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Allison Gringas is interviewing Catholic mum’s who are bloggers May 4-9 The link to Melanie's podcast is http://realjoy.podbean.com/e/a-seeking-heart-w-allison-gingras-feat-melanie-juneau-joyofnine9/#.VUzmq4B_rdg.facebook A Seeking Heart with Allison Gingras: LIVE!  WEEKDAYS – 10:00 am ET on  RealLifeRadio.com DOWNLOAD THE RADIO APP:  iOs App  or  Android App    Her  Catholic Blogger Week- Mega Giveaway Prepare for a special Seeking Heart week of shows! FIVE days — 5 Catholic Bloggers! AND to Celebrate we are hosting a MEGA GIVEAWAY! Prize #1 from me:  Books, Bracelet and a Squirrel BUDDY! read more

I even considered sleeping in and not going to Mass at 7.  Depression is that way.  However, God had other plans.   Pixie needed to go outside, and I had to get up, go downstairs and open the door for her.  So, I was up.  When she came upstairs, she demanded her breakfast.  After looking around the kitchen, I found her “cup.”  That finished the process of waking up. I showered.  Threw on some mismatched clothes.  (I’m at that age where I can do that now!)  I drove to Mass, and I sat in the back for fear of crying.  That’s fine.  I have found i can focus more on the Mass when I sit in the back.  I pulled my veil over my face, and I listened as the Mass began. At best, I can say, prayer was difficult. Read More at:: Prayerfully Yours

Every year on Labor Day, an organization called  Improvingbirth.org  arranges protests and various social media activism events to bring awareness to the state of birth in the US. The US has one of the highest  maternal  and  the highest   infant mortality  rate in the industrialized world. An untold number of women carry with them horrific birth stories. Many more women suffer from post-partum depression and psychosis. I have my  own traumatic birth story  to tell, so I have participated in some of these events and I always keep an eye out on what their organization is doing. This past year, they asked people to share their birth horror stories as part of their #breakthesilence campaign. One woman shared two that I would like to share with you... Hear this woman's eye-opening story on True Dignity of Women:  https://truedignityofwomen.wordpress.com/2014/11/07/theology-of-the-body-thursday-5-the-birthing-body/

This is my body: an outward sign. Full of meaning: rich, not empty. Full of remembering, full of life. To read the full poem, see  lenkdesigns.blogspot.com.au

Today’s Gospel:  John 14:21-26 This gospel passage is a typical example from the Gospel of John—deep, with layers of meaning and odd, cryptic language which could easily lead us in circles of confusion The best way to read this passage and most of John’s gospel is with our hearts, allowing the words to soak into our spirits. As you read this beautiful description of our intimate relationship with God, the Almighty Ruler of the entire universe, let John’s words nourish you spiritually. Jesus tells us both He and the Eternal, Immortal Father will come to us and make their dwelling within us. Then, Jesus promises even more. When He leaves His disciples physically, He will send “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”    continue

I knew, when the idea of the cloistered heart first came to me in the 1980s, that monasteries of nuns or monks have special places not open to outsiders.  I realized that these areas were called cloisters.  It was enough information to get me started.  “The whole idea of a cloistered heart,” I wrote in 1988, “is that the part of me referred to as the ‘heart’ – meaning my spirit, who I really AM – should be detached from the world in its attachment to the Creator of the world...." (read the rest here)

I grew up in the 'good old days,' when many Americans enjoyed the seemingly-secure middle class lives of the Cleavers and Andersons . Some parents, mine included, remembered that there's more to life than wealth: so I never considered running away to a commune . But I understood why some folks my age, and a bit older, decided that buying stuff you don't need with money you don't have to impress people you don't like — made no sense at all.... ...I didn't have the horror that some older folks had for places like Drop City . It seemed to me that 'those crazy kids,' with their 'un-American' talk about peace, love, and brotherhood, had decided to take at least some of my Lord's values seriously.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

The essence of the prayer of Jesus entailed dedicating every moment of every day to loving God with every part and with every fibre of his being (Lk 2:29. Jn 4:34). All his prayer was directed to this end. Pledging himself to love his Father come what may, day in day out, might be simple, but it certainly wasn’t always plain sailing. In fact on occasions it became close to hell on earth for a person of such a delicate and sensitive nature, and sometimes excruciatingly painful, both physically and mentally. What is interesting is that on two of these occasions ‘though he was alone in his prayer, Jesus took the trouble to tell others of how he prayed, and the inner anguish that this caused him, otherwise we would never have known. Quite evidently he did this so that we could be in no doubt that prayer can be at one moment ecstasy, and at another moment agony, and all stations in between. That is why he told us, through his disciples, that at the prelude to his public ministry, when he p

How do you pray? Do you find your prayer overflowing with images, thoughts and conversations or instead find yourself wrapped in silence surrounded by God’s awe inspiring presence? While at various times we may find ourselves practicing both of these, understanding the shape your prayer takes helps us to simply understand how we personally connect with God. The first form of prayer,  kataphatic , is my own prevailing mode of prayer. At times our prayer begins in seeking God, in a desire to feel the immanence and closeness of God when our mind seems busied with the affairs of this world. In these moments, as I reflect on the presence, ministry and Passion of Jesus, as Word revealed, I recognize that I am being beckoned closer. In an instant, behind closed eyes, I am enveloped by the sights, sounds and scripture intended to speak to my heart. Aware of my own transgressions and surrendering, I find myself humbled by the love and grace so undeservedly but gratuitously given. A beaut

Today is marks the start of the weekend.  It’s time to let yourself relax.   Today is the First Friday of the month.  The First Friday of the month honors the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  If you attended Mass today, you probably heard the priest speak about First Friday.    Today is also the feast day of St. Joseph the patron saint of workers.  Wednesday is the day dedicated to St. Joseph as the earthly father of Jesus.   If you didn’t get a chance to attend Mass today, hopefully, tomorrow, on the first Saturday of the month which honors the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  The lines for confession will be long tomorrow. What time is Mass and confession at your church tomorrow?  You might want to look it up so that you won’t forget, especially, the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Read More at:: Prayerfully Yours

FORGOTTEN IN PURGATORY CLICK HERE

The 'Vatican science academy' is in the news again: this time because they've said we should use our brains. The topic was climate change, which tends to stir up sound and fury more than rational discourse. Meanwhile, one scientist implied a link between our "carbon dioxide crisis" and a lot of dead critters, some 201,000,000 years back. More to the point, I think, the team he was on has added a few more pieces to the puzzle of what caused the Triassic-Jurassic extinction event. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

I don’t know who said it, but they were right.  “satan’s greatest lie is convincing us that he does not exist.” When I was growing up, way back when, I remember that I did not know what sex was.  I didn’t know what a huge swear word meant.  I didn’t learn the meaning of THAT word until I was in college, and, even then, I was shocked! In the 21st century, we are being challenged to love the sinner but hate the sin.  What we once considered to be appropriate behavior is considered old and outdated.  Politicians are calling for people to change religion so that their ideas will be accepted and acceptable. Women’s health is inevitably tied to abortion.  “It is a right,” they say.  The baby in the womb has no rights, but that doesn’t matter.  The sick and elderly, in many places of the world, are being subjected to euthanasia.  Assisted suicide is being promoted as a means of relieving unnecessary suffering.  People want to die on their “own terms.”  We are trying to be

HOW TO MARKET YOUR CHRISTIAN BOOKS AN INTERVIEW WITH MY NEW MARKETING MANAGER CLICK HERE

'Faithfully do what God expects of you in each moment, and leave  the rest up to Him. I assure you that living in this manner will bring you great peace.' St. Jane de Chantal   (from The Breadbox Letters)

The art of patting someone on the back is not complicated. First we have to train ourselves to see goodness. For instance, we can spare a child the ignominy of being a total failure at needlework when she crochets bedroom slippers if we ignore the lumps and uneven stitches and point out that the pompoms are positively perfect. click to continue

I realized that the Holy Spirit has a wonderful sense of humor.  I was looking for Catholic Blog Prompts on Prayer. I prayed to the Holy Spirit for fruitful ideas.  As I prayed, I began to see blog posts about prayer journals.  I kept searching. There had to be something to this.  The Holy Spirit knows what He is doing. I found a set of blog prompts for a prayer journal. Do you keep a prayer journal?  I do.  It’s on and off, but, yes, I have one. Read More at: Prayerfully Yours

When we talk to children about suffering, it's unhelpful to discuss WHY bad things happen. Suffering--a result of the Fall--makes no sense in and of itself. What children need to hear is that our suffering can be a powerful source of good for others. Jesus shows us how. Children can learn to be sensitive to suffering. When adults empathize with them ( I'm so sorry you tripped and scraped your knee. Oooh, I know that must hurt! ), they learn to share others' sadness. And when empathetic children grow up, they become courageous citizens who defend the weak and the suffering. I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.   (Ezekiel 36:26) Please click on over to Praying with Grace to read more of today's article and to see the reflection & activity sheets for children.

We are treading on controversial ground here, and I cannot go there without a disclaimer that I realize this is heavy. And also, I must say that I am not all-knowing, so always with controversy, I accept the humility that my opinions, facts, and ability to reason are subject to flaw, because of my nature (fallen, that is). You don't have to agree with me. In fact, I welcome open-minded thoughts here. I wouldn't be writing this if I thought we all thought the same thing. If your child decided that he were gay, what would you do? Would you go into full-on, freak-out mode? Recently, I read a post on Glennon Melton Doyle's very  popular  blog Momastery,  in which she writes an imaginary letter,  in the event that her son Chase hypothetically turned out to be gay.  She states, as the title suggests, that it's "a mountain she is willing to die on." While it was a lot of good food for thought- I recommend reading it, just so you know what is out there- I felt

Have you ever heard of e5 men? Many of the men at my Catholic Newman Center in college participated in it. I remember them all fasting all day and then gathering in the kitchen of the Newman Center at midnight to break the fast together. While they are no longer together, I know a few of them have kept up the practice post-graduation. e5  is an international movement of Christian men inspired by Ephesians 5:25... Learn how they are inspired on True Dignity of Women:  https://truedignityofwomen.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/theology-of-the-body-thursday-15-have-you-ever-heard-of-e5-men/

WHY DID JESUS SAY "I AM THE GATE"? WHAT DID HE MEAN? READ HERE

Humour, the ability to laugh and not take ourselves too seriously, puts the grueling process of inner transformation into perspective. If I am self-centered instead of God-centered, everything becomes intense and dramatic. When I take my eyes off myself,  my  faith,  my  religious practices,   my  spiritual ‘progress’,   my  sins and rather look at my Saviour, everything comes back into the proper perspective. I am filled with joy, the joy of the Lord.  Thomas Merton, a Trappist, was asked if  it was possible to tell if someone had truly undergone  inner purification, becoming transformed into the image of Christ. “It is very difficult to tell but usually it is accompanied by a wonderful sense of humour.” continue reading

'Do as little children, who with one hand hold fast to the hand of their father and with the other gather strawberries or blackberries along the hedges.  In the same manner, while gathering and managing the goods of this world with one hand, hold fast to the hand of your heavenly Father, turning to Him from time to time to see if your actions or occupations are pleasing to Him.  Take care, above all, that you do not leave His hand and protection, thinking of collecting and gathering more.' ( St. Francis de Sales ) from The Cloistered Heart

The Armenian genocide 's start is rather arbitrarily set as April 24, 1915. That's when Ottoman authorities rounded up and arrested about 250 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in Constantinople, and eventually got around to killing them. Armenians had been rounded up and butchered in odd lots before that, though. The Ottoman Empire 's 1915 ethnic cleansing wasn't limited to Armenians . The Ottoman government exterminated Assyrians and Greeks whose crime was living in Ottoman territory and having the 'wrong' ancestry or faith. It wasn't called a genocide at the time. That word first showed up in Raphael Lemkin 's book, "Axis Rule in Occupied Europe: Laws of Occupation - Analysis of Government - Proposals for Redress" (1944). He defined it as "the destruction of a nation or an ethnic group." ( Wikipedia ) More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

From   The Gospel of John   (2003) directed by Philip Saville Today's Gospel, John 10:11-18 [1:19 - 2:30] Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.   The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.   The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.   I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,     just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.     I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.   For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.   No one takes   it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I

Infallible Pope? Really? CLICK HERE

I decided to post  one of my articles on the struggles of a mother of nine as a complementary article to  Melody's reflections on infertility. After the birth of our fourth child, Michael and I struggled to understand exactly how we were  meant to live our lives. We were discussing an article by an author whose main premise was that letting go of control and trusting in God was not some abstract principle but a day-to-day practical call that included the surrender of our fertility. Of course, we practised natural family planning but I was one of those rare people who could conceive long before ovulation. As my doctor said once, “Ah, I remember reading about a woman in New Zealand, two years ago, who conceived five days before ovulation.” I raised my hand and chirped, “Well, you can add me to that list!” continue reading

Last year for NFP Awareness week I posted a list of  NFP Resources , y’all seemed to really like it so I thought I would do the same for Infertility. Below is a list of blogs, church documents, books and fertility centers dealing with the many forms of infertility. If you have other resources to suggest, please do and I hope these can be of help to anyone in need. Read the rest here .

Infertility occurs in many forms. Whether it be primary infertility, secondary infertility, or miscarriage. Infertility hides it's face in fear and shame. And it is only when we are brave enough to share our stories that the painful reality becomes evident. These are the faces of infertility.  These are the stories.  Read the rest here .

We've known about the Capitanian crisis for some time: some scientists have, anyway. What's new is the idea that it may have been a major mass extinction in its own right: a sort of prequel to the Great Dying. Other scientists solved part of the puzzle of how octopuses coordinate their arms when moving. Their research may help folks design soft robots: useful in medicine and rescue work.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Life can be a puzzle.  Sometimes the pieces don't always fit together right away.  Even when they do, we don't always see the whole picture. To see the photo gallery of this post, please go to Being Catholic ... Really .

Last year, Infertility Awareness Week* came and went without my knowledge. It’s an unfortunate thing that you don’t realize the pain of infertility until you experience it. This year, I’m keenly aware that we are in the depths of infertility. It’s still new and it’s still a very raw pain. To be honest, I’m not sure my husband and I have actually used the word “infertile” in our conversations. To say it out loud to one another would be to acknowledge we both know what we’re dealing with and somehow remaining blissfully ignorant seems safer.  Read the rest here .

St. Joseph is venerated as the Patron Saint of so many things, actually, just about everything.  He's the Patron Saint of the Universal Church, the Patron Saint of workers, the Patron Saint of a Holy Death, etc. etc. etc. Other canonized saints, such as, St. Francis of Assisi are known for other things.  St. Francis is known as the patron saint of ecology, nature, and animals. St. Catherine of Sienna is the patron saint of nurses. Our newly canonized saints, John XXIII and John Paul II, are also patrons. John XXIII is the patron saint of Papal Delegates. John Paul II is the co-patron saint of World Youth Day. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of teachers, students, and  academics. Read more at:: His Unending Love

How often are we quick to judge someone who we see as disagreeable, strongly opinionated or assertive? Feeling our own sense of pride offended, and leaving indignant we frequently proceed to telling others or instead harbor that annoyance within. Yet, neither of these options can be understood as beneficial either to our relationships or to our spiritual growth. Scripture firmly emphasizes the importance of conflict resolution as a community if we are to be the body of Christ in the world.  No pretences, we are to leave our gift on the altar, and work towards reconciliation . Moreover, we are to speak to that person privately first. “If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ (Matt 18:15-17) In doing so love, and not self righteousness, needs to be the intent of reconciliation. Read More. .

Last week I wrote a poem for children about good words to say like “Please” and “Thank you.” This prompted me to think about good words for adults to say. Of course, words like “Excuse me” and “Thank you” are ingrained habits by now, but we might not always state what needs saying. I recall once introducing my niece to someone and remarking what a great job she does at her workplace. My niece responded, “Aunt Kathy, that’s the first time you ever said you liked what I do.” Hmm. I realized that perhaps I’ve been stingy with words of praise. We might mentally acknowledge someone’s success or good qualities and yet fail to let the person know our thoughts. We might take someone’s achievements for granted. Click to continue

1. Always remember, prayer is direct communication with God.  Be prepared to open your heart and your soul to Him. 2.  Begin your prayers by praising and thanking God. 3. End your prayers by praising and thanking God. 4.  Turn off the distractions: phone, computer, iPad, iPod, tablet, electronic readers.  Move them far away from you.  Lock them in your car, if need be.  Give God 100% of your attention during your prayer time. 5.  Light a candle.  Keep your Rosary in your hand.  Set a tone so that you may enter into your quiet place to pray. Read More at:: Prayerfully Yours

Madonna in Prayer by Sassoferrato. Wikimedia Commons. The prayer of quiet is the second type of contemplative prayer God gives in St. Teresa’s fourth mansions. Here is Teresa’s description of the prayer of quiet from Way of Perfection: This is a supernatural state, and, however hard we try, we cannot reach it ourselves… In this state the faculties are all stilled. The soul, in a way which has nothing to do with the outward senses, realizes that it is now very close to its God, and that, if it were but a little closer, it would become one with Him through union. The faculties that Teresa refers to are the powers of the soul, namely, the powers of thought, will, and memory. Teresa states that the will is occupied during the prayer of quiet, captivated by God, and enjoying a love communion with him. Continue reading at Contemplative Homeschool.

문화체육관광부 (2014) via  Flickr , CC A Big Heart Open to God . That's what the world's Jesuit magazines titled their interview with Pope Francis six months into his papacy. (You can read the English-language version at America Magazine  here .) Yes, Pope Francis seems to have a big heart open to God, and to all of us. He often reveals his heart for children too. I would like to dedicate today's blog to some of the Pope's inspiring words about children and the adults who care for them. (All excerpts come from the  Vatican Information Service. ) We parents, grandparents, teachers, catechists, and other adults who work for the welfare of children can pray with the Pope. We can pick one or two lines from these passages and ponder them in our hearts, as Jesus' own mother Mary did:  Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. -Luke 2:19 Visit Praying with Grace to be INSPIRED!!

God, the Father: Creator of Heaven and Earth.  Father Almighty.  God of Love.  One of three Persons in the Trinity.  Through Him, all things were made. Jesus: The Son of the Living God, Begotten not made, one if being with the Father.  Agreeing submitting His Will to the Father, Jesus suffered an horrific death for the sake of all humankind.  “Not my Will,” He said, “But Your Will be done.” Holy Spirit:  The Third Person of the Trinity.  The Comforter.  The Guide.  The Paraclete The Resurrection of the Body:   Jesus defeated death when He rose from the dead.  By His death we were saved.  By His Resurrection, we, too, will rise, one day. The Truth - The Catholic Church speaks the truth, even if it’s not a popular truth to speak.  From the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Article 1: Section 1950: The Moral Law.  “The moral law is the work of divine Wisdom. Its biblical meaning can be defined as fatherly instruction, God's pedagogy. It prescribes for man the ways, the

On Facebook, the other day, there was a meme that stated, "If we offered a minute of silence for every victim of the Holocaust, we would be silent for eleven and a half years.  It got me wondering, if we offered a minute of silence for every victim of persecution and ethnic cleansing, would we ever speak again? In college, I had the opportunity to spend six months in Austria to study political science and history.  As one of our study tours, we visited a small concentration camp. It is the only part of my three semesters abroad for which I have no photographs.  It seemed like too hallowed of ground to photograph. Also, I knew I would never forget being there-- twenty years later I can still feel the immense weight of sorrow that presses in on you and smell the stench of heinous deaths.  What struck me most, though, was the small strip of green grass that separated this place of horrors from a beautiful town.  Yards away people were eating and drinking, playing and build