My husband, Deacon Joe Siewers, serves as the Campus Minister for Reitz Memorial High School in Evansville. He loves this ministry God has called him to for many reasons, including the students, of course – and all he learns from them.     But he has also been blessed by getting to...
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As I am writing this column, I have just come from hearing the gospel story known as “The Woman at the Well,” in which a Samaritan woman with a dubious social status and a complicated past has an encounter with Jesus that changes her life.  In the story, Jesus promises the woman a...
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At an annual RCIA retreat before Lent, Lloyd Young, RCIA catechist from Holy Rosary parish in Evansville, gave a talk to the catechumens and candidates of the diocese about his journey through RCIA.   Lloyd’s journey to Catholicism started during Lent, and he has a marvelous way of...
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It has been six months now since my mom’s death.  These months have been an odd blending of sorrow, celebration and deep introspection. I have found it extremely peculiar how all of these things coexist with such intensity and rise to the surface most very unexpectedly.  The one tha...
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Several months ago the department in which I work was moved to a new area in the factory. One of the many adjustments I had to make was where I would sit with my friend for breaks and lunch. I know that seems minor in comparison to the challenges we all face each day, but it was important for us to...
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I volunteer as a substitute teacher for the Religious Education program in our parish.  I never know what age group I will have until they call me to take a class. The last time I was called, it happened to be the Kindergarten class.  They were a lively bunch but well-behaved.   I no...
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In these last few months, many people in our Catholic community have experienced the pain of having personal and professional relationships strained and even torn apart by angry political discord. A friend of mine recently confided that she blocked many of her parish friends on Facebook because the...
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Every journey of discovery begins with a question.   What if the world is not flat?  Where does life begin?  How does life begin?  What is beyond a star?  What is at the depths of the ocean?  Questions have led people to explore the complexities of the universe, t...
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Ok, I will admit it; I am a Hallmark movie watcher. Many of you probably are too – but would never admit it for fear of being seen as sappy or too sentimental.  Well at Mass on New Year’s Day, a fellow Hallmark watcher stepped into the light, and I was delighted. Yes, Father fesse...
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This past fall my husband and I, and a friend, took a vacation to Philadelphia. It was our first time visiting this historic city. I will admit I prefer to stay close to home most of the time; so visiting a new, unfamiliar place always gives me a bit of anxiety, especially if it is a big city. Usua...
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