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I’m really torn on this, and I would like to know how you feel. When it comes to the death penalty, I tend to lean in favor of it for some crimes. However, if I were on a jury, I’m not sure I could vote in favor of giving the death penalty, but if a member of my family were murdered, I think I would be in favor of the death penalty as a means of punishment. Pope Francis, on his recent visit to the United States, encouraged us, as a country, to get rid of the death penalty. He even wrote a letter to the state of Georgia asking for mercy in the case of Kelly Kissander, who had been on death row for 18 years and was finally executed last night. This case is another reason why I am torn.  Read More at Prayerfully Yours

A father’s three-year-old son was playing quietly with his trains in his room—too quietly maybe. The father went to check on him. As he looked into the room, he saw the boy get up from the trains, run to the statue of the Sacred Heart, pick it up and kiss it. “Why did you do that?” the father asked. The boy replied, “Because he’s a good guy.” A question posed to students and retreatants is, If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Here is a similar one: Would someone visiting your home know that you were Christian? Mentally walk through the rooms of your house. What signs are there of your faith in Jesus Christ? These items are not merely for show, but to remind your family (and others) of God and prompt you to pray. Your home doesn't need to look like a religious goods store, but shouldn't something in it reflect your faith? Click to continue

Piety Pointers We could all use some. So here is my little list to share with you. Perhaps you have additional ones to add to this list. If so, please share with the group: Have reverence for God by worshiping Him By reverence, I mean to hold God in awe, recognizing His omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), omnipresent (all present) Being. Have respect for God, and all that He is, when worshipping Him. Be on time for church services. Dress modestly in church. Actively participate in church services (be fully present in mind and body). Revere the silence of… Read more...

The Archangels triumphing over Lucifer  by Marco D’Oggiono Today we celebrate the feast of the Archangels St. Gabriel-  Man of God or  Strength of God St. Michael-  Who is like God St. Raphael-  Divine healer Angels are mentioned over 3000 times in scripture, but these three are the only ones ever mentioned by name. Raphael The Archangel Gabriel The Church of St Mary and St Gabriel West Sussex, 2009 By Philip Jackson continue 

October 1 is the feast of St. Therese, Carmelite nun and Doctor of the Church. I have a giveaway and some special deals to celebrate. But first, here are five things you may not have known about this beloved saint. 1. She almost died as an infant. Before Therese was even born, her mother, Blessed Zelie Martin, was already suffering from the breast cancer that would eventually kill her. She was unable to nurse Therese properly, but did not want to turn her over to a wet-nurse. A previous daughter had died in a nurse's care, and daughter Celine had not fared well with a nurse either. Eventually, when Therese was nearly starved, Zelie did find a nurse for her. Therese lived with the nurse for over a year. Afterwards, she had trouble re-attaching to her own mother. 2. She dreamed of posing as a penitent. Therese and her father, Blessed Louis Martin, used to bring fish to an order of nuns that cared for penitent girls. Some of the girls would join the order. Ther

Photo ©2015 Grace Mazza Urbanski. All rights reserved. I found her! The only crabby lady in Philadelphia! And Jesus loves her like crazy. Read all about it at Praying with Grace .

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“The Internet…is something truly good, a gift from God.”   Pope Francis The pope speaks out loudly and clearly, without compromise on a variety of topics such as: true charity, women, part-time Christians, the internet as a gift from God, prayer, each child as a gift,  a Church which is bruised,  Peter denying Christ, climate change, and the fact we have a Lord who is capable of crying with us…. continue reading

Today, I was reading some old blogging prompts I collected. I use them when I hit a writer’s block. I have found these prompts do spark a few ideas. The propmt that caught my attention today was this: From Where do you draw your energy? My first thought was, duh! The electric company! Of course, that could be a credible answer or start of a post, but, I think the writer of the prompt was looking for a bit more than that. Read More at Prayerfully Yours.

My family and I love to celebrate the Feast of St. Michael, or Michaelmas, every year. This year, the Feast of St. Michael falls on Tuesday, September 29th.  I love to honor this Feast day by making a blackberry crumble for dessert, served warm from the oven with vanilla bean ice cream.  If you don't already, why not consider starting a Michaelmas family tradition of your own?   If you're not familiar with some of the customs around the Feast of St. Michael, or Michaelmas, I found this wonderful article (which includes recipes!).  

Hi! I'm Charlotte, the new blogger on the block. I am a Catholic convert and an old hand at homeschooling (my nest is almost empty!). I love to give advice to the young moms around me because Moms are my heroes!!  Here's one thing I've said a lot: your home is YOU! It embraces your children and is the context that makes you present to them without you micro-managing every aspect of their day. The first kids often get so much of mom's attention, and then they feel guilty when more come along and they can't be as constantly present to the newbies. I think this is God's way of providing more space for the kids!

Pious – What’s it all about? Pious must mean somebody else, and not you or me, right? Hmm…No, I’m talking to you and to myself. We all have the capability of being pious, because we have each been gifted with piety at our Confirmations, when the Holy Spirit descended upon each of us and bestowed His seven gifts, of which Piety is one of them. You say, “all well and good, but what’s in it for me to be holy, a.k.a. pious? How is being pious any fun?” Let me share with you Pope Francis’ brief catechesis on piety, and… Read more...

If your hand leads you to sin, cut it off. If your eye leads you to sin, pluck it out. John 17 These are the words spoken in Sunday's Gospel. Sounds kind of harsh, doesn't it? We often think of the words spoken in this Gospel as hypothetical examples of the extreme. Jesus  didn't really mean cut off your hand for taking something that doesn't belong to you; He didn't really mean pluck your eye out for looking greedily or lustfully at another. That sounds more like Sharia law. Surely He couldn't have meant that! Jesus certainly did not want to impose Sharia law upon Christians. He wasn't like that. Sharia law is designed to punish. Sharia law is meant to cause pain. Sharia law is imposed on one person by another. Sharia law is man's weak attempt to impose justice on an unjust world. Sharia law is intended to provide revenge for those who feel, correctly or incorrectly, wronged. Jesus was not about providing justice in an unjust worl

The first few weeks of September are always challenging. Trading the lazy days of summer for the regular routine of school work and after-school activities generally does not bring out the best in myself or the rest of my family. This past week was no exception.  Filled with sibling squabbles, Mommy melt-downs and an empty gas tank (both literally and figuratively), let's just say that no one would mistake us for the Holy Family. I suppose I should not be surprised considering that I live in a factory and life in a factory can be messy, imperfect and downright hard work.  Read more here....

I found this rock when Pixie and I were walking. Why it caught my eye, I don’t know, but on the first pass, I ignored it. On the second pass, I reached down and put this treasure in my hand. When I picked up the rock, it was rough and uneven, but surprisingly, it fit into my hand, perfectly. I even changed the end of the rock. One end is somewhat pointed. One end is rounder and dull. The rock looks like it was hand carved to fit a hand. I was amazed at that. I’ve kept this rock around me. I wonder about it. Read More at Prayerfully Yours

(from The Cloistered Heart)

I'll be quoting Pope Francis quite a bit today, starting with this bit from the news: " ...Speaking on Sunday (Sept. 13) to the Argentine radio station, FM Milenium, Francis lamented those who posed as his friends to exploit him, and decried religious fundamentalism. " And speaking to Portugal's Radio Renascenca in an interview that aired on Monday, Francis put his own popularity into perspective: 'Jesus also, for a certain time, was very popular, and look at how that turned out.'... " (" Pope Francis: 'Jesus was popular and look how that turned out' ," David Gibson, Religion News Service (September 14, 2015)) David Gibson apparently paid attention to what Pope Francis said. Some other headlines, from derivative stories are — imaginative. Others perhaps show a better understanding of the Pope than displayed by the occasional outraged Catholic.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

St John the Evangelist , El Greco, 1614 Museo de El Greco,Toledo,Spain Web Gallery of Art Gospel Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 ( NRV – Catholic Edition , Can) John said to Jesus, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us."But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward. Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and 1he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better

Tomorrow, it’s another full day for our beloved Pontiff, Francis, then he will be returning to Rome. I don’t know about you, but I have been glued to the TV watcing every bit of coverage that I could of Pope Francis’ visit. I laughed. I cried very often just to be in his telelvision presence. God blessed our country with this Papal visit! There were those who said cruel and unkind word about our Holy Father, claiming that they are true to Christ and His Church, but rejecting His Vicar, who follows in Peter’s footsteps. That is so very sad. They need our prayers. They cannot be Catholics if they reject the leader of the Church. I feel very badly for them. Read More at Prayerfully Yours.

SOURCE If you've been living in a cave this week, you might not know Pope Francis is in the U.S. for a few days. He's drawing record crowds. Even non-Catholics seem to like him.  He's humble and welcoming.  He's not going to change Catholic doctrine, but he extends genuine love and compassion to all.  Here are some facts about him you might not know. 1.  As a young man, he had part of one lung removed due to an infection. 2.  While in college, he worked as a bouncer in a bar to pay for his studies.  The makes me chuckle. CONTINUE READING HERE...

I have to admit, I was a brat. Now, I’m not so much of a brat as I am awestruck by the realization that my mother allowed me to survive into adulthood. I’m convinced she paid her purgatorial debt on earth by raising me. She had her hands full! I stumbled on this prayer today, and I remembered it from my childhood. I was “forced” to lead the grace when we ate, at times. I thought of my brathood, I mean, my childhood, and I have to smile. I feel a bit younger when I slip into the sing song of leading this grace when I didin’t want to when we ate. My mother’s name was Grayce. I’m sure the Blessed Mother poured down the graces she needed to raise me.  Read more at Prayerfully Yours

I have not been able to shake a heavy feeling I've had since I first heard the news about the Kentucky clerk who refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses. The heaviness, I’ve come to realize, has had very little to do with the issue of same-sex marriage. What I’ve been feeling is embarrassed by my fellow Christians.

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Kidney failure isn't always fatal these days. Hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis can keep someone alive until a transplant donor shows up. Kidney problems kill about a million folks each year. It's not the leading cause of death for my 7,250,000,000-plus neighbors, but that's still a lot of deaths. Scientists in Japan grew working kidneys in rats and pigs. We're years away from grow-your-own kidneys for patients: but I think that's coming. Meanwhile, a scientist in England wants permission to collect people for genetic experiments. The Francis Crick Institute, Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority, and BBC News describe the proposal more discretely. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Pope Francis is capturing the media’s attention with his visit to Cuba and the United States this week.  So, a young woman currently working as a journalist in New York City, who is part of Columbia University’s M.S. program, interviewed me over the phone on Monday about Pope Francis’ announcement regarding abortion forgiveness for women. My positive reaction to the pope’s decision shocked this journalist at first. It seems almost everyone she has interviewed so far were, to use her words, “judgmental” and against Pope Francis’s  decision.  Thus, it was my turn to be shocked. In my opinion, what could be more fitting than to open the Jubilee Year of Mercy 2016 by welcoming women who have suffered an abortion back into full communion with the Church? Who were these practicing Catholics  she interviewed who refuse to extend  forgiveness to women who are burdened with guilt after having an abortion? Have they never sinned? Are they so perfect they fall into the trap of demandin

“Take note: if the Church is alive, she must always surprise. It is incumbent upon the living Church to astound.” I will never forget the words I heard at the  EASTER VIGIL  on  30 March 2013  during the homily of Pope Francis at the  Vatican Basilica. His words surprised me and gave me a glimpse of his own, inner spirituality. The pope understands Christianity is a vibrant relationship with the Living God. Yes, Catholicism has dogma, teachings, rules with roots back to St. Peter but rules to not define our faith.  A Catholic is a son of God The Father,  a brother to Christ and a person whose constant companion is the Holy Spirit. This is not a static life, a routine of monotonous prayers and ritual. Ritual is merely a way to interact with the Living God who constantly draws us closer to His heart. continue

Ken Kistler: Photo attribution When I was 8, we had a project, in school, in which we were to describe something about, the now, Saint Junipero Serra. Of course we had learned the story of the missions he had established to bring the native American population to Jesus, all along the coast of California. He risked life and limb to bring as many converts into the Catholic Church. Today, September 23, 2015, Blessed Junipero Serra became Saint Junipero Serra by Pope Francis as he visits our country! Saint Junipero Serra! At the time, our new saint was simply known as Father Junipero Serra. To enrich our studies of this holy man and the missions he established, my godparents took me to the San Jaun Capistrono Mission. The wonder of this mission is that every year, the birds return on the same day, every year. We weren’t there when the birds returned, but that was all right. Read More at: Prayerfully Yours

Reflection Choosing the topic of holiness, I provided a quote on day 1 that addressed holiness stemming from the family. On day two, we moved to the workplace, and today we speak of holiness’ impact when allowed to permeate society: “How little people know who think that holiness is dull. When one meets the real thing, it is irresistible.” – C.S. Lewis When we pray together as a family, within the confines of our homes, we become more comfortable with prayer in general. When we pray, we grow closer to Christ. Through our prayers, Jesus gives us the strength to take virtue into the workplace to act with honesty, integrity, generosity, and kindness. These virtues help us to grow in holiness and we become beacons of light to others; beacons of joy. As a beacon of light shone outward, our holiness begins to permeate society. Others see our beacon of light and are drawn to it. Our joy is infectious. Our virtue is esteemed by others. People want what we have – they want holiness, b

Heaven How often do you think about it? Do you ever wonder what it is going to be like? Mansions in the sky? A feast to top all feasts? Whatever your concept of Heaven might be, there is something that you need to be working on right now if you ever want to see it: developing the virtue of Piety, in the here and now. Piety is both a gift from the Holy Spirit and a virtue. To be pious, or in other words, to possess piety, means that you are holy, or saintly, in your thoughts words and deeds. Do you think of others’ needs and address them before your own? Do you speak well of others, and of God, or... Read more...

St. Padre Pio Via Franciscan Media: In one of the largest such ceremonies in history, Pope John Paul II canonized Padre Pio of Pietrelcina on June 16, 2002. It was the 45th canonization ceremony in Pope John Paul's pontificate. More than 300,000 people braved blistering heat as they filled St. Peter's Square and nearby streets.  They heard the Holy Father praise the new saint for his prayer and charity. "This is the most concrete synthesis of Padre Pio's teaching," said the pope. He also stressed Padre Pio's witness to the power of suffering. If accepted with love, the Holy Father stressed, such suffering can lead to "a privileged path of sanctity."

When someone sneezes, we automatically respond, “God bless you.” (Supposedly this practice was begun by Pope Gregory the Great during the plague.) My answering machine message ends with “Have a blessed day!” Just what is a blessing? It is a prayer to call down God’s goodness and protection on someone or something. When Jacob was dying, he gave a special blessing to each of the twelve tribes of Israel. People brought their children to Jesus so that he might bless them. A papal blessing is the gift of the pope’s apostolic blessing on the occasion of a special anniversary or celebration and certified by a beautiful document from Rome. Priests bless us at the end of Mass, and they bless rosaries, pets, and houses. But popes, priests, and deacons are not the only ones who can bless. The catechism states, “Every baptized person is called to be a blessing and to bless.” (2669) We can bestow blessings because our baptism made us a priestly people. It makes sense that family memb

Troy is away at college now and has earned the respect of his brothers as you can see by the placement of his photo. I may have stopped them from removing the pictures, but they've discovered other ways of showing how much greater they are than their brothers! I SO Love these Great but foolish children We moved into this house in a rush. I was a little down about having to leave the house I thought we'd live in forever, the house I thought my ex and I would welcome grandchildren in for sleepovers and host family barbecues like those my Grandparents threw. Moving into this house didn't leave me the energy or desire to do much decorating so when I hung the photos of the boys in the living room, it really stood out. To me, it wasn't a big deal. I didn't place them in any particular order. I didn't put one child's photo ahead of another. I simply measured halfheartedly, hammered a few nails in the wall, and voila - pictures of my boys were hung. To co

I felt so inspired by Pope Francis’ homily during his last Mass in Santiago, Cuba — relating to the Visitation — on Tuesday, Sept 22 [thanks to EWTN] that I wanted to share it with you here. Below, therefore, is some of what I heard this day on being CALLED OUT (using my own notes which I took via the live translation on EWTN) ...and on the REVOLUTION OF TENDERNESS! >> Click Here To Read More At: The Way To Nourish For Life >>

“Faith is passed by contact, from one person to another,  just as a candle is lighted from another.” This quote and image illustrate the Holy Saturday Vigil. The church is dark. A bonfire, made from last years blessed palms, blazes outside. A priest lights the Pascal candle from this fire. He chants three times- once at the back of the church, once in the middle and again in front of the altar “Christ is the light of the world.” Then the celebrant invites the faithful to reach up and light their own tiny taper from this Pascal candle. The scene is powerful, as a slow but steady tidal wave of light sweeps through the congregation as each person lights their own candle, one from another. Soon the whole sanctuary is ablaze with a warm light, reflected on each face. read more

As we looked around the kitchen, something caught my eye. The curtains in the living room--the only curtains still up in the house--jogged my memory. As I had been cleaning out my grandmother's cedar chest, I kept coming back to this one pair of curtains. I didn't know why and couldn't figure out why they were speaking to me. They definitely weren't her prettiest curtains. After picking them up for the fifth time, I decided to take them and maybe I would figure out their significance later---and there they were, the same curtains! Read more on Veils and Vocations .

Holiness is achievable for you!Do you believe me, or do you buy into the greatest lie ever told? “ Holiness is not possible…is the greatest lie that we tell ourselves .” – Matthew Kelly, renowned Catholic public speaker, Dynamic Catholic I thought this to be an appropriate quote to share for the second of three days in meeting the Three Day Quote Challenge offered to me by Melanie Jean Juneau of Joy of Nine9 . Thanks Melanie for this challenge. I am having a lot of fun with it, addressing the virtue of piety that begins at home (day 1’s post), moves to the workplace (today’s post) and permeates throughout society (tomorrow’s post). The rules of this challenge: Post one quotation a day for three days (they can be from other sources or one of your own). Nominate 3 other bloggers to participate per post. Thank the blogger who nominated you. Reflection It was just yesterday, that I was listening to Matthew Kelly’s audio broadcast, Faith at Work and the Holy Moment , cour

I found this on Facebook. The source that is credited there is the Catholic News Agency . I looked at that schedule. Pope Francis is 78 years old. How will Pope Francis keep up with the schedule? I don’t think that I could, even though I am much younger than he is. My only conclusion is that the Holy Spirit fills him with love and that love turns into endurance that endurance turns into even greater love for the people whom  Pope Francis serves. Pope Francis has chosen his service. His service is to love all, not just a select few, but everyone. His love for humanity fills the heavens with prayer and service to them.  Read more at Prayerfully Yours

A variety of wholesome vegetables are steaming in their matching crockery. Tall glasses of cool, filtered water reflect the light streaming in from the bay window. The smiling children are not only washed, but dressed in clean, properly sized clothing. The angels are singing. Just another typical mealtime at your house. Because you are a stock photo. ©Monkey Business Images Ltd/Getty Images OR No one started the dishwasher, so the tableware is an adventurous collection of paper plates and "probably clean" dishes. The three-year old is screaming because her Dino-Nugget head is burnt. Ketchup is the vegetable. Again. Oh, and does anyone know where the baby is? Whichever scenario looks more like your family, have I got a dinner game for you! World Meeting of Families: The Trivia Game Let the trivia begin at Praying with Grace !

Since Pope Francis is once again capturing the media’s attention with his visit to Cuba and the United States this week,  my response to this challenge will focus on quotes from the pope. My dilemma will be in choosing only three quotes from a man who embodies  the mercy and love of Christ. Thanks to   Virginia for reminding me to post my blog's first post in the Three- Day Quote Challenge on ACWB. continue

Melanie Jean Juneau, of Joy of Nine 9 , noted for her sense of humor, and motherly skills, has tagged me for the Three Day Quote Challenge . I’m always up for a challenge, so thanks Melanie for the honor of participating in this little endeavor to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.The rules of this challenge: Post one quotation a day for three days (they can be from other sources or one of your own). Nominate 3 other bloggers to participate per post. Thank the blogger who nominated you. Being one to blog about the virtues, of course, my quotes will center on the virtues that bring us to holiness. There are so many to choose from, it is going to be hard to pick. However,... Read more...

When you are grateful, you know you are loved. To be loved is to be held in high esteem and closeness by another person. To give thanks to the giver, elevates the joy and love that we are given when we return that joy and love to our beloved. When we praise and thank God for all the gifts He has given us, we return to Him the joy and love of His children. “So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” 1 John 4:16 Read more at Prayerfully Yours

One of the things I decided to do while on vacation was to visit the  Swedish American Museum  in Andersonville in Chicago.  I hadn't been there in at least ten years.  It was nice to see the exhibits again and to visit my dad's brick on the Immigrant Wall. You can read the article and view the photo gallery at Being Catholic ... Really .

Bias serves no good purpose. To be biased means to have preconceived notions, or prejudices; in essence to pre-judge someone based upon their looks, words and/or actions. Therefore, bias is the opposite of disinterestedness. We are all guilty of some degree of bias. Sometimes, to remove bias from our lives, we need to step outside of our comfort zones, and open our minds and hearts to others. How often do you avoid talking to someone that you don’t know well, just because of their looks, assuming that you have nothing in common? Ever hear the phrase, ‘don’t judge a book by its cover?’ Well, here’s a great example... Read more...

As a Bible-loving Christian and practicing Catholic, I have many reasons to believe in the importance of forgiving others. But even if we put aside “theology”, I believe our common human experience gives us several reasons why we should all forgive people who offend us. It’s quite possible that no offense was intended.  Think for a moment about how many times you have unintentionally offended someone. Then think of how many times you have  deliberately  offended someone else just to hurt them. My guess is that the first number is significantly larger than the second. Now think of how many times you’ve been offended. Is it possible that you are upset about unintentional offenses? If so, why further the conflict instead of forgiving the person and moving on? If you knew all your transgressor has been through, you would probably feel more pity than anger.  When a person does lash out, deliberately intended to hurt another person, it usually means they themselves have been deepl

(From Libreria Editrice Vaticana, used w/o permission.) Pope Francis arrived in Havana, Cuba, yesterday. It's his first stop on the latest apostolic journey.... ...Getting back to the Pope's visit to Cuba and the United States, the Philadelphia Phillies have been giving away Pope Francis Rookie Cards.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Taking a block of time for prayer each day can be a life-changer. Yet keeping the commitment to do so is a struggle for me. I sometimes put it off until I'm ready to fall into bed, and then find myself omitting it entirely. I wonder what I might have missed on such days. What inspiration, guidance and insights did God have waiting for me? Were there special gifts? Was there a precious jewel that I left, ignored and unwrapped, while I ooohed and aaahed over the world's offerings of glitter and plastic? (continue...)