Association Of Catholic Bloggers

As we embark on the holiday season, we find that now is a good time for expressing unselfishness. We find ourselves taking part in filling the local food bank, so that others, who are less fortunate than ourselves, may have enough to eat. Such a gesture opens our hearts to other possibilities, like volunteering at a homeless shelter, serving meals, or giving of our time to help someone in need. Perhaps you might drive someone to a doctor’s appointment or visit a relative in a nursing home. Whatever touches your heart to do, know that it is a call from God asking you to give of yourself to others. Expressing Unselfishness Expressing unselfishness is an easy thing to do. All it takes is... Read more...

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When I was eleven years old my mom got me a small tape recorder for my birthday.   I have held onto the tapes all of these years, but haven’t listened to them in ages.   With the help of one of my brothers who supplied me the necessary power cord, I was able to listen to occasions of my childhood. The day I got the recorder reveals a young girl trying to learn how to use it.   On and off the recorder went as I talked with my friends and interviewed people in my family—like my mom and grandma—who have since passed. Those were the days that we waited and waited for our favorite song to come on the radio so we could record it. My brother has a two-sided, LONG recording of the Apollo launch he must have recorded off the TV or radio. Birthday party fun and even adult silliness on the tapes have given me snapshots of moments in time I would not have recalled otherwise.   The innocence is remarkable! Listening to myself at that age surprisingly provided hints of who I was to

High Altar and baldachin Archbasilica of St John Lateran   [ Wikipedia ] The Cathedral of Rome, the 'Mother of all Churches' Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Luke 21:5-19 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)     When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said,  ‘As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.’ They asked him, ‘Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?’  And he said, ‘Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and, “The time is near!” Do not go after them. ‘When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be

You may recall me talking about the Book of Wisdom, Chapter 13 before because it is one of my favorite Bible passages.   I have a lot of favorites, but this one WILL make go deeper as you contemplate the existence of God. I encourage you to open your Bible and spend some time with it.   Sit in your favorite chair and think, “Hmm, I guess I hadn’t thought about that before.” Just do it, today, and let God speak to you! This episode of Opening God’s Word can be found at janetcassidy.blubrry.net . I hope you will subscribe and share it with a friend! Have a blessed day in God’s Word. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blogspot.com janetcassidy.blubrry.net

Webcam: Sauk Centre MN is back online. And has been for several days. A bit more at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Today we’re talking about the Kingdom of God in the Gospel of Luke , Chapter 17.    What is it?    Is it here, now? Is it coming? It can seem so confusing!   Join me today for this episode of Opening God’s Word and let’s get it cleared up!  We’ve only got a couple of minutes, so let’s see what we can do to better understand what the Kingdom of God means for us today! I hope you have a blessed day in God’s Word! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blubrry.net janetcassidy.blogspot.com

One may look at the evening news and ask, “When did we lose our way?” We see rampant corruption bubbling to the surface within our government. There are immigrants in cages at our southern border. The opioid crisis seems to be on the back burner. Our priorities seem off-kilter. It’s at times like this, that it is very easy to lose hope. Yet, these are the very times when we need to hold onto hope. This is a time for hope! A Time for Hope Every day I pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, with the intention of having truth and justice revealed, and God’s Will be done. Well, I would say that God is doing a very good job at getting the truth out in the open, but the justice part, I’m still waiting on that. I think it will be awhile before we see justice. The Truth needs to permeate our souls first. We need to face the ugliness of corruption, the maltreatment of the immigrant, and acknowledge the need to address the opioid crisis first. We need to find our moral compass, once again, and al

Are you one of the Ten Lepers in today’s Gospel (Luke Chapter 17) who was healed?  Are you like the one who turned back to say thank you, or did you go on your merry way as one of the nine and not even recognize who healed you? Maybe you don’t have leprosy, but I’d be willing to bet there are other conditions from which you need to be healed. What is your leprosy?    Unforgiveness?  Mental or physical suffering? Relationship problems? Encounter Jesus as he enters the village in today’s Gospel, and notice the power he has to heal us—even from a distance! You can find today's episode of Opening God's Word at janetcassidy.blubrry.net . Stand with the Samaritan leper who turned to Jesus to thank him, and let your own encounter with Christ allow you to hear the words: “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.” Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blubrry.net

In today’s episode of OpeningGod’s Word I explore the question Jesus asks in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 17. Basically, he wants to know how likely it would be for you to ask a person who works for you to drop what he/she is doing, and take a break to sit and eat with you, leaving their tasks undone? He compares this situation to what is expected of those who follow him. Listen in as I give a modern-day example that helps us enter into this passage a little more clearly. I hope you have a blessed day in God’s Word! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blubrry.net

My husband and I walked down the street the other day to an estate sale.   Although we didn’t personally know the neighbor who had to move into a home, we often saw him from afar on our daily walks. While we were in his house looking around for the sale, a man came in with a Vietnam Vet’s hat on.   I thanked him for his service and we chatted a bit.   He showed me the injury to his hand and joked that he could no longer catch change in his hand anymore when he goes through drive through windows. I told him our neighbor was a Vietnam Vet and that he had been a cook.   He remarked, “They got shot at, too, if the food wasn’t good!”   He went on to tell me a story about sneaking in to get pie or bread or something like that, after hours, because you can only eat powdered eggs for so long. Anyway, since I graduated high school the year of our bicentennial, I was in the habit of thinking Vietnam Vets are twenty-something young men.   Stupid, I know, but I have such a lack of awa

Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story  is a compilation of 30 conversion stories written by Catholic authors. Some of the authors are “cradle Catholics” like me, while other authors found their way to the Catholic Church after a long, and sometimes winding journey. Yet, the variety of experiences all point to one thing: a love for Christ and His One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. As a Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) Coordinator, it is my responsibility to bring souls into full Communion with the Catholic Church. I walk with them on their journey. So, my heart was touched to read some of the stories in this book. For example, Cynthia Gill Bates writes of her conversion from Mormonism to Catholicism.  She came to realize that when faith is lost, in a human being like Joseph Smith, who founded Mormonism, faith in that religion goes with it. She drives it home when she writes: There are only two possible options: either Joseph Smith told the truth, or Joseph Smith

Have you found yourself grumbling a lot lately?   Complaining about work or the world around you? Time to sing a new song! Psalm 98 is just what we need when we feel like we are living in a vacuum that is overtaking the joy in our lives. Today’s episode of Opening God’s Word will help you make the shift you need! I have also posted (below) a prayer of gratitude that I pray every day to encourage me to be thankful for all of the blessings God has given me. I hope you will make it a part of your day as well. Have a blessed day in God’s Word. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.blurry.net Email:  johnseven38@yahoo.com A Prayer of Gratitude to God Father, I am so grateful for everything that you have given me.   Thank you so much for the loved ones in my life, For the many ways in which I am cared for and supported. Thank you for the many ways I can serve and give to others. Thank you for the rich tapestry of colours in creation, for

Moses Before the Burning Bush Domenico Fetti  [ 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   Luke 20:27-38 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)     Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, ‘Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage;