Association Of Catholic Bloggers

 The lastest on my blog, about a memory from Kindergarten. I spent a semester in a public school kindergarten. Back then we not only prayed before we had our snack of milk and graham crackers (“God is great, God is good, and so we bless Him for this food”) but we had a nap during class time. This entailed lying down on floor mats. My teacher, who happened to have somewhere procured a magic wand, came up with the unusual idea of a “Nap Fairy.” continue

According to the Gospels, Jesus was aware of the horrible way his life would end on earth. This might have put a pall on his thirty-three years. He could have spent each day dreading his future. Maybe that is why there is no record of Jesus laughing or even smiling. But when you think about it, Jesus had wonderful experiences that he wouldn’t have had being God alone. He knew the tender love of a mother and the care of a hardworking father. As a lad, he had the joy of racing the other boys in Nazareth and wrestling with them. He had the opportunity to share meals with others and to experience the fellowship of good friends. Because he had five senses, he felt the wind blowing through his hair and the warm sun on his back. He smelled his mother’s freshly baked bread and tasted it. He had the satisfaction of creating things out of wood, singing psalms, and teaching others face to face.  Click to Continue

Do you remember, as a child, those last lazy days of August, soaking up the last bit of summer before the new school year would start? You made every attempt to get that last bit of fun in before your days filled with school work. Preparing for the New School Year Over Labor Day weekend you shopped for new clothes and new supplies. I remember taking brown grocery bags and cutting them up to make book covers for my books. That was back in the day when, as children, we had actual hardcover text books, that our parents paid for and we could keep! (I went to Catholic grade school). Palpable hope exuded in the atmosphere... Read more...

I am super excited to be apart of this project! I love the fact that our company seeks out work with other charitable organizations and institutions. On Oct. 8th we will be hosting a Fall Family Fest in Penns Grove, NJ! I can't wait and I really am excited that if we are successful we will be able to make a difference (even if its small), for the River Walk and surrounding community. If you know an organization or institution that would be fairly local and would like to help out, please feel free to contact me. I am the event manager. All of the information is available on the website.  We I choose to come back to the church and give myself to charity, I never realized how much I would be doing and the impact that those small things make in a community. I am proud to be a part of this and happy to share with you, please feel free to contact me if your are interested in helping out with the event and you are in the area.  Check out out at  http://www.riverwalkjunction.com/h

Dancing demands a freed person, one who vibrates with the equipoise of all his powers. I praise the dance. O man, learn to dance, or else the angels in heaven will not know what to do with you.                 Saint Augustine Is joy at the heart of your life in Christ? Many Catholics feel beleaguered as they struggle to stand up for the truth in an increasingly hostile environment. Of course, it is easy to become so busy addressing serious moral and religious issues that our spirituality is relegated to Sunday Mass and a few Hail Marys rattled off on the run.  However, if we are determined to be effective agents of change in society, we must make time to learn how to live in, with, and through Christ. Only when we are filled with the power of Holy Spirit, we will witness effectively with joy, with a dance in our step. The average Catholic probably thinks sanctity is for a select few and certainly does not associate play with holiness continue reading 

One of my greatest attributes is to not only be acutely aware of my many deficiencies; but also very willing to own up to them.  The one deficiency that I regret the most - and try the hardest to overcome is my lack of hospitality and thoughtfulness.  Though, probably a more fair assessment would be my lack of follow through! I often think of the nice or caring things I could do to help others - however, for a myriad of reasons (none of them good); my follow-through statistics are very low.   At first this behavior came from self-preservation and lack of instruction; but as an adult with fully formed conscience it is not longer acceptable behavior.   AWARENESS IS NOT HALF THE BATTLE While I would love to say, that once I realized the necessity of a life in Christ to include reaching out to others my behavior changed - I can not.  I still every day have to resist my self-absorbed ways.  In all too painful ways the Lord has allowed me to feel the DEEP regret of not acting on an inspir

Week four was probably the hardest week of the whole challenge. Week fours questions were longer and even though a question was added every week. As you begin to review the questions in reference to your daily life, the questions became more extensive. You begin to really begin to dig deeper into your soul. As I went through this challenge I think that one that stood out for me was a reoccurring theme for me was trust, faith, and prayer. A friend of mine (whom I love dearly) and we spoke about Ephesians and how "nothing is new under the sun". One of the things I learned from this challenge was that certain problems that plague the world aren't new at all. In fact, it shows that no matter what time period you live in certain things like love, responsibility, faith are universal and span through time even after we return to the dust of the Earth. Click here to continue 

Today we remember the Passion of Saint John the Baptist, who gave his life as a martyr for the sake of moral truths. The backdrop leading up to his death presented much scandal and deceit. It started with a warning by John the Baptist to Herod that Herod should not have taken up with Herod’s own sister-in-law (the wife of Herod’s own brother, Philip). Rather than having John the Baptist killed for having the audacity to call Herod out, Herod placed him in prison. “ Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man ” (Mark 6:20). Yet Herodias, Philip’s wife and now Herod’s lover, had other designs. She wanted... Read more...

I was drawn to the idea of a cloister in my heart. I longed for a place to retreat from the world, to be alone with Jesus. I not only longed for a place where I could escape the noise of life around me, but I also dreamed of providing a place in my heart where Jesus could find respite from this world... (continue) 

As the Morning Rising: Does God Exist? : Is there such a being as God? I asked in the desert of my loneliness, but nothing stirred at all. Is there really a God? I asked the...

I think the universe is billions, not thousands, of years old; Earth isn't flat; Adam and Eve aren't German; poetry isn't science; and thinking is not a sin. If you've been reading my posts, you know why being a Christian doesn't interfere with my interest in science. Feel free to skip the rest of this post. It's mostly about reading the Bible, the universe, and getting a grip. I'll be back next Friday, 1 most likely talking about Proxima Centauri b , a planet orbiting the next star over from ours: in Proxima's habitable zone. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Right now the Kindle version of my novel  Nearer the Dawn  is on sale for just 99¢. You can find it here:  https://www.amazon.com/Nearer-Dawn-J-Avila-ebook/dp/B00J1AVQLM As usual, all net profits go to charity. If you don’t own a Kindle, you can download Kindle onto your computer absolutely free at  https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Digital-Services-LLC-Download/dp/B00UB76290 This is one of the top rated novels on Catholic Fiction.net, where it received a glowing review that will give you some idea what the book’s about:  http://catholicfiction.net/book-review/nearer-th-dawn.php How this book came to be:  I wondered what an atheist would do if he witnessed a miracle.   continue reading

The word  paraclete  means someone who stands by to help. It can be used of a witness, or an advocate to plead our cause. In the Gospel , the Holy Spirit is referred to as the  paraclete . In the day of trouble, we don't need to fear. No less a person than the Holy Spirit of God stands by to help. We just need  to trust. Adapted from Barclay When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how [ a ]  you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that very hour what you ought to say.” Luke 12:11-12

Por @mujer_catolica   En la sociedad actual, la preocupación por el bienestar de las mujeres es una prioridad, sobre todo a nivel de políticas gubernamentales y líneas de acción de miles de organizaciones que se han entregado a la labor de lograr la llamada “equidad de género”. Con todos los logros que este trabajo ha alcanzado, la mayor parte del esfuerzo se ha quedado en cambios estructurales de leyes y beneficios cuantitativos, que han sido importantes, pero que no han logrado permear esta equidad a la fibra social y cultural, dejando sobrevivir actitudes y métodos de relaciones interpersonales que afectan a las mujeres en su área más vulnerable: su vida personal.

GO TO HEAVEN GO DIRECTLY TO HEAVEN DO NOT PASS GO DO NOT COLLECT ... CLICK HERE AND FIND OUT

Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion at Holy Family Home for Girls, Bacolod City Gospel Luke 14:1, 7-14 ( NRSV, Catholic Ed , Canada) On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be

Archeologists found a big stone structure buried under a 43-century-old garbage dump in the Orkney Islands. Öetzi, Europe’s frozen mummy, got his wardrobe from many different critters: why, we don’t know. Piltdown Man’s in the news again, too. Looks like Dawson was the only culprit. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

I struggle, at times, to make myself believe that God is working in our lives. On one level, I know He is always there, guiding us, pouring His graces down on us, but on another level, my doubts and anxieties surface. I don’t recall every asking God, “Why,” but when the pain is burning inside of me, I ask “Why not?” Everyone suffers, some people more than others, but everyone bears a cross. No one gets out of life without something. some kind of pain or suffering. Absolutely no one. Read more at:  Prayerfully Yours

Feeling a little down in the dumps today, so I thought I'd share something humorous I posted back in April. After listening to my sister describe her online debates with anti-Catholics, I put this humble offering together. Your Anti-Catholic Guide As a public service (and with tongue firmly implanted in cheek), I give you the following methods for responding to reasonable arguments made by Catholics. Feel free to choose one or more—whatever’s best suited for you! Shift the burden of proof. It’s true that you are the one who has made the accusation, and you do believe in Innocent Until Proven Guilty, but Catholics  a priori  are guilty, so it falls to them to prove their innocence. Therefore demand that, rather than you proving your claim, it is the Catholic’s responsibility to debunk it. However, don’t forget that because they are guilty, any evidence they provide is always tainted. It’s okay to lie! First of all, you’re saved no matter what you do. Secon

Most people assume that they will spend eternity in heaven. Some of them might be like the Pharisee who prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers. . . . I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” This man thought he was right with God, but Jesus said he wasn’t. We ourselves might say, “I never killed anyone. I go to Mass. I donate to charitable organizations.” But is this enough to get us through the narrow gate that Jesus mentioned in Sunday’s Gospel? It’s a bit disconcerting to hear him say that many people will not be able to get through it! In other words, they will not be “saved.” Click to continue

As with every month, during this Year of Mercy, we choose a different corporal or spiritual work of mercy and dive into the details. This month we discuss the spiritual work of mercy to comfort the sorrowful. It seems like every time I attend a wake for someone’s passing, I never know what to say to the bereft family members. Does that happen to you as well? How does one truly comfort the sorrowful at such a time of great loss? Words seem so inadequate; well, at least my words seem inadequate. At such times, I try to remember what it was like when I was on the receiving end, at the wakes of both of my parents. For me, the mere presence of a trusted friend, who did not need to say a single word, brought me much comfort. She showed how much she cared, just by being present. Sometimes all that is needed is... Read more...   

As the Morning Rising: Beauty All Around : Waterford Cathedral Blessed Edmund Rice Shrine in Waterford Cathedral Cistercian Church Mount Mellary Waterford Fran...

I love this painting of Mary as the Protectress of the Roman People, created in the 5th century. A fascinating carving in stone is thought to be from the 3rd century and features the three Magi bringing gifts to the Christ Child on Mary’s lap. continue

Polio is back in Nigeria: only two cases that we know of; which isn’t particularly comforting, since most folks with polio have no symptoms. The good news is that vaccines are available: and may get to most of those who need them before the disease does. Zika, another viral disease, is still in the news, this time a case in Texas that affected a baby. On a happier note, researchers are making progress on a brain-machine interface that could help folks walk again. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Honestly I can not believe that I am entering in the last week of this challenge. It has truly been enlightening trying align my life with scripture. It has also been interesting how my problems are spoken about in the Bible. No matter what year it is some problems are just universal. This week has been a huge struggle for me. Even staying committed to the challenge. This week my biggest problems were my lack of faith and trust. I know its crazy to admit but there are moments in my life when I am like seriously :”wtf God”. I get angry and challenge him but I do this with all the important people in my life. Click here to continue. 

I can not believe that I am already in week four of this challenge. I am sad that it is almost over. I can honestly say that taking the time to write this for 15 mins a day, has improve my relationship with God and myself. I think that when we take time out of our day to reflect we are helping us become better people. Week One Questions How Do I feel today? What does the Bible say about my feelings? (My Advice is to use your feelings as key words and list the key words in your journal for future reference; this applies to all verse questions.) Where was I weak today? What advice does the Bible give about overcoming my weakness? What is God’s Message today? At the end of week one you write a reflection and Prayer to carry you into the next week. Week 2  Questions How Do I feel today? What does the Bible say about my feelings? (My Advice is to use your feelings as key words and list the key words in your journal for future reference; this applies to all verse questions

I was recently at the doctor’s office for my annual visit. While sitting in the examining room, with nothing to do but wait, I read the ad on the door. It showed a picture of an older woman, holding a placard that said, “My heart beats for______.” She filled in the blank with “my grandkids.” She had a huge smile on her face. The ad promoted preventative health exams. As I sat there looking at the ad, I asked myself, for whom does my heart beat? I hope my husband isn’t too disappointed, but my first instinct was to answer, “My Heart beats for Christ!” Sitting there in awe for a minute, I realized my response, as well as my accompanying relationship with Christ. I love my husband very much. We’ve been together almost 40 years (married more than 37 years). Yet my response was Christ. I live for Christ; to do His will. My Heart Beats for Christ I cannot say that Christ would have always been my first response. In my early thirties... Read more...

When Kevin Vost, Peggy Bowes and Shane Kapler got together to compose a Catholic devotional, the market was already flooded! But these three Catholics are known for their unique blend of Catholic health and wellness for mind AND body; soul AND spirit.   As a guest on EWTN's Journey Home, Peggy Bowes had one of the most watched episodes. Likewise, Vost has shared his story on air and in print. Kapler, whose knowledge in the Jewish faith as the foundation of the Catholic faith, brought a unique perspective as well.   Thus, Tending the Temple was born. A popular Catholic devotional, Tending the Temple really covers it all in succinct daily entries that offer something for mind, body, soul and spirit.   For a limited time, Tending the Temple is free on Amazon . Take advantage and enjoy!   And may God bless you with health of mind, body, soul and spirit.

As the Morning Rising: The Queenship of Mary : This is a treasured relic in Mount Sion Waterford, the Blessed Edmund Rice  Heritage and Resource Centre. Blessed Edmund had great devoti...

from The Cloistered Heart

Rejecting Reality Why the willingness to believe the ludicrous? I discovered one of the reasons a few years ago during a memorable April First. It started with a family friend who is a disc jockey. For a while he was working at a local Oldies station, playing hits from the Sixties and Seventies. He’s a terrific guy with a wonderful sense of humor, and one of the things he loved doing was playing an April Fool’s Day prank on his listeners. One year he asked my husband and me for help with this. He had decided to create a fictitious rock ‘n roll star to interview on his noon show. This fabricated man’s specialty was to be a particular musical instrument, but it had to be something so silly that folks would realize he was playing a joke on them. I suggested the tambourine. It’s an instrument anybody with rhythm can play, and it’s used in lots of rock ‘n roll songs. Not only that, but two songs from the Sixties–“Mr. Tambournine Man” and “Green Tambourine”–are about it. A

    The concept of virginity at this time of deification of sex and the reign of impulses as a method of achieving freedom may sound old-fashioned and even unnatural. In the case of celibacy of priesthood in the Catholic Church,it has been blamed for the decline of priestly vocations and even noted it as the root of the sexual abuse perpetrated by priests. But the experience of married priests that profess in the Catholic Churh of Eastern and Byzantine Rite questions this mainstream reasoning   .

In an effort to remind us to have the good judgement to not judge His children, as our eyes can only see a portion of the whole, our concentration should be on developing OUR best self. I envision  God reinforcing this gift through  Kenneth Slessor's poem: William Street.  ' You find it ugly, I find it lovely.' Search me, O God, and know my heart;  test me and know my thoughts.   Psalm 139:23 Read on:  http://susannetimpani.blogspot.com.au/

Last night I went to see Ben-Hur, the bloodiest movie I think I've ever seen. It was far worse than Friday the 13th or any of the warped bloodfests I pretended to tolerate but was really disgusted by as a teenager. Ben-Hur is not a movie I'd recommend for children and not one I think I'd see again. At the same time, I am very glad I did read it. In some ways, I wish I had just read the book and skipped the movie. I'm a writer so you can probably guess that books hold a special place in my heart. In fact, if I were to become a hoarder you'd probably find me tunneling through stacks of books I'd hoped to get to one day even while I knew there'd never be enough time to devour all I'd want to experience and learn through the writings of others. To continue reading and find out about happy endings, please join me at SingleMomSmiling.com God Bless...

After interviewing Bill Donaghy from The  Theology of the Body Institute  about their upcoming Congress this September, I was filled with hope and joy for the Church.  Bill lives out the core values of the gospel without pretention, probably because he is married with four children and is submerged in” the beautiful mess” of family life. One of his favorite quotes illustrates a profound grasp of what is essential, “We, the women and men of the Church, we are in the middle of a love story: each of us is a link in this chain of love. And if we do not understand this, we have understood nothing of what the Church is….” – Pope Francis Bill Donaghy Ever since Bill discovered the first talks on The Theology of the Body by Pope John Paul II at the age of 16, his life has been formed by this teaching. continue reading

Crowning during a Syro-Malabar Catholic wedding Gospel Luke 13:22-30 NRSV, Catholic Ed . Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then in reply he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in

VISIONS - NEW EDITION PLEASE CLICK HERE

When I take on the identity of a scapegoat, even if I  live a devout, disciplined, ascetic lifestyle with a daily round of mass, rosaries, Eucharistic Adoration and frequent confession, I still fall into a trap. It is a trap that all of us fall into as we try to become devoted disciples of Jesus. It is a type of piety  which focuses on ourselves, our actions, our devotions, and effort. I am at the front and centre, not God. Save us, Saviour of the world, for, by your Cross and Resurrection, you have set us free.-   From the Mass continue reading

This post is quite a departure from my other ones, but I have good reason for putting it up. During this Year of Mercy, it's my attempt to practice the spiritual work of mercy "instruct the ignorant"! For most of my teaching ministry, I taught English. To help my students spell commonly misspelled words, I came up with some devices. These tricks helped me spell, and I thought I'd share them with you. The list here contains my own concoctions as well as traditional ones. Al l r ight:  All right is better than all wrong. Bull e tin:  Who put the bullet in the gun? Calend a r:  It contains da ys. C e m e t e ry:  We go to the cemetery with ease.  Click to continue

Our Moral Life in Christ – College Edition , by Father Peter V. Armenio, is an excellent book for anyone wanting to learn more about moral theology. We live in troubling times, asking ourselves what our world has come to these days. Where have our moral values gone as a society, with all of the terrorist attacks, mass shootings and lack of charity? If you are looking for ways to make this world a better place, then start by reading this book. Change comes from within. We need to look at ourselves first, before pointing the finger at others. I use Our Moral Life in Christ – College Edition in teaching my Fundamentals of Catholic Moral Theology course at the undergraduate level. I find the text offers the sound basics of moral theology in ways that everyone can identify with... Read more... 

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME ... CLICK HERE

I have to say that as this process continues to go forward, I am shocked about how much I am learning about myself and my relationship with God. I am newly returned to my faith and trying to make the right choices in accordance to scriptures while dealing with worldly problems. I have learned this week that if I cast my burdens to God, he blesses me with motivation from the Holy Spirit. I am actually shocked about how much closer I am to God at the end of these two weeks. I can not believe How well this is working. I am so grateful for the 15 mins a day I have devoted to God, are beginning to show results!!! If you are interested in participating please contact me.

I feel so blessed that so many people have reached out to take the challenge. I am truly thankful for each and every one of you. Hey everyone I love that people are interested in doing the 30 day prayer challenge I wrote. I received a lot of questions so I created an outline for people to follow. This is not set in stone just a basic idea for you to build off of. Weeks 1-3 are available for you now. Week four will be available in week four. Week One Questions How Do I feel today? What does the Bible say about my feelings? (My Advice is to use your feelings as key words and list the key words in your journal for future reference; this applies to all verse questions.) Where was I weak today? What advice does the Bible give about overcoming my weakness? What is God’s Message today? At the end of week one you write a reflection and Prayer to carry you into the next week. Click here to continue