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Scientists used new DNA screening tech to study caves in Belgium, Croatia, France, Russia, and Spain. What they found wasn't a big surprise. What's exciting about the news is that we now have another tool for unraveling our family history. We've been pretty sure that nobody lived in North America until about two dozen millennia back. That may change, if scientists who say they found 130,000-year-old tools in San Diego County, California. Quite a few other scientists are dubious, understandably. I took a longer look at what we've been learning about Homo naledi. They're folks who don't look like humanity's current model. We found their remains in a cave they probably used as a crypt. Since you may be reading my stuff for the first time, I'll review why I think truth is important. All truth, not just the bits I grew up knowing about. Also why I take the Bible seriously, but not 'creation science.'... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

The Good Shepherd, Martin van Cleve the Elder [ Web Gallery Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings (Jerusalem Bible: ) Gospel John 10:1-10( NRSV, Catholic Edition , Canada) Jesus said: "Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the

As the Morning Rising: Bluebells : Poems Portglenone : Portglenone Forest No amount of words spread wide Across this forest floor No loose alphabets of leaf mould that endure ...

Fatima: The Apparition That Changed the World , by Jean M. Heimann, is a wonderful book that chronicles the Fatima apparitions of the Blessed Mother, including beautiful glossy pictures of the town, people and churches of the area. Multiple apparitions occurred at Fatima, Portugal between May 13, 1917 and October 13, 1917, visible to three young Portuguese children from that town. Most Catholics have heard the story of Fatima, possessing a vague idea of what occurred. In this book, Jean Heimann gives you an in-depth understanding of Mary’s purpose for the apparitions and the implication of her visit to the three chosen children. The story is riveting! I read the entire book in one afternoon! My takeaway from reading Fatima: The Apparition That Changed the World , is that... Read more...

In just the past few days, the world outside my window has burst into bloom. A little tree filled with red blossoms is backed by a host of trees in various shades of green. The little azalea plant the mail carrier trods on when it's snow-covered still has buds. A woodpecker hammers a telephone pole. All is fresh. Now that the earth is renewed, I was motivated to renew my house and yard. The steps I took to accomplish this have parallels with our lives. First, I realized that I am a hoarder. Every carton, large and small, delivered to me during the past ten years I tossed into the attic for future use. My nephew the fireman would faint if he saw the collection. Large bags were stuffed with styrofoam packing peanuts and other packing material.  And drawers and boxes held reams of half clean paper intended for copying my manuscripts...which nowadays are only on computer files. So the cardboard and paper went into recycling bins, and the peanuts and 50 pieces of cardb

As the Morning Rising: Where Would They Go? : If there was no Mary-ness in us at all - neither in man nor woman, where would the sighs from earth go, for they would not have the power to...

Saint Joseph is so special to the Catholic faithful, that we have two feast days set aside each year to honor him: March 19 th (unless this date falls on a Sunday like it did this year, then it’s March 20th), and May 1 st . Typically, on March 19 th , we honor Saint Joseph as husband of Mary, and foster father to Jesus. We thank him for being such a good role model as a faithful husband and father. Today, we honor Saint Joseph, the Worker, a carpenter, by trade. He worked diligently to provide for his family. Humble in nature, compassionate in heart, Saint Joseph remained ever faithful to God, and Mary. Beyond his humility and compassionate nature, there is so much to admire about Saint Joseph, as he truly was a virtuous man in every respect. To this day, he continues to serve as an exemplar of virtue for men to follow. Read more...

(from The Cloistered Heart)

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (ADHD) can present many challenges in completing one's education, holding down a job and maintaining personal relationships. I would know because in the course of my life with ADHD I've struggled in each area.  Although I remained undiagnosed until my early thirties, I am happy to share it is not too late to identify those challenges and make the necessary challenges to not only cope but succeed. My strategy has been to tackle one at a time. This required being brutally honest with myself, seeking the counsel of a trusted friend, and conducting lots of research to formulate a plan for change.  Most importantly, it required a humbling of myself and instead of continuing to blame God for my circumstance, to trust He had a plan for my good in allowing ADHD in my life. Excuse Me Are You Listening? Building meaningful personal relationships can be incredibly difficult when you are so stimulated by your surrounding environ

Surrendering to the power of the Holy Spirit within our spirits can seem like a rather esoteric activity, something to talk about, write about, and perhaps pray about but not part of our daily lives but our inner and outer lives are intricately entwined. This means when I learnt how to let go of control in my inner life, it affected how I dealt with daily life. Example: how to deal with mismatched socks. continue

We hear about the 'road to Emmaus' event in today's Gospel, Luke 24:13 - 35 . There's been speculation about why folks didn't recognized Jesus at first, after Golgotha. It wasn't just the 'road to Emmaus' thing. Paul lists some of our Lord's meetings in 1 Corinthians 15:3 - 8 .... ...About why folks didn't recognize Jesus, I figure there's a reason, maybe more than one, but I'm also pretty sure I can't be sure. Not at this point. That won't stop me from sharing — not so much my guess, as something I think seems reasonable. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

'Then there eyes were opened . . .' Sunday Reflections, Third Sunday of Easter, Year A Supper at Emmaus (detail) 1606, Caravaggio Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings ( Jerusalem Bible) Gospel Luke 24:13-35 ( NRSV, Catholic Edition , Canada) Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth,who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God an

So, I have 6 kids - not because I have good pregnancies, but because Tom and I believed that to be God's will for our life. I actually had very horrible pregnancies! I had 24 hour a day nausea, gestational diabetes, and preterm labor, to name a few distressing side effects. The worst side effect being the strong contractions and preterm labor that would go on for months! The pressure was so great at times, it was hard to walk; I felt my babies were going to fall out of me! Continue Reading @ Beautifulthorns>

I'll be talking about scientific research that may not be "fake:" but isn't reliable, either. The good news is that many scientists want to fix the problem. I'll also take a look at truth, beauty, Copernicus, and how a science editor sees faith and science. Faith and science Truth and Beauty "...There Will be Babblers...." Being Scientific News and views... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

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You may have noticed that lately I've been absent from behind these cloister walls. I wish I could say I've been away on a long vacation, but the truth is far less glamorous. I've spent the last few weeks in a cloister not of my own choosing...    'Thank God, there still remains one sanctuary, the sacredness of which no earthly power may violate…  It is the sanctuary of the human heart.  It needs no fixed place for its confines, no stated time for the opening of its gates, no particular hour of silence for its prayer.  A thought, a word, a moment of reflection, and by faith and by love, the soul is within the blessed refuge, and the gates are closed on the confusion of life with all its noise and tumult. It is secure against the bitterness and the pain of persecution, or hardship or trial, or hurt of body, or wound of earthly pride, or failure of worldly ambition, for there she is inviolable, sacred, impregnable in the fortress of her own spirit.

I first began to understand certain mystical truths as I prayed at the place where Jesus was crucified on the first Good Friday. I have written about some of these insights when I spent a night in the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem,  but some  were too much for me to understand at the time, and it has taken some years for me to grasp them in such a way that I can commit them to writing. I do not therefore promise that this will be an easy read, but I hope it will be a rewarding one. The prolonged and unprecedented eclipse of the sun that plunged the world into darkness during Christ’s terrible death on the cross, replicated the inner blackness that plunged his heart, his mind and his soul into pitch beyond pitch of anguish, grief and unutterable agony.     read on...

In Back to Virtue , Peter Kreeft takes you into the classroom of moral theology, where you will learn why we need virtue to preserve human existence. For starters, Kreeft clearly defines the differentiation between virtue and vice. He discusses the cardinal Virtues of Prudence, Justice, Temperance and Fortitude, as well as the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. Then, using the Beatitudes, he teaches us about each virtue that counters each of the seven deadly sins of anger, envy, gluttony, greed, lust, sloth and the root of all evil, pride. His words of wisdom percolate throughout this book. Here’s just one example: If we can conquer everything except ourselves, the result is that we do not hold the power. 1   Once we learn that God is in control, and that He holds the power, then we begin to learn that... Read more...

The first time I was to fly alone to Abu Dhabi to speak at a religious conference, I was rather frightened—petrified would be more accurate. It meant stopping in Chicago to switch to Etihad, the United Arab Emirates airline, flying over the ocean (daunting to a non-swimmer like me), and then counting on someone to meet me in the Abu Dhabi airport. I decided to imagine that Jesus was with me on this journey. We’d be taking this trip together. After all, it was his work I was doing. In Chicago, when I requested a window seat, the clerk said the flight was full and none was available, but he would give me a good seat. It turned out to be the last one in the back, but there was an empty seat beside it…the only empty seat on the plane! So it was easy to think of Jesus as my traveling companion.  Click to Continue