The White Rosary
Your appearance disturbs me, you should not be, (fourteen years old and 5 foot 2) so light; barely into triple digit weight. You should not be here sitting across from me with downcast eyes, hidden behind your hair, brown/black brindled hair and pale, pale face, too white. Or if here, you should not be speaking […]
Know Mary, Know Jesus. No Mary, No Jesus.
During my days as a Southern Baptist, my opinion of Mary, the Blessed Virgin, was the same as every other Protestant. I saw her as just another character in the Bible, one who was given a particular task, and when God was finished with her, she faded into the background with the rest of the […]
Ask and it will be Given to you: Vocations in the Entitlement Society
Vocations in the Entitlement Society In the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to you.” That works wonderfully as a tweet or Facebook status, it is short and sounds nice. Yet, the problem with only looking at one part of the chapter leads the reader to take […]
On Thomas, Doubt, and Being an Outsider
Have you ever felt like an outsider amongst a group of people who all shared a similar experience? Sat awkwardly in the background as they joyfully reminisced? The fact that you missed out on whatever it is that the rest of your acquaintances lived through can possibly leave you feeling isolated and uncomfortable. I imagine […]
On Church Closings and The Loss of Beauty
At a friend’s recent wedding, I sat in the pews of an old Gothic Church marveling that the art in every corner of the building so singularly brought the soul to contemplate the beauty of heaven. The rich harmonies of choir and organ, the solemn splendor of the Mass, and the inherent wonder of the […]
America: Individually Set Apart for Holiness
Rather than view the American emphasis on individuals as a prideful perspective that promotes hubris, I believe the American emphasis on the individual is not only compatible with our faith, but is incredibly Catholic….Why? Because, when we stop and look at it, we must agree that God is all about the individual.
The Little Ones, the Hidden Ones, the Saints
Somber. Quiet. Reflective. These are some of the feelings that marked last weekend’s centennial commemoration of the start of World War I. Although the historical causes are complex, this much is true: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist, Gavrilo Princip, one hundred years ago on June 28th, 1914. From this […]
Choosing Peace
In the midst of all of this we are called to something greater. We read in Philippians 4: 6-7, “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Peace? What is that? We say. It feels like a meaningless word, and not something we can actually apply to our lives.
On Polished Wedding Rings
I always thought that wedding rings should be simple, like tiny little handcuffs that you would use to happily shackle yourself to another person for the rest of your lives. And so, choosing a wedding band was easy when my husband and I married nearly five years ago. It was a simple, white gold band […]
Religion is Meant to be Used
Many years ago I was active in the Legion of Mary, the largest apostolic organisation of lay people in the Catholic Church, with over 3 million members in almost every country of the world. One of the tasks our praesidium (local group) undertook was weekly home visitations assigned by the parish priest. We visited many […]
Why Chaste People Should Get Uncomfortable
Ten years ago, I crossed a modest stage in a well-lit gymnatorium at a private, Protestant school. I was one of 14 high school seniors who wore royal blue caps and gowns and breathed happy sighs of relief upon being given what meant more to us than diplomas: Freedom. For me, freedom meant transition. It […]
Sacred Heart, Change My Heart
Today is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The feast was requested in reparation for the ingratitude for the sacrifice that Christ made for us. This feast day also means we can eat meat today (Canon 1251), which is another reason to rejoice. I have a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of […]
Do You Know Your Shepherd?
Devout Catholics seek to learn more about God through various avenues, such as prayers, songs, spiritual reading, discussions, talks etc. Yet sometimes we forget that the study of our faith should lead us to an encounter with Christ. Last week my friend and I were reminded of this when we opened our hearts to God […]
Look Really Cute and Eat All You Want
Here are some of my tips for eating as much as you want and never worrying about weight… it’s all just added cuteness. Make sure your ingredients are all natural. I make sure mine are not processed, not artificial, straight from the source and unaltered. Nature knows best I say. Have food and drink always […]
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