Author Archives: Bethany Welch
Karla’s Story
For most of her life, Karla did not know that she was an undocumented resident of the United States of America. She grew up in a densely populated neighborhood in South Philadelphia. She went to high school and got a job as a waitress in her teenage years. Her parents worked hard, sent money to […]
Illuminating God’s Love at Work in the World
A dark shroud seemed to envelope America in the last few weeks of 2012. From the constant media chatter about the fiscal cliff to the coverage of trauma and heartache in Newtown, CT, the days were filled with painful reminders of our human failings and fragility. The darkness seeped into my own family with the […]
The Virgin for our Time and Generation
I arrived late. The crowd was pressed in tightly. Layers and layers of winter clothing seemed to double the size of each person. Despite the throng, all attention was focused on a parade of icons making its way down the central aisle of the church. Cell phones were held high from nearly every hand trying […]
Seeing the Signs
As the chaos of Black Friday and Cyber Monday comes to an end and Christians around the world prepare to enter the season of Advent, I am reminded of a day nearly nine months ago when Catholics observed the Solemnity of The Annunciation of the Lord. This feast day commemorates the Virgin Mary’s encounter with […]
Crafting a message
The first Catholic Worker newspaper I encountered came from the back of an Episcopal church in Upstate New York. A small wood cut illustration caught my attention as it peeked out from underneath a pile of leaflets. I pulled out the paper and unfolded the cheap, ink-smeared pages. I didn’t know what the Catholic Worker […]
Election Day Reflections
As I write this, I can hear the soft beep of an electronic polling station recording votes in a room next door. The beeps are frequently drowned out by loud greetings between neighbors. Deep laughter and high-pitched giggles ensue as folks reconnect in line at the polls. News about grandkids seems to be a favorite […]
Becoming Human Again
In this past Sunday’s Gospel, we heard Jesus issue a challenge to an earnest young man who wanted to know how to secure life beyond the grave. First, he was reminded of the Ten Commandments. The young man assured Jesus that he was keeping these. Considering this, Jesus upped the ante, telling the man to […]
