I realized that my writing may make people think I have it more together than I actually do. The thing about writers is, we see great truths--especially in the grips of suffering--and want to share those insights with others. That doesn't mean we've actually mastered what we write about. I am no exception. I have …
Catholic Exchange: How is Mourning Blessed?
This week we will examine the second Beatitude: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). This Beatitude may in fact be the hardest for Fallen human beings to understand. Suffering, pain, and affliction are aspects of the human condition. We have all experienced—or soon will—the devastation of losing someone we …
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Catholic Exchange: Finding Laughter and Joy Amidst Suffering
I will continue my series on the Beatitudes and the work of Servais Pinckaers next week. My husband was in the hospital for 2.5 days with a partially collapsed lung, so I was unable to delve deeper into the Beatitudes. Since I spent more time in the hospital with my husband this week, I thought the topic of laughter …
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Catholic Exchange. How are the Poor in Spirit Blessed?
Last week we began taking a look at the Beatitudes and how they serve as a roadmap for finding happiness in this life and in the next. It’s now time to turn to each of the individual Beatitudes in order to consider how we are called to live our lives in such a radical way. The …
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Catholic Exchange: Changing the World Means Growing in Holiness
The world we live in is broken. The Fall has wounded us deeply and those wounds and sins tend to fester and grow as we live in community with one another. Anyone who has paid much attention to world news is aware that these wounds cause massive bloodshed on a daily basis. Anger and violence beget …
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Catholic Exchange: Learning Balance Alongside St. Martha
A good many of us live busy lives. This busyness can become burdensome as we pack our days with activities, work requirements, family engagements, and especially during periods of illness or suffering. Our service to our families and our neighbors can become a source of resentment, exhaustion, and spiritual malaise. This is precisely why Our Lord …
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Catholic Radio Interview Audio File
For those who are interested here is the audio file from my interview with John Harper on Morning Air this morning. I start at about 16:25. Pax. http://relevantradio.streamguys.us/MA%20Archive/MA20170726a.mp3
Catholic Radio Interview Wednesday July 26th
Hi all, I will be interviewed by John Harper on Morning Air at 715am ET on Wednesday July 26th. We will be discussing my most recent Catholic Exchange piece on envy and suffering. Pax, Constance
My Husband’s Diagnosis
My husband's lung biopsy results came in late yesterday afternoon. It is as we feared. He has a rare form of pulmonary vasculitis. We knew it in our guts already, but my first response was "dammit" and a lot of tears. The disease is Wegener's-Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis. It is an auto-immune disease that attacks the …
Sporadic Writing Due to Husband’s Medical Issues
My writing will remain sporadic for the foreseeable future and I may not return to grad school this year. My husband has developed a serious disease and keeps coughing up a lot of blood. All common causes have been ruled out. Cavities i.e. Holes keep forming in his lungs. He must now have a thoracic …
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Swimming the Depths 