We often don’t see what happens behind the scenes as seminarians turn into priests.

I struggle to keep up with the fast pace and heavy reading load that comes with studying English and as each year progresses, I am tempted to let my spiritual to-read list stack up in the corner until school calms down.

My family’s prayer lives have grown remarkably since we began praying the rosary together about seven or eight years ago.

Summer is ending and I’m now entering my first year of university, but I am more concerned about something else: bubble zones.

Not many 18-year-olds can say they’ve written for a national newspaper. And fewer still can say they’ve been given the chance to not only report on current events, but to give their opinions on relevant social issues.

For the last year and a half, a friend and I have run a small faith-sharing group for young women. It has turned out to be a far more important experience to my faith than I ever imagined.

When I was hired as a camp counsellor earlier this year I expected the job to come with great rewards and great challenges. I didn’t expect one of the challenges would force me to actually grow in my Christian life.

We live in a culture that glorifies gossip, from celebrity tabloids and reality TV to the rumour mill in our own personal circles at school, work, home and on social media.

Despite our busy and often conflicting schedules, my parents, brother and I try to eat at least one meal a day together. During this time, we share stories, make jokes and catch up on each other’s lives.