Association Of Catholic Bloggers

+ T oday I unite my  prayers and thoughts  with my dear FB friends  of the image of  "Our Lady of America" Cathy  Pray for those who are selfish and don't care about relatives, especially those who are alone! Nancy  http://www.romeofthewest.c om/2007/09/photos-of-basil ica-of-saint-louis-king.ht ml Bernadette Lady of America, CONVERT THIS NATION..... Kathleen  Our Lady of America, please watch over us as we petition you for blessings from you Son. Rebecca  Thanks Nancy for this wonderful picture!We will pray hard so that one day the image will be placed in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. May the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title The Lady of America lead the coun ... try to Jesus to restore holiness and virtues Among the leaders and citizens and to stop the culture of death sins of the flesh low morality disunity disputes and to protect the kids youths and families who are under the current of modernism and materialism.Jesus

Go over & wish Fr Pat Happy Ordination Anniversary here

I found this video on CathNew s, Australia. I've been to Preston, which means 'Priest town', a number of times while based in Britain from 2000 to 2002, doing mission appeals. Most of the town is in the Archdiocese of Liverpool but part of it is in the Diocese of Lancaster. I made a friend in another part of the Diocese of Lancaster who was seriously contemplating suicide. But one Good Friday the local Catholic parish held a Way of the Cross. She happened to see it and it led her away from her depression and eventually into the Catholic Church. What the Capuchin Friars in Preston did on Ascension Thursday this year is a variation on the traditional Corpus Christi processions that used to be so common in many parts of the world. The processions were expressions of faith by the community. This was partly so but also a form of evangelisation, raising questions in people's minds. The Friars run a chaplaincy at the University of Central Lancashire. At the chaplaincy 

I am waxing a little philosophical today… I have had cause to think about this recently as a result of my (counselling) work, and working at a deep level with a client who was grappling with the whole issue of life and losses. I’m not talking about loss through bereavement here, but the necessary losses which form part of our every day life. But the process of bereavement and other types of loss is often very similar… Loss is really change and vice versa, is it not? Whether we move on from a job, move house, leave school or college, life brings changes. It is unavoidable, no matter how we use our energies to try to keep the status quo. God, although unchanging, is the God of changes, and all creation including our *self* is never static, but constantly evolving. This happens on a physical level…I will not be exactly the same person by the time I have finished this post as I was when I started it. Cells will have died, reproduced, divided, skin will have been shed, and my heart wil

My daughters Father-in-Law, Les Fry  is finally having his operation today ,please of your charity pray for a succeful outcome. many thanks, and I will pray for your intentions also. Placing all our trust in the sacred Heart of Jesus.

"We know that even the smallest force of love is greater than the greatest destructive force and can transform the world" Pope Benedict XVI

 One of the great contributions of the USA to popular culture is the Broadway/Hollywood musical. Among the masters at writing these were composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II. Most of their works were produced first on stage and later made into movies. The exception was State Fair , a 1945 film for which they wrote the score. It Might as Well Be Spring , from that production, won the Oscar that year for best song. I doubt that there is a better version than that of Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel in the video above. The words of Lorenzo in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice could surely be applied to anyone who doesn't enjoy this performance with its great melody, words and arrangement and a singer clearly enjoying himself: The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not mov'd with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils . (Apologies on behalf of the Bard of Avon for the 'non-inclusive' 'man'!)

Today we celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Last year I wrote a post for this feast in honor of Our Lady; it is one of my most read posts (well according to Blogger Stats that is) so I thought I would share it here. The Immaculate Heart of Mary Knows The Way The feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is always celebrated on the Saturday after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and it is done so for good reason~ the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady is inseparably linked to the Sacred Heart of her Son. Five years ago on this feast day, I made the Consecration to Mary through the  Militia Immaculata , the organization founded by St Maximilian Kolbe. I renew my consecration each year on this feast day. My regular readers know that Mary played a subtle (to me anyway), but vital role in my return to her Son and my faith. In a certain way, I sometimes feel like I have lived,and continue to live the Joyful Mysteries in my own life. My Annunciation   came in the form o

St Margaret Mary Alacoque Contemplating the Sacred Heart of Jesus , Corrado Giaquinto, c.1765 Readings   (New American Bible, used in the Philippines and the USA)  Gospel Matthew 11:25-30 (Jerusalem Bible, used in Australia, England &Wales, Ireland, Scotland) Jesus exclaimed, 'I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 'Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.' AN SOISCÉAL : Matha 11:25-30 (Gaeilge, Irish) San am sin la

Hi everyone. Just to introduce myself. I have been married to Andrew for 27 years & we have 10 living children & 2 miscarried babies. Our eldest Jennifer (24) is a doctor & was married in April to Daniel. Our second daughter Katherine (21) has a BA Hons in English & is starting her Masters Degree. Claire (19) is a teaching assistant in a Primary School. Rose (18) has just completed her A2's & is starting Uni in September. Mary (17) is deputy Head Girl at St Paul's Girls School & has finished her AS subjects. She is very much into her Christian music & plays for us in the evening when we pray & sing. Elizabeth (16) loves babysitting & has completed her GCSE's. Patricia is a qualified diver & is doing her Duke of Edinburgh expedition at Harvington Hall this weekend. Alexander (14) is busy growing! & doing GCSE's & Andrew jr (12) is in year 7 at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School. Both boys serve at the Birmingham Oratory. Jac

"I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled." (Luke 12:29) We have approached the fire of the love of God. Let us allow that fire to burn our lives. Let us feed the desire to spread that divine fire throughout the world, making t known to all the people around us. They too can experience the peace of Christ and find happiness there. A Christian who lives united to Christ's heart can have no goals but these: peace in society, peace in the Church, peace in his soul, the peace of God which will reach its climax when his kingdom comes." ~ St. Josemaria Escriva

Today is Canada Day. On July 1 2011 Canada celebrates its 144th birthday. One hundred and forty-four must be a significant number, because this year we are honoured with a visit from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who are celebrating with us. O Canada. We have the reputation beyond our shores of being polite, perhaps rather simple, peace-loving, and having cute, folksy accents. Some of those things used to be true, but while our country was founded on wholesome Christian values, our political and social climate has shifted in the last half century. Fortunately we claim St. Joseph as our patron and if anyone can bring about conversion and restoration to this country, it is the foster father of our Lord. This year, our birthday coincides with the great Feast of the Sacred Heart. I believe that Jesus and His earthly father are united in their loving concern for this nation and its people. I earnestly beseech God's mercy on our government leaders. I ask for His guiding hand on al

 Today is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The video above, produced by the Apostleship of Prayer, tells us something of the struggle of the Venerable Matt Talbot (2 May 1856 – 7 June 1925) with alcoholism. It mentions the fact that he didn't have the benefit of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), which hadn't yet come on the scene. But it doesn't mention that he was one of the earliest members of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart . The Pioneer Association, or PTAA, describes its mission and vision as follows:  Our mission is to address the problems in society caused by excess alcohol consumption and drug usage. We do this through: Faith and prayer Self denial Example Activities based on presenting alternatives to individuals, particularly the young Advocacy Our vision - based on the love in the Heart of Christ, as expressed in The Gospels - is to help to build a society where people live to their full potential and alcohol can be

"Thank You For the Grace of the Priestly Ministry" VATICAN CITY, JUNE 29, 2011 ( Zenit.org ).- Here is a translation of the prayer Benedict XVI wrote for the 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination, which he celebrated today. * * * Lord, We thank you because you have opened your Heart for us; Because in your Death and Resurrection You have become source of life. Make us living persons, Living from your source, And give us the power to be sources ourselves, Able to give to this, our time The water of life. We thank you For the grace of the priestly ministry. Lord, bless us And bless all men of this time Who are thirsty and in search Amen. -Benedictus PP XVI

Holly's post yesterday, Today is a big day for Pope Benedict XVI , prompted me to post the video above. Father Aedan McGrath, featured in the video, loved gadgets and would have been thrilled to know that on the 60th anniversary of the bird's trilling during the ordination of Fr Joseph Ratzinger he, now Pope Benedict XVI, 'tweeted' . I'm still not sure what tweeting is all about and what part it has to play in genuine communication but I'm delighted that the Holy Father sees the importance of using modern forms of communication to spread the Gospel. There is nothing superstitious about seeing incidents such as the bird trilling at the Pope's ordination as a blessing from God. There are many stories from the lives of great Irish monastic saints such as St Columban(us), St Columcille (Columba) and many more that show how all of God's creatures have their part to play in praising him. And we mustn't forget St Francis. St Martin de Porres had the

“The most important moment of my life,” he recalls—sixty years ago, 29 June 1951, Joseph Ratzinger was ordained a priest. ~ “We were more than forty candidates, who, at the solemn call on that radiant summer day, which I remember as the high point of my life, responded Adsum , Here I am. We should not be superstitious; but, at that moment when the elderly archbishop laid his hands on me, a little bird—perhaps a lark—flew up from the high altar in the cathedral and trilled a little joyful song. And I could not but see in this a reassurance from on high, as if I heard the words ‘This is good, you are on the right way.’” I know you’ll join me in offering Pope Benedict XVI our best wishes on the 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination.  Here are a few tidbits about Pope Benedict XVI you may not know.  Did you also know about the Pope's historic Tweet ?  Sixty years later and now it's the Pope who's doing the tweeting... Source: The VA.NEWS

Fiftysomething Our Deanery Corpus Christi ...

A Columban ordination on the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul Saints Peter and Paul , El Greco, painted 1605-08 Earlier today I attended the ordination of Columban Fr Rodolfo Christopher Kaamiño IV in Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Ozamiz City. The ordaining prelate was Archbishop Jesus A. Dosado CM of the Archdiocese of Ozamiz. As a deacon Father Chris was working in Malate Parish, Manila, which the Columbans have been taking care of since we came to the Philippines in 1929. He will continue to work there as a priest for some months before receiving an overseas assignment. He spent two years in Taiwan as a seminarian on his First Mission Assignment. Among the five Irish Columbans in Malate killed by the Japanese in February 1945 during the Battle of Manila, when around 100,000 died, mostly civilians, was Fr Peter Fallon, the first Columban parish priest of what then was the town of Misamis, now Ozamiz City, when we came to Mindanao in 1948. The first bishop of the Prelature of Ozamiz

By Allison Salerno  The creature emerging from our nearly 12-year-old younger son is something we already are raising: a teenager. Living as a peri-menopausal woman with two instead of one moody boy in a family, however, is different than coping with one. Already this morning they were bickering before breakfast over who had to walk the dog. Later, a hungry 14-year-old walked by and grabbed waffles off the breakfast plate of the 11-year-old, who is hungry All. The. Time. ("Mom, you've been telling me for years I am about to have a growth spurt"). And it wasn't even 9 a.m. As any parent knows, every child is different. The teen years of our first, a reflective, artistic soul, are going to be much different, I imagine, than that of our family's lone extrovert, who always has had a posse of pals and "met" the principal on his first day of middle school. (The details are dim but something about storming the cafeteria doors when the students

(This was originally posted on the website of one of our country's leading newspapers, the Philippine Star . Feel free to follow my posts there every Tuesday, Philippine time. Or you can also follow my blogs: www.trulyrichmom.com and  www.teachermamatina.blogspot.com . Thank you and God bless you all!) Couples for Christ , our Catholic community, just celebrated its 30th anniversary. CFC’s Main Anniversary Celebration was held at Rizal Park last Sunday, June 26. It was a very busy  week  for a lot of us, myself included. I was tasked to be part of the Documentation Team, heading the CFC Writers’ Guild. It was a fun but tiring job, and I missed my two kids a lot during the entire week, as we had to go home late many nights. Typhoon Falcon came and threatened a lot of our activities, but thank GOD for answering our prayers! People still came to the conferences and were blessed by the messages. One such conference that we thought would be greatly affected by the heavy rains and f