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Simon of Cyrene

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If you have ever read or heard the Passion of Jesus then you have heard of Simon of Cyrene.  Chosen out of the crowd of onlookers to help Christ carry his cross, Simon bore the weight of Jesus’ burden for a small amount of time. There is such significance in the short line in the Gospel […]

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Keeping the airwaves clear

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I agonized (in the midst of fervent praying) for several years about the school decision for our children. As a mother, I know I am not unique in that.  We discerned many options for our eldest, ranging from Montessori school to Catholic school to half-day school and even homeschooling. After a great deal of information gathering and speaking with many families,  we decided upon our neighborhood’s public school. We have been blessed with amazing educators and great opportunities for our son there, but of course no situation is perfect and we worry sometimes about influences. Things could always be subject to change, and naturally children within the same family can have different needs. But for now, we feel like we are where we need to be, for a number of very good reasons.


I try not to cross-examine my children, but when they come home from school, I am like a pot boiling over with the need to know what is going on in their minds.  Granted, “middle son” is four years old and in preschool, so he’s usually contemplating the nature of puppies and pondering the curious shapes of clouds. But “eldest son” is in second grade and quickly approaching the age of reason. He is making connections and observations and asking questions all the time.
The other day he was coloring with his middle brother and he said something that caught my attention. For a moment, I thought he said something off color. In our house, words like “idiot” and “stupid” are outlawed, and people who are caught making flatulent sounds at the dinner table are handed bathroom cleaning supplies and sentenced to scrub the potty, so it doesn’t take much to ruffle my feathers. I listened again closely and heard him repeat the phrase which turned out to be completely innocuous. And overcome with relief, I squashed him with a hug and a kiss and said “you are just such a sweet boy!” Yes, he thinks I’m nuts. No, he’s not off base.
Our children are sheltered at home and we try to protect their innocence as much as we can. When I first became a mother, I perceived the realities of the world like a poison which our children would have to build immunity to, day by day, so that one day they could take it on without flinching. I still feel this way.  It’s not that I view the world as the big, bad wolf all the time… on the contrary, I feel that God reveals Himself to us in ordinary situations with His extraordinary ways. So many times we will feel the impact of our decision to send our son to public school, when we hear from other kids how glad they are to know a friend like him and a family like ours.
But as boys, my sons don’t communicate with me much. I’ll hear a brief anecdote about a favorite assignment, or maybe how someone else had a hard day. But that’s about it. When I was a child, I could narrate the setting, mood, and events of the day right down to the smells and sounds – not that anybody had time to listen – but I could do it.  With boys, I’m doing well to hear “I need bactine on this scrape,” or “where are my favorite socks” or most famously “what’s for dinner?”  This is difficult for me, as I am an over-communicator and an over-analyzer and a recovering helicopter mother.  (And no, I didn’t send my child to school with a camera implanted in his shoe but I did give it serious thought).
I try not to waylay my children with my neurotic behaviors, because I studied enough of Psychology to know why that’s not good for them. Basically, parents are going to do something wrong no matter what. (But it’s all good and so is God!)  So I try to be subtle….putting clothes away while they are building lego battleships, or sitting outside and reading a book while they are digging tunnels in the backyard.  As my mentor told me, “just make yourself available, and things will bubble up to the surface when they need to.”  Another friend said “start by telling your child something that happened to you that day, and how you felt about it. See where the conversation goes from there.” My sage father refers to this as “opening up a channel” in communication. It still baffles me that communication doesn’t always mean talking. It means listening and keeping the airwaves clear.
My grandmother, who recently passed away at 92 years old, used to tell her children to “just let it all out” when they would come home from school in a bad mood. She’d let them cry, or stomp, or react however they needed to when they just couldn’t articulate their feelings. I don’t always know what our children come across each day, or even how they impact others. But I do know that our goal as parents is to provide a safe haven for them, where they have the freedom to feel and process things. We don’t want to send the message that the world is “bad” or that anything they are grappling with is “too big” for us to handle. We want them to understand this world so that they can help make a difference in this world. And we want to extend the love in our home to the people we can reach.
It doesn’t mean it isn’t scary, because of course it can be. As I watch our eldest son maturing, I realize it’s not that he needs me less, but that he needs me in different ways. As he presents himself to the world, we can see how he is embodying the values we have been striving for since he was so small, and it makes us beam with pride. This doesn’t keep me from reminding him regularly “you know, you can always homeschool, if ever it becomes the best thing for you, we’re always ready.”  He squints at me as if I’m teasing him, and seems to consider it for a moment. He can read between the lines.  I know that he understands that we’ll be there for him and his brothers, that we’re always open to what is best for them, no matter what.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

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Keeping the airwaves clear

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I agonized (in the midst of fervent praying) for several years about the school decision for our children. As a mother, I know I am not unique in that.  We discerned many options for our eldest, ranging from Montessori school to Catholic school to half-day school and even homeschooling. After a great deal of information gathering and speaking with many families,  we decided upon our neighborhood’s public school. We have been blessed with amazing educators and great opportunities for our son there, but of course no situation is perfect and we worry sometimes about influences. Things could always be subject to change, and naturally children within the same family can have different needs. But for now, we feel like we are where we need to be, for a number of very good reasons.

I try not to cross-examine my children, but when they come home from school, I am like a pot boiling over with the need to know what is going on in their minds.  Granted, “middle son” is four years old and in preschool, so he’s usually contemplating the nature of puppies and pondering the curious shapes of clouds. But “eldest son” is in second grade and quickly approaching the age of reason. He is making connections and observations and asking questions all the time.
The other day he was coloring with his middle brother and he said something that caught my attention. For a moment, I thought he said something off color. In our house, words like “idiot” and “stupid” are outlawed, and people who are caught making flatulent sounds at the dinner table are handed bathroom cleaning supplies and sentenced to scrub the potty, so it doesn’t take much to ruffle my feathers. I listened again closely and heard him repeat the phrase which turned out to be completely innocuous. And overcome with relief, I squashed him with a hug and a kiss and said “you are just such a sweet boy!” Yes, he thinks I’m nuts. No, he’s not off base.
Our children are sheltered at home and we try to protect their innocence as much as we can. When I first became a mother, I perceived the realities of the world like a poison which our children would have to build immunity to, day by day, so that one day they could take it on without flinching. I still feel this way.  It’s not that I view the world as the big, bad wolf all the time… on the contrary, I feel that God reveals Himself to us in ordinary situations with His extraordinary ways. So many times we will feel the impact of our decision to send our son to public school, when we hear from other kids how glad they are to know a friend like him and a family like ours.
But as boys, my sons don’t communicate with me much. I’ll hear a brief anecdote about a favorite assignment, or maybe how someone else had a hard day. But that’s about it. When I was a child, I could narrate the setting, mood, and events of the day right down to the smells and sounds – not that anybody had time to listen – but I could do it.  With boys, I’m doing well to hear “I need bactine on this scrape,” or “where are my favorite socks” or most famously “what’s for dinner?”  This is difficult for me, as I am an over-communicator and an over-analyzer and a recovering helicopter mother.  (And no, I didn’t send my child to school with a camera implanted in his shoe but I did give it serious thought).
I try not to waylay my children with my neurotic behaviors, because I studied enough of Psychology to know why that’s not good for them. Basically, parents are going to do something wrong no matter what. (But it’s all good and so is God!)  So I try to be subtle….putting clothes away while they are building lego battleships, or sitting outside and reading a book while they are digging tunnels in the backyard.  As my mentor told me, “just make yourself available, and things will bubble up to the surface when they need to.”  Another friend said “start by telling your child something that happened to you that day, and how you felt about it. See where the conversation goes from there.” My sage father refers to this as “opening up a channel” in communication. It still baffles me that communication doesn’t always mean talking. It means listening and keeping the airwaves clear.
My grandmother, who recently passed away at 92 years old, used to tell her children to “just let it all out” when they would come home from school in a bad mood. She’d let them cry, or stomp, or react however they needed to when they just couldn’t articulate their feelings. I don’t always know what our children come across each day, or even how they impact others. But I do know that our goal as parents is to provide a safe haven for them, where they have the freedom to feel and process things. We don’t want to send the message that the world is “bad” or that anything they are grappling with is “too big” for us to handle. We want them to understand this world so that they can help make a difference in this world. And we want to extend the love in our home to the people we can reach.
It doesn’t mean it isn’t scary, because of course it can be. As I watch our eldest son maturing, I realize it’s not that he needs me less, but that he needs me in different ways. As he presents himself to the world, we can see how he is embodying the values we have been striving for since he was so small, and it makes us beam with pride. This doesn’t keep me from reminding him regularly “you know, you can always homeschool, if ever it becomes the best thing for you, we’re always ready.”  He squints at me as if I’m teasing him, and seems to consider it for a moment. He can read between the lines.  I know that he understands that we’ll be there for him and his brothers, that we’re always open to what is best for them, no matter what.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

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Keeping the airwaves clear

Published • Written by

I agonized (in the midst of fervent praying) for several years about the school decision for our children. As a mother, I know I am not unique in that.  We discerned many options for our eldest, ranging from Montessori school to Catholic school to half-day school and even homeschooling. After a great deal of information gathering and speaking with many families,  we decided upon our neighborhood’s public school. We have been blessed with amazing educators and great opportunities for our son there, but of course no situation is perfect and we worry sometimes about influences. Things could always be subject to change, and naturally children within the same family can have different needs. But for now, we feel like we are where we need to be, for a number of very good reasons.

I try not to cross-examine my children, but when they come home from school, I am like a pot boiling over with the need to know what is going on in their minds.  Granted, “middle son” is four years old and in preschool, so he’s usually contemplating the nature of puppies and pondering the curious shapes of clouds. But “eldest son” is in second grade and quickly approaching the age of reason. He is making connections and observations and asking questions all the time.
The other day he was coloring with his middle brother and he said something that caught my attention. For a moment, I thought he said something off color. In our house, words like “idiot” and “stupid” are outlawed, and people who are caught making flatulent sounds at the dinner table are handed bathroom cleaning supplies and sentenced to scrub the potty, so it doesn’t take much to ruffle my feathers. I listened again closely and heard him repeat the phrase which turned out to be completely innocuous. And overcome with relief, I squashed him with a hug and a kiss and said “you are just such a sweet boy!” Yes, he thinks I’m nuts. No, he’s not off base.
Our children are sheltered at home and we try to protect their innocence as much as we can. When I first became a mother, I perceived the realities of the world like a poison which our children would have to build immunity to, day by day, so that one day they could take it on without flinching. I still feel this way.  It’s not that I view the world as the big, bad wolf all the time… on the contrary, I feel that God reveals Himself to us in ordinary situations with His extraordinary ways. So many times we will feel the impact of our decision to send our son to public school, when we hear from other kids how glad they are to know a friend like him and a family like ours.
But as boys, my sons don’t communicate with me much. I’ll hear a brief anecdote about a favorite assignment, or maybe how someone else had a hard day. But that’s about it. When I was a child, I could narrate the setting, mood, and events of the day right down to the smells and sounds – not that anybody had time to listen – but I could do it.  With boys, I’m doing well to hear “I need bactine on this scrape,” or “where are my favorite socks” or most famously “what’s for dinner?”  This is difficult for me, as I am an over-communicator and an over-analyzer and a recovering helicopter mother.  (And no, I didn’t send my child to school with a camera implanted in his shoe but I did give it serious thought).
I try not to waylay my children with my neurotic behaviors, because I studied enough of Psychology to know why that’s not good for them. Basically, parents are going to do something wrong no matter what. (But it’s all good and so is God!)  So I try to be subtle….putting clothes away while they are building lego battleships, or sitting outside and reading a book while they are digging tunnels in the backyard.  As my mentor told me, “just make yourself available, and things will bubble up to the surface when they need to.”  Another friend said “start by telling your child something that happened to you that day, and how you felt about it. See where the conversation goes from there.” My sage father refers to this as “opening up a channel” in communication. It still baffles me that communication doesn’t always mean talking. It means listening and keeping the airwaves clear.
My grandmother, who recently passed away at 92 years old, used to tell her children to “just let it all out” when they would come home from school in a bad mood. She’d let them cry, or stomp, or react however they needed to when they just couldn’t articulate their feelings. I don’t always know what our children come across each day, or even how they impact others. But I do know that our goal as parents is to provide a safe haven for them, where they have the freedom to feel and process things. We don’t want to send the message that the world is “bad” or that anything they are grappling with is “too big” for us to handle. We want them to understand this world so that they can help make a difference in this world. And we want to extend the love in our home to the people we can reach.
It doesn’t mean it isn’t scary, because of course it can be. As I watch our eldest son maturing, I realize it’s not that he needs me less, but that he needs me in different ways. As he presents himself to the world, we can see how he is embodying the values we have been striving for since he was so small, and it makes us beam with pride. This doesn’t keep me from reminding him regularly “you know, you can always homeschool, if ever it becomes the best thing for you, we’re always ready.”  He squints at me as if I’m teasing him, and seems to consider it for a moment. He can read between the lines.  I know that he understands that we’ll be there for him and his brothers, that we’re always open to what is best for them, no matter what.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

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Maker of Heaven and Earth

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Someone sent me the video of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field the other day. I’d seen it before, but to watch it again took my breath away anew. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the backstory, there was a section of space southwest of the Orion constellation that everyone presumed was empty. High-powered […]

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Splendid Sundays – November 4, 2012

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Let us join together, quietly reflecting on today’s readings: Follow this link to today’s readings.   Heavenly Father, Today we also bring to you the Prayer Requests that are left here on our Catholic Sistas site. For all General Intentions, we pray to the Lord. Lord, hear our prayer. For our Homeward Bound Intentions {for […]

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The Summary of Our Faith

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My dear friends, there are different teachings that the Lord Jesus left us in the Gospel and there are many ways in which our Christian faith challenges us to live our lives. We may see them from different points of view and call them different names, but love is the only word that summarizes our faith. Let us reflect on the Lord’s teaching on this commandment and pray for the grace to live in love.

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Fr. Chuck’s Column, Sunday, November 4

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For the next several years we will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council. There is a great resource for observing this historic event produced right here in our own parish by your fellow parishioners. It is about 40 different personal reflections, each one on a different document or facet of VCII. Each week a different reflection is available in the pamphlet racks in the back of the church, but a much wider selection is available at the parish website, www.staustin.org. Currently FIVE different reflections are available, and more will be added as time goes by. Hopefully YOU will be inspired to submit your own reflection on VCII.
There are two ways to find the reflections on our website. The easy way is to watch the scrolling picture in the upper left of the home page and when it comes to the picture that says on top “THE YEAR OF FAITH” and on the bottom “Click to read parishioner reflections” just click anywhere on the picture. For those more technically prone who enjoy navigating web pages, put your cursor on the grey headline banner over the word “FORMATION.” This produces a drop-down menu, the last item of which is “YEAR OF FAITH.” Click on that and you will come to a short page that, not surprisingly, is a description of the Year of Faith. Anyway, on the left of that page is a column labeled “LINKS.” The first item in that column has the snappy title: “Parishioner Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council.” Click on that and you at last arrive at the page with the St. Austin parishioners’ personal reflections on VCII. To go directly to the webpage, just type. (Or my technical director says you can just type www.staustin.org/V2Reflections into your web browser.)
It is worth the effort to go to this page because in addition to the personal reflections on VCII, there are links to a great many other resources. There is a timeline for VCII, videos on the history of VCII, synopsis of the VCII documents if you want to get just the gist of them, the full and complete versions of all the Vatican Council II documents – in several languages – and various commentaries on the meaning of Vatican II from different points of view. My favorite is the last one, the blog by Fr. William Grimm, a Maryknoll priest in Japan. So enjoy!
While you are navigating around our parish website, I recommend you place your cursor on the word “ABOUT” on the grey banner on the home page. On the drop-down menu that appears, click on the line that says “Parish Staff.” On that page you can see two very nice videos – one an interview with Fr. René Constanza and the other with Deacon Billy Atkins, giving you a chance to meet and learn about them in a more relaxed, personal way. Eventually we will add video interviews with other staff members, such as Fr. Bob Cary.
While you are on the parish website, why not upload a picture of your family to the parish online picture directory? Help make this resource a great help for the parish staff (with so many new Paulists here this would be a fantastic help), and for all of the parish. You may even find out who that is who always sits in front of you at church! The only way I know to do this is go to the parish website, www.staustin.org, on the top grey banner go to the word “COMMUNICATIONS.” On the drop-down menu that appears click on Weekly Bulletins. Then click on Bulletin – October 14, 2012. When that loads scroll down to about the fifth page, where the right hand column is titled: “Are you ready for our online directory?” There you will find instructions to upload your family photo. Pretty neat.  (Or as my technical director points out, visit www.staustin.org/churchdb and look for the Directory instruction page.)
Our parish website is a great resource and tool. I encourage you to take advantage of it.
God bless!

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Redemptive Suffering: The Ultimate Act of Love

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As we walked back into my homeroom classroom and my seventh graders marched in the door to their seats, they knew my mood had changed.  Erasing everything from the board I wrote in capital letters: S-A-C-R-I-F-I-C-E Then I turned around and waited as everyone took their seats quickly and quietly.  With a perfectly-serious-teacher-face I asked, […]

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Renewed in the gift of faith

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The Holy Father has asked for a Year of Faith beginning this October 11 and continuing through November 24, 2013. Recently I shared some of my thoughts about the Year of Faith with more than 1,800 catechists who attended the Catechetical Convocation on…

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Border bishops continue work to raise consciousness on immigration

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The Valley Catholic SAN JUAN – Bishops from along the Texas-Mexico Border met Sept. 7-9 in San Juan to continue their work centered on the pastoral realities that affect the dioceses in Texas and northern Mexico including immigration and migration is…

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Bishop Peña goes back to school

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Serves as chaplain of the Newman Center at UTPA

Bishop Emeritus Raymundo J. Peña celebrates the first Mass of the 2012-13 academic year Sept. 9 at the Newman Center in Edinburg.

By Rose Ybarra, The Valley Catholic EDINBURG — He was th…

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Let your “informed” conscience be your guide

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My dear brothers and sisters, we are well into the final weeks before the presidential elections. Perhaps you will agree that this has been a very difficult campaign.More and more issues surrounding the sanctity of human life are being pushed into the …

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The event that changed the Church in the modern world

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By Alfredo E. Cardenas, South Texas Catholic
 

Pope John XXIII signs document calling for the Second Vatican Council. (Catholic News Service Photo Archive.)
 

On Christmas Day 1961, Pope John XXIII formally called for the conv…

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Catholic Charities helps with ‘Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals’

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Juanita S. Cardiel, representative of the Immigration & Refugee Department helps Marco apply for Deferred Action. (Mary Cottingham, South Texas Catholic)

By Mary Cottingham, South Texas CatholicEsperanza simply wanted a better life for her…

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The Year of Faith

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In everyday life, we go through doorways and cross thresholds all the time. Such physical movement has also been frequently transferred to and transformed into other dimensions of our life — into metaphors! For example, there is an expression of a

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Consecration of the World to the Holy Spirit

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Pope Benedict XVI, in his Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei, convokes the Year of Faith and tells us: “Faith, precisely because it is a free act, also demands social responsibility for what one believes.  The Church on the day of Pentecost demon…

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Baylor Homecoming Schedule!

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This weekend is Homecoming at Baylor! We are very excited to host several activities tomorrow, Saturday, November 3. 8:30am – CSA will be in the Homecoming Parade 11:00am – Alumni Mass 11:30am – Blessing & Dedication of Statue of St. Peter 12:00pm – BBQ Lunch reception 12:30pm – Homecoming Tailgate in Student Lot at Stadium […]

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7 Quick Takes Friday, no. 7

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Welcome to 7 Quick Takes at Catholic Sistas! If you are new to our site we hope you will enjoy this little interview with one of our contributors, or Ink Slingers as we like to say in these parts, and stick around to explore more of our offerings. In this seven question interview we are […]

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7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 194)

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— 1 — NOTE TO SELF: Never, ever, ever clean the house before Halloween. I’m thinking here specifically of the day before, though I may make it my policy not to clean at all in the calendar year leading up to October 31. Wednesday at 4:00 PM our house was immaculate. Just four short hours […]

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Pro-Life and the Saints

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By Celina Basaldu, a graduate student studying in the School of Social Work at Baylor University.   As we move from the end of Respect Life Month, our personal love and respect for the sanctity of human life continues on. In honor of All Saint’s Day, I thought it’d be so special to highlight some […]

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How To Create A Family Litany

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All Saints Week – here we are! A week of beauty, starting with Halloween full of fun costumes and candy, All Saints Day with our holy heavenly friends, and ending with the ever hopeful and solemn All Soul’s Day, praying for those we love who have died. What a great time for our families to […]

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So are you going to vote?

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It seemed like such a strange question after a long discussion about the upcoming presidential election between President Obama and Romney among my coworkers. Of course I’m going to vote.  I just may be pulling teeth when I do it. Early voting has…

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The Continued Adventures of the Gabbie Lady Part the Second

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Lately I have taken up my second love of swing dancing again.  I found a club in Austin and I have been trying to go a couple times a month.  It really is a great group because the dancers there range from beginners to far more advanced th…

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The Continued Adventures of The Gabbie Lady Part the First

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I really hate remembering to remember things.  I am always forgetting where I left my phone, my shoes, my purse, my mind… but for once I think it is necessary that I update the world on the last few months.Everyone always tells me that you are n…

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What a Day to Become a Priest

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On November 1, 1946, Karol Wojtyla was ordained to the Catholic Priesthood. Joining the “underground” seminary while the Nazi Empire still ruled Poland, Wojtyla knew his calling; his vocation was that of a Catholic priest. As many of you know, … Continue reading →

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Saints Remind Us to Choose Joy

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The first All Saints Day I celebrated was also my most memorable: I gave birth to our firstborn child, Honor. It had been a harrowing, 55-hour labor that nearly ended in a C-section and a stillbirth, but by God’s grace, we avoided both. Later that evening, our priest visited to check on us and bless […]

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10/31/2012 Daily Readings and Homily

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  First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: Ephesians 6:1-9 Psalm 145:10-14 Luke 13:22-30 Subscribe in a reader

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Happy Halloween

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Happy Halloween everyone!  Don’t forget that TOMORROW is All Saint’s Day and a Holy Day of Obligation.  Check out this article by Caitlin Kim on Busted Halo! Read the rest of the article here. Growing up most of the kids I knew from Christian families weren’t allowed to celebrate Halloween. Here are a few thoughts […]

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They broke the mold

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Two weeks ago, our good friend Joedaniel (JD) Horne was found dead in a hotel room. It wasn’t a suicide and no foul play is suspected; he had been in poor health for a while, and a combination of factors finally overwhelmed him. Joe forwarded me an email that had the subject “JD Horne died.” […]

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Get Thee to Mass Tomorrow! All Saints’ Is A Holy Day of Obligation

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::This post was first featured on October 31, 2011:: A recent discussion in our group uncovered that one member’s church had advertised All Saint’s Day not as a Holy Day of Obligation, but rather some vague description called a “holy day of opportunity.” I just had to take the opportunity to 1) clarify what the […]

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Of Ghosts, Goblins, and Birthdays

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      By Mary M. My birthday is on Halloween, and it hurts a little when Christian families, some of them friends of mine, belittle the day’s festivities, label them evil or ignore it altogether. I know their intent isn’t to damage my psyche, but it makes me feel as if I’m living in […]

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The Beauty of Sacred Music

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As one who grew up not knowing the beauty of sacred music in the Catholic Liturgy, this new CD by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of the Apostles, gives me great hope that sacred music is on the rise again … Continue reading →

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10/30/2012 Daily Readings and Homily

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  First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: Ephesians 5:21-33 Psalm 128:1-5 Luke 13:18-21 Subscribe in a reader

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Reformation Day: What the Original Protestant actually Taught

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Today marks one day shy of 495 years since Martin Luther first initiated what would become known as the Protestant Reformation, by nailing his ninety-five theses—protests against the Catholic Church—to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenburg, Germany. Many Protestants around the world celebrate or publicly acknowledge today, October 30th, as Reformation Day. I […]

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Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

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The Year of Faith has begun and the XIII General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on “The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith” is underway. The Church Universal and Catholics everywhere are reflecting, praying and seeking…

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To Impose or to Give Witness

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West Texas CatholicThe last question posed to the two candidates at the vice-presidential debate, both Catholics, to comment on the influence of their faith in regard to the abortion issue, is my concern in writing this article.  This was not an u…

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Catholic Archives of Texas Receives Blessing and Welcome at New Location

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Bishop Joe S. Vásquez blesses the Catholic Archives of Texas reading room as well as the Archives stacks and participants in attendance at the blessing.

AUSTIN, Texas – Austin Bishop Joe S. Vásquez celebrated the Cat…

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10/29/2012 Daily Readings and Homily

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  First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: Ephesians 4:32 — 5:8 Psalm 1:1-4, 6 Luke 13:10-17 Subscribe in a reader

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Bald, Pregnant, and Living

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“You have breast cancer,” the surgeon deadpanned. I glanced at my husband & then my mom, and waited for the punch-line. It never came — the doctor was deadly serious. He had just performed a biopsy (that amounted to a lumpectomy) with me wide awake and all-too-aware of the hole dug into my left arm-pit/breast […]

The post Bald, Pregnant, and Living appeared first on Catholic Sistas.

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John Feister of Glenmary Challenge wins St. Francis de Sales Award