All Saints Day: A Day of Great Hope and Hope we Need!

November 1, 2013 by
knows your name

"There is no saint without a past. There is no sinner without a future." St AugustineI love All Saints Day. I love exiting from Mass and watching the traffic pass by. I always think, "it's so cool that while the rest of the world is scurrying about its worldly business, we take time to remember our spiritual ancestors" -- to connect to that Cloud of Witnesses within the Communion of Saints; to ask them to pray for us; to use their lives as an example of hope to keep us going as we fail, and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Capitalism, Catholic Vocations Tagged With: , ,

“I think prison freed me…” Mother Antonia Brenner RIP

October 18, 2013 by
Mother Antonia Brenner/David Maung

Over at Deacon Greg's place he notes a study and asks Is being a Good Samaritan a Matter of Genetics?Or grace, or a combination of the two? Perhaps specifically-graced-genetics?This seems a timely question in light of the passing of the fascinating Mother Antonia Brenner (born Mary Clark), foundress of Eudist Servants Of The Eleventh Hour and one of those formidable "Irish Catholic" women so many of us have known and loved. She is survived by her seven children.The diminutive, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Catholic Vocations, Catholicism, Neri, Pope Francis Tagged With:

Nun News for Autumn, 2013

October 1, 2013 by
nun news network

The annual nun-news round-up happened, last year, on the Feastday of Saint Therese of Lisieux, and it seemed to me a perfect day to celebrate news of new or proceeding religious vocations, so I've decided to do it every October 1. As ever, please don't ask me why I don't include more unhabited communities; there are some here; I give the news I can find.Let's start with the monastics!The big news from our friends the Dominican Nuns of Summit, NJ, aside from their new line of soaps, is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Catholic Vocations, Monasticism, Nun News

Bad Optics: Obama and HHS vs Little Sisters of the Poor

September 25, 2013 by
VowofHospitality2

The Little Sisters of the Poor are heroic social servants: they serve the indigent poor and go begging on their behalf. They are tremendous women offering companionship, love and hospitality to people who often have no one else in their lives willing to see and affirm their dignity and worth, and they don't ask "are you a Catholic" before they make that offer: it is for all.Likewise, in their many facilities across the nation, the Little Sisters employ nurses, and aides and helpers, and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Catholic Vocations Tagged With: , ,

Could “Mystery Priest” be a long-dead Benedictine Monk? UPDATE: No Mystery Here!

August 12, 2013 by
Rev. Patrick Dowling (Photo Credit: Diocese of Jefferson County)

Joel Schmidt thinks perhaps yes:By now, you’ve most likely heard the story of the “Mystery Priest” from the car accident scene in Eastern Missouri. If not, here’s the original story from USA Today.Phil Lawler of Catholic Culture has suggested how the priest might be identified:1) Start showing the witnesses photos of priests with a reputation for holiness. 2) Include photos of priests who are no longer alive. 3) Prepare for a shock.Interestingly, we were at Conception Abbey in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Benedictine, Catholic Vocations Tagged With: , , , ,

“Your Holiness, I want to be a priest of Christ!” – VIDEO UPDATE

July 30, 2013 by
Pope Francis, embraces, cries with Nathan/credit Radio FM Cancao

Okay, this made me weep, and I am no weeper.Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Jul 30, 2013 / 02:54 pm (CNA).- Nathan de Brito brought Pope Francis to tears during one of his motorcades through the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Friday, when he broke past barriers to deliver an important message to the Pontiff.“Your Holiness, I want to be a priest of Christ, a representative of Christ,” de Brito whispered in the ear of Pope Francis July 26, after jumping hurdles and making his way to the Pop … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Catholic Vocations, Pope Francis Tagged With: , ,

Reconciling Eve and Mary in Another Way – UPDATED

July 20, 2013 by
Eve and Mary by Sr. Grace Remington, O.C.S.O

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. -- Ecclesiastes 3:1Via Deacon Greg, we get this terrific story out of Missouri:A former monastery for Catholic nuns is preparing for new life. It will now become home to Life House Crisis Maternity Home, which has partnered with Catholic Charities of Southern Missouri.For more than forty years, it was a quiet place of prayer. "They were here praying, praying for all of us in southern Missouri, and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Catholic Vocations, Mary, Monasticism Tagged With: , , , , ,

Part II The Chanting Coffin-Maker: Mother Dolores & Agape

June 13, 2013 by
beret

In Part I of my interview with Mother Dolores Hart, she shared an insight that struck me as being profoundly important to our understanding of the vagaries of love: "all love relationships don’t end at the altar".What is love but a means to an end, the end being to become for each other a model of God? Not an idol, nor an icon/image but a model that helps us to know more fully the depths the Creator's love for each of us.Ponder it: here were Dolores Hart, beautiful young actress and Don … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Benedictine, Bookchat, Catholic Vocations Tagged With: , , , , ,

“All love relationships don’t end at the altar!” – Part I

June 12, 2013 by
MotherDolores2

As a rule, when it comes to interviewing celebrities, Tony Rossi is our go-to guy, around here. Last week, though, he could not work into his schedule an opportunity to talk to Mother Dolores Hart, the actress-turned-Benedictine-nun who was the subject of last year's documentary, "God is the Bigger Elvis", and this year's best-seller, The Ear of the Heart. Mother Dolores is currently missing her cloister while she makes a major promotional tour in support of the book, and I had the opportunity … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Benedictine, Bookchat, Catholic Vocations Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Girls and Guillotines: Glorifying God

June 5, 2013 by
CarmelCompiegne

If you're not subscribing to The Catholic Answer Magazine (which you should because it's a little six-times-a-year gem of Catholic information on scripture, doctrine and tradition, but I won't scold!) I hope you're at least liking the OSV Twitter account so you can click on to some of its goodness!The July/August edition is particularly rich, as it examines Eucharistic Adoration, Concupiscence, the Eastern Churches and the Carmelite Martyrs of Compiègne. Much of that is behind the paywall -- … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Catholic Vocations, Catholicism, Nun News Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

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