Report reveals the order of milestones, and how couples handle them, makes or breaks marriages Milestone moments make memories for married couples, even the ones made together before the big wedding day. You always remember who first introduced the two of you, where and when you first kissed, when you proposed, and what you first […]
In our long stride toward the inevitable designer babies, the first manipulation has been the noble goal of creating babies free of the mitochondrial diseases carried by their mothers. This series will examine the issue rather thoroughly in four basic segments: 1. The basic cell biology involved. 2. The problem of defective mitochondria. 3. The […]
Whether the homilies of your priest (or deacons) are the pits, mediocre and boring, the best, or spiritually life-changing, preaching is a two-way street – speaker and listener – and you, the listener, can have dramatic and beneficial effects on the speaker, the priest, and on the quality of his preaching. Some suggestions: Pay (attention) […]
There is much debate on whether or not prayer can help a person heal from a physical malady. There have been numerous studies to test whether patients would heal faster and have fewer complications while healing if they knew that others were praying for their recovery. The results are mixed. Some find that no, there […]
America will be a more dangerous and poorer place.
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Ezekiel 34:11-12,15-17; Psalm 23:1-3,5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26,28; Matthew 25:31-46) Jesus Christ, A King Like No Other Whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:40) What do you think of when you think of a king? A regal throne? […]
The Vatican-hosted international interreligious colloquium on the Complementarity of Man and Women started in Rome yesterday with an address by Pope Francis. The purpose of the conference, which ends tomorrow, is to show the beauty of the complementarity of men and women, which has existed across cultures and religions. The Holy Father began his address […]
Of the many things I appreciate about the Catholic education my children have received here in Ohio, one that is pretty high on the list is the schools’ endeavors to educate parents who may have been poorly catechized or who may not even be Catholic themselves. Starting when our kids are in Kindergarten, we parents are assigned […]
Lisa Hendey—Mrs. Catholic Mom herself—wants to be on Survivor. And ride a Harley. And after reading this book, darned if I don’t think she’ll do both. The Grace of Yes is a wonderful mix of stardust and Crisco—a blending of the mystical with getting dinner on the table. For example, Hendey notes: “I’m continually challenged […]
In an exclusive interview with C-Fam’s Friday Fax, UNICEF denies allegations from the Catholic bishops of Kenya that a tetanus vaccine program in their country sponsored by the UNICEF and WHO is a covert population control program. The UN agencies issued a joint statement last week in which they accuse Kenyan bishops of spreading “misinformation” […]
Articles relating to the sanctity of marriage have been churning out from Catholic media sources recently. The identity of marriage as between a man and a woman has been outlined and explained. Volumes have been written about the sacredness of sex and the scandal of contraception. Catholic couples with even limited exposure to Catholic media […]
I have a dear friend in Buenos Aires, Fabián Rodríguez Simón, a voracious reader and recalcitrant freethinker. Every time we meet I like to engage with him in tough (and bitter) theological disputes. In one occasion, while reviewing the great Catholic writers of the 20th century, from Chesterton to Lewis, from Bloy to Tolkien, my […]
Up in Smoke I admit it: I feel sorry for cigarette and cigar smokers these days. But changing fashions and the results of the recent election may offer them hope. Cigarette smoking used to be fashionable. Actors like Steve McQueen and Sean Connery made it look manly and cool in their many movies. Women who […]
“Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!” (Eccl 1:2). So says Qoheleth, the Preacher, the protagonist of the Book of Ecclesiastes, the most unique book in the portion of the Old Testament classified as wisdom literature. As “king of Jerusalem,” the Preacher imparts to the reader his musings on life and death, which to him […]
I’ve seen it time and time again. Someone decides to seek a better paying job, or pursue and investment strategy, or launch a new business. Invariably some pious person in the parish objects that maybe this is too worldly, that it will be a distraction from Church and family priorities, that one should be satisfied […]
“Who has helped you the most in your fathering?” We asked that very question to thousands of men as part of our research. Some answered, “My father” or “My pastor.” But the most popular answer by far was, “My wife.” And when we asked, “Who helps you overcome struggles in your fathering?” the number one […]
Well, it’s finally over. With the exception of a few run-offs and perhaps a re-count or two, the 2014 elections are history. The House and the Senate are firmly in the grasp of the GOP, giving America a divided government for at least two more years. It didn’t take long for pundits to begin issuing their […]
In the realm of effective written communication, it is essential to first master the basics of grammar before attempting to compose a persuasive essay. Perhaps the first official school lesson most children learn is to recite the alphabet. From there years are spent memorizing and putting into practice the rules of good grammar. Without this […]
Eight months ago after welcoming my youngest into the wide world, I rediscovered the wee hours of the morning. After my longest gap between newborns (almost five years) in which I’d grown used to sleeping and waking according to my own wants and needs, I had to relearn that sacrificial habit of fumbling in the […]
Creating children with sperm donation has gone on for a long time. In fact, the first documented case of a woman becoming pregnant by donor insemination was in 1884. A Quaker woman and her merchant husband, not able to conceive, approached Dr. William Pancoast of Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia. When Dr. Pancoast presented this […]
For the last four years, the U.S. Senate has been the place where pro-life legislation went to die. Of more than a dozen pieces of pro-life legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives during the last two Congresses, not a single one was taken up by the Senate. Violating the Senate’s century-long tradition of […]
Even healers need to be healed. Even teachers need to learn more. And even those who advise perfection aren’t perfect. If we’re willing to admit that, then we have the grace of integrity, explains Lisa Hendey in her fourth book The Grace of Yes, released yesterday by Ave Maria Press. Integrity gives people in authority (including […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20,30-3; Psalm 128:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 25:14-30) Creating a Home Life that is Pleasing to the Lord When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. (Proverbs 31:10) In 1843, American author Nathaniel Hawthorne published a short story called “The Birthmark.” […]
