I sometimes wonder if those who are fought for human rights and those who are considered great examples of leaders for social justice knew they would be forever knitted into mankind’s history. I’m going to be bold and presume that for those who dedicated their lives to ensuring our fellow brothers and sisters were treated… [Read More]
What Do We Do Now That The Smoke Has Cleared?
There has been a lot of back and forth over the past few days as it relates to subjects such as the defeat of SB5 in the Texas Senate and the SCOTUS’ ruling on Prop 8 and DOMA. In a very simplistic fashion I’ve seen people shake out into a few different categories. People of… [Read More]
advice for a young mother
The other night I went to a local eatery to meet up with some Catholic mommas. These ladies meet regularly at a local parish, to encourage each other in their motherhood and faith. We sat around the table at this elegant venue downtown. A raucous “Salsa Night” going on at the restaurant just next door…. [Read More]
Roamin’ Home (Review: “Confessions of a Mega-Church Pastor”)
I love conversion stories. As a cradle Catholic who lapsed for a few years, I have my own story of coming to know Christ and his one true Church, but I am always fascinated by the journeys other people have taken to get to Catholicism. Some of my favorites are the stories that came with… [Read More]
Stay With Me: How to Find Comfort in Chaos
Have you ever had one of those moments when life seems to be truckin’ along as usual – then BAM – something comes out of left field, leaving your world completely shaken? You stand there blinking, looking around like nothing looks or feels the same anymore. Suddenly you remember, with 3D technicolor clarity, that life… [Read More]
The Call Behind the Silence
One unfortunate artifact of the technological mindset of our age is that we are uncomfortable with what we cannot grasp. Silence makes us uneasy because it makes us aware of a certain emptiness inside ourselves. So we fill our lives with noise and distractions – television, games, music, frivolous shopping. Our advances are geared toward… [Read More]
Building You: Faith and Habit
I’m going to have to start this blog with a small confession. When it comes to dating, my approach has been notoriously ineffective. Don’t worry, this blog isn’t about dating. But for a single man in his thirties, I have decided it is time to be more intentional about changing my approach. I’ve taken a… [Read More]
A Single Gal’s Girl Code
[girl·code] n. the unwritten understanding between girls (If you haven’t already figured out, this one is for the ladies. Sorry gentlemen.) My friend and I’s “Girl Code” from the third grade probably contained the following nuggets of wisdom: Boys have cooties. Stay away from them unless you’ve got your cootie shot. Don’t reveal who-likes-who when sworn… [Read More]
Priesthood and the Crucifixion
Do you remember the Pilgrimage of Prayer? In the last week, I have “stopped, looked, and listened.” It is beautiful when you and I can share with one other the fruits of our contemplation, the fruits and thoughts of our prayer. The Order of Preachers (nicknamed the Dominicans) uses that phrase to describe their vocation,… [Read More]
The God Who Is Just Like You (Review: “Strange Gods”)
I don’t worship false gods, at least not on purpose. Let me explain. I never say I was raised Catholic. My mom’s side of the family is Catholic, which is the reason I am a Catholic (although not the reason I remain one). We didn’t go to church for most of my childhood. Because of… [Read More]
Dont Freak Out
Putting up with things that irritate us builds character. I think that is because when we are in a situation we can’t change, the only option is changing ourselves. “This is a good life skill,” I tell my kids. It is also a good skill for developing the spiritual life because it’s good training… [Read More]
Weathered But Not Destroyed
I was left in complete awe and shock when I heard about the EF5 “El Reno” tornado on Friday with wind speeds reaching 295 mph. It is also the widest tornado ever recorded at 2.6 miles wide according to the National Weather Service. The actual mesocyclone, the parent storm above the massive tornado, was at… [Read More]
How to Deal with Bad Preaching
I often write and talk about the role of the arts in the church today, but one of the most broadly complained about is preaching in the Catholic Church. Bad experiences with homilies has been a prominent complaint I’ve heard among former Catholics and non-practicing Catholics. Admittedly, the Church may not be converting 3,000 people… [Read More]
5 Thoughts for Newlyweds
You can always tell when there’s been a wedding. At my parish, that’s when we get to look at pretty flowers. Because, at a university parish, we don’t spend the big bucks on flowers. We’re frugal, yo. So, we love it when wedding season comes around. There’s fragrant proof of white gowns, flower girls and… [Read More]
Cracks in the Sidewalk
I should really let it go, in the grand scheme of things it’s not that big of a deal. For me, there are an estimated three inches that have the possibility to ruin a perfectly good three mile workout. It’s one tiny bit of an uneven sidewalk. And as silly as it sounds, those three… [Read More]
Chastity: Getting Real with Something No One Likes to Talk About
This blog starts with a definition, followed by a confession: Firstly, I want to define chastity. If you look up the definition of “chastity” in a dictionary, the first few definitions will say something like “abstaining for all sexual intercourse” or “see – chastity belt”. Not exactly the definition I’m going for here. If you… [Read More]
The Pilgrimage of Prayer
Actually, the Catechism has a section titled The Battle of Prayer. We have God the Holy Spirit and Michael the Archangel to help us. Here’s a perspective of pilgrimage: ever since Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, humanity has been on a pilgrimage. Pereginus (from the Latin) is one who comes… [Read More]
A Meditation on the Immaculate Heart of Mary
In contemplating the Heart of Mary, we enter into her interior life, symbolized by the beautiful image of her heart. It is often depicted as pierced with a sword, in flames, wreathed with roses or with the crown of thorns of her Son. Mary’s pure and open heart is the reflection of our beautiful Christian… [Read More]
Schoenstatt Spirituality in a Nutshell
I first learned of the Schoenstatt Movement through articles written by my friend and fellow contributor Rachel. After reading excerpts of Fr. Joseph Kentenich’s book, “Everyday Sanctity”, I’ve gained a greater understanding of the rationality behind the movement. Schoenstatt was named after a place in Germany of the same name, meaning “beautiful place”, and the… [Read More]
Mary’s “Lectio on Life”
In her Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), Mary says, “He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.” That line used to bother me. It sounds mean. I have often asked Our Lady what she meant by it exactly. I love the way she answered. Some years ago I had the blessing… [Read More]
Dominican Sisters and The American Bible Challenge
As you might be aware of the Dominican Sisters of Mary have been contestants on this season’s “The American Bible Challenge” and will be appearing in the final at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT Thursday, May 23 on The Game Show Network. We had the opportunity to ask Sr. Maria Suso some questions about her and her follow Sister’s… [Read More]
Fighting for LIFE on Facebook
We’re touted as the pro-life generation. I have no doubt of that, but how are we still losing to a popular culture of death? Let me give you some background information. I attended a Christian university in Texas with deep roots to Baptist traditions. Last week, I was on Facebook and looked at a page… [Read More]
Confession and Pentecost; Grace and Power
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. -Proverbs 3:5-6 This verse is not like Confession; this verse is Confession. Four things happen. I entrust myself to God through a spiritual father, a… [Read More]
Meditations on Mama Mary (Review: “The World’s First Love”)
Oh, May: the month of flowers, of the fullness of spring, of mothers, and especially of the Blessed Mother, Mary, the Mother of God. I must confess that I didn’t quite realize the convergence of these annual symbols when I selected my next book for this column; the Holy Spirit surprises me like that sometimes…. [Read More]
Growth in Sober Consideration
“As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts are above your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9) There often seems to be a subliminal attitude, which originates in Protestant circles but pervades many Catholic parishes. Because Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection have already brought us full assurance… [Read More]
Don’t Call Me Crazy: A Christian Response to the Stigma of Mental Illness
“That’s so crazy!” “You must be crazy…” ‘Crazy’ is a word we hear thrown around often in our culture. We even have multiple variations now, with ‘craziness’, ‘crazy sauce’ and ‘cray cray’ floating around online and in person. I myself am guilty of using this word flippantly to describe anything from intense stress to something… [Read More]
Dealing with Suffering
I’ll admit I have suffered much in my life, I would even say I suffer often. The truth is we all do. We all experience intense suffering, whether it is physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual. If one part of our body is suffering, other parts are almost always affected as well, just as deeply. What… [Read More]
Finding Your Inner Chapel Through Journaling
Long before I heard of my good friend St. Teresa of Avila, and threw myself into Carmelite spirituality, I met a really weird guy named Morton T. Kelsey in a book called The Other Side of Silence. If I hadn’t met Kelsey in his books I’m not sure I could have ever taken to the… [Read More]
Brandon Vogt’s Strange Notions Launches Today!
Strange Notions, a site designed to be a central place of dialogue online between Catholics and atheists, will go live TODAY at 8 a.m. CST. The site include intelligent articles, compelling video and rich discussion through its comment box. Brandon Vogt, a Catholic speaker, blogger and writer, is behind project and has a group of… [Read More]
To Be a Saint
This should be read as a meditation. There is scripture mingled in and cited, but not always directly quoted. Who am I to be a saint? Am I tired? Am I afraid? Am I inadequate? Moses was inadequate; he admitted it (Ex. 4:10, 13). And what of fear? Will my friends forget me or leave… [Read More]
I didn’t have time to write my post this week…
I couldn’t finish my blog this week. Can I have an extension? Looking at my current schedule I think I could have a blog ready for you by next, ….um, do you have any plans for Mardi Gras? I’m sorry but I’ve been really busy. Lately, It feels like whenever I finish my project I’m… [Read More]
Every Woman’s Mission (Review: “Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious”)
I’ve been thinking a lot about mission lately: what I want from my life and from my work, and whether what I actually do with the time God gives me is working toward those goals. If it’s not, then I am really just wasting time. I’m more than just a cute machine, though; being the… [Read More]
Supporting a Depressed Spouse: How to Help
Part Two of Series (View Part One here:) If you’ve never experienced depression, imagine trying to run a marathon while just getting over the flu. You’re achy, exhausted, unmotivated, feeling hopeless and wondering why-oh-why this is happening to you. The whole ordeal makes you so emotionally and physically wiped out, you just wanna cry, or… [Read More]
Ora et labora, aka Work and/as/in Prayer
Driving home from class last night, as I offered a decade of the rosary to help calm my mind, what was the first thing the Spirit brought to my calm mind but a friendly reminder – don’t forget your blog post tomorrow! Oops! I had forgotten! This week has been crazy, and though I’ve been… [Read More]
Don’t Let Your Children’s First Communion Be Their Last
Sometimes words just hit your heart, right where it matters. This past weekend was officially “First Communion Weekend” at our house. It’s a date we’ve had circled on the calendar for months. There were lots of preparations—the clothes, the party afterward, the invitations, the family travel schedules and, of course, the Sacramental preparation. During the… [Read More]
Finding Solace in Silence
I’ve never been able to appreciate silence as much as I wished I could. Last week, I spent way too much of my time reading news, refreshing my twitter feed, listening to NPR and the talking heads on the news networks. I blame the overwhelming curiosity on journalism classes and my career choice. With those… [Read More]
No, no, no
All week long I’ve been trying to write about Boston, attempting to write some words of sense that are born out of a senseless situation. When sidewalks are awash with blood, an eight year old boy, among others, is dead, and limbs are lying on the ground, there is no sense. All I have are… [Read More]
from my side of the curtain: a memory.
I don’t remember much about having my babies. It’s a foggy time, really. I find myself periodically asking my husband to tell me the stories, like child who likes to hear the same favorite fairy tale over and over again. I guess it’s a ‘mommy fog’, made up of adrenaline, hormones, fatigue and pain medication… [Read More]
No really, I’VE GOT THIS: The Perfectionist’s Struggle of Letting Others Help
Before you begin this blog, please answer the following questions (to yourself, or out loud if you like that kind of attention): 1. Would you consider yourself a ‘perfectionist’? 2. Have you ever been accused of being an over-achiever? 3. Are you one of those people that says “I’m fine!” in response to everything? If… [Read More]
Gosnell and the Divine Mercy of Jesus
You have probably heard by now about the case of Kermit Gosnell and the “House of Horrors” in Philadelphia. If you haven’t, I must warn you the details are not for children. There’s information all over the internet about his clinic. If you have been following the story you may have noticed the national news… [Read More]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- …
- 17
- Next Page »
