Benedict XVI has given his final papal blessing, the doors of Castelgandolfo have been sealed, and the Swiss Guard has hung their halberds because there is no pope for them to guard. Now, the Church waits in prayerful anticipation of the upcoming conclave and the installation of a new pope who will lead the Catholic […]
The Bible speaks for itself, or rather, it speaks for God. Yet, we have a generation of young people that are generally more excited about video games and special effects than the Word of God. So, what’s a parent to do? If you are executive producer Mark Burnett and his wife, “Touched by an Angel” […]
The heart of this simple sinful man aches today as our Church bides the Holy Father a prayerful farewell from the visible throne of Peter. It is often said that we rarely appreciate those who are in our midst until they are no longer with us. No doubt, this will be the sentiment with respect […]
My son is an adorable energizer bunny. How can I wear this child out? And, keep myself mentally stimulated as well, if possible? I got an idea. It seemed far-fetched. Baby modeling! Baby modeling is jumping in popularity among moms who want to earn extra money and be together with their child. After witnessing our […]
This is the second in a series in which I attempt to address the question, “What is purgatory, and why is it necessary?” by expanding on the simple answer that Purgatory is the state, place, or process by which a soul is purified for entrance into heaven. Part 1 can be found here. “The doctrine [of […]
On February 26, 2013, the Denver Post ran an article that contained the following: Colorado parents of transgender 1st-grader file complaint over restroom ban The parents of a transgender 6-year-old have filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division because Eagleside Elementary School in Fountain banned the first-grader from using the girls’ restroom. The […]
I have hesitated to write a commentary on the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI because I believed that the words he used when he made the announcement were sufficient. He did not suggest a secret illness or a conspiracy afoot or anything of the kind. He said quite plainly and most sincerely, “After having repeatedly […]
The Holy See – The Holy Father – Benedict XVI Jesus of Nazareth Volume I: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration Hardcover Paperback Audio CD Volume II: Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection Hardcover Audio CD Volume III: The Infancy Narratives Hardcover Large Print Paperback Audio CD A […]
The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:11–12). God’s ways are not naturally our ways. God calls us to be servants or slaves to others. Humility is truth, that is the truth of who we are, including the good and […]
This month the European Court of Human Rights and Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court (which often takes a leading role in human rights jurisprudence which is frequently cited also by Supreme and Consitutional courts in countries outside Europe) have published decisions regard two separate cases involving the adoption of children by same-sex couples. In Germany, adoption […]
If you have a garden you probably already know that earthworms are good for your garden. You may be aware that one of the best fertilizers is worm castings. If you already compost and do your best to amend your soil with organic matter, you are already going a long way toward attracting these garden […]
God hears your prayer — and He answers. Here’s what I mean: —————————————————– EUGENE, OREGON —————————————————– “I want to spread some very awesome news!!!” That’s the email I received from Lynda in Eugene – complete with all three exclamation marks. The Bours Health Center – the abortion facility where faithful volunteers have prayed during EIGHT […]
When I think of grandmothers, I think of fingers. My 96 year old maternal grandmother hardly remembers my name, but I still remember the years I watched her fingers plying the rosary beads one by one for each of her grandchildren. Around her twisty bed post, she’d drape her rose-scented brown rosary, marked with a […]
It’s Lent and time to take into consideration what we can do to strengthen our relationship with God and grow more deeply in our faith. Lord only knows how badly our world needs stronger faithful people! What better way to do that than adding extra time with the sacraments of confession and the Eucharist? Christ […]
February 24, 2013, Sunday — Angelus “The Lord is calling me ‘out to the mountain’ to devote more time to prayer and meditation, but this does not mean I’m abandoning the Church.” –Pope Benedict XVI, in his final Sunday Angelus address as Pope, at noon [Feb. 24] in St. Peter’s Square The Sun Broke Through at […]
Cripple: Something flawed or imperfect The most recent case of America’s denial that the preborn child is a person once again reminds us that, culturally, our ability to deal honestly with our fellow human beings is so twisted that it becomes hideous to those with eyes to see. When a New Jersey court ruled that […]
While creating our baby registry at Babies-R-Us a few weekends ago, my husband and I learned some very valuable life lessons which I would now like to share with all of you. I think that all of you mom’s will appreciate some of the insights/blunders of first time parents. Life is better when you’re together. I […]
Several pro-life and pro-family organizations have submitted statements to the Advisory Committee to the Human Rights Council to ask that universal values shared by all civilizations and cultures — including the right to life of unborn children and the natural family as the fundamental unit of society — are not forgotten in the quest to promote […]
When I was in graduate school studying theology, I took a course on the Trinity. It featured a very large scholarly book and lots of Greek words. I found it fascinating, but understood relatively little. There is a reason why the Trinity is considered a mystery. In The ‘One Thing’ is Three: How the Most […]
She’s 14 years old. Still active, she is gray in the muzzle; everywhere else she is completely white. She is the older dog; the wise one. You can see how her bones ache by how she moves. It is different from when she swam ten miles behind my kayak without any effort. But even though […]
Still a Pro-Life Nation The African nation of Ethiopia has a Christian history which dates back to the New Testament, even before Saul’s conversion. In the Acts of the Apostles, we learn that Philip baptized an Ethiopian eunuch who was a member of the court of Queen Candace. Happily, Ethiopia has not abandoned its ancient […]
Most religions in the ancient world were local or national cults. The Egyptians worshiped Isis and Osiris. Athens was named after the goddess Athena. Ephesus was the center of the cult of Artemis. But when the Church was born on Pentecost Sunday, it was comprised of people from every nation under heaven, all of whom […]
Third Sunday of Lent Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Exodus 3:1-8,13-15; Psalm 103:1-4,6-8,11: 1 Corinthians 10:1-6,10-12; Luke 13:1-9) Receiving Jesus’ Compassion and Giving it to Others I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it. (Luke 13:8) The parable of the fig tree tells us that God is constantly at work […]
