There are many things that I wish I knew when I was younger. One of those is that a man’s primary core need is to be respected. Women desire to be respected too, but men equate love with respect. To them, to be respected is to be loved. I have learned that I’m a...
A Heroic Stories Conversation with Sean Berg, Special Forces Sean Berg, a retired Army Special Forces Colonel with ten combat deployments, doesn’t just talk about battlefield heroics—though he has plenty. He walks us through a firefight where a teammate nearly dies, a...
“It didn’t come with a manual.”I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard a guy say that about marriage and fatherhood.But it is true…and it is a hard truth. The two most difficult “jobs” for a man—being a husband and a father—commence with little to no...
“It didn’t come with a manual.”I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard a guy say that about marriage and fatherhood.But it is true…and it is a hard truth. The two most difficult “jobs” for a man—being a husband and a father—commence with little to no...
It’s easy to picture (and perhaps you’ve seen it), your teenager sighs, rolls their eyes, and says, “Do we have to go to Mass this weekend? Church is just so boring…” And there you are, in the middle of one of the most common conundrums for Catholic parents today....
As a dad of seven and a lifelong devotee of Our Lady, I’ve always had a soft spot for the Rosary. But something changed when I became a father. The Rosary stopped being just my prayer—it became our prayer. I began to see it not only as a lifeline for my own spiritual...
From the time I started my adventure in homeschooling 15 years ago, I have wanted to collect some of the most inspiring words spoken by American leaders since our founding—eloquent and soaring words, rooted in the wisdom of the ages. The...
As a Catholic Family Trust Attorney in California, I see firsthand how families navigate life’s major transitions. For aging parents, their later years can be filled with joy, reflection, and deep faith, but they can also bring changes, challenges, and a longing for...
In nearly 15 years of clinical psychology, it’s hard to imagine just how many people have expressed a deep longing to tangibly feel loved by God – to be able to truly rest in His presence. One of the main obstacles to experiencing the kind of peace that emerges...
You are having coffee in the morning with a friend, and she asks a question about how to be happy in the everyday events of one’s life. The conversation evolves to looking at the life of a very inspiring woman. Venerable Catherine McAuley founded the Religious Sisters...
Watching my son arrange dinosaurs during Mass—his way of staying regulated—reminds me how far our Catholic family has come on our autism journey. What once felt impossible has become a chance to witness the Church embracing all her members, including those on the...
The Church is sometimes referred to as the family of God. Like any family, there’s quite a motley array of people within it. It’s important to know your community, so I’ve put together a handy guide of some types of men you can find at Mass in your very own church....
Do you ever wonder why your children behave differently than you did as a child? Is one of your children well-behaved while another seems extremely difficult? A study of temperaments can help us parent more effectively, especially if we look to the examples of the...
I was sitting on the soft, green grass at my parents' lake home in rural Minnesota admiring all of creation. The weather was lovely on that bright summer afternoon when my husband of fifteen years walked over to me with the mischievous grin he often wore when he...
Are you looking for ways to awaken your ten-year-old’s faith? Or are you trying to help your 16-year-old granddaughter discern God’s will? Below you’ll find a letter addressed to young people that explores the life of St. Dominic Savio, who died when he was 15, and...
One of the biggest challenges facing Catholic parents today is trying to navigate tricky conversations about everything body-related with our kids. I work in menstrual cycle education– I first started as an NFP teacher about a decade ago, but slowly expanded into...
Saint John Bosco is well known for his work with disadvantaged youth and his innovative educational methods. In a time when teachers used corporal punishment and public shaming, John Bosco’s methods were seen as hugely controversial. Influenced by his first...
What comes to mind when you think about raising a teenager in today's world? Technology overload? Social media addiction? The constant struggle against anxiety and being overwhelmed? It's easy to focus on the challenges, isn't it? But what if we shifted our...
During our teenage years, our relationship with the Lord begins to change. As children, we typically love Him without caring about the details. We love Him with the love of a child with wonder, often praised in the Gospels. However, when we begin our teenage years, we...
Sin can be a challenging concept to teach to children, especially in today’s world where sin is not only tolerated but often celebrated. But as Christians, we know that sin is real and it damages our relationship with God. We are in a spiritual battle…good versus...
We all know that a great story can be one of the most effective ways to build up a child’s faith and strengthen their relationship with our Lord and His church. Many Catholic authors I know, including myself, strive to tell stories that will echo in your child’s heart...
Passing on your family’s traditions and rituals is of immense importance. From the way birthdays and name days are celebrated to the particular foods that are served at great feasts, traditions include all “the ways things are done in our house.” These small things...
For the Grieving Heart The time following the loss of a baby is numbing and painful as you try to navigate all of the emotions that are flooding your entire being. The grieving process is complex and leaves you wondering when your heart will find healing again, when...
For some reason, family prayer can be difficult. Carving out time in a day and gathering everyone into the same room seems particularly hard. It was hard when my wife Ashley and I had only three kids. It seems perfectly impossible now with sixteen. But even in the...
Years ago, I said something to my 11-year-old son which he found to be unsympathetic. His response? “I don’t think that is what a real parent would say to her child.” I have no idea how he came up with his frequent one-liners, but perhaps all 11-year-olds have this...