I remember sitting next to a a woman on a plane who was so passionate about her new Evangelical church. It was inspiring to watch her, and to hear her excitement. After she got done telling me all about it, I told her I was Catholic. She excitedly said, “Oh, then you should come to my church. I was Catholic…but this church has awesome music and great preaching.” I looked at her, smiled and slowly said, “I wouldn’t leave the... Read more
Over the past few days, I have wondered if I was the only person in America completely disinterested in the Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner story, or — correct that — if I was the only contrarian refusing to become interested, simply because the voracious Jenner-Kardashian Machine, and their compliant media, so desperately wanted me to be interested, and so insistently needed me to approve, as well. These ghastly modern Pavlovs ring their outsized bell, and the world obediently begins to bark and... Read more
All week at Mass we have been treated to readings from the Book of Tobit, one of my favorite books, which I have called “instructive and under-utilized”. I have used passages from this book both while helping to prepare liturgies for marriages and also for funerals. It has made me very appreciative, as well, of the Archangel, Raphael. Because it is a book so full of strong family relationships, it seems perfect that its cycle in the readings comes up... Read more
So, as I mentioned in this post, our own “Catholic Thinker”, Tod Worner — following the recent Pew report on diminishing Catholic numbers, and the glee that inspired in some corners — decided to write a post on why he will not be leaving the Catholic church. Tod’s piece reminded me of an older piece of mine from NPR, where I also catalogued why I remain a Catholic, and it inspired Monique Ocampo to explain why she remains, as well.... Read more
So, these 2 Catholic priests and 3 seminarians are “biking for Priestly vocations.” They’re doing a a 29-day,1,400-mile bike pilgrimage from Saint Augustine, Florida to Rockville Centre, Long Island. My very own diocese! Several of us have been challenged by Father Michael Duffy — a young priest of the diocese — to participate, either by biking (or otherwise exercising) or praying for 45 minutes. Our Unfortunately, this is not retroactive, so I can’t offer up my prayer time from last... Read more
You recall this post from six months ago, concerning Ashley Bridges — the young mother who was ten weeks pregnant with her daughter, Paisley, when she diagnosed with an aggressive bone cancer. Her daughter Paisley will be a year old in July, and Ashley has been told she will probably not be alive to see it, but she is a fighter: “I am really pushing for Paisley’s first birthday. This is what I do. I do October, OK, I just... Read more
At a time when Pew studies suggest a vast exodus from Catholicism (although Sherry Weddell’s antenna is up on some of the numbers) Tod Worner has written a terrific piece on why he is NOT leaving the church: I am NOT leaving the Catholic Church because I believe that the Catholic Faith is true. The edifice of Catholicism is Jesus Christ. Countless times, a good friend of mine has “flipped pages”. What he means when he says this is that... Read more
“One day I unwittingly made a mistake that incensed the master’s son. He became furious, snatched me violently from my hiding place, and began to strike me ferociously with the lash and his feet. Finally he left me half dead, completely unconscious. Some slaves carried me away and lay me on a straw mat, where I remained for over a month. A woman skilled in this cruel art [tattooing] came to the general’s house…our mistress stood behind us, whip in... Read more
On Twitter, Ron Fournier post his latest piece, here, with a glum, “We can’t trust Hillary. Her team is convinced trust doesn’t matter to voters!” To which I replied: “[They] Might be right; a majority contentedly distracted w/Kardashians and zeitgeist can be brought along; we get “leaders” we deserve.” Fournier suggested that people can watch the Kardashians and The Bachelorette and still be well-informed, but I have my doubts; I suggested that a “Kardashian Distracshian” is precisely what our “public... Read more
Photo courtesy of shutterstock.com June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It’s one of my favorite litanies. If you’d like, let’s pray it together with my podcast!: *after each invocation, respond with “have mercy on us.” Lord, have mercy Christ, have mercy Lord, have mercy Christ, hear us Christ, graciously hear us. God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us* God, the Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity,... Read more
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