Association Of Catholic Bloggers

I came across an old Reader's Digest I saved (for whatever reason).  It was dated 2015.  Since I still enjoy my current subscription, I was shocked to see just how much it had slimmed down.  Unlike me, it seems like it is about half the size it used to be. I'm not sure if you could make Christmas trees out of RD anymore.  There may be a few of you who know what I'm talking about.  You folded each page just so, and voila! you had--shall I say--quite a unique little tree!  It was quite a popular fad.  I think it might fall into the category of the crocheted, plastic shopping bag rugs. But I digress. The list of how things have changed is long.  You live to a certain age and you can't help but notice. We were in Chicago for our anniversary and discovered that our knees and feet are not quite what they used to be. Pope Francis has spoken about aging, the elderly and physical limitations.  You may have noticed his use of a wheelchair ...

(From Bonhams auction house, used w/o permission.) (Louis William Wain's "A curious cat." (ca. 1930)) As a behavior, curiosity is part of being a rat, a cat, or a human. In humans, at least, it's also an emotion. Whether the decline in curiosity exhibited by many of us as we mature is a natural process, or is the result of education — that's a can of worms I'll ignore today. Cultural values very likely also encourage, or discourage, curiosity. Happily, there's more to my native culture than this proverb.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . This week I discuss using and misusing curiosity: with quotes from St. Augustine, Pope Leo XIII, St. Thomas Aquinas and H. P. Lovecraft.

Pentecost El Greco [ Web Gallery of Art ] Pentecost Sunday, at the Vigil Mass  (Saturday evening), Years ABC NB: The Vigil Mass has its own prayers and readings. Those for the Mass During the Day on Sunday should not be used – though some priests seem to be unaware of this. It is incorrect to refer to this Vigil Mass as an ‘anticipated Mass’. It is a celebration proper to the evening before Pentecost Sunday and may be celebrated in an extended form. It also fulfils the Sunday obligation. Readings ,   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings ,   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel ,   John 7:37-39  (English Standard Version, Anglicised)  On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out,  “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.   Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his hea...

  What if you were sitting by the pool? What would you say? CLICK HERE

The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Visitation El Greco [ Web Gallery of Art ] The Magnificat  (Luke 1:46-55) Catholic Television of Nigeria Continue at Bangor to Bobbio .  

  The Last Supper (detail) Andrea del Sarto [ Web Gallery of Art ] This  Mass is celebrated in places where the Ascension is observed on Ascension Thursday: England & Wales, Scotland and in these ecclesiastical provinces in the USA: Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Omaha, Philadelphia. You will find  Sunday Reflections  for The Ascension  here . Readings ,  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings ,  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel ,  John 17:20-26 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India)    Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said:   “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,   that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  ...

(From Agostino Carracci, via The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Wikimedia Commons; used w/o permission.) I figure folks have been hankering for the 'good old days' since long before we started keeping written records. And occasionally preserving them. The records, I mean. Not the 'good old days.'... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . This week I discuss Troy and the Late Bronze Age collapse, golden ages, fear and Phaedrus. And why history is not mythology, but both are important.

The Ascension of Christ Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] Ascension, Year C The Ascension is celebrated on Ascension Thursday, 26 May, in England & Wales, Scotland. In the USA it is celebrated on Ascension Thursday in the Ecclesiastical Provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Omaha, Philadelphia, elsewhere on Sunday 29 May. In all of these areas Ascension Thursday is a Holyday of Obligation. The Ascension is observed on Sunday, 29 May, in Aotearoa-New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Philippines.   Readings ,  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings ,  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel ,  Luke 24:46-53 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India)    Jesus said to his disciples:   “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,   and that repentance and forgiveness ...

  Fr William Carrigan 18 July 1933 - 21 May 2022 The funeral took place today in his native Conahy, County Kilkenny, Ireland, of Fr William Carrigan. He died last Saturday after an illness of only a few weeks. Father Billy spent 45 years in parish, work in Mindanao, Philippines where he showed an extraordinary love for persons, especially children, with little or nothing in life. You will find a short obituary of Father Billy on the website of the Columbans in Ireland  here . In his retirement years in Ireland Father Billy served the Filipino community in County Kilkenny and surrounding counties. Many of these attended his wake and his funeral Mass. They also started the traditional Filipino novena for the dead, celebrated in the home of the deceased. At the Our Father in the Mass they surrounded his coffin and sang it in Cebuano Visayan,  Amahan Namo . Amahan Namo (Our Father) St Colman's Church, Conahy, County Kilkenny [Photo:  National Inventory of Architectural H...

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I drove past a church on my way to work and noticed the rainbow banner on their sign.  It said, "You are beloved.  You are welcome." Nice message. That should be the message to everyone who enters a church, regardless of the denomination.  It is a sad day, however, that it had to be aimed at a specific (albeit not limited to) group of people (based on the rainbow banner). A Catholic priest I know was once asked by his diocese how he was doing welcoming same-sex couples to his church.  I love his answer.  He said, "I don't know.  I don't check people at the door!"  And he didn't, because he treated everyone the same--loved and welcomed. Of course, loving and welcoming people does not mean changing your church's tenants to meet everyone's desires.  It would be impossible to satisfy everyone even if you tried.  But you can still love and welcome people where they are, personally. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone who graced the steps ...

One way or another, energy is in the headlines nearly every day. But I won't be talking about the latest energy crisis, shortage or agreement. Instead, I'll be looking at developments in fusion power from a few months — and a few days — ago. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

In Mother Teresa Come Be My Light, Saint Teresa is quoted as asking Cardinal Picachy to pray for her.  In June of 1976 she asked: "Pray for me--that I keep my hand in His hand and walk all the way with Him alone." It's a beautiful image.  Picture yourself walking hand in hand with Jesus.  Do you ever, like a small child, try to pull away and run from him, or do you walk alongside him, trusting him to guide your steps?  When one of our daughters was young, we were shopping and she left my side.  I knew where she was because I had my eye on her, even though she thought she was hiding from me under the clothing rack. Can we ever hide from Jesus?  Do you imagine that as you try to live your life without him, that he doesn't know where you are?  He always has his eye on us.  He is always looking for us. Waiting patiently. Let's say you are living your life with him.  That you walk along, by his side, hand in hand.  What does his...

  The Trinity El Greco [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings ,  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings ,  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel ,  John 14:23-29 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India)    Jesus said to his disciples: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be t...

  WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO RISE TO HEAVEN? CLICK HERE

(From BBC News, used w/o permission.) I hadn't planned on doing another "Ukraine" post for quite a while. But this news item caught my attention.... (Not good news, but not entirely bad news, either.) More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

  Fr Joseph Houston 14 December 1940 - 14 May 2022 Fr Joseph Houston was from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and was ordained at Easter 1969. He spent the early years of his priesthood in Chile before coming back to Ireland to teach in our seminary. He later returned to Chile but was to spend the last 25 years of his life in China. Father Joe was a Christian gentleman to the core.  Solas na bhFlaitheas air -  The light of Heaven upon him. You will find his obituary  here . My Lagan Love Played by Innisfree Ceoil, featuring the uilleann (elbow) pipes The River Lagan flows through Belfast, Father Joe's native city. St Columban's Cemetery, Dalgan Park, Ireland