by Claire Dwyer | Dec 2, 2023 | Advent, Liturgical year, Present Moment
The baby’s wail rang through the church, reverberating through the air, an audible avalanche. It shattered the silence after communion with such piercing power I was momentarily stunned. The mother had already retreated to the back of the building—no doubt...
by Claire Dwyer | May 21, 2023 | Holy Spirit, Liturgical year, Present Moment
If there’s one virtue I struggle with, it would be hope. In part because of my melancholic nature, my inner pendulum swings more toward pessimism. I see the difficulties before they arise, sigh with the weight of anticipated woes, expect disappointment around every...
by Claire Dwyer | Mar 26, 2020 | Liturgical year, spirituality
Imagine the Lord carving a cross just for you–gently, lovingly, bent over his workbench, holding you in his mind, in existence, in love. Knowing exactly what you need for holiness, exactly how much you can carry, the curve of your brokenness, the shape of your sin,...
by Claire Dwyer | Nov 26, 2016 | Liturgical year, silence
Now that we’ve got Thanksgiving under our (slightly loosened) belts, it’s time to turn our attention to something – new. While to our worldly senses, the year is winding down with a celebratory month of shopping, singing, decorating, and baking, our...
by Claire Dwyer | Sep 13, 2015 | Liturgical year, Mary
This week we’ll celebrate two important feasts: the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, on September 14, and the following day, September 15, we’ll remember Our Lady of Sorrows. Two days linked forever in meaning, inseparable, poignant. September 15 also...
