Association Of Catholic Bloggers

We’re two weeks into the New Year, and many of us have already failed to live up to our New Year’s resolution to lose weight, and/or to get fit. Why? Because we lack the virtue of Temperance. Embracing Temperance helps us to gain control over our passions, even the passion for food and the lack of passion for exercise! I love to eat good food, and I detest any exercise. As a result, all the weight that I lost a few years ago returned – every pound of it! I know this is not healthy for me. Yet, when your “Temperance Tank” is running on empty, it is very difficult to make positive change. That’s why we fail to live up to our New Year’s resolutions. So, it’s time to fill up on Temperance. Embracing Temperance Temperance is responsible for moderating our attraction to pleasure – and that includes food, drink, sex, excessive shopping, gambling, etc. You get the point. It also provides us with balance in using things, exercising control over our impulses and desires. When we seem t

If you're like me, some nights before you drift off to sleep you ponder questions like is there a God, is there really an afterlife, why do we suffer, and how did creation begin. These questions have engaged and intrigued people of all times and places. Different faith traditions have wrestled with them and ventured to offer answers. For the past two years, I've been focused on them. It all began one day when I went to our Provincial Center for a funeral. In the hall Sister Karita met me and declared, "God has sent you to me!" She and another college professor had arranged to write a book for a publisher about the ultimate questions.* The other professor realized she had too much on her plate and backed out of the project, leaving Sister in the lurch. Desperate, Sister prayed for help, and my name floated into her mind. That morning she unexpectedly met me! Working on the book enlightened me about different religions and my own. I found that we human beings have muc

Take a moment out of the world's rush...listen to the sea! It reflects a peace and beauty of God! Por:  Blanca    @mujer_catolica

What have you been afraid to tackle in this new year? Is it a tough conversation with a loved one, a conversation you would rather ignore? Or, maybe it’s summoning the courage to get that physical you have been putting off? Perhaps you haven’t been to Confession in a while. As this new year gets underway, now is the time to address those things you conveniently put out of your mind. By embracing Fortitude, you can succeed in addressing those uncomfortable situations. What Can Embracing Fortitude Do? Fortitude strengthens our resolve. It will also help us to achieve our New Year’s resolutions. How so? Well, Fortitude gives us the courage and strength to be brave in moments of fear; to act to overcome obstacles. In addition, Fortitude gives us the strength to resist temptations. Therefore, if you want to accomplish anything, in this new year, you will need... Read more...

If you haven't yet checked out  Encounter Ministries , you need to! They are a ministry that God is using powerfully to bring renewal to the Church!  I just got back from their annual conference that was held in Toledo, Ohio this year. I attended last year as well and it was life-changing. This year was life-changing on another level! Fr. Mathias Thelan and Patrick Reis head up Encounter. The Lord truly works through them, I believe because of their humility and ability to yield to the Holy Spirit.  Continue Reading @ Beautifulthorns>

Baptism of Christ , El Greco  [ 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) Note:  In each of the above you will find an alternative First Reading, Responsorial Psalm and Second Reading that may be used in Year C. The Gospel below is always used in Year C. Gospel  Luke 3: 15-16, 21-22 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition)      As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah,     John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heave

Justice, in the eyes of God, is viewed a bit differently than we, humans, view Justice. Giving God His due through worship, praise and thanksgiving is justice in God’s eyes. Respecting one’s neighbor’s goods and family is justice in God’s eyes. Embracing Justice, as God would like us to do, is not as easy as it sounds. The number of people who take the time on Sundays to worship God; to give Him praise and thanksgiving, is dwindling as each decade passes. We, as humans, are not giving God His due. In addition, we, as humans, fail to give the rightful respect due to our fellow men. Look at all the bickering you see on the news; the divisiveness rising in the country and around the world. Types of Justice Justice resides in the will of every person. Yet, a truly just person distinguishes himself by right reason and upright conduct. There are three different types of Justice. These forms of Justice enable us to live up to the call of giving one’s neighbor their just due: Read

By now many of us have probably slipped up on keeping our New Year’s resolutions. This is discouraging and our self-esteem deflates. It’s difficult to be persistent.  We might want to throw up our hands and quit.  But it’s much better to start anew.  For me, working crossword puzzles is a good analogy.  Sometimes when a puzzle is a real challenge, I’m tempted to stop and peek at the answers to complete it. But I’ve found that if I let the puzzle rest for a day and then return to it, some clues I thought were impossible I now can answer. Maybe today, it’s hard for me to pass up the dessert I resolved to forswear, but maybe tomorrow I can overcome my craving and be victorious. That would make me feel good about myself.  This reflection in my book “Heart to Mary with Mary” is a fitting follow-up to these thoughts:  Click to continue

This is the first year that I did not have a Christmas Card from Sr Wendy Beckett. Instead I had a little note from Sr Stephanie, the Prioress of the Carmelite monastery at Quidenham to say that her health was failing, but that she was happy and at peace. She died on 26th December 2018. Although she originally belonged to the teaching order of the Notre Dame sisters she became a hermit and lived in a rather primitive caravan in the grounds of the Carmelite monastery at Quidenham until her health deteriorated.   read on.....

Many of us make New Year’s resolutions, mainly because we want to see positive change in our lives. Perhaps we haven’t always made the wisest food choices. Or, maybe we haven’t been that good at handling our finances. We want to change for the better. By embracing Prudence, we can accomplish our New Year’s resolutions with success. True Goods versus Apparent Goods Prudence is the application of practical reason to the decision-making process, so that one may determine the true good every time, as well as choose the proper means of achieving the true good. Let’s first differentiate between a true good and an apparent good. A true good has no disguise. Take Christ, as an example; sinless and morally upright in all ways. An apparent good, on the other hand, may seem like a good on the surface, but have some hidden flaws. Take a higher paying job as an example. On the surface, it looks like a good thing. But, look closer to learn that... Read more...

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Este 2019, co mo cada empiezo de año en México se busc ó , a modo de celebración, al primer bebé nacido en los hospitales del país. En esta ocasión, Aylin fue la ganadora de l os reflectores del año nuevo en el Instituo Mexicano de l Segur o Social IMSS. Su madre “antes de la cirugía, dijo sentir una gran emoción por darle la bienvenida a su hija a este mundo, a la vida, “la amo, desde que empecé el embarazo la esperé con mucho amor”, enfatizó.” (1) Pero este año ha sido diferente. Co mo contraste a esta tradición de vida, en este amanecer del año, en otras partes del mundo se ha celebrado, con gran expectativa, la primera muerte.   leer más...

While writing about Epiphany, I meandered past Gothic cathedrals, kings and chancellors, and some of what's happened over the last two millennia. The magi, too: the first of many from all nations who recognized and welcomed the good news our Lord brings. That's in the day's Gospel reading this year, Matthew 2:1 - 12 . (More at A Catholic Citizen in America )

Then he said, “In truth I tell you, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.” ( Matthew 18:3  NJB) The perfect New Year’s resolution for mothers would be to try and obey this request from Christ. Surrounded by kids, mums especially love this verse becomes it validates the charming qualities we see in our children in a society which tends to overlook the powerless and extol those who are rich and powerful. Most reflections on this verse also focus on our kids’ virtues, virtues Christ extolled throughout His life on earth — such as humility, vulnerability, dependence on others, and the beautiful ability to trust and love others unconditionally without censure. However, the most pressing question triggered by this verse is:  How is it possible for  adults to change and become like little children? I can see the wisdom of Christ’s request, and I have the power to alter my behaviour and actions, but it is impossible to transform

Adoration of the Magi , Rubens  [ 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   Matthew 2:1-12 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition)      Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ru

In this Christmas season, we can’t help but be stunned by beautiful scenes: a church festooned with poinsettias and garlands, snow-covered mountains and frosted trees, a starlit sky, a dance in the Nutcracker, the faces of small children aglow with joy. We are programmed to thrill at beautiful sights. We take photos of them to capture and preserve them. We take pride in calling our country “American the Beautiful.” We also drink in beauty when gazing at certain artwork like the Pieta and when hearing certain pieces of music like Faure’s “Requiem.”  Beauty has power to take our breath away and bring tears to our eyes.  It is a reflection of the beauty of God, the Creator. Click to continue

It’s a new year, with new possibilities, and new beginnings. This new year offers us the opportunity to hope that our lives will be more fruitful and blessed. Perhaps you are hoping to get a new job this year. Or, maybe you hope to have a baby. Whatever you hope for in this new year, my wish for you is that you align it with Christ’s Hope for your life. What is God calling you to do? Have you sensed a pull in a certain direction? Maybe you are developing an interest in a certain ministry in your parish. Or, perhaps, you feel a tug toward getting that degree you’ve always wanted. What is holding you back from saying “yes” to God’s call? We find our happiness in responding positively to... Read more... 

For two dozen centuries, at least, a few folks have said that peace is a good idea. Many others have agreed. Making peace a practical reality has remained an elusive goal. But I think we're closer to it than when Chu won the Battle of Bi, or Sparta lost the Battle of Leuctra. 1 I'm quite certain that finding an alternative to war is a good idea. No matter how long it takes us to get there. More at World Day of Peace, 2019 ; brendans-island.com/catholic-citizen/world-day-peace/ . (More at A Catholic Citizen in America )

The Holy Night (The Nativity) , Carlo Maratti  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Today, New Year's Day 2019, is the darkest day in the history of the independent Ireland (the Republic of Ireland) that came into being in 1922.  Starting today , it is now legal in Ireland to kill an unborn baby for any reason whatever up to 12 weeks. After that the unborn child may be killed for specific reasons related to the health of the mother or to the perceived chances of a baby being born dead or not likely to live more than 28 days after birth. It will still be a serious crime to take the life of a child after 12 weeks except within the circumstances where the law allows abortion, though not in the case of a woman ending her own pregnancy. Early abortions will be carried out mainly by General Practitioners (GPs) who are willing to do them. Doctors and other medical personnel may refuse to carry out abortions but, as far as I know, doctors will be expected to refer the mother to a doc