Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Today's blog is inspired by the Book of Deuteronomy and is based on the message of Moses to the people of Israel--THINK! Please share it on your own social media pages as well and follow me on Facebook! Have a blessed day! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com YouTube:  https://youtu.be/iBI0p4KtAng

On his way back from World Youth Day in Lisbon, Pope Francis said that folks who aren't perfect can be Catholics. Since he was a tad more specific in how he expressed the idea, we got headlines like this: "Pope Francis restates Catholic Church is for everyone, including LGBTQ+ people" (ABC News). This week I'm taking a quick look at the news, and a longer look at why I'm okay with being Catholic. Pope Francis and the News Being Catholic — Two Millennia of Wildly Improbable Survival Definitions — Acting Like it Matters Happiness, Lust, Sin and Making Sense Wheat, Weeds, and What Pope Francis Said Not 'Just Us' Sodom, Gomorrah, and Lot's Guests — or — Evil is Not Nice Responsibility More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Pope Francis: the Catholic Church is for everyone, including LGBT. A quick look at news, a longer look at why acting like I am Catholic makes sense.)

  St Peter Walking on the Water Alessandro Allori [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 14:22-33  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.   And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,   but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, [ b ]  beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.   And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.   But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.   But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying,  “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is

The Little Children Being Brought to Jesus Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] A few weeks ago I came across an article in Crisis Magazine with the intriguing title  Brendan Had Three Babies   by Austin Ruse. (There is a delightful photo of Brendan there supplied by his family that I was unable to save.) Brendan Kelly, from Virginia, USA, was born with Down Syndrome and developed leukaemia at a young age. This eventually led to his death at the age of 16 in 2013. Here are the opening paragraphs of Austin Ruse's article. E very year   on the anniversary of his passing, Brendan Kelly gives a little gift to a woman who was close with him. It has never been great big things, but always a kind of wink that Brendan is there, and that he loves her. This past May was the 10th anniversary of this 16-year-old boy’s passing, a boy with Down syndrome and a lifelong struggle with leukemia that eventually took his life.  This year she waited and waited for the little gift that she expected. At the

  Is God responsible for your well-being? Is He responsible for what happens in the world today? Is He responsible when things go wrong in the world and in your life? Join the discussion HERE

 Here is my latest post on Facebook . . . Pope Paul VI wrote in his encyclical on the " Development of the Peoples " something that will move you to clean out your closets, curb your purchasing, and forever think differently about what you have and how you use it.   He said, in part:   "No one may appropriate surplus goods solely for his own private use when others lack the bare necessities of life. In short, 'as the Fathers of the Church and other eminent theologians tell us, the right of private property may never be exercised to the detriment of the common good.'" (23)    Wow! Take your time with that. You need to really take an inventory to see if you are "guilty" of keeping stuff you know longer use, that might be needed by someone else.    This is a social justice issue that we need to pay attention to, because, quite simply, each of us can be a part of lessening the problem. It's concrete. It's doable. And we can begin today.  

I've decided to list this post in the "Science News" category, although it doesn’t feature a current news item. That's because some of the tarantula-and-frog research has been news, and current spiders-have-pet-frogs videos remind me of human interest stories, back when print-format newspapers were more common. It's been an interesting week. “ Update: Air Conditioner Fixed 🙂 ” (August 3, 2023) “ Power Failure Last Week, Now Equipment Failure ” (August 2, 2023) That may, or may not, explain why this week's post is a mix of science and creature features of days gone by: Picking This Week’s Topic Big Spider, Little Frog: Helping Each Other Names, Senses and (Maybe) Mutualism Tarantula Research “SCIENCE’S DEADLIEST ACCIDENT”: “Tarantula!” (1955) “Vox Populi…” One Phrase, Two or more Viewpoints Special Effects and Speculation Harmony, Understanding and Medieval Bestiaries And the Moral of this Spider is — More at A Catholic Citizen in

Transfiguration (Cell 6) Blessed Fra Angelico [ Web Gallery of Art ] As the Feast of the Transfiguration is a feast of the Lord  it is celebrated today instead of the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 17:1-9  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) After six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.   And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.   And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.   And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”   He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my be

I was scrolling through my contacts on my phone and discovered a large number of contacts I needed to delete.  In fact, there were names on the list that I didn't even know!  What really bugs me is when I come across a name and I can't remember who they are and why they are in my contacts. I was in the store the other day and noticed a lady I thought I knew.  I said, "I know you!"  She looked at me a little surprised.  I know I know this lady, but we couldn't make any connection.  I still have her face in my head and cannot figure out how I know her.  Usually our son knows everyone, but he didn't even recognize her. Not knowing a name in your contacts is one thing, but not knowing how you know someone in-person is something else. This is really going to bug me.   At the beginning of Isaiah, Chapter 43, the Lord says, " But now, thus says the L ORD , who created you, Jacob, and formed you, Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have c

Today I am trying something new that I hope you will like!  I have created a short reflection video for you to share with your family and friends.  I know that some of you are not on Facebook, so I want to offer you something outside of Facebook, through my blog. As always, I welcome your comments and insights. You can find this video reflection by clicking HERE to go straight to my YouTube channel. Let me know if you are unable to view it! Janet Cassidy Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith

  S'il vous plaît CLICKEZ HERE

        En 2014, en los medios y redes sociales comentaban la respuesta directa del Papa Francisco en una entrevista: la pregunta directa sobre si él era comunista. Su repuesta es de lo más esclarecedora que puede haber:   Reportero:“Usted pasa por ser un Papa comunista, populista. The Economist que le dedicó una portada afirma que habla como Lenin. ¿Se identifica con esto?:” SS Francisco : “Yo digo solo que los comunistas nos han robado la bandera. La bandera de los pobres es cristiana. La pobreza está en el centro del Evangelio. Los pobres están en el centro del Evangelio. Si miramos Mateo 25, el protocolo sobre el cual seremos juzgados: tuve hambre, tuve sed, estuve en la cárcel, estuve enfermo, desnudo. O miremos las Bienaventuranzas, otra bandera. Los comunistas dicen que todo esto es comunista. Sí, como no, veinte siglos después. Entonces cuando hablamos, podríamos decirles: pero ustedes son cristianos (risas). “(1)       El hecho de que, como dice el Papa, los pobres s

  Christ Cleansing the Temple Luca Giordano [ Web Gallery of Art ] And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold,  saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer’; but you have made it a den of robbers"  (Luke 19:45-46; Gospel). I featured the painting above in  Sunday Reflections  for yesterday in connection with the Gospel for the Traditional Latin Mass for the Eighth Sunday After Pentecost. That Gospel and Luca Giordano's painting show a side of Jesus that is not particularly emphasised these days. But the longer form of yesterday's Gospel for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, shows something of that side of Jesus:  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.   When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.   So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from th