My mind and soul are often inundated with the complex issues of today. I do my best to read multiple sources and stay current, praying and meditating upon what is said. I have to be comfortable with the fact there is no easy answer, and in dialogue with family and friends (and God), I… [Read More]
Yo, God, Are You There?
“Mrs. Whitaker, what do you want us to do?” Those are nine words I never thought I’d hear and I certainly never thought I’d have to answer them. Nearly three years ago I gave birth to our son prematurely. After nine days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) he coded, had to be resuscitated, intubated and… [Read More]
The Not-So-Famous Last Verses
When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun. We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, Than when we’ve first begun. Do those words sound familiar? No, it’s not a verse from a somewhat well-known poem or a snippet of a quote from a book. It’s actually the last verse from… [Read More]
An Open Letter to Chris Hardwick
I love podcast. I love producing them, listening to them, and hosting them. My love for the media has recently put me the strange position of being caught up on all of my Catholic podcast listening queue. So I’ve been venturing out into the deep and listening to other shows that people have recommended or… [Read More]
Even Jesus Took Vacation!
As summer starts, we all begin to make summer plans. Much of what we decide to do will likely be local, and simple enough to do on a weekend or during the day/evening, such as a swim at the local swimming pool (if you’re in Austin, Barton Springs and Hamilton Pool are top choices), grabbing… [Read More]
With This Cross, I Thee Wed
Today my husband and I celebrate our 4 year anniversary! It seems like our wedding was just yesterday! With marriage comes a lot of unknowns. Saying “I do” in some ways is like walking the plank without knowing whether the plank gets you to land or to a long drop into the ocean! None of… [Read More]
I am not Brandon Vogt
I know you can’t hear me sigh when I type these words, so you’ll just have to imagine it. I am not Brandon Vogt. A couple of months back, I made the fortunate mistake of following Brandon Vogt on Facebook. For those who don’t know who Brandon is, he’s what I’d call a celebrity. Not… [Read More]
And I Find Myself Smirking at God
Does your child ever do something so witty and surprising that you just shake your head and let a smirk creep across your face? My son cracked out with a clever quip last week and I just burst out laughing. I don’t often burst out into anything. I like that feeling. Over the past few… [Read More]
How to Run a Parish; Everday-Saint Dolores Martello
“Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” -St Francis St. Francis understood the way we live our lives is a better catechist than the words we say. That is one reason to study saints like St. Francis. But these shouldn’t be our only models. The gospel of a man born in… [Read More]
A Halo with Some Smudges (Review: “The Possibilities of Sainthood”)
We are all called to be saints. I’ll say that again, with help from St. Bernadette and a friend’s email signature, “I must become a saint. My Jesus demands it.” Most of us aren’t actively working on that, but some must be. In my never-ending quest for good Catholic YA, I picked up The Possibilities… [Read More]
Trudging into a Political No-Man’s Land
It is no secret that our federal government is becoming an enemy of our Church. The Health and Human Services mandate has pitted law against conscience, making it impossible for Catholic health institutions to faithfully serve both God and state. America has been slipping down an ethical slope for decades, but the last few years… [Read More]
My Armor Is Made of Brown Wool
The time when we could comfortably practice our faith may have passed for our generation in this country. We will continue to stand in defense of our religious freedom, but even if it is protected, the world won’t stop attacking us. We as the Church militant have a fight before us that may not require swords or… [Read More]
Building the First Marian Shrine in the Diocese of Austin
It’s true! Currently, there is a substantial effort underway to build a Shrine for the Blessed Mother Mary in the Diocese of Austin – where as of now, there is no Marian Shrine or Marian place of pilgrimage. This Shrine will be a gift to the Blessed Mother, and to the entire Diocese – it… [Read More]
Staring at the Walls
Continuing from the previous blog post on the Catholic classic, the Spirit of Catholicism– we continue to look at the introductory Chapter 1. In the introduction to his book,The Spirit of Catholicism, Karl Adam confronts the common misunderstandings of Catholicism that are derived from the remote viewpoint of those who study comparative religion, or look… [Read More]
The Value of Being a Morning Person
There used to be a time when I would see mass schedules for various parishes and gawk at the 6:30 AM daily mass times. “6:30?? That would mean I would have to wake up at 5, maybe earlier! That’s still nighttime!” (I wish I could say I said that when I was a kid, but… [Read More]
VBS is for Catholics, Too
As a Protestant “it” was a must-do summer event. Every church I knew saw “it” as their greatest evangelizing week. Of course, I’m talking about one of the greatest weeks of summer, Vacation Bible School, otherwise known as VBS. Growing up as an evangelical and mainstream Christian, some of my fondest “Jesus memories” stem from… [Read More]
We Are Prophets For A Future Not Our Own
My Dad and I had an interesting conversation in the car. Come to think of it, I can’t recall how the conversation started. We talked about the HHS mandate and the Bishops’ call to action and the upcoming Fortnight For Freedom. Towards the end of the conversation my Dad brought up an interesting aspect… [Read More]
They’re Only the Coolest Boys Camps Around!
A few years ago, we introduced our eldest son to Conquest, an apostolate aimed at increasing the faith of our young boys. Though we were new to Conquest, we weren’t new to the programs through Regnum Christi. Our eldest daughter had been fortunate enough to be introduced to the girls’ program called Challenge. For her,… [Read More]
Take, and Eat, and Adore, and Act!
This past Sunday we celebrated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. For me, this celebration points to the greatest treasure in the Catholic Church – the present, tangible, body of our Savior, of God. “For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh… [Read More]
Jesus, The Visitation and Justin Bieber
On Wednesday May 30th, frantic officials in Oslo Norway called in the red cross to curtail growing hysteria which left 19 hospitalized and 49 injured. This was not an earthquake or a terrorist attack. Norway had been ravaged by the kind of mindless hoards whom could have only resulted from the dreaded free Justin Bieber… [Read More]
On Passing Judgment
Few verses in Scripture have been cited by contemporary culture as commonly as Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that you may not be judged” (RSV). This excerpt has been used by non-Christians to beleaguer those standing up for the “big five” non-negotiables of the Catholic Church (abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, human cloning, and same-sex… [Read More]
Media Discernment and You
I have a love/hate relationship with the media. I am Catholic and I am committed to my faith, but I work with many non-Catholics and with Catholics who are seeking direction. Being a good evangelist means I have to keep track of what’s going on outside the Catholic bubble, to follow the Bible’s advice to… [Read More]
I Want To Speak Now
We have things to say. The Gospel of Christ is a powerful message that is transformative and needed to be proclaimed. The message needs to be heard, so that is can work with and in people to help them discover who they are and whose they are. Today’s social and political reality has plenty of people… [Read More]
The Catholic Church vs. the Early Church?
Continuing from the previous blog post on the Catholic classic, the Spirit of Catholicism- we continue to look at the introductory Chapter 1. One of the questions that we are sometimes called to answer is: “WHAT EXACTLY IS CATHOLICISM AND WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER RELIGIONS AND PHILOSOPHIES?” Many people THINK they know the answer to this question. … [Read More]
Soulless Zombies and the Pending Apocalypse
How often do you think about death? It’s 2012, and no year has brought on as much conversation about the end of the world since the new millennium. It seems like there is an ever-increasing collection of movies, shows, and even guidebooks warning us of our possible doom. Death is scary. It’s a violent act… [Read More]
Saint Mary Cathedral Celebrates The Solemnity of Corpus Christi
On Sunday, June 10th at 10:45 AM parishioners and friends of Saint Mary Cathedral are invited to join together as we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi. We will show our love for Christ in the Real Presence by processing with the Blessed Sacrament as we have for over 750 years. We will begin at… [Read More]
For Greater Glory: A Movie Review, y aún más
After experiencing the movie “For Greater Glory” last weekend, I was compelled to write. I hope this serves as a useful movie review, and then some (y aún más) – for I knew upon leaving the theatre that the experience demanded reflection. Practical bits first. This movie is rated R for a reason – the… [Read More]
Unplug and save your prayer life!
I love technology blogs. I’ve been following Engadget and Gizmodo for over 6 years now. It’s to the point that I have difficulty buying anything of the electronic persuasion that’s currently for sale, because I’m already vaguely aware of what the next generation will bring. And with E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) going on this week,… [Read More]
To Bikini or Not?
“Moooommmm. WHY do we have to wear a coverup with our swimsuit?” my oldest daughter whined. “Because, sweetheart, it’s what girls do,” I replied. But is it really what girls do? Do girls and women really know how to be modest? Do they know how to feel beautiful without adding sexy into the mix? I’ll be… [Read More]
We Can’t Be Catholic Robots
It’s easy to forget what something means when you’ve said it a million times. It’s kind of like when you say a word out loud over and over. Somehow it manages to lose its meaning. Fork. Fork. Fork. Fork. Fork. Fork. Fork. Does it sound funny now? It is possible that this happens to us… [Read More]
The Spurs, The Thunder and Your Catholic Faith
Last night after winning 20 games in a row and sweeping the first two rounds of the NBA Playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder. While losing is never something a team looks forward to. It can sometimes be a relief, as the pressure to be perfect fades away and the… [Read More]
Are Baby Girls on the Endangered List? A Look at Gendercide
Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you didn’t exist? (And when I use the word “life”, I mean, the world around you that you’re familiar with…) Who would be the best friend of your current best friend? Who would be the spouse to your spouse? Who would be working the job… [Read More]
Ordinary Time Still a Time for the Extraordinary
I learned the importance of celebrating holidays in our own environment from my mother-in-law. Dating my to-be husband in high school, I was always pleasantly surprised how their house was always decorated to match the holidays! Doing so really created a sense of the season and excitement over whatever was coming or being celebrated.This practice… [Read More]
Book Review: Wool
Summer is upon us and we’re all looking for the next great read. So, what’s on your reading list? For those looking for recommendations, I suggest you look no further than Wool. Wool, like The Hunger Games, takes place in a post-apocalyptic future, but that’s where the comparison between the two series ends. In this… [Read More]
A New Media Guide for the New Evangelization (Review: “The Church and New Media”)
Here at Austin Catholic New Media, we strive to harness the most popular social technologies of the day to aid in the New Evangelization. In other words, since everyone and his grandma is on Facebook, can we share our Catholic lives in photos and status updates? Can we use YouTube to teach people about Catholicism?… [Read More]
The Pitfalls of Mercy
“For what greater sin can there be than to despise your Creator for that which should make you love Him more?” – Bernard of Clairvaux According to Catholic tradition, the seraphim are the highest order of angels, most proximate to God and endowed with the greatest wisdom and love. Like humans, all angels possess the… [Read More]
Mary, Our Star of the New Evangelization
Real beauty is seductive. It catches your attention, and then it draws you in. True beauty is so appealing that our souls recognize something very good communicated through it – something True. Just look at a starry night sky, a beautiful sunset, or a baby’s face. They all communicate a profound Truth – God is… [Read More]
The Spirit of Catholicism – “A Drive-By” (Pre-Introduction)
Despite the challenges that the Catholic Church experiences in the world today– including the fact that she faces an uphill battle against the current cultural climate — one thing is certain: she continues to survive. And in some places, including Austin, Texas, she even thrives. With the Church’s birthday, Pentecost, coming up this Sunday, it occurred to me that perhaps… [Read More]
Book Review: Our Lady of the Lost and Found
I’d like to offer this book review in honor of our Blessed Mother, as it is currently her month – May! I came across “Our Lady of the Lost and Found” lying around my parents’ house – which is the way I stumble upon many of good books. My mom was just finishing it. She… [Read More]
Vocational Training Wheels
Cousins make really good mirrors. I suppose sisters do, too, but I don’t have any so I’m just going to stick to what I know. Anywho, I have an older cousin who has a really good knack for putting me back into perspective when I seem to get a little lost or overwhelmed. That tends… [Read More]
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