Association Of Catholic Bloggers

O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and thou wilt not hear? Or cry to thee "Violence!" and thou wilt not save? Why dost thou make me see wrongs and look upon trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise....." Habakkuk 1:2-3; Religious people are not immune to frustration in the face of the evil they encounter around them. Some prayers are like an angry accusation of God: "How can you let those things happen?" But then there is the other side of the coin, the realization, that while evil, injustice and suffering exist, they are not the last word spoken. And the LORD answered me: "Write the vision; make it plain upon tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its time; it hastens to the end -- it will not lie. If it seem slow, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay. Behold, he whose soul is not upright in him shall fail, but the righteous shall live by his faith Habakkuk 2:2-4 Some

While kids are merrily jumping in piles of fall leaves, moms of many are getting buried in piles of last season's clothing. Denim shorts and fluttery sundresses get ever so gently yanked out of clutching hands to be stored away for younger siblings. Executives of Rubbermaid and other containerizing companies must grin ear-to-ear at this change of season. Because, really, is it possible to have too many plastic storage tubs? Not in my house. So last season. In the picture above, you can see three of my daughters sitting in a sea of last season's clothes. (That's actually more like a week's worth of laundry, but you didn't think I would dump it  all  out, did you?) Read more...

Catechism of the Catholic Church: III. THE DUTIES OF FAMILY MEMBERS 2222 Parents must regard their children as children of God and respect them as human persons. I read this WordPress writing prompt yesterday.  October 16th is officially declared “Person   Day” — and you get to pick Person X. Tell us about someone who deserves to be commemorated.  The first person to pop into my head was my five-week old granddaughter, not some famous person who has accomplished great deeds.  My new granddaughter is an old soul. What I find most startling about this little person called  Lila is this look of utter surprise as she surveys the world. When Lila,  turned at the sound of my voice and looked at me for the first time, her eyes widen suddenly in recognition. It was if she thought, “Ah, so this is what you look like. I remember your voice.” She remembered the sound of my voice from when she was in the womb and at 6 hours old, finally put a face to that voice.  Lila

The Miraculous Medal: Stories, Prayers and Devotions

Why? It is because it is self-giving and not self-centered, as is human love.  This is the love that can change the world. The more you love your brothers and sisters, the more you care about them.  This leads you to accepting personal responsibility for their quality of life and to ensuring their God-given human freedoms. Spiritual love is a decision – a movement of the free will.   By not actively deciding for spiritual love, you are, by default, deciding against it.   A neutral position does not exist.   By your silence and/or apathy you become part of the problem, inhibiting those of us who have accepted the personal responsibility to change our world. It’s time to stop denying, rationalizing, and avoiding how disgusted we are with the condition of our world. Your words are of little help – they disappear quickly because they do not have the substance of action behind them. It is only through your actions that you can join in and contribute to an effort to redef

Even though this phrase isn’t found in early manuscripts of the New Testament, there is evidence that it was used in the Mass as early as the time of the apostles.  But, what do we mean when say these words?  “Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power and the Glory, forever and ever, amen. I think it means what it simply says.  The Kingdom of God, belongs to God.  As children of His inheritance, He shares it with us, and we get to participate in it as a member of the body of Christ.  (For a fun study on your own, go to Bible Gateway and do a word search on “Kingdom of heaven” and “Kingdom of God”…just read through the Scriptures that match the search.  I’m getting so many cool ideas for future blog posts and/or Bible studies. ) The power also belongs to Him.  What power? Read more at New Things

Faith, Hope and Love is what we need to overcome the devil's feed of raging anger, stifling fear which would eventually tear the soul apart,lead to despair. But it's in faith that we can dare to trust in God and in His Word the one so powerful we've heard from time and ages coming here in human form to be us near Through hope the future we can see as bright and glowing destiny Hope helps the present now to bear without us sinking in despair In love we can forgive and heal from anger and from the appeal of vengeful thoughts, selfish desire that would us lead then to admire some men or group who so might seem to have the answer, might redeem the world through violence and war when in reality they're far more likely to destroy and kill all those who might oppose their will out of the chaos they'd create the world emerges in a state of misery not seen before dictatorship that at its core has hatred for the hu

(photo courtesy of http://www.vosizneias.com) It's a measure of my attachment to this six-and-a-half-hour-long audiobook that would listen to it in my driveway when coming home from my commute, and I felt sad this morning when I finished listening it on my drive to my high-school teaching job. This book is for anyone interested in issues of faith, of history and culture and on a friendship that shapes the life of the current Holy Father. Indeed, I found echoes of one of my friendships in theirs. Keep Reading...

Today, Oct. 15,  is the Feast of St. Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus. I love this woman. Although she is a doctor of the Church and  one of the three great 16th century Spanish mystics (along with St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. John of the Cross), she is funny. St. Teresa is down-to-earth with a wonderful sense of humour which is always a sign of holiness for me. Her humourous quotes tell me that she was real, humble enough to laugh at herself and that she lived in the joy of the Lord. Thank heaven she did not take herself too seriously. Famous  HUMOUROUS Quotes Even the first line of her autobiography is amusing.  “Having virtuous and God-fearing parents would have been enough for me to be good if I were not so wicked.” After a donkey threw her into a cold river “If this is how You treat Your frie nds, then it is no wonder You have so few of them.” You’ve gotta love that level of practicality and annoyance in a mystic. On false piety

Window in the Convent of St. Teresa (photo credit: Wikipedia). Teresa of Ávila wrote these words on a bookmark she kept in her breviary: Let nothing disturb you; Nothing frighten you. All things are passing. God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Nothing is wanting to him who possesses God. God alone suffices. St. Teresa was determined to reach the heights of holiness. Yet at the same time she was realistic, based on her own experience and those of the nuns under her care as head of the Discalced Carmelite Order. Put these two characteristics together, and you have one of the wisest guides to the spiritual life. Let’s take a closer look at her advice. Perseverance is a key to success   Remember the parable Jesus told about the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8)? We must never give up praying when it seems God is not hearing us. Teresa advised her sisters to apply this lesson to growth in prayer. … I say that it is

This poem is a personal prayer. I wrote it, when I noticed that at every moment I was alone with myself my thoughts were fixated on the evils of this world, and that even though I wanted with all my heart to be an instrument of God for peace, this attitude didn't bring me there. Mama Mary, I'm obsessed with the plight of the oppressed those who so severely stressed always brought then to the test of war Mama Mary, I'm in pain every time I try in vain all these matters to explain about those people who've been slain in war Mama Mary, no one cares everyone here only stares for his own belly prepares not looking at the truth he dares on war Mama Mary, I don't know what to do, I am so slow when to talk and when to show when to silent then be so about war Mama Mary, pray for me that I not only darkness see God works though I'd let it be a better future shall have we without war Watch here the cover of the Vazquez kids of the

UBI CARITAS ET AMOR. DEUS IBI EST. The phone rang one evening as Father Ignatius was watching football on TV. It was Father Frederick from Bishop’s House. “Hello Ignatius are you well?” The preliminary greetings over, Father Ignatius was keen to find out the reason for the call. After all, it isn’t everyday that the Bishop rings a lowly priest such as he. “I’m sorry to tell you that Monsignor Thomas is not well … he’s in hospital right now …” Father Ignatius knew the Monsignor from way back as they trained together for the priesthood in Rome. He hadn’t seen him for a while and the news of his illness came as quite a shock. “Oh don’t worry it’s nothing serious. He sprained an ankle as he fell down the stairs,” declared Father Frederick nonchalantly. “Anyway … are you doing anything on Tuesday? Thomas was due to go to a Conference and deliver a Keynote Speech on behalf of the Bishop … now he can’t make it he suggested you go instead!” “Keynot

  And God saw that it was good  this alone is now the root  of all that is and that will be  for we are all God's family  regardless of the way we pray  regardless even of what we say  God's goodness will forever be.  It reaches out to you and me.  Though many times to my regret  I far too often will forget  that what the Bible has revealed:  The world will certainly be healed  from violence and war and strife  chaos will end, love'll revive  humanity and all creation.  Just wait and be in preparation!  One day the swords to plowshares'll turn  God's promise now will always spur  all of us on in trust and hope  and that enables us to cope  with the pains of today's crime  for tomorrow starts another time.  

Tonight at the 5 p.m. Mass, our high school freshman was trained by an older woman to become a lector. He sat beside her, a few pews in front of us, and listened as she whispered directions and instructions. In a few weeks, he will share the lectoring responsibilities with her and then, if all goes as hoped, he's at the ambo on his own. It was moving to witness her sit beside him during Mass, passing on the faith. Keep Reading Here

'O my loving God!  Most Blessed Trinity! Give me special grace to keep You always in the sanctuary of my soul. Wound the very core of my heart with the dart of Your love. Inebriate my spirit with a great personal love for You... Unite me so intimately to Yourself that I will not think or say or do anything without first consulting You.' ( from Sheltering the Divine Outcast, compiled by A Religious, The Peter Reilly Co, Phila delphia, 1952, p . 217)    Painting:  Schurig Im Gebet, 1889 from The Cloistered Heart

Oct. 13: Pope Francis Consecrates the World  to the Immaculate Heart of Mary  October 13  was the final day of our Lady’s apparitions to the three children of Fatima, a day on which the extraordinary “Miracle of the Sun” took place with 70,000 witnesses.  As you may recall, Mary revealed to the three children that one of the reasons she came was to request “the consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart, promising its conversion through this means and the hindering of the propagation of its errors.”  At the time, no one could understand why she would make such a request.  She made it in 1917.  Sadly, it was not fulfilled until 1984, by Pope John Paul II.  A short five years later, after nearly 70 years of Russia spreading its communistic errors to many parts of the world, that propagation finally cease. According to the Portuguese shrine’s website, the statue of Our Lady of Fatima will leave for Rome on the morning of Oct. 12 and return on the afternoon of

Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me. (Luke 22:19) Although God’s presence is everywhere, m ass is my favorite place to come into his presence. Every part of the liturgy helps me experience a personal encounter with Jesus. It will provide the same relationship with Jesus for you. ·             Christ is present in the assembly of the body of Christ in the pews, for he has promised “where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them.” (Mt 18:20)   So sing and pray knowing that Christ is among us, gathered as the body of Christ. ·             Christ is present in the priest or bishop who presides in persona Christi, in the person of Christ. When they vest before celebrating Mass the priests   "put on Christ" in a special way . Find more ways to encounter Jesus at  JoyAlive.net

Do you REALLY want to know the Truth?   We all would answer, “Of course I do”.   But do you really?   What we say and what we do is many times very, very different. Most of us determine the Truth of this or that quickly.  We use our human intelligence along with our pride, ego, preconceived ideas, and bias to arrive at the Truth.  This is why there are so many “Truths” about any given subject. There is only one Truth on any given subject – that being what is contained in the Heart of God. So, why don’t we take the time and effort to discern God’s Truth? It seems we want to hurry and get that “Truth” into a category and file it neatly away and move on. We don’t want to be “burdened” with discerning God’s Truth in the matter. Although almost everyone would admit that they believe things that are not true; they don’t seem to care what they are; so they can correct their false beliefs.  Don’t you want to believe God’s Truth in all matters? To properly discern th

Peasant Girls with Brushwood , c.1852, Jean-François Millet [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)                                   Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel  Luke 17:11-19  ( Revised StandardVersion – Catholic Edition )  On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then said Jesus, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine

Why do  Faithful American Catholics Label  Pope Francis: A Modernist Heretic? Every time Pope Francis speaks, the papers are filled with sensational headlines; he does not emphasize many of the popular, hot issues like abortion and homosexuality, issues which often simply serve to divide voters into an  us  and  them  mentality. When did these issues become  the  only  issue that concerns the Church? Yet when the pope reminds us that our life in Christ is so much more, vocal advocates become extremely angry, denouncing the pope as the anti-pope. How ridiculous! Why such a strong reaction? Perhaps many Americans do not like this South American because Catholics in America were taught that God loves capitalism and that Greed is Good. The Pope has made some pretty negative remarks about the freebooter capitalism that has flourished since the 1990′s and that will make him very unpopular with the freebooters in the US. Some of his comments about greed, avarice, and freebooter capi

I won’t lie; getting permission from Libreria Editrice Vaticana to gather a dozen papal encyclicals together for a unique Marian study was, well, awesome! Holding the contract in hand, gave me goose bumps. To share my excitement, the contract in part reads: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, located in the Vatican City State, in the person of the its Director and pro tempore legal representative, Prof. Don Giuseppe COSTA, sdb and Bezalel Books, A Catholic Publishing Company and Bookstore, Box 300427 Waterford, MI 48330 , in the person of its President and pro tempore legal representative, Cheryl DICKOW. Libreria Editrice Vaticana grants to Bezalel Books, a non exclusive permission to reproduce , in the work entitled:  MARY EVER VIRGIN FULL OF GRACE. A STUDY OF PAPAL ENCYCLICALS ON MARY, by Cheryl Dickow, the following excerpts: The contract then goes on to list the dozen encyclicals that are in the book which begin with Octobri Menseo the September 22, 1891 encyclical of Pop

painting by J. Kirk Richards Think about the last time you broke a rule (a big one,  not just ripping the tags off your pillows).  Were you burned, or did things turn out for the best?  I did not simply break a rule here and there;  no, like every other human being, I continually break the most fundamental law of the universe without any conscious effort by refusing to accept reality. Instead of realizing my place in the universe, as one of God's creations, I put on masks and false personalities in a vain attempt to deny my very nature. In pride, I act like a queen at the centre my own little world. According to Thomas Merton ( Seeds of   Contemplation ), a frog or tree are holy simply because they are who they were created to be. On the other hand, I broke all laws of nature out of pride. Steeped in delusion, I clung to a false persona and refused to relax and accept the reality that I am not the centre of the universe. The result? I was not simply burned. Oh

  At four o'clock o ne balmy spring morning, I was blessed to walk with my eldest daughter, a contemplative, focused, young woman of very few words.  Quietly, and serenely, she whispered to me,  "Mom, look at that shooting star! It's the third one I've seen this morning."  It was the only one I'd seen... She was looking up!     We set our hearts upon heavenly things          Our Heavenly Father promised innumerable descendants to Abraham and safety to Noah, for their obedience and trust. Someone once told me that by looking up at the starlit night sky, Adam could comprehend God's truths. These followers of the Lord had to "look up" to "see" His message of love for all humankind.       Sacred Scripture instructs us to set our hearts upon Heavenly things.  Many are the Heavenly Treasures I have missed by not looking up  with my heart during my life's journey !  En Los Corazones de Jesús y María Originally posted @ Cam

We all know that all good things come from God. We just accept this and give it little thought. How profound is this reality. The universe, containing over 40 billion trillion stars, that science is aware of, is comprised of the “stuff”, in varying amounts and combinations, of the Elements listed in the Periodic Chart.  This comprises perhaps 20% of the known universe; the rest being made up of dark matter and dark energy; of which science has no fundamental understanding.  How profound is this reality. In God’s design of His Universe He has built in mechanisms for stars to be born, live their lives, and to die a violent death.  Their death creates an explosion far more powerful than any person could  possibly  comprehend.  How profound is this reality.  [continue]

At the Secular Carmelite retreat I went to last weekend, I heard a message I didn't expect and it has changed the way I'm hearing scripture, liturgy and homilies. I have different ears somehow. The topic of our retreat was, "Rediscovering the Riches of Divine Intimacy," with retreat master Father Robert Barcelos, OCD. I had been wondering how to grow in intimacy with God, pondering how it was that I had been feeling stuck for so long and even having a hard time following through on my prayer commitments.  Father Robert said that Jesus loves us MOST where we are weak. He doesn't love us DESPITE when  we're weak, but loves us MOST when we are weak. It's his preference. Whenever Jesus picks a place of encounter, it is in a place where life is messy, shameful or overwhelming for us. Where did Jesus choose to encounter mankind, face to face, in the flesh, for the first time? In a dank, smelly stable, in the middle of the night. He coul

I’m currently in the middle of a life application of the Bible’s teaching on persevering in prayer. I tell you this, because I want you to know I’m learning as I go…I have NOT arrived, by any means, I am simply processing here what the Lord is laying on my heart as I read His word.  For sure, my attempt to walk out the instructions He’s given looks more like a crippled limp at best, and a slow crawl at worst. You should know, I fall often in this area of watching and praying. I give up easily. I forget. I even purposely ignore it sometimes. As embarrassing as that is to admit, I feel you should be aware, for the sake of your own conscience.  The warning here is, don’t do as I do .  And if you have mastered this, I’m open to learning from you, how do you do it?  How do you “watch and pray” without falling asleep, or finding your mind has wandered off mid session?  How do you stay focused and intent in your conversations with the Father?  And, if you are

My friend and I purchased tickets to a local event in which our Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron was engaging in a dialogue with Rabbi Joseph Krakoff from the Shaarey Zedek congregation in Southfield, Michigan on the topic of Genesis. The event—which was co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Jewish Federation—took place at the Maple Theatres in Bloomfield, Michigan on a humid Sunday afternoon. Fortunately, seating at the Maple Theatres is awesome: it is roomy and comfortable and really ideal for just such an occasion. Sherry and I made an outing out of the whole thing and had a late lunch at a local deli before heading over to the venue. We were greeted by surprisingly long lines that immediately created a sense of excitement and anticipation. Everyone just knew this was going to be “something.” The damp, muggy afternoon air didn’t hinder anyone’s mood. It felt rather exhilarating and, well, sort of heavenly. The theatre holds a few hundred people and it was

UBI CARITAS ET AMOR. DEUS IBI EST. The first “Any Questions” session held by Father Ignatius in the church center proved so successful that some members of the congregation asked him to hold another one. They enjoyed asking questions about church matters in general and the Catholic Church’s teachings in particular, and learning from both Father Ignatius and Father Donald answering honestly rather than “toeing the party line”; as one parishioner called it. “Are you sure that the hot chocolate drinks and free cakes aren’t the real attraction here?” asked Father Ignatius. He was assured that this was not the case and it was agreed to hold another meeting at which parishioners could invite guests. The night in question was well attended with about sixty people packing the church center and sitting cinema style facing the top table. Father Donald was not available and he was replaced by the Reverend Harold Barnstable, the vicar from a neighbou