Sticking the Corners - Page 55 of 57 - Live it like you mean it.

On Evangelization: Even People Like You are Missionary Material

March 23, 2014 By Jennifer Fitz

From my Daily Roman Missal this morning, some thoughts on prayer that were just the kick in the pants I needed: The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: there, Christ comes to meet every human being. It is he who first seeks us and asks us for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God’s desire for us. Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter… Read more

Radio Silence = Please Pray

March 21, 2014 By Jennifer Fitz

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Sick here. Not quite ER sick, but definitely Lay down and don’t blog sick. Prayers appreciated. I’ll be back at it as soon as I’m able. Thanks! Read more

Does Your Work as a Catechist Matter?

March 18, 2014 By Jennifer Fitz

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Elizabeth Duffy poses the question, “When Will My Work as a Catechist Bear Fruit?” Take a look at her post, and then I’d like to answer that question with a story I first shared a couple years ago, and which is no less true today. In other reprints apropos to Betty Duffy’s post: For those who didn’t see it when it first ran, here’s my answer to the “slacker parents” situation. And here I am again, arguing not just for… Read more

Distractible Peter: A Reflection on Today’s Gospel @CatholicMom.com

March 16, 2014 By Jennifer Fitz

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Completely forgot in the Sunday links: I’m the author of today’s Gospel reflection at CatholicMom.com: If I’m not getting the right message when God sends his messengers, I’m setting myself up for the holy whapping. I’m on the holy mountain, but I don’t know what to do with myself. My spiritual life in 500 words. Read the whole thing here. Read more

Sunday Lent Links: Books, Movies, Penance, and YouTube Eucharistic Adoration

March 16, 2014 By Jennifer Fitz

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Music for your Sunday, with a slideshow: Rossini’s O Salutaris, recorded live during Eucharistic Adoration. Frank Weathers posts the 1808 “Little Guide to Lent.” Or you can see the original text here, on Google books. Want to understand Church history? Read historic documents. Darwin Catholic posts St. Josemaria quotes on penance. Confirming what I’d long suspected: If you want to be a saint, love God, do your work, and don’t complain. An almsgiving opportunity: St. Augustine set to Rhythm &… Read more

Ignorant Kids, Slack Parents, Tepid Culture . . . What’s a Catechist to Do?

March 15, 2014 By Jennifer Fitz

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We Patheos Catholics received a letter recently from a distressed catechist: The kids don’t know a thing about the faith, the parents just want the First Communion party, and everyone seems happy to settle for a platter of American Culture with Catholic Dressing on the Side. Christian LeBlanc ably answers the question of how to teach the last few classes of the year. I’d like to back up and answer the question from a different angle. Take a deep… Read more

The Course is for the Student, not the Student for the Course

March 14, 2014 By Jennifer Fitz

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Teaching tip of the day: If you want your child to improve his proofreading skills, buy a box of these. Then offer a reward for every typo found in a published work. Suddenly a teenage boy will get very, very interested in proper grammar and spelling. *** In addition to teaching an editing class this year (until I went on sick leave, anyhow), I also put together a course in Apologetics for Kids. It didn’t work out quite how I… Read more

On Suffering: Should We Be Atheists Because We Suffer?

March 13, 2014 By Jennifer Fitz

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What is the Christian response to suffering? This is the second in a series, and the first post is here. People often ask, “How can a good God allow evil?” We can approach the question from a number of directions, and before I continue, let me observe: Sometimes people who ask that question are really saying something else. What they mean is: This hurts. I feel like I am completely alone. I just want this nightmare to end. Help… Read more

A Marriage-Affirming Romantic Comedy about Adultery

March 12, 2014 By Jennifer Fitz

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A friend shared a link to this post, “I Rented a Car to Protect my Marriage.” I could not agree more. My husband and I don’t use these exact rules, but we have a variation on them that works pretty well for us. Would perfectly chaste love make such rules unnecessary? Sure. And hence the proverb, “Pride goes before the fall.” We who are subject to human weakness and temptation do ourselves a favor when we have the humility to… Read more

Quick Prayer Request – Cardiology & the Immaculate Heart of Mary

March 12, 2014 By Jennifer Fitz

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Photograph of The Heart of Mary (by Kupelwieser) in the side chapel of St. Antony in in the Peterskirche, Vienna, Austria. Photos of paintings are kind of weird, but I liked the image enough that I went with it. I’ve been doing the Catholic thing and beseeching a patron whose intercession is both powerful and punny, so for all things cardiology, Immaculate Heart of Mary it is. (There are other, better reasons as well.) For those who haven’t followed… Read more