Child Euthanasia and the Creative Character of Suffering
Last month the Belgian Parliament passed a bill authorizing “voluntary” euthanasia for terminally ill children. Despite pressure from thousands of signatories to a petition requesting that he do otherwise and protests in the country against the bill, King Philippe signed the measure into law last week on March 4th. Belgium initially legalized euthanasia for adults […]
Made You Look
I recently had the opportunity to take my one and a half year old son out for the day. On a rainy, cold afternoon, the mall was my best bet. He had a field day strutting about the stores, and especially loved the life-sized, pink polka-dotted dog at a particular women’s lingerie store. While he […]
What is the Point of Suffering?
Anyone out there have any sufferings cross their path lately? Perhaps it’s something transitory like recently losing a job. Perhaps it’s something long term like caring for someone with a disability. Maybe it’s the anxious wait to meet the right person or the heartache of dealing with marriage problems. Then of course there are the […]
Growing In Love
It happens- opposites do attract. My husband and I knew that as soon as we started dating. He is a deep thinker – thoughtful, artistic, incredibly hard working – everything I am not. It was those differences that drew us together in the first place. A friend once told me not to worry about whether someone was my same temperament, […]
When Dating Is Hard
First, there is the question of meeting someone. And if you meet a person you like so much, and maybe they like you too, the bigger questions start to emerge. Our short-term selves may want to be in a relationship, but our long-term selves need to consider the investment dating requires of each of us. […]
Fulton Sheen, My Son, an Alleged Miracle, and SUPER Exciting News from Rome
Early this morning I got a secret email, and I did a happy dance. While I was shopping at Wal-Mart I got a phone call, and I did a fist pump. You probably know already but the seven-member board of medical experts who advise the Congregation of the Causes of Saints at the Vatican unanimously […]
The Vegetarian and Vegan Guide to Fasting and Abstinence During Lent
I spent most of my young adulthood as a vegetarian (a life-stage which ended after marriage to a carnivore; you just cannot force that kind of gastronomic commitment onto someone else). As a vegetarian, something always troubled me when Lent came around and my friends and family members were “suffering” on Fridays, sullenly picking at […]
Five Ideas for Lent
In case you are still needing some inspiration for Lent, here are some ideas you could find interesting. Lent isn’t only (or even mainly) about “doing things”, but I do think it’s good to plan and prepare such an important season. 1. Crown of thorns I found the idea of a homemade crown of thorns […]
Three Ways to Be Catholic at the Cubicle
A few weeks ago, I was reading an excerpt about how a man chose to serve as a missionary on a college campus following graduation. He said that he decided to become a missionary because he wanted to something meaningful with his life and not just push papers in an office. As an office worker […]
Hell in the Scheme of Things
Some years ago, I joined a group of friends in their college dorm lounge to enjoy a movie. While we watched the movie, I overheard a conversation between two students in the lounge’s loft area (it was an elaborate lounge). The topic of the conversation was Hell. The first student, a woman, stated not a disbelief […]
Blessed are They Who Mourn
I feel truly blessed by God to be on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land that spans nearly ten weeks. The pilgrimage has afforded me the opportunity to pray at and visit many holy sites throughout this land where Jesus walked in addition to the study of Sacred Scripture and Ecumenism. Recently our group visited […]
Ten Things You Need to Be Reminded Of
We live in a modern world. We are often blinded by distractions and every now and then we need to be reminded of things that the modern world doesn’t tell us. As a woman I think that is especially true. As a disclaimer, I’ve aimed this at women, since being one that works for me, but […]
Catholic Youth, Unite!
Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis has engaged the youth and young adults of the Church, speaking directly to them numerous times, and encouraging them to become significantly more active in their spiritual lives. As a 24-year-old millennial myself, I feel blessed to be among the vast audience of Catholic young people that the Pope is […]
The Real Charismatics
The article is a response to another column on Ignitum Today, “Charismatics in Context,” originally published on January 30th by Matthew Olson. I have to admit, before writing this article I had to take a few deep breaths and step back a little bit. While the writer clearly had a good intention in wanting to […]
Five FREE Activities for Lent 2014
Need something to do for lent? How about these FREE activities. Some are from the best Catholic Universities and Colleges, others are for you and your family. Enjoy 1. Lenten Journey with Jesus: A Virtual Tour of the Geography of Jesus (March 5 – April 17, 2014) Absolutely free course offered by Holy Apostles College […]
When Attending Mass is Tedious
Even the most devout Catholics have to drag themselves to mass on some days. What should we do when attending mass seems more like a chore than the spiritual delight it should be? The short answer: go anyway. The supernatural graces we receive from the mass have nothing to do with the euphoria (or lack […]
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