Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Why does it seem to be human nature that our first instinct is to complain? Take, for example, my husband’s gripe that the Swiss cheese I bought didn’t have enough holes in it. That’s right: he complained that it didn’t have enough nothing. continue

WHAT A STRANGE STORY YET IS THERE A MESSAGE FOR YOU? CLICK HERE

What a joy it was to read Gary Zimak’s new book, Find a Real Friend in Jesus . I had the opportunity to hear Gary speak at this past summer’s Catholic Writers Guild conference in Chicago. IL. He spoke of his journey and his decision to give his life to Christ. He did not make that decision lightly; it came through much prayer and conversation with Jesus. You may wonder, “How do you have a conversation with Jesus?” Well, in Gary Zimak’s book, Find a Real Friend in Jesus , you learn just how easy it can be to see Jesus become your best friend through conversation! Gary Zimak tackles all of the potential obstacles that stand between you and your ability to develop a strong relationship with Jesus. He breaks down the walls and walks you through ten steps to building a better relationship with Jesus; a relationship better than the one you have today. Read more...

We are in the first week of Advent. Already! The word advent means “coming,” and during Advent we reflect on and prepare for the three comings of Christ: in history in Bethlehem, in mystery every day in the Eucharist and in others, and in majesty at the end of time. While engaged in the flurry and excitement of buying gifts, decorating the tree, and visiting Santa, Catholic families also focus on the real meaning of Christmas, namely, the celebration of the incarnation, God loving us to the extent of becoming a human being to save us. I've collected ways to live a meaningful Advent, in hopes of someday producing a book of family traditions. One or two might appeal to you . . . Click to continue

I wrote this article for Nameberry last year, and thought it might be helpful to post it here in case you know anyone expecting a baby in the next six weeks! I recently went back through the Nameberry archives to see what posts have been done about Christmas names and found articles listing names relating to Christmas movies (Ralphie, Zuzu) and TV specials (Linus, Virginia), seasonal foliage (Holly, Ivy), colors (Crimson, Scarlet), Elf on the Shelf names (Buddy, Nick), and, of course,  the major players  (Mary, Joseph, Emmanuel). What can be said about names relating to Christmas that hasn’t yet been said? I uncovered an untapped source of inspiration in what’s known as the  O Antiphons , the short verses recited, sung, or chanted before the part of Evening Prayer called the Magnificat in the Catholic Church in the week before Christmas Eve...

Today’s Gospel:  Matthew 8, 5-11 In today’s Gospel reading, a Roman centurion comes to Jesus to beg the Lord to heal his sick servant. However, when Jesus responds that he will come and cure his servant, the centurion responds, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” Every day at the height of the every Mass, just before Communion, throughout the entire world, Catholics call to mind the words of this Gentile, a Roman soldier hated by the Jews: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.” We are asking the Lord to heal not our servant, but our inmost being. Catholics repeat the words of this soldier from 2,000 years ago words to prepare us for an incredibly intimate Divine encounter.         continue reading

Islamic centers in California got hate mail recently. At least one of the letters was addressed "To the Children of Satan," and started with "You muslims [!] are a vile and filthy people...." 1 Details are new, but the attitude is all too familiar. Hating Muslims , Hindus , Jews , Catholics , or other 'outsiders' may be easier than coming to terms with personal issues. I don't know why those letters were sent. I also don't know why a Somali refugee drove into a crowd at Ohio State University and hurt some folks with a knife this morning. 2 He had been a student there, and now he's dead. I'm not happy about that, but I think he shouldn't have attacked those folks. I do not think we should deport all Somalis, lock up college students, or ban knives and automobiles. I'll talk about what I think would make sense, after explaining why I'm not upset about Americans who don't look and act exactly like me. More at A Cathol...

Yesterday, we began the season of Advent, a time of preparation, repentance, waiting and joy. Sunday’s second reading from Romans 13:11-14 tells us to clothe ourselves in virtue: Brothers and sisters: You know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.   When we put on the armor of light, we embrace virtue to... Read more...

As the Morning Rising: Advent Poem : Advent Poem Bless my soul, Lord, At this time of waiting And anticipation. May your word be as benediction As I prepare the way for T...

God of power and mercy, open our hearts in welcome. Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy, so that we may share his wisdom and become one with him when he comes in glory, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen continue reading

'Advent is concerned with  that very connection  between memory and hope  which is so necessary to man.  Advent's intention is to awaken  the most profound and emotional  memory within us; namely,  the memory of the God Who became a child.  This is a healing memory;  it brings hope....  It is the beautiful task of Advent  to awaken in all of us  memories of goodness  and thus to open doors of hope.' Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (from The Cloistered Heart)

Today's the start of this year's Advent cycle, leading up to another Christmas. With my culture's annual focus on flying reindeer, decorated trees, and overflow crowds in Bethlehem, this verse from today's Gospel reading might sound odd: " 25 Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come." ( Matthew 24:42 ) We know when Jesus came, and where. That happened about two thousand years ago, near the east end of the Mediterranean. Advent is the season when we look back at our Lord's first arrival. That's important. It's also when we look ahead, to the day when the Son of man returns. That's important, too. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Gospel Matt 24:37- 44 NRSV, Cath.Ed Jesus said to his disciples: For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. One will be taken and one will be left- Matthew 24:40 In February 2000 a friend of mine, Daisy, an enginee...

As the Morning Rising: Tomorrow is Another Country : Tomorrow is another country. The here and now of today is a gift from God, If it pleases Him may I use the hours of light to bring light...

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For a graduate school course I wrote a paper on “thank you.” To my surprise the word “thank” is derived from the word “think.” To thank someone means we are thinking of them and their kind act for us. When a person has done something thoughtful for us, the least we can do is to “think of” or “thank” them in return…especially if we are no position to return the favor. Nowadays we often thank our benefactors via an email or a phone call. A more convincing way to express our gratitude is to write a thank-you note. This entails finding a card and pen, putting a stamp on the envelope, and maybe making a trip to the post office. Click to continue

Last year in 2015, I recorded two interviews for Catholic radio shows. Now you can actually hear my voice and learn more about my faith and life as a convert. Here is a radio interview I did with Elizabeth Reardon, last year on her show on Breadbox Media: An Engaging Faith Featuring Melanie Jean Juneau And if that is not enough for you try this one- 10,700 people have already lived through it: continue

As the Morning Rising: Forgiveness : Forgiveness Muffled against the cold He is a figure in a landscape of quiet roads Halting by a gateway He removes from a coat-pocket A ...

Something's killing Europe's olive trees: a bacterium that's probably spread by insects. Scientists don't know how to stop the disease, not yet. Other scientists analyzed the Ginkgo genome. What they found helps explain the tree's remarkable endurance. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

(from TheBreadboxLetters.com)

An attitude of gratitude is in order as we approach Thanksgiving. We have come upon that time of year when we take stock of all that God has blessed us with and express our thanks. God’s Divine Providence is truly divine! He always meets our needs. Whenever I have a bad, stressful day, I stop and take a few minutes to itemize the things for which I am grateful to God for providing for me. Somehow, rattling off this list always changes my mood. I begin to feel uplifted instantly. The chaos in my brain falls into order. The day’s stresses seem to dissipate. That’s because... Read more...

As the Morning Rising: Duty and Need : Duty and need Often in life we find ourselves in a position where someone else's need is obviously, and immediately, our duty. ...

CONFIRMATION: Anointing with Holy Oil by John Ragai (2013) via  Flickr ,  CC BY 2.0 . I wrote this piece last year for Catholic Mom, and since Confirmation season is upon us again, I thought it might be helpful to share it here, in case you know anybody making his or her Confirmation. Choosing a Confirmation name is an opportunity to choose a name that has special meaning to you, a name that will help you in your journey of faith. By choosing a saint’s name, you’re asking him or her to pray for you in a special way. Having a special connection to someone in Heaven is a big deal! Read more here .

So I do not know if there are any other CCD teachers out there who also have to do “keeping our promises” ( which is a response to dealing with the issues of child abuse in the church), but I would love suggestions. A few weeks ago we were covering boundaries. I was shocked by the actions of my fourth graders. “Why do we have to learn this?!” “This is a girl problem!” “This is stupid” “Rape doesn’t happen around here” (Yes they said rape I was shocked they knew what this was however this student has older siblings) I could go on with this list however this is not what I want to dwell on. I ended up racking my brain for weeks trying to figure out what I was going to do to reach these kids. And with Sunday being that last day in the Year of Mercy, I finally was inspired by the holy spirit. I wrote them this letter: (I probably went a little thick with the Catholic Guilt) To My 4th Graders,

I really like to shop from local and small businesses. There is something about knowing the person who made what you are buying that is so gratifying.  Every year I try to highlight a few of my favorite businesses to introduce you to their products and give my favorite vendors a bit of free publicity. This year I am focusing on Catholic vendors. The wonder of the internet is that "local" takes on a new meaning.  I can purchase items from across the country or around the world and still build up a relationship with the vendor. Many have become special friends, as well.  So please indulge me as I present my picks for this year! Find out more on Veils and Vocations !

Here we go again. The headlines are accurate, as far as they go. " Pope Francis Extends Priests' Ability to Forgive Abortion " Elisabetta Povoledo, The New York Times (November 21, 2016) " Pope Francis extends Catholic priests' right to forgive abortion " Tim Hume, Cristiana Moisescu, Lindsay Isaac; CNN (November 21, 2016) I'm pretty sure we'll see a replay of last year's sound and fury over the Pope's 'changing stand on abortion,' expressed in a letter dated September 1, 2015. 1 The reality was nowhere near as horrific or hopeful as many folks apparently thought.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

I hate pumpkin pie.             If your initial reaction is "How can you hate pumpkin pie?" believe me, I've been asked that a lot. I just can't help it. I don't like the flavor or the texture, especially the flavor.             The problem is that for Thanksgiving, there would be nothing else for dessert. You could have twenty pies, and all of them would be pumpkin. If you invited a guest, that person was bound to show up with—guess what!—yet another pumpkin pie "just in case there isn't enough." So I got to forgo dessert, while five pies remained unsliced and uneaten. continue

If I have learned anything during this past year, it is that the mercy of Christ is limitless and flows like an ocean. Christ’s mercy abounds; filled with love and compassion. Now that this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy has come to a close, I also realize how accessible Christ’s mercy remains. Christ’s door to mercy never closes! Jesus waits patiently for each of us to face up to our sins; to come back to Him, through the sacrament of Reconciliation. Therefore, it is in the confessional that Christ forgives us our sins and graces us with His mercy. Although, we enter feeling shamed, we exit feeling joyous! As we approach the season of Advent, a time of repenting, preparation and joy... Read more...

I don't know anyone who gets married with the intent to divorce. I'd say no one does, but in today's world where right is viewed as wrong and wrong as right, I'm not 100% sure that's true. I will go out on a pretty sturdy limb though to say very few get married with the idea that divorce is a possibility, never mind a certainty or even a probability. Yet, divorce happens. Divorce rates are climbing. This is in part due to no fault divorce brought about by women's lib and the best of short-sighted intentions, but it is not solely the fault of no fault divorce or the court systems, the media, or even the betraying spouse. Fault does not lie with the innocent spouse either. Many know from experience that there can be one who hoped to make marriage work despite increasingly overwhelming odds. Many know from experience that one partner can choose to love while another chooses to turn away. To read the rest of my post on Marriage, divorce, and the F...

It seems that in the United States this measure has had opposite effects to what was sought, and the irony is that the central factor of failure has been something that the Catholic Church has insisted for years on this issue. Desde hace décadas, los gobiernos y organismos internacionales han basado sus métodos de prevención de embarazos adolescentes y enfermedades de transmisión sexual ETS en el uso del condón, con la certeza de que la distribución libre y gratuita de   condones resolvería los problemas que el sexo desprotegido acarrea a los jóvenes. Pero al parecer, en Estados Unidos esta medida ha producido efectos contrarios al que se buscaba, y lo irónico es que el factor central del fracaso ha sido algo en lo que la Iglesia Católica ha insistido por años alrededor de este tema.

(from The Cloistered Heart)

The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy ends today. Some Catholics celebrated the year's start in Rome. I didn't. Like most of us, I've been participating in my own way, where I live. The biggest change in routine for me has been during Mass. We've been receiving the Eucharist under both forms: our Lord's body and blood. If you think that's sounds gory and repulsive, you're not alone.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

As the Morning Rising: Christ the King

(from The Breadbox Letters)

The Power of Images To Change Lives Marie Constantin, the photographer and author of  Finding Calcutta: Memoirs of a Photographer ,  understands   images have power, more power than words alone to impact lives. It was an image in a documentary film that turned Constantin’s life completely around in the early 1990’s. She was a young journalist, completely focused on establishing her career and partying with friends when an image of Mother Teresa holding a starving person flashed across the t.v. screen with the words, “God didn’t do this; we do it because we do not share what we have”.  Suddenly tears streamed down Constantin’s face. The very next day she found herself washing dishes in a soup kitchen run by Mother Teresa’s nuns in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was one photo of Mother Teresa on t.v. which catapulted her into volunteering with the sisters and opened the door to her calling, her vocation. continue reading

Someone from the Netherlands gained a small measure of freedom after learning to use a prototype computer-brain interface. I see that, and experiments with rhesus monkeys, as a good thing.... ...As usual, I'll also talk about why I don't think God is offended when we help folks.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

My  recent post about the alleged lack of naming after women and moms  inspired me to write two different articles on different aspects of  the conversation — one for Catholic Mom and one for Nameberry. Both are now up! Check out  Gender inequality in naming?  at Catholic Mom and  Why So Few Girl Juniors?  at Nameberry. I'd love to hear your thoughts on both articles, either in the comments for the articles themselves, or  on my blog !

Crucifixion ,  Pedro de Campaña, c.1550 Musée du Louvre, Paris  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Gospel   Luke  23:35-43  ( NRSV,Catholic Ed )   The people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at Jesus, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah   of God, his chosen one!’     The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine,   and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’   There was also an inscription over him,   ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding   him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah?   Save yourself and us!’   But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?   And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’   Then he said, ‘Je...

These finger puppets can become the shepherds, wise men or the Holy Family I have more time than money so I like to make my gifts for all my adult “kids,” kids-in-law, and grandkids. It is important in our consumer-driven society to show children they can create toys with things around the house. Boxes can become dollhouses or a car; a blanket can be used to make a tent rather than buying a playhouse. Parents have to encourage and model creativity, making use of material around the house. Teach little ones how to substitute and make do when they don’t have what they  think  they need. continue reading

As the Morning Rising: His Dream for the Children of Light : God has the answers before we pose the questions His orchards are fragrant with fruits from seeds not yet planted Paths are laid d...

This coming Sunday, on the feast of Christ the King, Pope Francis will officially close the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. During this past year, what efforts did you undertake to learn more about Christ’s Mercy? Did you seek it for yourself and your loved ones over the past year? I would love to hear about your endeavors. Please share in the comments section. For me, it has been an extraordinary year learning more about the gift itself, as well as Christ’s expectation that we share it with our neighbor through our own willingness to grant it to others. Over this past year, I devoted one post per month to describe, define and show practical ways of incorporating the various corporal and spiritual works. In case you joined this journey mid-stream, and might have missed a post or two, here’s a recap; with direct links to the associated posts. Read more...  

We’ve just finished a presidential campaign which was discouraging to many because both candidates were flawed. This prompted me to resurrect excerpts from an article I wrote decades ago: “Nobody is perfect.” How glibly we say that, but some of us have difficulty realizing that “nobody” includes us. Most of us, however, wake every morning to find we are our same weak, sinful selves. Seen in the proper perspective, having faults is not so horrible. In fact, just as St. Augustine referred to original sin as a “happy fault,” we can view our weaknesses as special graces. Click to continue

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This showed up in today's news ... CNET's piece quoted part of this Twitter blog post: " Progress on addressing online abuse " (November 15, 2016) "...The amount of abuse, bullying, and harassment we’ve seen across the Internet has risen sharply over the past few years. These behaviors inhibit people from participating on Twitter, or anywhere...."... All that reminded me of a familiar sentiment I saw on Twitter last year: "Sometimes I wish I was religious so I could have an excuse for hating people." ...That's a lot of folks discussing religion and hate. Some agreed with the "excuse for hating people" quote, some didn't, and some discussed something completely different.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Divorce is a brokenness that reaches into the very soul of the individual, the family, and society itself. Divorce devastates financial security leaving women and children destitute, increasing unemployment, poor performance in school, behavioral issues, and homelessness. Divorce increases suicide in men, powerless to protect their families from destruction. No one is immune to persecution in divorce, especially innocent spouses and children. The temptation to sink into the anger, bitterness, and hatred of betrayal can be overwhelming. The warmth the heat of those emotions produces pulls us in, drawing us ever closer like a moth to the flame or a traveller to a blazing hearth on a cold winter night, but warmth from the fires of hate is not warmth for the soul. It is a pull toward living hell. Hell is hot. Souls there suffer burning flames for eternity. Perhaps this is a result of actions committed and words harshly spoken, but I would guess many are also...

As the Morning Rising: The Hope of the World : We are aid workers, sanctified at baptism, fortified by sacraments and then sent out to alleviate the suffering of others whether physic...

Hello all! I'm delighted to be a new member of the ACWB, and wanted to introduce myself! I'm Kate and I write about naming (baby and otherwise) from a Catholic perspective at my blog Sancta Nomina . Expectant parents, Confirmation candidates, clergy and religious, and namiacs of all kinds are very welcome! I post a name consultation every Monday; birth announcements as I receive them; articles at CatholicMom monthly and Nameberry occasionally; and various other bits of information and resources and recommendations for those who love the names of our faith as I do. I love to connect on social media as well -- all that information and anything else you'd like to know can be found here . Thank you for welcoming me!

Ornamental Graces , by Carolyn Astfalk, is a wonderful story, with interesting, compelling and authentic characters that you immediately come to love. Dan Malone, a tortured soul with a troubled past, meets Emily Kowalski, a young woman with dreams unfulfilled. Throughout this story, we see God at work bringing these two souls together time after time, until one day their relationship blossoms. From there, we see these two characters traverse through the journey we call life, with all of its ups and downs. Will Dan ever come to grips with the mistakes he made? Will Emily ever fulfill her dreams? And, will obstacles deprive them of developing the relationship they seemed destined to live? Carolyn Astfalk takes you on a roller-coaster ride, with a story that you will not put down until you obtain the answers to these questions. This is truly a page-turner! While reading this book, I couldn’t wait... Read more...

LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR? NOT LIKELY! NOT ME ... CLICK HERE

St Bonaventure described God’s love as ' a shaft of light that flashes out from the divine darkness',   that suddenly enables believers to see the truth  they have never seen before. For the first time they begin to see the truth about themselves that they did not want to see before. Then it enables them to see the truth about God who they had once created in their own image and likeness and then fallen in love with. This mystical  shaft of light  fills them with wisdom and understanding that enables them to interpret the truth and then fills them with the strength to do the truth, that they could never have done before.  This is why Francis was able to hear and understand the Gospel reading on the feast of St Matthias when he was told to go out speaking the Good News and calling people to repentance. He was given something else too that he didn’t have before, and that was the inner spiritual strength to do it, as Jesus had done before him.    ...

'For my heart is always with Him; day and night it thinks unceasingly   of its heavenly and divine Friend, to Whom it wants to prove its affection.' St. Elizabeth of the Trinity   (The Cloistered Heart)

Depending on who you listen to, Satan prowls Earth's surface, lives in the White House, lurks in Hell, or doesn't exist. About Satan and devils in general, I think C. S. Lewis made a good point.... ...I like most of Gustave Doré's work. That's his illustration for Canto XXXIV of Dante's " Divine Comedy ," Inferno .... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

As the Morning Rising: And we can go there....

As the Morning Rising: And we can go there....

E n las últimas décadas el movimiento feminista preponderante ha abogado y luchado por la equidad de género, la igualdad entre hombres y mujeres, pero a través de la eliminación y descarte de las particularidades y necesidades específicas de las mujeres. Sus efectos ya se han dejado sentir y la insistencia de incorporar a la mujer a todos los ámbitos laborales y sociales en los mismos términos que los hombres han acarreado infinidad de consecuencias para ellas. Uno de estos es el aumento de las violaciones y abusos sexuales que sufren en los ambientes de ocio y entretenimiento. (1) Esto sucede especialmente las mujeres jóvenes del primer mundo de universidades y preparatorias, donde se supone que las políticas de género ya se han aplicado por varias generaciones.

As the Morning Rising: Do not worry about anything : This is what a holy old Russian woman said to a Legionary friend - 'Do not worry about anything.The Bogorodica will take care of eve...

Today is Armistice Day . Over the decades it's been called Poppy or Remembrance Day , and now Americans call it Veteran's Day .... More at A Catholic Citizen in America

Deciding who's dead and who's not isn't always easy. But getting the answer right can be a matter of life or death.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Nave of the Archbasilica of St John Lateran Gospel   Luke 21:5-19  When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said,     ‘As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.’ They asked him, ‘Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?’   And he said, ‘Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, “I am he!”   and, “The time is near!”   Do not go after them. ‘When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.’   Then he said to them, ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;   there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs fr...