Growing up in a family whose roots are deep in the small Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago I’ve always heard December 31st referred to as “Old Year’s Night” instead of “New Year’s Eve.” I’ve always kind of liked calling it “Old Year’s Night.” Calling it that, in a way, gives us an opportunity to… [Read More]
An Accidental Pilgrimage
This weekend I happened to stumbled upon two pilgrimage sites for the Year of Faith in Denver, CO in less than 48 hours. It was quite the blessed surprise (and not so much an accident!). I was in Denver last week for work and decided to stay the weekend to spend some time sightseeing with… [Read More]
Reasons to Go on a Pilgrimage and Suggested Destinations
It is still the year of faith. We had a lot of talk and excitement with one year preparation, and now we’re almost a year into it. The excitement has tapered, and it’s easy to overlook. We still have time to make this a time of renewal of faith, and I have one simple suggestion… [Read More]
Lumen Fidei: Part I, Illusion and Illumination
With all of the excitement from World Youth Day in Rio, we’ve been receiving fresh doses of inspiration from our dear Pope each day. Pope Francis has been building a deep and coherent message for all of us these past few weeks, starting with the publication of Lumen Fidei, his first encyclical. Even as he… [Read More]
Vatican II & Social Communication
So I’ve been studying Vatican II lately (the Second Vatican Council) – not formally or anything, just reading up on it for fun (yes, for fun!). It IS the 50th anniversary of the opening Vat II after all – which is, of course, a fundamental part of the spirit/reason behind the Year of Faith. And… [Read More]
The “Odd” Things of the Catholic Faith
I love our Catholic faith. There’s beauty in it, there’s wisdom in it, there’s love in it, there’s joy in it, there’s an acceptance and reason for pain and suffering, there’s forgiveness in it, there’s purpose in the rites and rituals in it and there’s so, so much more. There are also some very “odd”… [Read More]
Beginning the Year with Thomas Merton (Book Reviews and Shameless Plug!)
I’d like to take this post to do a total shameless plug for Thomas Merton – a holy man who has taught me so much that I consider him to be a spiritual father. At the end of the old year and to help me start the new year, I picked up his book Thoughts in… [Read More]
Peter Kreeft and Jeff Cavins in Austin Nov 30-Dec 1
The year of faith is an opportunity for all of us to grow deeper. That means we have to take some initiative and go to presentations, attend studies, and go outside ourselves to learn about our beautiful faith. This weekend, the Diocese of Austin is blessed with two wonderful opportunities to attend presentations, retreats, and… [Read More]
What’s Wrong with the Year of Faith?
Sometimes I think in memes. I catch myself thinking “McKayla is not impressed” (disapproval) or of the fist pump baby (approval) in various situations throughout the day. (See Rita’s previous post for some ideas on where to find some funny Catholic ones.) I’m so not sure what that says about me, but that’s okay. The… [Read More]
Being Connected
I tend to face life’s challenges and situations looking for the correct answer – Lord, what is the right thing to do? Lord, show me the right way to go! I was doing that yesterday in mass, seeking how to follow God’s will “correctly” – job stuff, grad school, the elections, friends and relationships were all on… [Read More]
Confessions of a Journaling Addict
I think I’ve acquired a journaling addiction. I’ve got three I’m working on right now, simultaneously! When I was younger, I hated the idea of journaling. I would get a pretty book, get maybe three pages into it and my hand would cramp up even though I still had many more thoughts to get through. I… [Read More]
Flesh-eating Bacteria & Leprosy: The Stories of Two Saints
I first heard about a young woman named Kateri Tekakwitha in 2002, when I was in Toronto, Canada for what would be Pope John Paul II’s last World Youth Day (WYD). I didn’t pay much attention to her then, but did keep her name in the back of my mind for future reference. A few… [Read More]
Authenticity & the Year of Faith
I have to be honest. When I heard that the Catholic Church had declared this year the “Year of Faith”, I wasn’t quite sure what to think. Maybe it’s my ‘convert’ status rising up again, but while those around me were excited about the upcoming Year of Faith, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed… [Read More]
Whatever You Do: Just Do It
I love the month of October. Such a wide variety of important dates fall within the month, that we now have an annual “Kraftoberfiesta” to celebrate. This year, Vanessa and I celebrated our 4th anniversary on the 4th, I remembered my dad on what would have been his 69th birthday on the 9th. My mom… [Read More]
¿Porque El Año De La Fe? Octubre 11, 2012 – Noviembre 24, 2013
Todos conocemos a alguien que se ha alejado de la fe Católica. Hasta en muchas de nuestras familias hay personas que ya no practican la fe. La cantidad de gente que “era Católica” es alarmante. No es alarmante porque creemos que la Iglesia se va deshacer y dejara de existir. El Espíritu Santo ha guiado… [Read More]
75 Year of Faith: St.Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church
From simple beginnings, through tremendous growth, with a focus on educating the minds and hearts of Catholics and with a passion for serving, St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Parish has been through quite a bit in its 75 years as a Catholic faith community. A parish founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross parish in 1937,… [Read More]
