The Sandwich Generation

Born the youngest of six to a mother who emigrated from Puerto Rico. Fr. Eric Cruz was born and raised in the Bronx, fulfilling a childhood dream of graduating from the University of Notre Dame and being ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of New York. He recounts his mother’s nurturing of his vocation, and his later care for her in her old age – amidst the pressures of living in the capital of the world.

Resiliency is the quality we need to comeback after getting knocked down. Cultural traditions that honor the great Christian Feast of Easter are blessed with this trait. Chris Godfrey is joined by his wife Daria, daughter Tess and granddaughters Gigi and Ivanka to discuss Ukrainian Easter traditions, and the making of pysanky. You can watch a short piece made by Daria and Tess on how these decorative Easter eggs are made: https://vimeo.com/212530111.  They will be live at Godfrey Law Offices making and selling pysanky for your Easter baskets, Wednesday of Holy Week from 4-7 pm and Holy Saturday from 10 am – 2 pm. Godfrey Law Offices is located at 2025 Edison Rd., South Bend, across the street from the Mandarine House Chinese Restaurant, between Ironwood Rd. and the University of Notre Dame.

Jessica Bamber she is an account manager for Caregiver Homes from Senior Link which provides services, support and technology that engages family caregivers. She discusses a new Program for Medicaid Waiver eligible people that coaches and pays family and friends to move-in and care for them.

The Church relaxes its rules for Lenten fasting with good reason. The problem for many elderly folks is that they don’t eat enough! Bob and Pat Speer have spent their careers in overseeing meals in large institutional settings such as hospitals and long-term care facilities. They are keenly aware of these challenges and share some of their valuable experience to help us get our loved ones to eat more – even when they don’t feel like it. An unlikely mortification for most of us, but valid nonetheless.

Dr. Catherine Godfrey-Howell and her father explore the relationships between Lent, Dante’s experience in the Divine Comedy, and how Canon Law can serve as a guide for us when we feel lost in a dark-wood too. Canon law is a reliable account of reality through both the seen and unseen realms in which we live. We also discuss the reality of marriage, and what the annulment process is and is-not.

Elisabeth Sullivan of the Institute of Catholic Liberal Education, and Prof. Kirk Doran and economics professor at the University of Notre Dame discuss the growing popularity of Classic Catholic Education; a unique opportunity to help our children flourish in the coming years.

Leaving home is always difficult, but when done to improve one’s quality of life it becomes easier to do. Tony Ughetti is the Healthcare Administrator for Greencroft Goshen Healthcare one of the 50 largest senior living communities in America. We talk about the many blessings and challenges moving to a senior living community presents, especially with our recent Covid-19 concern.

"What the heck am I doing?" is a good question to ask as Lent begins. Professor David L. Schindler, Dean Emeritus of the John Paul II Institute for studies on Marriage and Family at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and former professor of the University of Notre Dame PLS program, reflects on his life and work and the importance of keeping our life, marriages and families centered on Jesus and his Church.

Dignity Therapy is a new approach to helping those who are suffering from life threatening or life-limiting conditions. Not only does a loss of hope and identity interfere with normal “cure” therapy it also makes a person susceptible to the seductions of euthanasia. St. Alphonsus Liguori reminds us that we will not be saved unless we persevere until the end. Dignity Therapy can be thought of as a bit of self-defense training at a vulnerable stage in life.

Mother Teresa said, “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” The concept of competition while cooperating while building community is explored with Patrick McCaskey, Vice President and Board Member of the Chicago Bears. An author and speaker, our conversation with Papa George Halas’ grandson spans the early days of the NFL, raising a Catholic family of 11 while running a historic sports franchise, all the way to Pat’s favorite for this year’s Super Bowl. He also shares a poem from his new book on the Gospels.