• A Voice in the Church of Central TX

ATX Catholic

A Voice in the Church in Central Texas

  • Articles
  • Podcast Archive
  • About ATX Catholic
    • Contact Us
    • Contributors
You are here: Home / Archives for Adam Shaivitz

About Adam Shaivitz

Adam is a child of God, husband of Norine, father of two adorable girls, a volunteer, an employee, a baseball fan and an introvert.

Where Is Jesus?

Published April 26, 2017 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: ACNM, Blog

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published April 26, 2017

You Are “That Man”

Published March 1, 2017 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published March 1, 2017

Have You Met a Modern-Day John the Baptist?

Published January 4, 2017 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published January 4, 2017

A Hat Tip to the Holy Ghost Writer

Published October 12, 2016 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published October 12, 2016

A Laborious Lesson in the Vineyard of the Lord

Published August 17, 2016 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published August 17, 2016

What Kind of Sower Are You?

Published July 20, 2016 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

[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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published July 20, 2016

Mango Ministry: Fruitful Lessons from a Family Tree

Published June 22, 2016 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published June 22, 2016

Spiritual Lessons from a Lake Travis Tragedy

Published May 25, 2016 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

[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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published May 25, 2016

Don’t Forget About Tomorrow

Published April 27, 2016 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published April 27, 2016

Your Flight to Emmaus Is Now Boarding

Published March 30, 2016 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published March 30, 2016

A Fast Food Lesson in Prayer

Published March 2, 2016 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

“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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published March 2, 2016

Love Lessons: a Valentine’s Quiz

Published February 3, 2016 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith, Young Adult

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published February 3, 2016

The Unlucky 5 for Whom the Cell Tolls

Published January 6, 2016 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

“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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published January 6, 2016

Love is [Always] in the Air

Published December 9, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published December 9, 2015

Let the Children Come to Me

Published November 11, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

[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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published November 11, 2015

Shred Away Your Sins

Published October 14, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published October 14, 2015

Making the Rosary Fun for Kids

Published September 16, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published September 16, 2015

Parish Spotlight: St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Published August 19, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Parish Spotlight

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published August 19, 2015

The Garment of Grace

Published July 22, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published July 22, 2015

Miracle Stories: The Case of the Missing Tumor

Published June 24, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published June 24, 2015

Welcome to the Liar’s Club

Published May 27, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published May 27, 2015

The Water (and Blood) of Baptism

Published April 29, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published April 29, 2015

Here Comes the Judge

Published April 1, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

“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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published April 1, 2015

Coincidence? I don’t think so!

Published March 4, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published March 4, 2015

Wails from the Cry Room: A Design for the Future

Published February 4, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Family

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published February 4, 2015

Martha on the Wall

Published January 21, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published January 21, 2015

A Centenarian’s Lesson: Don’t Wait for Tomorrow

Published January 7, 2015 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published January 7, 2015

Dear Little Sister: A Christmas Letter

Published December 24, 2014 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published December 24, 2014

He Waited for Me, So I’ll Wait for Him

Published December 10, 2014 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published December 10, 2014

Do You “Like” God?

Published November 26, 2014 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published November 26, 2014

Priests Say The Funniest Things!

Published November 12, 2014 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

“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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published November 12, 2014

It’s the Pope, not a Horoscope

Published October 29, 2014 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published October 29, 2014

Slow Down, It’s a Priest!

Published October 15, 2014 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published October 15, 2014

Confession, Interrupted

Published October 1, 2014 • Written by Adam Shaivitz Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Adam Shaivitz • Published October 1, 2014

Translate Site

Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,518 other subscribers

Latest Posts

August 2022 Pilgrimage to Shrines in Mexico

By Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez

Pilgrimage to Shrines of Mexico Fall 2021

By Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez

Site Stats

  • 1,819,212 Views

Today’s Top Posts

  • A Mother's letter to her daughter for her Confirmation
    A Mother's letter to her daughter for her Confirmation
  • Angels & Dragons XXVI: The St. Michael Relic Stone Miracles
    Angels & Dragons XXVI: The St. Michael Relic Stone Miracles
  • Angels & Dragons III: The St. Michael Relic Stone
    Angels & Dragons III: The St. Michael Relic Stone
  • ATX Catholic
We are dedicated to bringing the good news of Jesus Christ into the world through engaging new and social media, with particular focus on Catholics in the Diocese of Austin.

Ora Pro Nobis

St John Paul II
St John Paul II
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Ven. Fulton Sheen
Ven. Fulton Sheen

Catholic News Service

Young Catholic triathlete with Down syndrome, inspired by faith, tells UN he has ‘no limitations’

• Copyright © 2023 ATX Catholic • All content posted on this site is copyright of ATX Catholic unless credited otherwise. All links and partners are indirectly affiliated with ATX Catholic and do not necessarily express the views of this group. We work to support the local church in the Diocese of Austin, but ATX Catholic does not directly represent or speak for Bishop Joe Vásquez or the Diocese of Austin.

 

Loading Comments...