My parents were lured to America by the democracy here promised. In our family, freedom was a word to conjure by. Hoping for larger privileges for the growing family of children, they brought them to the New World, the world of many intellectual as well as material advantages.

The story of the decadence of the cathedral as a moral power, a spiritual energizer in civilization, is the sad but inevitable story of dogmatism. It is the story of the struggle of free thought with bigotry, religion making common cause with the wrong side.

The cathedral, at its noblest, is the best outward symbol of the spiritual nature of man, as it is also the most suggestive measure and prophecy of the corporate life of man.

Not until the human heart is stolid to poetry, the human eye blind to beauty, not until the intellect ceases its quest for truth and conscience finds its quietus either in universal defeat or in triumphant success, will organized religion cease to be.

I believe if you keep your faith, you keep your trust, you keep the right attitude, if you're grateful, you'll see God open up new doors.

I'm a spiritual person. I'm not very religious. I was raised Catholic, but I am influenced a lot by Buddhism and Hinduism.

I'm there to support my kids no matter what happens. I just do the best I can, just like anybody else would for their family.

It's really easy to give in to, 'I want to raise my kids,' 'I want to be the best mom, so I have to give up my dreams.' I don't believe that. I think, if anything, being a living example to your children is beautiful.