Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Tacy Williams Beck is a wife and mother living in  Chattanooga, Tennessee. She is a recent convert to the Catholic Church (Easter 2011), and credits St. Therese of Lisieux and Thomas Merton as being most influential in her conversion.  In addition to reading, sewing, and baking,and she and her husband Stephen love learning more about their Catholic faith everyday. They have 3 girls, aged 6,4, and 2, and one boy age 1.  Tacy also writes about their journey as parents and converts; she writes at  tacywilliamsbeck.com  and  realhousekeeping.com . Thank you for reading!

An interview with Connie Rossini, author of Trusting God with St. Thérèse . Connie gives practical advice for overcoming fears and frustrations that hamper our relationship with God. I asked her about her father-daughter relationship as compared to that of Louis Martin and his daughter St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Nancy: Thérèse was blessed with parents who were “more worthy of heaven than of earth.” Thérèse had a special relationship with her father, who called her, “my Queen.” She formed her image of God from her father who never denied her love, affection and care. How did your father-daughter relationship compare to this? Connie: In some ways, my relationship with my father when I was growing up was miles apart from the relationship between Thérèse and Louis. I am very quiet and reserved. As a child, I was also timid. My dad, in contrast, was outgoing and frank. He was also the primary disciplinarian. My mom often said, "Wait till your dad gets home!" I grew n

It is easy to get caught up in the seasonal frenzy and forget that Christ is at the center of Christmas; so here are ten great ways to put Christ back into Christmas! Purchase cards that say “Merry Christmas” as part of the message; don’t settle for “Happy Holiday” cards! And if it has been a while since you’ve sent Christmas cards, make this the year you start again. Christmas cards with a personal note are a great way to put Christ back into Christmas. Lots of people have service jobs that we often take for granted. Decide which person (or people) you would like to notice at Christmastime and purchase some small gift. Maybe purchase a set of pretty, padded hangers for the school bus driver or a gift card for a coffee shop for the mail carrier. Make sure a Christmas card is included with the gift! This year make sure you have a nativity set for your most used room in the house. The crèche doesn’t have to be large or expensive. A small, inexpensive one put on a pedestal serves

  For some of us, the activities of Advent and Christmas can feel like an intrusion. Day to day life is more or less put on hold by an urgent need to shop and wrap and plan. Chairs and tables are displaced by, of all things, a tree in the middle of our house. There is no time to do ordinary things, as everyday life is seriously disrupted for weeks on end.  It can seem like a major interruption.    A few years ago, the truth of it hit me.  This is what Christmas has been since the instant of the Incarnation: an interruption.  Please stay with me here, because our first reaction to the word “interruption” could be negative.  But interruptions are often quite positive, and this Interruption was the most positive of them all.   Think of it.  Mary was living a quiet, hidden life.  She was betrothed.  Then one day an angel appeared to her, and with that Holy Interruption Mary’s life was changed forever, as was Joseph’s, as was yours, as was mine. As we know, there was a B

Like I said last week, 'tiz the season to be frazzled . It's also a time of year when folks get together with family, including folks like Yogi Yorgesson's "goofy relations:" " ...After dinner my Aunt and my wife's Uncle Louie Get into an argument; they're both awful screwy Then all my wife's family say Louie is right And my goofy relations, they yoin in the fight. Back in the corner the radio is playing And over the racket Gabriel Heater is saying 'Peace on earth everybody and good will toward men' And yust at that moment someone slugs Uncle Ben.... " (" I Yust Go Nuts At Christmas ," via eLyrics.net) Oddly enough, December is generally a month with the fewest suicides each year in America. (" Holiday Suicides: Fact or Myth? ," Injury Prevention & Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (December 31, 2013)) Digging a little deeper, I noticed that those 'December suicides' sta

St John the Baptist , Donatello, 1438 Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice [ 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   John 1:6-8, 19-28   ( New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition , Canada) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”   And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.”   Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. Wh

If you ever dreamed of a Catholic magazine which would capture your children’s interest immediately yet hold it as they delved deeper, look no further than  St. Mary’s Messenger.   This attractive magazine, for 7-12-year-olds, entertains as it deepens faith at the same time. Everything from the colour scheme, the layout and quality of images to the fascinating interactive fun pages tell me that professional staff, who also understand children, put this publication together.   The editors and writers must be parents and/or teachers because they  know what appeals to real kids. Kids can smell a phony, pious publication a mile away, but the tone of  St. Mary’s Messenger  is direct and unpretentious with a  vibrant spirituality that connects with real kids. continue reading

St. Lucy by Francesco del Cossa National Gallery of Art Washington D.C.  History Saint Lucy’s name means “light” and she wanted to serve Jesus and bring His light into the world. However, her mom, who was not a Christian, wanted her to get married to a certain man. Some legends say that Lucy prayed God would cure her mother of a sickness she had for a long time, and when He did, her mother believed, too. But the man Lucy was supposed to marry got angry and turned her into the government for being a Christian. When the soldiers came to arrest her, they thought they’d just pick her up and carry her away, but God made her very, very heavy so they couldn’t.  Activity Even though Lucy lived in Syracuse, the people of Sweden have adopted Saint Lucy – or Saint Lucia as they call her – for their own. Every year on December 13, girls dress up like Saint Lucy in white robes with a red sash and wear wreaths  with white candles on their heads. Then they bring breakfast rolls and coff

The third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete Sunday takes its name from the first word of the Entrance Antiphon at Mass which proclaims: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice!" which reads in Latin as "Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete." (Sounds so cool in Latin doesn't it?) Click here to read 7 reasons why I love Gaudete Sunday...

I do not know how I would cope with my life if I were not Catholic. I can easily tell you that I would not cope well. Years of living beforehand would bear that out. Here are some differences in how I get through tough times today vs. during my "heretical" years.  (1) My emotions do not control my decisions as much Free will has to do with making decisions without being driven by emotions. I am making more solid, logical and clear choices now than I ever have before. During my "heretical years," I believed that free will had to do with extricating myself from the oppression of moral obligations in order to be free to follow my feelings. How did that work out for me? Hmm.. I'm writing this... so... (2) I take care to have selfless motives.  When I pursue being of the greatest service to God above the motives for comfort, public opinion or material things, each decision I make has meaning. When I work to make my life a gift to God rather than a gif

When the Bishop slipped and broke his nose, he cancelled his pilgrimage to Lourdes and decided to grace our school with his presence for ‘speech day’ instead. It was customary to put on some sort of entertainment when he was presiding over the proceedings, but nothing had been prepared, so it was decided, to produce a Shakespearean anthology at the last minute. It would comprise two comic scenes sandwiched between three serious ones. There were no budding actors in my class so we all drew lots to decide who would play the part of Henry the fifth, - and the lot fell on me. Day after day I practised extravagant gestures in front of my mother's full-length mirror, as I recited his famous speech before the final assault on Harfleur – “Once more into the breach dear friends once more…” At the dress rehearsal I got far more laughs than the grave digger from Hamlet and the porter from Macbeth put together. ....... read on

This story was posted in 2010, in another blog: " Birthright " Drifting at the Edge of Time and Space (February 19, 2010) Despite the stories you've seen, there never were very many Voini. Like any alter, each Voin was expensive to grow. Also, unlike the Gung Yan, Voini had earned an unpleasant reputation during the recent wars. Between limited production, judgments after the Suspension and 'Voin hunts,' there are now perhaps only a few dozen surviving Voini. Perhaps it is best this way.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

At the time of Mary, it was unheard of for a single woman to become pregnant. It would have been a great scandal bringing shame to all the family. To then proclaim that you are carrying the Son of God would have been blasphemy at the very least. Mary would have either been stoned to death or thought of as totally insane. Yet, despite the fear of shame, and fear for her own and her family's safety, she said "Yes" to the Lord. We owe her a lot for that "Yes"! For a man to find out his girl-friend is pregnant and the baby is not his, is bad enough. Most men would have run a mile in the opposite direction. To be told the baby is the Son of God is more than any man in such circumstances could understand. We owe a lot to Joseph too, for staying by Mary's side.

A researcher with a digital camera noticed faint marks on a half-million-old shell. It's the earliest known abstract mark: made by Homo erectus. Scientists discovered genetic traces of a previously-unknown group of people, Denisovans , in a Neanderthal's DNA a year ago. Detailed analysis of the Neanderthal DNA reveals details of that Neanderthal family's history: and a few genes from another previously-unknown group.... ...The woman we know as KNM ER 3733 lived about 1,700,000 years ago.... ...The human family has changed a bit since her time: most of us have shorter arms and legs now; our foreheads are smoother and more nearly vertical; and we're probably better at singing opera. I'll get back to that.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

As the Church once again celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I find myself pondering her pointed question to Juan Diego: "Is there anything else you need?  Over and over that phrase turns in my mind -- is there anything else I need?  Juan Diego could answer that question and place his complete trust in the Mother of God who was standing directly in front of him. I have not been given such a privilege. I am, however, asked to have the same trust and faith that he did. Click here to read more...

It makes perfect sense to call the thirteen words every Catholic must know a “Baker’s dozen.”  Christ, after all, used such references as “yeast” and “leavening,” in his parables. So, with yeast as the foundation of baking, these thirteen words, when part of the Catholic’s every day journey, will grow and expand into a vibrant and exciting understanding of faith. Redemptive Suffering What do you want to hear first: the good news or the bad news? The good news is that Jesus suffered and died for us. He bore our wounds, his stripes healed us. The bad news is that this does not eliminate suffering in the world. Enter the often misunderstood teaching of “redemptive suffering.” This isn’t to say that what Christ suffered was insufficient or lacking; rather, redemptive suffering is the ability to be a co-worker of Christ’s. It is the anointed opportunity to join your own difficulties and afflictions with Christ’s for the sake of others. It is the beautiful way

Lord, Let my life always be Yours. Let my heart always be Yours. Let my thoughts always be Yours. Let me praise You with all my being. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Let Him direct me in  His ways, For His ways are Your ways. Let Him guide me and counsel me So that I will walk in Your Footsteps. Your burden is easy and Your yoke is light, Be with me that I might carry my cross with joy Knowing that by embracing my cross, I am filled with Your love and peace. Read More at:: His Unending Love!

My request for Catholic online and print resources on extreme parenting circumstances got an amazing response, so I'd like to share it with you. There's more on adoption than I thought, including an excellent new resource scheduled to be released by Pauline Books in 2015 (huge shout-out to author Jaymie Stuart Wolfe and the sisters at Pauline). But there's much less on fostering and step-parenting than I was hoping to find. Please, please, please if you have more to add to the list, respond in the comments or by email to santoskaree@gmail.com. It's so important to support parents taking on this holy but often incredibly arduous work. Adoption Adoption: Room for One More? , by Jaymie Stuart Wolfe (forthcoming from Pauline Books in 2015) Adoption: Choosing It, Living It, Loving It , by Dr. Ray Guarendi (St. Anthony Messenger, 2009) Longing to Love: A Memoir of Desire, Relationships, and Spiritual Transformation , by Tim Muldoon (Loyola Press, 2010) While We

Happy Advent all! …in our Season of Hope & Preparation! Still, yet, it can also be a season of many, many challenges [to body, mind, & spirit!] …in this time of year that’s well known for setting us back [if not completely derailing us] on the way of wellness & weight management. SO IS IT HOPELESS, THEN, TO BELIEVE OUR YEAR SHOULD BE ENDING [AND OUR LITURGICAL YEAR BEGINNING] IN A BETTER, MORE HEALTHFUL WAY?? Of course, it’s not hopeless!!   …And Hope (& Triumph) can certainly be found through the very thing that the Season itself proclaims to us with Joy… Be Prepared! :)  It is in being prepared that we will best meet the extra challenges of this extra busy time of year! So, in recalling the previous “Tis the Season…” reflection here on The Way to Nourish… we had 3 options [+3 tips] … >> Click Here to Read More at: The Way to Nourish for Life >> ...including a look at one such challenge!

In Greenbush, the snow is falling straight down in huge flakes, coating each branch and twig with a thick coating  of snow. The snow literally absorbs sound waves and the effect is a quiet, peaceful, pure white oasis. In the middle of this deep silence, the thought popped into my mind that it is also the second week of Advent,  a time of silent waiting. Let these prayers and painting of a pregnant Mary inspire you as you wait with her for the birth of Jesus.    ADVENT PRAYERS: To Prepare your heart for the birth of Christ  God of power and mercy,  open our hearts  in welcome. Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy, so that we may share his wisdom and become one with him when he comes in glory, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen   continue