Association Of Catholic Bloggers

http://www.saintanthonyofpadua.net/portale/home.asp A link for st anthony of padua, a great Saint and a close friend of many of us! Ora pro nobis st anthony

Mary Cassatt painting in US public domain How can the sun and moon praise God as the prophet exhorts them to do?  By perfectly carrying out the role God has given them.  Thus they render Him great praise.  Behold, therefore, a wonderful means by which you can praise God all day:  Do your duty, and whatever else you are given to do, well.                                                                                                                     - St. Jerome

Greg is 48 today. He is a magnificent man. Our lives are happy and full. Today our oldest made us breakfast and while Greg and I continued our Mad Man marathon. We started watching the show this year, and a friend has loaned us Seasons One and Two DVDs. Greg went to the 11 a.m. Mass; I will take the boys to the 8 p.m. Mass. When he returned, we kept up our marathon. Read more here...

Yesterday was the anniversary of the birth and death of my precious nephew, Daniel. My brother and sister-in-law had been trying to conceive for a very long time, and at long last, she was pregnant. We all were ecstatic and waited impatiently for his arrival. But sometimes things don't turn out as you plan, sometimes tremendous crosses are planned for us, instead of joy. On June 7th, Daniel was born prematurely. My sister-in-law had eaten some food out that didn't seem quite right, and it threw her into early labor. Daniel's little organs were not fully prepared to function yet. And so, my brother and sister-in-law welcomed their long-awaited child into the world, had the most memorable 45 minutes of their life, and were then asked to let him go, whisked away to the loving hands of God. Read more...

La Disputà (Disputation of the Holy Sacrament) , Raffaello Sanzio, painted 1510-11 You will find a description of this magnificent fresco here and a video on its restoration here . The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)  Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)  Gospel Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 (Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition) On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the passover?" And he sent two of his disciples, and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the householder, 'The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I am to eat the passover with my disciples?'

The Gift Of Spiritual Direction “You ask very existential questions,” observed Wise Friend. “Huh?  What does that even mean?” “Don’t worry, it’s good,” he said reassuringly, with that slight laugh he gets when I look at him like he’s speaking a lost language. I’ve had the same Spiritual Director for about 2-1/2 years.  He’s the person I trust the most with the care and feeding of my soul. Three years ago, I started praying for a Spiritual Director after reading what Catherine Doherty said about spiritual direction and the importance of having a Director.  She advised that it’s important to pray for a spiritual director and to pray for your spiritual director, even if you don’t know who he/she is yet.  So I did.  For months, I asked our Blessed Mother to find me a Spiritual Director. After awhile, the same name kept popping into my head every time I prayed.  I had heard him preach and had gone to him once for confession.  I decided to approach h

Hundreds of teenagers sat in hushed silence this morning as the high school football coach shared  about how 20 years ago his brother, then 29, was airlifted to a trauma center after being hit by a drunken driver one Friday night. The brother had not been out drinking; he was returning home with friends after time spent at a batting cage.  Read more here...

I recorded this video some weeks ago at the request of a friend in Ireland. I mention my concern about the diminishing numbers attending Sunday Mass and of the loss of faith in the Real Presence. The report in yesterday's edition of  The Irish Times,  Many Catholics 'do not believe' church teachings , confirms what I express in the video. I posted about the report yesterday  with links to related articles. Please pray that the 50th International Eucharistic Congress to be held in Dublin 10-17 June will bring a renewal of faith in Ireland.

  First Holy Communion at  Holy Family Home for Girls , Bacolod City ,  Philippines A few months ago, at a large funeral in a mid-western Irish town for a devout, much-loved 88-year-old family man, his 13 handsome, 20- and 30-something grandchildren brought joy and life to the occasion. The one thing they failed to bring was a knowledge of basic Mass etiquette. Throughout the consecration, oblivious to the bowed and kneeling congregation behind them, all 13 remained seated, exchanging the odd friendly word. Then they all trooped solemnly up for Communion. It generated some quiet exchanges afterwards. The local priest said cheerfully that all were welcome in his church, regardless of their knowledge or devotion – “sure, isn’t that what we’re here for?” A visiting priest remarked mildly that “nearly all Irish Catholics were infantilised – their spiritual development was arrested back around First Communion time”. A 50-something layman shrugged and said : “They’re gone in a

Demands for perfection and moms

Blessed Chiara Luce Badano (1971-1990) The patron of the   Congress Youth Space   at the   50 th   International Eucharistic Congress   to be held in Dublin from 10 to 17 June is Blessed Chiara Luce Badano (1971-1990). In the September-October 2010 issue of Misyon   we published an article about her,   TheSaint Who Failed Math .    Ruggero and Maria Teresa Badano with their infant daughter In the June 2012 issue of   Intercom , the monthly published by the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Fr Patrick Leahy tells a lovely story about this only child who was born to her parents Ruggero and Maria Teresa on 29 October 1971, eleven years after they married and who died 22 days short of her 19 th   birthday. On St Valentine’s Day 1990, when she was already very sick, Blessed Chiara Luce booked a meal for her parents at a local restaurant. Before they went there she said to them, ‘This evening look at one another in the eyes, and don’t come home before midnight!’ She the

Apostleship of Prayer - Eucharistic Youth Movement

HolyTrinity , Jusepe de Ribera, painted 1635-36   Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)  Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)  Gospel Matthew 28:16-20 (Revised Standard Version – Catholic Edition) The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."  +++ From the evening of 23 May until the morning of 1 June I was giving a retreat to a group of Canossian Sisters  , also known as Daughters of Charity, Servants of th

The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth is one of my favorite feasts.  I love it for its humanness; I love it for its glowing simplicity. Mary visited Elizabeth because she had BEEN Visited by God.  She didn't go to Elizabeth alone - she went with the Presence of Christ inside her.  As members of the body of Christ, we carry Christ also.  Oh, not in the same unique way, certainly.  But according to Church teaching, we indeed carry Him within.  Mary went on a simple visit to Elizabeth.  It was an occasion that I'm sure went unnoticed by many.  A woman went to visit her kinswoman; something that happened all the time.   No one would have cried out: "look, there goes Mary on mission!" or "how about that!  This visit will be written of in the Bible!"  From the merely human perspective, it was simply a time of normal interaction between two women, two relatives.  You and I have opportunities every single day to visit people with the presence of Christ.  In the

The Five First Saturdays for the Blessed Mother

Special prayers for Her Majesty the Queen in Catholic parishes this weekend The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has requested that every parish celebrate a Mass with prayers to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II this Sunday 3 June - the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. During this Mass, the first reading will be replaced by 1 Kings 3:11–14 and the prayer for the Queen will be said after the post Communion prayer and before the final Blessing.  Prayer for the Queen V. O Lord, save Elizabeth, our Queen. R. And hear us on the day we call upon you. V. O Lord, hear my prayer. R. And let my cry come before you. V. The Lord be with you. R. and with your spirit. Almighty God, we pray, that your servant Elizabeth, our Queen, who, by your providence has received the governance of this realm, may continue to grow in every virtue, that, imbued with your heaven

Our son's chamber music group held their concert last night at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Trenton,  New Jersey, about an hour's drive from our home. I had to drop him off at 5 p.m. and the concert didn't start until 7. One thing I did to while away the time was to take some photographs of the cathedral with my cell phone. Two photos worked out pretty well. This is a segment of a stained glass window of St. George, the patron saint of England. He was born in Turkey to Christian parents. A Roman soldier, he was martyred in 303, the year that began the the "Great Persecution" against Christians. The late afternoon sun really showed off the vivid blue helmet, the red halo and the determined look on his face. This is the synod hall, where a reception was held after the concert. Check out the ceiling: like much of the Cathedral property, it has the look and feel of a parish in the English countryside. Instead, the cathedral is surrounded by a blue-collar

Christians in the Holy Land and the Church

23 May 2012 ive been asked to cross post Fr Seans reflection this week. M B-W 'Receive the Holy Spirit.' Sunday Reflections, Pentecost Pentecost , El Greco, painted 1596-1600 Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) VigilMass Mass During the Day Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Vigil Mass and Mass During the Day (The readings for the Vigil Mass are on the upper part of the page, those for the Mass During the Day on the lower part of the page). Liturgical Note. Pentecost, like Easter and some other solemnities, has a Vigil, properly so-called. This is not an ‘anticipated Mass’ but a Vigil Mass in its own right, with its own set of prayers and readings. It fulfils our Sunday obligation. There may be an extended Liturgy of the Word,er similar to the Easter Vigil, with all the Old Testament reading

Truth Himself a lovely Blogg

OUR LADY OF MAY How like a timid virgin comes the May, In verdure robed and crown'd with chaplets sweet Rifling earth's choicest treasures, to lay Rich spoils of beauty at Our Lady's feet! And, her to honor, from her teeming stores Of leaf and bud, in greening garths and bowers, Nature her lavish offering outpours Of delicate blossoms and of fragile flowers. The south wind whispers and young grasses stir, Renascent blooms from crypts of winter rise, Lily and rose awake to worship her Who is the peerless Rose of Paradise. Spirits of Spring - crocus and daffodil And violet and lilac fresh and frail - At Mary's shrine their fragrance sweet distill And in her praise their passionate souls exhale. Madonna! Mother of our Christ and Lord! Now in the opening year's auroral prime Heaven and earth in rapturous accord Hail thee and hymn with canticles sublime. All innocent things, and all things pure and fair, Hasten their homage at thy t

I love the site  www.WholeNewMom.com  for the ways in which it has allowed me to satisfy my sweet tooth since I've gone gluten-free (and more recently anti-candida). What a great site! If you are, like me, dealing with health issues that have forced you to navigate a whole new way of looking at food, you will love what Adrienne offers on her site.  I've found it to be a wonderful resource with great print-ready recipes that really do taste great (don't get me stated on how many e-books I've downloaded only to find the recipes taste like cardboard). Adrienne has a nice team of bloggers and contributors that are tackling the same sorts of things I am--and maybe you are, too.  If you are gluten-free and still crave some sweets, or if you or someone you love has allergies that restricts the sort of cooking you can do, you will love what you find at  www.WholeNewMom.com !  Today I am going to try making the grain-free lemon squares:-) Thank you, Adrienne

Do you like everything in a nutshell?  Here is a list I stumbled across today while I was reviewing my file folder of notes from a course I took in 2000.  I don't know the source.  It may have been a handout from the professor, Richard M. Gula, S.S., who was an excellent teacher. If you are interested, you can read the list here .

Get Serious! Father's day is approaching - Take a look (in the link above) at a book perhaps very fitting for a special father in your life.

Miracle twins born 15 weeks premature survive being born with combined weight of just three and a half pounds | Mail Online

Rambling Follower: Brutal Blessing: "Saints of the American Wildernes... : Let me tell you, there is no way I would have our 12-year-old child read this book. I ordered "Saints of the American Wilderness" by Rev. Jo...

You know what I love about the internet? You can discover all kinds of information with your fingertips AND you can buy all kinds of obscure stuff from all over the world. Quirky things that can actually help build a child's faith and prayer life. Alec, a family friends' middle child, celebrated his First Communion today. That's him at his home next to his dad after the Mass after he changed into a plaid shirt and striped shorts. His patron saint is Alexander of Comana, the charcoal burner. Seriously? I had never heard of the guy. Read more here...

The Daughters of St Paul are a religious congregation with a particular mission to evanglising through the media. In the past, this has been typically the print media and then audio-visual media. Nowadays it includes the electronic media. One of their sisters in the United States has a blog which reflects their engagement with electronic media:  Windows to the Soul Blog . I have in the past found it an interesting blog because of posts offering reviews of films or observations about how films, sometimes unexpected films, provide a way of exploring questions of a spiritual nature. Another of their sisters has written a reflection on silence to mark the World Communications Day: The Sounding Silence . I was particularly taken by this paragraph, referring to Pope Benedict's message 2012 World Communications Day entitled Silence and Word: Path for Evangelisation : The Pope wrote exclusively about silence as it relates to interpersonal communication and the sharing of “advice, ideas