A mother and father bring their small child to a shopping mall on an extremely busy day. They take turns keeping their eyes on the little boy and holding his hand as they move from store to store and then to the food court with a few bathroom breaks in between. Mommy suddenly glances around… [Read More]
About Adam Shaivitz
You Are “That Man”
Once upon a time there was an important man who oversaw a big group. He was very wealthy and had many responsibilities. To his credit, the man loved the Lord and knew that everything he had was from God. But somewhere along the way his love of God began to slip. Feeling entitled and prideful,… [Read More]
Have You Met a Modern-Day John the Baptist?
We sure could use a guy like John the Baptist around here. If Jesus happens to casually walk past me one day like he did in today’s Gospel reading, I sure hope that someone like John the Baptist will point Him out to me if I’m not paying attention. John was standing with two of… [Read More]
A Hat Tip to the Holy Ghost Writer
If you like this story, you can thank the Holy Spirit. As I’ve learned so many times since discovering my faith 11 years ago, there is no such thing as a coincidence. Whenever my monthly deadline to write for ATX Catholic approaches, I frequently turn to the Holy Spirit and the daily Mass readings for… [Read More]
A Laborious Lesson in the Vineyard of the Lord
On the advice of counsel, I hereby withdraw the labor grievance I filed more than 30 years ago. The expert with whom I consulted comes highly recommended and works pro bono. I am sure you have heard of him. His name is Matthew from the firm of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John, LLC. Today’s Gospel… [Read More]
What Kind of Sower Are You?
[This is a guest post from Norine Shaivitz.] It seems like a waste of seed to throw it on a walking path that’s frequented by birds. I bet a real farmer wouldn’t throw seeds where the ground is rocky or full of weeds either. That was the thought that ran through our minds as my… [Read More]
Mango Ministry: Fruitful Lessons from a Family Tree
Everybody gets a mango! Today’s gospel reading from Matthew reminded me of the huge mango tree that was in my side yard when I was growing up in South Florida. Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will… [Read More]
Spiritual Lessons from a Lake Travis Tragedy
[This is a guest post from Norine Shaivitz.] Ten years ago today, I opened the newspaper and saw the story I had very briefly covered the day before took a turn I wasn’t expecting. Back then, I was a news anchor at a radio station and the day before had been busy. The few reporters… [Read More]
Don’t Forget About Tomorrow
Something really important is happening tomorrow. And the next day. And the day after that. A sneaky question in a priest’s homily a couple of weeks ago ties in perfectly with today’s Gospel reading. It was a first communion Mass for an enthusiastic group of second graders on a Saturday morning. During a wonderfully interactive… [Read More]
Your Flight to Emmaus Is Now Boarding
It’s a long road to Emmaus. I walk it each and every day. Like the two disciples in today’s Gospel reading, I would love to run into Jesus during my travels. But I fear that as Celopas and his friend did, I won’t recognize Jesus. I was thinking about the story of the Road to… [Read More]
A Fast Food Lesson in Prayer
“If there’s time to lean, there’s time to clean.” This old adage from the restaurant industry is frequently attributed to managers at McDonald’s. The idea is that if you are a fast food employee and are not particularly busy at the moment, then instead of just sitting around – or leaning – grab a broom,… [Read More]
Love Lessons: a Valentine’s Quiz
It’s the season of love, so let’s take an early Valentine’s Day quiz. But it’s not like those silly social media quizzes. Even though the stores are stocked with flowers, candy, hearts, greeting cards, Cupid and more, this quiz will dig a little deeper. Question number one: Read this passage slowly. Does it sound… [Read More]
The Unlucky 5 for Whom the Cell Tolls
“Please silence or turn off you cell phones in the church.” That’s a warning you hear or see in many parishes. No matter how tightly tethered we are to our electronic devices, Mass ought to be the one place where we let go of this constant connection. Yet we still sometimes hear phones ringing in… [Read More]
Love is [Always] in the Air
Can you feel the love? I sure can. But until a few weeks ago, I had never felt it so clearly and so dramatically. “God is Love” and love is his first gift, containing all others. “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Catechism of… [Read More]
Let the Children Come to Me
[This is a guest post by Norine Shaivitz.] “[Jesus] called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, ‘Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.’” Matthew 18:2-3 I wonder if the child Jesus chose was perfectly quiet and still, after… [Read More]
Shred Away Your Sins
You can learn a lot about sin from a paper shredder. At least I did. Stay with me. It’ll make sense eventually. With apologies to my local letter carrier, most of what arrives in my mailbox falls into the dreaded category of junk mail. It would be quick and easy to toss all that unwanted… [Read More]
Making the Rosary Fun for Kids
It’s never too early for children to learn how to say the Rosary. Here’s some documented evidence: That was my younger daughter when she was just two-and-a-half years old. I didn’t know how (or have any desire) to say the Rosary until well into my 30s, so let’s not make the same mistake with the… [Read More]
Parish Spotlight: St. Elizabeth of Hungary
Parish Spotlight is an Austin Catholic New Media series dedicated to highlighting and sharing information about the various parishes in the Austin Diocese. Did you know the diocese is home to 127 parishes? In this series, we hope to bring not just facts to your attention, but a sense of community that will help you… [Read More]
The Garment of Grace
On the Brown Scapular around my neck it reads, “Whosoever dies wearing this Scapular shall not suffer eternal fire.” What a promise Our Lady of Mount Carmel made to St. Simon Stock in 1251! On July 16, 2015, the Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, more than 50 people at St. Elizabeth of… [Read More]
Miracle Stories: The Case of the Missing Tumor
Quick, I need the number to the Vatican SMU (Special Miracles Unit). Okay, maybe this one is not worthy of getting on the Pope's calendar. But it is certainly the most amazing miracle I have experienced. It involves my eight-year-old daughter who is a happy, healthy cancer survivor. In fact, just a couple of years… [Read More]
Welcome to the Liar’s Club
Thank you for your interest in joining the Liar’s Club. You have been approved for membership. I would introduce you to the other members, but it would take an awfully long time to meet seven billion people. Don’t worry. You don’t have to learn everyone else’s name. Just call each of us Pinocchio. I discovered… [Read More]
The Water (and Blood) of Baptism
Ten years ago I took the plunge, literally. This Easter season marks ten years since I received the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion. What a ride it has been. When people ask me what I remember most about my baptism from ten years ago, four things come to mind: I was wet. I… [Read More]
Here Comes the Judge
“We’ll take a short recess, and I’ll come back and give you my decision.” It only took Judge Wapner the convenient length of a commercial break to pass judgement back on the original version of The People’s Court. And yet we judge others even more quickly each and every day. The litigants for our first… [Read More]
Coincidence? I don’t think so!
I am starting to think there is no such thing as a coincidence. (Were you thinking the same thing?) Whenever someone says, “Wow, what a coincidence,” I usually give a quick nod to the Lord knowing that whatever the person is describing must have been holy handiwork. For your reading pleasure I will share a… [Read More]
Wails from the Cry Room: A Design for the Future
What’s the least desirable place inside any church to attend Mass? The cry room, of course. Spending time inside a cry room is a little bit like visiting a mini war zone or taking a trip back to the wild, wild west. You step into a crowded cry room and immediately feel, and sometimes smell,… [Read More]
Martha on the Wall
Some of us are Marthas, and some of us are Marys. For me, the writing — or at least the picture — was on the wall. I had never given too much thought into Luke’s story about Martha welcoming Jesus and associates into her home, getting right to work serving them and eventually learning to… [Read More]
A Centenarian’s Lesson: Don’t Wait for Tomorrow
Raise your hand if you are a procrastinator. (If you raise your hand later, I’ll understand.) Of all the things we sometimes put off during the course of our lives, there is one thing far more important than anything else that we should never wait to do: follow Christ. Never was this point made more… [Read More]
Dear Little Sister: A Christmas Letter
It’s a little late in the game to issue you an Advent challenge. Instead, as my gift to you this Christmas Eve, I’m turning over this blog space to a distinguished guest author: my eight-year-old daughter. First, some background information: In our household we’ve always tried to focus much more on Jesus than Santa during… [Read More]
He Waited for Me, So I’ll Wait for Him
I waited and waited and waited, then God finally showed up about three decades later. Actually, I have that backwards. It's the Lord who waited so long for me, and I finally showed up. With all that waiting in mind, Advent is a prudent time to ponder the past and prepare for the future. My… [Read More]
Do You “Like” God?
What’s the last thing you do as your head hits the pillow at night or the first thing you do at the moment you wake up in the morning? In this age of constant connectedness, many of us take one last look at our email or social media before hitting the sack and another quick… [Read More]
Priests Say The Funniest Things!
“Well, the good Lord did invent humor.” I vaguely recall Fr. Mulcahy saying that once on MASH after someone apologized to him for cracking a joke. Fictional TV characters aside, priests are people too. While their primary job is to lead us to Jesus, it’s also okay for priests to be funny. To give… [Read More]
It’s the Pope, not a Horoscope
Sometimes evil is unavoidable. But if we strive to make good moral choices, the good clearly outweighs the bad. A simple story in priest's homily really helped put this into perspective. Rev. Pedro Garcia-Ramirez, pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church in Pflugerville, explained how his parish provides copies of a Spanish language newspaper… [Read More]
Slow Down, It’s a Priest!
Priests and police officers have a lot in common, and it isn’t just the spiffy uniform. Think about this: You’re cruising down I-35 or MoPac, when traffic isn’t bumper to bumper if that’s possible, and in your mirror you notice a police car behind you. The officer isn’t after you — no lights and siren… [Read More]
Confession, Interrupted
The Catholic sacrament of reconciliation evokes a wild ride of emotions. Waiting in a long line outside the confessional feels like a roller coaster slowly creeping up a steep incline. You’re nervous and perhaps a little scared about what’s about to happen. But suddenly when you’re absolved of your sins you get that exhilarating rush… [Read More]
