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("Not All Times" – posters, art prints, greeting cards, and postcards available on DeviantArt.com .) "l'art pour l'art," " Art for art's sake ," popped up in the early 19th century. The idea is that "the only "true" art, is divorced from any didactic, moral, or utilitarian function." George Sand , Friedrich Nietzsche , and Chinua Achebe , said it was an empty phrase, self-contradictory, and Eurocentric, respectively. ( Wikipedia ) I wouldn't go that far, but I think it's a silly idea: at least when applied to anything other than doodling to pass the time. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Adults can act just like the apostles and try to dismiss children because they are loud. messy, and they can’t sit still. Although the Almighty loves them, parents often try to subdue them in the presence of God. Church becomes a miserable experience for all. But Jesus said to the disciples and to modern day parents, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”- Matthew 19:14 continue

Abraham and the Three Angels  ,Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, 1656 Gospel Luke 10:38-42 NRSV   Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” Christ in the House of Martha and Mary , Vermeer, 1654-55 Perhaps the poorest man I've met in my life was Billy Smith. Despite his name, he was a Filipino, though as far as we Columban priests knew his father was an American. He was known to all the Columbans in northern Mindanao where in the 1970s we had...

When I first received this book in the mail, I can admit that when I realized there was work involved I was not excited. I also was unsure on how I could relate to a Bible Study for Christian Women from 30 years with updates with an elderly woman. I am happy to admit I was wrong. This study was so thought provoking and once I got through the study I really did feel that I had improved my personal relationship with God. You can read the rest of my review here.

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With all these violent events around the world ¿Is there any chance for peace? How can Catholics react to terrorism and fanatism? We can turn our hearts to a powerful weapon that already has won wars and saved nations from epidemics: OUR LADY´S ROSARY. Let´s take this powerful weapon recommended by  the Virgin Mary in our hands and unite in the way our Church has taught us: all together to achieve peace in our wounded world.     Spanish http://articulosdeapologeticacatolica.blogspot.mx/2014/10/el-santo-rosario-y-la-batalla-de-lepanto.html  

About 15 years ago, our neighbor’s daughter died from the effects of a malignant brain tumor. As her cancer progressed, Traci, who was 22 at the time, began to loose the functions that are controlled by her brain. She was moved to a nursing home where she became a beloved patient to the staff. As she became weaker and lost her sight, a friend visited her to read sacred scripture to her. A nurse commented to Traci later that she was lucky to have someone to read to her. Traci simply replied with a smile on her face, “Blessing upon blessing; grace upon grace!” Many of the staff came to her funeral. They spoke about her love for others and the sense of gratitude that she had. The members of the staff felt that they were better persons for having known Traci. Read more at Prayerfully Yours

It is crazy sometimes I swear! You think your life is going into one direction and then BAM! A door opens you didn’t even know existed. Especially when things look well…..bleak, we have a tendency to get angry and fall further into sin. Our trails are meant to define us not destroy us. As Catholics (and I would like to believe most Christians), we know that our intentions and actions are what truly define us as Christians. Our choices and reactions also are ways to define us as Christians. I know that I struggle with leading by example. I also struggle with being aware that my choices are being observed by other young women and that I need to be aware of that it is my duty as a Christian/Catholic to lead by example. You can read the rest of the study here .

A court in Argentina said that Sandra the orangutan is "una persona no humana (non-human person)" in 2014. 1 Or maybe 2015. I'll get back to that. Instead of going ape over that news, I learned a little about Sandra, the Buenos Aires Zoo, and the curious case of Tommy the chimp More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

One of the more exciting things about having children is introducing them to the wonders of the world. Watching them make discoveries for the very first time often shows us what we've lost growing up. For example, I wanted some more reading material, so my husband and I stopped by our local public library with our firstborn, who was all of two years old. Sure that watching Mommy browse the shelves in the adult section was far too tedious for a toddler, I suggested my husband take our daughter into the children's room. Our library boasts three large aquariums there, vibrant with colorful tropical fish. Certainly she would find that more entertaining. I figured I had hit it on the nose when about fifteen minutes later, she came back into the main section of the library, bobbing with excitement. "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" she squealed, grabbing my hand. "Come see!" Her tiny hand cradled in mine, I allowed her to usher me into the children's room, b...

I received an email a couple of weeks ago stating that I was "eligible for an electronic credit as part of the Apple Settlement" through Barnes & Noble.  At first I thought it was spam, but a friend of mine received one through Amazon.  I didn't think too much of it, until I got the email that said my credit was going to be $76.39!  YAY!  So what should I spend it on? You can read the article and view the photo gallery at Being Catholic ... Really .

Much of the discussion about Centering Prayer appears mundane. What’s the big deal anyway? Why can’t people just pray however they want? Even I sometimes question whether I could spend my time better than in challenging these teachings. Then along comes a statement from a Centering Prayer “guru” that is so outrageous it puts everything into perspective. Such a statement was shared with me today. Watch this video, which was released last month by the Garrison Institute, for which Fr. Thomas Keating is a spiritual adviser. Pay close attention from about 45 seconds until 1 minute 6 seconds. He’s a bit hard to hear and understand, so turn your volume all the way up. Watch the short video and read my commentary on it here.

Let me introduce you to Lexie Goodwin from Lexie’s Adventure in Kenya – Love is Patient , written by Susan G. Mathis, and illustrated by April Stark. Love is Patient is the first installment in a series of children’s books that Mathis and Stark plan to produce based upon 1 Corinthians 13. This intended series uses a very interesting approach in teaching children, not only about the facets of love, but also about interacting with others, as well as about living in another part of the world. Lexie’s parents visit missionaries and assist them in their efforts. They bring their children, Lexie and Cori along for the adventure. In Love is Patient , Mathis and Stark address bullying,... Read more...

Names are important because they stand for who we are. It’s said that hearing someone say our name is the sweetest sound to us. And how embarrassing when we forget someone’s name or misspell it! Sometimes children hurt each other by making fun of their names. People have their loved one’s names tattooed on them. God says he has our name tattooed on the palm of his hand! (Isaiah 49:16) Names are important to God too, judging from Scripture. In Genesis he calls out names and the things come to be. He gives Adam the power to name the animals. God had a habit of changing people’s names:  Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, and Simon became Peter. The new name signified something about the person. (Did you ever notice how some people’s names fit their occupations like Dr. Tozzi the podiatrist and Dr. Bright the dentist.) Do you know what your baptismal name signifies?  Click to continue

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As the Morning Rising: St Francis of Assisi : St Francis You have taught us to trust and to care And to offer a prayer In the form of bread to the hungry stranger Guid...

The Grace Trifecta Standing before a room of 30 or so women facilitating my first faith sharing back in 2006, I fumbled around for the proper words as I tried to answer one participant's seemingly simple question on the grace of God.   What is grace?  While I had this innate understanding, I could not formulate the right words to express what I believed it to be. I realized, I had no definition. Fast forward a few years, I am sitting in a small chapel in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament ( aka Jesus in the Eucharist ). In my reading I once again face the question, what is grace? This time I open the  Catechism of the Catholic Church ; and prayed for guidance from the Holy Spirit.   That day the  Allison abridged version  of how I define the grace of God, was born (see image above) and I discovered the GRACE TRIFECTA ... Read More   All rights reserved, Allison Gingras 2016

Sunday's Gospel reading  tells the parable of the Good Samaritan tells of a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho along a dangerous stretch of road. It doesn't say why he was traveling there, why he was alone, or who he was to take such a risk. The parable doesn't tell much about the man except that robbers arrived on the scene, stripped him, beat him, and left him half dead on the side of the road. We know very little about the man, but we do know a bit about those who followed behind him on the same road. First, a priest arrived on the scene. He wanted nothing to do with the man, for if the man was already dead, he would have made the priest unclean. The priest continued his walk on the opposite side of the road. A Levite came next. He too walked on the opposite side of the road, never offering help to the fallen man. To continue reading, please join me at SingleMomSmiling.com God Bless...

How we communicate truth is the starting place for how to admonish the sinner while remaining unscathed. In this Year of Mercy, I write about a different corporal or spiritual work of mercy each month. This month we address the spiritual work of mercy to “admonish the sinner.” Perception of truth – wait a minute! Isn’t truth simply truth, and considered undeniable? Yes; but how we communicate the truth makes all the difference. If you come from the corporate world, like I did, then one of the first things you learned about dealing with conflict, is that... Read more...

As the Morning Rising: In The Chapel :   In the chapel especially it comes to me - an awareness of the hunger of the soul - hunger that nothing in this world can satisfy. ...

I was incensed when an American commentator said the English are not really interested in tennis, they're just mad on Wimbledon. But when I thought about it I had to admit that there was more than a grain of truth in what she said. I could name at least half a dozen people who plan their holidays to coincide with Wimbledon fortnight. Even if they don't go in person, they spend hours glued to the box like me. I always find that Wimbledon is something of a spiritual experience. Of course I don't watch for that reason, I watch because I enjoy the matches, but every year the dedication of the players to what matters most to them makes me compare unfavourably my own dedication to what should matter most to me. It's the quality of their single-mindedness that always impresses me.   read on...

In the first world countries the so-called achievement in medicine of the good death now sees its dark side. With the Mirage to avoid unbearable suffering to terminally ill, countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium modified 15 years their health and legal structures to help the dying. But this form of assistance has proved to be a trap for many seniors, disabled and mentally ill of these prosperous countries. At that time, the Catholic faith warned about the effects to our individualistic world that ignores the other so easily. spanish version on: http://mujer-catolica.blogspot.com/2016/07/el-vacio-detras-de-la-buena-muerte.html

from The Cloistered Heart

(From O. Herford, via Life Magazine/Wikipedia, used w/o permission.) ("Life" magazine, Demon Rum, and Matthew 12:45 : June 26, 1919.) My household is "dry:" there's no beer in the fridge, wine in a rack, or whiskey on a shelf. That's partly because I drank too much, which was a very bad idea. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2290 ) After that experience, I could get cherophobia and virtue confused — but I won't. Cherophobia, aversion to happiness ; and hedonophobia , fear of pleasure; are real words. But "blessed are the miserable, for they shall spread misery" is not in the Beatitudes. 1 ... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

As the Morning Rising: The Good Samaritan : My mother often told us her version of the story of the good Samaritan. She and her five siblings lived in very modest property along...

Jesus’ exhortation in Sunday’s Gospel “ask the Master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest” usually is interpreted to mean pray for more priests, deacons, and women and men religious. But look at the context of his words. Jesus is sending out seventy-two disciples. None of these followers are priests or consecrated religious and probably most of them won’t be. Every person who believes in Jesus is called to labor for his cause. By our baptism we all assume the responsibility to spread the good news of salvation and bring others to Christ. For too long the duties of the laity were limited to praying, paying, and obeying. We’ve forgotten that all Christians are also to be relaying. We are to continue the work of Jesus and tell people about the kingdom of God. A friend who went to Catholic school with me became a Jehovah’s Witness after two of them appeared at her door and spoke with her. Personal contact makes all the difference in the world! www.kathleengla...

(From BBC News, used w/o permission.) ...I was quite upset about the incident when I heard about it on radio news the next day. Philando Castile had apparently done exactly what he should have done: followed instructions of the police officer.... ...Later Thursday, I heard and read that someone had started shooting police officers at a demonstration in Dallas, Texas. So far, six people are dead as a result of that incident: five police officers, and the person who apparently killed them. Seven officers and two civilians are still alive, but injured. I was quite upset about that, too.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

The Good Samaritan (after Delacroix) , Van Gogh, May 1890 Gospel Luke 10:25-37 NRSV Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near...

When Catholics venture beyond the walls of their parish church into the marketplace to evangelize, it is important that they remember the spiritual life cannot simply be taught to the unchurched because human persuasion alone will not convert anyone. Disciples of the living God are called to reveal His tangible Presence to those who are searching for salvation. When the Spirit of Christ flows through Christians who are His vessels to those who are hungry and seeking God, God is able to catch them in the net of His love. An Experiential Faith Christianity is above all an experiential faith, a living relationship with Christ. A Christian is not a person who merely accumulates intellectual knowledge about God nor simply fulfills tradition and the letter of the law. Pope Benedict and Pope Francis have repeatedly emphasized that Christianity is an encounter with Jesus. Many people perceive Christianity as something institutional — rather than as an encounter with Christ — which expla...

Why does God allow suffering? Is it a punishment for our sins? Or a repayment for what He has done for us? PLEASE CLICK HERE