The man came to the turbulent mob scene of Jesus’ arrest wearing only a linen cloth. It was right after the 12 had fled. What a time to show up. And then he also fled, somehow losing the little bit of clothing he had. I find that passage curious each year when we follow the… [Read More]
Angels & Dragons X: St. Faustina’s Battles
For 40 days we have watched Jesus prepare for His final battle on Calvary. All His life He has trained for this day. He was born for this! And so are we. The life of a Christian is a constant battle. Against ourselves, the world, and the powers of darkness. As Gaudium et Spes states,… [Read More]
Dear Austin, let us pray…
It is a morning to pray. We woke up to the news today that the suspect behind the recent package bombs had been caught, and indeed had taken his own life in the process. Let us pray this morning together for peace in our city, for peace in our families, for peace in our own… [Read More]
A traditional St. Joseph altar in the Brazos Valley
He is sweating in the morning sun, easily turning a huge table top over in a cloud of wood shavings. I cough but he doesn’t break his concentration, only smiles as he measures an edge with his hands, squinting, nodding to himself as he stands up. “You still do this kind of thing in Heaven?”… [Read More]
The Betrothal and Love of Joseph and Mary
As the Solemnity of Saint Joseph approaches let us contemplate the betrothal and love of Joseph and Mary and how it can help couples today. It is mentioned very little in scripture. Yet it was the foundation for the family into which Jesus Christ was born. Blessed Pope John Paul II says in the church… [Read More]
The “Waze” of God
You know that moment when you plug your destination into Waze, and you hope and thinking, “Am I going to make it on time?…Waze says I’ll get there 5:23pm…but maybe the traffic will lighten up? Or it will find me a short cut??” A couple of weeks ago I was caught in that circumstance. Chugging… [Read More]
She Pondered the Greeting
“Hail, full of grace,” said the angel to the young woman. And Mary was perplexed. She pondered the greeting. I’ve spent a lot of time pondering this greeting too. It comes up every Monday and Saturday as the assigned meditation of the rosary. And I also heard it four times between Advent, Christmas and a… [Read More]
6th Annual Men’s Conference February 17
Saturday, February 17, 2018 at St William Catholic Church in Round Rock, TX will be the 6th Annual Men’s Conference. Speakers include Tom Peterson, Andreas Widmer, and John Pridmore. Regular tickets start at $45 ahead of time and $50 at the door. Premium tickets $100 includes private lunch with the speakers. Learn more… [Read More]
Angels & Dragons IX: 40 Days to Slay Your Dragon!
“Rise up; this matter is in your hands (Ezra 10:4)!” Your time has come Dragon Slayer! On your feet! You can no longer be “the brother of dragons,” (Job 30:29) for “Lent is the very badge of the Christian warfare!” (Pope Benedict XIV) How will you spend your 40 Days of Lent, in what may… [Read More]
The Presentation of the Lord; a story
I woke up early, long before my usual time. I could feel morning coming on as Yeshi slept deeply; still and warm between Joseph and me. He was on my arm, making it numb, but I didn’t mind. I enjoyed these moments of silence and warmth listening to Joseph’s and the baby’s breathing. I moved… [Read More]
I Will Go
Nine months after I had lost the ability to stand, walk, drive and care for myself or my family because illness damaged my left vestibular nerve, I have graduated from neurological physical therapy. I am blessed that I had a very good therapist. She has a doctorate in the field. She would encourage me… [Read More]
Angels & Dragons VIII: St. Gemma Galgani Relic
A fierce female dragon slayer! St. Gemma Galgani died at the young age of 25 on April 11, 1903 (Feast Day), but she lived an extraordinary life. She wanted to be a Passionist religious nun but was not accepted due to her health so she joined the lay Passionist association and took private vows as… [Read More]
CARITAS: Beginning the Year on Mission with the Mother of God
On January 1st, we were each invited to start the new year 2018 with the Mother of God through celebrating her Solemnity – what a clear message for us! This celebration of Mary the Mother of God is THE first day of the year. How seriously have we taken that invitation to begin this year… [Read More]
Angels & Dragons VII: Transferences
In the heat of the spiritual battle there is a lot clashing of swords, shields, spears, and other armor in the fight between St. Michael and his angels defending us against the dragon and his angels. (Rev. 12:7) Sometimes the good guys get wounded in the tussle and scuffle. Concerning deliverance prayers, the good news… [Read More]
Catholic Bioethics Seminar in Austin January 26-27
The National Catholic Certification Program in Health Care Ethics Seminar in Austin, TX will be January 26 & 27, 2018 at Seton Healthcare Family Administration Offices — Registration now open — see Schedule for the Seminar. Overview: Each Fall The National Catholic Bioethics Center presents a series of two-day seminars in various cities across the United States to address… [Read More]
Angels & Dragons VI: “Set the Oppressed Free!” (Luke 4:18)
This article is about setting the demonically oppressed free and “ proclaiming liberty to the captives” (Luke 4:18) using deliverance prayers. It is not about the demonically ‘possessed’ but about the everyday spiritual battle which Christians face against “the dragon and his angels” (Rev. 12:7) in these ominous times! Immediately after my diaconal ordination, 11 years ago,… [Read More]
Let Me Bless You
My five-year old has taken up a renewed interest in the Barbie movies she got when she was three. My house is filled with the sound of Barbie with her puppies or Barbie as a mermaid or Barbie in fairy wings. My little one sings along as Barbie plays a different character who is always… [Read More]
Arroja oraciones al cielo esta navidad contra el aborto
“Nuestra sociedad está tan herida a causa del aborto, estoy convencido de ello”. Estas fueron las contundentes palabras de un hombre extraordinario residente en Austin, Texas donde también vive esta servidora. Es extraordinario porque es un católico que se ha convertido en otro seguidor de Cristo que pasa en nuestra ciudad. Es co-fundador de Movile Loaves… [Read More]
Spiritual Nourishment for the Last Week of Advent
On the last leg of this Advent journey, I’d like to share with you two little bits of spiritual nourishment that I have found really helpful along the way. We are getting closer and closer to Bethlehem now, just one week away in this shortened Advent season. Can you feel the pace picking up? The… [Read More]
The Most Important Prayer in a Cataclysmic Event (Part II)
While the Act of Contrition prayer is the most important prayer for someone facing imminent death in a cataclysmic event, it is also the most important prayer for a survivor. During cataclysmic events like the current California fires, Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Maria, and the 7.1 earthquakes in Mexico, victims gather in huge numbers… [Read More]
A Sword Pierced Her Heart
Our Lady was sobbing. The sword had pierced her through. She wept for her son, who was going to die. We are soon to celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe. But since September, I have been contemplating Holy Mother under the title of Our Lady of Sorrows. As I… [Read More]
Juan the stranger
As my son-in-law swept up the toddler for her evening nap, I stepped silently out the front door for an evening walk, rosary in hand. It was dusk, and the sky was alight with rose colored clouds. Everything looked pink. As I walked, the beads slipping quietly between my fingers, I alternately poured out my… [Read More]
Tiempo para el silencio
Ha sido un año intenso. Muchos de los que me leen dirán: “Ha sido el año más terrible de mi vida”. Otros pensaran: “¡Ha sido el mejor año para mí!” Y no faltará alguna persona que diga: “No pasó nada para mí, es como que si mi vida no avanzara y siempre fuera igual”. Hay… [Read More]
This Advent, Let Our Relationships Be Transformed
The King’s Criteria In the rhythm of this getting-back-to-normal after the long Thanksgiving holiday, if we glance up we see that Advent is just ahead. And while Thanksgiving can often bring many blessings as we enjoy time together, oftentimes relationship challenges surface as well. We speak of Advent as a time to prepare… [Read More]
Thanksgiving All Year Long! Part II
This “Thanksgiving Day” begin with mass, thanking God for His daily blessings and favors. The Catholic Catechism explains: “Thanksgiving characterizes the prayer of the Church which, in celebrating the Eucharist, reveals and becomes more fully what she is….The thanksgiving of the members of the Body participating in that of their Head.” (2637) Yes, let this… [Read More]
Thanksgiving All Year Long
Thanksgiving is one of the biggest national holidays that our country celebrates. Everything comes to a standstill while families gather together around a meal to thank God for all the many blessings they have received throughout the year. Thanksgiving does not need to be a one-time, once a year event but it can also be… [Read More]
Making the Root of Holy Wisdom Our Own
“…and he shall find her sitting by his gate.” You know those moments when you’ve been thinking about or reading about something, and then it happens to come up at Sunday mass? When the readings or the homily are about exactly what’s been on your mind/heart? I love when that happens! That happened to me… [Read More]
Thoughts on the “thoughts and prayers”
Some people are upset about the “thoughts and prayers” response to mass shootings. I understand. I am tired of hearing that myself. It seems such a fill in the blank response; even glib and inappropriate when we all feel sickened by this cycle of seemingly endless gun violence followed by the same responses and counter… [Read More]
Do You Want To Be Well?
I have gotten a lot better at walking in my six months since the onset of vestibular neuritis. I’m out of the wheelchair, I’m caring for myself and my family again and I can drive to run all the errands I did before. Sometimes I forget I have a problem at all. But I find… [Read More]
Angels & Dragons V: Minor Exorcisms
With today’s increase in pagan practices such as astrology, mediums, psychic readings, cleansings, New Age religion, Reiki, magic, angel touch, witchcraft, tarot cards, séances, Ouija boards, ghost hunters, Satanic music or worship, etc., people who have participated in any of these occult practices, including Christians, may feel demonically oppressed. When combating evil spirits there are… [Read More]
Is God Punishing Us with Nuclear War and Meteors
This article is a continuation of two previous articles (Is God Punishing Us with Hurricanes and Earthquakes? and Is God Punishing Us with Fires and Shootings?). The church approved private revelations of Fatima and Akita seem to disagree with the conclusions of those articles, “The Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It… [Read More]
El dolor del aborto
Aún la recuerdo. Hace muchos años, tuve una conversación con una mujer que servía en mi casa y que me confió algo que hasta hoy me conmueve. Estaba deprimida. La relación entre ella y su marido cada vez era más tensa e insoportable. Ella no sabía qué hacer pues eran de escasos recursos y tenían… [Read More]
How to Show Gratitude to Your Guardian Angel
Since the moment of your conception, you are accompanied by a great spiritual being known as a guardian angel. Their mission is to guide and protect you and do everything they can to guide you to heaven. They are the faithful companions that have never left our side. It feels almost too incredible to be… [Read More]
Note to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
I run to the place we always meet, all the way crying angry tears. In the candle light, I kneel. I cross myself. I breathe. Breathe. In this quiet room is my refuge, the nearness of the One I love. I know I have come close to Jesus. I know the Eucharist is truly a beating… [Read More]
Philosophy in Catholicism and Everyday Life
Modern Catholicism has roots all the way back to when Jesus Christ was alive, but the ideas and values of Catholicism originated long before Jesus himself. Plato, one of the first Greek philosophers, believed in two separate worlds known as the world of being and the world of becoming. The world of becoming is where… [Read More]
I Already Love You (The False Self Part II)
Since the last post seemed have struck a chord with y’all (I received quite a response!) I wanted to pick up where we left off, and give you my two best “signposts” for how to move forward in this whole allow-your-false-self-to-be-chiseled-away thing. Signpost #1: Keep your eyes fixed on our merciful, loving Father There is… [Read More]
Is God Punishing Us with Fires and Shootings? Part II
This article is a continuation of “Is God Punishing Us with Hurricanes and Earthquakes?” More specifically exploring the fourth possible option mentioned in the first article if God is indeed punishing us with evil? The answer is yes and no. YES, when we die, and NO, while we are living here on earth. NO PHYSICAL… [Read More]
Carmelized Fatima Clips
During the final apparition of Fatima Mary appeared briefly in the brown habit of Carmel, or as “Our Lady of Mt. Carmel,” a silent witness to Carmelite spirituality and the order’s special and unique relationship with her. Carmel is a Marian order. Our devotion to Mary is intimate and deep. We have long considered ourselves… [Read More]
Dios nos llama a orar
Dios nos quiere despiertos Despiertos para ver, escuchar y responder a la angustia de los hombres heridos. La tragedia por el paso del Huracán Harvey en Texas, Houston parece no terminar. Son miles los que ha la fecha de hoy no han podido recuperarse. Los estragos son incalculables. Nunca en la historia de Texas, como… [Read More]
Litany of the False Self
You know those moments at work which you wish you could take back? Where you make a mistake in front of a whole group of your coworkers and your cheeks flush and you shrink a size or two? I had a few of those moments this week. And in God’s fantastic sense of humor, on… [Read More]
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