Kathleen Kastilahn

Kathleen retired from The Lutheran in fall of 2009.

The part of Kathy's job as editor of the People & Faith section that she liked best was working with terrific freelancers, which just might have something to do with the fact that she wrote for the magazine for 18 years before joining the staff in 1992.

She lives in Evanston, just north of Chicago, with her husband, Bill. They met there as undergrads at Northwestern University — at the Lutheran Center, probably the only place on campus where a journalism student and a tech student would cross paths.

Their two grown sons live in Chicago: Will and his wife, Jodi, and Dan.

Kathleen and her husband are members of St. Paul Lutheran Church. One Saturday a month she works as a volunteer salesperson at 10,000 Village, a fair-trade store that is part of a nationwide network sponsored by the Mennonite Central Committee where all the goods are made by craftspeople from the developing world. She particularly enjoy it because my travel for the magazine has brought me to many of the countries involved — from Bolivia to Thailand.

• Minn. floods damage homes, churches
• 'Grace' alone not enough
• O, Jerusalem!
  How can the violence be stopped in this holy city and in the Middle East?
• What do you say ...
  to your kids when they tell you they're afraid?/i>
• Treating the burns of stress
• 'I can pray'
• 'I held the cup'
  Serving communion gave widow joy'
• Lessons from the desert
• Stopping traffic
  LWR boosts effort to halt Indian bride trade
• Pass it on
  The way to keep the faith is to speak it, share it, spread it
• The story behind Seven Stanzas
• Chaplain creates artful retirement
• It's time to rebuild
  Lutherans in Granite Falls, Minn., cope with tornado damage
• Diversity would be 'heavenly'
• Monday clinic
  The week begins with check-ups and love at an AIDS ministry center in Thailand
• Off on the right foot for 2000
• Marked for God
  Malaysian Lutherans take the gospel to mountain people
• Asian Lutherans form international network
  It was a mountaintop event
• Inside Jean LemMon's Better Homes
  'The secret of our success is simply love,' says the editor of the world's largest family life magazine
• 'Joyful, all you nations rise!'
  Children dance the Christmas carol
• Visit Lutheran ' cathedral ' in Dorado
• Peace work
  Turning out t-shirts, piece by piece, Barrios Unidos teaches youth how to hope
• Soulful event unites people of African ancestry
• After church?
• AIDS positive
  Indian Lutherans confront the disease many ignore
• Churches in the lead
• Do you have Lutheran roots?
• A call for justice
  In India, a Lutheran development project trains women 'how to talk'
• Abortion anniversary
  It's been 25 years since the Supreme Court ruled a woman has a right to terminate a pregnancy--the moral struggle continues
• Preparing a new way
• Talking about race
  When we hear each other, we can help each other
• Valuing families
  People are finding ways to nurture families no matter their make-up
• 'Good job, Joe'
  Joseph Hartzler led the Oklahoma City bombing trial prosecution with a commitment to the process of justice
• No magic pill
  Assisted suicide can't 'cure' dying
• Traveling light
  Leave room in your itinerary to mingle--and you'll turn a trip into a visit
• Seeing the cross
• Brick by brick
  Bolivian Lutherans take a hands-on approach to building up their young church
• Civil rights--and wrongs
  What will California's vote to ban affirmative action mean to the rest of the United States
• Everything's relative
  Reunions help families grow together
• 'Are ELCA schools affordable?'
• Click open Luther
• Building on faith
  Burned churches rise again
• Faith moves in backwoods mountains
  Members of Faith Lutheran Church make a big impact on community life in Whitetop, Va.
• Fired up
  Black church burnings kindle anti-racism resolve and rebuilding efforts
• A matter of respect
  Pastor calls town to task for breakdown in behavior
• What went wrong?
  Fatal flight raises questions about how we parent
• 'Luther Year' celebration beckons
  On Autobahn or Internet travelers find history, hospitality and high humor
• Birthday wishes
  Open adoption gives children lifeline connections
• Left, right, WRONG
  No matter which 'side' wins, we'll all lose in a divisive election
• Winning matches

• The end of the day
• Miracle at 6:44 a.m.
• Leaning into Lent
• No church for Lincoln
• 'A man of Lutheran virtues'
• The path to healing
• One minute more
• The Next Big Thing
• Dive in the pool?
• Dig in
• 'Don't Push Send'
• E-gratitude
• Our (extra) gray day
• Cookies for sale
• 'Green' grandmas
• Pennsylvania: Autopsy today for church shooting victim
• The problem with poinsettias
• New Year's readings
• From twenty six pillars, everything
• Losing the race
• Water, water everywhere
• Good harvest
• 'Purple' benediction
• Peace-full day
• Green 101
• The family that eats together
• Beer in the basement?
• Still summer!
• Rain on our parade
• Good mileage
• More like a mom?
• Mother's Day for Peace
• 'Thank you, Immanuel Lutheran Church'
• Stressed out?
• Gifts of giving
• Peace-by-piece
• Troubling news from Tanzania
• The world's 'most popular hymn'
• 'Irreverent' Molly
• 'O Lord, open my eyes'
• What suits her?
• Happy New Year! Again...
• Happy Holidays!
• Don't sit down
• LSTC's Zygon head elected bishop in Sweden
• Growing pastors on the Northern Plains
• Walking where 'the stones breathe'
• Popeye's problem?
• Lutherans not growing...
• 'Life still tough for Katrina survivors'