I love the holidays. And, good Lord do we need some joy in 2020. The past three years (2017, 2018 and 2019), I put together gift guides in hopes that it would inspire you with finding a meaningful gift for someone you love. This year’s was so much fun to put together. Curating these guide…

The post 2020 Gift Guide appeared first on Kathryn Whitaker.

Today’s feast day in the Latin Church is the Dedication of St. John Lateran. It’s the only “archbasilica” in Christianity as the chief and highest-ranking church in the world—the Mother Church. Briefly, this area of Rome just inside the city walls was given to the Pope around the year 300 or so with a church […]

The post <span class=’p-name’>Dedication of the Archbasilica</span> appeared first on Brandon Kraft.

How many of us have found ourselves, standing high on our tiptoes and straining with all our might, peering over the fence we stand behind, desperate to see what’s on the other side? Whether our fence is our marriage, our work, our faith, our friendshi…

Some may think that this topic is not the most applicable to their practice of the Faith, but tune in and learn more about the importance of theology in our own lives!

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Today is the birthday of Fr. Ivor Koch, who spent hours sitting outside of the funeral home with my mom after my dad died. We were lapsed Catholics and a family holding a lot of pain from church mistakes decades before. I was baptized, but we never went to church for the 11 years that […]

The post <span class=’p-name’>One Priest Can Make All The Difference</span> appeared first on Brandon Kraft.

Alleged son of Sergius III and Marozia.

It’s Election Day and I’m betting you’re feeling a little hopeful, a little exhausted, a little frustrated and a little anxious. It’s the day after an election we all fear a bit, right? And because of that, I’d like to offer an alternate narrative. Most of us have spent 2020 just trying to survive –…

The post The Election Advice Nobody Will Give You (but they should) appeared first on Kathryn Whitaker.

Death has a sting. No doubt about it. However, Jesus’ resurrection removed its lasting effects. It is that light which on this day allows me

Reflection on the Solemnity of All Saints The Solemnity of All Saints honors those whose love for God knows no limits.  The Church has set

In the span of one month this past winter, three people I care very much about lost their fathers unexpectedly. The degree to which each was prepared for death varied greatly. Being spiritually prepared for our own or for a loved one’s death is not som…

Another placeholder pope, without a beard?

Some of the questions you could probably guess, but others may surprise you…like why are priests clean-shaven?

A fun episode!

Catholic Bytes is a CAST initiative.

This weekend we celebrate All Saints’ Day, and on Monday we’ll observe All Souls’ Day. Especially this year, these special days of remembrance seem appropriate and timely. Many of us have lost loved ones. Recently I lost my father, Charlie Kullmann, an…

“You should not molest or oppress an alien, for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.” EX 22:20

To me the evening felt like a small council meeting of spiritual mothers (and one grandmother; the grandmother being myself.)  We were on my friend Julia’s Motekaitis’  patio with our snacks.  I had never met Jane Sherman before but we… Continue Reading →

Today, October 22, we celebrate the memorial of the great Polish Pope of the 20th century, John Paul II. He was theological and prayer titan whose words and influence will be felt […]

A placeholder pope chosen by Marozia.

 Election Day approaches; if you are able to vote, I urge you to do so. It is a great and hard-won privilege. I forward to you an article by Lubna Zeidan, the Program Director for iACT for Refugees. iACT is an interfaith organization in Austin, an…

 This weekend the Church observes WORLD MISSION SUNDAY. According to the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: “In 1926 Pope Pius XI instituted Mission Sunday for the whole Church with the first worldwide Mission Sunday coll…

It’s been a long time since I have heard a homily like the one I am going to share with you today. After listening to the 22-minute sermon, I said to myself, […]

The term “social justice” is often thrown around, and sometimes with a political connotation. But what is the real meaning of “social justice”? Tune into this episode to find out! Interested in the extended trail of Hallow? Follow this (affiliate) link that also helps Catholic Bytes financially. Interested in winning two, year-long subscriptions to Hallow? […]

We just can’t quit Harry Potter. All of our children (minus the 6yo!) have read and loved the entire series. The themes of friendship, goodness and a little mischief have certainly been a joy to read. Also, this isn’t our first HP party, check this one and this one. I hope you love this nod…

The post I Solemnly Swear We Were Up to No Good: A Harry Potter Shindig appeared first on Kathryn Whitaker.

This year so far has been a pilgrimage like no other. I think the COVID-19 pandemic knocked a lot of people out of commission in many different ways. My quarantine story as a Catholic throughout this time was beyond rough. I experienced a crisis of my …

Let’s be honest, if you are Catholic…or even if you aren’t, you have probably wondered why only men can be priests. Well, we tackle that question, and the bigger picture in this episode.

Today, October 15, is the memorial of the foundress of the Discalced Carmelites, Saint Teresa of Avila otherwise known as “Big T” (St. Therese of Lisieux is “Little T” and St. Teresa […]

One of my kiddo’s schools has their first positive COVID case within the building. They announced this via a letter to parents today.

Stay safe, everyone. I hate this and hope we can overcome this soon.
The post <span class='p-name&#0…

The Battle of Garigliano and the defeat of the Saracens.

 HOMILY    Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time  Cycle A     October 11, 2020  My homily today is an IKEA homily, that is, it comes in parts.  Some assembly on your part is required.   &…

 We find ourselves with a three-day weekend, but for what holiday? Are you celebrating Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, or are you simply enjoying a day off? Our attempts at being more socially aware, and informed about the realities of hist…

 You may have heard that in the Diocese of Austin, at the direction of Bishop Joe Vasquez, we will no longer be able to archive recordings of live-streamed Masses, as we have done since the beginning of this pandemic. I would like to explain the r…

On this Sunday, all the scriptures (Is 25:6-10A, Philip 4:12-14, 19-20, Mt 22:1-14) reference food. I invite you to read and reflect on them in

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHANNEL: WATCH EPISODE: Jen steps into her rightful role as queen of the weird Catholics to comment on Amy Coney Barrett, covenant communities, and Supreme Court nominations in general. She also talks about Sylvain Helaine, the tattoo covered man who wanted to teach kindergarten. Bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisisjen […]

The post Amy Coney Barrett and the Weird Catholics | This Is Jen #39 appeared first on Jennifer Fulwiler.

Join Fr. Conrad and Fr. Jordan Dosch as they talk some smack and the beauty of celibacy within the priesthood. What a combination that is.

Gov. Abbott has ordered that bars can reopen starting October 14th if the county judge opts-in and only in areas where the COVID hospitalization rate is under 15%. Here’s the current status of that: TSA Region Main City % Hospitalizationfor COVID, Oct 7 A Amarillo 15.8% B Lubbock 13.5% C Wichita Falls 4.3% D Abilene […]

The post <span class=’p-name’>Bars To Reopen Next Week</span> appeared first on Brandon Kraft.

The last new pope name until John Paul I.

With six babies (including a preemie) and a whole slew of major surgeries, we’ve been the beneficiaries of many a meal, brought by friends.  So much generosity! I know how hard it is to cook dinner every night for my brood, so the fact that someone else cooks for us while whipping up something for…

The post My Best Tips for Taking a Kick Tail Meal to a Friend appeared first on Team Whitaker.

With six babies (including a preemie) and a whole slew of major surgeries, we’ve been the beneficiaries of many a meal, brought by friends.  So much generosity! I know how hard it is to cook dinner every night for my brood, so the fact that someone else cooks for us while whipping up something for…

The post My Best Tips for Taking a Kick Tail Meal to a Friend appeared first on Team Whitaker.

Fr. Justin @ 5:30pm

The altar if front and center in churches, and that is for a reason. Tune in to find out why the altar is such a big deal!

A brief nondescript pontificate.