Association Of Catholic Bloggers

My interest in the Olympics is mild at best. This year, I’m glad that I lack a deep emotional connection to what’s happening in Paris. Mainly because of the remarkable “Festivité” show. I don't think this year's performance art at the big sporting event's opening ceremony will affect its popularity. Too many folks get too excited about other folks showing what they can do for that. And a drag show — that we're told was not made to look like Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper" — apparently doesn't clash with the Olympic Charter's high ideals. 1 Even so, I think this communiqué/bulletin from the Vatican makes sense.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (The Festivite part of the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony is still in the news. I look at why French bishops, the Vatican, and I, do not approve.)

This week I'm sharing what Fr. Mark Botzet said during Mass on the last Sunday in June. I was going to just post his homily and let it go at that. But then I thought his focus on fear might make more sense if I put it in context of what's been happening in my part of the world. So I've put a short (for me) look at life in central Minnesota, and the big picture, after Fr. Botzet's homily. Fr. Mark Botzet's Homily — June 25, 2023 Four Decades, Two Millennia and the Long Haul (Brian H. Gill) Under the Circumstances... Promises and the Best News Ever More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Dealing with changes in Parishes on the Prairie ACC. Remembering priorities. Not letting fear distract us from what is important.)

(My desk: clutter/knickknacks/curios and all.) The COVID-19 pandemic didn't affect my weekly routine until last Tuesday. That's when Bishop Kettler announced that public Masses in the diocese are suspended until April 13. The St. Faustina Adoration chapel here in Sauk Centre closed the next day. The good news there is that our Perpetual Adoration schedule hasn't changed. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

This is the last of six articles for families on celebrating the Sunday Mass. My washing machine broke. A tiny plastic piece in the detergent compartment disappeared. Don’t ask me how—it’s one of life’s mysteries related to the Final Resting Place of socks that vanish from the dryer. Whatever. I ordered the part, tracked the package’s progress online, and ripping open the envelope, discovered my simple piece of plastic. Predictable enough, I suppose. Even so, I still felt a little thrill when I saw a package waiting for me in the mailbox. ©TABERNACLE BY CHRISTIAN BOWEN REDDINGTON (2012) VIA  FLICKR I can’t be the only one who hasn’t quite outgrown the charm of receiving a special delivery. Sending and receiving packages connects us to one another. And knowing a package is meant just for me—regardless of its contents—lifts my spirits. As our “Whispers in the Pew” series draws to a close, we consider the very end of Mass. Read all about it at Praying with Grace !

SANTACROCE'S LAST SUPPER ©SEDMAK/GETTY IMAGES Most paintings of the Last Supper show the Apostles shifting restlessly--just like our children at Mass! How long is your child’s attention span? Most research suggests that children’s attention spans relate to their age: how many years old are they? That’s the same number of minutes they can sustain interest in an activity. Four-year-old children, for example, can pay attention for four minutes. Some studies claim attention spans extend up to two times the child’s age. In that case, under the right circumstances, our 4-year-old children can accomplish eight minutes of acceptable church behavior. Depending on your parish, the eucharistic prayer occurs about 40 minutes into the celebration of Mass. Forty minutes of liturgy is FIVE TIMES those eight minutes we can expect from our little ones. And some of our children struggle with medical or behavioral challenges that make the basic eight-minute mark a miracle. Read the rest at

St. Cyprian. (Image via Catholic.org) I decided a few months back to sign up for a service that sends me the biography of each day's "Saint Of The Day".  Over the last few months since I signed up for the service, I've found that I look forward to seeing the emails in my inbox every morning.  Not only have these informative emails helped me to be prepared in advance for daily Mass, but more importantly, I've been able to get to know the saints on a human level.  It was such a comfort to me, for instance, to learn that St. Cyprian struggled with patience and anger - things I struggle with, also. And I loved reading that St. Thomas of Villanova did not bow to peer pressure "...h e wore the same habit that he had received in the novitiate, mending it himself. The canons and domestics were ashamed of him, but they could not convince him to change." I've been daily inspired (and mentored!) by these human examples of imperfection and their st

Our Gospel readings are still in the Bread of Life discourse. This week's installment was John 6:51 - 58 . 1 After two millennia, what our Lord said may have lost some shock value: " Whoever eats 19 my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. " ( John 6:54 ) On the other hand, last year someone asked me if I realized that Catholics are cannibals. We are, sort of: but it wasn't our idea. ( June 22, 2014 ) Bread, Gnawing, and Choices Quite a few Christians sidestep this bit of the Gospel, but I can't. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

  At Mass on Sunday we sang the spiritual “Were you There?” It got me thinking. How we long to have been with Jesus during His passion, death, and resurrection. How we would have loved to stand and support His mother at the foot of the Cross, to wipe His face with Veronica, to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. (Yes, I know that was in reverse order.) Serendipitously, we sang this song at Communion time. And I suddenly realized that I was there! Continue reading at Contemplative Homeschool.

I mentioned yesterday that I have been having some strange dreams lately. I wonder what you'll think of this one. I can't remember why, how or with whom I was having a conversation. I was being told that the lack of sacramental wine offered at parishes of late is causing the faithful to forget that Jesus shed his blood for our sins. How we need to sip and taste the sweet, stinging wine to remember, really remember. I don't dream like this and I am the kind of person that pays close attention to her feelings, the movement of thoughts and their possible origin. I'm always psychoanalyzing myself. To be honest, I think that's how I am able to separate, mentally, the bad from the good in my childhood and early adulthood from how I interact with my children and husband. So why this dream? Why now? What does it mean and where do I go from here? Of course that's rhetorical. Read more at Filling My Prayer Closet

He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer." Why. Why did He desire it, and for how long? He is God, how long can God desire one Passover? I'll tell you how long, since the fall of Adam and Eve. Before there was a Passover, God desired this one. Why this one? Because it is a sacrifice offered that would NEVER be rejected by God... TO READ MORE...CLICK HERE!

"Mom, why do you go to Mass everyday?" "Because I love Him."   "Who?" "Our Lord." "Oh." "You don't understand do you." "Not really."   TO READ MORE CLICK HERE!  

All pictures in this post are from the book Little Acts of Grace by Rosemarie Gortler and Donna Piscitelli. Illustrations are drawn by Mimi Sternhagen. I highly recommend this book for Catholic parents who want to teach their children about many aspects of the faith and their meaning. Let's face it, it's not always easy to attend Mass with children.  Sometimes you leave feeling more like you were engaged in battle than having spent an hour in the highest form of prayer in which we Catholics can participate.  In a way, you are engaged in the battle for your child's soul.  When we go to Mass, we are asked to leave the world behind for awhile and focus on the spiritual.  Even children can begin to sense these eternal truths long before they can fully understand them. As parents and the first educators of our children, we are called to teach them the Catholic faith.  How do we go about this with unreasonable toddlers, unruly preschoolers, and bored elemen

St Thomas the Apostle Jusepe Martínez, c.1630,  Szépmûvészeti Múzeum, Budapest [ Web Gallery of Art ] Second Sunday of Easter ( or  of Divine Mercy) Year A Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)                                   Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   John 20:19-31  ( New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition , Canada)      When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”   After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.   Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”   When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.   If you fo

What you put in the collection basket says a lot about you and where you are at in your journey. Some of us put in our 10% tithing without a second thought. Some of us put in the few “extra” dollars we may have. Some of us struggle with the need to “give” to the already “rich” church and so put in very little. I remember once when one of my sons was quite young and had — unbeknownst to me — picked up all his change from his room and put it in the collection basket as it passed. I think it was about 19 cents. But very few of us realize that when that basket passes, it is an incredible opportunity to give anything and everything to God. Sure, it is about money and tithing; but money is only the beginning. That collection basket is a chance to empty yourself so that your gifts may be joined to those of Christ’s at the altar and used for God’s kingdom. They will be joined in the consecration and if offered with no strings attached can be appropriately dispensed by God, who

Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me. (Luke 22:19) Although God’s presence is everywhere, m ass is my favorite place to come into his presence. Every part of the liturgy helps me experience a personal encounter with Jesus. It will provide the same relationship with Jesus for you. ·             Christ is present in the assembly of the body of Christ in the pews, for he has promised “where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them.” (Mt 18:20)   So sing and pray knowing that Christ is among us, gathered as the body of Christ. ·             Christ is present in the priest or bishop who presides in persona Christi, in the person of Christ. When they vest before celebrating Mass the priests   "put on Christ" in a special way . Find more ways to encounter Jesus at  JoyAlive.net

written Sunday, September 01, 2013 +JMJ+ I had a dream last night - I was in Mexico, being shown around by a young priest who was newly ordained and native to that area.  He was telling me about the faith in Mexico, and I remember most clearly that he added, "Today is Sunday - today is the most important day of all time." It's the day of the Resurrection.  So I thought about that a great deal (yes, while still dreaming). I think we oftentimes (or I do, anyway) unconsciously downplay the importance of a Sunday.  Modern culture, after all, is definitely an anti-help to restoring the great reverence due to this day. link   (I thought the above vintage advertisement for Sunday school was intriguing and also a bit amusing.  But I loved how the women were so classy, even down to the little cloche and pillbox hats and their spotless white gloves... Don't go to Mass as if you were going to a baseball game.  Dignity, people.) Read the rest here. http://tr

Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed. This response at Mass seems to me to sum up the whole spiritual life. It provides wonderful material for meditation. I am not worthy On my own, I cannot please God. I can only vaguely know His character. He had to reveal Himself to me through Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the teaching authority of the Church. He gave me parents who were loving enough to have me baptized and teach me the faith. He continues to show me His design for my life. All this is a pure gift which I could not merit. But I have found the Christian life to be a constant battle. I fall every day. I repent, make resolutions to be good, then sin again. God’s purity is so beyond me. His holiness is a burning fire that I would never dare approach. Except… Read the rest at Contemplative Homeschool.

This Holy Tuesday morning I drove to the Carmelite Nuns Monastery in Georgetown for daily Mass.  It's a good 25 minute drive from where I live, and I had hoped not to be late.  I arrived at my destination with 5 minutes to spare. Not only did I wish to attend Mass, but I also hoped that the Nuns had posted their Triduum schedule.  They had.  Now I can look forward to attending their Holy Week liturgies.  I have done so in previous years.  The Monastery has a public chapel where visitors attend Mass while the Nuns have their own chapel to the left side of the sanctuary.  Their chapel is separated from the sanctuary by a grill.  You might enjoy looking at the chapel photos on the Nuns website, here . The daily Mass is not too different from daily Mass at a parish, but the atmosphere in the chapel is, in my opinion, quieter, as there are fewer people present, and those who are observe great reverence.  At communion time, the chaplain, Fr. Tom, distributes Holy Com

No Women Priests...and why... NO WOMEN PRIESTS...AND WHY... I was preparing to go to Holy Mass at St. Stephen the Martyr, talking about the clustering of the two parishes, and how we need more priests.  The woman I was talking to said, "We need women priests." I was very clear, I said  NO .  Man is God's only priest, and from the beginning that it is how it has been.  But instead of just saying, "No".  I think I owe her and explanation of why there is no women priests and why there can never be. Just by saying No to her, I haven't taught her anything.  I'd like to correct that.  The way for Jesus to come was prepared for, it was not a random act of God.  It is no coincidence that the sacrifice for the Passover of the Jews was the blood of a  MALE lamb, and a lamb without blemish.  And as God wastes nothing, but takes what came before and transforms the pascal sacrifice into something greater, Jesus. And with his sacrifice on the cross, hi

I hear so many people say, "Well, if you aren't getting fed at your parish - find another one." or they say, "If your priest distorts the Mass and the sacraments, then go somewhere else." I don't agree with this. If your priest is distorting the Holy Mass or the sacraments, do find a valid mass so that you can be fed, but make sure you come back to the parish where things may not just be "right" and do much prayer and penance for that Priest.  Do not abandon him.  He is precious to God, and what a great gift is given to God if he is turned back from the darkness! For at his hands how many more are touched and if he is obedient to the M agisterium, his obedience will beget good, faithful Catholics.  Pray many Rosaries for him, do penance for him, fast for him, ask God to put it in his heart to take up his Rosary again, for the Holy Rosary demolishes all heresies.   Once I went to Holy Mass (I won't say where) and the Priest was totally de