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I've again posted a video that captures, more than anything I've ever found, The Cloistered Heart as I have 'seen' it.... No matter where we are, no matter how dense the crowds or chaotic the traffic, in the cloisters of our hearts we can sing..... (click here to continue)

This post is about sex, Catholic Style. Now that I've got your attention, a little background. I'm a Catholic: an adult convert, so I'm rather gung-ho about my faith. This post is longer than most 'Sunday' ones: mostly because I discuss a recent Supreme Court decision in the context of love, free will, and Addams Family Values... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Young Jew as Christ , Rembrandt, c.1656 Stattliche Museen, Berlin [ Web Gallery of Art ] Gospel   Mark 6:7-13  New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition , Can.  Jesus  called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.   He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts;   but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics.   He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.   If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”   So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent.   They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. Green Drove, Pewsey , with the Pewsey White Horse, south of the village Today's gospel reminds me of experiences as a seminarian while on  Peregrinatio

My Beloved Child,      Do you realize how much I love you?  You are precious in My eyes.  You are a jewel in the crown of My Mother.  You are a delicate flower moistened by gentle rain on a spring morning.  I hold you in my hand.  Your name really is carved in my palm and  is etched in the stars above heaven.      I love you, and I long to be with you.  I crave the moments when we are united in prayer.  I seek you out so that our hearts may be joined as one.  I long to hear about your day.  I long to hear you tell Me that you love Me!  I thirst for you.  I seek to envelope you in My joy, My Love, My Sacred Heart! Read More At::  His Unending Love

We are accustom to beautiful images of Mary picturing her as a white, European. However, she was from the Middle East and most likely looked Middle Eastern. Artist’s models and concepts of beauty are influenced by their culture.  Now artists are emerging who are painting Mary as if she was born in their country because they can relate and connect better to the living Mary when their prayer is triggered by an image they are familiar with.  The results are stunning, opening our hearts and souls to different qualities and graces of Mary.  continue

Most of us mean well, but, often, we mess it up when we try to comfort those who are suffering greatly, those who have lost a loved one, those whose pain we cannot know because we haven’t walked in their shoes. Holy Spirit, please fill us with Your love, and remind us that, sometimes, the best thing we can say is nothing. Remind us that holding a hand, touching a shoulder, giving a hug, say more than mere words could. Read More at: Prayerfully Yours

New Horizons is closer to Pluto than it was when I started writing this post, and should send back about 5,000 times as much data as Mariner did in its Mars flyby, 50 years ago. ( BBC News ) The ESA's Philae lander 'woke up' last month, but the big news from the Rosetta mission are Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko's sinkholes: and the jets of gas and dust coming from at least some of them. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Today, my neighbor told me that she was dehydrating rhubarb so that she could make tea with it later. My rhubarb has produced abundantly this year, and there is a lot still on the plant, so I came home and picked the best of what remained. My neighbor told me how to dehydrate the rhubarb, but I had a better idea. I pulled out a small, tabletop oven that I own and use for many other baking ideas. I thought, this would be a quick way to dehydrate the rhubarb rather than waiting 6-10 hours for it to dehydrate in the oven. As you can see, the results were less than successful. I burnt the rhubarb. It tastes burnt. I’m going to throw it out. This rhubarb is not fit for tea. Read more at:: Prayerfully Yours

Well, people are writing with fear and panic underlying their comments and  articles in the face of the States sanctioning same-sex marriages. Why?  We are people of hope, not doomsayers or fearmongers. Christ has already triumphed over sin and death. We are  not called to focus on disasters, on evil, on sin. Christ commanded us to refrain from condemnation and judgment so  we will not be judged and condemned by our Master.  Our mandate is simple; allow the Light of Christ to grow ever more brightly within us, especially as the darkness deepens. Then we will be a light unto the world. He will conquer darkness through us. We are simply channels of truth, light and mercy. This is the central message of the New Testament. continue

Ahhh....summer vacation - long relaxing days at the pool, followed by barbecues, late nights and no schedules.  Sounds like a dream - right? Yes and no. If the overload of summer fun along with its corresponding lack of routine is getting you down, you are not alone.  Here are 7 suggestions for managing summer overload without turning into the poolside version of the Grinch! Read more here....

Mother Teresa is the model for the virtue of magnanimity. Yet, my guess is that most of us know little about this noble virtue. So let’s start with a definition: Magnanimity : The virtue which prompts one to do morally good acts of exceptional quality. Magnanimous persons are disposed to perform actions of extraordinary generosity, kindness, fortitude and charity; not in order to gain fame, glory or recognition, but simply to do what is right, good, just or needed. Magnanimous actions are usually only possible for those who, as a matter of habit and custom, practice the other virtues with great regularity and ease. Magnanimity supports and enhances Fortitude, and it is one of the highest forms of charitable self-sacrifice. 1   The best, contemporary example of magnanimous behavior would be Blessed Mother Teresa. She lived and breathed the virtue of magnanimity by practicing all of the other virtues. She shunned fame, and lived amongst the poorest of the poor. She gave of herse

This week I came across a book that was a collection of little known facts in the Bible. It reminded me of the time I heard that God shut the door of Noah's ark after all were boarded. Really? I had to look it up and, sure enough, there it was. (See Genesis 7:16.) At this morning's Mass we heard the story of Jacob wrestling with God, and again, a detail I didn't realize before stood out. When Jacob politely asked God's name, the only response he received was "Why is it it that you ask my name?" Now why did God tell his name to Moses but not to Jacob, I wonder. If you're like me, sometimes when Scripture is proclaimed at Mass I think, "I know that story," and I tune out. Instead of listening attentively for God's message, maybe I plan my next writing project or decide what to have for dinner. This is not smart, for our memories have holes in them, and besides, no matter how often we read or hear God's word, there is always s

Homeschool moms, how is your planning coming along?  I have to be honest, I am way behind usual.  I am a planner. I started planning Christmas 2015 in November, 2014.  Yet, I'm having trouble getting this year together.  With all that has happened in my personal life and the world at large this past year, I'm feeling unfocused and a little lost. SO , to kick me into gear, I am starting a series of posts on the unit studies I am designing for next year.  I am going to try to keep up with my Wednesday Works of Mercy Bouquet posts, and run this series on Fridays as Seven Quick Takes posts.  I hope that makes sense. Continued on Veils and Vocations.

I just returned home from my eleventh annual week away at Catholic Heart Work Camp with teens and adult leaders from the parish where I am the Youth Minister. So much happened in those few days that I am still processing. It is impossible to explain a week at Work Camp to someone who has never been there.  To truly understand, it has to be experienced. Together we worked hard, played hard, sweat, got dirty, stood in long lines for the showers, got uncomfortable, found our way around a new place, ate what was provided, lost things, found things, did without caffeine, struggled with the wi-fi, got tense, learned patience, slept on the floor, woke up freezing,  made new friendships and deepened others,  danced, sang, adored, confessed, cried, wiped tears, embraced,  smiled, laughed, held hands, and  prayed... Read more:  http://www.restfulwaters.net/lessons-from-camp/

Thousands of people will pour into Philadelphia this September to celebrate the Eighth World Meeting of Families with Pope Francis.  On June 25 , the Vatican officially presented the theme for the event: Love is our mission: the family fully alive Lovely! On the other hand, do I want my family to be  fully  alive? That sounds like a handful. There are, after all, so many ways to be alive. My neighbor is alive at 6:50 am every Saturday and Sunday, cleaning his deck with a leaf blower powered by an engine from a Boeing 747. Alive was the man who cut me off in traffic yesterday, swearing at me colorfully through his open window. Children who fight over whose turn it is to wash the dishes? Very much alive. © ezepov/Getty Images Sometimes "alive" feels more like "undead." But the World Meeting theme recalls the famous line by the second century theologian St. Irenaeus: "The the Glory of God is man fully alive." Pope St. John Paul II admired Irenae

In my parish, there are a group of women who pray the rosary daily for our priests. We each have one decade to pray daily. In that way, we pray all the mysteries of the Rosary in one day for our priests. Pray for priests daily whether you pray a rosary, a decade of the rosary, or general prayers for priests. Here are some prayers you might like to pray, too. These prayers come from a collection by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia out of Nashville, Tennessee. Here’s the link to the pdf which you can download. Click HERE Read more at: Prayerfully Yours

Life gives us opportunities, blessings, trials and tribulations. Life is a journey; both physical and spiritual. It’s what we do with this life that matters most. How does one persevere in life when there are so many challenges, obstacles and hurdles to overcome? And why must they even exist? Why can’t life be just peachy? There is a simple answer to these questions: Without the challenges, obstacles and hurdles, you wouldn’t grow spiritually. Also, without difficulties in this life, you would take the opportunities and blessings for granted. You would take God for granted! Perseverance is such a necessary virtue. Anything worthwhile usually does not come instantly. It comes after we have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into the situation. If we give up too soon, we... Read more...

Our first stop this summer in my continuing series, Touring Chicago's Beautiful Churches, is  Notre Dame de Chicago .   Notre Dame is the "round" church in the  "Little Italy"  neighborhood. You can read the rest at Being Catholic ... Really .

Curé of Ars    Saint Luke Productions  live plays are intellectually stimulating and an encouragement to devote more time to the study of the lives of the Saints. We were greatly inspired by Vianney  the dramatic performance of the vocation and life of the Cur é  of Ars. This presentation about the patron saint of parish priests enlightened us to the many holy victories won by perseverance in prayer and faithfulness to the sacramental life.

On our recent vacation, we were traveling from our vacation spot in South Carolina, back to our home in Tennessee, and we stopped at a Dairy Queen.  Inside, the restaurant, Christian music was playing over the loud speaker, and they had a statue of Jesus on the counter.  I was thinking, only in the South is a national chain also affiliated with Jesus Christ! Weird, right?!  What struck me was my three-year-old daughter's reaction to the statue. Her eyes lit up, and she turned to her Daddy and said, "Look! JESUS!!!"  This instance happened, coincidentally the day after the shootings in Charleston, South Carolina. This jives with all that I've been thinking about lately. Having my priorities in the right place, doing this parenting thing in love. Because if we're awesome parents, but we are not teaching them about Jesus, and holiness and most of all love, we are  nothing .  If we aren't teaching them the fear of the Lord and obedience to His Word, the Ho

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I've run into — and experienced — many flavors of angst over the decades. Back in my 'good old days,' some folks feared the communist menace, others the population bomb and imminent death of all the ocean's fish. And there's that perennial favorite — the End Times Bible Prophecy. ( June 9, 2012 ; October 3, 2009 ) I take the last things — death, judgment, Heaven and Hell — quite seriously. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1021 - 1022 , 1023 - 1029 , 1033 - 1037 , 1681 - 1683 ) But recognizing that there's a really big closing ceremony for Creation 1.0 coming up — the Last Judgment — doesn't mean I think someone knows more than God the Father. ( Mark 13:32 - 37 ; 1038 - 1041 ) More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

This week, as my friends and colleagues can attest, I have been battling a rather persistent cold which has chosen to seize my vocal cords and keep me up at night. Lack of a solid night’s sleep and my stubborn refusal to call it a day or throw in the towel has not been helpful either. Yet, in waking this morning I had to smile. For in my stubborn courage, or selfless foolishness as some might see it, I realized that I had become the epitome of my own mother.   My mom, I know, had to have been sick at times, but as the sole provider I cannot ever really remember her taking off work. As a farm girl, she was conditioned to rise before dawn and work until sunset, giving her all to each and every day. Though later an adult, her modis operendi had not changed and if I slept past six, I could look forward to a discussion of  how I had chosen to sleep the better part of the day away. There was, in her mind, much to do, to be done, and discover in the day that could not be done whilst lyin

Keiko Shemura, First Communion Day, Dec. 1971, she  died April 1972, aged 14 Gospel   Mark 6:1-6  ( New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition ) Jesus left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.   On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands!   Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary   and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense   at him.   Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.”   And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.   And he was amazed at their unbelief. Cherry blossoms [ Wikipedia ] Both the New American Bible and the

Public domain photo St. Francis before the crucifix “Always preach the gospel. If necessary, use words.” St. Francis of Assisi Together, St. Francis and his friars would travel through towns and the countryside, preaching the gospel. A stigmatist, a healer, a man who preached to the birds who listened to him, a miracle worker, and he lived in peace. He resisted many changs to his order. When they were approved, he became very sad and depressed. His peace left him. According to tradition, Francis had a dream in which the Lord said to him, “Poor little man, why are you so sad? Is not your order, My order? Is it not I who am its chief shepherd?  Cease to be afflicted, then, and take care rather of your own salvation.” Read more at: Prayerfully Yours

Golda Meir, 1 Henry Kissinger, 2 or someone else, said "even a paranoid can have enemies." I do not think humanity is doomed to extinction, or that life on Earth will end because we built factories. I do, however, think we need to use our brains: and take care of the planet we live on.... ...I also think remembering who we are — and what we've been learning about Earth — is important.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

When I was seven, I was snooping through my mother’s stuff, when something caught my eye. The book was titled  The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow   by Constance Cumbey. To my innocent mind, rainbows were a wonder to behold, and I could not fathom anything dangerous about those glorious bursts of colors in the sky. The book’s cover, however, begged no alternative. A circle of red, yellow, green, orange, and blue sat front-and-center, while various symbols decorated the circumference… Symbols of the occult, I would later learn.

Laudato Si' has caused a media sensation, both positive and negative.  Pope Francis' exhortation of the environment is consistent with his honoring of St Francis of Assisi who sung God's praises through the beauty of Creation.  However, I must admit, when I first heard the topic of the newest pontifical encyclical, I was very disappointed and dismayed.  The environment-- when there are thousands being persecuted, rises in violence, assaults on children both born and unborn, human trafficking, neglect, anger, abuse, darkness--so much going on in our fallen world! Shouldn't the Catholic Church take a stand on some of the grave issues facing humanity and our Church? Now, I must clarify here, I am not anti-environmental protection.  I reduce, reuse, recycle, compost and upcycle as much as possible and then some.  My family uses cloth napkins, diapers, feminine hygiene products, and cleaning cloths.  I make my own non-toxic, all natural, cleaning solutions and soaps. 

On June 10th, the Pope’s Wednesday general audience continued his catecheses on the family, focusing on the theme of sickness and suffering. Man experiences his own fragility primarily in the family, first as a child and, then, as an elderly person. While family sickness presents obvious challenges, it can also be a source of quiet strength and deepening of faith. Pope Francis stresses that we must “educate children as little ones to solidarity in the time of sickness”: Contrary to contemporary society which tends to recoil from sickness, the pope understands the “weakness and suffering of loved ones can be, for our children and our grandchildren, a school of life.” An “education that lacks sensitivity for human sickness hardens the heart.”  Obviously, Catholics must learn not to shelter our children from suffering because it is an integral part of our faith. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi shed light on the pope’s teaching when he said there is “an unavoidable spiritual dimension

HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO DEFEND YOUR FAITH? ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO PRAYING TO SAINTS HOW SHOULD CATHOLICS RESPOND TO ACCUSATIONS OF IDOLATRY? READ THIS.

Many Catholics are writing about " Why I Remain Catholic ." Besides the good answers given elsewhere, here is one reason of mine: for the funerals. I came into the Church in the Easter Vigil of 2012. A year or so ago I attended a funeral for a man in the parish whom I did not know, but whose wife I knew. I had never seen a Catholic funeral and did not know what to expect. So what follows are my impressions of what I saw, being a Catholic but still a very new one and one who did not grow up in an environment with any Catholicism near it. This was a funeral Mass, not a Requiem Mass. The casket was brought to the front of the church, to rest at the base of the lit Baptismal/Paschal candle. What a symbol, to remind us of the man's baptism and ours, and of the Resurrection. The vestments in this case were white, also a reminder of the Resurrection, and instead of a big spray of flowers made by a florist, the casket had a pall, a drape of the same material as the priest's

Years ago when I was in Vancouver, my companion and I went up a snow-covered mountain to a ski lodge. From that height, the view was  spectacular: a vision of pale blue water and islands wrapped in lavender mist. Not having a camera, I tried to imprint the scene on my mind for future reference. Such revelations of the world’s beauty touch the heart and can move us to tears. We see awesome sights not only in person, but in the National Geographic and posted on the Internet. Our earth, a blue and green gem floating in black space, was entrusted to us by God, its creator. We have dominion over it and all the plants and animals in it. Apparently we are failing in our responsibility—so much so that Pope Francis has written a letter to the world in which he doesn’t mince words. He states, “The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.” Click to continue

Prayer is essential. How many times have you heard that, but wondered just how essential is it really? Or, what’s in it for me to pray? How many times have you prayed and heard silence? How many times have you given up on prayer, because your prayers weren’t answered the way you wanted? In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we look to quotations from Saint John Damascene and Psalm 130:1 to define prayer: Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God. But when we pray, do we speak… Read more...

Like many others out there in the Catholic blogosphere, I have been rocked by the Supreme Court decision last Friday.  I really never realized before how much it would rattle me.  The victory call of "Love has won!" aggravated me.  What did love have to do with it, really?  The decision was not one of love, true love did not ever enter the equation.  We have lost our sense of love.  We confuse attraction for love, excitement for compatibility, and sexual pleasure for commitment.  However, when we got down to the nitty gritty of the law, we realize that our society has forgotten love and what true, unending, unfailing, sacrificial love is. Are there same-sex couples who are loving and devoted to each other?  Surely there are.  Just as a deep friendship is a love that two share.  The truest definition of love is God.  He loves not only be complete surrender of Himself for good, but also by Creation.  God loves all people, He rejoices in the creation of each new

By Booyabazooka (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Feeling blue? I've been feeling sad lately, and maybe I'm not the only one. Despite the magnificent warm weather and glorious summer vacation, life just seems more difficult than usual--like walking through Jell-o. Often, during times like these, I try to count my blessings. But then again, when I remember the millions of things for which I should be thankful, I grow angry with myself for feeling useless and oppressed. So then I'm sad  and  frustrated. How do  you  shake the blues? Join in the conversation about the Works of Mercy at Praying with Grace .

People are writing with fear and panic underlying their comments and articles in the face of the States sanctioning same-sex marriages. Why?  We are people of hope, not doomsayers or fearmongers. Christ has already triumphed over sin and death. We are  not called to focus on disaster, on evil, on sin. Christ commanded us to refrain from condemnation and judgment so  we will not be judged and condemned by our Master.  Our mandate is simple; allow the Light of Christ to grow ever more brightly within us, especially as the darkness deepens. Then we will be a light unto the world. He will conquer darkness through us. We are simply channels of truth, light and mercy.  This is the central message of the New Testament. continue 

My Top 8 Reactions to the Supreme Court Gay-Marriage Ruling. After Friday's Supreme Court Ruling I got a number of Facebook messages and e-mails asking for my opinion or asking me to explain my opinion. 1. The hashtag #lovewins, was all over social media.  Did that mean that #hatelost?  Of course not.  This wasn't a love vs. hate conflict.   To frame it that way is really the  logical fallacy  of f alse dilemma. I have known many wonderful gay and lesbian people in my life time. All of them have been gifted, talented, funny and really enjoyable folks to be around. I fully believe what the  Catechism of the Catholic Church  teaches, that these people must be:   accepted  with  respect ,  compassion , and  sensitivity . I believe that we are called to do all of those things for all of God's people, and that one can do that and still oppose so-called same sex marriage. In fact, to really love our fellow human beings, one MUST oppose SSM. Read More Here.

By the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Department of Justice, Peace and Development In Partnership with Loyola Press In this beautifully illustrated book, we follow a young girl named Sylvie from the small country of Burkina Faso in Western Africa and the experience of Mike, a Catholic Relief Services worker working in the region.  Having been invited to speak to the classroom of Sr. Mary Jerome, Mike shares with the students the day-to-day challenges of living in an area of immense poverty.  Read More..

Persevere in Faith To persevere in Faith, “we must nourish it with the Word of God.” 1 That means that we need to read Scripture. The more we become acquainted with the Word of God, the more we come to know God, trust God and love God. Through the nourishment of the Word, we are able to believe in Him and all that He promises. This helps us to grow in trusting the Lord. Yet there are times when He is silent, and during these times we quickly feel abandoned. It is at these times that we must persevere in Faith. We must trust in God’s timing, and never give up. Read more...