Our Lord WANTS our families to be strong, holy, healthy and fun! But, in this busy, automated and digitized world, it’s all too easy to lose our cohesiveness as a family. Strong families are families that enjoy each other, spend time together and are aware of the great gift of family that God has… [Read More]
Christmas Unchained
There was a time when I wouldn’t dare miss a new Quentin Tarantino film. I was in middle school when Pulp Fiction was released in theatres and, as a teenage boy, I was fascinated by Tarantino’s violent, vulgar and verbose underground universe. Soon after, I gorged myself on the complete Tarantino catalog, watching True Romance,… [Read More]
Reading Your Way to Rome (Review: “Rome Sweet Home”)
As many Catholics are, I am a sucker for conversion stories. I was baptized Catholic but not really raised that way, so mine is more of a reversion story, but I even enjoy telling that! There’s something about getting the inside scoop on someone’s journey to God and to the Catholic Church that is so… [Read More]
Epiphany Traditions
Yesterday was the Solemnity of the Epiphany, both the traditional date of January 6th and more recent “transferred date” of the Sunday between January 2nd and 8th, which is one of the marks used to end the traditional Christmas season. Growing up, all of our family traditions revolved around Christmas Day itself—opening presents, Christmas dinner and… [Read More]
Connecting 2012’s Dots
I have this favorite quote from Steve Jobs. Now, before you accuse me of fangirling, just know that I try not to be one of those Apple users (you know, the ones that just won’t stop talking about the newest i-whatever) but this particular quote from his 2005 commencement speech at Stanford seems fitting for… [Read More]
ACNM Year in Review
As the year quickly comes to an end I wanted to use this time to say “thank you” to all of our wonderful contributors and our audience. We’ve grown a lot over the past year, adding a number of great contributors and syndicated blogs. With each contributor we add a new voice and perspective to… [Read More]
Let Us Make Haste…
I see a preacher. A natural teacher. A simple man, standing at the lectern, in the church full, at Midnight Mass. I see him speaking kindly, periodically gesturing with an open hand, pausing to smile at times, pausing to let us think. I see his eyes gaze over his people with a heart full of… [Read More]
Was Jesus Right? Is the End Near?
As we’ve all heard from a variety of sources, there was a surge of speculation that December 21, 2012 would be the end of the world. Even though this idea has been around for some years, it’s nothing new. I wrote about the last infamous day of May 21, 2011 last year, but we all… [Read More]
The Little Things Can Become the Big Things
We can all probably recall a time when we first noticed an ant trail marching back to its colony. And perhaps how we fought the temptation to stomp on a few, just to see what would happen. It is human nature to ponder… [Read More]
Making Room
Yesterday at mass we heard one of the infancy narratives, the one from Matthew (at Tuesday daily mass – right now it’s Wednesday night!). We’re getting closer and closer to end of the Advent season and the start of Christmas, so we’re starting to hear more about Christ’s birth. On Christmas (well, at the Midnight Mass),… [Read More]
A Little Advent Scripture Study
Advent is a time of preparation for receiving Jesus into the world and into our hearts. My first Advent challenge to you is to sit down, ponder and meditate on the scriptural account of Jesus’ arrival in the world as your time allows. There are many wonderful resources for Scripture study, but for anyone seeking… [Read More]
A Morning Opposing the Abortion Giant – Reflections From the Sidewalk
It was only 9:37 a.m. on a muggy summer morning in June 2011 and I’d already had one of those mornings that forces you to stop and think about who you are and the world around you. It started off as a photojournalism project. Just a simple photostory. Snap a couple of pictures, record an… [Read More]
Is Robert Griffin III Catholic? Why This Question Matters.
Everytime the Washington Redskins play a nationally televised game our organic search results go through the roof because of this very question. Are all the people who are searching for “Is RGIII Catholic”, necessarly all that interested in his faith life? Probably not, but seeing someone cross themselves(as RGIII is known to do) is a… [Read More]
Jennifer Fulwiler: Minor Revisions Interview
Chris, Cristina and I got to sit down with Jennifer Fulwiler to talk about her new show ‘Minor Revisions’ that premires tonight at 7 PM (CST) on the NET network. We had lots of fun recording this interview and can’t wait for the show, everyone needs to make sure they check it out. [powerpress] Minor… [Read More]
A Real Baby
“No, he was a REAL baby!” my six year old daughter insists, eye brows lifted as she explains to her four year old sister. “It’s not a just story!” My four year old’s blue eyes are wide as she looks off out the window, pondering. Jesus was a real baby. Even as an adult, I… [Read More]
Irreverent Mary (Review: “Looking for Mary, Or, The Blessed Mother and Me”)
People come to the Catholic faith through many avenues. As Dr. Robert Koons put it during his recent apologetics series at the University Catholic Center, where I work, there are “many roads to Rome.” Some roads are bumpy and long, and some are clear forks. Some roads, however, are more like the roundabout in National… [Read More]
On a Mission from Grace
My conversion to Catholicism occurred about eight years after the events I described in Grace Made Man. Only 3 short months after I was confirmed, God’s providence allowed me to serve with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and the Missionaries de Christe in Honduras. This would become my greatest lesson in community to date…. [Read More]
Advent Challenge and The Greatest Miracle DVD Giveaway
I hope everyone is enjoying ACNM’s first Advent Challenge and all the cool ideas that are coming from it. I’m here today to sweeten the pot a bit as it comes to our Challenge and post comments in general. Our friends over at the Maximus Group provided us with two copies of “The Greatest Miracle” to… [Read More]
Don’t Ignore Advent
I believe in the sun even when it’s not shining. I believe in Love even when I don’t feel it. I believe in God even when he is silent. We’re 15 days away from Christmas. We are in a time of preparation, both of the celebration of the birth of Jesus of many years ago… [Read More]
Pope Benedict XVI adopts another name: @Pontifex
Worldwide yesterday, news outlets announced the welcoming of Pope Benedict XVI to Twitter. Yes, the 85 year-old Holy Father has a personal twitter account: @Pontifex. Well, actually he has eight. One in English and seven in other languages (to start). Combined, the Pope gained over 500,000 followers in a single day and that’s before he’s even sent out… [Read More]
Prescription Strength Grace
Over thanksgiving I came down with a pretty nasty cold. My family treated me in their characteristically sympathetic manner. They griped at me for not doing more cardio. Bedside manner aside, I know my family is correct. In the three years I’ve been Catholic I’ve lost about 100 pounds (cardio). This process has proven to… [Read More]
Keeping Advent Holy
Ahhhh, it’s almost December! What a wonderful time of year! We have SO many plans to make it an amazing time for our family! And we have so much to do! We get down décor from the attic. We put together a tree. We start making Christmas lists. The office Christmas party is marked the… [Read More]
Modern Science: A Sin Against Intelligence?
Science as a quest for understanding of the workings of the universe had its formal beginnings in ancient Greece. It was augmented by the scholastics of the Middle Ages, who added the philosophical foundation on the notion that the universe is intelligible. However, as Henri de Lubac notes, there was more recently a shift in… [Read More]
The Answer to a Really Good Question (Review: “The Problem of Pain”)
Christianity is a faith of paradoxes. We are alive now, and then we will die (unless Christ returns before we die), but there is life after death. On Sunday, we officially begin to look upon the Virgin who will give birth to a son. By dying, Christ conquered death. Either this all makes perfect sense,… [Read More]
Humilty and Embracing Persecution
Most of us would agree that rejection is never pleasant. As I look back on my life so far, I realized just how much effort I’ve put into looking for acceptance from the world. Sometimes it was as simple as which clothes I wore, the music I listened to, or what I drove. Other times… [Read More]
What’s Wrong with the Year of Faith?
Sometimes I think in memes. I catch myself thinking “McKayla is not impressed” (disapproval) or of the fist pump baby (approval) in various situations throughout the day. (See Rita’s previous post for some ideas on where to find some funny Catholic ones.) I’m so not sure what that says about me, but that’s okay. The… [Read More]
Pro-Hope: The John Paul II Life Center’s Call
In order to graduate, I was required to take a class where an internship was required. I remember getting the list a week before the semester started and instantly looking for the “Catholic friendly” internships. On the list I found the Catholic Charities of Central Texas (they already had an intern for the semester) and… [Read More]
Catholic Frenemies
Towards both God and others, at times we’re like Peter, at other times like Paul, sometimes we’re like John and even other times we’re like (doubting) Thomas. But what worries me the most is when we’re like Judas. Because when we’re like Judas, we often act as a frenemy. Frenemies. We all have them. Sometimes,… [Read More]
A How-to Guide For Those Who Wonder How (Review: “The Jesuit Guide to [Almost] Everything”)
At work this year, I have been slowly training our student leaders on aspects of leadership. The framework I’m using is the six aspects of campus ministry, so last month, I spoke about appropriating the faith. That was fun, because who doesn’t love appropriating (i.e. getting stuff)? It was also fun because I was able… [Read More]
The House That Grace Builds
In the third grade, my English teacher asked us to write a paper defining love in 500 words. I put all of my third grade wisdom and discipline into the task. I dug down deep to find profound truths and carefully crafted them into intricate yet elementary sentences. When I at last I presented my… [Read More]
How to Create a Family Litany
All Saints Week – here we are! A week of beauty, starting with Halloween full of fun costumes and candy, All Saints Day with our holy heavenly friends, and ending with the ever hopeful and solemn All Soul’s Day, praying for those we love who have died. What a great time for our families to… [Read More]
RUN FOR YOUR LIVES; or. . Happy Halloween; no just. . RUN FOR YOUR LIVES
Welcome class. My name is professor Taran Heindrich. I am founder of the Austin Institute for the study of the dark forces. This semester I will be teaching you my own patented techniques for aggressive spiritual combat. I would like to begin my classes by saying …RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! Evil is coming for you!… [Read More]
Stability of Heart
Oblates of the Order of St. Benedict are lay people who are formally associated to a monastery. They aren’t monks, but normal, everyday folks who strive to follow the guidance given by St. Benedict in his Rule in a way that is proper for life outside of a monastery. Oblates make three promises, the phrasing of the first… [Read More]
Confessions of a Journaling Addict
I think I’ve acquired a journaling addiction. I’ve got three I’m working on right now, simultaneously! When I was younger, I hated the idea of journaling. I would get a pretty book, get maybe three pages into it and my hand would cramp up even though I still had many more thoughts to get through. I… [Read More]
Authenticity & the Year of Faith
I have to be honest. When I heard that the Catholic Church had declared this year the “Year of Faith”, I wasn’t quite sure what to think. Maybe it’s my ‘convert’ status rising up again, but while those around me were excited about the upcoming Year of Faith, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed… [Read More]
A Proposal to the Youth (Review: “YOUCAT, the Youth Catechism”)
I’m a little late in the game, but I’m also right on time for the Year of Faith: I finally took a deeper look into the YOUCAT*. Released to coincide with the last World Youth Day (WYD) and distributed to all official pilgrims, the YOUCAT was written to transmit content based from the Catechism of… [Read More]
Whatever You Do: Just Do It
I love the month of October. Such a wide variety of important dates fall within the month, that we now have an annual “Kraftoberfiesta” to celebrate. This year, Vanessa and I celebrated our 4th anniversary on the 4th, I remembered my dad on what would have been his 69th birthday on the 9th. My mom… [Read More]
Why I Visit Churches
Beauty is the most universal form of communication for Truth. Not only is beauty totally giving, never asking for anything in return, beauty never needs translation. Like many people, I find God to be very visible in His creation of nature. I’ve had many powerful encounters of prayer in beautiful outdoor settings, and always find… [Read More]
10 Ways Catholics Can Live the Year of Faith
Today starts the Year of Faith that was decreed by Pope Benedict XVI. It is a “summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the One Savior of the world” (Porta Fidei 6). As Catholics, we are asked to study and reflect on the documents of Vatican II and the Catechism so that they… [Read More]
The “No Harm, No Foul” Mentality
A common attitude of our culture is what one may call the “no harm, no foul” mentality, which uses the rationalization “why not do it if it doesn’t hurt anyone?” to justify an ever-growing variety of interactions between consenting adults, mostly of an explicit nature. The basis of this attitude is one particular application of… [Read More]
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