Association Of Catholic Bloggers

For my first time as a Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) Coordinator, I attended the Easter Vigil. We welcomed four, fine women into the Church, where they received the sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion. We also witnessed the baptism of 17 people!!! Yes, it was a long evening, but a wonderful experience to witness, as well. Our celebration at the Easter Vigil, began the Easter Octave; an eight-day celebration of Jesus’ Resurrection. Easter is so important, so vital to the essence of the Catholic faith, that we need eight days to soak in the meaning of Christ’s sacrifice, mercy, and salvific power. Remember Christ’s Sacrifice During the Easter Octave Easter is the most important day on the Christian calendar, as it marks the fulfillment of God’s plan for redemption of His people. Christ conquered death and sin with His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Think about that for a moment. Without the Resurrection, we have... Read more...

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

Week 2 of  Navigating Your Finances God's  Way  ....  My first discovery this week.  We don't own as much of value as I thought but what we do own I am rather possessive of (verses recognizing that all is a gift and essentially on loan from God). This week called for a completing a list of assets.  I have realized that much of our debt came during the PRE ~ DVR/On Demand and electronic music days.  WE have spent thousands of dollars in music CDs, videos and books - that cluttered our home and were watched, read or listened to once at best.  I used to spend so much money on Amazon (mostly for those 3 types of items) that I would (legit) get a Christmas present from Amazon every year! I also realized I spent a great deal of money on toys, clothes and shoes - the majority of which was barely played with or worn.  SEE A pattern here ... I KNOW I do!! This week's lesson focused on recognizing GOD'S ownership over ours.  Having attended a f...

Rather than giving up chocolate, only to devour the solid chocolate Easter Bunny on Easter Sunday, seek virtue this Lent. Rather than giving up drinking alcohol, only to pop the cork on the Champagne this Easter Sunday, seek virtue this Lent. Rather than giving up television, only to sit in front of the TV all day Easter Sunday watching your shows on demand, seek virtue this Lent. So many times, year after year, we temporarily give up something we love as a sacrifice for Lent in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross. I suggest taking a different and possibly more... Read more...  

Lent is around the corner again. My Facebook feed has been full of discussions about Lent and articles with this, that or the other Lenten recommendation. It’s amazing how many ways there are to “live Lent”. And each way has both die-hard supporters who see the spiritual value of that particular path through Lent, and critics who see the potential pitfalls. For an example of what I mean, take a look at  an article Simcha Fisher wrote a few years ago  – I think she did a pretty good job of showing some common approaches to Lent and the very real benefits and potential drawbacks of each. I don’t think there’s one “right” way, or even “best” way of living Lent. I believe there are as many ways of living Lent as there are people. Although we often approach Lent programmatically, I prefer to see it as a journey, or dialogue between the soul and God. A dialogue is hard to copy or recreate, because it depends largely on the heart and mind of the people involved. A dialogue ca...

Driving Home from Work. Suddenly I had such a feeling of appreciation of all the times that I had been protected by my Guardian Angel and Saint Michael the Archangel.  I thought I would give thanks to God.  Me:  "Z, my Angel, I know how God has allowed you to protect me in the past when I have gone to battle for souls that are lost, and I thank God and you for this gift.  For  Z, you know I will go to battle again soon, as God wills it." Z: "I will be there."  Me: "I know, and I appreciate that." Z:  "It is not by your appreciation that I serve."  TO READ MORE...CLICK HERE! 

From  The Gospel of John  (2003) directed by Philip Saville Gospel   John 2:13-25  The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.    In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” The Jews then said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” continue reading the gospel Christ Driving the Moneychangers from the Temple   Rembrandt, c.1626. Pushkin Museum, Moscow [ Web Gal...

In honor of this feast of St. Juan Diego and the upcoming feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I am reposting this blog from 2012.  Most of the time when I am in prayer it is spent in meditation, contemplation and intercession. I rarely ask the Lord questions but I find when I do I almost always receive an answer. I don't know why but I often do not expect an answer and I don't always recognize the revelation I receive as a direct response to my question. That happened to me a few weeks ago. Before I tell you what my question was, let me clarify that I am 110% pro-life.  I see it as a grave evil and a spiritual battle. I believe that Satan, through the act of abortion would like to kill as many of these innocent lives as he can because nothing reflects God better than an innocent baby made in his image and likeness. I believe these babies therefore are little martyrs that go to heaven. My heart in the matter has always been very grievous, especially for the mother.  I ...

An imperfect, but lovely, picture  of an imperfect, but Lovable, me! As a little girl I remember just wanting to be Accepted, to be Valued, to be Loved. Was it the child abuse I suffered or the uncertainty of how to handle that abuse, was it the denial, or the get-over-it attitude that so many seemed to express even though they didn't always use words? What was it that made me feel less than God had intended me to be? What was it that made me sacrifice so much of myself, to compromise my values, to put myself in positions of risk in high school, in college, in married life so that I lost who I was, that I gave up dreams, that I believed false promises? What was it that made me  less? I see so many others today sacrificing, compromising, risking who they were meant to be in the name of "love," especially victims of abuse, abandonment, divorce, those who have forgotten or who never knew their worth, the Perfect Love that is offered to them ...

During prayer one day, the Lord spoke to me. "You know I conquered sin and death."    I don't why I knew it, but I knew this was instruction about my prayer, about how to pray.  "Yes Lord".  Thinking:  What is He trying to tell me?. ..CLICK HERE...

Self Portrait with a Friend by Rafael. In the middle of Lent, I received an email from a new reader I’ll call Jill. Jill shared with me her years of darkness in her personal and spiritual life. My heart went out to her. I wanted to do something for her, more than just writing an encouraging answer. So I thought about it and prayed about it. Then I had an insight. Here, in part, is how I replied: “I explore these questions [about God and suffering] a lot in my book. I will give you a brief version here. Rabbi Kushner, writing in When Bad Things Happen to Good People, said that we shouldn’t ask why when we suffer. Instead, we should ask, What now? How am I to react? Finding meaning in our suffering “Similarly, Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning wrote, “Suffering ceases to be suffering in some way in the moment that it finds a meaning.” He found that in the concentration camp, those who were able to survive and be psychologically...

What Really Happens at the Holy Mass. This is where I am happiest, at the Holy Mass.  Now I will tell you what really happens at Holy Mass. The Lord told me some time ago, "I want you to go to Holy Mass everyday."  I thought, "O.k., I can do that."   At the time I was only going to Holy Mass once a week, an occasional day Mass but I mostly just prayed in front of the Blessed Sacrament.  I didn't understand, but I obeyed.  Going to Holy Mass everyday required some coordination, I would have to get up earlier and find a Mass along the way to work.  Also, the Mass would have to be close enough to work that when it was finished I could still get to work on time.  I found several different permanent options, and a few back up plans if for some reason I couldn't get to my regular daily Mass. It took about a year of going to Holy Mass daily, but then things started to change.   This was no longer an obligation, but a joy!    God star...

Irish Peace Tower, Belgium For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? (Luke 14:28) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)                                         Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)  Gospel  Luke 14:25-33  (Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition) Now great multitudes accompanied Jesus; and he turned and said to them, "If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my dis...

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...

The Holy Gospel according to John: 15: 12-17 This is my commandment:  love one another, as I have loved you .  A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends, if you do what I command you.  I shall not call you servants any more, because a servant does not know his master's business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father.  You did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last;  and then the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name.  What I command you is to love one another . Source: The Jerusalem Bible How should we love one another? At this morning's daily Mass, our parish priest, Fr. Walter Tabios, preached about the quality of love that God asks of his friends.  He cited four types of love, all of which are anything but egotistical or self-se...

My sons and I returned home the other night from a long, wonderful day trip to New York State to see my parents, my brother and his family. My husband and I settled in to watch a movie: "A Tale of Two Cities," a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer production from 1935. The film, an adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic tale, is the story of men and women who become caught up in the bloody aftermath of the French Revolution. If you are expecting instant payback for your time, this is not the movie for you. The film builds its characters and its suspenseful plot methodically. Be patient. By the end of the movie, I promise you will be on the edge of your sofas. The movie's sensibility is profoundly Christian and seeks to answer the question: What is one's purpose in life? Read more here.

These two things have been on my mind a lot lately, so I thought I’d thrash them out here. I looked up the words in the dictionary and have plumped for these two definitions: Fulfilment : a feeling of satisfaction at having achieved your desires Sacrifice : To forfeit (one thing) for another thing considered to be of greater value. If I think of our modern, everyday society, everything seems to be geared to the former, rather than the latter. Self-fulfilment is big business, and we are encouraged from very early on to strive to achieve our desires and ambitions, to be successful. When the word sacrifice is used in this context, it can be negative. How many times do we read of people sacrificing family time in order to pursue a successful career... Read more here