Let me begin by saying this: I’m new to being a runner (actually I’m more of a jogger). My journey to becoming a runner began with a half-baked New Year’s resolution. That promise became the motivation for the nine-week training program for running a 5K. Those nine weeks came and went and roughly 30 workouts… [Read More]
Pray Like a Mom, Not a Nun
Those wise words still echo in my head. They were spoken to me by the priest during confession several years ago. It was Lent and I’d finally decided to get my act together and celebrate the Sacrament. In preparation, though, I had been beating myself up about my lack of a prayer life. Everyone kept… [Read More]
The Rosary, Inc
The Rosary, Incorporated – a crazy new business venture? Nope! I’m talking about the Rosary, incorporated in to our LIFE! During this time of Lent, as we revamp our prayer lives, let us give some attention to the rosary! How we can incorporate the rosary into our lives so that praying it is more practical,… [Read More]
Revisiting What Can Catholic New Media Learn From Guerrilla Filmmaking?
I wrote this blog post a couple of years ago but in light of the OSV article Catholic media matters, I though it was worth revisiting. Several years ago the concept of Guerrilla Filmmaking was brought to the forefront of media when Robert Rodriquez created “El Mariachi” for $7,000 and parlayed that into a career in… [Read More]
A Musical Reflection on Lent by The Brilliance [EP Review]
A few weeks ago I went to the most unique Christian music concert I have ever attended. As an artist, I always enjoy supporting the arts that help to promote the faith in visual art and performance art, but I don’t think I saw this coming. On March 1st, I went to the Gungor concert… [Read More]
Lent is like … a round of Mutton Bustin
I went to the Austin Rodeo this weekend and it was so much fun! As a Texas transplant I get a lot of child-like enjoyment (“Let the children come to me!”) in seeing show animals, pig races, deep-fried-everything-you-can-imagine, unique rhinestone belts, and decorative cowboy boots. This year I even got to see a baby kangaroo,… [Read More]
Relevant Radio’s Father Rocky to visit St. William!
You don’t want to miss Father Rocky’s visit to the Austin area next month. In fact, tickets for his two-day talks at St. William are already on sale! If you don’t know who Father Rocky is, don’t worry! Tune into Relevant Radio 970 in the evenings around 6 p.m. for his show called “Go Ask… [Read More]
Beware the Players, Beware the Game (Review: “The Westing Game”)
And now for something completely different. Although I have used my other two reviews this Lent to recommend good spiritual reading (Theology for Beginners and No Man Is an Island), not all of my ACNM reviews are of specifically Catholic or Christian books. I genuinely believe that, although it’s important to put God first in… [Read More]
The Silence of St. Joseph
I have a friend who does quite a bit of public speaking about marriage. Having heard him a number of times, I can usually anticipate his jokes long before he makes them. He pokes fun at the quirks that enter marital relationships and the way that our culture views marriages. “I might be the one… [Read More]
Dear Representative Dawnna Dukes…
Dear Representative Dawnna Dukes: I am sorry that you believe that the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Austin is picking on you. I am sorry you believe that you have been given a scarlet letter by the Church. And I’m sorry that you think that it’s unfair that your request to speak at an… [Read More]
The Dedication of St. John Neumann Catholic Church
For many parishes the dedication of a church building is a once in a lifetime event. Well after 28 years St. John Neumann in Austin, TX will be dedicating theirs. Here is a bit of history behind this wonderful community. A newly founded parish in West Lake Hills in May 1984, St. John Neumann Catholic… [Read More]
In thanksgiving for friends, the sacraments, and huffing chrism
This past weekend I got to visit with some college friends. I’ve never been one to think about friendships and how valuable they are until very recently. You see, Emma was my first roommate at UT. I remember when she roomed with Cindy. Cindy was dating Dio. I’ve known Emma since the summer of 1994… [Read More]
We Are Too Important
Rita wrote a beautiful post about the passing of Austin’s own Leslie and how, despite virtually everyone’s uneasiness when meeting him for the first time, he had some impact on many in Austin. My wife and I had a brief conversation with the priest who administered Leslie’s last rites and celebrated his funeral. On the… [Read More]
Fish Fry Fridays
This Lenten season is filled with extra efforts. You choose to give something up or you choose to add some activity to enrich your spiritual life whether it be making an effort to go to Daily Mass, going to Stations of the Cross or celebrating the sacrament of Reconciliation. While I’ve tried to incorporate more… [Read More]
Meet a (Dominican) Sister for Lunch!
If you haven’t heard the news already, the Diocese of Austin has an amazing group of nuns in town, the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. On Thursday, March 22, you have the opportunity to attend a luncheon and hear about their plans for Catholic education in our diocese. I can tell you,… [Read More]
Written on Our Hearts (Book Review: Born for Love: why empathy is essential – and endangered)
Throughout my adult life I’ve become increasingly interested in the dialogue between psychology and religion, between science and faith. This book affirms that the more I read and understand, the more I see that science can be a window into the “law that is written on our hearts.” (Jer 31:33 “ I will place my… [Read More]
Leslie, Keep Heaven Weird
I don’t remember the first time I saw Leslie Cochran. I vaguely remember times when I was a kid in elementary school and people mentioning a slightly eccentric, out-spoken, cross-dressing homeless man named Leslie. Being a kid, and it being the late-1980s, I didn’t think much of it. Austin was, and always had been, a… [Read More]
Mass Times for SXSW Goers
Our Austin Page has a lot of great links and info about the Austin area if you’re new here or just visiting. If you’re looking for just mass and confession times, here’s a compilation of the three nearest churches, as well as directions. Staying somewhere further than downtown? Visit The Catholic Directory to look up a nearby parish with mass and… [Read More]
SXSW 2012 Is Here
The Austin Diocese extends far beyond the Austin city limits, but the national attention will most certainly be on the city of Austin over the next 9 days for South By South West. Many locals look at this as the best time of the year for the city, while there is also no shortage of… [Read More]
You May be Out of Shape, But You’re Still in the Race
Well we’re into our second week of Lent, how are you doing with your Lenten resolution? Is it bringing you closer to God and sainthood? Have you fallen already? Are you in the do-I or don’t-I circle of deciding whether Sundays are off days? Is it time for your Lenten pep talk? If so, keep… [Read More]
Light at the End of the Lenten Tunnel
If I said Lent this year was easy, I’d be lying. Lent this year has been ridiculously difficult. Despair, acedia, and doubt have all flooded my Lenten journey. I won’t go into the detail of what exactly my plight has been, but rather, where it’s brought me and what I hope the next 27 days will… [Read More]
Confirmation and Chocolate Milk?
Spring is almost here, and for many parishes, that means celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation. I know that here at Holy Family Parish we have already started Confirmation classes even though we won’t celebrate Confirmation until November. Having started working here only two months ago, I have observed only two of the classes which the… [Read More]
Wading into Spiritual Waters (Review: “No Man Is an Island”)
Sometimes, what your faith life needs is someone to break things down, but not too far down. Adults do not like to be talked down to or made to feel like they don’t know anything, but not everyone is a rocket scientist (and I know several actual rocket scientists). Lent in particular is a great… [Read More]
(UPDATED: Venue Change) Interactive Catholics (Unofficial) SXSW 2012 Meetup
Are you a Catholic interested in new media? If so, come join the Austin Catholic New Media meet-up on Sunday March 11th at 7:00 – 9:00pm. We will be meeting in the Bishop’s Hall at St. Mary’s Cathedral at 203 E. 10th St., Austin, TX 78701. . The meet-up will focus on networking and discussing the role… [Read More]
Alan Ames to visit St. William on Sunday, March 11
Last year, I was excited to see who this Alan Ames guy was who came to St. William. I had never really attended a healing service before. Well…I had. But it was different. Very, very different. I was partially curious and partially skeptical to see how he would be different. Fellow St. William friends said… [Read More]
Have You Cheated Yet?
Alright folks. One week down. How is everyone doing? Been perfect so far? I admit, I already had a Lenten slip-up. This year, for better or worse, I didn’t mention what I was offering up for Lent on my personal site. In retrospect, I usually fail at it, which not only means I’m unintentionally bragging… [Read More]
Sex, Love and the Pill
The last several weeks, my husband and I have hovered over our smart phones and iPads, reading every possible article about the HHS mandate and controversy. I’ve seen tweets, read controversial FB status updates, scrolled through interesting blog posts and had engaging conversations with Catholics and non-Catholics. While the controversy still elevates my blood pressure,… [Read More]
Singing With A Voice God Loves
During my middle school days I can remember showing up to our religious education nights, filing into the pews and opening up by singing some praise and worship. Now, it’s likely to conclude that a bunch of boys and girls in the beginning of their teen years may not think that singing is the… [Read More]
Repent, but don’t forget to Rejoice
The season of Lent is here! And with Lent comes prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Note that pouting, grumbling, and complaining are not part of our Lenten trio. In fact in yesterday’s Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray, fast,and give alms in private so that only our Heavenly Father will see. During this time of… [Read More]
I Kinda <3 Lent
“Remember, man you are dust and to dust you will return.” –Roman Missal, Imposition of Ashes So, I’m a little bit crazy. My favorite “Catholic holiday” is the Easter Triduum, but most especially within that, Good Friday. Yeah, the day Jesus Christ died. Most people think that it’s just a little bit crazy that my… [Read More]
Not Quite for Beginners, but Worth It (Review: “Theology for Beginners”)
It is amazing how much I do not know. I came back to the Church seven years ago tomorrow (which was Ash Wednesday that year, too). I am a joiner by nature, so when I decided to become a practicing adult Catholic, I went in full-tilt. That led me to my current lifestyle, where I… [Read More]
Anointing of the sick Mass at St. William
This past weekend I was pleased to photograph part of the vigil Mass that saw healing prayers and oils administered to more than 50 parishioners. I absolutely love my home parish, St. William, and always look forward to opportunities to show off how beautiful she is to others…and so, that is what I will do… [Read More]
HHS Mandate Revisited
When the Department of Health and Human Services announced the rules concerning the scope of the religious exemption for mandatory coverage of contraceptives, sterilizations and abortifacent drugs, there was an uproar. In response, on Friday afternoon, the President announced a compromise meant to allow Catholic organizations to stay true to their values and maintain the Administration’s… [Read More]
“The Perfect Love” just in time for Valentine’s Day
So today is Valentine’s Day. I remember when I was in middle and high school, my group of friends would go bowling and bring fancy decorated bags/boxes for later exchanging those little pre-maid valentines you get at Wal-Mart. Of course, later on, I would sort through them looking for one from whichever guy I was… [Read More]
Nicki Minaj, A Grammy Performance & Sacrilege
This is not the first time a music entertainer has taken a low blow to the Catholic Church. There was Madonna, Sinead O’Connor’s ’92 SNL performance and just a year ago, Lady Gaga’s leaked release of her single “Judas” (about, you guessed it, Judas Iscariot) just seven days before the beginning of Holy Week. However,… [Read More]
In Praise of Ordinary Time
Every year between Christmas and Lent, the Church enters the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. Unfortunately the word “ordinary” doesn’t exactly inspire. And yet if we dig deeper into the Gospel Readings for Ordinary Time – we see what amazing value and practical application they have for our “ordinary” lives. The term “Ordinary” is a… [Read More]
On Human Life – Revisiting the Prophetic Words of Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae
(In light of the current assault on religious liberty) On July 25, 1968 Pope Paul VI issued an encyclical letter that changed the Catholic Church in a way that few papal documents before or since have ever done. Unfortunately, the changes were not at all positive from an institutional standpoint. After this encyclical was published,… [Read More]
Hearing God’s call even while you’re sleeping, and maybe even if you’re stuck in a whale, figuratively
When is the last time you heard a direct message from God? To have a personal relationship with God means you are in conversation with Him – after all, communication is a key component of relationship. Is your conversation two ways, or does it seem like you’re doing all the talking? We’re only a few… [Read More]
Giving Something Up? Or Giving Something Freely?
Ash Wednesday is only two weeks away! Unlike last year, I’m trying to figure out what to “give up” ahead of time. The only requirements for Lent is fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and abstinence on Fridays throughout Lent. The practice of giving something up is what I grew up with though, so… [Read More]
Social Media and the Full Impact of the Gospel
Technology. The definition from the Dictionary (as cited from http://www.dictionary.com) tech·nol·o·gy [tek-nol-uh-jee] noun: 1. the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment, drawing upon such subjects as industrial arts, engineering, applied science, and pure science. Everywhere we look at any time throughout the… [Read More]
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