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Bishop Joe calls for a Novena of Reparation – this week!

Published October 8, 2018 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog

Bishop Joe Vasquez of the Diocese of Austin has called all faithful to join in a Novena of Reparation starting Tuesday, October 9th through October 17th to pray for victims of abuse and offer prayers of reparation. In an interview from August, when the Pennsylvania grand jury news broke, Bishop Joe said the following:  Editor:… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published October 8, 2018

The Jesus We Never Knew

Published August 9, 2018 • Written by Matt Sullivan Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Family

  The Gospels we hear week by week focus on the venerable accomplishments of Jesus as He went about His ministry here on earth. And generally the homilies that follow focus on the message to be gained by these stories in conjunction with the other readings. We are exhorted to imitate this message in our… [Read More]

Written by Matt Sullivan • Published August 9, 2018

Summer Reading: A Few Quick Book Reviews

Published August 6, 2018 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog

Here’s a glimpse at a few of the books I’ve been reading this summer. I hope these short reviews are a helpful inspiration on your journey. Edith Stein: The Life and Legacy of St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross by Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda I had long heard of Edith Stein, but had done no serious… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published August 6, 2018

The American Personality and our Mission as Catholics

Published July 4, 2018 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog

It is a day to celebrate, to be with loved ones, and to pray for our nation. Let it also be a day to reflect on who we are, and who are called to be! What is our mission as Catholics in the US? And what does it mean to talk about our mission as… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published July 4, 2018

Sin? Not a problem.

Published June 11, 2018 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Faith, Prayer, Resources, Young Adult

Sin? No problem. This Sunday we heard the Gospel reading on the Fall, of the moment sin entered creation and divided all that was meant to be united. Since then the human person has been faced with the conditions of inner division and brokenness as a personal reality and as a reality in creation. Yet,… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published June 11, 2018

The Unofficial Start to Summer: Now What?

Published May 28, 2018 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog

They say Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer. Alongside being a day where we remember those who’ve given their lives for our country, and a day where families and friends gather to celebrate at the lake, at the parks, etc, it’s also a day that signals the end of the school year and… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published May 28, 2018

The “Waze” of God

Published March 3, 2018 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog

You know that moment when you plug your destination into Waze, and you hope and thinking, “Am I going to make it on time?…Waze says I’ll get there 5:23pm…but maybe the traffic will lighten up? Or it will find me a short cut??” A couple of weeks ago I was caught in that circumstance. Chugging… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published March 3, 2018

This Advent, Let Our Relationships Be Transformed

Published November 27, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Family, Marriage and Love, Young Adult, Youth

The King’s Criteria        In the rhythm of this getting-back-to-normal after the long Thanksgiving holiday, if we glance up we see that Advent is just ahead. And while Thanksgiving can often bring many blessings as we enjoy time together, oftentimes relationship challenges surface as well. We speak of Advent as a time to prepare… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published November 27, 2017

Making the Root of Holy Wisdom Our Own

Published November 13, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Prayer, Resources, World and News, Young Adult

“…and he shall find her sitting by his gate.” You know those moments when you’ve been thinking about or reading about something, and then it happens to come up at Sunday mass? When the readings or the homily are about exactly what’s been on your mind/heart? I love when that happens! That happened to me… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published November 13, 2017

Thoughts on the “thoughts and prayers”

Published November 8, 2017 • Written by Shawn Rain Chapman Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Prayer, Social Justice, World and News

Some people are upset about the “thoughts and prayers” response to mass shootings. I understand. I am tired of hearing that myself. It seems such a fill in the blank response; even glib and inappropriate when we all feel sickened by this cycle of seemingly endless gun violence followed by the same responses and counter… [Read More]

Written by Shawn Rain Chapman • Published November 8, 2017

I Already Love You (The False Self Part II)

Published October 16, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Prayer, Young Adult

Since the last post seemed have struck a chord with y’all (I received quite a response!) I wanted to pick up where we left off, and give you my two best “signposts” for how to move forward in this whole allow-your-false-self-to-be-chiseled-away thing. Signpost #1: Keep your eyes fixed on our merciful, loving Father There is… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published October 16, 2017

Litany of the False Self

Published October 2, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Faith, Family, Marriage and Love, Prayer, Young Adult, Youth

You know those moments at work which you wish you could take back? Where you make a mistake in front of a whole group of your coworkers and your cheeks flush and you shrink a size or two? I had a few of those moments this week. And in God’s fantastic sense of humor, on… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published October 2, 2017

The Crowd Mentality of Today (Conviction & Stress Part II)

Published September 4, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Family, Prayer, Resources, Social Media and Tech, Young Adult, Youth

When I was young I had an odd, somewhat unconscious anxious habit. Someone would say, “It’s like in that movie _______, ya know?” and I would say, “Yeah,” and they’d continue with their story. The conversation kept flowing, the other thought I was in tune with them, and all was well. Except that I had… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published September 4, 2017

Calling all young adults! – An invitation to sit down with our Bishops

Published August 1, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Events, Young Adult, Youth

What are you doing next Monday evening? Young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 are invited to attend a Diocese of Austin listening session with Bishop Joe Vásquez and Bishop Danny Garcia on August 7 from 6-8 pm at St. Louis, Austin. This listening session will assist the diocese in preparation for the… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published August 1, 2017

#CatholicConvo Through the Eyes of an Texan

Published July 13, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Events, Faith, Resources, Social Media and Tech, Young Adult

  “Uplifting, motivating, challenging, community, transformative.” That’s how Theresa Prudhomme, a mid 20s young professional from Katy, describes her experience of #CatholicConvo in 5 words or less.  The weekend before last, while we were all firing up the grill and making July 4th plans, Theresa joined thousands of lay leaders, religious, priests and bishops from across… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published July 13, 2017

Tiny Dynamine: a reflection on my mom, Delphia

Published May 23, 2017 • Written by Shawn Rain Chapman Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Family

Today is my mom’s birthday. She would have been 68 today. And I feel like talking about her. She was a warrior for love, justice, and for her children. I want you to know her. I want everyone to know her. She had several names but the one she liked best, and that suited her… [Read More]

Written by Shawn Rain Chapman • Published May 23, 2017

To My Father For All His Love: A Lenten Reflection

Published April 7, 2017 • Written by Anonymous Filed Under: Faith

Guest Post by Deacon Dan Lupo In Chicago, where I grew up, March days are shrouded in gray, blasted by icy wind, and blanketed by snow. Perfect Lent weather. The weather is Lent-perfect because the gray skies evoke a somber mood, which matches the serious attitude Lent fosters. Lent calls for soberly examining our faith… [Read More]

Written by Anonymous • Published April 7, 2017

Meditation and Emotions (Part II)

Published February 20, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Prayer, Resources, Young Adult

This is a follow up to my last post, Meditation and Decisive Times, where I attempted to sketch the basics of what it means to meditate on life, as a way to grow in love and closeness to God, and a way to help foster a deep and integrated inner life.  Out of this deep inner… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published February 20, 2017

Meditation and Decisive Times

Published February 6, 2017 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Events, Faith, Prayer, Resources, Young Adult

   We live in decisive times. And while perhaps that’s always true in some way, I think we can say that in a particle way about our times today. I don’t have to describe it for you too much, because you live it as well. Tensions are high. The pace of available information is frenetic. And… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published February 6, 2017

I Imagined You

Published February 1, 2017 • Written by Norine Shaivitz Filed Under: Blog

I understood that I was before the Throne of God, at the knee of my Heavenly Father. Just a couple of hours before (and a couple of years before this posting), I had been prayed over to receive the Holy Spirit by my parish youth minister, who assigned me as youth group intercessor, or as… [Read More]

Written by Norine Shaivitz • Published February 1, 2017

Tis Humility

Published December 26, 2016 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Faith, Family, Prayer, Young Adult

A remark during the homily at midnight mass really struck me. The priest reflected how each Christmas is different, not because the Gospel story changes -indeed the story is everlasting – but because we come to Christmas each year a little bit different. Each year we bring with us the lived experiences of the whole past year…. [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published December 26, 2016

Of Mary, Never Enough

Published December 22, 2016 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Family, Prayer

“De Maria, nunquam satis!,” St Bernard of Clairvaux once said. Of Mary, never enough!  In these last few days before the great feast of Christmas, perhaps you’re feeling harried or haven’t had time to prayerfully prepare, or just aren’t quite into the Christmas. Or perhaps you’re drowning in carols all day, but not feeling very contemplative or… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published December 22, 2016

Sunday Says Podcast – December 4, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections

Published December 3, 2016 • Written by Steve Scott Filed Under: ACNM, Blog, Podcast, Sunday Says

Second Sunday of Advent Sunday December 4, 2016 Lectionary: 4 (NAB Translation) Reading 1 Isaiah 11:1-10 This week’s first reading from the book of Isaiah is a prophecy of the Messiah as the One who will descend as a branch from the root of Jesse in the lineage of King David.  The Christ (Messiah) will… [Read More]

Written by Steve Scott • Published December 3, 2016

Objectivity & Healthy Self-love: An Advent reflection on “Catholic Guilt”

Published November 28, 2016 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Faith, Prayer, Young Adult

“Catholic guilt” came up recently in a conversation about psychology and religion. It also came up sometimes back in my grad school counseling classes. In these conversations, I often hear the question, “Isn’t “Catholic guilt” psychologically unhealthy?” I think it’s a great question. Can there be something unhealthy about guilt? I think so. How can we clarify… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published November 28, 2016

An Age of Mercy & Misericordia et Misera

Published November 21, 2016 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog

Last Sunday as we were celebrating the closing of the Year of Mercy around the Diocese, my friend and I were talking about how we were kinda sad to see the Year of Mercy end. She turned to me and said – you know how we had the age of Enlightenment? And the age of the… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published November 21, 2016

Sunday Says Podcast – November 20, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections

Published November 19, 2016 • Written by Steve Scott Filed Under: ACNM, Blog, Sunday Says

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Sunday November 20, 2016 Lectionary: 162 (NAB Translation) Reading 1 2 Samuel 5:1-3 This week’s first reading from the 2nd Book of Samuel gives us insight into kingship of Christ as the One who unifies the people of God.  Following a civil war within… [Read More]

Written by Steve Scott • Published November 19, 2016

Sunday Says Podcast – November 6, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections

Published November 5, 2016 • Written by Steve Scott Filed Under: Blog, Sunday Says

Thirty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time Sunday November 6, 2016 Lectionary: 156 (NAB Translation) Reading 1 2 Maccabees 7:1-2,9-14 This week’s first reading is from the book of 2 Maccabees.  This book covers the period of time between the 180 -161 BC, which was during the “intertestamental” period, and provides a link between the Old and… [Read More]

Written by Steve Scott • Published November 5, 2016

Sunday Says Podcast – October 23, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections

Published October 22, 2016 • Written by Steve Scott Filed Under: ACNM, Blog

Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time Sunday October 23, 2016 Lectionary: 150 (NAB Translation) Reading 1 Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18 This week’s first reading is on from the book of the Book of Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus), part of the great wisdom literature in the Old Testament.  This book was written approximately 180 years before Christ… [Read More]

Written by Steve Scott • Published October 22, 2016

Sunday Says Podcast – October 9, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections

Published October 8, 2016 • Written by Steve Scott Filed Under: ACNM, Blog, Sunday Says

  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]

Written by Steve Scott • Published October 8, 2016

Therese of Lisieux & The Marian Jubilee of Mercy

Published October 3, 2016 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Faith, Marriage and Love, Prayer, Young Adult

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]

Written by Rachel • Published October 3, 2016

Sunday Says Podcast – September 25, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections

Published September 24, 2016 • Written by Steve Scott Filed Under: ACNM, Blog, Podcast, Sunday Says

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]

Written by Steve Scott • Published September 24, 2016

Sunday Says Podcast – August 28, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections

Published August 27, 2016 • Written by Steve Scott Filed Under: ACNM, Blog, Sunday Says

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]

Written by Steve Scott • Published August 27, 2016

An Organic Approach to the Assumption & Queenship of Mary

Published August 22, 2016 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog

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]

Written by Rachel • Published August 22, 2016

Sunday Says Podcast – August 14, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections

Published August 14, 2016 • Written by Steve Scott Filed Under: ACNM, Podcast, Sunday Says

  Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time Sunday August 14, 2016 Lectionary: 120 (NAB Translation) Reading 1 Jeremiah 38:4-6,8-10 This week’s first reading from the book of prophet Jeremiah recounts for us the challenges we may be faced with when conveying God’s truth when the message is unpopular. In this passage Jeremiah is accused of demoralizing… [Read More]

Written by Steve Scott • Published August 14, 2016

Sunday Says Podcast – July 31, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections

Published July 30, 2016 • Written by Steve Scott Filed Under: Blog, Sunday Says

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]

Written by Steve Scott • Published July 30, 2016

God, Where Have You Gone?

Published July 18, 2016 • Written by Robert Lindberg Filed Under: Faith

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]

Written by Robert Lindberg • Published July 18, 2016

America: On the Forces that Shape Us

Published July 11, 2016 • Written by Rachel Filed Under: Blog, Events, Faith, Prayer, Social Justice

It’s always difficult to put into words the transformation that happens within a human heart as it works to grasp the reality of tragic news unfolding. I hopped into my car Friday morning totally ignorant of what happened in Dallas Thursday night. When I switched on NPR like usual, my mind tripped over itself trying to comprehend. It was… [Read More]

Written by Rachel • Published July 11, 2016

Corpus Christi, Faith, and Culture

Published June 22, 2016 • Written by William Rooney Filed Under: Blog

Here in Guatemala, the feast of Corpus Christi is awesome. The whole diocese celebrates it together on the appointed day but in the following weeks, each particular parish church has its own celebration of Corpus Christi. These celebrations are a big deal… A really big deal. In the larger churches, they are celebrated as an… [Read More]

Written by William Rooney • Published June 22, 2016

Sunday Says – June 5, 2016 Mass Readings and Reflections

Published June 3, 2016 • Written by Steve Scott Filed Under: ACNM, Podcast, Sunday Says

Tenth Sunday of Ordinary Time Sunday June 5, 2016 Lectionary: 90 (NAB Translation) Reading 1 1 Kings 17:17-24 In this week’s first reading from the first book of Kings in the Old Testament, we see the Prophet Elijah demonstrate the power of God by raising someone from the dead.  A poor widow in the pagan… [Read More]

Written by Steve Scott • Published June 3, 2016

The Hail Mary, the Visitation: a reflection

Published May 31, 2016 • Written by Shawn Rain Chapman Filed Under: Blog

  Mary… the name of that beautiful flower which I always invoke morning and evening.” ~ Dante I remember learning the Hail Mary when I was 20. I was dating the Catholic boy who I would one day marry. I was curious about the Hail Mary, never having heard more than the first line of… [Read More]

Written by Shawn Rain Chapman • Published May 31, 2016

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