Moment of Grace This past Sunday morning, I found myself doing something I’ve never done before. Proffering the bread in communion to each person kneeling at the communion rail — saying the words The Body of Christ — and looking them … [Read more...] about “Les Miserables”: Finding God in the theatre (part 1)
Alice Aspen March: The right kind of attention
I'M IN THE middle of the Pennsylvania countryside, not far from Lancaster. It’s July, and fields of bright green corn line the winding roads. My grandfather has finally died at the age of 96, and I’m driving to his funeral to honor him. I’m … [Read more...] about Alice Aspen March: The right kind of attention
Memoir: What’s in a B-210, anyway?
MY YOUNGEST BROTHER Richard once told me that I should buy a BMW. “It’s your kind of car,” he said. I’ve recently been thinking about his comment, and what he meant by it. So I asked a friend of mine who loves BMWs to explain why it’s such a … [Read more...] about Memoir: What’s in a B-210, anyway?
Chaim Potok: Creating An Emotional Blueprint for Those Who Leave
I WAS STRUGGLING with my decision to leave my Amish-Mennonite world when I first discovered the author Chaim Potok. In the audio/visual section of the Stark County District Library, I spied what would become my favorite novel. My Name Is … [Read more...] about Chaim Potok: Creating An Emotional Blueprint for Those Who Leave
Dominic Orsini: Discovering the Essence of Faith in Steubenville
I WAS ATTENDING my first football game with Catholic Central High School in Steubenville — a few weeks after being hired. Shortly before the game began, a new teaching colleague took me to the top of the bleachers to meet two men, one a steelworker … [Read more...] about Dominic Orsini: Discovering the Essence of Faith in Steubenville
Myrrl Byler: Why High School Teachers Are So Important
WE WERE 15 minutes into the root canal. The contraption inside my mouth, which isolated my back tooth, made it impossible to speak. Through a large headphone set, The Killers played in my ear. A rubber jam held my mouth open. I submitted to all … [Read more...] about Myrrl Byler: Why High School Teachers Are So Important
