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(Wednesday noon, December 23, 2020; my webcam's view of Sauk Centre's south side.) Tuesday afternoon's winter storm warning for my part of central Minnesota became a blizzard warning in the evening. We were promised a chance of freezing rain. But I didn't notice any Wednesday morning. On the other hand, wind was picking up and by noon snow wasn't coming down. It was coming across. I'd probably have got out to the Eucharistic Adoration chapel for my 2:00-3:00 Wednesday afternoon turn, if my wife hadn't said I should think about it. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

COVID-19, the pandemic coronavirus disease, has come to my house. Maybe. My son has been sick. Yesterday he had a telephone checkup. I don't know what the official term is for a medical interview conducted via telephone. He's been told to self-isolate.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Light and dark, green and brown. Crescent moon, textured memories. Past is done, a quiet present. What was, will be. Their now Is yet to come. (On A Catholic Citizen in America (January 30, 2019))

I did not plan on having a  large family ; I had never even held a baby before our firstborn. I had moved east with Michael after our first baby was born, which cut me off from daily contact with friends and family. Although I enjoyed living in the country, raising our own vegetables and later even all our own meat, it was an  isolated existence . I felt like  Ruth  in a foreign land but without family support because Michael’s mother was busy with a huge extended family. In addition, my husband struggled with depression. Worldly opinion screamed we should not have any more children. The question we had struggled with for years was,“How could we remain faithful to Church teaching when Natural Family Planning did not seem to work for us?” continue reading

I have always heard the mother is the heart of the family, especially a stay at home mother with a crew of kids, who also helps with a hobby farm. So why was I not missed when I spent hours locked in the chicken coop? You must first understand that even if this was a subconscious belief, I behaved as if  I  was the most important member of the family. It took a drastic experience to shake me out of my arrogance. God has a sense of humour and will use any and all experiences to teach us. continue

Today's official name is the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. That's a mouthful, so folks around here generally call it Holy Family Sunday. We don't see much of the Holy Family in the Gospels, or anywhere else in the Bible. Luke 2:22 - 40 — The Presentation in the Temple 1 — is one of the exceptions. It's today's Gospel reading. The others are Sirach 2:2 - 6 ; and Colossians 3:12 - 21 . There's a lot to say about all three, but I'll leave nearly all of that for another day. Just the first two verses from Luke are more than enough for a post.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Someone said "write what you know." It was definitely Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, Nathan Englander, or somebody else. I've mostly seen the quote applied to writing fiction. Apparently some folks assume that it means authors should only write stories about events they've experienced. That may help explain why fantasy and science fiction stories aren't taken seriously in some circles, and entirely too seriously in others. Others, including John Briggs , Diablo Cody /Brook Busey-Maurio and Jason Gots , say it means using the author's emotional memories when telling stories. They're professional writers, so I figure they know what they're talking about. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Many folks who lived in Grenfell Tower got out. Many others died. We don't know how many. A current estimate is 79. Determining the exact number will be difficult, since high temperatures may have effectively obliterated some human remains. Some survived because they didn't listen to official instructions to stay in their homes. That advice makes sense in a building with sprinklers and adequate interior firewalls. In Grenfell Tower, not so much.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

I think God delights more in joyful chaos than in miserable, tight perfection  in our family life. It is a simple fact: there is no better way to form deep relationships and a sense of family unity than conversation over a home-cooked meal, then sharing a good movie afterward. It was our large family’s version of going out for dinner and a movie in town. Life around our dinner table was relaxed and happy because I allowed my children to behave in age appropriate ways. I did not demand adult perfection. The consequences of this decision were messy but well worth the time it took to mop up after meal time. Best of all dinner and a movie at home was a cheap, affordable way to have fun together, no need to spend a lot of money at a restaurant and a movie theater. If you’re looking to save some money too, and check out some wholesome, Christian content, give Pure Flix’s  free month trial  a look continue

Upwards of 40 countries celebrate mothers at some point during each year. America's Mother's Day doesn't seem to connect with Phrygia's cult of Cybele or Japan's Haha no Hi , apart from being a recognition of motherhood. Our Mother's Day has roots in my country's civil war. Ann Jarvis organized a committee in 1868, promoting " Mother's Friendship Day ." The idea was "to reunite families that had been divided during the Civil War." More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

I'm a perfectionist, a frustrated one. Somewhere between childhood and adolescence, I felt that if adequacy had a numeric value, it'd be greater than two and less than one; or something equally impossible. More accurately, I felt as if that was the standard imposed on me. I realized that it wasn't possible, and that there was no point in trying to reach it. Like I said, frustrated. That goes a long way to explain, I think, why results from aptitude and intelligence tests showed that I should be getting stellar grades: and I wasn't. Autism Meets Perfectionism Academics interested me, and I was paying attention. I just didn't see a point in "good grades." Besides, there was a whole universe full of things not being covered at any particular moment: including some inside the classroom. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

No able-bodied human or animal would live in my house without contributing in some way to our household The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the family as the original cell of society which teaches children all about justice and responsibility. There are countless ways to teach kids about responsibility and one of the best ways is assigning everybody a chore. Even family pets are not exempt. continue

Near the end of a self-help book, the author wrote that social connections we make with others online aren't "real." The next sentence said that online communities are "pretend communities." The author explained that they don't "come close to fulfilling the legitimate needs we have." I understand the point he was making, but don't entirely agree. It's true that folks I know online won't notice if I left the garage door open, or lend me a few dollars until next payday. In nearly all cases, they can't. They live too far away. Some aren't even on the same continent.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

(From Philippe de Champaigne/Tessé Museum, via Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) Life in my mid-60s requires caution that wasn't necessary in my youth. Considering the alternative, though, being alive is pretty good: even in moments of loss. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

My brother-in-law passed away on June 27--at home, peacefully, with his wife and two other loved ones by his side and the local parish priest (who'd just administered Last Rites) singing softly in his ear.  He had recently converted to Catholicism and received First Holy Communion just before the cancer that had ravaged his body made it impossible for him to swallow solid food. Shortly before he left this world, I wrote about how he was teaching all of us how to face death with courage, grace, and true dignity.  If you'd like to read that full String of Pearls post, click here .

The Two Trinities , Murillo, 1675-82 John 16:12-15 ( NRSV, Catholic Ed ., Can.) Jesus said to his disciples: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. During my kinder, primary and secondary school years, 1947 to 1961, my brother and I had breakfast and dinner - a midday meal in Ireland in those days - with our mother. In the evening we had 'tea', as that lighter meal was known in some English-speaking countries. My father had his dinner and tea combined, the four of us together. I often heard my mother 'complain' about having to prepare two meals for my fat

Adulthood used to mean embracing adult ideals. A fellow blogger learned the hard way that a lapse in judgment can lead to heartache. Reflections on a fellow blogger's post, 1 Corinthians 13:11, and what it all means today on A Return to Elegance: You Lead by Example.

Celebrating the liturgy WITH our children is one of those "acts of devotion" Pope Francis encourages us to experience. Today's article continues the series on what the Mass means for families. This fourth part reflects on the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I’m about to tell you something personal. It involves something my husband is still sensitive about, so if you see him, don’t let on that you know, OK? On May 21, 1995, a gloriously sunny day, I graduated with my bachelor’s degree. The commencement ceremony was a big deal to me; in addition to receiving my diploma, I also got to take the stage to sing the National Anthem and Alma Mater. My family traveled over 400 miles to attend. What’s more, the ceremony happened to be six days before my wedding. My soon-to-be-husband was graduating the same day, with his master’s degree. So much to celebrate! Neither my fiancé nor I owned a cell phone, so we simply agreed on a place to meet outside the arena. Join me at Prayin

(From Elia Kazan, via Petrusbarbygere/Wikimedia Commons, used w/o permission.) (Screenshot from a " Panic in the Streets " trailer. ( Elia Kazan , 1950)) Actually, "Amoris Laetitia" means " The Joy of Love ." Pope Francis signed "Amoris Laetitia," about 58,000 words about love in the family, March 19. The apostolic exhortation was released Friday. So far, I've heard an imaginative summary on radio news, read a few dramatic headlines, and one or two online remarks about it that make sense. The latter generally boil down to 'I haven't studied it yet, so I don't know what it says.' That's pretty much where I'm at, but that won't stop me from talking — briefly, for me — about what I have read. So far, I've finished the introduction, glanced at the index, and am working my way through the first chapter.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

The long Christmas break is over and the letdown is leaving me a bit melancholy. The stretching of the heart that comes with the empty nest made full, and then made empty again, hurts. Both of our adult children were home for the holidays. Our daughter spent both Christmas Eve and morning with us despite the fact that she also needed to see her fiancé’s family (she got engaged in November). Our son spent the week with us, having come up from New York. Each time they come it’s an adjustment, requiring me to make room, not just in my house, but in my heart. Of course I do it without hesitation, but it is still an adjustment. It took me ten years to get to where I enjoy the empty nest. Robert S. Donovan empty nest,Flickr Creative Commons Click here to continue reading.