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To My Father For All His Love: A Lenten Reflection

Published April 7, 2017 • Written by Anonymous Filed Under: Faith

Guest Post by Deacon Dan Lupo In Chicago, where I grew up, March days are shrouded in gray, blasted by icy wind, and blanketed by snow. Perfect Lent weather. The weather is Lent-perfect because the gray skies evoke a somber mood, which matches the serious attitude Lent fosters. Lent calls for soberly examining our faith… [Read More]

Written by Anonymous • Published April 7, 2017

How does modern man best hear the call the conversion?

Published April 3, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Young Adult, Youth

In this liturgical season of conversion, we are faced with the question: Just exactly how does “conversion” happen? How is change possible in our daily lives, and in a lasting way? I’d like to go deeper into thoughts from my last post, as a kind of part II (see: Living Lent Like a Little One)…. [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published April 3, 2017

Living Lent like a Little One

Published March 20, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Family, Prayer, Resources, Young Adult, Youth

Lent is a season of conversion, a call to repentance, a time of turning back to God. To me, these are Christ’s most striking words on conversion: Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.  (Matthew 18:3) Unless you turn and become! We shall not enter… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published March 20, 2017

The Importance of Consecration to Mary’s Immaculate Heart

Published February 21, 2017 • Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez Filed Under: Faith, Prayer

Here is a homily from Sunday, February 19, 2017 at St Mary’s Cathedral in downtown Austin, TX, promoting Marian consecration to the Immaculate Heart. You can find resources for doing the Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary at MyConsecration.org.   Here is a homily from Fr. Kevin Rai on the Total Consecration to the Immaculate… [Read More]

Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez • Published February 21, 2017

Meditation and Emotions (Part II)

Published February 20, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Prayer, Resources, Young Adult

This is a follow up to my last post, Meditation and Decisive Times, where I attempted to sketch the basics of what it means to meditate on life, as a way to grow in love and closeness to God, and a way to help foster a deep and integrated inner life.  Out of this deep inner… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published February 20, 2017

Meditation and Decisive Times

Published February 6, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Events, Faith, Prayer, Resources, Young Adult

   We live in decisive times. And while perhaps that’s always true in some way, I think we can say that in a particle way about our times today. I don’t have to describe it for you too much, because you live it as well. Tensions are high. The pace of available information is frenetic. And… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published February 6, 2017

A Prayer during Darkness

Published February 6, 2017 • Written by Henry Cuellar Filed Under: Faith

This is a poem that I wrote one day when I felt as though I was in darkness.  It has helped me to pray with it when my prayer feels dry. Darkness Darkness! The light of the flame that brought me here now begins to dull and I feel lost My prayer was once as… [Read More]

Written by Henry Cuellar • Published February 6, 2017

Holiness and Horror (Review: “A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories”)

Published January 31, 2017 • Written by Lindsay Wilcox Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Reviews

Everyone loves a happy ending, but the sad ones are way more interesting. That’s the basic premise of every story by the incredibly talented Flannery O’Connor. She was one of the greats of Catholic fiction, so for my last regular review for ATX Catholic, I encourage you to give her a try. The first of… [Read More]

Written by Lindsay Wilcox • Published January 31, 2017

Get Through the Bible Today! (Video: John Bergsma, “Bible Basics for Catholics”)

Published January 17, 2017 • Written by Lindsay Wilcox Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Reviews

Are you a member of the Perpetual Bible in a Year Club? I am. I know several people who have read through the entire Bible. Some have even managed it in a year. About ten years ago now, I set out to join them… and like many others, I fell behind. I promised I wouldn’t… [Read More]

Written by Lindsay Wilcox • Published January 17, 2017

Most Holy Name of Jesus

Published January 3, 2017 • Written by Shawn Rain Chapman Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Prayer

It is said that one night, St. Teresa of Avila met the Child Jesus on the stairs of her convent. The little One asked her name. She said, “I am Teresa of Jesus.” He said, “Then I am Jesus of Teresa.” What would Jesus say to you? Is your name attached to His? Of course… [Read More]

Written by Shawn Rain Chapman • Published January 3, 2017

Taboos and Resolutions (A Response to Archbishop Chaput’s Tocqueville Lecture)

Published January 3, 2017 • Written by Lindsay Wilcox Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Marriage and Love, Reviews, World and News

They say you shouldn’t talk about sex, politics, or religion in public. As an evangelization-minded Catholic, I live a little differently, but I do tend to stay away from politics. I just don’t like it. These days, however, there’s no getting away from politics, even when we’d rather talk about some of those other uncomfortable… [Read More]

Written by Lindsay Wilcox • Published January 3, 2017

Lessons from the Crib

Published December 28, 2016 • Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez Filed Under: Column, Faith

Many saints have experienced the love and wisdom that comes from the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Baby Jesus, but none more than St. Faustina who had many, many visits from the Divine Infant.   One Christmas season the Blessed Mother brought the Baby Jesus to St. Faustina and said, “strive after silence and humility,”… [Read More]

Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez • Published December 28, 2016

Tis Humility

Published December 26, 2016 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Faith, Family, Prayer, Young Adult

A remark during the homily at midnight mass really struck me. The priest reflected how each Christmas is different, not because the Gospel story changes -indeed the story is everlasting – but because we come to Christmas each year a little bit different. Each year we bring with us the lived experiences of the whole past year…. [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published December 26, 2016

Of Mary, Never Enough

Published December 22, 2016 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Family, Prayer

“De Maria, nunquam satis!,” St Bernard of Clairvaux once said. Of Mary, never enough!  In these last few days before the great feast of Christmas, perhaps you’re feeling harried or haven’t had time to prayerfully prepare, or just aren’t quite into the Christmas. Or perhaps you’re drowning in carols all day, but not feeling very contemplative or… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published December 22, 2016

Merry Tolerance

Published December 20, 2016 • Written by Shawn Rain Chapman Filed Under: Blog, Faith

While my bread is rising I feel like talking about what I was thinking about while I was kneading. I was thinking about the “Keep Christ In Christmas” thing. I think that as a friendly reminder to fellow Christians not to get caught up in the shopping, social obligations, travel and food to the point… [Read More]

Written by Shawn Rain Chapman • Published December 20, 2016

Bits and Bytes on Thriving Parishes (Review: “Great Catholic Parishes”)

Published December 6, 2016 • Written by Lindsay Wilcox Filed Under: Faith, Reviews

Since I stopped working in ministry, I’ve been a regular parishioner, just like everyone else. Having seen things from both ends of the pew, in a sense, I remain interested in the state of American parishes and efforts to right the wrongs and fulfill our mission as Christians. So I read a lot of books… [Read More]

Written by Lindsay Wilcox • Published December 6, 2016

Objectivity & Healthy Self-love: An Advent reflection on “Catholic Guilt”

Published November 28, 2016 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Prayer, Young Adult

“Catholic guilt” came up recently in a conversation about psychology and religion. It also came up sometimes back in my grad school counseling classes. In these conversations, I often hear the question, “Isn’t “Catholic guilt” psychologically unhealthy?” I think it’s a great question. Can there be something unhealthy about guilt? I think so. How can we clarify… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published November 28, 2016

Can We Be Catholic and American? (A Response to Archbishop Chaput’s Bishop’s Symposium Talk)

Published November 22, 2016 • Written by Lindsay Wilcox Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Reviews, World and News

Author’s note: As commenter DanC kindly pointed out, I had my Chaput speeches mixed up. The post below has been corrected from its originally published version to refer to the correct context and original text. I apologize for any confusion I caused. I spent a while learning how to teach adolescents in addition to my… [Read More]

Written by Lindsay Wilcox • Published November 22, 2016

Christians Cannot Rely on the Law to Evangelize

Published October 20, 2016 • Written by Cristóbal Almanza Filed Under: Faith

There is a strange sentiment among American Christians that makes us think that we are somehow God’s favored ones in the world. This vision imagines the American Constitution as a perfect document almost equal to the Gospels. Our nation’s capitol is a physical embodiment of this idea, like a great temple in honor of the… [Read More]

Written by Cristóbal Almanza • Published October 20, 2016

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Published October 19, 2016 • Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez Filed Under: Faith, Social Justice

On October 2, 2016 Pope Francis commented about the upcoming U.S. presidential election, “Study the proposals well, pray and choose in conscience.”  While I was praying and thinking about the above comment the four horsemen of the Book of Revelation came to mind several times. Pope Francis added, “When a country has two, three or… [Read More]

Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez • Published October 19, 2016

Your Weapons Are Scripture and Tradition (Review: “Dual Wielding”)

Published October 11, 2016 • Written by Lindsay Wilcox Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Prayer, Resources, Reviews

I’ve discovered a new kind of Catholic nerdery! I like books and learning and grammar and trivia, so I’ve long considered myself a nerd with personality. When I came back to the Church just over a decade ago, I found it only natural to become a Catholic nerd, too. There are, however, limits to my… [Read More]

Written by Lindsay Wilcox • Published October 11, 2016

How a St. Francis statue changed my life

Published October 4, 2016 • Written by Shawn Rain Chapman Filed Under: Blog, Faith

I was 19, and living back home with my family for a while, when, coming in one evening, I found everyone very bemused with me. “We got a call from the Christian book store that the book you ordered is in…….?” My mom queried. “OK.” “We thought it might be a wrong number……?” “No, that’s… [Read More]

Written by Shawn Rain Chapman • Published October 4, 2016

Therese of Lisieux & The Marian Jubilee of Mercy

Published October 3, 2016 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Faith, Marriage and Love, Prayer, Young Adult

It’s possible that St Therese of Lisieux is one of those saints of whom we hear so often that we think, well, we already know that story – next! Yet I think we often only capture her “slogan” of childlikeness, and in skipping over it, we miss the profound and prophetic truth manifested in her life…. [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published October 3, 2016

Go to Joseph (Gen. 41:55)

Published September 29, 2016 • Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez Filed Under: Faith

On March 4, 2004 in my sixth year of law enforcement, I was involved in a car chase that spanned four counties and ended in a shoot-out with a man carrying drugs worth half a million dollars.   Traveling at 100 mph in my police vehicle a tire blew out.  The night before, I had… [Read More]

Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez • Published September 29, 2016

Dawn from on high: the other side of a crisis pregnancy

Published September 20, 2016 • Written by Shawn Rain Chapman Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Family, Social Justice

My first granddaughter, Arelani, at this writing, is six months old today. I just got a happy text from my daughter to remind me. My daughter’s was a “crisis teen pregnancy,” and it happened at what seemed like the worst time. After a series of recent tragic deaths in my family, the last thing we needed… [Read More]

Written by Shawn Rain Chapman • Published September 20, 2016

The Bible Is a Story About Jesus (Review: “Walking with God”)

Published September 14, 2016 • Written by Lindsay Wilcox Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Reviews

I love to read. I also love Jesus. I must confess, however, that I do not always love to read about Jesus. I would wager that most Christians (and many non-Christians) know that the Bible is a book about Jesus. I would also wager that many of those same people might struggle to explain how… [Read More]

Written by Lindsay Wilcox • Published September 14, 2016

A Wedding Garment (Matt. 22:11)

Published September 10, 2016 • Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez Filed Under: Faith

In the Gospel of Matthew, we read about a guest who is not wearing “a wedding garment,” (22:11) and how the guest is bound hand and foot and expelled from the ceremony.  What is this all about?  This parable points to the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and holy orders and much more.   We receive… [Read More]

Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez • Published September 10, 2016

“My heart will triumph! And yours will, too.”

Published September 6, 2016 • Written by Shawn Rain Chapman Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Prayer

This is Our Lady’s birthday week. (September 8, is the Nativity of Mary.) I have been thinking about her  a lot, and wondering what I could give her for her birthday. While I have been thinking about her, it seems she has been thinking about me, and giving me gifts for her birthday. One who… [Read More]

Written by Shawn Rain Chapman • Published September 6, 2016

A Labor of Love

Published September 5, 2016 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Faith, Family, Prayer, Young Adult, Youth

We often get distracted from the best thing because we pursue many good things. This thought is the key with which Fr Patricio Rodriguez, ISP, opened up this passage from the Gospel of Luke in a recent homily: At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published September 5, 2016

Seek His Face (Psalm105:4)

Published August 27, 2016 • Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez Filed Under: Faith

In Misericordiae Vultus, Pope Francis states, “Introduce everyone to the great mystery of God’s mercy by contemplating the face of Christ,” (25) and similarly on June 29, 2016, he states in the newly released apostolic constitution, “Seeking the face of God has always been a part of human history.” (Vultum Dei quaerere “Seeking the Face… [Read More]

Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez • Published August 27, 2016

Drink like a Catholic (Professional)

Published August 25, 2016 • Written by Cristóbal Almanza Filed Under: Faith, Young Adult

Let me begin by clarifying – I don’t mean drink like it’s your job. Unless of course, you’re a sommelier. The past two years, I have published posts about the relationship between our faith and drinking. I still get some interesting questions and discussions about the topic. If you haven’t, I recommend reading Drink like… [Read More]

Written by Cristóbal Almanza • Published August 25, 2016

Recovering from family suicide: a year later

Published August 23, 2016 • Written by Shawn Rain Chapman Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Family

This month, it has been a year since my brother’s suicide. I am a woman much acquainted with grief. But this has  been a different kind of grief than I’ve ever experienced before. The shock and constant sense of horror didn’t start to wear off until recently and much of it is still in place…. [Read More]

Written by Shawn Rain Chapman • Published August 23, 2016

Diversity in Ministry Part II – Age

Published August 18, 2016 • Written by Cristóbal Almanza Filed Under: Faith

In part 1 of this series, I began a conversation about the need for intentional diversity in ministry. I explored the ways in which we could encourage people of different gifts and talents to join forces to more effectively serve the Lord.  Diversity is a word that is being used often today in various contexts,… [Read More]

Written by Cristóbal Almanza • Published August 18, 2016

Peter Kreeft’s “Nineteen Types of Judgment”: An Outline

Published August 16, 2016 • Written by Lindsay Wilcox Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Reviews, Social Justice

It’s back-to-school time in the Year of Mercy, so I bring you a learning opportunity. I am a teacher by training (although not currently by profession), so I love learning, and I love helping other people learn. It’s a reflex, an instinct, and the method by which I hope to make a difference in the… [Read More]

Written by Lindsay Wilcox • Published August 16, 2016

The Image of Divine Mercy In My Soul

Published August 14, 2016 • Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez Filed Under: Column, Faith

In the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska when speaking of the image of Divine Mercy, Jesus tells her, “My image already is in your soul.” (Diary 49) The image of God was present in man from the beginning when God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,” (Gen. 1:26) and… [Read More]

Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez • Published August 14, 2016

Embrace the world: How to love in troubled times

Published August 9, 2016 • Written by Shawn Rain Chapman Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Prayer, World and News

Today is the feast day of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, or Edith Stein. She was born into a Jewish family, but became a decided atheist in her youth. She grew into a brilliant intellectual, writer, and  philosopher. Her search for truth lead her into the Catholic Church, and into religious life as a… [Read More]

Written by Shawn Rain Chapman • Published August 9, 2016

Finding God, Funny Times, and Failing Health (Review: “Operating on Faith”)

Published August 2, 2016 • Written by Lindsay Wilcox Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Marriage and Love, Reviews, Young Adult

I tend not to like vignette-style books. I never did like The House on Mango Street, critical acclaim and racially diverse protagonist notwithstanding. I do, however, enjoy stories of young adults living the Catholic life with joy, not bitterness. It’s refreshing, and it’s my reality. With a lighthearted approach in mind, I read Operating on… [Read More]

Written by Lindsay Wilcox • Published August 2, 2016

God’s Love Revealed Through My Dad

Published August 1, 2016 • Written by Robert Lindberg Filed Under: Faith

I have been so blessed to see God’s love revealed through people here on earth. This reflection has been a recent revelation from events 34 years ago. It is important to take the time to look back at our lives to see more fully what God has for us in our past experiences. It was April 25,… [Read More]

Written by Robert Lindberg • Published August 1, 2016

You are gods (Jn 10:34)

Published July 23, 2016 • Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez Filed Under: Faith

Jesus says, “You are gods.” (Jn. 10:34) How is this possible? At baptism, we become “partakers of the divine nature,” (CCC 1265 or 2Pt.1:4) or as St. Athanasius states that we are, “becoming by grace what God is by nature.” The Catechism quotes St. Athanasius to explain this teaching, “For the Son of God became… [Read More]

Written by Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez • Published July 23, 2016

Faith in Action (Review: 7 Habits That Define Our Catholic Identity)

Published July 19, 2016 • Written by Lindsay Wilcox Filed Under: Faith, Reviews

I wasn’t raised Catholic, but I’m not a convert, either. My mom’s side of the family is Catholic, so I was baptized as a baby and received my other sacraments of initiation on the usual timeline. I never say that I was raised Catholic, though. We didn’t go to church, not even for Christmas or… [Read More]

Written by Lindsay Wilcox • Published July 19, 2016

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