In a world so subscribed to cynicism, it’s hard to be anything but a pessimist. Everyone’s glass is always half-empty, and if anyone dares to believe otherwise, the half-emptys descend upon the poor optimist, either relentlessly changing their mind, or shattering the glass altogether. How does one stay an optimist in a culture adamantly opposed […]

Have you ever had a conversation with someone you barely know where you walk away knowing just a little too much about them? These conversations, where you didn’t ask for their testimony or a play-by-play of their latest telephone call with God, are often difficult to handle charitably. Do you rejoice at their vulnerability and […]

“She’s not who I thought she was.”   Those words are enough to stop anyone in their tracks. We spend so much time on impression management, making sure that the “me” everyone else sees is acceptable, good, and even holy. But when someone sees past that, when we slip up, when a shred of unplanned vulnerability […]

“Ever since discernment became fashionable, no one has made a decision.”   This popular quote, often attributed to Rev. Bob Bedard, casts an interesting light on how Catholics—particularly those of us on this campus – view discernment. Phrases like, “let me discern it first,” or “I’ll pray a novena and then get back to you,” are […]