Association Of Catholic Bloggers

  This past weekend I attended the Minnesota Catholic Home Education Conference.  I heard two excellent talks and discovered interesting materials I had never seen before. I would like to spend the next few weeks here reflecting on what I learned. Those of you who were not able to attend a conference this year can consider this a mini-conference–free of charge! Long-time homeschooler Ginny Sueffert spoke on “How Catholic Homeschoolers are Changing American Culture.” She told the story of Catholic education in America, with a much more positive perspective than you often hear from homeschool experts. She emphasized, however, that Catholic schools have largely been secularized since the 1960s. According to Sueffert, 100 American dioceses are requiring their schools to follow the Obama Administration’s controversial Common Core Standards . Sueffert believes that Catholic homeschoolers have really taken over the role the parish schools used to play in Catholic life.

A  month ago,  a WordPress Daily Prompt asked writers if we could only take five objects from a burning house, what would be the most difficult things for us to leave behind?  Well really, the only objects I consider to be important are photos of family, my computer, passport and ID, a bible and bank card, assuming that I am wearing my wedding ring and gold cross like always. That's it. As for regrets, I really do not think that my heart is in things. Since I was a little girl, I have felt content with what I have materially. Even now, when my nine kids ask me what I want for Christmas, I pause for a moment with a blank mind. I have to search to come up with a list. Rather a strange state to be in because this is not the result of spiritual striving, fasting or prayer, it is just how I am. Living with little people has only strengthened an innate tendency to enjoy the little things, to be grateful to be alive and in communion with the Spirit. In addition, as a large fa

Three men, brave and determined men, took that final leap into a new life; complete with new titles, responsibilities, and new homes today....never to be the same again. But they prepared for this over a  seven year-span, immersed in the spiritual, biblical, and examples of those around them. They definitely had the support from family and friends, and the diocese, the church was packed! My family came to know then Deacon Ryan last summer after the bishop appointed the newly ordained temporary deacons to posts at different parishes around the diocese.  The good deacon filled in at different events and study groups over the next several weeks.  Lucky me, I was taking the current bible study offering of the parish, Exodus, and the deacon filled in as the facilitator for a couple of sessions.  We had a blast talking with him, asking him questions and gleaning from his knowledge of the bible and all things Catholic.  Being a younger man of 27, the teens of the parish also got to

If you have an awesome father-in-law, raise your hand. (I do! I do!) I am so blessed that my in-laws welcomed me into their family and into their faith. After I converted from Episcopalianism to Catholicism, my father-in-law José Antonio joyfully proclaimed, "Relax and enjoy being a Catholic!" He has taught me so much about theology and catechetics, and now it's my kids' turn to benefit from his knowledge. My husband Manny and I live in the same town as my in-laws, so every Sunday, our kids go to catechism class at their Abuelo and Abuela's house. They gather around the kitchen table with their cousins and listen to whatever topic Abuelo picked for the day. One topic was the glorious bodies we'll receive after Judgment Day. Another was the Apostles' Creed. More...

Thanks to the power of social media, a kind-hearted editor named Elizabeth Scalia and the willingness of folks to donate money to strangers, Stretto Youth Chamber Orchestra now is just $2,500 short of its goal, down from $4,000 10 days ago when I first started pestering people about it. In case you missed it: The money being raised is to ensure all orchestra members can go on tour. The orchestra is remarkable because Stretto gathers children from a wide range of backgrounds - from boarding schools to foster homes - to make beautiful classical music. Keep Reading...

My friend Lisa Graas agrees with Fox News Commentator Megan Kelly that it is a major cultural shift. Over half of these women are, as you would expect, single moms who are not getting enough child support. I have written many times about the scandal of the high rates of single parenthood, so I won't address this here. I want to address the 37%  of breadwinners who are married mothers and are perhaps under pressure from their husbands because they make more money. Lisa Graas quoted the Pew Poll; From the poll , quoted verbatim: About three-quarters of adults (74%) say the increasing number of women working for pay has made it harder for parents to raise children, and half say that it has made marriages harder to succeed. At the same time, two-thirds say it has made it easier for families to live comfortably.  I was in that category as a newlywed, pregnant mother. It is a very difficult situation but I found a solution I want to share. I remember being well employed as a

Awareness of God Welcome to Colleen’s Saturday meme. How about joining us at  Thoughts on Grace? A h mothers. A ren’t we great? A lways running around serving, A cting like a combination of Martha and Mary. A+  Mums, right? Think again. When we refuse to give up control, we shut out the power of the Holy Spirit. In fact we end up acting just like vacuum cleaners when it is God’s job to purify our family in His power, mercy and grace. He needs us to simply be conduits of his Love. It is by Christ’s suffering that mothers and their families are healed, not by the mother acting like the sacrificial lamb or the scapegoat of the Old Testament. As a mother, I am wired to work emotionally just like a vacuum cleaner,sucking up all my children’s pain. Likewise, my children are compassionate vacuum cleaners as well, who attract other people’s negative emotions. They are all aware that they learned this dysfunctional behaviour not only from observing Michael and me in act

Among Carmelite saints, John of the Cross, co-founder of the Discalced Carmelites with Teresa of Avila, is not the most popular. Why not? He insisted that detachment was necessary for holiness. Many Catholics, misunderstanding his teaching, think it too hard and too dull. On first reading his Ascent of Mt. Carmel, they might be tempted to settle for luke-warmness. On the other hand, nearly everyone loves St. Therese of Lisieux. The irony is that Therese was a true daughter of John, embracing all that he taught. If we reject John, we implicitly reject Therese as well. Misconceptions about attachment   Let’s examine some of the misconceptions about detachment. First of all, the detachment John of the Cross speaks of is not aloofness. We should have proper affection for our family and friends.  It’s nonsensical to be cold towards your spouse due to a supposed love for God. Detachment doesn’t mean denying the good that is in the material world. Rather, it

James Tissot, La Visitation, Brooklyn Museum, in US public domain I often reflect upon Mary's visitation to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56).  I think about the fact that the original scene probably attracted little attention from observers.   Two women, two relatives, greeted one another.  It was something that happened all the time.    No one watching would have shouted out: "Quick!  Come see!   Here's a scene that will be written about in the Bible!"   Mary visited Elizabeth because both had first BEEN Visited - Mary in a totally unique way, of course.  She came to Elizabeth carrying God Himself within her .... (continue)

God doesn't always like my life to be easy. He'll get me to where he wants me to go, but he's gonna make me work for it. For example. The other day I sent out a general message on my social networks. Pre-Cana Contacts Wanted! I am in discussions with a publisher who asked for a show of interest in pre-Cana materials (or a full program) intended for well-catechized weekly Mass-goers. If your parish or Diocese has a need for something like this, please leave a comment here with your contact info. Thanks! I thought people would come stampeding in. This is a need that I can see so clearly. Surely everyone else can, too, right? More...

It was a conference for Sunday School teachers. The crowd consisted of down-to-earth housewives, mothers, even some older, benevolent grandmotherly types. Lots of nice, well-meaning women attending, simply trying to fill a need at their church. Most were mothers who wanted to be involved in teaching the faith to their kids. My friend and I were the only Catholics in the group and that added to a feeling of alienation. So, I came albeit grudgingly. I really did not expect to learn anything more than a few interesting tips on how to hold children's interest. I was pretty fed up with learning techniques and strategies. I wanted, no I  needed,  to receive more from God in my deepest self, in my spirit because I was tired and depleted. I did not need more facts. What I craved cannot be taught. It flows at the most unexpected moments from God himself. It did not look like it could ever happen in this setting. Then a nurse, with a freshly scrubbed face and no make-up, in ru

Last week’s post on the Final Judgment (and Mr. Darcy and St. Therese ) reminded me of two opposing views I’ve read in books about homeschooling. Some authors say that loving your students is the best way to motivate them to learn. Others say a healthy fear of the teacher is more effective. Here’s my take on the love versus fear debate. The Machiavellian argument Niccolo Machiavelli famously wrote in The Prince : “Here a question arises: whether it is better to be loved than feared, or the reverse. The answer is, of course, that it would be best to be both loved and feared. But since the two rarely come together, anyone compelled to choose will find greater security in being feared than in being loved.” Focus on a child’s fear of his parent(s)–whether it is called fear, respect, or discipline–seems to me to be particularly Protestant. I mean no disrespect to my non-Catholic fellow homeschoolers, but many conservative Protestants have a somber view of human

Thinking of what has formed me spiritually, I look at the martyrs.   These holy ones inspire me not because I like suffering (which I definitely do not), and not merely because their intense gift of self to Christ is challenging (although it is).  I think I am enamored of them because their accounts pull me out of self-pity when I'm feeling arthritic, headachy, unable to find the car keys, or when it's raining for the ninth day in a row. A witness of, say, an Ignatius of Antioch can hush my whines at such times.  And fast.... (continue reading at The Breadbox Letters)

  Are you afraid of standing before God on Judgment Day? Does the thought of facing Him make you fear death? Even if you’ve committed mortal sin in your lifetime, you only have to fear God in one circumstance–if you die unrepentant, or with no intention of confessing your sin as soon as possible. Here’s how my husband, St. Therese, and Mr. Darcy taught me to think of the Final Judgment with peace. My husband and I met through Single Catholics Online (now Ave Maria Singles). After emailing and talking on the phone for several weeks, we decided to meet in person. As I was preparing for our first date, my hands shook from nervousness. I told myself, “There’s nothing to worry about. It’s just Dan.” We had gotten along great in our conversations. We already knew a lot about each other. We were friends. We were old enough to have been completely genuine with each other, rather than acting a part. What did I have to fear? If it wasn’t God’s will for our relationship t

As David waited expectantly for my wise response, I scrambled to think quickly but answer truthfully. I was preparing dinner one afternoon, when five-year old David came running up to me with a serious look on his face. He was always full of energy and mischief but he also had a delightful spirituality that was not taught but inborn. Once again, David had  another  theological question for me, “Mum, does Mary live in my heart?” I did some  fast  thinking. Heaven is within us and Mary is in heaven, I thought. So I answered, “Yes sweetie, Mary is in your heart.” David sighed and concluded the discussion,“I guess that means that God is in my feet.” I laughed silently to myself and thought that was a very theologically correct concept since God is our foundation. I had no idea what went on in David’s head after that answer but I soon found out. It was about a week later, when all the kids who were old enough (and one who wasn't really old enough)

Crash Course in Pro-Life Apologetics Why are you pro-life?  What would you say if someone asked you that? Have you ever had to defend your position in conversation? Were you afraid to offend someone with your point of view? Were you afraid your reasons were just not good enough to persuade anyone? Take a look at these very good websites and brush up on your apologetics skills! At the pro-life conference this year, I attended a really good session on pro-life apologetics. The basic gist of how to be a good apologist is this: pro-choice people want to talk about anything and everything except for abortion itself. They want to talk about things like "back alley abortions,"  saving the life of a mother (which makes up under 1% of all abortions,) problems of poverty in our society, how other people overlook problems of poverty, a woman's choice, a woman's body and on and on. Pro-choice people do NOT want to talk about the child itself being kill

In my last post on  Virginity, Rape, and Loss , I discussed the case of kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart, who lost her virginity through rape. The forcible taking of her virginity and of her body clearly harmed her. But what about people who choose to give up their virginity through engaging in premarital sex? Is anyone harmed then? Does anyone suffer a loss? Let's return again to the idea of virginity as a sign of what God wants for us. In the last post, I talked about virginity as a sign that the person belongs only to himself (or herself) and God. A person who possesses himself is free to give himself. And, much more than a bodily act, sexual or conjugal union is meant to be a complete gift of self. More...

Madonna des Kanonikus by Jan Van Eyck (detail; Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons). You can read my e-book in one sitting, but meditate on it for a lifetime. I've been working on a new project I want your help with. I've written a short e-book that I think you'll love. It's on a topic dear to my heart. I'm keeping the specifics secret for a little while longer, but I'll tell you this much: it's on the spiritual life, and I believe it will change your life. I want as many people as possible to read my e-book--not for my glory, but for God's. I want to help people become saints, and the first step towards union with God is knowing how to get there. That's why I'm asking for your help. I only have so many readers. But many of you have your own blogs with as many or more followers than mine. So I have decided to give advance copies of my e-book to other bloggers who promise to help me spread the word. If you have at least

Our whispered hello to God and each other is called prayer. I am not just reciting theology when I remind you that there is neither time nor distance when we live and move and breath in the Spirit. When someone dies or moves far away, I don’t have to say good-bye just whisper hello, a different kind of hello that moves with the speed of light to brighten each heart when I think of them. As believers, we are all connected in the Mystical Body of Christ. God  is the great “I AM” who exists in yesterday, today and tomorrow. His Spirit mysteriously unites all of us, intimately present to each soul, all at the same time. Our whispered hello to God and each other is called prayer. We are never alone. We live in the Spirit and He dwells in us. We are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses who pray for us and support us, they are as near to us as our next breath because they are also in the Spirit and He is in them. Let’s welcome the Word of God and the prayers of the faithf

Elizabeth Smart, a kidnapping victim who was abducted at age 14 and then raped and held for nine months,  stated recently  that her religious upbringing had caused her to lose hope after being sexually violated. Based on a schoolteacher's talk about abstinence, Elizabeth concluded that after being forced to have sex, she no longer had any worth as a human being. "Why would it even be worth screaming out? Why would it even make a difference if you are rescued? Your life still has no value," she said. This led to an intense flurry of Internet posts and commentary on the value of abstinence-only sex education.  Critics such as  Calah Alexander  focused on the fear-mongering aspects of abstinence-only programs, which sometimes compared a girl who had lost her virginity to a dirty glass of water or a chewed-up piece of gum. But perhaps a more helpful line of inquiry would have centered on the value of virginity itself and its relationship to the value of a human person. M

Friedrich Schwinge painting US public domain There is a certain way of living in the presence of God through which, if the soul so desires, it can remain always in prayer and continually aflame with love of God. It is realized by carrying out one's duties with the thought of doing God's will, and taking delight in that.         St. Alphonsus Rodriguiz

 I was good at arithmetic in school (adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing), but I never had a mathematical mind. I struggled through algebra. I don't retain dates or phone numbers well, despite my good memory. When a friend decided to major in math, I didn't understand it. How boring, dry, difficult, cold! I've changed my opinion since homeschooling. D and M have the Rossini affinity for numbers. They're interest ignites mine. But beyond that, I've learned that math can be beautiful! I first heard the term poetic math in this article from Mater at Magistra . Author Lesley Payne says that math, like literature, can " instill in our children awe toward the beautiful, poetic aspects of creation."  Scientists use math to discover laws of nature. So shouldn't lovers of beauty appreciate math as well?   Math, poetry and patterns   One thing that transformed my view on math was thinking about it in terms of patterns, no

all about melanie jean juneau People look at me, their eyebrows shoot up, their mouths drop open and they sputter, ”YOU had 9 children??" My writing is humourous and heart warming/ thoughtful and thought-provoking. Part of my call and my witness is to write the truth about children, family, marriage and the sacredness of life, especially a life lived in God. Continue reading at.... http://wp.me/P2JshK-yw

"Wash more dishes," my spiritual director inevitably advises me. This kicks off a prolonged spate of whining on my part. My children are brilliant whiners, and they have taught me well. "But ... I'm not good at it!" I insist plaintively, sometimes silently, sometimes out loud. "And I don't like it. And I didn't do enough of it as a kid. Or as a young adult. I'm not  meant  to wash dishes. I'm better than that! And who cares about dishes anyway?" Oh, wait, the Holy Father recently told us  no whining ? But... More...

Two weeks ago, I published a video my friend Rita had put on youtube. Her husband, Frank, ( pictured holding the cross) suffers with from advanced-stage neuroendocrine cancer. Today Rita put up another video, one that shows her husband continuing to bear witness to the Mystery that called each of us into being and the Mystery to whom we all are destined. As Frank copes with chemotherapy, "I'm still in pain and still...giving thanks for every day that I wake up and my eyes are still open," he says. Keep Reading...

Psalm 139:13-14 New International Version (NIV) 13  For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Pregnant with my seventh child, I was bedridden in the high-risk, neonatal wing of the maternity ward for a week.  I was waiting for a housekeeper to come to run my home and help tend my six children. Although I faced 6 months of bed rest, that one week gave me perspective and kept me from sinking into self-pity. Two other women in my room were desperate to keep their babies in uteri and finally become mothers. One of the two had suffered five miscarriages. She was stuck in a ward room for months, only going home after the birth of her baby. Secretly we all feared that we would lose our babies. Suddenly our fears materialized as a high-risk woman’s baby died in her womb. That poor woman had to endure an induction and labour for hours, onl

"What have I taught you about, God, love, marriage and, uh, sex?" I recently asked my twelve-year-old daughter. "Well, in school, they told us about how boys grow whiskers about the time they start to date. And they showed us gross drawings of bodies," she grimaced. "Anything about God or love?" I asked. "No," said my sweet parochial school student. "Did I teach you -- anything?" I asked. Awkward grins on both faces. Again came my daughter's answer, "No." And I realized that I had somehow managed to leave out something really important. Part of why my husband and I hadn't gotten around to the birds and the bees talk was because we were afraid of doing it wrong. We would occasionally search for a book to help us explain the beauty of God's plan for our bodies to our children in an age-appropriate way. We never really found one until now.  Growing Up in God's Image , by Carolyn J. Smith, is that book. More..

" Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and get gain'; whereas you do not know about tomorrow. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and we shall do this or that'" (James 4:13-15). This passage from James the Apostle can almost seem silly. Should we really preface every statement of intent with "God willing?" I used to ask myself this question. That changed in the summer of 2002.  I was a new mom, struggling to adjust to sleepless nights and no time to myself, when it became clear that I would have to return to work. Never in my life had I considered being a working mother. In fact, I'd had many discussions in which I had said, "There is absolutely no way I would work when I had small kids." But circumstances were against me. I had no other choice,

Ferdinand Georg Walmuller Sonntagrune 1859 "Every mother is like Moses... she prepares a world she will not see."  (Pope Paul VI)