Association Of Catholic Bloggers

In today’s Gospel, we hear from the blind beggar, who begs Jesus to hear his plea. Jesus asks in response: What do you want me to do for you? (Luke 18:41) The beggar asks Jesus to cure him of his blindness. Jesus responds, “have sight; your faith has saved you” (Luke 18:42). So, the blind man now sees, and he sees through the eyes of faith. It is because of the man’s faith that he not only sees physically, but he also comes to understand spiritually that Jesus is Our Savior and Redeemer. Jesus Asks You This Question, Too! This is a hefty question to consider. If Jesus sat across from you today, and asked you the same question, how would you respond? Would you ask for money, power and/or fame? Would you want Him to solve your transient problems of the day? Perhaps you would ask for a physical cure of your own illness. Or maybe you would seek understanding, wisdom and knowledge of God. Whatever your need, God is ready to listen. However, I think... read more...

 FOR WHAT IS TRUST? TO FIND OUT CLICK HERE

Since the age of eight my closest friend was, what  later  came to be called 'gay', although the word did not exist in those days. All I knew was that he was, and always has been my best friend, not least because we were complimentary to each other, but most of all because he would never let me down. Vincent was a brilliant pianist and had most of the classical repertoire in his head when I couldn't read or  write with any proficiency. By the time I could he had a degree in English from Cambridge and became a lecturer for the rest of his life. He hated sports of all kinds and I was good at almost all of them. When I was in dire straits and in danger of being left homeless it was Vincent who offered me a home. At his funeral I cried for the first time in living memory.           read on.......

FAITH IS NOT ENOUGH. SO, WHAT IS MISSING? GOOD WORKS? LOVE? SACRIFICE? SOMETHING ELSE? TO FIND THE ANSWER CLICK HERE

We all know the quote from St. Paul which assures us that everything works out for the good for those who trust in God. We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) Well, our family has seen this truth dramatized over and over again.
My sixth child discovered she had gestational diabetes. (This disappears immediately after you give birth.) After living on a strict cleansing diet for six months to try to cure her migraines before pregnancy, she was devastated but resigned to another two months of eliminating anything that tastes good from her diet, constantly eating small measured meals, and jabbing herself with a needle twice a day to test her blood sugar.
Gestational Diabetes Worked Out for the Goodcontinue reading

The Adoration of the Name of Jesus, El Greco [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)
GospelMark 13:24-32 (New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition)
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven,and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory.Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generat…

In today’s Gospel, we hear the parable of the ten lepers. Of the ten, only one Samaritan leper came back to thank Jesus for curing him. Jesus’ response was rather frank, and in the form of a series of questions: Ten were cleansed, were they not?Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God? (Luke 17:17-18) So, I’ll get right to the point, on this post. Are you more like the nine who failed to return to give thanks? Or, are you more like the one Samaritan leper because you thank Jesus routinely for His blessings? Maybe, you are somewhere along the spectrum between these two extremes. Thank Jesus Today Everything good that we have comes from God; from the... Read more...

At dinner the other night an elderly friend I'll call Lucy told us a touching story. A few years ago on her anniversary, she was sorely missing her deceased husband. She lived alone, and there was no one to share her sadness and console her. She figured that her children would not remember this date that was so special to her.
Lucy thought, If only I could get a hug. She sent a mental note to her angel: "Please send someone to give me a hug." Then she remembered that when she went shopping, she usually met someone she knew. Surely that day she would find a friend and be able to share the news that it was her anniversary. Click to continue

Fr Seán F. Doherty 22 March 1935 - 21 October 2018
Fr Seán F. Doherty was born on 22 March 1935 in Knockagulla, Lisdoonvarna, County Clare, Ireland. He was educated at Rathbane National School, Lisdoonvarna, and St Mary’s College, Galway. He entered St Columban’s, Dalgan Park, Navan, in September 1953 and  was ordained priest on 21 December 1959.


Lisdoonvarna Main Street[Wikipedia]
Father Seán was assigned to Korea and after initial language studies he served as assistant on Heuksando (Heuksan Island), then in Jang Seung and later in Muan - all in the southern Diocese of Kwangju. On returning to Korea after his first home visit to Ireland in 1967, he served as pastor in Shin Chang, on Cheju Island, and later in Tjang Heung in Chollanamdo Province.


Heuksando, Korea[Wikipedia]
In May 1971 he returned to Ireland. Over the next four years he did supply work in a variety of locations: in Glengormley Parish, Belfast in the Diocese of Down and Connor,  in Killavil, Cloonloo and Foxford in the Dioc…

It’s that time of year, when the leaves fall from the trees, signaling winter is on the way. The smell of pumpkin pies waft through the air. The flag football game ends with a round of beers and good cheer. It’s also the time of year that we tend to open our hearts and our pocketbooks and look to ease the strain of those less fortunate. We enter the season of compassion. The holidays can be a difficult time for some people; especially if someone we love has recently passed away. Or, perhaps someone we love has lost a job. Loss and holiday cheer are at opposite ends of the celebration spectrum. Enter the Season of CompassionThose of us with much are called to give to those with little. Might you have an extra seat around your dinner table, at Thanksgiving and/or Christmas? If so, invite a family member, or friend, who is going through a tough time. Let them know you love them. Show compassion.Might you have a few extra dollars in your wallet to purchase some food for your local food pantr…

SPEAKING IN TONGUES. WHAT IS IT? IS IT GENUINE? OR FAKE? PLEASE SHARE YOUR VIEWS. YOUR OPINION IS IMPORTANT  SO THAT WE MAY LEARN FROM EACH OTHER. CLICK HERE

Happy feast day Blessed John Duns Scotus 8/11/2018

He saw so clearly that God had planned that his son, for whom the world was created, would be made flesh to live in and rule over that world as Christ the King. From this Duns Scotus argued that the very moment that God had made this decision, then that decision included a human mother, how else would he be made flesh? As Scotus put it – “If God wills an end, he must will the means.” This was obviously before creation had taken place in space and time, so his mother would have been conceived perfect in every way, as the mother of the Word to be made flesh, or if you like, Immaculate.

read on.....

FREE ON KINDLE NOVEMBER 9-13. MYCHRISTIAN NOVEL ABOUT TRUSTING GOD: "AMARANTH" https://www.amazon.com/Amaranth-J-Avila-ebook/dp/B00WSCJT64 Would you take an elixir that made you perpetually young and physically immortal? What if the price for it was your eternal soul? Billionaire Desmond Sceller acquires such a wonder drug. But when eighty-year-old Marie Long is rejuvenated by it against her will, she quickly discovers unending beauty and youth is not the paradise it seems. Sceller, however, intends on using the elixir to entice all mankind into submitting to his tyrannical control. When Marie and her grandson Peter unearth this evil scheme, they soon discover that only an extraordinary sacrifice on their part can free humanity from Sceller’s nefarious plan. For ages 13 and up.

The Widow's Mite, James Tissot [Wikipedia]

Readings(New American Bible: Philippines, USA)
Readings(Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)
GospelMark 12:38-44 [or 41-44] (New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition)
[As Jesus taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’]
He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to th…

One of the great mysteries of our Faith is the Holy Trinity. No matter how much we may scratch our heads, I doubt we’ll be able to understand it. Not that we are meant to, I suppose. This is because over the years we have treated the Holy Trinity as some sort of puzzle which we are meant to resolve, and once we do so, we gain a prize of some kind. Let’s see if I can shed some light on this mystery.CLICK HERE

Today would have been my parent’s 73rd wedding anniversary. I truly treasure them! Yet, there’s not much to celebrate, today, because they both passed away about 18 years ago. I lost my dad in August 1999, and my mom died 26 weeks later, on February 17, 2000. Together for 55 years, I can’t tell you the number of times my mom would say, “I’m going to leave him.” Yet, she never did! Then after he passed away, my mom felt lost without my dad. She didn’t want to live any more without him. She easily succumbed to an illness, and before I could catch my breath regarding my dad’s passing, I lost my mom too. It’s stunning how we tend not to appreciate what is right in front of us, until it’s gone. That was true for my mom, and it is true for me. My guess is that it just might be true for you, too. It is only in my parent’s absence, that I truly treasure the memories of their presence. For example, my dad was not a mushy, sentimental kind of guy. He was a man of little words. So, he wasn’t on…

Many people worldwide are gripped by fear. Maybe you fear something right now: a doctor visit, an impending hurricane, a performance or talk you must give, or the loss of a loved one. This strong emotion can be an asset when it protects us from danger. “Don’t go near the fire,” moms say. “You might get burned and end up in the hospital.”  Fear of falling keeps me from risking my life bungee jumping and scaling mountains. But most often, fear is negative—especially when it is fueled by imagination. Unfounded fears can keep us from being the best person we can be.  Fear have several harmful effects. They rob us of peace, erode our concentration, deprive us of sleep, and ruin our appetite. They take a toll on our mental and physical health. So how do we tame fears? Click to continue

VISIONS CLICK HERE

Charlotte’s Honor, by Ellen Gable, a sequel to Julia’s Gifts, is set in wartime Europe during the summer of 1918. Here, we find Charlotte Zielinski, working as a nurse at a field hospital in France. In Julia’s Gifts, Charlotte was a supporting character. Here in Charlotte’s Honor, we see Charlotte, with her hopes and dreams, take center stage along with the reality of war. The days are long, and the work is hard, but Charlotte finds solace tending to the dying, as each takes their last breaths. Someone needs to be by their sides, as no one should die alone. As Charlotte tends to the dying, she meets young Dr. Paul Kilgallen. She’s smitten with him, and he’s smitten with her. However, there was this thing called a war that seemed to continuously get in the way of Charlotte and Paul’s developing relationship. Then, there is a third person, named Hannah, who was “determined to make him her own” (p. 25). Hannah would do anything to discredit Charlotte, so that Dr. “Tall and Handsome” woul…

Nos está tocando vivir días inquietantes de atmósfera cargada, no solo por la contaminación, sino por tantos rumores encargados de desestabilizar al país y con él a sus habitantes. Nada tan nocivo como un bulo que empieza como chispa de un lugar oscuro en corazones perversos, en bocas malsanas que traman asustar, inquietar y destruir la paz y confianza de los hombres que con el esfuerzo cotidiano buscan dar empuje y un buen rumbo al país.


leer mas...