Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Come Back to Me , by Carolyn Astfalk, is the second in a series of romance novels, centered around the Reynolds brothers. Where Chris and Rebecca Reynolds were the lead characters in the first book,  Stay with Me ,  Come Back to Me  focuses on Alan Reynolds’ marriage to his wife Jamie. Come Back to Me Thanksgiving’s on the horizon, yet that does not stop Jamie from kicking her husband, Alan, out of the house! Alan has no clue what he did to deserve such treatment. On top of that, he has no job, and nowhere else to go, but to his brother Chris’ house. Newlyweds, and soon to be parents, Chris and Rebecca Reynolds welcome Alan into their home, allowing him to temporarily stay in what will be their first baby’s nursery.  That “temporary” arrangement lasts beyond Valentine’s Day! Will Jamie ever take Alan back? Will Alan ever figure out what he needs to change in his life to make things right with his wife? Astfalk created another entertaining story, with drips ...

Many people confuse Chastity with celibacy, when they are two different things. Celibacy is the total abstention from sexual activity, whereas Chastity is living true to your vocation. By vocation, I do not mean “career.” In this sense, “vocation” means living in accordance with one’s calling from God. We have three vocational possibilities: Single, Married, or Religious (Ordained priests and deacons, as well as religious brothers and sisters). So, Religious and single people remain chaste by abstaining from sexual activity. However, married people remain chaste by engaging in sexual activity only with one’s spouse. Therefore, Chastity pertains to everyone. Why Chastity is Important So, now that we understand that Chastity pertains to everyone, let’s consider why it is so important, to God, that we all remain chaste in accordance with our respective vocations. It boils down to why God created sex, and why He deemed for it to occur within the sacred bonds of matrimony only. Sex ...

Charlotte’s Honor , by Ellen Gable, a sequel to  Julia’s Gifts , is set in wartime Europe during the summer of 1918. Here, we find Charlotte Zielinski, working as a nurse at a field hospital in France. In  Julia’s Gifts , Charlotte was a supporting character. Here in  Charlotte’s Honor , we see Charlotte, with her hopes and dreams, take center stage along with the reality of war. The days are long, and the work is hard, but Charlotte finds solace tending to the dying, as each takes their last breaths. Someone needs to be by their sides, as no one should die alone. As Charlotte tends to the dying, she meets young Dr. Paul Kilgallen. She’s smitten with him, and he’s smitten with her. However, there was this thing called a war that seemed to continuously get in the way of Charlotte and Paul’s developing relationship. Then, there is a third person, named Hannah, who was “determined to make him her own” (p. 25). Hannah would do anything to discredit Charlotte, so that Dr...

As a Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) Coordinator, I get a lot of questions about marriage, divorce and the need for annulments. Unlike some of our Protestant brethren, Catholics believe that marriage is a sacrament, instituted by God, at the dawn of mankind (Gen. 2:24) and reaffirmed by Christ (Matt 19:6). We also believe that it is a covenantal commitment between husband, wife and God, meant to last for a lifetime. In that covenantal relationship, God blesses the union of man and woman, and seals it with an unbreakable marriage bond. Therefore, sexual sins, conducted outside of the marriage covenant, can be a real deterrent to getting to Heaven. Purposes and Properties of Marriage Based upon the Catholic understanding of marriage, Catholics see two purposes of marriage:  Read more...

In  Emily’s Hope , by Ellen Gable, Gable gives us a glimpse into the two mindsets of the abortion/pro-life movements. In this fictional tale, Gable introduces us to Katherine Clayman, circa early 20 th  century, when women did not have the right to an abortion, let alone the right to vote. We learn of the illegality of ending a pregnancy and the lengths women would go to do just that.  Kathryn is a proponent of ending unwanted pregnancies and she doesn’t believe in God. Her philosophy was, “ we live our lives, then we die and that’s the end of us .” (p.304). Contrast that thought with that of Emily Greer, Katherine’s Great-Granddaughter, who believes in the sanctity of life. Emily, born in 1959, sees life as a precious gift from God. She believes in a God who is the giver of life; seeing children as the fruit of self-giving love between a husband and wife. Katherine and Emily’s viewpoints on life offer a stark contrast, worthy of the read. Throughout the novel, Gabl...

As Christians, we are all called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can do this in several ways. You don’t need to be a Catholic blogger/author/public speaker like myself. You can preach the Gospel, without ever saying a word; by the mere witness of your charitable actions. Most people will never remember eloquent words spoken to them. But, they will remember a kindness done for them. Deeds speak volumes! A police officer who runs toward danger, when others run away. The witness of his or her bravery and courage speaks volumes. A man or woman who volunteers at the local soup kitchen to serve the needy. The witness of his or her generosity and love speaks volumes. A child who... Read more...

Human love demands a total self-giving of one to another within the covenant of marriage. There is no room for self-gratification, or for expressions of sexual intercourse aside from the conjugal act within marriage. For when these things happen, they are not based on love. Rather, they are based upon deception and a misuse of one’s own sexuality. Actions such as these, linked to the Ninth Commandment, diminish the dignity of all parties involved. Innately, we all know this, because God has infused within each one of us His Natural Law of right versus wrong. Yet, we still commit the sins against Chastity. Sins Against Chastity We know that to practice Chastity, we are to refrain from engaging in sexual relations with someone other than one’s own spouse. When we do not refrain from doing so, we commit the sins of... Read more...

Rightfully Ours , by Carolyn Astfalk, rightfully belongs on your “Want to Read” list! In Astfalk’s third Christian fiction novel, she introduces us to two teenagers: Rachel Mueller and Paul Porter. At the beginning of the book, when Rachel and Paul meet, they are only 14 and 16, respectively. Throughout the story, we see a deep friendship blossom between the two characters. As they get to know each other, we see that friendship grow into love, young love. Rightfully Ours deals with the virtue of chastity head on; yet in a manner that would make any teen want to be like Rachel and Paul. These two characters serve as excellent role models for teenagers coming to grips with burgeoning love and sexual desire, contrasted against all that they have been taught concerning morals and virtue. I found Rightfully Ours... Read more...

I finally figured out what matters. This is it. (1) I do not need a happy ending in life.   The Meaning:   Life isn't meant to be a fairy tale. Whether.... The Freedom:   No matter how my life ends, .... (2) How I feel about my life doesn't matter.  The Meaning:  Whether I think my life is going well or not is.... The Freedom :  Less time wasted with pointlessly evaluating my life in.... (4) Even if I became a god or goddess, it wouldn't matter.   The Meaning:  Having "personal power," or realizing the greatness in my soul in order.... The Freedom:   Who cares who I am?... "Lord, when we ask you for honors, income, money or worldly things, do not hear us." -St. Teresa of Avila (7) Never stop asking- "How Could I Do Better?"  The Meaning:   It doesn't matter... The Freedom:   This is the annoying part... Here's the rest of this post: " The 7 Most Mindblowingly Liberating Things I've...

St Casimir, Vilnius Cathedral, Lithuania  [ Wikipedia ] St Casimir  (3 October 1458 - 4 March 1484), whose feast day is today, 4 March, is patron saint of Poland, of Lithuania and of the young. He was noted for his great love for the poor and for his chastity. The biographical note in The CTS New Daily Missal  says:  His devotion to Our Lady was great; he was so fond of the twelfth-century hymn 'Daily, daily sing to Mary' that it is often attributed to him . The hymn - its Latin title is  Omni die, dic Mariae  - was written by St Bernard. You can find both the Latin and English lyrics on  CatholicCulture.org . A note there says  A  copy of this hymn by Bernard of Cluny was found beneath the right temple of St Casimir's incorrupt body when his grave was opened . The biographical note in the  CTS New Daily Missal  describes St Casimir as  A shining example of faith, piety, humility, and chastity . A priest I met i...

I’m all about symbolism. So when we decided to give away copies of the newly released, 2 nd revised edition of All Things Girl: Truth for Teens, symbolism was bound to play a role! LOL! My decision on 18 copies is based upon the number representing “life” in Jewish teaching. That just resonates so deeply with me. I pray for great life for the book and for those who will read it. That is why we are giving away 18 copies of All Things Girl: Truth for Teens. The link to the giveaway is on the new Facebook page being administered by one of the amazing new contributors, Heather Renshaw. Heather is a blast. She’s a mother of five youngsters who somehow found the time to write a chapter on vocations in general and motherhood in particular. Because of her honesty and great sense of humor, I am convinced that her chapter will deeply affect the teen girls who read All Things Girl: Truth for Teens. If you’d like to enter the contest, visit the new Facebook page, like it, share it...

When All Things Girl first came on the scene there were a lot of mixed reviews. People said things like "it is terrible; it seems homemade" to "the best book EVER for young Catholic girls." Of course, once those books went out of production (there are new ones now in print), everyone clamored for them. I suppose that's how it always goes, right? We don't know what we have until it is gone. We are now excited to say that the newest All Things Girl book is out! In the 2014 release of Truth for Teens you are going to find the same great open and honest talk that girls love (and moms and grandmas are so appreciative of) but with fresh, new, relevant voices! Peggy Bowes (best-selling author of The Rosary Workout and popular speaker) writes about health and fitness. Heather Renshaw, mother of 5 youngsters, somehow found the time to write about vocations in general and motherhood in particular. Kayla Brandon, a journalism major with time in at Fox and othe...