Have you found yourself feeling increasingly worn out or beat down by the work you’re doing in your parish ministry? Do you find yourself on the road to burnout? Are you really getting tired of the hassles you seem to encounter more and more frequently in your volunteer work? Do you wonder why you are the […]
In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus tells His disciples that He did not come to bring peace but, rather, the sword (Mt. 10:34). He tells the apostles that His message will set family members against themselves and that they will become each other’s enemies. Immediately after this Jesus continues by saying that those who love father or […]
For some, the sights, signs and smells of the holidays bring joy and a warm feeling. But, while others are joyously diving into the season, some of us are dipping into conflict, guilt, and a sense of guilt. —Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, Dec. 24. If I could speak to other parents facing […]
The woman walked into the sign shop. She needed to order a banner for her daughter’s swim team and knew the owners of this shop well. No one was at the counter when she arrived. It was common for them to be in the back, working. She went to ring the bell and saw a […]
In Part I of this discussion, the point was made that a fuller and deeper understanding of and appreciation of the works of Jane Austen (“Jane”) is possible if one learns about her Anglican religion and its effects on all of the society during her lifetime (1775 A.D. to 1817 A.D.). In addition to the […]
Of course, there is no such theology. No such thing if the title above means to cite a book or treatise written by Jane Austen herself entitled something like, “My Theology, By A Lady.” There were other working, tentative titles, not chosen, for this discussion – including “Jane’s Faith,” “J. Austen’s Creed,” “A Lady’s Gospel,” […]
My mother-in-law didn’t care for me. I knew that long before our engagement was announced. I wasn’t even surprised when she tried to convince my husband not to marry me. Early on, we were polite to each other, but I knew she was saying unkind things about me. I should admit that she wasn’t alone […]
This column is the first in a three part series concerning ethics, human happiness, and their connection to “the things that last.” Searching for a Lasting Foundation Ethical inquiry can be summed up into two basic questions: “What is the right[i] thing to do and how do I accomplish it?” We can see from these […]
Dying is not a popular topic for discussion. But considering that everyone who dies leaves some kind of legacy behind, maybe we should at least all think about death a little bit more. Have you ever stopped to consider that one day you will die? That you’ll no longer be in the land of the […]
In 1975, singer Mac Davis released a song entitled “It’s Hard to be Humble”. The lyrics of this tongue-in-cheek song brought crowds to laughter, yet, they certainly struck uncomfortably close to home. The crowds would merrily sing along as Davis crooned: “Oh, Lord it’s hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way/ I can’t […]
Full disclosure: I did not actually read the book “The Benedict Option”. Spiritdaily and a NY Times article is where I gleaned information about this movement in the Church. I did, however, have limited exposure to the idea of Covenant Communities in my parish. About years ago, a very holy, sincere parish priest and several parish families were trying to form a […]
People recounted incidents from the good old days. Embellishments were, of course, a part of the tales, some of which have grown in size and dramatic impact over time. Nevertheless, old friends spent a big part of the weekend catching up with one another. Some hadn’t seen one another in many years. The occasion was […]
Early on in the pontificate of Pope Francis, during an interview, when asked who he was Pope Francis responded with the statement “I am a sinner.” At the time, this statement was used in the U.S., to exclaim the humbleness and relatable-ness of Pope Francis to the everyday person. In the light of recent events […]
The word “rigid” has become something of a pejorative term in the common parlance of some clerics and theologians in recent years. The Holy Father himself suggested that young Catholics who prefer the Traditional Latin Mass suffer from a psychological rigidity that must be encountered and healed through a process of “digging.” Another example of […]
Some of my most treasured friendships are with people who have significant differences in worldview from me in a variety of ways. I have friends from all sorts of different backgrounds. And I appreciate them all. I have friends I can laugh with, friends I can count on for a relaxing evening out, friends whose […]
Early within The Acts of the Apostles, angels gain the attention of Christ’s chosen through a provocative question. As the eleven stare in amazement at Christ’s Ascension into heaven, they soon hear the following words, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?” (Acts 1:11) This brings to light the fact […]
As Catholics, we believe that God revealed himself gradually to his chosen people, the Jews, and completed this Divine revelation in the Jewish Messiah, the Christ our Lord. We believe that Jesus Christ established the Catholic Church to transmit that revelation to all people through all generations. The revelation was not only knowledge but also […]
A new research report shows an increase in the mortality rate (deaths per 100,000 of people) among middle-aged American men. Citing the study, this article, written from a secular perspective in The Economist tells us: “White middle-age mortality continued to rise in 2014 and 2015, contributing to a fall in life expectancy among the population as […]
Have you ever noticed the trend in today’s society to give everyone who participates in something, no matter how trivial their contribution, some sort of “award” for their participation? Even the worst players on the Little League team get something shiny to hang in their rooms for bothering to show up to the game. Maybe unimportant, […]
My name and The Catholic Book Blogger have become one it seems. Many people know me for my reviews and interviews. However, there was a time when I was simply a struggling greenhorn blogger just striking out on a self-hosted blog. That all changed one day with a chance encounter that has ultimately led me […]
There’s something wonderfully uplifting about being with hundreds of Catholic men to put aside our egos and bring our man-made messes before the Father as together we celebrate our common faith. For the past five years, I have been attending the Connecticut Catholic Men’s conference with my father-in-law. Each time, I have come out of […]
You really have to be careful where you get your news these days. The mainstream media, and even many online news sites, just can’t be trusted. The news can be a real wasteland. A case in point is the recent headline on a story on Yahoo News – “Pope warns against populism and ‘saviours’ like […]
At the end of the Book Of Job, God tells the acquaintances of Job, who have denigrated, accused, and chastised Job, to prepare sacrifices; but He also tells them not to pray in offering the sacrifices, because He will not listen to their prayers. However, He tells these men He will listen to the prayers […]
Some Catholics may be unaware of, or are possibly confused by, the controversy following the release of Pope Francis’ Amoris Laetitia, and the new letter and dubia which in response have been submitted to the Pope asking for confirmation of various aspects of Catholic doctrine. To help make the faithful aware of this situation, and hopefully to understand […]
The Hypocrite and the Sinner: Not Twins
The Struggle Is Real William Gurnall once stated, “While the Christian commits a sin he hates it; whereas the hypocrite loves it while he forbears it.” We have all felt the frustration of falling into sin the same day as attending Mass or praying. The truth is that we all play many positive and not […]
Seeing the Face of God in the Poor
There is a tenet in the Legion of Mary so central to the mission of the apostolate that perhaps all the works and prayers its members perform can be said to flow directly from it: it is critical for Christians to see the face of God in their fellow man. Whether a person is in […]
“Infinite Jest” Reaffirms The Power of Confession
David Foster Wallace’s book, Infinite Jest, is unique: hilarious and bleak, enlightening and depressing. Wallace tried on two separate occasions to become Catholic but sadly was never baptised. You can feel his striving and yearning, looking for the Truth. Tragically, he killed himself when he was only 46 and we will never know whether he […]
Living A Fanatical Catholic Life
Society desperately needs passionate Catholics – those who put Church teachings above secular ideologies, who strive daily to grow in the knowledge of God, who base their decisions around the Church, and who maintain joy through life’s trials. Living a fanatical Catholic life is what we are all called to do. When we apply the […]
Scripture Passages That Say Jesus Isn’t God
Imagine this scenario. You hear the doorbell ring, you open the door, and you see two well-dressed men standing on your porch with smiles on their faces. They ask you a seemingly harmless question about God, and then they ask you what religion you practice. You tell them that you are Catholic, so they ask […]
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