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.
Life tends to be lived for times of significance. In planning for big moments, many almost prevent themselves from relaxing and going with the flow. Instead of living in the … Continued
At our first staff meeting after Easter, our principal guided us through a unique prayer style. Acknowledging that we have heard the stories of the Resurrection many times before, he … Continued
Writing a column for the Easter season in the midst of Holy Week arouses many conflicting emotions. While focusing on Jesus’ final days on earth, I must write about the … Continued
“A whole batch of dough is made holy if the first handful of dough is made holy” (Rom 11: 16). In 2015, I wrote an article on Christ being our … Continued
My last column on reconciliation was inspired by a Mission talk by Father Eugene O’Reilly. In his presentation, Father Eugene stressed our heavenly Father’s unlimited mercy and not only his … Continued
On Shrove Tuesday, I attended a parish mission talk given by Father Eugene O’Reilly, CSsR. Initially, it didn’t seem as though the mission would fit in with our family schedule. As … Continued
With Lent creeping up upon us, I want to continue my series of reflections on questions frequently asked of me as a Catholic. Lent is certainly a time of year … Continued
As mentioned in my last column, I occasionally feel uncertain when questioned about my faith. I know what I believe; however, I often lack the right words or the theological … Continued
Usually as a new year approaches I aspire to tweak my life. This year, however, rather than resolving to make radical differences, I hope to maintain the changes I’ve already … Continued
As a first-year teacher, the religion textbook I used in my Grade Five classroom was entitled May We Be One from the CCCB’s Born of the Spirit series. I made … Continued