September 1st marks the beginning of the liturgical year for Byzantine Christians. This important day is celebrated as the feast day for Saint Symeon the Stylite, who lived atop a ...

It’s often lamented that babies don’t come with manuals.  Of course, this isn’t true—babies do come with manuals.  They are called “parenting books.” There are books that tell you how ...

The ancient Greeks identified the sign of fruitfulness as proof of the art of living well, as the true mark of civilization. On the shield of Achilles in the Iliad ...

A recent Seton graduate informed us that he had chosen Moses for his Confirmation patron. No, not THAT Moses! There was, in fact, another Moses from the same Egyptian locality who was as colorful a character as the great Patriarch. August 28th could well be termed the feast day for bad boys gone good...

When I was growing up in the 1970’s, many Catholic parents took turns going to Mass: Mom might go to an early Mass while Dad stayed home with the kids; ...

This is primarily written toward teenagers who are currently working on high school, but will—before they know it—be going on to college or the working world. As you grow up, ...

To be human is to think of the future, to imagine the unknown, and to fear the unpredictable. So many things are not in the control of human beings who ...

I was home schooled for the last three years of high school, grades 10 through 12. I feel that I learned much more being home schooled for those three years ...

In O. Henry’s short story “The Social Triangle,”  Ikey Snigglefritz, a simple tailor’s apprentice, receives his week’s wages and on his way home enters the Café Maginnis. There he accidentally ...

Readin’, writin’, ‘rithmetic and religion are, of course, vital and irreplaceable components of any educational system. As any Seton student can attest, a great deal of effort is involved in ...

At the beginning of every school year, I make a little personal checklist as to how I can improve homeschooling in the upcoming year.  I don’t always stick to the ...

I recall once going to my aunt’s house to baby sit for her three daughters. While in the kitchen, I was amused to see that she had a picture of a swimsuit model on her refrigerator. Before pulling anything out of the refrigerator to eat, my aunt had to look at the picture. This was clearly meant to dissuade her from eating, in hopes of having a figure like the woman in the picture. While the idea was amusing to me, it made some sense. Although my aunt had a general intention to lose weight, the picture gave her direct motivation at the time it was most needed.

Suddenly it hits you:  within a very few weeks, for the first time in your life, you are going to be more or less on your own, away from your ...

In his fairy tale “The Goblin at the Provision Dealer’s” or in some editions entitled “The Pixy at the Grocer’s,” Hans Andersen depicts the life of a goblin who enjoys ...

A critic of Jane Austen’s novels facetiously coined this phrase to illustrate one of the virtues of civility. Characters with the most refined and elegant manners exemplify this virtue that ...

Almost everyone knows about and has seen pictures of the Grand Canyon, but did you know that the Grand Canyon is just one of the many national and state parks ...

What is Nature without the pied beauty of the four seasons? What is a home without paint, pictures, flowers, and interior decoration? What are human beings without tasteful, dignified clothing? ...

July 27 marks the feast day for Saint Panteleimon, or Saint Panteley for those looking for easier pronunciation. Panteley was an Imperial court physician during the reign of Emperor Maximian, ...

Bob Weisner counsels that life is inevitably filled with “somethings” so trust in God and take responsibility for yourself in life’s unfamiliar situations. A friend recently related a rather scary ...

A couple of weeks ago I attended the annual conference of the National Stuttering Association in Scottsdale, Arizona. Why anyone schedules a conference in Scottsdale in July is beyond me ...