Catholic New York

A few months back, my husband, Dennis, called me from work and said, “I have to tell you something that is going to make you cry.” He followed it immediately with assurances that nothing was … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 11/2/22

Beauty Even in the Fading

It's funny how we have certain expectations of life, from the biggest events to the smallest details, and … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 10/5/22

Time for True Respite

As I sat in my beach chair late last month, toes in the sand and eyes fixed on an endless horizon that gave me the slightest inkling of eternity, I found for the first time in a very long time that I … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 9/7/22

Forging Connections People Yearn to Make

As I settled into my pew at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago one recent Sunday morning, I gazed up at the … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 8/10/22

A Soul Home for Spiritual Renewal

As I paddled a kayak across the crystal-clear water of an Adirondack lake on a gorgeous Friday afternoon recently, I turned … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 6/29/22

From Darkness to Light

I recently did a search of my past Life Lines columns to find something I wrote here six years ago: “Sometimes … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 5/4/22

Transformation by Storm

We are nearing the end of our 40-day pilgrimage through Lent, but the truth is that we are on a pilgrimage that never ends. Our entire spiritual life is pilgrimage, and while our destination (eternal … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 4/6/22

‘People Just Like Us’

News of Russia’s attack on the people of Ukraine hit like a nauseating wave as news headlines scrolled by on TV the morning of the invasion. I could feel a deep sadness tinged with anxiety rising … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 3/9/22

Lost Generations

Back when my husband, Dennis, and I were teaching a two-year confirmation prep program at our parish in upstate New York, I wrote a column saying that when I looked out at my students, I saw what I … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 2/9/22

Moving Ahead With Joy, and a Bit of Nervousness

Hanging on my office door is an image of St. Joan of Arc in all her courageous glory, with a version of her famous quote: “I am not afraid. I was born to do this.” It has been my mantra for more … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 1/12/22

An Unlikely Advent Journey

For the longest time, I considered myself more of a Lent person than an Advent person. The journey through the desert felt familiar, the three-prong practice of fasting, prayer and charity was … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 12/1/21

Becoming Active Participants in Our Own Lives

It’s amazing how we can convince ourselves that we simply don’t have the time to do even the little things that might make our lives demonstrably better. We race through our days feeling … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 11/3/21

Surrender Over Striving

When I signed onto Facebook this week, I found a private message from someone who told me that a Life Lines column I wrote about surrender eight years ago had been instrumental in helping her let go … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 10/6/21

Old Wounds, New Fears, Endless Faith

This month’s column marks 20 years of Life Lines in Catholic New York. I remember well my first column, about my then-4-year-old son, Noah, and his nature camp experiences. Except, when that first … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 9/8/21

‘The Chosen’: TV Series as Prayer

As a child of the ‘60s and ‘70s, I grew up with my share of interesting entertainment options when it came to exploring the life of Jesus. I performed songs from “Godspell” … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 7/28/21

Confessions of a Rosary Convert

Rosary-challenged. That’s how I’ve described myself for most of my life. Don’t get me wrong. I have more sets of rosary beads than I can count, tucked away in my nightstand … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 6/30/21

The Journey Is the Goal

Last week I was working out in a corner of our backyard where I decided to create a meditation garden. The area, which had once been home to a swing set, had become overrun with weeds and was, for … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 6/2/21

The Rules We Live By

As we round the corner on pandemic and see a faint light at the end of our long Covid tunnel, I’ve found myself stuck—physically, due to some minor injuries and illnesses; mentally, due to months … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 5/5/21

An Unexpected Gift Brings Joy

One of the great joys—and occasional challenges—of being a writer is getting letters from readers via email, social media and even snail mail. Those messages often lift my spirits and … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 4/7/21

Two Sisters Showed Me a New Path

The editor of the Albany diocesan newspaper came into my office recently and asked if I wanted to share a memory of an experience with a religious sister for National Catholic Sisters Week in March. … more

By MARY DeTURRIS POUST | 3/10/21