New Year’s resolutions go back at least to the Romans, who began each year making promises to Janus, the god of transitions, for whom January is named. In these more secular times, the gods displaced, oracles such as the New York Times advise devotees to make resolutions that are “specific” and “measurable”: exactly how many … More Prologue to a New Year

I’m the catechist for the second graders in the Religious Ed. program at my parish, and among my charges this year is a boy named Michael. As with any teacher these days, I’m always on the lookout for—or am informed beforehand of—any students who may have special needs. In this case, the director of the … More Michael at the Manger