Association Of Catholic Bloggers

I haven't researched it, but I'm guessing that 'animals are conscious' headlines peaked about two months back. " If Animals Are Conscious, What about Us? " Crawford Kilian, The Tyee (April 29, 2024) " Scientists push new paradigm of animal consciousness, saying even insects may be sentient " Evan Bush, NBC News (April 19, 2024) " It's 'irresponsible' to ignore widespread consciousness across animal world, dozens of scientists argue " Saul Elbein, The Hill (April 19, 2024) "Animal consciousness" makes more sense than some headlines suggest — so this week I'll be talking about new research, old ideas, and how I see being human. Science, Attitudes, and Conscious Animals "Unholy Trinity", "Heretics", Galileo — Folklore is Fine, But ... Conscious? A Better Term Would be "Sentient" Of Mice and Men and Little Albert Animals, People, and Paying Attention "Little Less T...

  Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Montmartre, Paris [ Wikipedia ;  photo ] Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. June is the month of the  Sacred Heart of Jesus   Raising of the Daughter of Jairus Paolo Veronese [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 5:21-43   [or 5:21-24, 35b-43]  (English Standard Version) When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea.   Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet   and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.”   And he went with him. [And a great crowd followed him and thro...

    If you haven't figured it out yet, I find politics fascinating and frustrating.  As I am just getting into reading "The Situation Room" by George Stephanopoulos, I came across an interesting quote credited to Nikita Khrushchev (of the Communist Party.) Before I get to the quote, let me just say this about George's book--it surprised me to learn about the state of the presidency during various administrations and the utter incapacitation of Nixon (for example) during critical times, due to alcohol and self-isolation. In fact, it came to light later, that at the same time Nixon was struggling, the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev (General Secretary of the Communist Party) was also "out of commission" due to pills and alcohol. Oh my.  Anyway, the book, so far, is a detailed account of various presidents and their moments of crisis and how our country dealt with them. Very interesting from both a political and historical perspective. Back to the quote...

      It's one little line spoken by Jesus within the event known as The Agony in the Garden ( Matthew 26: 41 ): "The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."  I think it encapsulates the reality of what it means to be human, and Jesus' understanding of our humanity. After all he was both human and divine. How often do we commit ourselves in prayer to take up discipleship behavior? How often do we promise ourselves that we are not going to say or do things we know are wrong, only to find ourselves, as St. Paul says, doing the very thing we know we shouldn't? All the time, right? Jesus knows this. That's why during his great distress in the garden, when his friends fell asleep rather than "keeping watch" with him, he acknowledged this.  They really wanted to do what they were called to do, but in their humanity, they just couldn't pull it off--this time. Other times, they got it right, and that's true for you and I as well. Some...

      I'm hoping you will tolerate a little venting from me today that comes simply from observation. We'll start with the life issue of abortion, since it is a thread that runs through politics and media simultaneously.  To begin, when you start paying close attention, you will notice that the main voices heard in interviews and reporting comes from mothers-in-crisis.  Almost nowhere do you here any pro-life moms being interviewed. The "I-need-an-abortion" reports seem to prevail as top news stories. There isn't any balance. Where are the voices from the other side? They do exist, you know. In the news yesterday a mom expressed her desperation in needing to abort her baby who had Trisomy 18 (look it up).  I knew someone who gave birth to a baby with T-18.  She and her husband (and sons) took their baby home and poured love into her throughout her very short life (I think it was a matter of weeks). I got to hold this beautiful little gi...

    Suffering .  It is something we all experience to some degree in this life. But suffering, in and of itself, does not add one iota of meaning or value to our life, unless it is attached to the suffering of Jesus, especially his death on the cross. His suffering is where Christian suffering finds its meaning. Through the suffering of Jesus, we find sacrifice of worth.  We learn what love means.  We discover God touching man at the very heart of our lived experience. Joy is easy. Happiness is delightful.  But when it comes to suffering, we cannot endure it as emptiness.  It becomes unbearable unless we offer it for others and see it as a shared experience with Christ. We may automatically think of suffering as physical pain or illness, but in its fullness, it encompasses a whole range of lived, personal human battles and trauma. Whatever you might be going through at this moment, I encourage you to sit quietly, crucifix in hand, and th...

...That's not the only place in Minnesota with flooding problems this week. This spring was the first time in two years that no place in Minnesota was experiencing a drought. That’s good news, but the flooding isn't.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Mankato-area Rapidan Dam is missing a substation, and may fail. Two years we've had drought, now flooding. A very quick look at a Minnesota Monday.)

    If you have littles playing sports, perhaps you have seen this sign.  It is very direct, and an excellent reminder for adults.  My favorite one is #5.  Too often today, parents get so wrapped up in little Johnny or Jilly's potential, that every play, every miss, or every score carries a lot of weight, and pressure. What if--and I know this is earth shattering--kids just learned the bigger lessons in life from their sporting experience?  What if--again, earth shattering--they just had fun and made some friends? I know, I'm such a simpleton. I guess everything has to be competitive because future college scholarships are at stake, but how about we let 10 year olds just be 10? Everyone means well, I know, but it seems to me that sometimes when parents get into the mix, it's hard for coaches to just coach.  It's like when we get in the way of God just trying to be God. We tell him he should be doing things our way and question him when ...

Most of the neighborhood I grew up in is now a parking lot. But Prairie Home Cemetery, a block west of the house I grew up in, is still there. I mostly remember it as being next to the sledding hill. My father and I went by, or maybe through, the cemetery on our way to the 'hill'. The sledding hill wasn't, technically, a hill. It was part of a coulee going through the southwest corner of Prairie Home Cemetery. Or, rather, it was part of what had been a coulee.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Remembering good times in winters long past; what was, and was not, important when raising my kids. Flexible Flyer sleds, family, and faith that makes sense.)

    Have you ever tried to figure out what God wants you to do? What is your process of discernment? In " Restoring the Initiative to God " Fr. John Riccardo points out a major fault parishes and people in general have when it comes to planning and seeking answers--they make their plan and then ask God to bless it. In this video, his sensible approach can be used by parishes or individuals and families. When I used to hold parish visionary meetings, we would go through some content, then spend some silent time together in the Church before the tabernacle, just listening for God's word to us. Then we would go back together and discuss what we heard. This is EXACTLY what Fr. John suggests we do--ask God first and then listen. How can we know what God wants, if we charge in first with our own ideas? For those who feel that the answer never comes, he talks about that as well. I hope you will take the time to watch this video (see highlighted link in red above), bec...

Christ in Majesty Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Montmartre, Paris [ Wikipedia ;  photo ]   Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee Rembrandt  [ Web Gallery of Art ] And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.   But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion  (Mark 4:37-38; Gospel). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel    Mark 4:35-41     (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    On that day, when evening had come, he said to them,  “Let us go across to the other side.”   And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.   And a great windstorm arose, and the waves...

  It can be sad when we recognize the sins of others.  We might be tempted to ask, "Why are they doing that?" or "Why aren't they doing this?" We can offer prayers and fasting to counter them, but, lest we get too saddened by the sins of the world, we need to remember this . . . From the cross, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." Of course, this isn't an easy pass.  It isn't an excuse.  In fact, our saints have recognized that sin doesn't happen in a vacuum, by accident, or without our knowledge. But, the reality is, all-to-often, sins (like not going to Mass, gossip or swearing, just to name a few) may be done out of ignorance, or maybe a learned habit that has long ago become an accepted practice, retained without much thought. I suppose that can be included in the "they know not what they do" part of Jesus' statement. Jesus offers an incredible act of mercy from the cross, which speaks vol...

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    We were driving in to water flowers at the cemetery, and I found the city streets we had to travel, very depressing. Although the blight has been creeping in for some time in the community in which I grew up, it seems to have gotten much, much worse.  Burned out and boarded up houses and businesses seem to be the standard now. Interestingly, there is tons of road work taking place, as there is apparently at attempt to fix what can be fixed.  I know that the Mayor is trying to ascertain more funding to demolish some of the more troublesome houses, but I found myself thinking how difficult it must be to be the Mayor of such a depressed city. On this overcast day, it was hard to shake the overwhelming sadness on display, except for one thing . . . On one of the worst streets, there remains a yard that has been a bright spot for years.  The entire front yard is covered in beautiful, bright flowers that stand out against the blight.  Somebody must...

  3:16? What is that? CLICK HERE

I've added Caroline Furlong's "A Song of Joy..." to More Perspectives From the Catholic Laity , in the sidebar: A Song of Joy by Caroline Furlong Writing for Joy She's a science fiction/fantasy writer: and so is more "a writer who is Catholic", than "a Catholic Writer". I talked about that distinction, back in 2017: " A Writer Who is Catholic " (July 16, 2017) (Just what the title says. This is the entire post.)

  I suspect anyone who has ever lived in a family, can relate to the temptation to leave for others, that which needs to be done. For instance, have you ever left dishes for someone else to do, when you could have easily just done them yourself?  What about something as simple as wiping crumbs off a table, or wiping down a sink? Or maybe you are guilty of not picking something up from the floor? These may be little things, but most everyone can admit to using avoidance tactics one time or another. How often do we think, "Someone else will take care of it, if I just ignore it?"  It's an odd correlation, but when I read this passage from the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 5), the idea of doing things for other people--even little things--came to mind. In the Gospel of Matthew (Chapter 5), Jesus says: "If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well.  Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles....

"It's fair to say that if news sites were people, most would be diagnosed as clinically depressed right now." ("I stopped reading the news. Is the problem me — or the product?", Amanda Ripley , Washington Post (July 8, 2022) via Wikiquote) A comic strip started me thinking about the news, fearmongering, viewpoints, and weird groupings from Google News. I'll be talking about that: along with rich folks, free speech, and whatever else comes to mind. Free Speech, a Slogan, Journalism, and a (Very) Little History "The Yellow Press", Mayor Gaynor's Letter, and Viewpoints: Including Mine Freedom of Speech, Lèse-Majesté, and "The Apotheosis of Washington" By the Pricking of my Thumbs, Something Freaky This Way Comes Google News and 'Physics' Be Afraid — Be Very Afraid! — — — or Not Wealth, Averages, and Attitudes "Moral Panic" and Making Sense "Today in the News....” Good Advice, Actually More...

'Even unto the complete sacrifice of my life.' Execution of  Blessed Miguel Pro SJ , 23 November 1927, Mexico City June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Blessed Miguel Pro’s Sacred Heart Of Jesus Prayer Heart of Jesus, I give my heart to Thee; but so enclose it in Thee that it may never be separated from Thee. Heart of Jesus, I am all Thine; but take care of my promise so that I may be able to put it in practice  even unto the complete sacrifice of my life. Amen .   The Sower Vincent van Gogh [ Web Gallery of Art ] The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground .   Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel    Mark 4:26-34     (English Standard Version, Anglicised) Jesus said to the crowds: “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.   He sleeps and rises night a...