With Ash Wednesday coming up in just two days, I spent this weekend panicking and making lists. Lists of what to memorize, what to sacrifice, what to give, what to pray for, and what projects to complete for Lent. Our season, like our house, is … Continue readingMessy Lent
The Feast of the Nativity of our Lord has passed, and now we are in the thick of a joyous Christmas season! Hallelujah! But don’t get too settled. January 1 is a Holy Day of Obligation. It is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of … Continue readingWhy the First of January is a Holy Day of Obligation
The tradition of the Church, and of the Goorchenko family, is to celebrate the great feasts of the Nativity and Pascha with a late night liturgy. As Eastern Catholics, this means a several hours long liturgy which is sung all the way through, involves lots … Continue readingCombat Liturgy
Amongst Christians there is a debate on whether it is fine or demonic to participate in Halloween. I’ve watched a few videos of Christians explaining to me how Halloween – costumes, pumpkins, trick or treating, even the date, all have pagan and demonic roots and … Continue readingIn Defense of Halloween
At a young age I developed a fear of death. I don’t know what it was that caused me to fixate on this. It wasn’t the death of a relative or family friend. Not that I recall, anyway. I would often find myself lying in … Continue readingThe Assumption: Finding Mary in the Darkness