Final thoughts

Lisa Calderone-Stewart is a youth minister with a dying wish: that her program, Tomorrow’s Present, continues after she succumbs to cancer. She wrote an article on youth ministry, Does the church put faith in our youth?, in U.S. Catholic, and now she is blogging about the spiritual process of dying on our website. Here are her blog posts:

The dying wish of a youth ministry pioneer
A blog post by Executive Editor Meinrad Scherer-Emunds about Lisa.

Don’t sit on the edge of the pool. Plunge into Lent
Lisa looks forward to exercising her soul during what may be her last Lent.

Forgive us our sins
Her son’s story of asking for forgiveness inspires Lisa’s image of heaven.

For whom the clock changes
“Spring forward” has Lisa looking hopefully to the future.

These holy days
Last year, Lisa spend her holiest of Holy Weeks in hospice with her mom. This year she’s anticipating her own heavenly holy days.

Easter season comes with stories
Family stories told at the holidays increase in meaning for Lisa as death nears.

Interfaith dialogue from youth to life’s end
We can continue to learn from other faiths, even at the end of our lives.

Carpe Diem
Along with her anniversary of being diagnosed with cancer, Lisa Calderone-Stewart celebrates major transitions at work and in life.

Mary, Martha, and cancer
Cancer can change the way you hear this week’s gospel reading about Martha and Mary and debate between action and reflection.

Living with death and a DNR
What’s life like when you wear a “Do Not Resuscitate” bracelet?

Enjoying one bite at a time in hospice
Whether in good health or in hospice, the reality of death shouldn’t stop us from savoring life.

When the head and heart conflict
The process of nearing life’s end teaches us to go with the heart over the head.

Crafting perfect Christmas memories
Mistakes and tears are all forgotten when one family looks back on their tradition of making crafts.

Dying to know you
While there’s no rhyme or reason to explain terminal illness, we’re all on the same path toward death.

Go Slow. Fast.
In her second “last Lent,” Lisa Calderone-Stewart still finds value in fasting.

A burdensome Lenten journey
Even Jesus didn’t want to take the journey he had to take before reaching Easter Sunday.

Seize another 365 days
Lisa Calderone-Stewart celebrates another year of living with cancer.

Everyone needs a bucket list
Bucket lists aren’t just for the dying—and they should include more than just adventures.

Watermelons, watermelons, everywhere
The quintessential summer fruit, seeds and all, is a metaphor for the sweetness of life and the bitterness of cancer.

Waiting for the end
Lisa describes how the process of dying can be like watching a house come down around you.

Autumn lessons
As the weather cools and the trees begin their transformation from green to gold to brown, lessons on life can be seen all around.

The honeymoon is over; the love is not
Passing through the phases of dying are a reminder that no matter how the body deteriorates, we are still fully loved.