Association Of Catholic Bloggers

The kick-off to this great new series  How to Stay Married 10 Years & Then Some  is written by yours truly, me and my husband Manny. Here are our prime bits of advice gathered over the years, and a few of our most cherished stories. 1. How many years have you been married and how many kids do you have? Manny & Karee:  We've been married 14 years and have 6 kids: Lelia, age 13; Miguel, age 11; Maria, age 9; Marguerite, age 7; Cecilia, age 5; and Elisa-Maria, age 3. Yes, we know that's a lot of girls. 2. Name 3 things that have helped you to stay married this long. Manny:  “Not staying married” was never really an option in my mind. So I would say that the first thing that has helped me stay married is a proper understanding of what marriage is -- a promise of forever. The second thing that has helped me stay married is that I meant what I said on my wedding day. The wedding vows I spoke were not flowery or cute, but rather simple and direct. They were

As an autistic, I have the unenviable ability to almost completely compartmentalize my intellect from emotions. I go into a “machine mode.” My friends often have a very unfortunate experience with that. They talk to me while I am in the middle of “implementing my agenda,” and they see that I do not acknowledge their feelings at all. Friends who know me well stop me and say, “Hey, I just poured out my heart to you,” or “I just disclosed something hard for me to say,” and of course, I collapse into a sea of apologies. I don't realize what I did, but of course I want to acknowledge the feelings of my friends! My autistic reality is not all that different from neurotypical reality. Humans minds work very much like computers, which is why computers are designed based on how our logical intellect works. Our minds are different from computers because emotional drives can dominate our experience. I know all about that too! I have been known to immerse myself in emotion and the “

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself.  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.  He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”  Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”  Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” John 13: 3-9 Feet  are the body parts that support the weight of the whole body. Feet, for the most part, not very pretty because of the work they must do. Feet take us from one place to another. Feet need washing because they lead the way when we walk. Feet go through puddles. Feet

In celebration of NFP Awareness month, I've put together a best of the best of NFP, including books, apps, websites and blog posts. Read the NFP Best of the Best here .

So  Pantene has come out with a new ad  where it suggests that women apologize too much and should not say “sorry” and instead be “strong and shine”. The suggestion is that apologizing is something women do unnecessarily and it makes them appear weak and powerless. Instead women should stand up and stop being sorry for being women. Read the rest here .

The Edel Gathering is this weekend and there were some of us who couldn't attend, as much as we would have loved it! Rita over at The Catholic Review: Open Window thought it would be great to host a blog hop wherein we'd have a virtual conference! I loved the idea and thought to share how I keep the faith alive between Sundays, with kids. I'll admit, I don't always do a bang up job each week. Because work.You'll see what I mean. Finding the time to share the Catholic faith with my children isn’t easily done during the summer months especially when they’re not in school. I work full time from 8:30AM - 5PM Monday through Friday. The time I have with the kids is limited, but I make the best of it. Here's what we do to keep the faith! Check in with them about their feelings about their prayer life. Little ones can struggle too and experience spiritual dryness just like adults. Let them know that they’re being heard and share with them how you work through the

I think it's a fairly common belief of people who are not Catholic (and also some who are) that the sacrament of Reconciliation, or confession, is totally unnecessary. I know that I used to think, "Why do I need to confess my sins to a priest? I can just confess directly to God and ask forgiveness." I also kind of thought it was creepy and weird that priests would encourage people to tell all of their deepest, darkest, secrets (says the woman who used to be a clinical psychologist) and then give them a penance to complete afterwards. Read the rest HERE .

Ever listen to five boys who feel an injustice has been done to them? Know the meaning of the word cacophony?  HA!  It's one of my favorite words, has bee since Sister Alice taught it to back in freshman year, but I doubt Sister Alice could have understood the meaning of cacophony quite the way I do. Of course, Sister Alice taught at my all girls' Catholic high school for more years than I've been on the planet. Come to think of it, I may not have the monopoly on the word cacophony. But still, ever hear those kids when they think their brother has gotten something they have not?       Cacophony. As a Mom, that kind of complaining drives me crazy. I really do Love each of my different Boys 100%. Admiring each of their strengths and laughing at their peculiar little quirks, I try to make sure everything "evens out in the end." To read more about my reflection and whether God will even everything out in the end on the Parable of We

Sometime ago I was speaking about what I called Mystical premonition or touches of God when one of the audience asked “Are we talking about something that is a particularly Christian experience, or does everyone experience God’s touch?” “It’s for everyone,” I replied emphatically. “God loves everyone, not just Christians, but Christians do respond in a unique way.” Let me explain what I mean. Long before he became a saint, when he was still a pagan, St Augustine experienced those ‘touches of God’ . In writing about the way he reacted to them in his Confessions he gives us a perfect example of how we should react too, in order to deepen our spiritual life. read on....

Someone was very adamant that I should watch "The Dead Files".  I will be honest, I used to have an interest in these types of shows, but not anymore.  My eyes have been opened, but eyes being opened to the truth do not good unless we speak that truth. ... .CLICK HERE FOR MORE!

The thing that draws me most about monasticism is its absolute totality.  The person entering such a life gives ALL.  As I've written before, a potential postulant does not stick her head inside the enclosure and leave her arms and legs dangling outside.  It just won't work. Yet how often do I give God "only so much," holding little corners of my life in reserve for myself.... (continue)

(From John Martin, via WikiMedia Commons, used w/o permission.) ('Now that I have your attention ....') God is occasionally presented as violence-prone, with serious anger management issues. Some folks who describe the Almighty this way seem to think that we should worship God because the alternative is getting squashed like bugs. Others claim that God is a make-believe bogeyman , invented by charlatans to frighten people. I think both claims are missing an important point. God is just, God is merciful: and sometimes God has to get our attention. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

I  am appalled  by commentators  and writers who quickly denounce Pope Francis, often  misinterpreting or twisting  the meaning of his comments by taking them out of context.  These critics are acting like the ‘ the accuser of our brethren… which accused them before our God day and night’.     [Revelation 12:7-12]    They   seem poised, ready to  pounce on any hint of  his supposed sin against tradition. Pope Francis’ detractors  condemn him as a modernist heretic who is selling out to secular opinion by refusing to stand up for traditional  Roman Catholic Church teachings. The pope’s critics seem determined to over throw this Spirit-filled man of God.  I am truly baffled. What are these self proclaimed champions of religious purity doing? The most important point in this whole issue is that Jesus never commanded his followers to go around pointing out sin, faults, shortcomings or failures of others, never mind tearing down the pope.  The only role that pointing out sin

Have you sinned well lately? Sins worthy of a good Confession? CLICK HERE

Some time ago on Facebook, I got a message from (what I thought was...) my Bishop.  He was very kind and ministering to me, asking about my walk, quoting scripture, and even giving me the link to his blog to read.  These messages happened over several days, and I was rather enjoying our little private conversations....  CLICK HERE FOR MORE

--- 1 --- Summer has come into full maturity.  As I walk, I see mature gardens.  I see butterflies landing on the milkweeds that are maturing now into pods. I love the milkweed.  It's really one of my favorite plants, but because they multiply so quickly farmers are getting rid of them.  What this means for our environment is that the butterflies who feed off the milkweed and lay their eggs on these plants are becoming endangered.  I plan to let these beautiful plants grow wildly in my yard.  My neighbor comes over and takes the eggs to her home and lets the butterflies mature and fly away. They are beautiful to watch as they spread their wings to dry.  Truly one of God's miracles! --- 2 --- I've been trying to save money and the environment at the same time by making my own household cleaners, weed eliminators, etc.  Here are some of my recipes:: Vinegar:: Good for almost any job alone or combined with any products. Rubbing alcohol in a spray bott

More powerful than the roar of many waters, more powerful than the breakers of the sea, powerful in the heavens is the LORD. (Psalm 93:4) My first glimpse of the ocean was at crowded Mission Beach in San Diego as a young bride. Once I saw the breathtaking splendor and power of God’s creation where waves meet sky, I was hooked. Now I look for every possible opportunity to relax on any beach, anywhere. In Maui, the most gorgeous native natural habitat surrounds the almost endless beaches. I have even seen this panorama from a parasail 500 feet above Kauai, Maui and Molokai. In Hawaii or Texas, I enjoy the waves pounding the sand and the circling gulls awaiting my every crumb. Walking on the beaches from Coronado Island to Cape Cod thrills me. Even January in Oregon, the foggy skies overhead, gusty wind on my face and freezing water lapping on my timid toes, bring me incredible joy.  Read about a day on Vanderbilt Beach on JoyAlive.net  

How is your spiritual life going? Are you feeling frustrated with yourself? Are you distraught over your lack of progress? Do you keep falling into the same sins repeatedly? Welcome to the human race! No, I’m not trying to dismiss your concerns flippantly. Sometimes we just need a reminder that we are, after all, fallen. Adam’s sin affects us all. But here’s something you may not have realized: Your sins do not shock God! God is used to sinners. He has centuries of experience with them. He even came down from Heaven to live among them. Then people criticized Him for eating with sinners instead of the “righteous.” Yes, He loved to hang out with people like you and me. God delights in showing mercy. He delights in lifting our burdens. He delights in carrying our yoke with us, comforting our sorrows, calming our fears. Continue reading at Contemplative Homeschool.

An imperfect, but lovely, picture  of an imperfect, but Lovable, me! As a little girl I remember just wanting to be Accepted, to be Valued, to be Loved. Was it the child abuse I suffered or the uncertainty of how to handle that abuse, was it the denial, or the get-over-it attitude that so many seemed to express even though they didn't always use words? What was it that made me feel less than God had intended me to be? What was it that made me sacrifice so much of myself, to compromise my values, to put myself in positions of risk in high school, in college, in married life so that I lost who I was, that I gave up dreams, that I believed false promises? What was it that made me  less? I see so many others today sacrificing, compromising, risking who they were meant to be in the name of "love," especially victims of abuse, abandonment, divorce, those who have forgotten or who never knew their worth, the Perfect Love that is offered to them throu

Some scientists say that a star's habitable zone may be wider than we thought. Others found a planet that's only a few times more massive than Earth, nearby: and about 11,500,000,000 years old.... ...As I said two weeks ago, I don't think that we're alone in the universe: or that we are not alone. Right now, we don't know.... ...Using Our Brains Whatever, and perhaps whoever, we find: I'm not concerned that we will learn 'things which man was not supposed to know.' More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

The Sower , November 1888, Arles; Vincent van Gogh   Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, Amsterdam [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)  [This link is to the readings for the Vigil Mass and for the Mass on Sunday] Gospel  Matthew 13:24-43 (or 13:24-30)   ( New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition , Canada)  Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field;   but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away.   So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well.   And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’   He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slave

BREAKING NEWS BIBLE ADVISES AGAINST MARRIAGE CLICK HERE

St. John Cantius  is the fourth church my husband and I have visited in my series, Touring Chicago's beautiful churches.  This exquisite church was very near the wrecking ball not that long ago and now it is a thriving parish. My husband and I had not been to St. John Cantius in many years.  The thing I remembered most back then, was the flooring was in very bad shape.  As you can see from the pictures, not only has the floor been repaired, but the rest of the church has been restored. You can read the rest at Being Catholic ... Really .

Usually when I'm on retreat as I walk around our province center property, I encounter beautiful works of creation like a blue heron or a deer resting in a field. This past week on the day of our retreat when we were to go outside and enjoy "God's Playground," I expected similar treats and hoped to capture them with my camera. As I walked all the way up the hill what did I see? Nothing! Then as I made my way to our cemetery, there on the path was a big, ugly toad basking in the sun. I said to the Lord, who clearly has a sense of humor, "Aw, c'mon! A toad?"  Now I felt comfortable speaking this way to God in light of what Pope Francis recently said about praying like Moses: Click to continue

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the day! Happy Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Trusting God with St. Therese is now available on Amazon for the Kindle and in print .  For the time being (at least the next 90 days) the ebook will be exclusive to Amazon. However, the paperback should be available soon at Barnes and Noble and other online retailers. I hope to see it in some Catholic bookstores as well. And those of you who are local or who know me personally are always welcome to purchase the paperback directly from me as well. The last 14 months writing and publishing this book have been busy but rewarding. I pray you will find them rewarding for you too. I really believe it will help almost everyone but those very advanced in the spiritual life to come closer to Christ. Now for the fun stuff! Visit Contemplative Homeschool to enter the contest and see the other contests and events marking the release of  Trusting God with St. Therese.

During prayer one day, the Lord spoke to me. "You know I conquered sin and death."    I don't why I knew it, but I knew this was instruction about my prayer, about how to pray.  "Yes Lord".  Thinking:  What is He trying to tell me?. ..CLICK HERE...

Does your summer bend the rules a bit? In our house, bedtimes become a little fuzzier, trips to the pool cut piano practicing short, and french fries count as a vegetable at cookouts. The ambling summer months feel expansive, and spending time outside on long sunny days gives one plenty of "scope for imagination," as Anne of Green Gables would say. Imagination is always available, of course, but sometimes the leisure of summertime reminds us how creative we can be. Slow days ease the rigidity of lock-step schedules, and imaginative play breathes life into our family activities. Suddenly that pile of leftover mulch becomes a human ant hill. A bucket of water becomes a stew, flavored with rock-onions, twig-carrots, and maple-leaf-spices. My brothers and I always pretended the cracks in our driveway were cavities in a giant's tooth, and we (newly appointed dentists) had to clean out all the gravel with sticks before the giant's anesthesia wore off. Ah, summer! Cal

I was shocked when I discovered that I functioned as if I was the centre of the universe. Shocked because I  really did not grasp that my whole paradigm was skewed. Shocked because I thought I had given my life to God. Shocked to understand just how much inner transformation it takes to say with St. Paul,  ” No longer I that lives but Christ that lives in me.” read more>

The Supreme Court decision in  Hobby Lobby  allowing corporations not to pay for abortifacient contraceptives on conscience grounds infuriated many. Some activists responded by rearranging the goods on Hobby Lobby shelves to spell out slogans such as "Pro-Choice" and "All Women Deserve Birth Control" in order to demonstrate their  mature femininity    fitness as sexual partners    political savvy   anger. (For more equally emotional responses,  click here .) The battle cry seemed to be  "We want our non-procreative sex and we want it for free!" "There is this new attitude that 'if my pleasure is something I deem good, then you should pay into it and enable me as well,'" commented one of my friends on Facebook. With utterly inescapable logic, she concluded that, based on this reasoning, the government should subsidize her daily ration of dark chocolate as well. The argument is as follows: Read more here...

(From Peter Kennett, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) (M31, the Great Andromeda Galaxy, one of 54 galaxies in the Local Group , photographed in 2005.) Folks can see the Andromeda Galaxy from Earth's northern hemisphere: on a clear night with no moon, anyway. Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi gets credit for 'discovering' it: but I'm pretty sure that quite a few folks had seen it before he mentioned "A Little Cloud" in " Book of Fixed Stars, " somewhere around 964. Knowledge and Change In 1764, Charles Messier, another astronomer, put the galaxy in his catalog as a nebula: object M31. By the 19th century, astronomers realized that some light from the Andromeda "nebula" resembled light from stars. In 1925, Edwin Hubble used observations of Cepheid variable stars to demonstrate that the Andromeda Galaxy was another " island universe :" far outside our Milky Way Galaxy. Light from the Andromeda Galaxy passing Earth toda

What happens to the seeds that fall to you? Matthew 13: 3-8 After my husband left, I spent hours, or was it days, weeks, or even months, wondering what had happened to his faith. Despite going through 12 years of Catholic school, his faith in God was weak. He'd claimed I brought him to faith and then ruined faith for him, but as I look back over the years at red flags I should have taken more notice of and at my own weaknesses, my own feeble faith, I wonder about the seeds each of us sowed and at the ground those seeds were planted in. If I follow his suggestion that my leading him to faith planted the Seed of the Word of God in him, then I also found myself asking… Was he the path and were the birds who came to eat up the little bit of faith I'd planted, devils of temptation in the forms of greed, lust, and pride? And why did I stop at just a little bit of seed? Why hadn't I planted so much seed that it couldn't be stolen away? Was he the rocky

Have you ever reached the end of a book to find yourself feeling a little sad that it was finished; as if you were saying goodbye to good friends? That is how I felt as I closed Tobit’s Dog , by Michael Nicholas Richard .   Tobit’s Dog is a novel based on the beautiful Old Testament book of Tobit. I had never read Tobit in its entirety, and decided to do so before reading the novel. As I moved on to Tobit’s Dog , I quickly discovered how creatively and thoughtfully the author brought the Biblical book into the Twentieth Century.      The story is about the Messager family (a black family living in North Carolina during the Great Depression) and their many trials, sufferings, and joys. I immediately connected with Tobit Messager, his wife Anna, his son Tobias and of course his faithful companion Okra. Read more here...

All... I was afraid to write some of the posts I have posted lately.  Part of me didn't want to write them, because of what they could cost me.  Yes, I have written the truth, I will not deny that, ever.  And I was commanded to write.  He said,  "You MUST write."   "OK I will." And write I shall.  The truth I tell could cost me dearly.  It has already begun to cost me, but because of my love, I will be obedient.  The Mathematics I love, may be only a dream, a certificate on the wall.   I may never get to use it.  Not my will but yours.  When you know the truth, any pain of any loss is small compared to the pain of the state of souls in the world. .... READ MORE.

Whenever something wonderful would happen My grandmother would say "Only God!" Whenever there was a great need... Please continue reading @  mommynovenas.org

In my exhaustion, I choose to completely  let go and let God . In purposeful trust, I choose to finally  let go and let God . In the gift of faith, I excitedly  let go and let God . I choose to see and believe that God is for me—and if God is for me, who can be against me? I choose to understand and know that God is my friend—and if God is my friend, who can be my enemy? I choose to eagerly accept that God has a plan for my life—and if God has a plan for my life,  why would I not let go and let God? Cheryl Dickow www.BezalelBooks.com Picture: ©   Luiba Tandit   | Dreamstime.com