Spiritual writer, Kathleen Norris, in her book, “The Cloister Walk,” shares her Holy Week schedule. It includes morning prayers, choir rehearsal, evening liturgy services but what I really noticed, was right smack in the middle of her afternoons, she wrote “NAP!!!” Yes, in capital letters and extra exclamation points.

In many parts of the world right now parishes, towns, villages and even whole cities are preparing for the presentation of their annual Passion Play/ Easter Pageant. First staged in 1634, the well-known Passion Play of Oberammergau in Bavaria, Germany began the tradition of the live reenactment of the final period of Jesus’ life from his arrival to Jerusalem to his crucifixion. In the United States, the Park Performing Arts Center in Union City, N.J. is home to the longest running Passion Play in America.

Arthur Mirell’s love for Jesus originated with free hot dogs, a carnival and a friendly priest. As recalled by his longtime friend, Sister Ave Clark, O.P., during an interview with me for The Christophers’ radio show, Arthur was a young Jewish boy in Brooklyn, when he was walking by a church one day. The parish priest invited Arthur and some other children to come enjoy a carnival the church was having. The other kids quickly accepted the invitation, but Arthur just stood there and responded, “I’m not Catholic.”

Youth of our diocese take heed! It’s time to sharpen your colored pencils, organize your crayon box, and clean up your brushes and paints. The Tablet’s annual Christ Is Risen Student Artwork Competition is at hand.

In his captivating and energetic new book “The Written World: The Power of Stories to Shape People, History, Civilization,” the Harvard University professor Martin Puchner writes: “The impulse to tell stories… is so fundamental that it is as if this impulse is biologically rooted in our species.