Given my line of work, I inevitably find myself drawn to Jesus' parable of the talents. I reflect on it often and speak about it in my career workshops to Christian groups. Ponder Jesus' words along with me, as I draw out a few simple points for reflection and discussion with regard to your children. More »

He summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. More »

Wouldn't you like something better for your children? More »

From a mother of two: For years, a friend and I have gotten together early on Saturday morning—maybe twice a month—to pray for our families. We talk about our concerns and answered prayers, then we intercede for about a half hour, using both spontaneous and formal prayers. (We especially like the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel as a way of asking God's protection on our kids and husbands.) More »

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta once said: "Faith is love in action, and love in action is service." The statement could very well serve as a slogan for Catholic parents who are trying to instill compassion for others' needs. As many are finding, when we put our own love in action through practical service, our children can catch the vision, too. More »

We know how important it is to communicate with our kids—to talk about what's on their minds in a way that helps them to adopt good values and "take on the mind of Christ" (see 1 Corinthians 2:16). But given the hectic pace of life, how easy it is to start feeling disconnected and to turn our conversations into check-lists of housekeeping topics: "What time is your basketball practice? Have you finished your homework? When is your project due?" The opportunities for constructive and reflective discussion can seem few and far between. More »

My kids seem to love their faith. And why not? The church packs the calendar with dozens of reasons to party. To our family's way of thinking, "practicing Catholics" are those who celebrate the most. More »

When I celebrate baptisms, I love to ask for the help of a child in the congregation, preferably an older sibling of the baby being baptized. I ask, "Have your parents taught you how to do anything?" The reply is usually a "yes" or maybe just a nod. Then I ask, "What have they taught you to do?" Typical answers are "how to make a bed" and "how to tie my shoes" and "how to catch a baseball." More »