THE MARRIED LIFE “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34) Recently I was sitting in a chair at Kailua Beach and I noticed several people with dogs. Lots of dogs. Some dogs were running; some dogs were catching balls their owners threw into the water. Some […]
Mary Duddy: Be an encourager
THE MARRIED LIFE “Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters; not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God […]
Mary Duddy: Family life and river rafting
THE MARRIED LIFE Marriage and family life is not like a scenic cruise going down a river, where you are a spectator enjoying the view. No, it’s more like a white-water rafting trip, where rapids come and go, you need to paddle hard, and you could easily fall out of the boat. At the beginning […]
Mary Duddy: For the love of God and neighbor
THE MARRIED LIFE Tom and I were at the Prince Waikiki hotel for a weekend away. As I looked out the window at the beautiful view of the harbor and the blue Pacific Ocean, I was praying and read the Scripture passage about the woman anointing the feet of Jesus. This act of love on […]
Mary Duddy: Mission in life
THE MARRIED LIFE My mother used to say that each of us has a mission in life, and that mission is not complete until our life on earth ends. A big part of her mission was to be a wife and mother. Even when she was older and suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, she was still […]
Mary Duddy: Precious children, special parents
THE MARRIED LIFE Five babies were born to missionary families living in the small town of Allendale, Louisiana, this summer and fall. The last baby born was our newest grandson, Francis Liddel. I was there attending his baptism last month. Visiting Allendale is always a bit of a surprise. A lot of life is happening […]
Mary Duddy: A time to share family traditions
THE MARRIED LIFE As we get further into the fall and as seasons of Advent and Christmas approach, we will have lots of opportunities to celebrate. Family traditions, such as “trick or treating,” Thanksgiving, and Christmas gatherings provide special opportunities to join with extended family and friends. Big or small, let’s make the most of […]
Mary Duddy: Family ties
THE MARRIED LIFE A marriage is not created in a vacuum. Individuals grow up in a family; families are part of a larger community; and in a Christian marriage, Christ is at the center of it all. In today’s society, however, Christian marriage and family life are under attack. We can all see signs of […]
Mary Duddy: In sickness and in health
THE MARRIED LIFE Tom had surgery on his shoulder to repair a torn rotator cuff. Two weeks later I had surgery on my shin to remove a melanoma. Tom wore a sling on his arm, and I had a bandage on my leg. People at church joked, “What did you do to each other?!” Two […]
Mary Duddy: Hope in the Resurrection
THE MARRIED LIFE The parish priest was looking for someone to baptize on Easter Sunday. The catechumens were to be baptized at the Easter Vigil, but he thought that baptism was such a significant way to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, he asked if our infant son could be baptized Easter morning. We were thrilled. […]