I had my first radio appearance this week on Chris DeSimone's Wake Up Tucson show, taking a deep dive into the recent Catholic Church controversy about which bishops knew what and when in regard to the sexual abuse of minors by clergy. He'd asked me on the show after reading my Arizona Daily Star column … Continue reading Me, and radio: Wake up Tucson →

I’ve read with interest the dozens of op-eds, blogs and social media posts since the Aug. 14 release of the Pennsylvania grand jury report detailing Catholic priest atrocities against more than 1,000 children over a 70-year period. Everyone says things need to change, but no one is offering exactly how Catholics can get change in … Continue reading Catholics: Stop donating to Church →

I stood in front of the ATM machine with my almost 3-year-old grandson contemplating the meaning of life. It was already 98 degrees and 3,542 percent humidity, and this was supposed to be a very quick stop to get money from Nana's rarely used "special" account for our spontaneous adventure. The problem was that said … Continue reading Life by PIN and password →

One of the best parts of being on vacation for Catholic nerds is having the luxury of going to daily mass. Sure, vacation could be defined as sleeping in, laying on a beach, reading through summer book lists or hiking Machu Picchu, but as a working stiff most of the year, I rarely get the … Continue reading Holding hands with a Trump voter →

Let us begin with full disclosure: I do not like this current president. Every time the man tweets I feel like I'm in a monster movie. I have lost sleep because of him, I've lost friends because of him, and some days I think I just might lose my mind because of him. He is … Continue reading In defense of Sarah Huckabee Sanders – an open letter to the Sisterhood →

For the past few weeks, social media, blogs and the op-ed pages of the traditional press have been filled with articles about mental illness, prompted by the suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. In many cases, these articles are hand-wringing: Why, in such an advanced country, has the suicide rate grown by more than … Continue reading How to stop a suicide →

I hate to fall into the "good old days" trap, but some moments call for it. Today is just such a moment. In the good old days - or simply back in 2009 - one could go to the grocery store, buy groceries, pay with a debit card, and have to do only two things … Continue reading Life as a multiple choice test →