Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Folks were hanging around after an evening prayer service Sunday, when someone came into the building and started shooting. 19 of the 50-plus folks there were injured, five hospitalized in critical condition. Six are now dead.... ...This week's news hasn't been all bad. A GoFundMe page raising funds for the Islamic Center of Victoria, Texas, that burned last Saturday has collected upwards of $900,000 so far. 1 I've never met the men who died Sunday night, I don't know their families. The same goes for folks affected by Saturday's fire. Why should I care what happens to them? I've got reasons: some involving enlightened self-interest . More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

    En un mundo plural y diverso, la palabra tolerancia ha ido tomando importancia ante la globalización e interconexión del mundo   para saber convivir con el otro cuando éste piensa o es distinto de nosotros .Pero en el camino a la popularidad se le ha asignado una esencia radicalmente distinta a su significado e intención que le ha asignado la cultura del individualismo moderno, , rayando en la indiferencia y el abandono. Pero entonces ¿es tolerancia lo que se promueve en las esferas políticas y organizaciones internacionales?

As the Morning Rising: When Mercy's Work is Done. : When Mercy's Work Is Done St Brigid used rushes to make a cross when giving instruction in the faith to a dying man ...

Hold onto your knickers, because you are about to be taken on one heck of a ride with Hijacked , by Leslie Lynch. Ben Martin, undercover DEA agent, finds himself between a rock and a hard place after a drug bust goes bad, leaving him with a bullet wound in his shoulder and a need to escape – quickly! He sees no other outlet than a small plane going through pre-flight checks at a small airfield. The lone pilot should be easy to overtake, thought Ben – and away we go! As Ben hijacks the plane, he learns the pilot is a woman, one Lannis Parker. As Lannis is forced to fly Ben out of harm’s way (by the barrel of Ben’s gun), the adventure begins; so too, a relationship, of sorts, between captive and captor. You see, the actual hijacking is only one-half of the story. Once the plane lands, Ben must keep Lannis captive for several days, so that she will be safe from the people after Ben. What follows is an examination of the human soul in relationship, one to another. This story is fill...

As the Morning Rising: A Spark of Human Kindness : Any of us can experience Michelangelo-type moments if we stretch ourselves, if we move beyond the comfortable and reach out with all t...

I like to imagine that, were he living in our age, St. Francis de Sales would be a blogger.  After reading the following on Catholic Online, I suspect my idea may not be all that far-fetched....   "Francis' unusual patience kept him working.  No one would listen to him, no one would even open their door.  So Francis found a way to get under the door.  He wrote out his sermons, copied them by hand, and slipped them under the doors.  This is the first record we have of religious tracts being used to communicate with people."  It is primarily because of his tracts, copied tirelessly by hand and slipped under doors, that Francis de Sales has been named patron of Catholic journalists. I cannot imagine a more appropriate saint for bloggers. May he pray for all who slip faithful, God-honoring, blog posts through today's cyber-doors... from thecloisteredheart.org

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft." ( Psalms 19:2 ) Okay, so who is this message proclaimed to? Us, apparently. One of the ways we can learn about God is by noticing order and beauty in the universe. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 31 - 32 , 319 ) St. Bonaventure said that the universe communicates God's glory, St. Thomas Aquinas said that the Almighty creates because God is good and loving. (Catechism, 293 ) I think they're right. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Reflection by  Susanne Timpani 'The sun has played havoc on your Celtic skin.' Dr Raju tilted her head. I'd never considered myself a member of the Celtic clan before. For a moment I felt I had been plucked from their midst and deposited into my current, sunburnt, country. 'The cream will irritate, redden, wrinkle, blotch and burn your skin,' she muttered as her hand swept across her script pad, 'but it will halt the changes to your cells and prevent skin cancer...  Read more: https://susannetimpani.blogspot.com.au/ If I take the wings of the morning     and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me,     and your right hand shall hold me fast. Psalm 139: 9-10

Sermon on the Mountain, Károly Ferenczy Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings (Jerusalem Bible Gospel Matthew 4:12-23 [or 12-17] ( NRSV,Catholic Ed ) When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on ...

The Fire of Australia, a whacking great chunk of opal, isn't particularly interesting from a 'science' viewpoint. But I'm human, which is probably why anything big and shiny gets my attention: including that rock. Wrenching myself back on-topic, scientists found a stream of liquid metal flowing at the edge of Earth's core. Studying it may help us learn why Earth's magnetic field flip-flops at apparently-irregular intervals. What we'll learn is beyond me: we didn't know much about geomagnetic reversal when I started school. We still don't, for that matter. As I keep saying, there is a very great deal left to learn. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

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I sat in  Mass Sunday praying for Christian unity as Catholics have done this week for at least 100 years. The irony that this week, THIS  week, we dedicate to prayer for unity struck me as I sang one of my favorite, old hymns, They Will Know We Are Christians . This weekend Donald J. Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States of America, and this weekend women marched on Washington DC and in cities all over the world in opposition to Trump. While opposing parties were ideologically far apart, too often their dominating messages were indistinguishable, filled with accusations, vulgarity, and ridicule. United in Ugliness. United in Sin. Both groups, in varying degrees, turned their backs on love and unity preferring instead to inflame and degrade. In varying degrees both engaged in six of the seven deadly sins this weekend alone as they chose to respond to what should have been the world's best example of a peaceful tu...

As the Morning Rising: Grace : Grace Cleaved by grace Your heart split open Issuing forth all the love A heart can hold at any given time And like pure gold Its...

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Due to popular demand ("popular demand" being defined here as incredible pressure from friends and family), my Catholic novel Nearer the Dawn is now available in paperback. If you prefer Kindle, it is on sale for just 99 ¢.  And, as usual, all net profits from both Kindle and paperback sales go to charity. This book arose from a question I asked myself: What would an atheist do if he witnessed a miracle? The synopsis:  What if you had everything the world could offer yet were still dissatisfied? Frank Devore has it all: international fame and a billion dollar fortune. None of it, however, can save his fatally ill daughter, Audrey. But when Audrey is astonishingly cured through the simple touch of a mysterious young woman, Frank searches for answers--and is enmeshed in a battle between an angel and a demon in which the lives of thousands are threatened. For ages 13 and up. www.amazon.com/Nearer-Dawn-J-Avila/dp/1539837904

Patience is my most difficult virtue to master. I have difficulty waiting for things and answers to prayers in God’s time. I see the need for urgent response to prayer. Yet, for some reason, the Lord sees things differently. He does not see the urgency I see. That is my first clue, that MY plan may not necessarily be His plan. So what is His plan for me? When He “delays” in revealing His plan for me, I get frustrated. I lose patience. Does this sound familiar to you? Can you relate? Patience Requires Trust When I get frustrated, I must acknowledge that the root of my impatience is a lack of trust in God’s Providence. I question God’s logistics, using my limited scope of vision. I realize that much of what I hope for seems impossible to achieve without God’s involvement. Therefore, patience requires... Read more...

Last week I attended the funeral of a little ninety-three-year-old Chinese woman, "Alice." Long ago I had been introduced to her as the mother of a friend and sized her up as a sweet, gentle lady who probably spent most of her life in the kitchen making beef chop suey, wonton soup, and egg rolls.  Only now do I know what a powerhouse she was. I should have guessed it from her accomplished adult children. Alice, a graduate of a leading university in Shanghai, was one of the first female journalists in China and interviewed prominent people. During the civil war there, she led more than twenty family members to safety. The homily at her funeral Mass and the masterful eulogy delivered by her son shed even more light on this remarkable woman, whose life touched thousands. Apparently we humans are good at instantly drawing conclusions about other people. It's said that if a stranger resembles someone we know and like, we immediately think favorably of them. ...

"I'm not confrontational." "I'm a perfectionist." Have you ever heard one of these above statements? Life is hard. It can be burdensome, challenging, and parenthood and all that that entails is often "easier said than done." I think we make it harder, though, when we portray to the world that everything is well and good- perfect, even- and we don't allow the light of vulnerability to shine in and make community possible and even reachable. Read the rest at tacywilliamsbeck.com

As the Morning Rising: Music ( Poem) : Music We lift up our hearts. The buried song resounds Once more. From ocean depths To highest heaven There soars In silenc...

Okay! I’ve kept my mouth shut, and stayed out of the fray up to this point. I’ve listened to all of the commentary on television and in social media. I see the deep division of ideological beliefs strangling our nation. With that, I am reminded of the slogan, united we stand; divided we fall . As a nation, we are deeply divided. If we don’t get our act together, and begin to act like grown-ups, we will only see our nation go into further decline. We will fall. Our democracy is in jeopardy. I’ve stayed on the sidelines, and not weighed in, until now, because I lived that life of negativity, speaking truth to my audit clients; telling them what was wrong and needed to be fixed, only to receive a deaf ear. I left auditing and obtained my Masters in Pastoral Theology so that I could inspire people; not tear them down. However, what I see occurring within the Halls of Congress, as well as on television via the pundits, on social media, and in person-to-person discussions regarding ou...

It is one of my favorite scenes in Scripture. Thomas, who had not been present when Jesus appeared to the disciples just after His Resurrection, was skeptical. "'I will never believe it,' said he, 'without probing the nailprints in His hands, without putting my finger in the nailmarks and my hand into His side...' What strikes me most about this is Jesus' tender mercy to Thomas. There are no reprimands. Our Lord doesn't say "oh you of little faith, why do you doubt? You've got to exercise faith , Thomas! You can do it! Just make up your mind!" No. Jesus simply offers Thomas the precise help he needs.. ( continue reading.. .)

My father-in-law has been asked if he's conservative — or liberal. His answer: "I'm Catholic." I'd give the same answer. Catholic teachings are quite definite, so it's possible to peg them on the American political spectrum — as long as you don't look at the big picture. Taking bits and pieces of Catholic beliefs, and the history of Catholics in America, I could claim that the Catholic Church is conservative or liberal. That would be as big a mistake as seeing all conservatives as hate-fueled foes of diversity, or all liberals as irresponsible lunatics. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

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Climate change is still in the news. So is a growing crack in an Antarctic ice sheet, and a Ladybird Book co-authored by England's Prince Charles. The book, "Climate Change," is a Ladybird Expert Book: written with adults in mind.... ...This post has an afterword, mostly my take on climate change and being human.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Neubrandenburg, Caspar David Friedrich  The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death  light has dawned (Matthew 4:16, NRSVCE). Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel Matthew 4:12-23 [or 12-17] ( NRSV, Anglicised Catholic Ed ) Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: ‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.’ From that time Jesus began to p...

It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders which the Most High God has done for me.  Daniel 4:2-3 God Straightened My Spine  A nurse, with a freshly scrubbed face in running shoes and jeans, announced she had a gift of praying for people with crooked spines, scoliosis. My friend elbowed me and I shyly raised my hand only a little higher than my head. The nurse spotted me right away,”Come right up here to the front and I will pray with you for a physical healing.” I sighed and stood up front, trying to open my heart to God but feeling self-conscious and doubtful. As she prayed for me, I felt nothing- no heat or tingling, stretching or shifting of bones. When the nurse had me touch my toes again, I assumed I would fail this test.  Instead, the nurse excitedly announced to the crowd, “Her spine is straight”. She smiled at the audience. Then she sat me down on a chair, “Look, your legs are now the same length. How do you feel?” I was in shock...

I’ve long been interested in the Japanese Catholic Church — we love St. Francis Xavier in my family (and the CCC movie  Francis Xavier and the Samurai’s Lost Treasure  is a favorite), and this bit  from  The Catholic Encyclopedia  at New Advent  is amazing and so moving: “ There is not in the whole history of the Church a single people who can offer to the admiration of the Christian world annals as glorious, and a martyrology as lengthy, as those of the people of Japan .” Indeed there are huge lists of Venerables, Blesseds, and Saints who were  born in Japan  and  died in Japan  and — being that I’m always looking through the lens of Catholic names — I’ve always been interested by the fact that every single one of them has a familiar saint’s name for a first name. I know there are Japanese Catholics with Japanese names (like the aforementioned Shusaku Endo; I did actually look to see if he also had a Christian ...

As the Morning Rising: Lasting Truth, Enduring Love : Open my heart to the beauty of lasting truth Lord, so that I will rest safe in the knowledge that nothing can come between me and Your ...

Just like most people, I do not simply break a rule here and there;  no, like every other human being, I continually break the most fundamental law of the universe without any conscious effort by refusing to accept reality.  Instead of realizing my place in the universe, as one of God’s creations, I put on masks and false personalities in a vain attempt to deny my very nature.  In pride, I act like a queen at the  centre  my own little world. Even worse, I steal God’s job by trying to save myself by my own efforts. continue reading

Ever since Charlemagne was enthroned as Holy Roman Emperor in AD 800 Europe gradually became a safer place in which to live. It became increasingly easier to travel and to trade as the centuries rolled by. It was a slow process, but by the time Francis was a young man his father was only one of many merchants who had made a fortune in the sort of trading that would have been impossible before, when sacking and pillaging was the most common way of becoming rich. In the Middle Ages the best sackers and pillagers tended to become the worst landowners, as they enslaved most of their minions and taxed the rest into permanent penury, offering only safety from other sackers and pillagers for their pains. Gradually in Europe the survival of the fittest dictated the arrival of a new world order with the strongest at the top and the weakest at the bottom. This new world order came to be called feudalism.   read on...

If you are looking for a way to bring virtue to the workplace, without coming across as a “Holy Roller,” then Virtuous Leadership , by Alexandre Havard is the book for you! Right from the book’s introduction you learn that “leadership is character” (Introduction xi). Havard tells us that people obtain good character as a the result of perseverance toward personal excellence. So, how do we achieve personal excellence? We do so through the practice of virtue. Havard is a man after my own heart! He speaks my language; the language of virtue. We perceive and interpret things through the lens of character. By strengthening our character – i.e., by growing in virtue – we improve our ability to deliberate in the light of reason (p. 70).   In Virtuous Leadership , the author deftly covers the major components of virtuous leadership; ... Read more...

In November as I sat in a Newark airport at a crowded gate, across from me was a dark-skinned man in a turban, a Sikh. Suddenly he left. When he reappeared, he was pushing an elderly woman in a wheelchair, which he parked by me. Her husband sat on the other side of the empty chair beside me. The four of us chatted, and I gestured to the Sikh that he sit in the empty chair. He shook his head, probably because he was thoughtfully leaving it for someone else. Shortly, a Black woman dressed elegantly for a funeral sat in the chair. The woman in the wheelchair asked the Sufi if he were a doctor. He was. She said she thought so because of his kindness. He explained that in his religion when someone was in need, you must act to help. It has to be so much a part of you that you don’t think twice. You respond spontaneously. And then you don’t reflect on your good deed later, or you will get a swelled ego! Boarding the plane, I glanced back and the Sikh gave me a thumbs-up. Click ...

El Señor Jesús se ha donado y sigue donándose a nosotros, para llenarnos de toda la misericordia y la gracia del Padre. Somos nosotros, por tanto, los que podemos convertirnos en cierto sentido en jueces de nosotros mismos, auto condenándonos a la exclusión de la comunión con Dios y con los hermanos, con la profunda soledad y tristeza que esto produce.

I was determined to leave my mark before leaving school, but, as I could not make it in the academic field, I decided that I would have to do it on the athletic field. I spent hours in the gym building up my muscles, on the track increasing my speed, and with my trainer perfecting my technique. On the very last day, I broke the school record at the pole vault and won a gold medal for winning the county Championships at the same time. But, as there were no other competitors, I threw my medal into the bin – it was not worthy of a place in the school’s trophy cabinet. I thought the whole thing was a waste of time, but on reflection, it did teach me something worthwhile that I have never forgotten. There is no accomplishment of any kind that you can attain merely by desiring to have it. It must be learned and this means giving ever increasing time and energy to perfecting it. As my trainer used to say,   practice makes perfect.  This is particularly true of trying to ...

As the Morning Rising: Purity of Intention : Purity of intention Sometimes we do something with the intention of pleasing another and the whole thing is misunderstood. We can...

Do you ever get the feeling that when you are facing struggles, you are alone? That no one other than you face such challenges? That everyone else seems to have it so much easier? That is exactly what happened to me recently. Back in 2008, when the US suffered the financial meltdown, and many people lost their jobs, I was one of the lucky ones who maintained my job. Selfishly, at the time, I didn’t give this national problem much attention, because it didn’t impact me directly. Now eight+ years later, with an unemployment rate lower than 5%, my husband lost his job in August, and at 63 is having difficulty finding a new job. With such a low unemployment rate, we don’t know anyone else in such a position – therefore, we feel as though we face this struggle alone. Then one day, I was standing... Read more... 

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(from The Cloistered Heart.org)

Last week's Gospel reading, Matthew 2:1 - 12 , ends with a sort of cliffhanger. "Magi from the east" arrived in Bethlehem, found our Lord's house, and paid their respects.... ...Or maybe not so much — we read Matthew 2:13 - 18 on December 28. I don't suppose we'll see the massacre of the innocents 1 in an animated Christmas special any time soon. It's far from the most cheerful parts of the Bible. That didn't keep folks in Coventry from including it in their Shearmen and Tailors' Pageant . We got " Coventry Carol " from that mystery play.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Madonna and Child with the Lamb of God, Cesare da Sesto Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales,) Gospel John 1:29-34 ( NRSV ) The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’ Sunday Reflections for the Feast of the Santo Niño (Philippines) are here . San Alfonso de Liguori Parish, Rom...

Life, and evolution, has been happening for quite a while. Cities are new, but the same processes happen there; with slightly different results. We're learning how urban environments affect critters, and are piecing together more of humanity's story.... ...I see no problem with believing that God is creating a universe that's following knowable physical laws. That's just as well, since it's what we're told to believe.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

As the Morning Rising: The Cross ( Poetry Pamphlet ) : I'm happy to announce the publication of a new pamphlet - the third in a series of five. It contains 33 poems and refl...

When I eat a piece of toast and drink a cup of tea, The tea and toast become part of me. When I eat His Body and drink His Blood, I become part of Christ. Too often I think  I am making room for the Eucharist within the confines of my puny self. YET . . .  continue

The Call to Follow  In August, 2014, Pope Francis resumed his catechesis on the Church, during his first General Audience since June. He focused his teaching on how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament by giving a new teaching on mercy in the beatitudes. Key Points: 1.)“John points to Jesus and calls us to follow him in repentance and conversion. The new law which Jesus gives in the Sermon on the Mount perfects the law given to Moses on Mount Sinai.” In the Sermon on the Mount we are introduced to The Golden Rule – “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” (NRSV- Catholic Ed). What I find particularly appealing about this translation is the first two words – IN EVERYTHING. Read more of this blog and the rest of the WorthRevisit linkup.... All Rights Reserved, Allison Gingras 2017

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Eleven days into the new year – How’s that resolution coming along? Still going strong, or has the willpower waned? Making positive change is not always so easy. We all have good intentions as the ball drops at midnight on New Year’s Day. We even have that gung-ho attitude on the first Monday back to work. Everyone is ready to hit the salad bar rather than the burger joint. The local gym is overcrowded with people working out. Self-Control is on steroids! Then, after a few days, the desire to keep up the diet, or go to the gym, or resist that cigarette seems to wane. What is one to do? How can you keep your new year’s resolution to improve your life when your willpower seems to desert you and your self-control becomes non-existent? Read more...

When someone calls me Catherine, I don’t like it. My name is Kathleen. We are sensitive about our names because they stand for us. I wonder how the Savior feels when we call him Jesus. He and his people spoke  Aramaic, which has no “J” sound.  His name would have been Yeshua, a common Jewish name. It’s akin to the name of Joshua, the great leader who succeeded Moses and led the people through Jericho into the promised land. Both names are short forms of Jehoshua, which means “Yahweh is his salvation.” The name Yeshua then is appropriate for the savior of the world. We use the Greek equivalent Jesus. I don’t suppose he minds it, no more than my Italian friend Lorenzo minds being called Lawrence here in America. As Shakespeare observed, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Click to continue

Death at a Bible study back in 2015, and at Fort Lauderdale airport last week, has been in the news. It's probably not as exciting as what glitterati were wearing and saying at the Golden Globe Awards ; but I figured now would be a good time to talk about those deaths, and decisions More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

“Where Art Meets Your Soul” I enjoy discovering and promoting contemporary Catholic artists. Pavol Olsavsky III, a Slovakian-born artist, stepped out and contacted me after seeing my post,  Ladislav Zaborsky: Imprisoned for His Art.   Olsavsky has been influenced mainly by this Slovakian master, who just died before Christmas 2016. I can see Zaborsky’s influence in Olsavsky’s use of brilliant colours and light. continue

Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. This day marks the end of Jesus’ private life and the beginning of His public ministry. On the River Jordan, Jesus allowed Himself to be baptized with water by Saint John the Baptist. As Jesus came out of the water, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, hovering over Jesus’ head, with the Father’s voice resounding “ This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased ” (Matt 3:17). God the Father makes this declarative statement, clearly articulating that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The second half of the commentary is an expression of the Father’s love for His Son. Jesus is Our God, and He is loved by the Father in union with the Holy Spirit – Trinitarian Love expressed at the Baptism of Our Lord. Correlation to Our Own Baptism We experienced that same Trinitarian love when we were baptized. The Father... Read more... 

Around the 14th century, the magi were said to represent the three known races of the time, European, Asian, and African. Whatever the truth, the wise men were brave, curious and open to God’s inspiration as they studied the Hebrew Scriptures and the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. Among these, they found the words of Balaam:   “A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel”  (Numbers 24:17, ) read more and see more art