Association Of Catholic Bloggers

It’s July and the year is half over. So, why does it feel like this year is taking forever to slog through? Could we be suffering from the summertime blues? I, for one, dislike the heat. However, I think it is more than that. Our country has had to deal with an impeachment of a President (forgot about that already?), a deadly virus, civil unrest, massive unemployment, and an unsteady stock market. With all this upheaval, what can we count on? Uncertainty! Summertime Blues As we move to the second half of the year, I think the summertime blues will continue. Governmental corruption continues. The deadly virus resolutely waits to pounce. Systemic racism requires time and hard work to address properly. And unemployment and stock market movements sputter up and down. How can we cope in such times as these? Turn to God I’m the type of person who feels compelled to fix things. I’m a problem solver. However, with all this uncertainty and upheaval, I’m overwhelmed. So, in times lik

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PRAY ANY MORE! HELP HERE

I read David Torkington's " The Resolution to end all Resolutions " and started a new prayer routine three years ago. My starting point was Lauds and Vespers from Liturgy of the hours. Don't be too impressed. Lauds was recognizable after my adaptation. But I reduce Vespers to something I could reliably remember, late in the day. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Wow! How time flies! It seems like it was Christmas, just yesterday. Today, we approach the solemn season of Lent. Throughout Lent, we engage in fasting, prayer and almsgiving. Why? Well, let’s start with Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday On Ash Wednesday, we take the blessed palms received from the last Palm Sunday and we bring them back to our Church for burning. Once burned into blessed ashes, the priest, or designee, applies the blessed ashes on our foreheads, stating, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and unto dust you shall return.”  These ashes mark us as followers of Christ, for all to see. If you are Catholic, and have received ashes in the past, you know what I mean. Every Ash Wednesday, I always get questions about the smudge on my forehead. With that smudge, I witness to the world that, in my humanity, I am a sinner in need of forgiveness. The dirt on my forehead symbolizes the look of my soul. It also reminds me that I came from the dust/dirt of the earth (like Adam), and

PRAYER? WHAT PRAYER DOES GOD REALLY WANT? CLICK HERE

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, marking the first of six visitations to three children in Fatima, Portugal. On May 13,1917, Lucia dos Santos, and Francisco and Jacinta Marto were tending their sheep when Mary first appeared to them, asking them to come to that same place on the 13 th  of every month for the next few months. Our Lady of Fatima Calls Us to Pray the Rosary In her visitations, Our Lady asked them to pray the Rosary daily to obtain peace. This request was made at the time of the first World War. On her third visitation, Our Blessed Mother gave the children a prayer to recite. We now say this prayer at the end of each of the five decades of the Rosary: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to Heaven, especially those most in need of thy merc y. In her apparitions, Our Blessed Mother continuously requested prayers for the reparation of sinners. Many times, when we recite the Rosary, we do just that; we pray f

Have you decided yet how you will make the most of this Lenten season that begins today – Ash Wednesday? I find this time of year to be quite cathartic, in that I use it to make things right with God. In essence, I clean out my “spiritual closet.” I look for those things in my life that I want to keep, such as prayer time, good deeds, etc. and find a dedicated place for them in my spiritual closet. Then, I find those areas of my life that need to be tossed – you know – those sins that need to be thrown out. I take them to the Confessional and leave them with God. He knows what to do with them. It’s my way of placing everything in its right order. What’s in Your Spiritual Closet? How will you spend your Lenten season to prepare your soul for sharing in Christ’s Resurrection? What will you do to place everything in right order within your life? Some people like to give up their favorite foods/drink as a sacrifice for our Lord. Others give of themselves to meet the needs of the le

Lent starts March 6 this year. It's a time for abstinence, prayer and penance, among other things, which is why we've got rules about Fridays and fish. Following "fish" rules to the letter, I could splurge on lobster thermidor each Friday. I won't. The household can't afford it, for one thing. For another, gourmet dining isn't what Lent is about. I'll talk about fish, fasting and my goals for Lent. Briefly. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

If you want to grow in spirituality, and learn the mystic way, then you will want to get a copy of David Torkington’s  Wisdom from the Western Isles . In this thought provoking book, we meet the main character, Peter Calvay, a mystic in his own right. He acts as a spiritual guide for a young man named James. Torkington does a masterful job at interweaving the stories of the two men’s lives, who are completely different. James is Protestant, searching for meaning in his life. Peter is a middle-aged Catholic, who experienced much spiritual growth and is considered a mystic. Through Peter’s kindness and willingness to share his experiences and knowledge with James, we all get the benefit of Peter’s  Wisdom from the Western Isles . The story is set in Torkington’s native England, thus the reference to the Western Isles. Peter Calvay teaches us how to pray, and why we should pray daily. One of my favorite lines states, “Prayer is a process of continual inner conversion that involv

In the midst of a family crisis, I found refuge in the words of the prayer Jesus gave us. When we are open to the Holy Spirit, the Father shines His purifying light on us. The process is often painful, though, because when the light of the Father comes into our hearts and lives, the darkness is pushed out. Looks like I must be open to God’s work because my whole life has been shattered by decades-old secrets revealed by angry adult children. The whole process is messy but God breaks through my anxiety some days so I can respond to His call for complete surrender. However, like most mothers, I try to fix problems only to make situations worse. Back and forth I go, from heavenly peace to a state of sheer panic when I can hardly function. However, through it all, I know God is using this mess to bring healing to the whole family, just like He is healing His entire Church. Our only recourse is to draw closer to the heart of the Lord and give Him our fiat, in the middle of our con

After all the baking, shopping, wrapping, partying and entertaining guests, do you experience post-Christmas blues? It can be quite a shock to the system, to suddenly slow down so much, that you don’t know what to do with your time. Rather than get depressed about it, use this time to reconnect with God. He is there waiting to hear from you; waiting to recharge your batteries. Reconnect with God Through Prayer Seek the solace of His guidance, friendship and love. I find the recitation of the daily Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet to be a great way to start the conversation with God, who knows me better than I know myself. He knows what’s in my heart, what is causing me concern, as well as my dreams. He also knows how to solve my problems. Through prayer, be ready to listen. Reconnect with God Through Reading of Scripture God has so much to tell us, and it’s all written down in the Bible, which is not some old book meant for people from ancient times. God’s Word is... Rea

Can you believe it? Lent is only one week away! We’ve barely left the Christmas season, and we are about to walk the journey, with Christ, to Calvary. Are you prepared to enter the Lenten season? Are you ready to make the most of it? Things You Can Do to Make Your Lent Fruitful Prayer : Make a point to set aside a few minutes each day to pray. If you have enough time to say a full Rosary, great! But, sometimes, the day gets away from us. So, a vow to say a single Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be is a commitment I think we all could easily make. Prayer is talking with God. He wants to hear from you! Fasting : At a minimum, make the effort to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. By fasting, I mean a reduced breakfast and lunch, and a full dinner. No desserts! If you can do this on a set day of the week, once weekly during Lent, all the better! Fasting helps us to understand that without God, we are nothing. It is God who provides for us: our homes, our jobs, our food, ever

After a few decades of dry spiritual exercises, Catholics either become just like the Pharisees who thought they were holy because they acted and looked holy on the outside or if they are honest with themselves, they become so frustrated they lose hope, believing communion with God is only for ancient saints or a few chosen ones. Most settle for a man-made spirituality when God offers all intimate communion with Him. The truth is a vibrant, joyful relationship with Christ is simply the normal Christian life when we learn how to surrender to God and let go of control. For years, I did not understand the subtle difference between authentic and man-made spirituality.  It is not an easy distinction to make; most of us remain in delusion until a spiritual director can shake some sense into us. For myself, I tried to force God to relate to me on my own terms. Since God refused to be manipulated, the harder I tried to grow closer to Him, the more I hit a wall. The experience often broug

I am not just reciting theology when I remind you there is neither time nor distance when we live and move and breathe in the Spirit. When someone dies or moves far away, I don’t have to say goodbye just whisper hello, a different kind of hello which moves with the speed of light to brighten each heart when I think of them. God is the great “I AM” who exists in yesterday, today and tomorrow. His Spirit mysteriously unites all of us, intimately present to each soul, all at the same time. Our whispered hello to God and each other is called prayer. continue

Christian spirituality, inner transformation, and contemplation are not at all what I first imagined them to be. I initially began the inner journey striving, depending on my discipline and willpower. JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER HUMAN, l failed miserably. Striving to transform spiritually into a person of Love and Light is sort of like an ant straining and trying to turn himself into a human. Like my Irish grandmother used to say,”You can’t turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse.” When I admitted defeat, God had an opportunity to save me from myself continue

It was my husband’s turn to have “one of those weeks”. I don’t like it when he is stressed or upset. It makes me sad for him! So, I made sure he had coffee in one hand and a loaded lunch bag in the other as he left, and he’ll have one of his dinner favorites waiting for him when he get’s home. I’m a big fan of the idea that the way to a man’s heart is through his tummy. But there’s only so much food can do. As he walked out the door this morning, I was left wishing that I could have done more. I feel this way a lot. I’m a “fixer”, if something is wrong, I want to fix it. I’m probably a very bad listener because of it. I have a hard time just sitting and being compassionate. My brain immediately jumps to all the things that should be done to resolve the situation. And of course (insert sarcastic tone here), my advice is simply excellent all the time, because I am just at that right age where I’m young enough to think I know everything and old enough to think that I’m old enoug

My neighbors’ generators hum in the background as I rummage through a pile of work assignments in search of one I can perform without benefit of internet. The power’s out, after an overnight storm. As a freelance writer and researcher, I find the lack of internet access nettlesome. Even cell service is affected today. It’s quiet as I select the files I can work on. Only a few billable hours in there, but that’s better than nothing. I can work without distractions. The only device at hand is a pen. As I realize that, it occurs to me that I’ve spent much of my life wishing for days like this. I was sure that if I only had more peace and quiet, less need for structured time, I could…fill in the blank: pray more, study more Scripture, read more devotions, study Church history. I’d go on retreats. I’d have time for more than a morning offering before diving into the day. I am blessed with children, and grateful for them.  I was blessed to be their “stay-at-home” mom. My husband made

If I thought my faith depended on feeling cheerful, I'd be worried.If I thought my faith depended on feeling cheerful, I'd be worried. Since I'm a Catholic, I think faith is willingly and consciously embracing "the whole truth that God has revealed." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 142 - 150 ) Faith is easier when my emotions are in sync with my reason. So is acting as if what I believe matters. Emotions can tell me that something needs attention, but "...conscience is a law of the mind...." (Catechism, 1777 - 1782 ) More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Christ offers even adults an easy way to commune with Him.  Relax. Give up striving. Surrender to His love and let it saturate every cell of your body. Then simply let His love flow through you. It ends up being a long journey to such carefree lifestyle because pride and ego get in the way. It is so simple that it seems complicated to our adult, logical minds. No wonder Jesus praises children, I assure you,” He said, ‘unless you are converted and become like children, you will never get into the kingdom from heaven’ [ Matthew 18:4 ] continue 

Christ offers even adults an easy way to commune with Him.  Relax. Give up striving. Surrender to His love and let it saturate every cell of your body. Then simply let His love flow through you. It ends up being a long journey to such carefree lifestyle because pride and ego get in the way. It is so simple that it seems complicated to our adult, logical minds. No wonder Jesus praises children, I assure you,” He said, ‘unless you are converted and become like children, you will never get into the kingdom from heaven’ [ Matthew 18:4 ] Union with the living God is child’s play.  Listen to this debate between two of my pre-schoolers. continue reading