Do you remember how upset some folks got over Harry Potter? The series really hit a nerve with some members of the Christian community—for a taste of this drama, check out Belinda Elliott's "Harry Potter: Harmless Christian Novel or Doorway to the Occult?"—and with all the instances in Bless Me, Ultima in which Anaya explicitly writes that a priest can't help folks but Ultima can, well, things could get pretty ugly.

So what do you do with that? If a parent comes in to read you the riot act in theology, there's only one thing to do: listen. Often these parents really want to be heard and though it can be super difficult to take a deep breath and see things from their perspective, it's imperative. Not only will carefully listening yield a harvest of good will and intent, it will also set the tone and expectation that when it's your turn, you expect to be heard as well. So what to say when they're finished ranting?