A little over a month ago, I asked you to send in your best questions to local Dominican Sister, Sr. Elizabeth Ann, O.P., of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. There were some great questions (and she gave some great answers, below). But, I thought it would be equally fun to ask… [Read More]
Seeing God’s love in the wildflowers
This weekend my husband and I went to the Ladybird Johnson wildflower center for a plant sale. It was our first time to go there and it was amazing to see all the different flowers! As a somewhat laissez-faire lawn person – I made sure to point out that many of these flowers are very… [Read More]
Ponderings From The Pavement
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]
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]
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]
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]
A Catholic College Experience
It was the summer in between my junior and senior year in college. I was back at home volunteering at my parish’s vacation bible school. I was the designated photographer hoping to get some good shots for my portfolio due at the end of my summer photography course. It was during a break when I… [Read More]
Catholic Bishops Respond to the Health and Human Services Mandate
This weekend the following message from Bishop Joe Vasquez was read at all Masses in the Austin Diocese. So if you missed it or went to Mass out of town give it a read… Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: I write to you concerning an alarming and serious matter that negatively impacts the Church in the… [Read More]
Why We’re Here
Volunteering for education-related ministries is one of the ways that I’ve learned the most about our faith. This school year is my first year volunteering with high school teens. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but I kept the slate blank to let God fill in the details with the wonderful people involved in… [Read More]
Henry VIII is Rolling in His Grave
In addition to ringing in the new year, on January 1st, the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter was created in the Catholic Church. It is basically a diocese for the entire United States for those people—lay and cleric, individually or corporately—who are formerly Anglican/Episcopal and have “swam the Tiber” to join the Catholic… [Read More]
Making Time for God in the Present
The New Year is almost here. Have you done everything you planned to this year? Are your goals set for next year? Have you compared your state-of-me with your peers, coworkers, friends, to make sure you’re making the same strides that they are?In the midst of our reminiscing of the past and our dreaming in… [Read More]
The 3rd Roman Missal: A MASSive Change & A MASSive Opportunity
“If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy.” –St. John Vianey By the time most people read this, most of us will have attended Mass on Sunday, November 27, the First Sunday in Advent. At that Mass, if you didn’t already know that it was going to be a special day in… [Read More]
Purgatory – A Sign of God’s Mercy and Hope for All Saint-Hopefuls
So I knew coming into this post that I was going to be writing after a few others had their pick of All Saints and All Souls topics. But my blog is about becoming a Saint! And we can never learn too much about them, right?So, let us place ourselves in God’s presence, and the… [Read More]
How Can I Keep from Singing?
I like to think I’m a funny person. I mean, my jokes are so funny, I laugh at them even though I know the punch line…But in this blog, I am going to be writing, comically at some times, about a serious issue – the issue of our very purpose on Earth….which is…. to be… [Read More]
The Many Faces of Evangelization
Whenever I hear the words “New Evangelization,” my ears perk up, like a child who is watching those fabulous toy commercials that make them feel like they HAVE to have, well, everything under the sun. Except, I am assured that my grabby hands and “want want want” are necessary and needed in today’s society. So,… [Read More]
Football and Faith
“Saints look at everything with God’s eyes; they measure their existence in God’s light; they do not give in to confusion because they live in reality and truth.”- Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan Last week high school football began. This week, college football kicks-off. And next week, we’ll see the 2011 NFL season we… [Read More]
Two Guys, a Girl and a Catholic Podcast Episode 21: Hanging In The Google Hangout
[powerpress] Current Events: United States budget, debt ceiling and our call to be good stewards. – Jason Lack of true leadership in government? Pope offers his prayer and solidarity for the victims of Olso, Norway violence. -Cristina http://www.romereports.com/palio/pope-condemns-violence-and-oslo-killings-english-4589.html Tropical Depression headed for Texas?! Pray for rain! http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/tropical-rains-texas-drought_2011-07-27 Church News: Later this year we will hear… [Read More]
Falling and Fighting – The Struggle for Christ
I’ve been a Catholic school kid my entire life. A fact that has provided me with a number of opportunities that many people didn’t get growing up. I had the opportunity to learn about my faith in school, to share my faith with all my friends and teachers, to pray openly. But I also had… [Read More]
Who Do You Seek?
“Men and women seek God. Young people realize in the depths of their being that this quest is the inner law of their lives.” -Blessed Pope John Paul II As I write this blog, I am sitting on one of four buses from the Diocese of Austin with youth, youth ministers, chaperones and priests from… [Read More]
Two Guys, a Girl and a Catholic Podcast Episode 19: Hot Dogs and Buried Treasure
[powerpress] Current Events: In a story that Indiana Jones would be proud of: Over $20B in Treasure Discovered in Centuries-Old Hindu Temple http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/07/05/billions-in-treasure-discovered-in-centuries-old-hindu-temple/#ixzz1RFfvIvwq Verizon joins AT&T, T-Mobile in capping monthly usage http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Budgeting-for-wireless-data-apf-1691527244.html?x=0 Casey Anthony acquitted of killing young daughter http://news.yahoo.com/casey-anthony-acquitted-killing-young-daughter-191600480.html NY Bishop responds to same sex marriage approval http://calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=fa3f165b-aaec-4fe0-adb3-dbf6bdba4944 Church News: Saint Mary Cathedral Celebrates:… [Read More]
The Harvest Is Abundant But The Laborers Are Few…Or Are They?
It’s not so much that the laborers are few. It’s that they are all too busy working on their own crap… Years ago God placed it in my heart to be in media. The funny thing is, as is in most cases, I took something that God had put in my heart and instead of… [Read More]
It’s a Difference of Feeling – Making Mass Meaningful
We’ve all thought it at some point in our lives: “Why does Mass have to be so boring?” I’ll admit to it. Growing up in a Catholic household, I used to dread going to Mass (although for a youngster I think that’s almost expected). And there have been times – yes, even as an adult… [Read More]
Review: “Elsewhere”
Imagine waking up dead. I’ve always had a soft spot for the ludicrous nature of that question, but it’s worth pondering. If you went from this exact moment and suddenly found yourself dead, how would you react? MercyMe treated the question of the afterlife in their hit song “I Can Only Imagine,” but Gabrielle Zevin… [Read More]
Two Guys, a Girl and a Catholic Podcast Episode 16: Minus One Chris, Plus One Cris
[powerpress] Segment #1 – Current Events – Dallas Mavericks Win the NBA World Title – Jason http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6cnOX4q1WA Arizona Wildfire is now largest in Arizona Wildfire history – Cristina http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/06/14/arizona.wildfires/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/fires/main/usa/20110613-arizona.html USCCB meeting this week to discuss and vote on issues on physician assisted suicide and clerical sex abuse in the U.S. – Cris http://www.romereports.com/palio/index.php?newlang=english http://www.usccb.org/… [Read More]
Doubt as an Opportunity
Do you ever fear that doubt or anxiety about future events somehow means you doubt God? I have a friend who deals with this often and I find myself talking her through it every once in a while. All it takes on my part really is just reiterating things she already knows. Like to be… [Read More]
Glee, Gaga and God
Hi my name is Jason and I watch too much trash TV. I know that I really should be spending more time in prayer and deepening my spiritual life. Unfortunately more often then not the spare time I do have usually consist of watching an hour or so of mindless TV. That being said I… [Read More]
Mary, my (Grand)mother
May: Mary’s month. It wasn’t too long ago that this didn’t have any real meaning to me. When I was new to the church, despite how many times people tried to tell me about how Mary is my mother and loves me, I could never quite get my arms around it. I’d look at statues… [Read More]
Two Guys, a Girl and a Catholic Podcast Episode 12: Looks Like That Rain Dance Worked
[powerpress] Feedback: Segment #1 – Current Events – Record Rain in Central Texas. http://www.kxan.com/dpp/weather/its-raining-its-pou ring Novena to St. Isidore the Farmer for more rain. The Texas House of Representatives approved a measure that would allow parents to opt their kids out of corporeal punishment if it’s allowed in their school district. (http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2011/05/12/spanking_bill_approved_on_seco.html) What do you… [Read More]
Chris Bartlett’s Notes From May’s Theology on Tap
Chris Bartlett is the director of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministry for the Diocese of Austin. A graduate of Franciscan University, he is currently working on a master’s degree in theology at St. Mary’s San Antonio. He lives in Pflugerville with his wife, Kendra, and their two young daughters, and battles a crippling addiction… [Read More]
My Priest, My Coach
Two years ago my husband made the decision to take control of his health by doing P90X, a ridiculously intense workout system that takes 90 days to complete. Instructor Tony Horton invaded our home for three rounds {9 months, give or take}. He then moved onto Insanity with Shaun T. and has recently started Insanity… [Read More]
Microevangelization
I was ordering checkbooks last night when a little blank text box got me thinking. When I first thought about it, I thought I had a “chicken or the egg” paradox on my hands. I was thinking, what came first? My love for Christ, or my thirst for a relationship with Him? Combined, both have… [Read More]
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