Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Today would have been the 71 st wedding anniversary of my parents, if they were still with me today. The veil between heaven and earth divides us, but the love remembered between my father and mother, and their mutual love for me remains in my heart. My parents married shortly after my father returned from World War II’s European front in 1945. From their love first came my sister Joan, now a mother to two children and grandmother of four children. Then came my brother Ed, father to three children, and grandfather to one child. Next, my sister, Susan arrived, followed by me. I tell you this to demonstrate that this love, a love remembered, between two people, is responsible for an additional fourteen people populating this earth! Love has a way of... Read more... 

Today we celebrate All Souls Day. Yes, I said “celebrate.” This day is set aside for us to remember and celebrate God’s mercy. This day is meant for remembering all souls who have departed this life and now reside in Purgatory, where they are in the process of having their venial sins cleansed, as well as experience the temporal punishment for confessed mortal sins. As Catholics, we know that to see the face of God, we must first be purified by the fires of Purgatory, where we are cleansed of our sins; refined like fine gold – Only then may we enter the gates of Heaven and see the face of God. Praying for all souls, on this dedicated day, can only help them. Need some proof that your prayers actually help those in Purgatory? Okay, here is an excerpt from... Read more...

I have this recipe that I like to make at this time of year. We call it Meat in the Gravy .  It is a recipe that my husband got from a friend’s father back in the 1970’s and it’s been a favorite of our family for decades! As I contemplated making it recently, I drew a correlation of Meat in the Gravy to that of life. Those meaty chunks represent those big moments in our lives: the births, graduations, weddings, etc. The seasonings and spices represent the flavor of the stew, but are also those occasions that added spice to our lives: that special kiss, the memorable family vacation, the romantic dinner at our favorite restaurant. And then there is the gravy; that soupy mess that... Read more...

I love this time of year, when the leaves turn from green to magnificent hues of gold, orange and red; when the air turns crisp; and the holidays beckon. It’s my favorite time of year! For me, this is the last autumn of my life, as I turn 60 in March, and will enter the winter of my life. Time is short, and every seasonal change reminds me that my time on earth is limited. As the seasons change, I take of stock of what I have accomplished and where I have fallen short; where I have excelled in virtue and where I could have done better. Autumn Winds; Hearts Afire As I celebrate this last autumn of my life, my heart is afire for Christ. Having left Corporate America, and the stress that went with it, I now work for Christ. Jesus is the best boss ever! The monetary salary is nothing to write home about, but the serenity, joy, and peace is priceless! My job also comes with increased trust, faith, patience and perseverance! Bottom line is that when... Read more...  

Father Jeffrey Kirby, STL, does a fantastic job of describing God’s limitless mercy in Doors of Mercy; A Journey Through Salvation History . Father Kirby tells us of the six covenants made between God and man, and how in every instance man was unfaithful to God. Yet, through God’s mercy, we were evermore blessed. Father Kirby walks us through the covenants made between God and Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and ultimately though the New Covenant, Jesus. He tells us of the importance of the Prophets and the Church in God’s plan for salvation; a salvation brimming with Mercy. He gives special attention to Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska who experienced visions from Jesus teaching her about His mercy. Divine Mercy Message I especially enjoyed Father’s Kirby chapter devoted to the life of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, and her Divine Mercy Message and Devotion. In addition to the dedicated chapter on Saint Maria Faustina, Father Kirby provides... Read more...

I have to admit that I chose to read From Grief to Grace: The Journey from Tragedy to Triumph, by Jeannie Ewing, because I personally know the author and wanted to support her writing. Little did I know when I opened the first page, just how much I needed to read this book for my own benefit! Like many, I associated grief only with death. No one in my life had recently died. Therefore, I didn’t see a need to read it for any other reason than to support the author. I couldn’t have been more wrong! My Story of Grief Grief can result from any type of loss; the loss of a loved one, a home, a job, your good health – anything! As I read the book, simultaneously, my husband lost... Read more...

It is not always easy to forgive injuries, because we’re human and pain hurts! Yet, we are called by Christ to forgive in the same manner that He taught the Apostles to forgive when He taught them the Our Father: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matt 6:13). To forgive then requires us to extend mercy and compassion. How so? Let’s use an example: A family crisis occurs. Tensions are high. A close relative makes a comment that cuts you to your core, causing you great emotional pain. It’s the type of comment that could result in the two of you never speaking to each other again, or at least not for several years. Anyone else ever experience this situation? I know that I can speak from experience: It happened to me. I couldn’t bring myself to be in the same room with this relative for about two years. Unable to forgive, I hurt deeply. Read more...

Today is a glorious day because Teresa of Calcutta is officially a saint, having been canonized yesterday! She died 19 years ago today at the age of 87. How fitting that such a short time passed from her death to her canonization; for she was truly holy and faithful. Her joyful spirit and love for Christ and his mother, Mary radiated from her at all times. Her determination to keep Christ at the forefront of her life, even when darkness and struggles surrounded her, is a testament to her faith. Always putting others first, her humility became her hallmark. Beloved by Catholics and admired greatly by non-Catholic Christians, Teresa of Calcutta was a true witness for Christ. Yesterday, Pope Francis... Read more...

Do you remember, as a child, those last lazy days of August, soaking up the last bit of summer before the new school year would start? You made every attempt to get that last bit of fun in before your days filled with school work. Preparing for the New School Year Over Labor Day weekend you shopped for new clothes and new supplies. I remember taking brown grocery bags and cutting them up to make book covers for my books. That was back in the day when, as children, we had actual hardcover text books, that our parents paid for and we could keep! (I went to Catholic grade school). Palpable hope exuded in the atmosphere... Read more...

Today we remember the Passion of Saint John the Baptist, who gave his life as a martyr for the sake of moral truths. The backdrop leading up to his death presented much scandal and deceit. It started with a warning by John the Baptist to Herod that Herod should not have taken up with Herod’s own sister-in-law (the wife of Herod’s own brother, Philip). Rather than having John the Baptist killed for having the audacity to call Herod out, Herod placed him in prison. “ Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man ” (Mark 6:20). Yet Herodias, Philip’s wife and now Herod’s lover, had other designs. She wanted... Read more...

As with every month, during this Year of Mercy, we choose a different corporal or spiritual work of mercy and dive into the details. This month we discuss the spiritual work of mercy to comfort the sorrowful. It seems like every time I attend a wake for someone’s passing, I never know what to say to the bereft family members. Does that happen to you as well? How does one truly comfort the sorrowful at such a time of great loss? Words seem so inadequate; well, at least my words seem inadequate. At such times, I try to remember what it was like when I was on the receiving end, at the wakes of both of my parents. For me, the mere presence of a trusted friend, who did not need to say a single word, brought me much comfort. She showed how much she cared, just by being present. Sometimes all that is needed is... Read more...   

I was recently at the doctor’s office for my annual visit. While sitting in the examining room, with nothing to do but wait, I read the ad on the door. It showed a picture of an older woman, holding a placard that said, “My heart beats for______.” She filled in the blank with “my grandkids.” She had a huge smile on her face. The ad promoted preventative health exams. As I sat there looking at the ad, I asked myself, for whom does my heart beat? I hope my husband isn’t too disappointed, but my first instinct was to answer, “My Heart beats for Christ!” Sitting there in awe for a minute, I realized my response, as well as my accompanying relationship with Christ. I love my husband very much. We’ve been together almost 40 years (married more than 37 years). Yet my response was Christ. I live for Christ; to do His will. My Heart Beats for Christ I cannot say that Christ would have always been my first response. In my early thirties... Read more...

Our Moral Life in Christ – College Edition , by Father Peter V. Armenio, is an excellent book for anyone wanting to learn more about moral theology. We live in troubling times, asking ourselves what our world has come to these days. Where have our moral values gone as a society, with all of the terrorist attacks, mass shootings and lack of charity? If you are looking for ways to make this world a better place, then start by reading this book. Change comes from within. We need to look at ourselves first, before pointing the finger at others. I use Our Moral Life in Christ – College Edition in teaching my Fundamentals of Catholic Moral Theology course at the undergraduate level. I find the text offers the sound basics of moral theology in ways that everyone can identify with... Read more... 

Because Saint Ann conceived our Blessed Mother in her womb without original sin, and because Mary remained sin-free for her entirely earthly life, God assumed Mary into Heaven, body and soul, at the end of her earthly life. Mary’s refraining from sin resulted in no need for her earthly body to decay; to experience death as we know it. In stark contrast, for everyone else, our souls separate from our bodies at the time of our earthly deaths. Our bodies decay because of the original sin committed by Adam and Eve, and from our own concupiscence to sin. God created Adam from dust, and as a result of Original Sin, unto dust we all shall return. Our departed souls await the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, when He will resurrect our glorified bodies, reunited with our souls, in perfect union with the Blessed Trinity. This is Catholic dogma, a tenet of our faith. Our Blessed Mother, A Cause for Hope Mary’s Assumption into Heaven is cause for our hope in the... Read more...  

Timmy and Tammy are ten-year-old twins, who come home from school every day to an empty house. As a society, we commonly refer to such children as “latch-key children.” More and more responsibility is placed on such children to self-discipline themselves to do their homework and complete their chores. It is no longer monetarily feasible for one parent to stay at home. Life gets even more complicated and overwhelming when a person must raise their children without the loving support of a spouse. Timmy and Tammy’s mom, Tiffany, has little time for her twins. Her boss is overbearing, demanding, and unaccommodating when it comes to balancing home and work life. Work usually wins out because Tiffany is a single mom, and sole bread-winner for her family. Their dad is long gone and out of the picture, resulting in just one more broken home. Tiffany struggles with balancing her time and attention between work and home. Sometimes it is just physically easier to ignore her children’s wants

Saint Dominic, a 13th-century theologian, tends to get overshadowed by his fellow, more renowned Dominican, Saint Thomas Aquinas. Yet, not today! Today, we celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican Order of Preachers. During his life, Dominic, a native Spaniard, traveled abroad to France. There, he witnessed a great need to combat heresies. He believed that people needed to fully understand the true teachings of Jesus Christ. If they did, they would embrace the Catholic faith. Dominic also realized that to achieve success in his preaching, he must meet the heretics were they were at: living a life of austerity. He met austerity with austerity, by preaching and walking barefoot! From his efforts, Dominic gave birth to true “evangelical preaching.” He established... Read more...

With all of the violence experienced recently, I am at the point where I can’t take much more. Although far removed from the direct impact of the violence, I am nonetheless negatively impacted. I can only imagine the nightmare for those experiencing the loss of their loved ones. My heart goes out to the survivors and family members of gun violence. Like them, I’m tired of the violence. One Sunday, after the ambush of police officers in Baton Rouge, and wall-to-wall coverage on cable news,  I found myself looking for some kind of escape... Read more...

Today we celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, an 18 th century Catholic priest, who founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in 1732. He created this Congregation with the charism of preaching parish missions to the faithful. He believed that by evangelizing on the moral virtues, in the parish missions, he could bring souls closer to Christ. And that he did! Saint Aphonsus Liguori taught that by embracing virtue, we grow closer to Christ. He authored several popular books informing the faithful on how to make this happen. Read more...

People hunger for goodness and happiness in their lives. Yet, when I mention the words morality or virtue in a conversation, I see eyes glaze over and minds shut down. What is it about these words that turn people off, especially since these words represent all that one actually hopes for in this life? There is a definite disconnect. So, as an adjunct professor of Theology, who happens to teach a course called the Fundamentals of Catholic Moral Theology , let me help by connecting the dots. First, let’s define morality and virtue: Morality refers to the standards by which we judge actions to be good or evil. 1 Virtues assist the Christian in living the commandments as well as effectively pursuing a holy life in Christ. 2 At birth, God infused within each of us, His Natural Law; “ which enables man to discern by reason the good and the evil, the truth and the lie. ” 3 So, there is no getting around it: We all know when... Read more...

The conventions are upon us. Today begins the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, running though to Thursday, the 21 st . The following week we have the Democratic National Convention beginning July 25 th through to the 28 th . With that said, I have a request to make: Could we, as a nation, show a little tact please? I think it is sad that I have to ask that our political candidates use some tact in their political discourse. Needless to say, it requires that I make a plea for civility, given recent historical experience. If history is any guide, then we are all in for a few months of rough seas. I get to this time of year, every year, and November can’t come fast enough for me; Read more...