Association Of Catholic Bloggers

By Theresa Thomas Hey, mama! Yes, you with the baby in your arms… I see you, out there, sitting at your table, your desk, or your kitchen island, and I notice you are a little discouraged. You switched on the computer a few minutes ago to check your mail and a couple websites, the most exciting contact you’ll have with the outside world today, in between your hourly dates with your almost-potty-trained toddler in the bathroom and picking up Cheerios off the floor of the kitchen for the umpteenth time. You are disheartened, tired. Maybe you passed a mirror earlier today and thought to yourself, Where is that super-trim figure I had in college? Didn’t my step used to have a little more bounce? Why am I doing this? You love your family with ferocity but you are just running out of steam. Your husband is working hard to allow you this privilege of staying home with your children, but sometimes it doesn’t feel like a privilege. You may even feel like it would be easier to get an outside jo

By Matt Archbold What is the dumbest phrase in the English language? In a moment. As I grew up I learned the difference between good and evil, right and wrong. As a young man, the world was very black and white. Young men can think like that. I remember discussing politics and religion with my Father when I was a young firebrand. While my Father and I shared most beliefs, he seemed less willing than I to call all those who held opinions and acted in opposition to the truth names, names like ‘evil.’ I did. My Father didn’t. He would often say cryptic things like “There but for the mercy of God.” “But Dad, the things they do and say are evil. I would never do that.” He would look at me and repeat, “But for the mercy of God.” As I grow older, I realize that what I once mistook for softness was a strength I didn’t understand. Mercy. When I was young, like Hugo’s Javert, I found mercy hard to understand. It makes a lot more sense to me now because I know much better what I am, a

St. Francis de Sales is patron of Catholic writers.  As a blogger, therefore, I happily claim him as a patron of "me." As the Church celebrates his feast on January 24th, I can imagine him sitting in the world of today with a laptop, clicking out the good news that indeed Jesus lives.  Francis wrote voluminously.  Not only is he known for his books, but for his (numerous) letters.  He also composed short pamphlets for wide distribution, to help clarify the faith in a time when confusion abounded.  I like to imagine him patting today's Catholic bloggers on the back, encouraging us to "keep it up" as we distribute our witness to the Truth in THIS age of the Church and in our turbulent world.       St. Francis was a bishop and founder of the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary; he was a busy man in France in the early 1600s. Still, he found time to take up his quill pen and spread the good news of Christ. As we clack away at our keyboard

Mrs Julie Lamb with grandchildren Erin and Patrick O'Brien Yesterday I received an email from a good friend in London, Ontario, Laura O'Brien. Laura asked me to pray for her mother, Mrs Julie Lamb. Julie has lung cancer and has been ' given weeks to a couple months to live'. I've known Laura since 1981 when I was studying in Toronto. She and her husband Danny - Laura had the good sense to marry an Irishman! - were members of a prayer group that used to meet in St Basil's in the heart of  this remarkably cosmopolitan city. (The 1980 census showed that 44 per cent of the population of Metro Toronto had been born outside of Canada). I met Julie for the first time in 2010 during a visit to Canada. She is a delightfully alive person. Laura wrote, ' She is getting great care, and all the family have pulled together to ensure she has all her needs met'.  Please remember Julie and her family in your prayers

It is quite easy to see the Face of God in a Newborn...in a Toddler. It gets much more difficult as we grow... Thus, many find it easy to criticize, berate and many times belittle the work, the journey, the discovery and the challenges of a Tween and especially of a Teen. I am just as guilty as the rest for saying that Teens are God's punishment for having sex! For the record, that still and always WILL make me laugh!  Hate to say it, but I know I was to my Mom and my kids can be for me as well. Thank God for Humour! It helps to make the yoke lighter. But in all seriousness, we many times fail to see God in the works or our Youth. We fail to give them the Credit that they deserve. I have read too many articles that go on and on as to how the Church is losing numbers in droves.  How the Youth are apathetic and that there is little hope for Our Future... Well, they are WRONG!  Dead and Thank-God Wrong! Our Youth are Filled with the Holy Spirit!  Our Youth are set A

I'd forgotten all about the movie "The Pianist," which was released in 2002 and won the Palme D'Or until several of my freshman students began talking to me about it. They had seen the parts of this movie in eighth grade, during a quarter-long study of the Holocaust and were deeply moved by it. I'd never seen the movie and wanted to be able to talk with them about it. This is a brutal, magnificent movie. It speaks of the human spirit and its struggle to survive. Based largely on the true story of classical pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman, it gives witness to the life of  gifted Polish pianist, a Jew, who managed to survive in Warsaw during World War II while hundreds of thousands of Jews were exterminated in death camps. Szpilman is portrayed by actor Adrien Brody, then 29, who won an Academy Award for his work. Read more »

One of the world's smallest surviving babies was discharged Friday from the hospital where she spent nearly five months in an incubator — but not before getting the Hollywood treatment. Wearing a pink knit hat and wrapped in a pink princess blanket, Melinda Star Guido was greeted by a mob of television cameras and news photographers outside the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. "I'm just happy that she's doing well," said her 22-year-old mother Haydee Ibarra. "I'm happy that I'm finally going to take her home … I'm just grateful." Melinda was born on August 30 weighing just 9.5 ounces, less than a can of soda. She was so tiny that she fit into her doctor's hand. Melinda is believed to be the world's third-smallest surviving baby and second smallest in the U.S. Now weighing 4.5 pounds and breathing through an oxygen tube as a precaution, doctors said Melinda has made enough progress to go home. It's too early to know how

Calling of Peter and Andrew , Duccio di Buoninsegna, painted 1308-11 Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 1:14-20   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)  After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’ As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him. Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him. An Soiscéal

"Heaven is at present out of sight, but in due time, as snow melts and discovers what it lay upon, so will this visible creation fade away before those greater splendors which are behind it."                                 (John Henry Cardinal Newman)

This is a response to Michael Voris's recent videos [see here] about men reclaiming their masculinity back,  in the church. It's for fun, by the way( my post, that is. Michael is deadly serious)!!!!

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Since the 1800s, Christian Churches have gathered for ecumenical prayer services, bible studies, and other community activities to encourage Christian unity. In most of the world these days of ecumenical focus take place in the octave between the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter (Jan. 18) to the Feast of the Conversion of St. Peter (Jan 25). This year the theme is “The Transformative power of faith in Christ” taken from 1 Cor 15:51-58 Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’

I'm not a very techie' person and don't have a smart phone, but I was lucky enough to receive an i.Pad1,as a prize and this app is such a blessing and a real aid to prayer. Its free and easily downloads to smart phones and iPad. Recommended and I have had no problems using it, it uses the up to date words and responses. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibreviary-pro-terra-sancta/id422601705?mt=8 iBreviary Pro Terra Sancta Free Category: Reference Updated: Nov 10, 2011 Version: 1.0.6 Size: 10.3 MB Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Romanian, Spanish Seller: NetGuru S.r.l. © Paolo Padrini e Leonardo Parent http://www.proterrasancta.org/en/ its a genuine Franciscan resource. I found it quite by chance when I searched in my app store function for free catholic prayers.

God champions the underdog too! This mornings Mass was a very relaxed affair. It was a gentle resting in the presence of the Lord; a confirmation of the love of God touching the very heart of a broken world, and his healing, abiding presence, reverberating outwards. It was a joy to stand behind the altar and pray the words of the Mass. I felt so peaceful during Mass and afterwards too. The first reading about David and the Philistine was great food for thought too! The huge bully boy of the champion of the Philistines bearing down upon the little underdog David, the underdog triumphed! Encouragement for any embattled soul fighting to do good, in a world of temptation, where good is the underdog and does not always triumph. It was good to hear the friendship of the Lord is worth pursuing. The gospel saw a clash between the over fastidious Pharisees who were picking fault with Jesus for doing good. It reminds me not to take my eye of the reason for faith, not to become bogged d

Life is still valuable even when it is no longer useful | CatholicHerald.co.uk

As I rode the train home from the New York Encounter last night (yes, that is our son's upright bass in the foreground; I agreed to carry the behemoth home so G. he could enjoy dinner in New York with friends unencumbered) I thought about why it had been such a good experience. I was delighted the chamber music orchestra our son plays in had the chance to perform Friday night in the Hammerstein Ballroom.  I found the talk on the Hubble Telescope interesting. I thought it was incredibly cool that Polish film director Krzysztof  Zanussi spoke and then was walking around wearing those fashion-forward glasses. But in the end, what awes me most about the New York Encounter are not the performances or presentations. After all, I have had two decades of interesting experiences as a journalist. What moves me most and stays with me now are the people who attend the New York Encounter .  Read more here...

We are doing our job casting out our net in the cyberspace!  Congratulations ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to be part of this amazing group of Catholics. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide our hearts and hands as we post on this "net" reaching out for the Lord! Your sister in Christ! Ebeth Weidner http://acatholicmumclimbingthepillars.blogspot.com/ NB. I hope Ebeth doesn't mind me asking here if all our authors are linked to their blogs? Everyone has full admin access so check you are on our sidelinks. Also a query..anyone know where our big Sheblogs picture went? Should we keep the blog as it is or do we want the big picture?

God is here. It is a simple statement, just three little words.  Yet for me these are the operative words that inspire devotion, soothe trauma, motivate me toward good, enable me to resist temptation, give me courage to carry on in the face of difficulties. Sometimes I ask myself what I would do if Jesus Christ walked into the room where I am right now.  It is a simple question and a simple thought, yet over the years I have found this to be the one thought that brings things into perspective.  After all, the thought of Christ being right here is not an imaginary exercise.  It is reality.  God is present.  He is here. If Jesus suddenly appeared to me in the flesh, right this minute, what would happen?  Would I be concerned with what others around were thinking of me? ...or would I fall on my face in utter self-forgetfulness.  Would this sudden appearance change any of the behaviors in which I am presently engaged?  Would such a stark encounter with Reality alter my

The words provided for the YouTube video may be wrong at one or two points, or is it Sissel? She should surely sing, "Against your tomb the boulder". This song is so profound I just want to go back to the Christmas Crib and read it slowly. Unfortunately we have taken them all down, but I can go there mystically to the real one when I go before the Blessed Sacrament.

St Andrew ,  Francois Duquesnoy, 1629-33 This Sunday is observed in the Philippines as the Feast of the Santo Niño or Holy Child. You can find the Sunday Reflections for that feast here .   Readings  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)    Gospel  John 1:35-42  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour. One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his

Fr David Jones is a Welsh hermit who lives in Duleek, (or should that be a hermit from Wales?) which is not far from where I live in Drogheda, Ireland. He was on Spirit Radio on Monday, and gave an interesting interview. If you missed it, you can listen to the interview on his website . Yes, the hermit has a website! He uploads various homilies etc. His sermon on the Feast of the Epiphany is really very good. He addresses the Irish habits of blasphemy, foul language and smoking! It is not your standard irish sermon. Watch it, and share it with your friends on facebook, if you are brave enough!

The title of this post is a text message I received from a friend whose daughter and grandchildren survived Typhoon Sendong that hit northern Mindanao a week before Christmas. I use it in   Pulong ng Editor , 'Editor's Word', in the January-February issue of Misyon , which I edit for the Columbans here in the Philippines. My friend is no stranger to suffering. When he was a small child his father was murdered. Yet he powerfully expresses his faith in a simple text message, an expression of the resilience of the faith of so many Filipinos.

Today is the Feast Day of Blessed William Carter... A Courageous Individual who wrote for and to Catholic Christians to be firm in their Faith during a time when it was not just Un-Popular, but Life-Threatening to do so... I am a huge fan of American Catholic.org and normally I agree with most of what they share, but today, this is not the case. In their Saint of the Day Comment it says the following: These days, our brothers and sisters also need encouragement—not because their lives are at risk, but because many other factors besiege their faith. They look to us. I beg to differ... Many of our Catholic Christian Brothers and Sisters DO lose their lives for their Faith these days...these days as in Only the last few years, for if you count in the last decade or last few decades, the numbers grow exponentially. Egypt Nigeria   Iraq Pakistan And many more that are not as publicized... The figures are startling, a Christian is killed every 5 minutes because of

Reaching Out to a Love-Starved World

A Report by Fr Pat O'Donoghue Fr Pat O'Donoghue is the Regional Director of the Columbans in the Philippines. He visited Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan Ciy last week. He wrote this report on 8 January, the Solemnity of the Epiphany here in the Philippines.  I arrived in Cagayan de Oro in the early afternoon of Monday, 2 January. The signs of the calamity were visible from the air as we approached the airport, but the full extent of the damage hits you when you stand on the river bank or visit those places where whole neighborhoods were simply washed away. The damage to the water system was such that most of Cagayan still did not have running water when I arrived. On the way from the airport we saw groups of people surrounding trucks or fire hydrants where water was being dispensed while others were coming and going with all kinds of water containers – the innovative spirit of people once more shining through the difficulties. Drinking water was also being dispensed at poi

"If the writing is honest it cannot be separated from the man who wrote it."   ~  Tennessee Williams This Great Group of Blogger's has taken a huge risk and allowed me to contribute my Rants and Raves. I Pray that I do not disappoint... My Most Sincere, Thank You... Oh, and I ask that you bear with me as I get the hang of Blogger... Please!

It is an error, or rather a heresy, to try to banish the devout life from the regiment of soldiers, the shop of the mechanic, the court of princes, or the home of married folk. ~St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life   But he that shall deny me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God. ~Luke 12:9 Holiness in the workplace is the theme of Randy Hain's new book The Catholic Briefcase: Tools for Integrating Faith and Work . A convert to Catholicism since 2005, Mr. Hain, co-founder of the site The Integrated Catholic Life , shares the methods which have helped him to combine faith and work in the business world. He demonstrates how our Christian beliefs must be just as alive at the office as they are at home or at church. We do not know when we may have been chosen to be the sole instrument of grace to persons in a certain venue, therefore with prudence and charity we must always be ready to speak of our love of Christ and His Church. As

How do we hand down faith? Do members of our families get together for dinner, quickly eat their food, and scamper off to watch something on television or hop on the computer, never to be seen again until bedtime? Or do we sit down to eat, and have leisurely conversations about important subjects and share what we did today? Maybe even sitting and talking long after the plates are empty. Around our house, nights like this are relished, but not always our reality. Today, the Holy Father, had a message for  parents and godparents of 16 babies he baptized, and that message was the importance of education. "To educate is a very challenging mission, said the Pope, and it is sometimes difficult for our limited human capacities." "But he added, “education becomes a wonderful mission if it is done in partnership with God, who is the first true educator of every man." "With prayer and the Sacraments, said Pope Benedict, parents will be able to discern the most