We Are All Called to Lives of Holiness
Today's episode is on St. Padre Pio and persevering through this period of exile. He is a saint who achieved high levels of sanctity and was given great blessings and gifts from God, including the stigmata. He suffered tremendously, often at the hands of others because of these extraordinary gifts. During this time as we …
Continue reading "The Saints and the Cross Episode 11: St. Padre Pio"
I realized that my writing may make people think I have it more together than I actually do. The thing about writers is, we see great truths--especially in the grips of suffering--and want to share those insights with others. That doesn't mean we've actually mastered what we write about. I am no exception. I have …
There is a growing tendency in certain church circles—both Protestant and Catholic—to over-emphasize sentimentality. Sentimentality allows us to focus predominantly on our feelings. This can also come from a false sense of piety and an over-emphasis on personal devotions, which inevitably leave us spiritually dry. Our faith is true regardless of how we feel in …
Continue reading "Catholic Exchange: Avoiding the Temptation to Over-Sentimentalize the Faith"
When I began to research a clear definition of ideology, I came across varied explanations for this word. It can simply mean a set of values (I don't like this term. It's Nietzschian. My dad has been teaching me this for years and now I have a grad school class on the topic this semester), …
Continue reading "What is Ideology and How is it Infecting the Church?"
Anyone who has spent serious time in their parish in ministry, catechesis, other activities knows the state of catechesis within the Church. It is abysmal. The same is true for anyone who is brave, or crazy enough, to read comboxes on orthodox articles and blogs. This state of affairs is sad and frustrating at the …
Today is the feast of St. John Paul II. On this day, it is fitting to look at his writing on the Holy Eucharist since it was the center of his life and it is the center of the Church. His devotion to the Eucharist was evident to those who were at Mass with him …
Continue reading "Catholic Exchange: Ecclesia de Eucharistia, St. John Paul II on the Eucharist"
Earlier today I read Elizabeth Scalia's latest article over at Aleteia that discusses Mo Rocca's presence as a reader at the papal Mass in New York City last week. As I read the article I realized rather quickly that I disagree with Scalia's assessment because it is theologically wrong in its understanding of what mortal …
Continue reading "Theological Errors in Elizabeth Scalia’s Mo Rocca Article at Aleteia"
For reasons that I am not going to discuss explicitly, I have been contemplating our culture's hostility towards children. We live in a culture that views children largely as a nuisance or accessory. Unfortunately this view has pervaded the culture including within the Catholic Church and other Christian communities. My husband and I have been …
Continue reading "Society’s Disconnect from the Joy of Children"
It is something that many Catholics hear often from others: "Mass is boring". Their reasons for feeling this way are varied: the Homily, music, tradition, to the movements of the Mass themselves, bore them. If there is something we Catholics know how to argue about and disagree on it is the Mass. I have no …
I got an excellent lesson from Our Lord in humility and following His will for me this past Friday. Â My husband and I attended a University of Notre Dame Chorale concert at a local parish. Â It was extraordinary and my first experience of culture since I had my daughter 2.5 years ago. Â It was the …
Swimming the Depths 