I think the strength of the Catholic church is that when it does finally identify a problem, it works to resolve it.

The great American tradition is one of pluralism, not exclusive secularism. The strength of our country is reflected in the contributions that we all make to the common good.

One of the challenges of secularism is that it's not something outside us. In too many instances, secularism has so permeated the church that sometimes it's the frame of reference even for very good people, people who have a strong allegiance to the church.

No one should be forced to violate one's conscience, nor should anyone be forced out of service of the common good because there are some things their conscience tells them they cannot do.

In a lot of films, forever it's been boy-meets-girl, and thank God for films like - I know it's going to sound ridiculous - 'Frozen.' I was so excited for my daughter to be able to watch a love story between two sisters instead of some stupid prince.

May it not be that, just as we have to have faith in Him, God has to have faith in us and, considering the history of the human race so far, may it not be that 'faith' is even more difficult for Him than it is for us?

In my case, I learned that although God loves us, he doesn't grant us immunity from the consequences of our choices.

Characters written in 1990 would be acting like idiots if they were cast into the present. For example, the reader might wonder: Why isn't she texting? Where's her cellphone? Can't she have a simple paternity test? For God's sake, look on the Internet and check him out!