If you like this story, you can thank the Holy Spirit. As I’ve learned so many times since discovering my faith 11 years ago, there is no such thing as a coincidence. Whenever my monthly deadline to write for ATX Catholic approaches, I frequently turn to the Holy Spirit and the daily Mass readings for… [Read More]
Your Weapons Are Scripture and Tradition (Review: “Dual Wielding”)
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]
Sunday Says Podcast – October 9, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections
Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Ordinary Time Sunday October 9, 2016 Lectionary: 144 (NAB Translation) Reading 1 2 Kings 5:14-17 This week’s first reading is on from the book of the second book of Kings. This reading completes the story about Naaman, a successful army general from Syria, who had contracted leprosy. Although Naaman had been… [Read More]
Christian Skate Jam – Oct 8th in Pflugerville
Extol Skate Jam is a Christian event that brings together people from all walks of life together to celebrate skating. The event will take place on October 8, 2016 noon to 4PM at Northwest Metro Park in Pflugerville. Visit ExtolSkateJam.com. This is an ecumenical event that brings together people of all faiths and even those of… [Read More]
How a St. Francis statue changed my life
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]
Therese of Lisieux & The Marian Jubilee of Mercy
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]
Go to Joseph (Gen. 41:55)
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]
What Does a Marriage Culture Look Like? (Review: Helen Alvaré, “Restoring Culture from Confusion”)
Since the decision of the Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges effectively legalized civil marriage between two people of the same sex in all 50 states, many opponents of same-sex marriage have been wondering what to do. Is there anything to do? The law has clearly come down on one side, and it’s not the… [Read More]
Sunday Says Podcast – September 25, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections
Twenty-Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time Sunday September 25, 2016 Lectionary: 138 (NAB Translation) Reading 1 Amos 6:1,4-7 This week’s first reading is from the book of the prophet Amos. Amos was a shepherd from Tekoa (a village in the southern kingdom of Judah), but preached to the rich in the northern kingdom of Israel. He… [Read More]
Dawn from on high: the other side of a crisis pregnancy
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]
The Bible Is a Story About Jesus (Review: “Walking with God”)
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]
Be Like Jesus: Ask for Help
School is very helpful. Kids learn stuff. They make friends. And their moms are suddenly free to do things without them. I was dreading the end of school last spring and eager for the start of school this fall because I was going to have a lot of meetings that I couldn’t bring the kids… [Read More]
Freedom – Part 2 – Why is it so hard to be free
As discussed in the last article in this series, in order to know what we ought to do to be happy, we must understand who we are, which means understanding what we are. If we desire to be truly happy, we must learn the truth about ourselves. That deepest truth is found in our identity in… [Read More]
A Wedding Garment (Matt. 22:11)
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]
Sunday Says Podcast – September 11, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections
Twenty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time Sunday September 11, 2016 Lectionary: 132 (NAB Translation) Reading 1 Exodus 32:7-11,13-14 This week’s first reading is one of the great passages from the book of Exodus. God has led the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt with mighty miracles. He then formed a covenant with them binding them to Himself… [Read More]
“My heart will triumph! And yours will, too.”
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]
A Labor of Love
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]
ATX Catholic Meetup – September 7
Come have dinner and/or drinks for a social night and open discussions on current events and Catholic media. These meet ups are intimate events with an opportunity to have face time with other interested in Catholic media in our area. This is a relaxed setting for networking and dialogue. The group is small enough to… [Read More]
Sunday Says Podcast – August 28, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections
Twenty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time Sunday August 28, 2016 Lectionary: 126 (NAB Translation) Reading 1 Sirach 3:19-21,30-31 This week’s first reading comes from the great wisdom book of Sirach also known as Ecclesiasticus. The purpose of this passage is to emphasize how important humility is if we are to please God. By contrast, anyone who… [Read More]
Seek His Face (Psalm105:4)
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]
Drink like a Catholic (Professional)
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]
Recovering from family suicide: a year later
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]
An Organic Approach to the Assumption & Queenship of Mary
I’d like to offer some thoughts on an organic approach to understanding the Assumption and Queenship of Mary. What do I mean by organic? Mostly I mean an understanding that captures the organic connection between ideas and life. For example, you think about it something but those thoughts don’t permeate your actual life, don’t actually shape your… [Read More]
Diversity in Ministry Part II – Age
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]
A Laborious Lesson in the Vineyard of the Lord
On the advice of counsel, I hereby withdraw the labor grievance I filed more than 30 years ago. The expert with whom I consulted comes highly recommended and works pro bono. I am sure you have heard of him. His name is Matthew from the firm of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John, LLC. Today’s Gospel… [Read More]
Peter Kreeft’s “Nineteen Types of Judgment”: An Outline
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]
The Image of Divine Mercy In My Soul
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]
Embrace the world: How to love in troubled times
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]
Leadership in Difficult Times: Thanking God for Pope Francis
There’s plenty to be anxious about right now. Plenty to sweat over and stress over and just wear ourselves out with worry over. It could make anyone want to live under a rock — honestly I kinda understand the appeal of living under a rock as a reactive response to everything that’s happening. Against the… [Read More]
“Divine Mercy Man” Vinny Flynn headlines Turning Point September 23
What are the seven secrets of Divine Mercy? And do you want to know these secrets for your life? These are some of the questions that will be answered by best-selling author and renowned Catholic speaker Vinny Flynn as he continues his popular “7 Secrets” series on Friday, September 23, 2016, at TurningPoint, an evening… [Read More]
Finding God, Funny Times, and Failing Health (Review: “Operating on Faith”)
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]
God’s Love Revealed Through My Dad
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]
Sunday Says Podcast – July 31, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections
Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time Sunday July 31, 2016 Lectionary: 114 (NAB Translation) Reading 1 Ecclesiastes 1:2,2:21-23 This week’s first reading from the book of Ecclesiastes is part of the great wisdom literature of the Old Testament. The tone of this book is unusual because it presents what appears to be a negative and depressing… [Read More]
Seven Minute Break With the Holy Spirit
Take a 7 minute break to join me in prayer with the Holy Spirit in this guided meditation. [powerpress] Finding a still, quiet place for your prayer time is recommended. It seems that with all the tumult in the world, and all the urgent prayer requests I have been receiving lately, we could all… [Read More]
You are gods (Jn 10:34)
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]
What Kind of Sower Are You?
[This is a guest post from Norine Shaivitz.] It seems like a waste of seed to throw it on a walking path that’s frequented by birds. I bet a real farmer wouldn’t throw seeds where the ground is rocky or full of weeds either. That was the thought that ran through our minds as my… [Read More]
8th Annual Diocesan Men’s Fellowship Mass – July 23
Post Update July 25, 2016: The event was a great success, and you can see photos from the Mass below. Full photo gallery by Raphael Riojas. https://riojasphotography.smugmug.com/CTFCM/2016-Mens-Mass For the 8th year in a row, there will be a Holy Mass celebrated as an encouragement to men. It’s easy to feel discouraged in a world that… [Read More]
Faith in Action (Review: 7 Habits That Define Our Catholic Identity)
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]
God, Where Have You Gone?
God, where have you gone? It’s morning, the sun is just starting to cut through the darkness of the night and I find myself restless in bed. I will have to get up and start my day soon. The rooster crows letting me know that it is time, time to get my morning routine going…. [Read More]
How To Make Your Dreams Holy
Do you ever lament the consistent or occasional impurity of a dream? At some point in our life, we learn what triggers nighttime temptations. For some it is the Facebook scroll through that one person’s profile. For another it might be flirting through text or phone conversations or Snapchat. For someone else it might be… [Read More]
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