For those entrusted with caring for God’s children (regardless of the child’s age), worry, anxiety, and doubt are not unique to a time of pandemic. Who hasn’t second guessed a decision, been concerned that a child does not seem to be learning the lesson (whether academic, life-related, or religious), or prayed anxiously for a child’s well-being? As we accompany our children through EVERYTHING, who accompanies us?

The Eighth Station: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem (Luke 23:27-31).  It’s one of the more cryptic episodes of the Gospels, yet it evokes a powerful range of emotions in people, from confusion to clarity, from comfort to fear.  For mothers and spiritual mothers, it is a passage that speaks volumes of how God sees us.

Going on a St. Patrick's Day scavenger hunt outside, when nature has turned green, can be a way for kids to search for real gold, learning about God's love for them, while having fun along the way. Children may know about St. Patrick's Day shamrocks and rainbows, but they may not know much about the real saint and his own journeys.

What makes Catholic Schools catholic is the presence of people who walk with our children and model to them what it means to be a disciple of Christ – who teach with their own lives, and their own faith.

A new school year offers a fresh start, and many students embrace that opportunity. But, for overachievers, early positive energy may soon give way to feelings of stress. The need to succeed can consume and overwhelm these kids.Some pressure comes from parents and teachers, but overachievers often expect too much of themselves. They feel they must do everything well, and many suffer a crushing fear of failure. When they do succeed, any feelings of satisfaction are short-lived because they're...

What is life all about?Why do relationships, sex, and members of the opposite sex leave me feeling hurt or confused?These are questions teens and young people are asking whenever they look in the mirror. David Hadjuk has a message of hope for them. He says to young people: Don't give up hope on the deepest desire of the human heart--authentic love!Dare to imagine what it means to be created in the image of God. Discover God’s amazing plan for you!  In...

How do I make an Advent Wreath?  If your family doesn’t already follow this tradition, why not start? You can buy Advent wreaths, but all you really need are three purple candles and a pink one. Place them in a circle and arrange some pine branches and pine cones around them. Or, you can make safe “candles” with toilet paper (cardboard) rolls and tissue paper – don’t light these! All you need to do is paint three of the toilet paper rolls purple and one of them...

Most kids love the warm weather and outdoor fun of spring and summer, but not all children enjoy this time of year. The more revealing clothing can make kids uncomfortably aware of their bodies. Body image issues might be aggravated – or brought to light for the first time – during the warmer seasons.Not that negative body image is a part-time problem! Today's kids feel tremendous pressure to be attractive every day. They frequently compare themselves to peers, celebrities, and m...

May has always been a special time of year in the Church, in Catholic schools, and in the world. Something about the sun coming out and the flowers in full bloom gives us renewed hope in Our Blessed Mother, her holy month, and the promise of summer being closer than it seems. May is the first of two months out of the year when we celebrate Mary and her revered place in the Church family. Students (and hopefully teachers and parents) get excited for the May crowning ceremony, the living rosa...

Our faith teaches us we are all God's children, created in His image, but we don't always treat others that way! It's not easy to accept and respect the "different" people in our lives – and facing the wider challenges of racism, sexism, and other prejudices in our society can be overwhelming.Kids deal with intolerance, too. Some personally experience bigotry – or their loved ones do. Others observe intolerance on television and in social media or witness it in ...