the cross: a universal symbol

Helen Hoffner, EdD, is a professor and program coordinator, overseeing the reading specialist program in the School of Education of Holy Family University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from West Chester University; a master’s degree in the Psychology of Reading from Temple University; and a doctorate in language arts from Widener University. She has served as an elementary classroom teacher; a reading specialist working with students from ages 5 to 21; the director of a school for students with learning disabilities; and a professor of language arts teaching students at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. She has written language arts textbooks and is a consultant to the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and 20th Century Fox/ MGM Home Entertainment Corporation. Her interests include researching the origins of religious traditions and artifacts. She has written two books on the subject, The Rosary Collector’s Guide and Catholic Traditions and Treasures: An Illustrated Encyclopedia.