As music director of St. Damien Parish, Debbie Roland believes in good planning. She will spend time reflecting on the upcoming mass readings, making sure to choose hymns that enhance the Liturgy of the Word. But every once in a while, as the mass unfolds, Debbie will hear a little …
In the horrific aftermath of the 9/11 attack in New York in 2001, Whitney Randles helped families of victims identify the remains of their loved ones and confront required paperwork. “I would stay with a family for seven hours until they completed the process,” she recalled. Whitney was employed at …
For Paul Stryker Jr., Pentecost had special meaning this year, especially its message of unity through a universal language of faith. Paulie, as he is known, was three weeks into boot camp at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, surrounded by recruits from all over the country. “We …
Itzel Rosario can remember a time when she thought going to Mass was simply a cultural tradition, a way to conform to the surrounding society. “You went to church,” she said, “but you didn’t necessarily know what you were doing there.” However, ten years ago, led by her father, her …
We have all heard the saying that when God closes one door, He opens another. For one-time soccer player Jackie Adams, the first door slammed hard. A series of sports-related concussions while she was in high school ended her playing career and altered her career plans. But as a second …
Kierstyn Kuehnle, who was born deaf in one ear and wears a hearing aid in the other, knows that “God does not make mistakes.” “Things happen for a reason,” she said. “He has laid out a life and a plan for each of us.” This sense of mission has allowed …
