Association Of Catholic Bloggers

Today's video reflection is for YOU if you have ever found yourself telling God, "It's not fair!" In this two-minute reflection we zoom in on what God's justice looks like and I encourage you to not miss a day of his grace!  If you, or someone you know, has questioned how someone can live their entire life rejecting or ignoring God, and then, at the very end ask for--and receive--forgiveness, you will want to hear this message. If you are hanging on to a sin--or a sinful life--you will want to hear this message! Please share my YouTube link, which you will find HERE ! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com  

Humanity is returning to the Moon. Vikram, the Chandrayaan-3 mission's lander, will, if all goes well, touch down near the Moon's south pole today: Wednesday, August 23, 2023. A successful landing will make India one of four spacefaring nations with a presence on the Lunar surface.... ...The time of day depends on where you are. For me, it'll be early Wednesday morning. That's why I've embedded an ISRO YouTube video in this post: so I'll have something queued up and ready to view. That's assuming I wake up in time.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A successful landing will make India one of four spacefaring nations with a Lunar presence. Embedded ISRO YouTube live video, a little background.)

There are some that may think it is best to ignore what is happening in the world today, but in my short video I talk about how important it is to know what is going on around us. Here is a shareable YouTube LINK to the video. Have a blessed day! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com    

If you are struggling with understanding today's gospel reading about the interaction between Jesus and the woman where he refers to her as a dog, you will NOT want to miss this video by Bishop Robert Barron. I have to say, I think it is one of the best I have heard from him (and that's saying a lot.) Please take a few minutes and listen to his teaching on Matthew, Chapter 15th. It is pure genius. Here's the link: https://www.wordonfire.org/videos/sermons/chosen-for-the-sake-of-the-world/ Janet Cassidy BLOG: janetcassidy.com

Folks living in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, are not having a good time. The last I checked, the Northwest Territories capital was being evacuated. Understandably, since there’s less than a mile of open water between Yellowknife and one of Canada’s wildfires. Since Yellowknife has been in the news, and I knew next to nothing about the place, I did a little checking and took a quick virtual trip to the Northwest Territories’ capital. I'll be talking about something else for next week's post, so what I found gets a once-over-lightly treatment.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Canadian wildfires and folks living in Yellowknife, capital of Northwest Territories: and a remarkable house. Also a cursory glance at crazy rumors.)

Are you a fan of Chris Stefanick? If not, you might want to become one! Here is a video he did from World Youth Day this year. You might think, "Why should I care about World Youth Day?"   Well, the Church is worldwide and to see so many people gathered together "united around their faith" is quite an amazing thing. It is a sign of hope. Stefanick gives us a first-hand look at what it was like to be there.    Allow yourself to be uplifted today! Check it out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ro9x3GgjGc   Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com  

  Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Fahey (née Phelan) 14 February 1945 – 2 August 2023 Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 15:21-28  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.   And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”   But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”   He answered,  “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”   But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”   And he answered,  “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.”   She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.”

I'll be talking, briefly, about my most recent effort to both follow the rules and get a needed prescription. (Spoiler alert: I finally got the stuff, and have maybe three weeks before wading into this mess again.) But first, an even briefer look at something I'd much rather have been talking about. Yellowstone: Earthquakes Happen Prescribed Medications, Controlled Substances, and Me It Could be Worse Postscript: Success! Until Next Month More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (My monthly efforts to get a prescribed medication were more than usually frustrating this time. I talk a little about that, and less about Yellowstone geology.)

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    I came across a quote stressing that capitalism and philanthropy are connected, that one cannot exist without the other. If you think about it, it is true that capitalism and philanthropy must go hand in hand. It is great that we have the freedom to create and acquire money and possessions from our own labor, but just imagine if we universally agreed to share it! I know this is a complex issue, but we do need to do a better job of connecting the ability to grow and accumulate personal wealth with the responsibility of sharing it. Let's teach our kids not to pursue money for the sake of money: "work hard so you can have a big house (or an extra house) and live the good life."  How about teaching them that no matter how hard they work, no matter how much they accumulate, it doesn't actually belong to them so long as there are so many vulnerable, under-served people living among us?  Let's teach them that their very ability to work, and the circumst

Today's blog is inspired by the Book of Deuteronomy and is based on the message of Moses to the people of Israel--THINK! Please share it on your own social media pages as well and follow me on Facebook! Have a blessed day! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com YouTube:  https://youtu.be/iBI0p4KtAng

On his way back from World Youth Day in Lisbon, Pope Francis said that folks who aren't perfect can be Catholics. Since he was a tad more specific in how he expressed the idea, we got headlines like this: "Pope Francis restates Catholic Church is for everyone, including LGBTQ+ people" (ABC News). This week I'm taking a quick look at the news, and a longer look at why I'm okay with being Catholic. Pope Francis and the News Being Catholic — Two Millennia of Wildly Improbable Survival Definitions — Acting Like it Matters Happiness, Lust, Sin and Making Sense Wheat, Weeds, and What Pope Francis Said Not 'Just Us' Sodom, Gomorrah, and Lot's Guests — or — Evil is Not Nice Responsibility More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Pope Francis: the Catholic Church is for everyone, including LGBT. A quick look at news, a longer look at why acting like I am Catholic makes sense.)

  St Peter Walking on the Water Alessandro Allori [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 14:22-33  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.   And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,   but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, [ b ]  beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.   And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.   But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.   But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying,  “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is

The Little Children Being Brought to Jesus Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] A few weeks ago I came across an article in Crisis Magazine with the intriguing title  Brendan Had Three Babies   by Austin Ruse. (There is a delightful photo of Brendan there supplied by his family that I was unable to save.) Brendan Kelly, from Virginia, USA, was born with Down Syndrome and developed leukaemia at a young age. This eventually led to his death at the age of 16 in 2013. Here are the opening paragraphs of Austin Ruse's article. E very year   on the anniversary of his passing, Brendan Kelly gives a little gift to a woman who was close with him. It has never been great big things, but always a kind of wink that Brendan is there, and that he loves her. This past May was the 10th anniversary of this 16-year-old boy’s passing, a boy with Down syndrome and a lifelong struggle with leukemia that eventually took his life.  This year she waited and waited for the little gift that she expected. At the

  Is God responsible for your well-being? Is He responsible for what happens in the world today? Is He responsible when things go wrong in the world and in your life? Join the discussion HERE

 Here is my latest post on Facebook . . . Pope Paul VI wrote in his encyclical on the " Development of the Peoples " something that will move you to clean out your closets, curb your purchasing, and forever think differently about what you have and how you use it.   He said, in part:   "No one may appropriate surplus goods solely for his own private use when others lack the bare necessities of life. In short, 'as the Fathers of the Church and other eminent theologians tell us, the right of private property may never be exercised to the detriment of the common good.'" (23)    Wow! Take your time with that. You need to really take an inventory to see if you are "guilty" of keeping stuff you know longer use, that might be needed by someone else.    This is a social justice issue that we need to pay attention to, because, quite simply, each of us can be a part of lessening the problem. It's concrete. It's doable. And we can begin today.  

I've decided to list this post in the "Science News" category, although it doesn’t feature a current news item. That's because some of the tarantula-and-frog research has been news, and current spiders-have-pet-frogs videos remind me of human interest stories, back when print-format newspapers were more common. It's been an interesting week. “ Update: Air Conditioner Fixed 🙂 ” (August 3, 2023) “ Power Failure Last Week, Now Equipment Failure ” (August 2, 2023) That may, or may not, explain why this week's post is a mix of science and creature features of days gone by: Picking This Week’s Topic Big Spider, Little Frog: Helping Each Other Names, Senses and (Maybe) Mutualism Tarantula Research “SCIENCE’S DEADLIEST ACCIDENT”: “Tarantula!” (1955) “Vox Populi…” One Phrase, Two or more Viewpoints Special Effects and Speculation Harmony, Understanding and Medieval Bestiaries And the Moral of this Spider is — More at A Catholic Citizen in

Transfiguration (Cell 6) Blessed Fra Angelico [ Web Gallery of Art ] As the Feast of the Transfiguration is a feast of the Lord  it is celebrated today instead of the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 17:1-9  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) After six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.   And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.   And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.   And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”   He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my be

I was scrolling through my contacts on my phone and discovered a large number of contacts I needed to delete.  In fact, there were names on the list that I didn't even know!  What really bugs me is when I come across a name and I can't remember who they are and why they are in my contacts. I was in the store the other day and noticed a lady I thought I knew.  I said, "I know you!"  She looked at me a little surprised.  I know I know this lady, but we couldn't make any connection.  I still have her face in my head and cannot figure out how I know her.  Usually our son knows everyone, but he didn't even recognize her. Not knowing a name in your contacts is one thing, but not knowing how you know someone in-person is something else. This is really going to bug me.   At the beginning of Isaiah, Chapter 43, the Lord says, " But now, thus says the L ORD , who created you, Jacob, and formed you, Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have c

Today I am trying something new that I hope you will like!  I have created a short reflection video for you to share with your family and friends.  I know that some of you are not on Facebook, so I want to offer you something outside of Facebook, through my blog. As always, I welcome your comments and insights. You can find this video reflection by clicking HERE to go straight to my YouTube channel. Let me know if you are unable to view it! Janet Cassidy Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith

  S'il vous plaît CLICKEZ HERE

        En 2014, en los medios y redes sociales comentaban la respuesta directa del Papa Francisco en una entrevista: la pregunta directa sobre si él era comunista. Su repuesta es de lo más esclarecedora que puede haber:   Reportero:“Usted pasa por ser un Papa comunista, populista. The Economist que le dedicó una portada afirma que habla como Lenin. ¿Se identifica con esto?:” SS Francisco : “Yo digo solo que los comunistas nos han robado la bandera. La bandera de los pobres es cristiana. La pobreza está en el centro del Evangelio. Los pobres están en el centro del Evangelio. Si miramos Mateo 25, el protocolo sobre el cual seremos juzgados: tuve hambre, tuve sed, estuve en la cárcel, estuve enfermo, desnudo. O miremos las Bienaventuranzas, otra bandera. Los comunistas dicen que todo esto es comunista. Sí, como no, veinte siglos después. Entonces cuando hablamos, podríamos decirles: pero ustedes son cristianos (risas). “(1)       El hecho de que, como dice el Papa, los pobres s