The fight for spiritual growth is harder when the opponent is ourselves By George Valadie I love “March Madness.” Our whole family does. If you’re not familiar, it’s a phrase that originated at the high-school level, but once uttered on national TV has since become synonymous with the season-ending NCAA …
Unspoken love is real, but not with God
St. Valentine’s legacy was as priest, martyr, rebel, and protector of forbidden love By George Valadie Hoping you have a happy Valentine’s Day! Or that at least you don’t mess it up. I’ve done that on occasion. You’d think since it originated somewhere in the 14th century, we’d have figured …
God sends one to be the hope of another
In this Jubilee Year, perhaps we can be the answer someone has longed for but given up on By George Valadie A belated welcome to 2025! And welcome to this year of Jubilee; this year of hope and the grace that comes from spreading it! I know we’re just a …
He lied to his nurse in hiding 1.3 pounds
No harm came to anyone by not telling the truth, unless he counts himself—and his conscience By George Valadie I lied. I’m not proud of it. I’m a little embarrassed and a little ashamed. Why on earth would I do that? It’s not like I planned to. I actually surprised …
1
AI is everywhere—even in this column
Artificial intelligence writes the first eight paragraphs below as well as the closing prayer By George Valadie Wow, it was a lot! I’m talking about the deep dive I took recently into the world of artificial intelligence (AI). You’d think I was gearing up for a Ph.D. in computer science, …
Our leaders aren’t having a beer anymore
The way we despise the opposition with a depth of vileness cannot help but impact our children By George Valadie It’s a story my wife has recounted countless times. And one for which I have given her grief in equal number. But it comes to mind these days. At the …
4
A new school role he didn’t see coming
Serving as diocesan superintendent puts him back with those called by the Master Teacher By George Valadie I didn’t see that coming! A few short weeks ago, I was spending a good bit of my days on the back porch. Sleeping late. Hitting thousands of golf balls at the driving …
2
Thank you, Lord. Can we keep him?
A seminarian’s skill with the tetherball crowd hinted at greater things to come By George Valadie I first met the young man on the playground where I was principal. He and the other students were doing battle in a wild and woolly game of tetherball. He was older, though. Bigger. …
1
The gift of laughing with your spouse
In 47 years of marriage, he has learned that God’s grace has many forms, including that gift “… And it’s the way that she looks with the rice in her hair” By George Valadie “Eating burnt suppers the whole first year “And asking for seconds to keep her from tearing …
1
‘I just hate it when He talks like that’
A columnist hopes Christ’s words leave open room for a comeback when he makes mistakes By George Valadie A confession: the homily wasn’t speaking to me. So, I found myself leafing through the parish bulletin from this church we were visiting before also thumbing through their missalette, looking ahead to …
A child’s sacrament recalls another years ago
A grandson’s first Communion brings back memories and evokes prayers for the youth By George Valadie It was May 1961, so a good many of the details escape me now. But it was when my second-grade classmates and I received our first Holy Communion. It was the third of five …
‘Most everything’s working. It’s all good’
God would love to ‘climb out of bed, survey the universe,’ and think those words to Himself By George Valadie I’m not the weather fanatic my wife is, but I know this much: if our daughter in Little Rock gets hit by something crazy, odds are pretty good Chattanooga is …
