As I argue in Leaving Boyhood Behind, it's not just fathers and sons who need the wisdom of the rite of passage. Mothers need it too. A boy's transition away from his mother into manhood can be very difficult for a mother, due to the unique relationship a mother shares with her child. The growth of a boy into manhood can even be an experience of de...

Marty has a strong belief in God; however, he struggled to understand God’s unconditional love for him.  Marty’s struggle with pornography addiction left him feeling worthless and unlovable, especially in God’s eyes.  For Marty, a large part of recovery is understanding how God can be both just and merciful. This is a struggle I find in ma...

The liturgical rites of the Church can be strikingly formative.  I once visited a Benedictine monastery and attended one of the sung offices of the monks.  I was particularly moved witnessing the monks, as they entered and exited their stalls, bow first to the altar and then, two by two from the opposing sides of the choir, turn to bow toward his...

The event happened about fifteen years ago, but remains etched in my memory as if it was last week. There are times when God treats us to something special, if only we pay attention. Fortunately for me, it was one of those times that I was paying attention. It was so unexpected. And simple. And beautiful. I had arrived at the West Des Moines rest...

My hometown of Lawler, Iowa in the 1950s featured much character. And many characters. In general, through the years there have been about 500 people who live there. I will tell you about one of them. His real name was Francis. We called him Hoot. I don’t remember why. Everybody I knew had a nickname. Someone called him that once and it stuck. ...

How can anyone know God? How can we plumb the depths or reach the heights of the Infinite? How do we respond to statements like, “See, God is great beyond our knowledge, the number of his years past searching out,” (Job 36:26)? To me, these types of questions and ideas can seem like the start of an intellectual exercise through which one can fi...

When I was a young man in college, I went through what most young men go through – the dating scene. As it goes, I found some young women who were attractive, and I sought to gain their attention. I would take them out for ice cream, or go to a movie, or whatever else seemed like a decent date. Then would follow the entire digital dismay of timel...

We were reminded on a recent Sunday of one of the greatest commandments from the Gospel of Mark: “You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Men, this is difficult to truly embrace.  When you think about it realistically, there are so many things and people that w...

As I tucked my five-year-old son into bed tonight he wanted to “say some more prayers for people.” I think part of his intent might have been to delay lights-out time, but how could I not honor that request? In his list of intentions, he included “all the souls in purgatory,” at which point he actually stopped and thought about what he was ...

The beginning of fall marks the end of the summer wedding season, and as I see the photos of friends, acquaintances, and distant family members getting married, I can’t help but reflect on the classic Catholic wedding photo. The young couple is standing together looking overjoyed at the foot of the altar framed by decoration and bright colors. Th...