When I was a kid – probably around sixth grade or so – I decided that I wanted to read the Bible. I’d heard a lot about this Jesus fellow at church and in Sunday school, but I’d never actually just sat down and read the book He wrote. So I did. Or at least… [Read More]
Finding Jesus in The Rug
Monday mornings are typically our family “recover from the weekend” cleanings. I used to have a whatever approach to schedules, but six kids no longer affords me that luxury…or penance. However you want to look at the glass… So…first thing Monday morning, we start with our usual morning cleaning which I refer to as ordered… [Read More]
Mission El Salvador Day 3
Mission El Salvador Day 3: For the third day I changed villages and jobs. Instead of working construction I worked with the kids at one of the day cares that Sister Gloria started. Like all good students of Catholic Social Teaching Sister Gloria didn’t simply decide she wanted to build a day care and then… [Read More]
Having Fun (and a Few Laughs) Within the Faith
As a Youth Ministry I have an eclectic set of things in my office at work. I have pens on the shelf next to softballs, I have Catholic Youth Bibles next to candles and a slew of board & card games next to paper. I have crosses on my walls, pictures of saints, posters on… [Read More]
Good Where We’ve Been Good Where We’re Going To
When you say yes to something you say no to something else. I learn this adage at a “Protecting Your Goals” class I had the honor of participating in last year. Whether you are addicted to volunteering or superbly balanced in your calendar-planning, this phrase is worth reflecting on. How do your time commitments reflect… [Read More]
Mission El Salvador Day 2
Mission El Salvador Day 2: The missioners in El Salvador truly run the gamut of ages, sexes, professions and experience with mission work. Every night Sister Gloria makes a list of the sites that need workers and what roles (construction or child play) each site needs. She then allows the missioners to assign themselves to… [Read More]
Ten Tips for Dealing with Anger in Marriage
We may not like to talk about it, but if you’re married, you’ve been there. How do we deal with our anger in marriage? How do we argue? How do we reconcile? We all have different ways of handling our differences with our spouse, but here are a few things I’ve learned over the 13… [Read More]
Mission El Salvador Day 1
Mission El Salvador Day 1 Most of the first day was spent getting to El Salvador. My journey started at 5 am Austin time and didn’t pass through customs until 1 pm El Salvadoran time. El Salvador has had a little less than half a day to open my eyes. This was far more abundance… [Read More]
The Gradual Road to Hell (Review: “The Screwtape Letters”)
I have finally found some paranormal romance that I like! Well, that’s not entirely true. This week’s book is about the paranormal and does contain romance, though. I will concede only one thing to Twilight and its successors in the paranormal romance genre, and I will admit to two: they’re getting girls to read, and… [Read More]
Mission El Salvador Day 0
Young Adult Mission to El Salvador Day 0 My next couple posts are going to be different. They are going to be shorter. They will come in more rapid succession. My spelling may be worse (not that it wasn’t bad enough already). Oh yes and after this one, they will be coming from El… [Read More]
Our Church’s Curiosity
Curiosity landed early this morning on the surface of Mars. The robot, the size of a car, was launched on November 26th, 2011 with initial planning for the mission goes back at least to April 2004. This was a long time coming for engineers and scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. With no astronauts on board, no required quotations… [Read More]
Catholics Aren’t Scared
Catholics don’t run for the hills. We don’t run away and hide to give in to the spirit of fear or despair. Catholics aren’t scared. In times of war, famine, disaster, and tragedy, we Christians are not called to look away. It is our call to act in charity to protect the weak, care for… [Read More]
On Being Prophetic Under Pressure
As I was sitting in daily mass on Tuesday at St Catherine of Sienna in South Austin, the priest began to talk about the prophet Jeremiah. We’ve been hearing from Jeremiah during daily mass for quite some days now. The priest said that one of the main roles of a prophet was to give us… [Read More]
Family Vacations: Are We There Yet?
“Mom, how much longer ’til we get there?” If you’re a parent, no doubt you’ve been asked that question countless times on a roadtrip. I always feel like replying with a Mr. Incredible-ism: “We’ll get there when we get there!” On our recent family vacation that included 1,800 miles and five states, we heard that… [Read More]
An Invitation
Hey you. Stop. Just stop, and pray. And especially listen. If you didn’t read the rest of this article, got off the computer, and went and just prayed, even for thirty seconds, I would praise God with great thanksgiving. But, nevertheless, I’ll keep writing, just in case you need more convincing. You see, I’ve… [Read More]
The Sister(and Brother)Hood of the Traveling Saint Medals
We didn’t expect to be friends. Eight of us. All Catholics at Baylor University. Two seniors, three juniors, two sophomores and one freshman. Our friendship was solidified over a rebellious act – staffers sneaking away on the last night of a new freshman retreat to sleep in the chapel next to the main buidling. We… [Read More]
How Far Is Too Far?
There are some questions that never seem to get properly answered when you ask them. “Daddy, why is the sky blue?” “Mommy, where do babies come from?” “Aunt Edna, could you help me reconcile the thermodynamic principle of entropy with the theory of evolution?” But the one that probably most frustrates high school teens, and… [Read More]
Finding Holiness in a Long Day at Work
With supernatural intuition, Blessed Josemaria untiringly preached the universal call to holiness and apostolate. Christ calls everyone to become holy in the realities of everyday life. Hence work too is a means of personal holiness and apostolate, when it is done in union with Jesus Christ. – Pope John Paul II in his homily at the beatification of Saint Josemaria Making work a means of… [Read More]
The Olympics and the Catholic Faith
The Olympics are just around the corner. It’s a time that unites us across the country, and often the world. We cheer for those who are have shown they are some of the best athletes in the world, either from our own country, someone who is an underdog or someone with a remarkable story of… [Read More]
When to Shepherd, When to be Sheep
Last Sunday’s readings were full of shepherds – bad shepherds who didn’t care for the flock, the Lord our Shepherd who would leave us wanting for nothing, God’s promise to send a good shepherd who would care for his people, and Jesus’ gaze upon the people, who moved him, because they “were like sheep without… [Read More]
No Greater Love: 3 Heroes from Aurora
When I was sixteen, I had a boyfriend. My young heart was madly in love. I had also spent some time reading the Bible, inspired by my Baptist friends. One day, I came across this verse: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13 In a… [Read More]
Hollywood Never Gets It Right (Review: “The Story of the Trapp Family Singers”)
I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about and discussing media lately. Aside from my recent post on media discernment, I had a lively discussion with some friends about the same subject, and there’s always another trashy TV show or a movie like Magic Mike to start a firestorm. It’s enough to make you want… [Read More]
The Healers Presence; Everyday-Saint Beth Odom
“Christ has no body now on earth but yours…” -St. Teresa of Avila understood that Christ today speaks to us through his followers. That is why I collect so many quotes from saints like Teresa of Avila. But if we believe that Christ is still speaking today why limit ourselves to saints of the 16th… [Read More]
Bring Joy to Others
Last week, Fr. Bob Scott, CSP passed away at the age of 90. A Paulist Father, Fr. Bob served in priestly ministry over 60 years. Most recently, he was active at both St. Austin’s and the University Catholic Center at The University of Texas until about a year ago. He recently served a little over… [Read More]
Thoughts are not enough in Tragedy – Pray
Life is full of many what ifs. Tragedy is something that we never want to experience and never wish it upon anyone. On the evening of July 19, 2012, many people across the country set out to watch the midnight premier of The Dark Knight Rises. Many of us have been excited for this release… [Read More]
God and the “God Particle”
News is now widespread that the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, the world’s most powerful particle accelerator shared by France and Switzerland, has generated a high-energy reaction which provides convincing evidence for the existence of the Higgs boson, known in contemporary circles as the “God particle”. The Higgs field is a theoretical medium that… [Read More]
Basic Biology for the Dating Catholic
So you’re Catholic? Good. And so is SHE? Well, well, well. Even better. You know the “she” of whom I speak. Your heart’s beating a little faster just thinking about her. Perhaps your palms are sweating and you need to wipe down your keyboard with a Wet-Nap. But where do you start? How do you… [Read More]
Torn From Our Roots
“No way! The Catholic Church? You gotta be kiddin’ me.” No doubt you’ve heard a variation of that line before. So what in the world would motivate a person outside the Catholic Church to give it the slightest bit of consideration? There is a restlessness that drives people to seek relief through pleasure and distraction, but… [Read More]
Introducing 1Flesh.org
There’s a new website going around in Catholic circles that promotes chastity before marriage, natural family planning during marriage, and more. It’s called 1Flesh.org. It’s not exclusively Catholic though, as it seeks the very broad audience of those who use contraception, regardless of faith. The catch? It’s edgy. Refreshingly edgy for some, uncomfortably so for… [Read More]
Parents: Quit Dumbing Down Sex for Your Kids
“Oh, we haven’t had ‘the talk’, but I’m dreading the day he asks,” a friend recently lamented. I was at a loss for what to say. You see, I think we dumb down the wrong things for our kids and focus, instead, on the silly things.We’re quick to buy that ticket to “Magic Mike” or… [Read More]
A Roaring Silence
It’s 10:42 p.m. Sunday night. I’m reporting to work at a summer camp at 8:30 a.m. Monday morning. I’m tired from staffing weekend long retreat and my deadline is another to-do on my list before I get some much needed rest. So here it goes: Go to the website. Login. Create new post. Feel… [Read More]
The State of Your Heart
Attention, Catholics! Do you want to grow massively in holiness? Do you long to kindle the great flames of piety and prayerfulness in your heart? Do you want to do this easily, quickly, and effectively, in one simple step? I submit to you an answer that will likely make every young Catholic cringe in despair… [Read More]
When Being Perfect Isn’t In the Game Plan
Ps 145: 8-9 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. I was reading this Monday morning while sitting with my daughter and I thought about how perfect God’s love is. Not only that but I also realized… [Read More]
Lessons from the Giving Tree and Thorns in our Side
Growing up did you ever read the Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein ? In this sad-for-a-kid-but-wonderful book, a tree and a boy become friends and the tree gives all it can to help the boy be happy. Here’s a video version if you haven’t read it, narrated by Shel). I’ve liked sappy stories my whole… [Read More]
Fly Fishers of Men
Last week, I discovered a new obsession and, in the process, learned a thing or two about the new evangelization. While the nation celebrated the Fourth of July with hotdogs and hamburgers, my Dad and I headed into the New Mexico desert to the San Juan River for our first fly fishing trip. There is,… [Read More]
Comparing Conversions
When the well-known atheist, Leah Libresco, announced her entrance into the Catholic Church’s RCIA program I was blown away, like many others. I have to admit that, after reading her posts, much of what she said went over my head. I’m not up on ‘athiest’ speak. But, I was very excited and encouraged by the prospect… [Read More]
How God Calls Us Back (Review: “Brideshead Revisited”)
Sometimes, I fail at being Catholic. As I’ve mentioned here before, I try to live my faith and usually succeed, but I am far from perfect; if anything, I am acutely aware of how imperfect I am. The one constant is that I always come back. God is loving and merciful, so he always takes… [Read More]
What I Wanna Be; Everyday-Saint Raymond Sanders
“You cannot be half a saint; you must be a whole saint or no saint at all.” -St. Thérèse of Lisieux St. Thérèse understood our faith must be at the center of everything in our lives. That is why studying how the saints like Thérèse lived can be a vital part of understanding how God… [Read More]
How I Fail At Summer
Summer! Finally! While kids haven’t been in class for awhile, my wife has had to report to work until the beginning of this month. She has a month where, while she is working, she doesn’t have to report to the office for work. It’s great! She’s home, our little girls get to spend more time… [Read More]
Crickets, Crickets Everywhere!
Did you see something move out of the corner of your eye? Well, chances are that it wasn’t just your imagination. Unless you’ve been hiding somewhere, you’ve probably noticed that our part of Texas has been overrun by crickets for the past few weeks. It’s almost to Biblical plague proportions, or at least it feels… [Read More]
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