About Me
I am not one of those people who was born knowing she would one day be a writer. I didn’t stage plays or concoct stories when I was young. I thought I would be a teacher, or a social worker, or a singer. Then I walked into my first college journalism class, and I knew there was no turning back. Not once have I wished for a different career. In fact, I could not imagine doing anything else — ever.
I have written for just about every kind of publication out there — daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, monthly newspapers, magazines, newsletters, trade journals, annual reports, and prayer books. My subjects have ranged from women cattle ranchers to silent retreats.
I graduated from Pace University in 1984 with a BA in English. Since then I have been a reporter and editor for various publications — most of them Catholic. Writing for the Church is not just a job but a vocation and a blessing. I have worked for the Catholic dioceses of Metuchen, NJ, and Austin, TX, as well as the Archdiocese of New York, where I served as managing editor of Catholic New York newspaper.
Currently, I am in the midst of a double book release. My fifth book, “Everyday Divine: A Catholic Guide to Active Spirituality,” was released by Alpha/Penguin last month (November 2012). My sixth book, “Cravings: A Catholic Wrestles with Food, Self-Image, and God,” was released by Ave Maria Press this month (December 2012). My previous books include “Walking Together: Discovering the Catholic Tradition of Spiritual Friendship” (Ave Maria Press), “The Essential Guide to Catholic Prayer and the Mass” (Alpha/Penguin), “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Catholic Catechism” (Alpha/Penguin), and “Parenting a Grieving Child: Helping Children Find Faith, Hope, and Healing after the Loss of a Loved One” (Loyola Press).
My monthly column, “Life Lines,” has been published in Catholic New York since 2001 and now also runs in The Catholic Spirit (Metuchen, N.J.) I write for OSV Newsweekly on a semi-regular basis, and I’m also a co-host of “Guided by Grace,” a cable show for Catholic women from Telecare TV.
On top of that, I blog almost daily here at Not Strictly Spiritual and on occasion at other blogs covering spiritual topics. I also write lots of behind-the-scenes pieces for various religious communities and Catholic organizations. In other words, I get to do what I love pretty much every day of my life and earn a living at the same time (and be home with my kids). Not a bad deal, even if I tend to complain about it at times. I have been blessed, and I am deeply grateful.
I am a mother, a wife, a chronicler of life, and a believer who understands that this journey leads us ever closer to God, even when I feel as though I'm standing still. 