“I suffer from Irish-Catholic guilt. Guilt is a good reality check. It keeps that ‘do what makes you happy’ thing in check.”

“Nothing makes you appreciate life more then when you wake up from a nightmare and realize it was just that. It's a good reality check.”

“So I sit and endure the stares and the pangs and twinges of Catholic guilt, knowing that I am doing the right thing if I'm right, and the right thing even if I'm wrong. Being Catholic is hard. Being ex-Catholic is even harder.”

“Funny thing about guilt: There's nothing so bad that you can't add a little guilt to it and make it worse; and there's nothing so good you can't add guilt to it and make it better. Guilt distracts us from a greater truth: we have an inherent ability to heal. We seem intent on living through even the worst heartbreak... How? ... Practice.”

“If you want to keep the bad guys in check, make sure the good guys are armed.”

“Truth is, I'm a good Catholic girl. The faith has always been elusive, but the guilt is intractable. ”