This topic is one that has been the subject of much reflection for me over the past several months after having read Chiara Lubich’s “Mary, the Transparency of God.” Unfortunately I do not have her text in front of me as I write this reflection because at present I am in the midst of a […]
Stars are significant in the Christian tradition. For example, God promised Abraham descendants more numerous than the stars of the sky (Genesis 22:17). And today a star plays a prominent role in our celebration of the Epiphany when a star guided the Magi to the stable (Matthew 2:9-11). Additionally, the Church has had a longstanding […]
Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. These lines always seemed particularly beautiful to me, even as a child. They are so intimate, so feminine. When I became a mother myself they became even more powerful because they reveal the heart of a mother, pondering the mystery of her child, her heart […]
We must avoid the great temptation to see ourselves as Mary, present to the crucified Christ of aborted children. While “whatever you did to the least of these you did to me” is a main message of the pro-life movement, equating the killing of children with the persecution of Christ, pro-lifers must be careful not to see themselves solely as those who don’t “do [wrong] to the least of these.” We must learn to be Mary in the pro-life movement….
Today the Church celebrates the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a great appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Juan Diego, which forever changed the course of history in the Americas. Her appearance on Tepeyac Hill, Mexico in 1531 helped convert millions and millions of people in the New World — Native Americans, […]
Today, December 8th, the Church would observe the feast of the Immaculate Conception. This year the feast is transferred to Monday the 9th, giving precedence to the Second Sunday of Advent. In my experience, the Immaculate Conception is one of the most misunderstood teachings of the Church. Today, I’d like to address three common misconceptions […]
It was a Friday evening as I sat in line for confession. I thought to myself, “This certainly isn’t how the average twenty-something gal spends a Friday night.” I sat in a quiet church with the Blessed Sacrament exposed, waiting for my turn to get my soul scrubbed clean. As I waited, I pulled out my rosary […]
Farmers pause in their fields at midday and bow their heads in prayer. Businessmen and women overhear the ringing bells of nearby churches during their lunch break in the downtown business district. Neighbors to Catholic Churches hear the church bells toll thrice daily at six, noon, and six, as an invitation to pray the traditional […]
Disclaimer: This article is going to sound cynical. It might even sound anti-Christian. Please stick with it. There is a point. I am sarcastic and sometimes offensive. Again, there is an overall point. This New Evangelization thing in the Church is pretty cool, you gotta admit. I mean, JPII said it’s time for the Church […]
In my youth, I prayed the rosary with my grandmother or other ladies from the parish after daily Mass. Before the first three Hail Marys, the leader always announced a special intention: “We pray for an increase in the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity.” As one could imagine, this piqued the curiosity of […]
It’s fascinating to see throughout history, the influence of the serpent in both culture and religion. How many prominent civilizations, some devilishly dominant and so technologically advanced for their times, held the worship of this so called “god.” We probably tend to ask ourselves, “Why would a loving God leave these children of his in error, basking in […]
Well, Hail Mary is a historical and biblical phrase used by an angel of God to a virgin called Mary. This historic event is so important that the most ancient Christian Church has made it into a prayer to remind her members who are the Body of Christ about what the Yes of a Virgin […]
With all the post-interview spotlight beaming/glaring on Pope Francis, I hope all Catholics and secular media alike pay careful attention to what did on October 13th, 2013: consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Specifically, I wish he makes everyone wonder: what this consecration means to me on a personal level, why is […]
October 9th came and went. An important anniversary for the Church in the United States passed and very few people realized the significance of the date. My own life was consumed with the busyness that surrounded me, leaving me unable to write for the momentous anniversary. 154 years ago in Northeastern Wisconsin on October 9, […]
Special thanks to my sister-in-Christ, Liesl Grace Dowd, for helping me with this reflection! Her words are towards the end. Our Lady has many titles, of which only some are official. That doesn’t mean the unofficial titles are invalid—and I found this particular title brought warmth to my heart. It’s so unknown that the first […]
I’ve had an off and on again relationship to Our Mother for as long as I’ve been Catholic. She was very instrumental in my conversion in 2004. I had a substantial devotion to her. I had been a “Goddess’ girl” as a Wiccan, so I guess on some level I kind of traded one goddess […]
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