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.
Many years ago, I was chatting with a friend about buying baby gifts. It was just a regular, pleasant conversation until she mentioned the pressure she felt to ensure that … Continued
For just over a year, I have been working as a resource teacher. As a former classroom teacher, the environment of the resource department was one with which I quickly … Continued
In recent columns, I’ve written about our family’s summer pilgrimage to Italy, mentioning the trip was a part of a choir tour and that my two oldest children and I … Continued
For nearly 18 years I have been a mother. During that time, my life can almost be divided into chapters: teaching part-time, staying home with my children, teaching online from … Continued
In my last article, written in the throes of a heatwave, I discussed my aim to enjoy the extremes of the seasons. I was in no hurry to wish summer … Continued
With the recent heatwave, I’ve heard several people lately express a desire for cool weather. Those tired of sweating yearn for days of cozy scarves and pumpkin-spiced lattes. Facebook dialogues … Continued
On our family’s recent trip to Italy, we had the pleasure of exploring the town of Assisi. We were astounded by the number of basilicas and smaller churches for a … Continued
I love discovering a book that I can’t put down. It’s hard to describe the pleasure of immersing oneself in a story so well written the characters feel like friends … Continued
Recently, I accompanied my youngest daughter’s class on a field trip to Burns Bog. The outing was pleasurable, informative, and thought provoking. Surrounded by trees, I couldn’t help but think … Continued
At the feast of Pentecost, I think of my confirmation and reflect upon the ways in which the Holy Spirit has worked within my life. In this sacrament, I … Continued