Catechism class at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in North Charleston over the weekend was a little out of the ordinary: The children were preparing to commune with the dead. The parish, whose ...

A photo of the author's First Communion, along with a souvenir from the ceremony (Gustavo Arellano / Los Angeles Times) In the spring of 1997, my sister and I took catechism classes at our home parish ...

Those attending Sister's catechism class better follow her rules — or they could find themselves on stage with their noses pressed against the blackboard, in the circle of silence, or sitting in the ...