January 10, 2008
Brett Favre and the Catholic Faith
Brian is a huge Packer fan so I knew he'd enjoy reading this article.
Green Bay Packers Brett Favre and Wife Deanna Credit Catholic Faith
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January 17, 2007
The Neglected Heart
We get countless emails from people who are suffering from the ill effects of pre-marital sex (teens and older) so I thought this article was timely.
The Neglected Heart: The Emotional Dangers of Premature Sexual Involvement
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April 14, 2006
Divine Mercy Novena
We hope you are having a blessed Holy Week.
Just a reminder that today, Good Friday, is the first day of the Divine Mercy novena. If you don't have a copy of the prayer you can find it at at ewtn.com: The Divine Mercy Novena.
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December 31, 2005
2/7/05 - Vocation Stories
Thanks to Sr Imelda of the Poor Clares for sending us her vocation story for RoL. It is a great story - and rather humorous! Check it out.
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2/17/05 - Sr. Lucia on Consecrated Souls
There is an interesting article at Spirit Daily about Sister Lucia. Here is a snippet:
Lucia prophetically indicated that the intense part of the struggle would focus on consecrated souls. She made that prediction in 1957 -- as it turns out, the period during which the current sex-abuse crisis had its germination. Such was also forecast in a recent book the seer wrote.I think this underscores the great responsibility we have to pray for our bishops, priests and religious. It is so easy to complain about all their defects but it is much more edifying to get on our knees and pray for them!"The devil does everything to overcome souls consecrated to God because in this way, the devil will succeed in leaving the souls of the faithful abandoned by their leaders, thereby the more easily will he seize them," she said on December 26, 1957, with chilling prescience.
"That which afflicts the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Heart of Jesus is the fall of religious and priestly souls," she told Fuentes. "The devil wishes to take possession of consecrated souls. He tries to corrupt them in order to lull to sleep the souls of laypeople and thereby lead them to final impenitence."
Her main mission, Sister Lucia said, was to indicate to everyone not so much earthly chastisement as the danger of losing one's soul for eternity. The devil does his best, she warned, to distract people from prayer and take away the love for it. "We shall be saved together," she said, "or we shall be damned together."
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October 18, 2005
Modesty & Style
Next Wave Faithful.com has a great article by Stephanie Woods entitled Modesty & Style: an Oxymoron?.
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May 13, 2005
Letters from Rome
(Thanks to Tim Drake's Young & Catholic Blog for the heads up.)
From GODSPY:
Father Peter Mitchell—a young priest from Nebraska studying in Rome—found himself immersed in the events surrounding the death and burial of Pope John Paul II. In a series of intimate email letters he sent to friends and family, he gave testimony to the Pope’s influence on his life, and captured the details and emotions of that extraordinary week, when the world stopped to mourn the passing of a saint...
Read Lettes from Rome.
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May 11, 2005
Q&A - Unbaptized Children
Zenit has an updated Q&A section on the topic of Unbaptized Children and Blessing for Non-communicants. Answers provided by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical University.
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May 9, 2005
Christians & Porn
I may not agree with all their methods but I do believe porn use among Chrisitans/Catholics needs to be better addressed. Exposing Faith Through the XXX Church
CBN.com – HOLLYWOOD - Two young California pastors say the church isn't facing up to one of the nastiest temptations facing most believers these days, which is pornography. So these men have started up a controversial ministry to take on porn.Pornography's gone big time. Thirty million people are now logging on to some 300,000 porn Web sites daily.
Craig Gross of xxxchurch.com (Triple X Church) said, "We've talked to people who've lost jobs because they've been looking at it at work. We've talked to people who've gone bankrupt. We've talked to people whose marriages have been destroyed."
With pornography becoming more of a radical problem in society, at least a couple of southern California pastors have decided it needs to be dealt with...radically."
So Mike Foster and Gross started up a web ministry that calls itself "The number one Christian porn site." And they set up booths at America's biggest porn conventions. The purpose? To help people break free from porn...
Read whole article here.
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April 18, 2005
Our "Adopted" Cardinals
A group of Catholic families in CA started an "Adopt-A-Cardinal" project where a person or family spiritually adopts a cardinal(s) during the conclave, praying for them and asking the Holy Spirit to guide them. I thought that was an excellent idea so Brian and I both chose two cardinals to pray for. Brian has Cardinal Marian Jaworski of the Ukraine and Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estévez of Chile. I have Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán of Mexico and Cardinal Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino of Cuba. May God be with them and all the Cardinals during this momentous point in history.
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Praying for the Conclave
Let us take an extra effort to unite our prayers with the Cardinals. May the Holy Sprit guide them in electing our new pope.
Lord God,
You are our eternal shepherd and guide.
In your mercy grant your Church a shepherd who will walk in your waysand whose watchful care will bring us your blessing.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(From the Roman missal, "To elect a Pope or bishop")
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April 10, 2005
"John Paul II Priests"
As a memeber of the JPII Generation, I was happy to read this article -
A Small, Sturdy Band of 'John Paul Priests'.
When the Rev. Jeffrey Njus thinks about why he spends his days encouraging other young adults to pray often and make lifelong commitments, he recalls the man who changed his life in 1993.Father Njus was a tourist with a group of fellow Protestant college students at the Vatican when Pope John Paul II strolled down the aisle and grasped his hand just long enough to create what he remembers as "an encounter with holiness," one that revealed to him "what God wanted to do with my life."
Twelve years later, Njus ranks among approximately 17,000 men ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood in America during John Paul II's 26-year pontificate. And when Njus speaks about what drives him, he echoes their dreams and the pope's as well for a world returned to upright morality.
"Our society is facing different issues than ... in the 1960s and '70s," says Njus, now associate pastor at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Brighton, Mich. "The social revolution from that time left the family wounded. So we priests who grew up in that generation are now addressing that wound..." Read Full Story
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December 31, 2004
12/16/08 - Handling Priest Bashing
I received this email the other day and since the question has been asked more than once we decided to post the answer at RoL.
Question: I have a question for you...have you both ever encountered a situation where people start talking about the Priests, Mass, Church etc in a negative way? I have and don't know what to say or do in the situation. Truthfully, I(WE) are not that knowledgeable about the rubrics of the Mass/Church. A friend had told me that you are still receiving Jesus and to focus on that. Also, in the Pieta prayer book it does say that Jesus alone will judge the Priests and we need to sacrifice and pray for them and the persons that are complaining; we should say 3 Hail Mary's. Any help on this would be appreciated. -Jane Doe
Answer: Hi Jane, Thanks for writing. In regards to your question, it's a really tough situation. We have faced situations like that and have met people who were known for constantly priest bashing and church complaining. It may be easy to fall into that, particularly when some of the complaints are legitimate. However, we want to make sure we do not fall into that trap. Our lack of charity for the priests is a serious offense in itself. First, we have to remember that a priest, and especially a bishop, has an incredibly difficult job both in the logistics sense and the spiritual sense. (Not to mention Satan attacks priests and religious doubly hard for he knows the good they can do!) There are some priests who just don't care but I think the vast majority of questionable practices are done either due to lack of formation or a desire to "bend the rules" in the hopes of reaching out to someone.
We have to be very prudent with how we deal with a situation. For example, there are some matters of error that are very serious (ie. the priest tries to consecrate saltine crackers and apple juice or preaches that there's nothing wrong with abortion, etc.) Other matters may be wrong but not "morally threatening". For example, Brian and I were asked to be godparents to our friends' new baby. The baptism was done during the Mass and although the ceremony was beautiful I was taken aback when were asked to stay up at the altar during Eucharistic Prayer which followed. I knew that the Vatican recently put out a new document explaining the rubrics of the Mass and that aspect (standing at the altar with the priest) is not permitted. So what did we do? Well, in this case since we were visitors and didn't want to embarrass those involved we complied.
In general, I understand where the priest is coming from - he is trying to make the Mass more accessible to the laity. For example, at our parish during the children's Mass (which we don't normally attend) the priest allows the kids to come up to the altar during the Eucharistic Prayer but he tells them they cannot touch the altar at all and must have their hands folded. Unfortunately, having good intentions doesn't necessarily make it "right".
If I were to do anything, I'd approach the priest - if I knew him personally - and give him the chance to explain. Saying something such as, "Father, I enjoy the way you try to make the Mass more meaningful to us and although the kids love coming up to the altar with you, I'm wondering how we're allowed to do it if it's actually not permitted in the rubrics of the Mass." That way it would give him a chance to explain himself, hopefully without him being defensive (depending on the tone of the question.) And if he says something like, "Well, I do it because it brings the people closer to God and that's what matters in the end," there's not much more you can say. You'd have to pray for wisdom and use prudence as to whether you'd be able to discuss the case further with him. Since it's not a "major" issue I'd probably not push it. It really depends on the problem you're concerned about. There are some things that are too serious to let go and others that only prayer and sacrifice for a change of heart will work.
In regards to talking with other friends, complaining about Fr. So-and-So is never the right thing to do. What will it accomplish? Nothing but gossip and animosity towards the priest. When someone is complaining I try to say something positive about the priest (or church) then change the subject. For example, a person says, "That Fr. John Doe is so liberal. He's trying to change church teaching to be�" You could respond by, "Well, perhaps we don't know the whole story. Fr. John Doe is a good man and talking against him won't help any. Why don't we offer up our next Mass/rosary/holy hour for him?" Of course, there's no pat answer and every situation is different but I think you get the general idea. If a situation needs to be corrected it should be brought to the attention of someone who can actually do something about it - not just gossiping with the church choir in the parking lot.
Lastly, yes, our focus should be on Jesus in the Eucharist. And prayer is monumental. The priests are attacked on all sides, for our sake. They are the ministers of God's graces in the Sacraments. We have a huge responsibility to our priests, as he does to us. It is vital that we pray for our priests, especially before the tabernacle. And the "worse" a priest is, the more we should be praying. In the end, it is only the grace of God that will change his heart.
I hope this helps you out a bit. You may also find this webpage helpful in regards to the rubrics of the Mass and Liturgical Abuses: Catholic Answers' Special Report on Liturgical Abuses.
God bless you,
Bobbi
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11/19/04 - Porn Poison
I was reading the article Addiction to porn destroying lives, Senate told. It was interesting that it said "studies show prolonged use of pornography leads to 'sexual callousness, the erosion of family values and diminished sexual satisfaction.'
It�s ironic that there would be diminished sexual satisfaction. That�s exactly how sin works. It pulls you in and may give temporary pleasure but it slowly eats you alive making you feel emptier than when you started. This is particularly true with pornography (and similar to drugs abuse and other addictive sins) the �level of entry� is never constant. As time goes by you need a greater quantity and a heavier dose. What starts off �innocent� can quickly become life-consuming. And I think nothing is quite as tenacious as sexual sin. Once it sucks you in it�s hard to get out � hard, but not impossible with the grace of God.
If you can relate, there�s some helpful articles at Dads.org under Help for Those Struggling with Pornography.
And if you want to read more about the struggle to live chastely refer to what I wrote in What If the Spirit Is Willing But The Flesh Is Weak? God be with you and strengthen you.
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11/10/04 - Online Catechism Class
In his latest e-letter, Karl Keating of Catholic Answers featured the site CatechismClass.com. It is based on the Catechism and is listed as "authentic, orthodox Catholic." There are lessons for K-12 including sample lessons for you to review before signing on. Take a look.
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7/8/04 - The Ordinariness of the Saints
Steven at Flos Carmeli always has some great posts, I just never have time to get over there. Although today I visited and I love this piece! It reminds me of when my spiritual director told me that God is able to use our faults and weaknesses as means to reaching greater virtue and sanctity. For example, St. Francis de Sales had a fiery temper yet he became known as the "gentle saint".
Steven also makes an excellent point in reminding us that we need to stop trying to be someone else and be the saint that God has called us to be. It is one thing to admire and receive encouragement through the example of historical saints but it is important to draw from it a lesson that we can use in our own life. Not to duplicate their life but to draw inspiration on how to strive for holiness in our own unique life and circumstances. But Steven says it better than I could so read on.
...Too often, it seems, we may do the same with Saint's lives. We look upon their extraordinary accomplishments and then embellish them so that they become not so much role models as distant figures of impossible faith and piety. We neglect their ordinariness. We admire them, but we can come up with an extraordinary plexus of reasons why we couldn't possible emulate them in any way. How often have I heard, "Oh, I couldn't be like St. Th�r�se, she was so holy from such a young age." So who is asking you to be like St. Th�r�se? We already have one of those, and there are those in the world who would maintain that one is more than enough. (I used to be among them--no longer). Continued...
God gives us Saints not so much for slavish imitation as for encouragement. No one is called to be another St. Francis, St. Benedict, St. Anything. Each person is called to be a unique Saint, just as they are a unique person. The canonized Saints give us a glimpse of how others have achieved this. How they have achieved heroic sanctity despite a less than heroic start; how they have come to love God when they started by despising Him; how their own persons and personalities are used by God to erect new Saints and new heroes, new examples that tell us--"You can do it."After all, what is remarkable about St. Th�r�se? She grew up a bourgeoise French lady, a potential snob, in a jansenist French society, overwhelmed with the exceeding wrath of God. She was treacly sweet and had a hellish temper at the same time and was stubborn as an ox. Nothing here particularly remarkable. And in that very fact lies our best hope. Just as there is nothing particularly remarkable about any of us, so too God can use that milquetoast or wanness and convert it into heroic virtue.
When I reflect on St. Th�r�se this is what I most often think about--her humble beginnings did not stand in the way of her storming heaven, asking for, and receiving the gift of holiness, the gift of love. So what stops me? And when I think like this I realize that there is very, very little in the way--only myself. And if Jesus is willing, I can be healed.
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5/27/04 - Rosary Pamphlet
The other day a friend asked me where we purchased the "How to Pray the Rosary" pamphlets we give away with our rosary packets. We especially like this pamphet b/c it includes all of the mysteries (including the luminous) and each mystery has a photo, a scripture reading, and a fruit to pray for. On the other side of the pamphlet there are papal reflections of the mysteries, all the prayers of the rosary, and a "how to" diagram. It is an excellent version!
You can order copies online at Marians of the Immaculate Conception: Online Catalogue. Just scroll down to the bottom to "Pray the Rosary Daily - Revised.
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December 31, 2003
12/3/03 - Prayer For Seeking A Marriage Mate
I was browsing the phatmass phorum and I found a beautiful Prayer For Seeking A Marriage Mate. I'm posting it here for my single friends:
"Lord, You said that it is not good for us to be alone. You made us for each other. But Lord, I find it so hard to find that mate who would be a good spouse. Help me, Lord, to put this yearning for marriage in its proper place. Lead me, Lord, to the one whom You choose for my spouse. While I wait for You to reveal Your Will in this matter, help me to know myself better. Help me to address those areas of my life which are disordered and which would interfere with my having a successful marriage. When my desire to find a spouse becomes all consuming, help me to relax and practice patience. Help me to invest in wholesome friendships which bring me closer to You and which will assist me in making such an important decision. It is so natural, Lord, to seek love. Teach me to seek You first and to learn to give love before I try to receive it. Help me to remember that whatever journey this life leads me on, You are always present, always offering companionship, and always filling my deepest need. I offer You, Lord, my loneliness and my longing for marriage. I wait for You to lead me to Your perfect Will for me in this and all things. Amen."
For those of you who prefer shorter prayers, this one was suggested on the phorum:
"Dear Saint Anne, Send Me A Man..."
Yeah, that's pretty much what I was saying before I met brian! hahaha!(since St. Anne is my patron saint.)
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6/6/03 - Modesty: How Do We Find A Balance?
I was browsing Two Sleepy Mommies blog and Pansy had an interesting commentary on Zoe Romanov's blog about Modesty in dress. The topic of swimwear was discussed and how some kids aren't allowed to swim at all b/c of swimwear. I was thinking about this last week when I had to buy a bathing suit for Bella. I was disgusted. I went to the kids r us store and was offended by some of them that seemed more suitable for a vegas showgirl. However I did find one that was decent looking that even came with a little bathing skirt to attach to it.
However, I think Pansy's little girl was older and didn't fit into her old modest suit. She was looking for non"Laura Ingalls" suits and posted a link for Wholesome Wear Suits and she said she like the convenience of them (kids jumping in and out of the pool/lake/ocean) as well as the modesty of them.
Personally, I don't think I would buy them but I found some decent suits (in my opinion) for girls at Land's End. They have a basic suit for girls (size 4-16) with a tiny built in skirt/riffle that is not too low cut or there's a two piece that looks more like a tank top and shorts or you can forgo the bathing suit all together and get a hip looking surfboard suit (although maybe that's more normal here in California)
All this talk reminded me of growing up at both ends of the spectrum. When I was younger my parents were not practicing catholics so modesty was not much of an issue. After their conversion there was a period of "only skirts" type of thinking. (Something I hated b/c I despised dresses and loved shorts, band t's & converse 24/7). Finally we found a happy medium of modesty without being too "extreme".
I think a lot also has to do with attitude. I know a number of home schooling families and one in particular dressed their girls in praire dresses but the girls were really flirtatious and boy crazy. They tried to act �hot� regardless of what they were wearing. On the other hand I see my younger sister who was homeschooled and who�s a sweet wholesome girl in college (public JC). She and her friends dress in today�s fashions but they always look modest and wholesome without standing out like a sore thumb. Even beyond their clothes you can see their wholesomeness in their demeanor and attitude. They demand respect because they respect themselves.
It reminds me a lot of the interview I did with chastity speaker Crystalina Padilla a couple months ago. She talked about woman respecting themselves before expecting a man to. Hey, on a side note, did you know that she married Jason Evert of Catholic Answers on Saturday!! What an awesome couple! But I digress. Anyway, those are just some thoughts I had about the topic.