Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Because I am quite overwhelmed with work these days, I’m resurrecting a previous post. Hope it is new to you or that you have forgotten it! It’s called “Work: Grace in the Daily Grind.” Click on the link here: http://www.kathleenglavich.org/2015/02/11/work-grace-in-the-daily-grind/

As I celebrate the feast day of St. Teresa of Calcutta, I'm reminded of a film about her from a couple of years ago. I enjoyed The Letters when it came out, but the best thing about the film was the way it inspired me to pick up the book on which it was based. The film is about her. The actual letters, cited extensively in the book, are by her. Read the rest of the post at Leaven for the Loaf .

I started watching "Malcolm in the Middle" by myself on a whim, a couple years ago, when my oldest kid was too tiny to have a clue about anything inappropriate it might contain if he was listening nearby. And then my husband saw it in my Netflix “Continue Watching” list and reminisced about watching it occasionally on TV in his adolescence. So it became our go-to nightly show for some time, as we watched through the seven seasons of hilarity and family conflict... Continue Reading

WHO IS JESUS? WHY DO YOU SAY SO? CAN YOU JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWER? DO YOU KNOW HIM ONE-TO-ONE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT JESUS

Hi there, ya'll! =) Habits are part of life, both good and bad ones.  All of us struggle with bad habits we have acquired and are trying to break, but we often forget to form good habits to replace them.  I've noticed that when I focus on developing good habits instead of being so fixed on breaking the bad ones, it is much easier and less tiresome to overcome the habits I wish to rid myself of.  It takes approximately twenty one days to make something habitual to you, and there's no time like the present to begin. 1. Early To Bed, Early To Rise

Molly McBride and the Purple Habit , by Jean Schoonover-Egolf is the first in a series of charming books about a five-year-old girl, named Molly McBride. Molly loves imitating the Children of Mary Sisters, by wearing their purple habit, specially crafted, for her, by her mom. She loves it so much, that she wants to wear it to her big sister’s First Communion! Why can’t she, when the Children of Mary Sisters will be there, and they will be wearing their purple habits. Oh, can you imagine the havoc that would ensue in dealing with that on such a busy morning? You’ll need to read the story to see whether Molly gets her way. Molly McBride – the Character The character of Molly is strong in her faith in Jesus. At five years-old, Molly is well aware of who Jesus is, and what type of relationship she wants to have with Him throughout her life. I love this character, who comes across the page, filled with conviction! Molly McBride is a great role model for any child learning to grow in

WHAT DOES GOD LOOK LIKE? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT

We are involved in a war which was raging when the current event, which we call the universe, began its existence. This war's origins are in a place where space and time are not, and many of its soldiers are beings whose nature and mode of existence we can only infer from their dealings with us. When the first humans walked Earth, they quickly became involved in this war. On the wrong side. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

As the Morning Rising: Because He lives..... : A gift ( from Canadian farmer ) to my vegan son. 'The labourer is worthy of his wages.' 'Because He lives I can face tomorrow...

As the Morning Rising: The Mansion of Your Heart : Be present to me Lord, even when I am distanced from You. From a maze of streets rescue me and bring me to the mansion of Your heart. ...

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” -Matthew 5:7 Mercy bestows freedom on the one who receives it, as well as the one who gives it. When I experience the Lord’s mercy in confession or in a state of surrender after realizing a wrong I committed against another, and ultimately, against God, I feel as though I am being cleansed with a refreshing spring of life-giving water, which I know is the Holy blood and water which flows from Jesus’ pierced side. I feel humbled at the realization of how unworthy I am of this mercy. How so many sins I have committed in this life are deserving of endless suffering. Of how in the garden, when Jesus was bearing the sins of the whole world, both committed and all those to be committed, how many of those sins were my own. How this saddens me to know I was a part of Jesus’ pain in that moment of time. And with what great love He took on the sins of the world, including my own. He knew what would happen. He knew I would turn aga

FATHER IGNATIUS IN HELL CLICK HERE

The Repentant Peter , El Greco  [ 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   Matthew 16:21-27 ( New Revised  Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition )   From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.’ But he turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling-block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.’ Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want t

Hi there, ya'll! =) One of the most common complaints you will ever hear from a woman is "I have nothing to wear!"  Often it is pronounced by a woman standing in front of a closet overflowing with clothing, shoes, and accessories, and yet she still is insistent; she cannot find anything to wear.  We (myself most definitely included) all have our weaknesses when it comes to shopping, and tend to buy certain items impulsively without actually considering whether or not we will ever wear them.  As a result, we have a closet filled to the brim with things that do not match and we very well may never put on.  Having too many options can be overwhelming and prevent us from seeing which options are actually good ones, so if you are one of those women who have "nothing to wear", the first thing you must do is narrow down the list of options.  Anything that you have not worn in the last year simply has to go; if you haven't worn it in the last year, chances a

As the Morning Rising: Clad my Soul in Gladness : As well as September 1st marking World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation the month of September is dedicated to Our...

As a new contributor to this blog site, I am humbled to be able to join so many other wonderful writers that contribute to spreading the Love of Jesus and our wonderful Catholic faith. My background: My name is Laura Durant, and I live near Austin, Texas, with my wonderful husband, John. I grew up in the faith, and met my husband as he was converting to Catholicism (what a joy that was!). I am also a member of the Austin Community of the Secular Order of Discalced Carmelites. I have developed over time a strong love and tenderness for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. It started first with my relationship with Mary, who as she so easily and surely does, lead me straight into the loving flames of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Healing Heart of Jesus ( www.healingheartofjesus.com ) The blog I felt called to create is all about the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and focuses on the transformation of my heart and the transformation Jesus wants to do in each of our hearts -

As the Morning Rising: Clad My Soul in Gladness : Joy Clad my soul in gladness Lord So that the threads that bind heaven and earth Will hold fast through ever...

Harvey's in the news, a lot, and probably will be for days. I noticed stuff piling up in my notes, and decided that getting part of my 'Friday' post done early was a good idea.... ...News reporting generally uses more superlatives than I like. "Unprecedented" seems to be particularly popular with BBC News editors at the moment. I don't mind things being biggest, smallest, newest, or whatever. But I've learned to be rationally skeptical when I read that something is the biggest, worst, or most devastating thing of its kind.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Emoji Virtues in our emotions? Is that even possible? When we encounter characters in the books we read, the movies and TV we watch, as well as in the ever-unfolding story we call real life, we can witness virtues. Virtue comes alive in people’s beliefs, perceptions, thoughts, decisions and actions. But, how often do we consider the way that virtue can operate in human feelings and emotions? A lifetime of research by a Catholic spiritual psychology pioneer, Richard Johnson, PhD. revealed that we  have special spiritual strengths, otherwise known as virtues; which specifically operate in the part of our personality whose function is emotion. He identifies Joyfulness, Trust , Devotion , Empathy and Gratitude as personality traits that we can cultivate as holy habits of virtue in a unique way in our emotions. Often, we think of emotions as something reactive; triggered by some new situation, or a recalled memory. However, through the miracle of virtue, aided by God’s grace, we ca

On August 21, the eyes of the world were on the skies, hoping to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse. Thousands gathered to witness the stunning event and celebrate. Lucky were those whose view was not blocked by clouds! The sun’s corona, the diamonds, the ring were awesome. The phenomenon made me think of the astronomer’s psalm: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” (Psalm 8:3–4) The beauty of the eclipse and of the universe captured in photos makes the heart swell and lifts our minds to the mighty God whose wisdom created all this wonder. We’ve seen our planet like a white and blue jewel in pictures shot by astronauts. We’ve seen other planets invisible to the naked eye spinning in all their glory. We’ve even seen galaxies, one looking mysteriously like the eye of God. No wonder the psalmist concludes his psalm by ex

YOU WILL LIKE THIS I DID WHEN I WROTE IT CLICK HERE

It seems to me that, in the library of Netflix original series, there is a glut of both sci-fi options and mystery/detective-type shows. We've tried our fair share of the sci-fi ones and not really found any that impressed us enough/didn't disgust us with unexpected graphic sexual material. But we hadn't really tried many of the mystery options, I think mostly because a lot of them just sound pretty much the same as one another and rather bland. But recently I looked a little more closely at those mystery options and discovered that one called “Paranoid” sounded fairly promising. We gave it a try... Continue Reading

My husband, Michael, and I will have been married for 39 years on Sept. 1, 2017. After a difficult life, we are happy and still in love. Surprisingly, we have become one in reality, deeply in tune with each other’s spirits even though we are still opposites in personality. Our tangible joy is inexplicable through secular eyes because from all outward appearances our life together has been a tough journey through poverty, raising nine kids, facing overwhelming chores on a small family farm and dealing with long-term, clinical depression. Accessing Power in the Sacrament of Marriage How did our marriage survive never mind thrive? The grace available in the Sacrament of Marriage is not some esoteric theology;  it is real and it is powerful. The power available in the sacrament is what kept my husband and me together through the rough years. We both understood, beyond a doubt, that God brought us together. We never questioned this basic call from God, our vocation together, even

Hi there, ya'll! =) I've been going through a slight (cough) Grace Kelly obsession lately.  A friend had me watch "High Society" a few months ago, and I was utterly captivated by Grace's style, poise, elegance, beauty...in short, everything about her.  Her grace (wink) was such a contrast to pretty much every female actress and celebrity today that it really inspired me to try and develop these traits more in myself.  Now, Grace Kelly certainly wasn't perfect, and there are many aspects of her life I do NOT want to imitate, but from reading several of her biographies and learning about her life, I feel I can safely say she possessed many excellent qualities that young ladies of today would do well to imitate.  With celebrities such as Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Miley Cyrus being paraded in front of all our young women today as examples of "female power" and "strong women", it's no wonder we have all these poor, confused girls ru

Today, we celebrate the Feast of Saint Augustine, born in 354 in Tagaste, northern Africa. Augustine was the son of Saint Monica, a devout Christian. However, one might say that in Augustine’s youth, he wasn’t one to follow in his mother’s saintly footsteps. In his early adulthood, Augustine had a concubine, who bore him a son; yet they never married. He dabbled is a few heresies such as Manicheanism (rooted in Gnosticism) and Neoplatonism (heavily influenced by the works of Plato). The Conversion of Saint Augustine It was only after moving to Italy, where he took a position in rhetoric, and after meeting Saint Ambrose, that Augustine began to explore the Christian faith. Although Augustine was gifted in rhetoric, he was no match for Saint Ambrose, who evangelized to Augustine on the truths of the faith. In 387, at the age of 33, after experiencing a profound personal crisis, Augustine converted to Christianity, with Saint Ambrose baptizing him. Augustine’s baptism became a...

Harvey was still a tropical storm when it went over the eastern Caribbean. That was a little over a week ago. Folks in Barbados were without power for a while. At least one house was destroyed, and more folks had to evacuate their homes. Pretty much the same thing happened in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Suriname and Guyana had wind and rain: enough to kill at least one person, a woman whose house collapsed with her inside. Harvey was a category 4 hurricane when it reached the Texas coast, between Port Aransas and Port O'Connor . That was around 10:00 p.m. Friday.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Right now, some of you are experiencing the Lord drawing you to himself. You have been like an arrow hidden in the Lord's quiver as you respond to the call,  "Come away with me, my Beloved!"  You have been called to a place of intimacy. Like an arrow being drawn back in a bow, you are being drawn back into Jesus' heart. You are called to stay there and drink from his life giving waters until the right moment he releases you. Continue Reading @ Beautifulthorns>

From The Cloistered Heart

As the Morning Rising: Who Do You Say I Am? : Who Do You Say I Am? In the blessed lonely stillness of the night When neither darkness nor sleep provide A safe house for those w...

Por Dulce Fernandez

A Solar eclipse sweeping from coast to coast dominated Monday's news in America. I saw headlines describing the event, weather in different states, how folks had prepared and how they reacted, and some of the science involved. It was nice while it lasted.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

As the Morning Rising: Beauty is a Name : http://holy-familyparish.com/ Beauty is a Name Beauty is a name framed among flowers And here the very walls imbibe the whisper...

Apostle Peter in Prison , Rembrandt  [ 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   Matthew 16:13-20 ( NRSV,Catholic Ed )   Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’  And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’  He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’  Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’  And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and wha

ANTHROPOMORPHISM WHAT IS IT? HAVE YOU GOT IT? IS IT CATCHING? CAN IT BE CURED? CLICK HERE

I found myself placed next to a high powered High Court Judge at a dinner party in one of the most exclusive clubs in London.  What on earth  was I going to talk to her about I was thinking when, discovering that I was a Catholic writer, she made everything simple for me. She asked me to explain to her the mystery of the Holy Trinity! Fortunately I had just heard my parish priest avoiding a similar question on Trinity Sunday by telling the story of St Augustine at the seaside. There were no funfairs in those days, no amusement arcades to waste your money in, and no piers to walk along, so St Augustine settled down on a sand dune and started thinking about the Church Council that had pronounced that there were three persons in one God. He was having great difficulty understanding this profound mystery of God's love when he was distracted by a little boy who was filling a little bucket with water from the sea and pouring it into a hole that he had dug only a few yards away. &qu

GUARANTEED BANISH ANXIETY INSTANTLY ONCE AND FOR ALL CLICK HERE

A selection of the some of the best art and icons capturing the humility, dignity, and nobility of Mary- The Queenship of Mary. continue

Danae's odd view of Papal infallibility isn't accurate. ( July 30, 2017 ) But I'm not upset by Non Sequitur's 'Church of Danae,' particularly since I see the funny side of the cultural quirks Wiley Miller highlights. I do, however, occasionally use Danae's distinctive theology and Eddie's "Biblical Prophecies" as a contrast to my faith. I'm a Christian, and a Catholic. I have well-defined views on social and legal issues: but I am not conservative or liberal. I'm Catholic. That means acting as if Jesus, love, and people matter.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Do you have any idea WHY you must keep holy the Sabbath (Ex 20:8)? Do you view the “requirement” to go to Church on Sunday as just another chore that must be done over the weekend? Well, let me clear up a few things for you. Giving God His due, by attending services on Sunday is not something that God needs. You’re the one who needs it! God doesn’t need anything. So, the Commandment to “keep holy the Sabbath” is in place for your benefit. God created this Commandment for two reasons: God deserves at least one day per week where we honor, praise and thank Him for all that He blesses us with throughout the week. This is called giving God His due. He thinks we deserve a day of rest once per week. Giving God His Due Should Be a Joy So, rather than viewing the Sabbath as a “to do” that must be marked off on your list, think of it as... Read more... 

I sent out a couple of tweets about what happened in #Charlottesville, but when I did, I realized that my thoughts on bigotry just kept coming. I then read  this positive piece  about the events in C-ville and our approach as citizens working toward a civilization of love (a la Pope John Paul II) .. And, my ideas just kept swirling, until I discovered that I had to write a post about my thoughts! I read some Nietchze in college, whose atheist ideas were impactful on Hitler.  It is shocking to learn that people like  David Duke  still live and breathe and walk around among us today, in 2017. I thought we all read the right books-  Number the Stars ,  Night  by Elie Weisel, and of course  The Diary of Anne Frank.  I thought we all visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. (!!!) This empty philosophy comes straight from the Devil, and it props itself up on atheism at its very core. But the truth is, white supremacy is somehow still alive and kicking, as we learned last weekend. #= H

This week I have to agree with the movie title “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.” How do we cope with the anxiety and the frustration brought on by world events? We might take refuge in one of the lovely Catholic sanctuaries our country boasts, breathe deeply, relax, and pray to the God in whose hands we are. If you need help locating such a place, the following book makes an excellent resource for you . . . 101 Places to Pray Before You Die: A Roamin’ Catholic’s Guide Thomas J. Craughwell Franciscan Media, $18.99 In more ways than one, this book is a unique, fascinating read. A virtual tour of the United States, it is a handbook of sacred sites for every state: churches, shrines, missions, abbeys, retreat centers, museums, and hallowed grounds. The sites range from famous buildings like St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York to obscure ones like the Convent of St. Birgitta, which at one time was supported by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. There are surprising entries, like th

As the Morning Rising: The Rivers of Hope bring Joy to God's City : This is the final post regarding my pilgrimage to Knock, and it contains a very special message. On our journey there we praye...

I remember, at some point in my adolescence, a new prime-time comedy show came out on one of the networks, a show called “Baby Bob.” The premise was this: A baby secretly talks like an adult. But... what was to happen when the baby got slightly older – say, to legit talking age? Not a lot of forethought in the concept, even if a talking baby is kind of a funny idea. So when I saw the trailer for the animated movie The B oss Baby , I immediately realized how much better the idea of a talking, adult-like baby worked as a cartoon movie, as opposed to a live-action show. Especially since this movie looked freaking hilarious. I was eager to watch it, probably even more eager than my toddler... Continue Reading

Fr David Padrnos 7 September 1944 - 18 August 201 7 The son of Joseph E. and Rosalie (Bueltel) Padrnos, Father Dave grew up in Holy Name Parish in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. He had two sisters, Teresa (who preceded him in death) and Sally, as well as a brother, Wayne. Father Dave studied at Holy Name Grade School and Cathedral High School, Omaha, before going on to St Columban’s College and Seminary, Milton, Massachusetts, and St Columbans College and Seminary, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. He did his Spiritual Year at St. Columbans, Bristol, Rhode Island. His theology studies were at St John’s Seminary Brighton, Massachusetts, (while residing at St Columbans, Milton, MA.). H e was ordained at St Cecilia Cathedral, Omaha, on 28 May 1971 by Archbishop Daniel Sheehan. St Cecilia Cathedral, Omaha   [ Wikipedia ] The young priest arrived in Japan in September 1971 and resided at the central house in Roppongi, Tokyo, during the twenty-two month period in which he was engag

As the Morning Rising: Launch of World Meeting of Families 2018 and Bless... : Below is a link to an album I created yesterday during my pilgrimage to Knock Shrine. In spite of very inclement weather the mood...

DOES GOD SPEAK TO US? IS GOD SPEAKING TO YOU? ARE YOU LISTENING? CLICK HERE PLEASE

Bad as news from Steubenville, Ohio, is — it could have been worse. Only one person is dead. Two are injured, but probably will recover. One of the injured people was with the man who is dead, so investigators may get some clue as to why he shot a judge. On the other hand, the man who drove the deceased to the courthouse says that he had not known what the shooter had in mind. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Hi there, ya'll! =) Is there anything easier to style than a black dress? I doubt it.  No matter what "capsule wardrobe" or "closet must-have" list you look at, every single one I've seen has been adamant about one thing: every woman MUST own at least one little black dress.  After seeing how versatile and flattering they are, I can understand why! My family and I just returned from a trip to Kansas City and, even though I had packed other clothes, I wore this black dress every one of the four days we were there, just switching up the accessories and tops I wore with it to make completely different outfits for each day.  I thought I'd share a few of the different ways I've styled it to give you some inspiration for your own LBD! The dress I'm wearing came from a thrift store, but I've linked some of my other favorites at the end of the post to help you find the one that fits your style best. =)

Hmm…Do you let the curse words fly, every now and then? Or perhaps it’s more like every other word that comes out of your mouth? Well, let me be old fashioned and tell you that cursing isn’t cool! In fact, cursing makes you sound crude, rude and undignified. Look at what happened to President Trump’s latest Communications Director, Anthony Scaramucci. Newly hired, he conducted a taped interview with the NY Times. When the tape was played, there were so many “bleeps,” because of foul language, that the audio was barely intelligible. Let’s just say that many people were offended after hearing the unfiltered recording, and the man was fired ten days into the job. Cursing isn’t cool! Cursing Violates the Second Commandment Did you know that? God gave us the Second Commandment to show us how to live a dignified life. Since we are made in His image and likeness, we are meant to... Read more...

We live in a big world. We've known that for a long time, and have been impressed. "How great are your works, LORD! How profound your designs!" ( Psalms 92:6 ) But impressive as what we see is, God is greater: almighty, infinite, eternal. Ineffable, beyond what can be expressed in words. That's pretty much what God told Moses in the 'burning bush' interview: "'But,' said Moses to God, 'if I go to the Israelites and say to them, "The God of your ancestors has sent me to you," and they ask me, "What is his name?" what do I tell them?' "God replied to Moses: I am who I am. Then he added: This is what you will tell the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you." ( Exodus 3:13 - 14 ) Moses said "but" three times before their talk was over. I've talked about him before, and other prophets. Mary also asked a question: a sensible one. I get the impression that her reaction was calmer than theirs. M