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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...

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Our culture isn’t really atheist. It isn’t even agnostic. It’s just really apathetic and has a horrible case of  FOMO . “Let’s live it up now, try everything, have all the fun, and then after we’ve had all the fun, then think about our eternal salvation. Maybe.” There’s a way to reach the FOMO Millenials (and others) before they land themselves in that proverbial foxhole. The way to do that is through  joy. The fear is that when we turn to God, all the good and fun things we used to do will be taken away. We’ll be sour-faced saints, sitting in Church for hours at a time being bored out of our brains, turning down every party invitation, and never having a raucous Friday night again. For some, that might be what Christianity looks like, but not for us! Read more at Messy Buns & Latin Chant

The Sower (after Millet) , Van Gogh  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Mark 4:26-34 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition) Jesus said to the crowds: ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground,  and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.  The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.  But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.’ He also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?  It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;  yet when it ...

Today is the Feast Day of my favorite saint, Saint Anthony of Padua, Italy. Although a Portuguese native, he died in Padua, Italy in 1231. His remains are buried at the Basilica of Saint Anthony, in Padua, Italy, which I had the good fortune to visit back in 2011. He was a Franciscan friar, who dedicated his life to serving the poor. He is one of my favorite saints because he acts as my role model, in giving self-sacrificing love to Jesus, by always being willing to do God’s will and God’s will alone. Oh, if I could be like Saint Anthony, I would be a far better person! Many acclaim Saint Anthony with being the patron saint of lost items. But, did you know that he is also known for his devotion to prayer, his knowledge of Scripture and as a theology scholar? He preached against heresies, bringing souls back to Christ. Also, he wrote theological sermons as well. Other kids may want to grow up to be like Mike (Michael Jordan), but I want to grow up to be like Saint Anthony of Padua...

Incongruente y gran contrasentido es que vivamos en un mundo en que se defiende con ahínco la ecología y se olvidan los derechos del hombre. Es maravilloso que los individuos luchen en forma denodada y sin tregua por el respeto a la naturaleza animal y vegetal. Es enternecedor como se ponen miles de cuidados en conservar las especies en extinción, como se lucha por salvar a los animales y las aves que están atrapados o malheridos y cómo se trata de que los árboles y las plantas no mueran y en ello se invierte dinero y esfuerzo.    Todo esto es encomiable y como seres civilizados nos esforzamos en ser vigilantes del bienestar de los animales y las plantas y dar la batalla por un ambiente sano y benéfico, pero volvemos al contrasentido: si se alzan voces y grupos en defensa de todo esto que hemos mencionado, ¿ por qué no se propugna con el mismo vigor, con la misma fuerza, con el mismo entusiasmo, con el mismo respeto por los primeros ...

My sense of fashion withered while raising nine kids on a hobby farm.  I barely had enough time to make sure my dress was clean and my hair and teeth were brushed before I hustled everyone out the door and made sure they were all well groomed. This changed when my daughters were in their late teens because they organized an all-out assault to bring me into the 21st century. continue

In today’s Gospel reading from Matt 5:1-12, we hear Jesus teach about the Beatitudes. I am quite partial to the Beatitudes, as they embody virtue. As you all know, virtue is my “thing.” When we look at each one of the Beatitudes, we see that they are actually God’s gift of grace. That is because, to master the Beatitudes, we must embrace virtue. To embrace virtue, we need God’s grace. The Beatitudes – Jesus’ Way! To be poor in spirit, one must embrace and exemplify   humility If you are one who mourns, you are   compassionate Meekness is obvious. Yet to be   meek , one requires great strength ( fortitude ). If you hunger and thirst for righteousness, you embody   justice Merciful is obvious, like meekness. However, to be   merciful,   to the extent necessary, one must be ready to also   forgive ... Read more... 

WOULD YOU ADAM AND EVE IT? THIS ARTICLE IS NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED OTHERWISE - CLICK HERE

Young Jew as Christ , Rembrandt  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Mark 3:20-25 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition) Then Jesus went home;  and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat.  When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, ‘He has gone out of his mind.’  And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, ‘He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.’  And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan?  If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.  And if Satan has risen up against hi...

Jesus speaks to us today through scripture. In today’s Gospel from Mark, Jesus addresses the Sadducees on the concept of the Resurrection. This is because the Sadducees did not believe in an afterlife. The question originates on the basis of Jewish law. You see, when one brother dies, the next in line is expected to take the widow as his wife. This is for two reasons. 1) so that the widow would be cared for, as she was not allowed to earn a living on her own, and 2) for the procreation of the Jewish population. The Sadducees questioned Jesus, wanting to know whose wife would the woman be at this supposed Resurrection. Jesus, being God, and filled with all Wisdom, responded with a question of His own: Are you not misled because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God?  (Mark 12:24). Using this question, Jesus segues into a revelation of what life will be like at the resurrection of our own bodies, where we will be like angels. The concept of marriage will no ...

I’m in the throes of moving from a large house to an apartment in Notre Dame Village in Chardon. This means reducing what now fills two floors, an attic, and a basement so that my personal belongings, furniture, and office will fit into four and a half rooms. Maybe you’ve had this experience. If so, you know it is an ordeal, especially if you’ve been a hoarder like me. I keep telling myself, “This too will pass, and soon I’ll be enjoying a brand new home with dozens of lovely companions.” In this Sunday’s epistle, Paul encourages himself and us to look past the hardships of today to the glory that awaits us in our heavenly home. He didn’t have to move many belongings since he was a nomad, but he endured much worse—beatings, whippings, and shipwreck—as he spread the Gospel. He is getting older and looks forward to his eternal home. Click to continue

            When I was in the first grade, I asked my teacher—a nun—what heaven is like.             She told me heaven is like the Mass.             That was absolutely the right answer.             That was absolutely the wrong answer.  https://reflections911.wordpress.com/2018/06/05/defining-heaven/

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In today’s Gospel reading from Mark 12:10-11, Jesus asks this question:  Have you not read this scripture passage: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?’ Jesus refers to Psalm 118:22-23, where we learn that what is deemed “ insignificant to human beings has become great through divine election .” 1  This Psalm is a hymn of thanksgiving; praising God for His wondrous deeds. When Jesus references this passage from Psalm 118, He  foreshadows that He is the cornerstone for His Church. For it will be through His death and resurrection that His Church will be built. He will be that rejected stone that becomes the cornerstone. Is Jesus Your Cornerstone? Throughout your life, what place does Jesus hold? Is He your every reason, for every action, that you take? Or, does He barely register on your awareness meter? Perhaps He falls somewhere in between. With Jesus, as the cornersto...

I've read that spiritualism and spiritism started in the 18th or 19th centuries. Folks who take one or both seriously seem to think spiritism isn't spiritualism. How the 'isms' are different depends on who's talking. Some say spiritualism is a religion, while spiritism is a social movement. Or spiritism is a science and spiritualism isn't. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Corpus Christ Procession , Carl Emil Doepler  [ Wikipedia ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition) On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples said to him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’ So the disciples set out and went to t...