What—no background checks? You can’t be serious!
A few weeks ago, I attended my 12-year-old son's recreational basketball league orientation. I sat obediently even though I've heard the same information for many years now and listened as one of the league's coordinators barked off the rules and regulations: "no water in the gym; no wet shoes on the wooden gym floor; hitting, pushing, or general bad behavior will result in ejection; and we don't do background checks on our coaches, so pick your child up on time." What—no background checks? You can't be serious!

Monitor All Programs... but, monitor for what?
One of the elements necessary for child sexual abuse to occur is that child molesters need privacy and seclusion to commit their crimes. That's a fundamental reason for monitoring programs involving children and young people. But, there are some circumstances that need special attention. For example, how does the parish monitor home-based religious education programs? How does a school respond if a parent refuses to be screened, but asserts the right to accompany his or her child on field trips? Fortunately, there are ways to address these types of situations in advance.

The Dentist, the Hygienist, and the Catechist
For a few years now it has been my great pleasure to travel from Diocese to Archdiocese seeing so many beautiful parts of the country. It has been a great blessing to meet so many dedicated people and see how they responded selflessly to the problem of child sexual abuse in our Church and in our communities. The blessings of these meetings and encounters have greatly enriched my life.

I’ve never prayed for vocations before, but…
I struggle with my faith every day. But when I add up what I do know, that individuals are needed to enter religious life and that religious are indeed special people, their life chosen by Christ and put in our path to help us here on earth, it becomes clear what I must do...

Summer friends are great and all, but . . .
As summer approaches, I am struck that parents tend to fall into two distinct camps. There are those who, by May, are dying for a change of pace: "I am sooooo ready not to have the kids on such a schedule! I can't wait to not hustle us out the door to school by 8 am." Against such admirable cheerfulness, of course, there is my camp—the parents like me who, when faced with three months of "freedom, flexibility, and fun" are already wondering about how in the world we'll fill the time!