas, including talking about how much to give, not how much to spend! Find the conversations online.
Have yourself a drama-free Christmas
Can you have a drama-free Christmas? Ever since Cory Bussee’s mom and dad passed, family holidays have taken on a very weird flavor. He and his wife, and his siblings and their spouses and kids, all struggle with family identity now that the keepers of their shared history and traditions are gone. So, the family decided to host a “Drama-Free Christmas.” To pull it off, they made three, simple rules. Discover what they are online.