Susan M. Erschen writes from Missouri.
Less priestly vocations. Shrinking Catholic populations. An influx of immigrants bringing with them different religious traditions. Aging church structures that need cost-prohibitive repairs. These are just a few of the reasons parishes around the country are facing mergers or closures. Recently, the
Looking for a New Year’s resolution? How about a new dress code? In fact, there is one dress code that Christians should never ignore. It comes from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians: “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and
In a new In Focus for Our Sunday Visitor, writer Susan Erschen offers readers ways to cope with the loss of a loved one with the help of the writings of C.S. Lewis. Erschen writes: “Grief enters all of our lives at
Faith, hope and love. These three theological virtues should be the very foundation of our spirituality. Yet, sadly, faith, hope and love seem to be greatly lacking in much of our public lives today. We see this in the strife that divides
Every year around this time Catholics ask the same question: “What will I do for Lent?” We know our Lenten practice should be spiritually enriching. We know it should be a sacrifice. However, we might be tempted to take on a commitment
It is that time of year when we push aside the pumpkins carved with the words “We Give Thanks” and instead spread out all the holiday sale ads so we can make our Christmas wish lists. In a blink of an eye,
Cancer — or any other major illness — might be a challenge to our faith. Or it can help our faith grow deeper than it has ever been before. The choice is up to us. Susan Erschen knows this first hand. In
For many people who visit the Vatican, seeing the Holy Father is the highlight of the trip. Yet, hearing the pope might be the greater and more life-changing event for those who are fortunate enough to attend one of his weekly audiences.
We usually see Easter as a time of joy. Christ is risen! Let us rejoice! However, the Gospels show us that Our Lord’s followers woke up on Easter morning with overwhelming grief. Something horrible, beyond their worst imaginations, had happened. There was
We are happy to be done with 2020, writes Susan Erschen. We are glad this year of too much death, fear, suffering and strife is over. However, replacing our old calendars with new ones will not automatically change things. What changes things