Originally from a farm in Southwestern Ontario, Julia O’Shea VanSpall (“Julie”) moved to BC in 1992 to pursue her dream of teaching. After marrying Stephen VanSpall, she became a stay-home mom to their four children for ten years before returning to her career. Julie currently teaches at IC Delta School and has been writing for the BC Catholic since 2006.
In the Gospel of Luke we hear Jesus’s message to a large crowd gathered around him: “’If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and … Continued
I love many things about this time of year: crisp air, comfort foods from late harvests, warm drinks and blankets, cozy clothing, and nature’s vast array of colour. I adopt … Continued
Going through my youngest daughter’s closet this past summer, I discovered four pairs of school uniform socks, still in their packaging. I thought they were a great find – until … Continued
One of my favourite saints is St. Therese of Lisieux. As a teenager, I was introduced to her by members of The Society of the Little Flower. Due to her … Continued
Like many others over the past few months I have been very hesitant to leave our home. Even when businesses re-opened and “bubbles” began to expand over the summer months, … Continued
After being hired for my first teaching job, I was unsuspectingly introduced to a summertime phenomenon, known simply as the “teacher dream.” For me, this dream isn’t recurring, but I … Continued
On the August long weekend, my husband and I did two short hikes up a large hill near Merritt. The weather was hot, the path was steep, and the view … Continued
One of the blessings of COVID isolation practices has also come with underlying worry for me. While we have been able to continue to hear Bible readings, listen to a … Continued
I often find myself saying that “one day” it will make sense; “one day” I will understand God’s plan. With big questions and particularly difficult circumstances, I acknowledge that I … Continued
As a unique – to say the least – school year draws to a close, I find myself involved in meetings to discuss some of the positives and negatives of … Continued