Association Of Catholic Bloggers

DOES GOD LOVE EVERYONE EQUALLY? DOES HE HAVE FAVOURITES? DOES HE LOVE SOME PEOPLE MORE THAN OTHERS? HOW ABOUT YOU?   HOW LOVED DO YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

English Bulldogs aren’t what they used to be: which is a problem for folks who want the breed to survive. A team of scientists says that the British mascot’s bloodline is more than a bit too pure. Other scientists developed MouSensor, mutant mice with open slots for plug and play genetic code. Finally, a tiny robot with rat muscles that swims like a fish. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Day Four Prayer: Immaculate Virgin of Candelaria, on presenting Jesus at the temple, you heard the announcement of sorrows and you accepted them as God’s will. May we not be the sword and the evil that would cause you to weep. Pray for us that we, too, may accept pain and sorrow in our life. Amen. I have to say that day four's prayer was more intense. After saying the prayer all I could was silently contemplate its meaning. "Hearing the announcement of sorrows and accepting them as God's will." To continue click  here.

And here we are on day three. It has been an interesting 3 days so far. Even though I enjoy Bible studies. I am surprised by difficult it has been to write about my prayer life. And sharing it with all of you has been a very interesting to say the least. Anyways.... Click here to continue. 

Hello everyone! Day 2 of my novena went slightly different from the first day. If you are interested in Day 1 check it out  here . The day 2 prayer went as follows: Immaculate Virgin of Candelaria, while living full of sanctity you presented yourself in the temple in order to fulfill God’s law. Enable us that we, too, following your footsteps may be able to love our church and temples, considering it as a place where we come near God. Amen. To continue reading click here.

In July, Pope Francis issued an Apostolic Constitution on women’s contemplative life, called  Vultum Dei quarere.  Although aimed at orders of cloistered women religious, this document can also teach lay people how to enter into a more authentic relationship with Christ. Vultum Dei quarere  is Latin for “Seeking the Face of God.” The phrase comes from Psalm 27, my favorite Bible passage on prayer. I encourage you to prayerfully read and meditate upon the entire Psalm. Vultum Dei quarere  was addressed to women because they comprise the majority of contemplative orders. It is the first apostolic constitution for contemplative orders issued since Vatican II. Pope Francis wished to address problems in contemplative life that have gone unaddressed for decades, as well as encourage contemplatives in their increasingly counter-cultural vocation. Read the rest at Contemplative Homeschool.

When introducing the Corporal and Spiritual works of mercy, in her book  Blessed Are You , Melanie Rigney  writes “both types can come free and easy, … or hard and challenging”. Sort of like the healthy benefits of exercise – I can stroll around the park with the kids or I can strap on the boxing gloves and go a round with the punching bag. As I read about Blessed Mother Teresa, St Maria Karlowska, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini and others,  in this chapter about mercy , it brought one important question to mind.  How do I approach that responsibility in my own life to show mercy to others – and not just the “even though you hurt me (again) and this is all your fault, and you are being a toad -- I will still forgive you” kind.  The words into action kind of mercy.  The works of mercy encourages us beyond ourselves, like Blessed Mother Teresa beyond ourselves. Though we may not all be called to the streets of India, we are responsible to care for the poorest of the poor – spiritually

As the Morning Rising: On Every Incoming Tide : Photo courtesy of Gerry Murray Photo courtesy of John McKeever This would be us were it not for Christ as the head of the Chur...

First off I would like to say that I am honored that I was chosen to review this amazing book. City of Saints, is a biographical story about Saint Pope John Paul II. JP II is one of my favorite Saints. I also feel that he is one of the most amazing people to be apart of the Catholic Church in a long time. As a Catholic I truly feel BLESSED to call him our Pope. This book was amazing and let me tell you a spiritual pilgrimage to Poland is now definitely in my future. To read the rest of this review click  here.

When we got a brand new garage door opener, it required installation. Fortunately, a friend of ours was a whiz at this sort of thing. He came over to help so we of course offered him food and drink. Since he wanted root beer, my husband got a six-pack to stick into the fridge. Except one of the cans fell out of the plastic ring and exploded on the floor. If this has ever happened to you, you know what an icky, sticky mess soda pop makes. Since the can’s contents were under pressure, it sprayed everywhere: the floor, the walls, the ceiling and all over me. In our case, since the fridge was open, it splattered the shelves and the food inside.  continue

With all of the violence experienced recently, I am at the point where I can’t take much more. Although far removed from the direct impact of the violence, I am nonetheless negatively impacted. I can only imagine the nightmare for those experiencing the loss of their loved ones. My heart goes out to the survivors and family members of gun violence. Like them, I’m tired of the violence. One Sunday, after the ambush of police officers in Baton Rouge, and wall-to-wall coverage on cable news,  I found myself looking for some kind of escape... Read more...

Providentially, I received my newest book, The Heartbeat of Faith: 59 Poems, Fingerplays, and Prayers, on my birthday. I wrote this book because a teacher at a workshop I gave commented how useful she found my poem about etiquette in church. Strangely I didn’t even remember writing it! If this poem was a help to her, I reasoned that a book full of such poems would be welcomed by other teachers, parents, and grandparents. The faith is caught at an early age. Psychologists tell us that basic attitudes are formed in the first five years of life. My book is for children from ages 3 to 7. I like to tell the story of the father whose son was very quiet in his room. The dad cracked open the door and peered inside just in time to see his little boy get up from his train set, run to the statue of the Sacred Heart and kiss it. “Why did you do that?” the father asked. “Because he’s a good guy,” the tot replied. He already knew about Jesus. Click to continue

(Via  http://ourladyofcandlesnationalshrine.com/prayers/  This the picture of the actual shrine. It is truly breath taking!)  Although she is the Saint of the Carney Islands, Our Lady of Candelaria is prayed to for protection against poverty, a rich harvest, and success in business. She also is prayed to prevent illness. I have begun this Novena to her because well mainly I need help with all of those things. This is a very personal thing for me that I am about to share with all of you. However, the Holy Spirit has influenced me to share my Novena experience with all of you!  To read more click  here.

As the Morning Rising: Glens of Antrim Photo Album

While some may consider strange occurrences in the world as coincidence - I definitely prescribe to what I refer to as the GODCIDENCE mindset! Why wouldn't the God of the universe, who created me out of love, not also want to show himself to me -- especially when I am seeking!!   "Seek and ye shall find!" Today's godcidence is brought to you by the letter J for JOY!! Though when this all began to fall into place, one would have never seen joy as the end result. Late Saturday night I received a private message on Facebook to pray for a young man who had been in a serious accident. I prayed, but went rather quickly back to my reading - feeling confident that all would be fine.   The next morning I learned, sadly he did not make it. My heart ached for the family's great loss; but also within those emotions was great shame and guilt for not praying harder. If it had been my son; I would have gone to my knees to beg God's mercy - regardless of

Today we celebrate the Feast Day of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, an 18 th century Catholic priest, who founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer in 1732. He created this Congregation with the charism of preaching parish missions to the faithful. He believed that by evangelizing on the moral virtues, in the parish missions, he could bring souls closer to Christ. And that he did! Saint Aphonsus Liguori taught that by embracing virtue, we grow closer to Christ. He authored several popular books informing the faithful on how to make this happen. Read more...

(from The Cloistered Heart)

Truthfulness and humility are virtues, pride is a sin, and we’re supposed to practice humility. 1 So Olympic athletes should say they're puny? Small wonder some folks think faith makes no sense. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Life's path is  never straight.  There may be smooth stretches, but they don’t last. A dead end causes our plans to screech to a halt. A fork in the road forces us to make an unexpected decision. A hidden obstacle trips us up.  If we fall hard enough, the injury is not only painfully inconvenient, but sometimes it signals the end. Or does it?  Would it make any difference if we followed the voice of a trusted Global Positioning System? (GPS) This examines all the possible routes and – within its robotic limitations – directs us away from the no through roads and back onto the path. If we switched  on our inner GPS, by sitting in quiet prayer, we are likely to hear the Voice of God. However, there is one significant difference... Read More:  http://susannetimpani.blogspot.com.au/

Fr Jacques Hamel (3o November 1930 - 26 July 2016) Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth,  for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory (Colossians 3: 2-4. Second Reading.) Gospel   Luke 12:13-21  ( NRSV, Catholic Ed . , Can.)  Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.”   But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?”   And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”   Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly.   And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’     Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will stor

  FATHER FRANCIS MAPLE DOES WEALTH BRING CONTENTMENT? Lk. 12:13-21 We can’t live on fresh air. Money plays a large part in all our lives. Most of us have to concern ourselves with earning a living. That concern occupies a sizeable portion of our waking hours. Making ends meet requires careful planning and hard work. We also have to provide for the possibility of accidents and the probability of old age. To ignore such matters is to invite disaster for ourselves and our family. In this world no one can lead a responsible life without giving some time and attention to money. Jesus realised this and so devoted much of His teaching to how we are to cope with money and possessions. In today's Gospel He told the story of a farmer who had accumulated a fortune. His wealth was measured not in money, but in produce. His land had produced such a bountiful harvest that he had to build additional storage space. He had enough to last him for the rest of his life. He coul

  En este Año Santo de la Misericordia que transcurre lleno de eventos que nos empujan a salir de nosotros mismos, la visita del Papa Francisco a Polonia nos trae recuerdos conmovedores de cuando estuvo en México a principios de año.  Se ganó el corazón de miles de mexicanos que salieron a la calle a buscar al sucesor de Pedro que venía de Roma y se encontraron con un hombre sencillo y cercano que brincaba del Papamóvil para saludar a los niños y enfermos. Encontró a nuestro pueblo cabizbajo y enfermizo y como buen médico de almas nos miró a los ojos y nos abrazó, no sólo con su ser sino también con sus palabras de aliento y ternura. Nos aplicó la medicina poderosa de la misericordia: escucha, interés y amabilidad. Pero también, como buen amigo y padre, nos habló derecho y sin repujas. Con sinceridad y sin rodeos nos habló de aquello de nuestro ser que nos encadena al sufrimiento, que no nos deja ser felices y que nos urge cambiar... @mujer_catolica

Today was set aside by the French Bishops as a day of prayer and fasting after the slaying of Father Hamel in Normandy.  Even if you did not get to fast today, please pray along with me for our clergy and the conversion of our enemies. Please visit Veils and Vocations for the prayers.  God bless.

In 1989, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) issued  Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on Some Aspects of Christian Meditation.  Cardinal Ratzinger, later Pope Benedict XVI, signed the document. The Latin title is   Orationis formas (OF).  Its purpose: “[M]any feel the need for sure criteria of a doctrinal and pastoral character which might allow them to instruct others in prayer, in its numerous manifestations, while remaining faithful to the truth revealed in Jesus, by means of the genuine Tradition of the Church. This present letter seeks to reply to this urgent need, so that in the various particular Churches, the many different forms of prayer, including new ones, may never lose their correct personal and communitarian nature.”  (OF  no. 1) It goes on to detail several problems found in modern prayer methods. Read the rest at Is Centering Prayer Catholic?

My life never really went along as planned. When I was a young, unbaptized woman, I wasn’t sure I wanted to get married and I certainly wasn’t going to have children! After my conversion to the Catholic faith, I got married and we had three children. I was a stay-at-home mom for 25 years when I decided it was time to return to work. I got a job in retail during the Christmas holiday (which nearly killed my Christmas spirit!). You can read my very first post at CatholicMom.com here .

My new morning commute began July 11 one week after  I quit my job .  I was anxious to attend daily Mass and to continue my daily walk that I did when I worked. You can read the rest of the article and view the photo gallery of my new commute at Being Catholic ... Really .

Scientists studied the atmospheres of two exoplanets, planets orbiting another star, earlier this year. Both planets are roughly Earth-sized, with atmospheres a bit like the Solar System's terrestrial planets. Juno arrived at Jupiter last month, and will start its science mission in October. Finally, scientists found more than a thousand new planets; including more than a hundred Earth-sized ones. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

REMEMBER THE STORY OF LAZARUS RAISED FROM THE DEAD? WHAT LESSON OR LESSONS IS THERE IN THIS STORY FOR YOU ? PLEASE CLICK HERE

It is day 2 of our novena, please keep praying and feel free to share this even if you missed a day.  Here is the post for day 1 if you are behind. Visit Veils and Vocations for the prayers.

Patience is one virtue which anybody who knows me will readily state I do not possess in abundance. And what little I have was very much tested one day at the post office. Only a single teller was on duty, so the line was longer than usual. And then who should step up to the counter but The Girl Who Could Not Make Up Her Mind. continue