Baseball, Leisure, and the Liturgy

By Mark Michael I went to a baseball game last Saturday, in the company of some of the people I love most. It was a beautiful evening, and I loved hearing the crack of the bat again. But I also felt like Rip... Read More...

A Beloved Tool and its Replacement

By Mark Michael When my father started as a hardware salesman, his boss handed him the catalog, the essential tool of his trade. Always in the trunk of his car, it was a wonder to me as a child. Nearly a... Read More...

Praying for Renewal in Kentucky’s Holy Land

By Mark Michael You can spot them easily on maps of nationwide religious membership, three Catholic counties in central Kentucky, amid a sea of evangelicals. Rural Nelson, Marion, and Washington counties are known collectively as “the Holy Land,” and their ... Read More...

On Letting Florida Decide

By Mark Michael In 2020, I served as an election judge in my town. The pandemic had left the county board short on volunteers, and I was glad to carry on a family tradition, as my mother has staffed the poll... Read More...

Learning to be a Guest

By Mark Michael We could hear the hospitality crew a quarter mile before they came into view. The thumping bass of dance music cut through the dust of the trail and the haze of the Castilian sun. There hadn’t been a water pump for seven miles this hot day. ... Read More...

The Soul of Philanthropy

By Mark Michael Back in June, billionaire investor Warren Buffett announced that he was resigning as a trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Buffett, who is 90, gave no particular reason for his ... Read More...

Learning from a Craftsman

By Mark Michael Tom has given his life to upholstery. His garage workshop is a maze of fabric bolts, sample books, and foam rolls, with a few half-finished projects neatly stacked against the walls. He learn... Read More...