Association Of Catholic Bloggers

  Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence. ~John Adams We are in the middle of a war. It is a war which involves every man, woman and child because it is a war not only for our culture but for our souls. The main battlegrounds of this war appear to be the minds and hearts of women because it is women who make or break family life. Once family life is destroyed or corrupted then the state becomes supreme with each and every one of us as its puppets. When women are degraded then the entire society loses it dignity and heroism. Once a people lose their nobility of soul and sense of honor then there is nothing left to them but enslavement. We now waver at the brink but all is not lost for we have women who see things as they are and are not afraid to talk about it. Journalist and radio talk show host Teresa Tomeo is one such woman who assesses th...

In Motherhood Matters , Canadian author Dorothy Pilarski writes with profundity and wit about matters practical and divine. Full of anecdotes and humor, this book makes us take an honest look at the lives of women today, and helps us to focus on what matters most. Has "liberation" truly led to greater happiness for women? Are children to be viewed as commodities, to be acquired just as we acquire a house or car? Or should children be seen as the gifts from God that they are, given to our stewardship? Dorothy makes it clear that until we rectify our confusion about such basic questions then peace of heart will elude us. To quote: We will find happiness in living out God's purpose for our lives, not our own. The culture of the early twenty-first century makes it easy to follow mistaken paths. The media bombards us with the temptation to fulfill ourselves, to find ourselves, to meet our own needs. It is a message of selfishness. And it is spread constantly. M...

Please visit the new Tea at Trianon Forum . It will be a place to discuss the same topics we discuss on my blog, but in more detail. Anyone can join. On the forum people will be able to introduce topics for discussion. Comments will be posted immediately, without having to wait for me to moderate them. Members will be able to post links and pictures and make block quotes, which is so much easier for trying to get one's point across. There are three main rules: 1. Be polite. 2. Be polite. 3. Be polite. The forum is for ladies and gentlemen. If you are not a lady or a gentleman then it is not the forum for you. Courtesy must be observed at all times. Members are asked to refrain from personal attacks, sarcasm, slanderous remarks about ANYONE and general snarkiness. While questions and inquiries are welcome, any attacks upon the Catholic Church or the Pope will be deleted immediately. We also ask that our guests stay on topic. Off topic comments will be subjec...

By Allison Salerno   Given that my husband is a major movie buff and has shown me so many wonderful classic films, it surprised me he's never seen Vittorio De Sica's neorealist masterpiece, The Bicycle Thief.   I'd never seen it either. So Saturday night, we sat down with a good friend in our family room to watch this masterpiece on cable TV. Even if you have seen this film before, rent it. Given the perilous state of the American economy, the film speaks to our hearts now as never before. The movie's setting is post World War II Rome, when Italy was poor and politically unstable. The plot concerns a young father, Antonio, who is struggling against every odd to support his small family. Bruno, his 7-year-old son, accompanies him throughout most of the story and so we see the father's pain through the child's eyes. The theme: the price we pay for what matters most. The story begins as Antonio lands a day job putting up movie poste...

“ Natural family planning ? What’s that? And does it really work?” These are probably some of the most common reactions or statements we get when people ask us how we spaced our two kids (Tim is turning 5 in October and Rysse just turned 2 last July). Those who are already in the know though can testify that NFP is the best way to go when it comes to family planning. Our kids are products of NFP, just like Umbert. ;-) What is natural family planning (NFP)? Wikipedia defines  NFP  in the following way: Natural family planning   (NFP) is a term referring to the  family planning  methods approved by the  Roman Catholic Church . In accordance with the Church's requirements for  sexual behavior  in keeping with its philosophy of the dignity of the human person, NFP excludes the use of other methods of  birth control . *To read the full article, please go to Philstar.com's unBLOGGED section by clicking  here .

On August 15, we celebrated  the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary . It was a day for us Catholics to remember how our dear Mother played a significant role in the life of Jesus, and indirectly, in the lives of each of us today. The Gospel on that day spoke about the Annunciation, and these words really struck me:   “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”  Luke 1:42 When Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, said this to her, she must have felt such joy. She was actually so moved that she broke out into song – what is known today as  the Canticle of Mary . Mama Mary had no idea then just how deeply her heart would be “pierced by a sword.” (Luke 2:35) She probably did not have any inkling as to what that verse meant too, when the prophet Simeon said it during  the Presentation of Jesus  at the temple. Indeed, nothing could probably have prepared her for this: (*the song in the video is a Filipino composition and i...

I have written in my homeschooling blog before about being  Pro-Life . Being a pro-life family, we strive to be up-to-date with all that is happening around us, especially here in the Philippines, where bills that are pro-contraception, sex education for young children, and divorce, are being pushed into legalization. Many people think that it is only the Catholic church that is "waging this war" but actually, many Filipinos of other religions also agree about being pro-life.  Local groups like  Pro-Life Philippines  are trying their best to gather these Filipinos, and have been able to do so in the past, like in the  Filipinos Unite under God for Life Rally last March 25 . This Monday, July 25, there is another event aimed at uniting  Filipinos who are for life .   With this, I humbly ask for all your prayers for us in the Philippines, and in other countries around the world, who are committed to nurture, protect and defend life in all stages,...