Hey there, Over the past 40-50 years Christmas has been greatly influenced by our secular culture. The anticipation of Santa Claus. The Christmas carols we sing. The red and green colors. The beginning of the “Christmas season” before Thanksgiving. It’s easy to get caught up in it all and lose sight of our Catholic Christmas season. The fact is, Christmas in the Catholic …
Continue Reading about Why to Keep Celebrating Christmas After December 25th (And How)
Hey there, I’m an avid list maker. To do lists. Shopping lists. A pros and cons list when I’m trying to make a decision. A packing list when I travel. You name it and I’ve probably created a list for it. Ahead of Lent, I create a list for what I’m giving up, special prayers, etc. As I prepare for Christmas, there will definitely be lists. A to do list for decorating, gift buying, …
Hey there, I’m a big Mission: Impossible fan in case you missed the reference in the title. Ethan Hunt always accepted his mission … despite all the risks. Regardless of the possibility of being disavowed should he and his team be captured. Fortunately, Ethan always prevailed. As Catholics, we too are given a mission. This Sunday is World Mission Sunday. What the heck does that …
Continue Reading about Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept it
Hey there, What covers 71% of the Earth and makes up 60% of your body? I’m sure you know, the answer is water. Water is essential to life with the average human only lasting about 3 days without it. There are countless studies on the number of glasses of water we should drink every day. Water is also a sacramental prominently used in the Catholic Church. We are cleansed of our sins …
Continue Reading about The (After)Life-Saving Powers of Holy Water
Hey there, In 2020, as the Coronavirus pandemic opened up in our communities, our Church doors were slammed shut. And we yearned for what we once took a little for granted. We attended Mass virtually and prayed the Act of Spiritual Communion. Some waged battles to re-open their Church, even taking the issue up with the courts. And a few Priests defied the law by holding public …
Continue Reading about Fulfilling Your Duty in The Catholic Church
Hey there, We see evil all around us every day. But what causes evil? Is the devil real? If God created everything, then why did He create the devil? Why does God let the devil roam the Earth? These are just a few of the typical questions that come up when discussions turn to evil in our world. The Catholic Church tells us that satan does exist. But the good news is that God …
Continue Reading about Getting to Know Thy Enemy … The Devil
Hey there, In August of 2019 the Pew Research Center published shocking results from a survey of Catholics stating that only one third believe that “during Catholic Mass, the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus.” This is a bleak outlook on what the Catechism of the Catholic Church calls “the source and summit of the Christian life.” (CCC 1324) Fortunately, a survey …
Continue Reading about Why Corpus Christi is Not Just Another Feast Day
Hey there, We all need a little help from time to time. We ask people for advice (though we rarely take it). We make a list of pros and cons. We pray to God … or for the intercession of a Saint. Remember the game show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” They gave contestants a lifeline where they could phone a friend for help with a question. If you’re like me, you may not be calling on …
Hey there, Has anyone ever told you “do you?” They were telling you to be true to yourself. Maybe you’ve even said it to someone else. The psychologists tell us being authentically yourself leads to more happiness. So the phrase and mindset have grown in popularity over the past few years. I can attest to one aspect of my life where this philosophy made me a lot happier. Remember …
Hey there, What do you think of when you hear the word prophet? Is it someone who predicts the future … like Nostradomus? In the Catholic Church, prophets don’t predict the future; they proclaim messages from God. Like those from the Old Testament: Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Moses, to name just a few. Until the ultimate prophet came along, Jesus Christ. We learn from the prophets …
Continue Reading about Salvation Hinges on Real And False Prophets
Hey there, We were made for holiness. And with Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, we all are able to obtain eternal life in heaven. Of course, it’s not as easy as it sounds! We need all the help we can get. That’s where Plenary Indulgences come in. Indulgences have been around since the early Church. But, unfortunately, they were misused in the 16th Century and some say it led to …
Hey there, Here we are in Holy Week … the most important week of the year. And in 4 days our Lord will rise! This poem presents a unique viewpoint of Christ’s resurrection. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Death Meets His Master Father Time met pale King Death sitting by a tomb. “Hello, O Friend, I guess you’re here to seal somebody’s doom.” “You might say that,” sly Death …
