I didn’t want to be Catholic any more. 1992 was the worst year of my life and I was a bitter, angry shell. But somehow, against my will, I was drawn to the Rosary. I didn’t even know how to pray it, but I asked my mother to teach it to me. A whirlwind conversion followed, the power of which stays with me to this day. Even after the Blessed Mother had drawn me back to Jesus and to the sacramental life... Read more
Today, for Day Five of our Novena of Beauty, I feature videos that speak love, truth, and beauty to the world. First, a brief trailer from Brandon Vogt’s extraordinary website, Strange Notions, which brings atheists and Catholics together for respectful dialogue. Next, visit Catholics Come Home for a wide selection of glorious and inspiring “evangomercials” in several languages and of varying lengths. They are a beautiful way to bring lapsed Catholics back to the Church, as well as evangelizing those outside the Faith. Finally, from... Read more
An elderly lady from my church told me that she was the last to speak to her son-in-law the morning of the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City. He called from an office engulfed in smoke to say a tearful good-bye to his wife, but she was out jogging. My elderly friend happened to answer the phone while she was watching the couple’s first baby. She took a message. My daughter was barely two years... Read more
Today I’d like to highlight the way music can so powerfully draw our hearts to God. Even people who don’t believe in God seem to lose themselves in raptures over their favorite music. Sacred music has been used to evangelize for many centuries! As Dr. Jem Sullivan says in her book, The Beauty of Faith: Using Christian Art to Spread the Good News: “In order to effectively share the Gospel with the native peoples, Jesuit missionaries appealed to their natural affinity... Read more
I affectionately refer to this image as the “peekaboo” Madonna and Child, partly because it seems to capture a moment of tender playfulness between the Blessed Mother and Jesus. But what I like most is that it has a sense of mystery about it that relates to the theme for today, which is the beauty we long for, the beauty yet to be possessed, the beauty that calls us to transcendence. I’ll begin Day Two of the Novena of Beauty in... Read more
In honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I am posting “a novena of beauty” for nine straight days–starting today! I’ll be sharing quotes on authentic beauty and its importance, links to articles on beauty, pieces of beautiful music, copies of beautiful works of art, and short videos that teach about beauty as seen through the eyes of the Church. Showing gratitude to Our Lady Last summer, my daughter and I used Father Michael Gaitley’s wonderful book, 33 Days... Read more
Two 15-year-old boys were standing in line at a sporting goods store with their hero, a super-cool 18-year-old with long hair and a combination of personal charisma and intelligence that had them hanging on his every word. The year was 1969, and my friend Jeff was one of the two young pups in the tow of this intriguing fellow. As the line moved forward, the overweight female cashier came into view and the pups started smirking and laughing at her–not... Read more
Today, at our homeschool network’s Yahoo group, our prayers were answered. One of our members had asked for prayers for a young mom experiencing a crisis pregnancy, and the great news is that she walked OUT of the abortion mill, today. Thanks be to God. It was welcome news and badly needed. After praying for another case, last week, in which the outcome was tragic and a Trisomy 18 baby girl was forcibly delivered, dying at 5 months gestation, the happy... Read more
The VISION: For me, this image of a castle on a hill symbolizes that special feeling we all get at the start of the school year. We’ve had a little break and we’re inspired to start climbing again, reaching for something glorious and beautiful. We are building something, but we are also embarking and searching, trusting that what is needed will be provided by God. The vision is still clear because we are not yet dealing (suffering) with the actual human... Read more
“Take care, then, that the light in you not become darkness.” (Luke 12:35) Our lives in Christ are filled up with experiences of love, glory, and beauty, but they are often equally filled with suffering. It is one of the great gifts of Christianity that peace is possible in times of trial for those who trust in God’s faithful love. It makes sense that, since the Lord of the Universe deigned to lower himself to suffer in order to save... Read more
Water into Wine by Lisa Mladinich
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