On a trip to the East Coast, I had the pleasure of going to a midwife’s appointment with my pregnant daughter and her husband. It’s my first grandchild, so everything is a big deal to me. The amplified heartbeat brought a tear to my eye. The midwife was sweet enough to ask whether I had any questions. I did not – at least not any I could expect her to answer.

Family caregivers don’t solely need hands-on training. They need “hearts-on” training, too. It becomes clearer and clearer that love demands action and that it calls for repeated effort and self-sacrifice. At times, it seems that caring for another person is akin to going to boot camp.

After experiencing the death of a loved one, often shock and numbness take place. Life feels like a boat that has capsized – becoming unmoored and trapped in the fog of a storm. Sometimes the pain is informative and transformative – enhancing the griever’s outlook on life.

Who knew the Day of the Dead could be so much fun? The Mexican method of observing All Souls’ Day, Nov. 2, is the backdrop for “The Book of Life” (Fox), an entertaining and visually stunning 3-D animated film.

Holy Innocents is proof that you can go home to your roots. The East Flatbush parish celebrated its homecoming weekend, Oct. 10-12, by welcoming back over 200 school alumni from 1941 to 2006. Other alumni events have proved to be successful, but this gathering was the most successful in recent history.

“After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb … These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress … They will not hunger or thirst anymore … For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

My good friend, Father Benedict J. Groeschel, C.F.R., died Oct. 3 on the same date as St. Francis of Assisi, after praying a rosary. He was a renowned Christian retreat director, author, preacher, teacher, counselor and guide to many. He was perhaps the most well-known priest in the U.S. It was my privilege to call him co-founder of Good Counsel Homes as well as my spiritual director and friend.

When you think about it, faith and trust go hand in hand. People believe in the power of prayer because they believe they see results. They pray for strength to get through a challenge, and then they find the strength to overcome that obstacle.

This year marks a big “birthday” for me and a group of classmates. Over the years, we have been having class reunions across the globe, wherever we are scattered. Many of us went to school together from first to 12th grade at the Maryknoll Sisters School in Hong Kong.