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Young Jew as Christ, Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel Mark 13:33-37 ( NRSV,CatholicEd .) Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’ Liam Whelan (1 April 1935 - 5 February 1958) If this is the end, then I'm ready for it. These were the last words of Liam Whelan who died in a plane crash at Munich Airport on 6 February 1958 along with other members o

Hello Friend, Vlogging on simplicity. Simplicity in life is a precious commodity. Not to be ignored. Especially during the Advent Season. All the Christmas prep and such can have us coming going. In mind, body and spirit. I learned through my hardships/disabilities and such. To slow it down. Not easy, but I can tried. View it here on how you can slow down. Through Jesus yes!!! click here 

As we bravely embark on completing all the “tasks” needed to make Christmas merry, we sometimes fail to forget the real reason for the Christmas season. You purchase gifts for everyone on your list. Let me share with you a gift that you will want to purchase for yourself, today! Time to Get Ready, An Advent, Christmas Reader to Wake Your Soul , by Mark A. Villano is a treasure that you will cherish for years to come! Amid the holiday hustle and bustle, Villano gives us a daily retreat that takes only two to three minutes to read each day’s offering. It will spark the imagination and provide food for spiritual thought. Each day’s offering is filled with golden nuggets, helping us to make Advent more spiritual; less commercial. By interspersing Scripture with his own reflections on the biblical passages, Villano offers insight and encouragement. One of my favorite “golden nuggets” was: When we come to see how far God will go to save us, when we come to know how God sees us, how m

Recently I came across this suggestion in a devotional book:  "For the next thirty days, treat everyone you encounter as the most important person in the world." Now that is quite a challenge. This activity ties in with our Advent season in which we focus on the comings of Christ. As our Sunday readings remind us, he came in history announced by John the Baptist and he will come in majesty at the end of the world. But Jesus also comes to us in the form of other people. That, along with his coming in the Eucharist, is indeed his coming in mystery! God’s presence in people is the theme of Leo Tolstoy’s short story about Martin the cobbler who dreamed that God would visit him the next day. All day as the cobbler served the people he encountered, he waited for Jesus. At the end of the day, it was revealed to him that Jesus had indeed come—in those people.  Click to continue

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Yesterday’s celebration of Christ the King is such a perfect way to end out the liturgical year. It’s one of the better changes made in the new missal; I think it seems out of place in the Old Rite, stuck in October. So here we are, at the end of the year, and we get to meditate on the Kingship of Christ. The homily I heard mentioned that God isn’t a genie that we can call up when we need Him, He is a King that we owe our allegiance to. Father also mentioned that we Americans tend to take issue with the idea of being subject to anyone and specifically to a King, but that there is no better monarch to swear our fealty to. Pretty basic thoughts, but I want to go a little more in depth on them. A genie is a fairly simple creature. Rub the lamp, get your wish, genie goes back  in the bottle. Notwithstanding an evil sorcerer and a deranged parrot, you could carry the lamp around with you and call up phenomenal cosmic power every time you get in a pinch. That’s all there is to it.

Most of you have gotten to know me through my blog posts on this website. By sharing my thoughts and experiences, I hope that you grow in virtue and grow closer to God. I am blessed that my blog has been named in the top 100 websites worldwide by Feedspot.com. Yet, a blog can only reach so many people. There are so many more who need to hear the message of Jesus’ Way – via the virtues, prayer and spirituality. So, in addition to blogging on the virtues (and other points of interest), I also do public speaking engagements on matters related to the Catholic faith. In my engagements, I bring the virtues, prayer and spirituality to life, showing others how they can more easily incorporate them into their daily lives. It is truly a rewarding experience. It is my mission to bring to life Jesus’ Way to others. And now, my mission expands. In moving from my desktop computer, to the parish hall, I take Christ’s words of wisdom to His faithful. To date, my speaking engagements have been at

My name is Ann Marie, and I'm a writer living in North Carolina.  I write a blog called Faith and Reason .  Every week, I post an essay in which I explore a topic from a Catholic perspective.  I enjoy discovering new insights by weaving together information and ideas from theology, philosophy, literature, art, history, current events, and science. I hope that you'll visit my blog at https://faithandreason.blog/ and share your thoughts!

Today's Mass is something new, introduced by Pius XI in 1925. We've had it on the last Sunday in Ordinary Time since 1970. Focusing on who and what our Lord is seems like a good way to wrap up the Church calendar. That's how I see it. Today's Gospel reading is Matthew 25:31 - 46 . That's the one starting with "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him...." It's an important part of the Gospels, and not what I'll be talking about today. I'd better explain that. I'm okay with what the Church says about Mass, including how the annual schedule works. I'm not a religious scofflaw, disdaining the laws of God and man. But I don't try to coordinate these 'Sunday' posts with what happens in Mass. I figure it's not a problem, since I'm a Catholic layman — and you're probably not here looking for a homily.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

It has never been easy to discern a vocation, but it is especially difficult for people in the current milieu because modern society is complex and messy. Yet it’s precisely in the complexity and messiness where some of the most important answers in life are found. The good news is no matter how confused we feel, our own unique purpose in life lies deep within our own soul: Discovering vocation does not mean scrambling toward some prize just beyond my reach but accepting the treasure of true self I already possess. Vocation does not come from a voice ‘out there’ calling me to be something I am not. It comes from a voice ‘in here’ calling me to be the person I was born to be, to fulfill the original selfhood given me at birth by God.  ( Fr. Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O ) continue 

By Laura Durant Jesus desires we give ourselves to Him completely, without reserve. In every moment, every situation, in every interaction, in every decision, renouncing our every desire, so He can fill us completely with His desires. This prayer was written in a response to the great love He has for us and how He desires we have recourse to Him in everything, with a desire to devote ourselves more completely to Him in each moment we live and breathe, with anticipation of our final resting place with Him for eternity. In English: Prayer Surrendering All to Jesus and His Most Sacred Heart In Spanish:  Oración Para Entregar Todo a Jesús y Su Corazón Más Sagrado

The Last Judgement, Michelangelo [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel Matthew 25:31-46 ( NRSV,CatholicEd ) Jesus said to his disciples: ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of

" Scientists thought ‘Oumuamua was a comet when they spotted it last month. "Follow-up observations showed it was more like an asteroid: and going too fast to be from the solar system. "‘Oumuamua is from interstellar space. It's the first object of its kind we've seen. "What scientists are learning about ‘Oumuamua tells us a bit about other planetary systems, and raises intriguing new questions...." More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

("A Holiday Haven," another installment in a tale of two turkeys.) If you are in or from the United States, I hope you are having a good Thanksgiving Day. If not, I trust that you're having a good November 24th. Some folks write sober monographs for this holiday, thoroughly discussing the myriad reasons we have for being thankful. Others present schmaltzy pieces on the same topic: about as deep as a rain puddle.... More, but not much more, at A Catholic Citizen in America .

  Cada año, en estas fechas, el mundo se avoca a promover el fin de la violencia hacia la mujer que tanto daño ha provocado a generaciones enteras de mujeres en el mundo. Los años recorridos con el impulso de la equidad de género del feminismo parecían dar alivio a la mujer en estas últimas décadas al dar una mayor “igualdad” con el hombre. Pero los últimos estudios han encontrado síntomas de un   fondo agresivo que no ha cambiado con las políticas progresistas de esta ideología y que, además ha resurgido en formas inesperadas. Tal es el caso de la mayor violencia doméstica que sufren las mujeres de algunos países del primer mundo, campeones en los niveles de equidad de género. Así es, sorprendentemente   en los países donde   el “progreso laicista” ha “liberado” a las personas de la esclavitud de la espiritualidad cristiana para lograr prósperas naciones estructuralmente laicas, las mujeres son objeto de una mayor violencia intima por parte de sus parejas.

It's the morning before Thanksgiving, and I was unprepared for the single parent melancholy that hit me the second I woke up. This evening, my boys will go with their father. I will pick them up tomorrow afternoon for Thanksgiving dinner with my family so I know I am luckier than many single parents. That does not make it much less difficult or any less unfair that my children and I have to sacrifice because of choices my ex-husband made single handedly. It doesn't make it any less unfair that our happiness is continually sacrificed for his. I felt myself sinking into a bad case of the: I'll-Nevers... I wrote this piece in 2011, but it still applies today. Divorce has no earthly end, but there are always reasons to be thankful! To read about what goes through the mind of a single mom in this holiday season, please join me at SingleMomSmiling.com God Bless & Happy Thanksgiving!  Kerri Lynn

I can’t believe that another holiday season is upon us! This year just zoomed past me. Yet, I have much to be thankful for this year. On this eve of Thanksgiving, I give thanks for: Each of you, for your support and friendship. May God bless every one of you. My loving husband of 38+ years. May we have many more together. Good health for both my husband and me. We had a health scare earlier this year, but God is good, and all is well. May we all continue to be in good health. The opportunity to serve as RCIA Coordinator for my parish. What a blessing to be able to share the faith with people who really want to have a close relationship with Jesus. We have seven women going through the program, with the hope of entering into full communion with the Catholic Church at Easter. Please keep them, and me, in your prayers. A roof over my head, clothes on my back, shoes on my feet, and food on my table. God provides! Sometimes, I don’t know how He does it, but He does it! Give Th

In the apoc ryphal Infancy Narrative of James, Mary’s parents,  Joachim and Anne,  had been childless but received a heavenly message- they would have a child. In thanksgiving for the gift of their daughter, they brought her, when still a child, to the Temple in Jerusalem to consecrate her to God. Tradition held that she was to remain there to be educated in preparation for her role as Mother of God. most of the paintings capture a sense of Mary’s purity, of course, but also a combination of youth, vulnerability and her core strength at the all at the same time. continue

After months of hearing nothing but praise for the new female-driven superhero movie Wonder Woman , it's now out on DVD so I finally saw it. Needless to say, I went into it with pretty high hopes, given the massive praise I'd seen. My verdict: The praise was mostly well-founded. Mostly. Because it is quite good, and definitely filling a very real gap in female-driven content. And yet, it still wasn't as mind-blowingly amazing as I might have hoped... Continue Reading

Welcome Friend, 2 - Major Events to talk about with you today that changed the entire world: Birth of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Going to keep this short, because there are many things I could write about Jesus. Read more

Sunday, November 19, 2017 A Very Merry Advent {Shopping Guide} So, wait?! I can't start celebrating Christmas right now? ....Well, I guess I'll twiddle my thumbs. No! >>Don't Jump The Gun.<< Some people have all their bases covered, even an  Advent playlist  (!!!). But what if you're a newbie to the Advent game? It starts in two weeks!  What is needed? In honor of the fact that I'm going out of town, today is a special post! Here are 20 things to kick off your Advent celebration and observation.   and.... joke time. Stephen: Why does Sufjan sound so sad when he says "Rejoice"? Me: He's happy, but he's expectant.  #laughcry read the rest here

In Julia ‘s Gifts , Ellen Gable whisks us away to war-torn France, circa 1917-1918. The setting: World War I. The main character: Miss Julia Murphy. In this tightly woven love story, we see Julia Murphy exhibit many virtuous qualities; generosity of spirit, compassion, and most importantly, self-giving love. This tale sends us on a romantic adventure in search of Julia Murphy’s beloved; only Julia has no idea who her beloved might be! At the age of 17, she began setting aside Christmas presents for her future beloved, with the hopes of one day gifting these presents to him. At the age of 21, the war in Europe was waging, and the American Red Cross was looking for volunteers. Julia and her friend, Ann, thought it a great idea to volunteer and go overseas to give aid and comfort to injured soldiers. As Julia prepared to embark for the journey to Europe, she brought very few personal possessions with her. She did, however, bring the box of four precious gifts she had amassed over the

After St Francis  received the Stigmata he travelled all the way back to Assisi on a donkey for he could not walk. Nor could he see or hear much, because he was filled with such sublime joy that most of the time he was lost in ecstasy. But on his return he was filled with a new lease of life that enabled him to set off on brief missionary journeys in the surrounding countryside. It was the last flare of a flame that was about to peter out. Soon the first part of his prayer was about to be answered, as serious sickness enabled him to experience something of the sufferings that Brother Jesus had to endure on the cross. Yet, it was when he was at his lowest ebb, living in a mud hut outside San Damiano and pestered by a plague of mice that he wrote his beautiful poem in praise of Brother Sun. It was the first great poetic work to be written in the Italian language. Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all honour, and all blessing. To you,

Whether you call it mental illness, lunacy, or insanity, being crazy isn't fun. It's not a lifestyle choice either. Not for most. Certainly not in my case. I'll get back to that.... ...Somewhere along the line "mental hygiene" got repackaged as "mental health." I think it wasn't just a new coat of paint on old ideas. We were learning more about how minds work, and sometimes don't. We were also learning what we can do: and what we shouldn't.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Some scientists say there'll be more carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere this year. They may be right. I think the information's interesting, and may be meaningful. But I'm pretty sure this isn't a portent of doom. Neither is a new and more detailed map of Antarctica's bedrock temperatures. I'll be talking about that, the Halley VI base getting back in operation: and why I think we should keep learning about how Earth's climate works. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Woman Sewing, Van Gogh [ Web Gallery of Art ] She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. (Proverbs 31:13, First Reading) Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel Matthew 25:14-30 [Shorter form, 14-15, 19-21] ( NRSV, Anglicised CatholicEd .)  Jesus told his disciples this parable: ‘For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. [The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.] After a long time the master of those slaves c

I have been reading  The Autobiography of Malcolm X  and I am very impressed with the man. I was interested in reading it after someone mentioned how reading changed his life (I am all about promoting literacy and education.) I learned a lot about how things were during his life and also how things got to be the way they are now. It seems to me that a lot has improved since his time, but a lot is still very much the same. His message to his black brothers was for them to love and respect themselves, do for themselves, and demand justice for themselves–this is hard for me to disagree with. Malcolm is still thought of today as a divisive and angry figure, unlike the inclusive and inspiring Martin Luther King, but there are many things we can learn from the life of Malcolm X. 1. Through self-discipline, Malcolm found freedom. While in prison, his family was trying to get him to follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad–they started by telling him to give up pork and cigarettes and th

(From Getty Images, via BBC News, used w/o permission.) ("Police say a number of students had to be medically evacuated from the school" (BBC News)) I hadn't planned on writing about murder and getting a grip this week. Or next. But another multiple murder is international news.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Do you know “Debbie Downer?” She’s that person that always has something to gripe about. You never see her in a good mood. She is too busy feeling sorry for herself to ever say “thank you” for anything. Debbie doesn’t have many friends, and maybe that’s because ungratefulness is ugly. We tend to steer away from the Debbie Downers of the world, because as human beings we are drawn to the good, and virtuous qualities, we see in others. Innately, we like to be around positive people, because they lift our spirits. If you are a Debbie Downer, or know someone who has negative traits (and don’t we all know someone who has those traits?), then consider the need for a mind shift. Changing the Heart from Ungratefulness to One of Gratitude I think we could all call ourselves Debbie Downers from time to time, especially when... Read more...  

It  is  difficult to be a woman today, especially a Christian woman. It’s no wonder Catholics are confused about who they are. The Church boldly declares feminine traits are part of a woman’s core identity, deeply rooted in their souls, not just apparent in their physical appearance. Saint John Paul II, in his letter  On the Dignity and Vocation of Women , explains God created women to be different but equal to men as complementary partners, be it as married or religious/consecrated or single women. Our contemporary culture opposes this view as misogynistic. Some feminists promote the idea that women are born as blank slates with exactly the same traits as men, dismissing femininity as simply learned behaviour. If this were not confusing enough, society now toys with the idea of a blending of genders. We have somehow lost the truth about how great being a woman actually is. continue

It ain’t easy being male. Not that I would know, but lately being a wife and a boy-mom, I’ve had a lot of sympathy for the less-fair sex. Feminism ran rampant, going so far beyond its noble beginnings with woman’s suffrage and ended up shaping our entire culture into a place where genuine masculinity is no longer welcome. It starts when they are so young. Boys are forbidden to play “cowboys and Indians” because that is racist. They can’t play with sticks and toy guns because that is training them to be violent. When a little boy can’t sit still for six hours straight in a classroom, he is put on Ritalin because he must be disordered. He probably isn’t disordered, he is probably just a boy! They don’t sit very well and they like to pretend to shoot things. Surprise, surprise! By the time they reach adulthood, the male species as a whole has been socially castrated, forced to take his God-given natural aptitudes for manly pursuits and competitiveness, and trade them in for avoc

Hello Friend, Sharing thoughts of inspiration.  Reflection on this is appropriate. I think it is always good and inspiring to reflect on scripture and the Holy Spirit. We are temples of the Holy Spirit. Right! This is the beginning of posts I am writing to give words of inspiration. Encouraging one another to go forward. Inspirational quote from scripture.   Click here to go to post.   Blessings

Forgiveness can take seventy times just to get it right! I thought I had forgiven the bullies who verbally abused me in grade school, until one recent Sunday, when I heard the Gospel from Matthew where it states, Then Peter approaching Him asked, ‘Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times’? Jesus answered, ‘I say to you, not seven times but seventy times’ (Matt 18:21-22).   I realized that although I had forgiven the bullies, and therefore, hoped that they would be granted admission to heaven one day, I also thought that I wouldn’t mind if I never crossed paths with them in Heaven. This was because I was still holding tightly to the pain. Had I really forgiven the bullies fully, if I felt this way? I didn’t want to hold on to the pain any longer. That day, I gave the pain to Jesus – literally! After receiving Communion, I went back to my seat to kneel and give thanks. As I closed my eyes, I saw... Read more...

He woke, heart racing, breathless, wet with sweat, in the starlit time before dawn. He shuddered when something touched his arm. It was his wife. "Again?" she asked, rolling her belly onto him. Soon she would bear his first child. "Again," he gasped. He waited until his breath came more easily. "The same thing. It was awful." She waited. He would talk soon. Perhaps then he would sleep. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

 Ecclesiastes 3:5 A Guest Post by May-Kuan Lim,  author of  The Curious Scribbler I feel a  hint of pain when I look at these early photos because my children were young and easily amused. I, too, was young and life was uncomplicated: feed the ducks, throw a ball, pick a daisy. There is a  time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. The season for early motherhood has passed. The children are teenagers now. One has left home. I have to find my place in the world again. The words of  Ecclesiastes wash over me: a time to be born, a time to die; a time to plant, a time to uproot; and on it goes, each verb making sense in its context but what is this – a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them?  What a strange expression. Who scatters stones? Farmers scatter seed. Hansel and Gretel scatter breadcrumbs. But who scatters stones? Aren’t stones too heavy to be scattered? Perhaps pebbles can be scattered, but to what purpose? Instead of ‘scatter’

It was a conference for Sunday School teachers. The crowd consisted of down-to-earth housewives, mothers, even some older, benevolent grandmotherly types. Lots of nice, well-meaning women attending, simply trying to fill a need at their church. Most were mothers who wanted to be involved in teaching the faith to their kids. My friend and I were the only Catholics in the group and that added to a feeling of alienation. So, I came albeit grudgingly. I really did not expect to learn anything more than a few interesting tips on how to hold children’s interest. I was pretty fed up with learning techniques and strategies. I wanted, no I  needed,  to receive more from God in my deepest self, in my spirit because I was tired and depleted. I did not need more facts... continue

Tomorrow is Veterans Day in my country. It's a national holiday, related to Armistice Day, Remembrance Day and Volkstrauertag. 1 I'll be talking mostly about what's happened since 1914, why I don't fear the future, and what I think we can achieve if we use our brains. It's mostly history, with a little science. This isn't the usual "science news" post.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Year A Christ and the Wise Virgins- Mediaeval German Sculptor [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel Matthew 25:1-13 ( NRSV, Anglicised CatholicEdition )  Jesus told his disciples this parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise replied, “No! there will not be en

If it was easy to carry our crosses, we would all do it willingly. Instead, it can be a struggle at times. We are all given something to bear in life that we wish we did not have to endure. For me, God gave me clubbed feet. My cross is a visible sign of what I must endure in this life. For others, the cross is invisible to the eye. One might think that a visible cross is tougher to bear, because everyone can see it; but I say, not necessarily so. An invisible cross can be just as crippling as my clubbed feet. A good example of an invisible cross would be mental illness; running the gamut from mild anxiety to schizophrenia. Carrying Our Crosses for Christ Whatever your cross may be, know that God is with you always. At the most difficult of times, when life seems so unbearable, He helps you carry your cross. God will never give you more than you can bear. Trust Him. We all have crosses to bear. Yet, by carrying our crosses, Jesus wants us to... Read more...

We are on the verge of Advent, four weeks that tend to be a flurry of activity in preparation for Christmas. This week Jen Deshpande, who is on the parish staff of St. Dominic, wrote a reflection for our parish email that I needed to hear and thought you might too. She allowed me to make it my blog post today. I especially liked the last sentence:   I saw a good friend a few days ago. I stopped by to ask her how she was doing. She looked up, voiced lowered, and said, "I'm so busy, I have so much going on." Almost immediately after, I ran into another friend and asked him how he was doing. Again, same tone, same response, "I'm just so busy." Busyness is a widely accepted part of our society today. We even consider it part of our identity. If you are not busy, then what are you?   We may think being busy is good; we are accomplishing so much, checking off all the boxes on that to-do list! Yes, some of our commitments are really important

NUN ON THE RUN CLICK HERE

Welcome Friend, Have new posts set up. They are short inspirations . A quote from scripture and a quote from a person. Usually along with a reflection inspiring all. Maybe with a life story. Let me know what you think. Read all about it here.  See you there.

That's Devin Patrick Kelley, and First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. We're still not sure why he opened fire on the folks gathered for worship yesterday morning. At the moment, it looks like he was in a snit because he’d been arguing with his former wife and in-laws. That doesn’t mean I think we should ban marriage because it leads to mass murder. That makes about as much sense as my SADIST proposal. ( November 6, 2017 More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

When I was a boy I used to call people by what they did. My older brothers used to laugh when I said I had seen Mr Postman, Mr Builder, Mr Plumber or Mr Dustman. I suppose  the idea came from my favourite radio program 'Toy Town'. Everybody was called by what they did. It was Mr Mayor, Mr Policeman, Mr Inventor, Mr Magician and even Mr Grouser! When the Parish priest visited and pointed to the picture of the Sacred Heart, he asked me who he was. I answered,  "Mr Loving." Once again my older brothers laughed, but the parish priest didn't laugh. He said that  I was absolutely right . However, when he asked me who had told me, I said nothing, because I knew my bothers would laugh at me again if I said it was from my favourite radio program, 'Toy Town'. Although pictures or statues of the Sacred Heart depict Christ dressed as he might have been while he was on earth, a closer look reveals that he is actually depicted as he is now in heaven. For instance,