Association Of Catholic Bloggers

        I was listening to a podcast and this paragraph from the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" came up: " Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ." ( CCC 1021 ) Now before you roll your eyes, hear me out . . . However we are living our lives, right now, makes a difference when we die.  The good news is that through Jesus we are receiving divine grace, and if we are open to it and living in it, we will get some good news upon our death. But, the bad news is that when our human life ends (which could be today, who knows?), so will the time for us to accept his grace. I don't bring up this topic to scare you, but just to be sure you are intentional about the choices you are making from this day forward.  Our merciful God will love you through your past sins, but realize, today, you have the opportunity to "accept or reject the divine grace" being offered to you

    I am absolutely confident that you need to watch this 30 minute VIDEO by Dr. Edward Sri, a Catholic theologian. He gives this short presentation in the midst of a retreat on the Eucharist, and his engaging, encouraging approach will leave you inspired in your prayer life. Through experience, Dr. Sri knows the struggles that we often have in prayer and he offers down-to-earth examples to help us cut right through all of our discouragements. Please, take the time to watch this. You won't regret it. I promise. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com Follow my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/ Check out my YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy

    Living the Word ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8324642266 “Living the Word” means being Jesus Christ to someone every day. To pray that God may send us someone who needs our help. Whether it is someone in great hardship, illness or difficulties, someone in despair and hopelessness, someone grieving or all alone; our responsibility in Christ is to be there for them. To help, to advise, or just to be a shoulder to cry on and a listening heart sharing in their hour of need. This book follows in the footsteps of Father Ignatius and is the seventh stand-alone novel in the series, as well as an addition to the other Father Ignatius short stories selections. “Living the Word” sees Father Ignatius as teacher, advisor, counsellor, as well as victim of circumstances and the subject of gossip from the public and within his own congregation. Yet despite a

    What is your purpose in life? Why did God create you? Today's gospel from John (Chapter 15) gives us the answer: "I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain."  This whole section of Chapter 15 stresses that God chose us first, that he loves us, that we need to remain in him and love others.  It's a pretty powerful passage to spend some time with. Step out of the very physical world we live in, and look at things from a spiritual, supernatural perspective.  Most of us live what you might call "little" lives.  We're not famous by worldly standards; we don't move mountains by our words or actions. So then, why did God choose us? Remember the Parable of the Lost Sheep? "What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?" ( Luke 15:4 ) I would expect that even in the ordinary, little lives we lead, we ha

    We were watching a show called "Lawmen: Bass Reeves ." Reeves was a lawman of the West.  As he was burying a guy killed in an ambush, his character offered this short, spontaneous prayer that caught my attention: "Heavenly Father, I pray You meet his soul with Your abundance of love, as he enters Your Heavenly Kingdom. Amen." Simple, right to the point, this little prayer speaks of one's belief about God (he has an abundance of love), and confidence in the existence of Heaven. It's a nice little intercessory prayer directed to our Father in Heaven.  Sometimes we are at a loss about what to pray when faced with the death of a loved one. I don't think God requires a lot of fancy words, but a heartfelt intercession such as this can speak volumes on behalf of the deceased. There are tons of prayers to choose from, many of them very good, but like I said, this one--from an unlikely source, a television show--caught my attention. Hopefully, y

For some reason, I expected Monday's Starliner launch to go ahead on schedule. It didn't, which is probably a good thing. But the delay, and staying up far later than I usually do, waiting for a news conference that I slept through anyway — The long and the short of it is that, instead of focusing on the Starliner spacecraft this week, I decided to start talking about Boeing's reputation, SpaceX, the shift to commercial space travel and exploration; and see where that led me. As usual, I've made a list of links to this week's headings: so feel free to skip ahead to whatever looks most interesting. Or go get a cup of coffee, take a walk, whatever. This post should still be around when you get back. SpaceX Dragon, Working Since 2010; Boeing Starliner, ... Third Starliner Orbital Test Flight, the First With Astronauts "Ad Astra Per Aspera": "To the Stars Through Difficulties" Lilienthal's Letter, a Lunar Plaque, and a Work in Progres

    I like to listen to an audio recording called Benedictus Moments , which is published by St. Luke productions, based on the writings of Pope Benedict XVI. A recent edition, called "Mary the Woman" got me to thinking. In talking about Mary, he said "she represents the creation which is called to respond to God and the freedom of the creature which does not lose its integrity in love but attains completion therein. Mary thus represents saved and liberated man . . . " I know, I know, you're probably thinking, WHAT? But think about it.  Mary (a human "creature") said yes when the angel Gabriel told her she would conceive and bear Jesus ( Luke 1:38 ).  In her response to God, we find the perfect model for us.   When we, like Mary, give every aspect of our being to God, by responding in love when he calls us, we are completed as humans.   We don't lose our freedom by saying yes to God, but realize true freedom in doing so.  There is a lot of fea

  Where is Jesus? Where did he go when he ascended into Heaven?  Is there a particular space he is taking up? And, did he leave us on our own when he "left"? I'd like to share a link with you to a wonderful podcast (you can just read the text as well) that gives a very interesting perspective on these questions.  I believe it will leave you thinking differently. The podcast is called "Reigning-Not Far Away (Episode 68)" by Fr. John Riccardo. You can read it or listen online HERE . It is very good. As we look forward to celebrating the Ascension, may your confidence in God's continued presence in your life, strengthen your faith and encourage you to live in great joy. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/ https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy  

The Venerable Edel Quinn 14 September 1907 - 12 May 1944 [ photo ] Solemnity of the Ascension The Ascension is celebrated on Ascension Thursday, 9 May, in England & Wales, Scotland. In the USA it is celebrated on Ascension Thursday in the Ecclesiastical Provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Omaha, Philadelphia. In all of these places Ascension Thursday is a Holyday of Obligation. The Ascension is observed on Sunday, 12 May, in Aotearoa-New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Ireland, Philippines, USA (apart from the jurisdictions mentioned above). Ascension, Year B   Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel    Mark 16:15-20     (English Standard Version, Anglicised) Jesus said to his disciples: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these si

    As we often do, m y husband and I were listening to Bishop Robert Barron's Sunday HOMILY for May 5, 2024.  We both found it quite thought-provoking, so when the video ended, we held a very natural discussion that led us to talking about what we were taught growing up in the Catholic Church and how we can properly discern what is a sin, and what isn't. My point in mentioning this is that it is important, as Christians, for us to have conversations with each other to help us sort out and, hopefully deepen, our understanding of what the Church teaches, and how it applies to our life. Another word I would use to describe these conversations, is edifying. Such conversations should be edifying in that they help us to grow spiritually, while bringing us closer together as we share our deepest thoughts. There is a particular challenge, though, for Christians who are married to non-Christian spouses, or to one who has no faith, or no interest in it.  How do you have

      I came across this quote by the poet Robert Browning, which I had to stop and think about: "Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" I've never been much for reading poetry, I guess it is too far above me, but when I read the first part of this quote, I thought it was interesting. Reaching beyond our grasp.  If I am going to reach beyond what I am already holding onto, I have to let go of what I'm clasping. You could apply this in a lot of ways, I suppose, but, being religiously-minded, here's what I thought . . . Instead of your hand, let's say you are grasping onto a thought.  You don't believe in God, or you are against organized religion, or whatever.  What if you were to work on releasing this thought and entertain the possibility that there is something beyond what you are clinging to, that maybe, just maybe, there is a truth that you missed?  Check out this website for a list of " Seven Myths

The Coronation of the Virgin Blessed Fra Angelico,  Musée du Louvre, Paris  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Compline, the official Night Prayer of the Church ends with an anthem  of antiphon to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In monasteries this is sung. In the traditional liturgical calendar there are four of these, all in Latin. Alma Redemptoris Mater  is sung from Saturday before the 1st Sunday of Advent through February 1. The anthem from 2 February, the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, through Wednesday of Holy Week is  Ave, Regina caelorum . Regina caeli  is the Easter anthem, sung from Easter Sunday through Friday within the Octave of Pentecost. The best known anthem, sung on many occasions apart from Compline, is  Salve, Regina . It is the anthem for Compline from Saturday after the Octave of Pentecost through Friday before the 1st Sunday of Advent. Regina Caeli Sung by Schola Gregoriana Medioalanensis, under Giovanni Vianini Continue at Bangor to Bobbio .

Folks have a great many ways of dealing with grief and loss. For example, folks at the hospital took a photo of our youngest daughter. She died shortly before birth. That photo's on an 'in loving memory of' memorial card — I think that's what it's called — that's tucked into the corner of our wedding picture.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Mimicking dead people with an AI avatar / chatbot could help folks deal with grief and loss. My quick glance at this new wrinkle on old practices.)

                                                          Mom and me                                   I've watched a number of people age.  I've watched as they've had to accept that they can no longer do things they used to do. The thing is, nobody talks about grieving the loss of your younger self, but it can really be a big deal. Whether one grieves the loss of steady hands, or knees that are uncooperative, it becomes a dance between finding treatment and acceptance. The added challenge is when your brain tricks you into thinking you are younger than your chronological age, but your body allows no such illusion. God bless her, I remember my husband's grandma jumping rope in our kitchen many years ago.  She must have been 90+ at the time. Seeing our young daughter with her rope, she recalled her own days of jumping rope and gave it a try. To this day, I have no idea how she pulled it off, but she did.  Mind over matter, I guess. A long time ago, as a 30 ye

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Pope Francis visited the Vatican's exhibits at an international art show last Sunday. So this week I'll talk about the Venice Biennale, why "With My Eyes" doesn't horrify me, share a couple quotes, and show pictures from "Con i miei occhi". Venice Biennale Arte 2024: Propriety, Changes, and Context Plentiful Protest Possibilities That's Odd: Labels, People, and Art Groucho Marx, Samuel Clemens, and "The Whole Law and the Prophets" "Strangers" and "Foreigners", an Etymological Aside Pop Art, Patriotism, and Perceptions Loving America Anyway Living in Isaiah's World A Glimpse Behind Cattelan's Feet at the Venice Art Biennale "Con i miei occhi" / "With my Eyes" "A City of Refuge", "The World Needs Artists", and Pope Francis Moses, George Washington, and Me Personal Perspective, Catholic Concerns More at A Catholic Citizen in America (Pope Francis

    I suppose many of you are too young to remember Peter Jennings, who was an anchorman for ABC.  Heck, I wonder how many of you even know what an anchorman is! Anyway, I'm reading a book about him (A Reporter's Life), which is a compilation of commentaries about him from people who knew him well. Jennings initially made a career out of being a foreign correspondent, and a fair one at that.  He was known for trying to seek the truth and give both sides of a story, having traveled to many war-torn countries. He paid a price for this because people accused him of being pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli.  He just wanted to make sure both sides were heard and reported. One of his associates told this story, that I thought I would share, just because . . . Jennings and another associate were in a hospital during the war in Syria.  They were following a story about an Israeli pilot who was being operated on. They asked the doctor who was operating on the pilot (who flew for

The Little Fruit Seller Murillo [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel    John 15:9-17     (English Standard Version, Anglicised) Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.   If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.   These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.   Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.   You are my friends if you do what I command you.   No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.   You