Life

The Value of Life is Found in the Cross of Christ

[ 1 ] May 22, 2013 AD |
The Value of Life is Found in the Cross of Christ

In the struggle for life, talking about God is indispensable. Only in this way does the value of the weak, the disabled, the nonproductive, the incurably ill become apparent; only in this way can we relearn and rediscover, too, the value of suffering: the greatest lesson on human dignity always remains the cross of Christ, [...]

The Devil Is in Comparison

[ 3 ] May 20, 2013 AD |
The Devil Is in Comparison

I can hardly tell you how often I’ve had the following thoughts lately: “She’s married with three kids and she is only a year older than I am, what am I doing with my life?“ “She’s traveled to six different countries in the last three years, what on Earth have I been doing?“ “He’s got a great [...]

We’re All God’s Children

[ 2 ] May 20, 2013 AD |
We’re All God’s Children

On April 15, two bombs went off at the Boston Marathon killing three people and injuring 264. This latest in terrorist attacks struck fear into the entire nation, especially the Boston area, for four days until one of the suspected bombers was killed in a shoot-out and the other was arrested. The arrested suspect, Dzokhar [...]

Religion

The Value of Life is Found in the Cross of Christ

[ 1 ] May 22, 2013 AD |
The Value of Life is Found in the Cross of Christ

In the struggle for life, talking about God is indispensable. Only in this way does the value of the weak, the disabled, the nonproductive, the incurably ill become apparent; only in this way can we relearn and rediscover, too, the value of suffering: the greatest lesson on human dignity always remains the cross of Christ, [...]

The Gift of My Patron Saint

[ 7 ] May 21, 2013 AD |
The Gift of My Patron Saint

I didn’t choose my patron saint, she choose me. It was a breezy spring afternoon at wrap up week for National Evangelization Teams (NET) Ministries. Hanging out in Amery, WI at Camp Wapo was a chance to connect with friends and prepare ourselves to ‘face the real world’. As the crowd was gathering in the [...]

The Devil Is in Comparison

[ 3 ] May 20, 2013 AD |
The Devil Is in Comparison

I can hardly tell you how often I’ve had the following thoughts lately: “She’s married with three kids and she is only a year older than I am, what am I doing with my life?“ “She’s traveled to six different countries in the last three years, what on Earth have I been doing?“ “He’s got a great [...]

Relationships

The Value of Life is Found in the Cross of Christ

[ 1 ] May 22, 2013 AD |
The Value of Life is Found in the Cross of Christ

In the struggle for life, talking about God is indispensable. Only in this way does the value of the weak, the disabled, the nonproductive, the incurably ill become apparent; only in this way can we relearn and rediscover, too, the value of suffering: the greatest lesson on human dignity always remains the cross of Christ, [...]

The Ethics of Your Wedding Dress

[ 8 ] May 19, 2013 AD |
The Ethics of Your Wedding Dress

You’re probably expecting me to say something about strapless dresses and not showing too much skin, but I’m not. Okay, I can’t resist so here’s my opinion on the subject: Don’t be trashy, The Dress is about your wedding day, not your wedding night. With wedding season upon us, what I really want to talk [...]

I Know It’s Difficult, I Live It Myself

[ 14 ] May 16, 2013 AD |
I Know It’s Difficult, I Live It Myself

From a talk with my eldest. With her permission. Because teenagers need to know that they’re not alone.  Another bonus of NFP…it makes it easier to promote chastity and abstinence to your children. I noticed the other day that you were listening with rapt attention to the girls at the pool as they talked about [...]

Entertainment

The Religious Art of Daniel Mitsui

[ 1 ] May 22, 2013 AD |
The Religious Art of Daniel Mitsui

Intricate details and deep meaning characterize Daniel Mitsui’s religious art, which he renders by hand using ink on paper or vellum. Mitsui draws biblical subjects and saints according to the conventions of traditional iconography. More than being just representations of scenes and persons, Mitsui’s works are visual theological treatises. For example, his Pentecost shows not [...]

Adventures

[ 3 ] May 21, 2013 AD |
Adventures

“I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it is very difficult to find anyone.” —J. R. R. Tolkien People are scared of having adventures. This is true, even for the people whose hearts want to explore. Something’s holding them back–the what if? questions, fear that we will return [...]

Why I Love M*A*S*H

[ 2 ] May 18, 2013 AD |
Why I Love M*A*S*H

The other evening an episode of M*A*S*H came on. Now that’s a great show. Here’s why I like it.

Other Recent Articles

There I Am Home

There I Am Home

[ 1 ] May 13, 2013 AD |

Home has never been a place for me. I have been so many places in my life. I have a special nostalgia for the farming country of Upstate NY, especially in the Summer, and the Fall. And the Spring. And the Winter. That’s because I grew up there, and I guess in a certain sense [...]

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Introducing StrangeNotions.com – Reason, Faith, and Dialogue

Introducing StrangeNotions.com – Reason, Faith, and Dialogue

[ 1 ] May 13, 2013 AD |

For the last couple years I’ve been working behind-the-scenes on a huge new project, and last Monday it finally went live. The project is called Strange Notions, and it’s designed to be the central place of dialogue between Catholics and atheists. As a ‘digital Areopagus’, it features intelligent articles, compelling video, and rich discussion throughout [...]

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Our Lady’s Three Rosaries

Our Lady’s Three Rosaries

[ 4 ] May 13, 2013 AD |

Today the Church commemorates the beginning of Our Lady’s apparitions in Fatima, Portugal on May 13, 1917. In her apparitions to the shepherd children, Mary revealed herself as the Queen of the Holy Rosary and encouraged the daily recitation of the rosary. This devotion to the Mother of God has been recommended to the faithful [...]

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Reasons to be Open to Motherhood

Reasons to be Open to Motherhood

[ 2 ] May 12, 2013 AD |

In honour of Mother’s Day… A fellow writer recently asked somebody to write something positive about motherhood. She said “Some of us not-yet-moms are scared of motherhood because all we hear is that you’re miserable and debilitated for nine months, then have a day of the most excruciating pain ever, then you don’t sleep for [...]

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The Self-Sacrifice of Mary

The Self-Sacrifice of Mary

[ 1 ] May 12, 2013 AD |

Imagine for yourself: A 13-year-old middle-eastern girl sitting at home, minding her own business. Maybe she’s doing chores. Maybe she’s studying. It won’t matter in a few moments what she is doing, because her life is about to change forever. An angel comes to her. Now, she’s heard about angels from her parents and from [...]

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W.W.M.D?

W.W.M.D?

[ 0 ] May 12, 2013 AD |

Have you ever seen the letters “WWJD?” The phrase “What Would Jesus Do” appears on bumper stickers, wristbands, coffee mugs and various other tchotchkes from time to time. As a young mother, however, I often find myself asking, “What Would Mary Do?” To me, Mary, the Mother of God, is an amazing model of perfect motherhood. She was [...]

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Ascension Thursday or Sunday?

Ascension Thursday or Sunday?

[ 1 ] May 12, 2013 AD |

The celebration of the feast of the Ascension of Our Lord has been transferred to the following Sunday in many dioceses, but the 40th day after the resurrection remains a Holy Day of Obligation. This allowance to transfer the celebration has confused many Catholics, and so it seems worthwhile to examine this phenomenon. On Facebook [...]

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Kids These Days- Introducing YOUCATholic.com

Kids These Days- Introducing YOUCATholic.com

[ 7 ] May 11, 2013 AD |

“Think about what would happen if New Advent, Catholic Answers, Busted Halo, and Ignitum Today all fused together into one website for youth…” I teach 7th grade. Don’t worry, I’m completely sane, even at the end of the school year when my students’ hormones are raging and the scent of summer fills their nostrils. Granted, [...]

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Pentecost: Nine Days and Counting!

Pentecost: Nine Days and Counting!

[ 1 ] May 10, 2013 AD |

Pentecost is nine days away, which in ‘Catholic-ease’, means novena! There are several different novenas floating around online from which to choose, like EWTN’s Novena to the Holy Spirit for the 7 Gifts, or the Novena by Presentation Ministries, or novenas by parishes like Christ the King in Ann Arbor, Michigan. One of the most difficult [...]

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The New Evangelization: One Small Step

The New Evangelization: One Small Step

[ 4 ] May 10, 2013 AD |

How do you measure greatness? We all want it. We all have a certain desire within us to do something different. We do not want to just fall into the routine of life with a mediocre job and settle for less than we are capable of. Just because we all have this desire doesn’t necessarily [...]

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