William Peace tells the tale that tops all the weirdo-magnet stories I’ve heard to date. And he’s a magnet and I’m a longtime reader, so it’s pretty top. Religion Tips 101: Try not to develop a theology that’s smack-dab contrary to the plain meaning of well-known scriptures in your religion of choice. Stalking people? Out shopping? Really? Hateful gods aren’t that appealing. I guess some people go in for that, but overall . . . not so much. If you... Read more
H/T to Christopher Smith for the link to this CDC study: Adverse Family Experiences Among Children in Nonparental Care, 2011–2012. I’m closing comments because my fabulous wonderful supertastic niece is visiting, and I want to hang with her, not moderate, and anyway there’s not much to discuss. It’s a study. Find out what it says. To paraphrase one of my favorite finance professors, such reports give us no answers, only questions. He said it of financial reports, but it’s true of... Read more
One of the striking features of Harvard’s planned Black Mass, being hosted by Satanists who don’t believe in Satan, is that the exhibitors don’t actually believe their own religion. If Catholics are concerned about the event, it is because we do believe ours. The Catholic faith is not a set of feelings or preferences. It is a series of statements about reality. About things that are true. Things that are real. The occult is gravely dangerous not because it is... Read more
The readings yesterday and today give us the martyrdom of St. Stephen, who made his audience so mad with his preaching that they stoned him to death. That audience included the future St. Paul, whose conversion came while he was on his way up to Damascus for the purpose of finding more Christians to kill. (Keep following along with the daily Mass readings, and we’ll be to that story shortly. Meanwhile: If you think you know someone who is so far... Read more
Picking up the #mywritingprocess tour, having been so graciously tagged by Kathy Schiffer (whose writing I enjoy immensely). 1. WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON? Currently on my desk: Edits for a retreat I wrote this winter, to get rid of the typos and make it all-audiences. [I’ve done the rewrite and the forward edit, and am part way through the backwards edit.] Workbook for the French class I’m supposed to be teaching this fall. [All in my head still, but... Read more
Over at CatholicMom.com, I tell you why I finally went to a homeschooling conference when my always-homeschooled child was in 7th grade. And why I’m going to another one this year. And then I ask you to tell me, and all the Catholic Mom readers, about the conference you love. Read the whole thing & share you links at: “Why Bother with Homeschool Conferences?” Read more
Sometimes people ask me, “How did you become a blogger for Patheos?” (Patheos whose birthday we are celebrating in this post – Happy 5th Birthday, Patheos!) Allow me to confirm your suspicions by quoting you the letter* I received from our Catholic Channel editor asking me to join on this spring: February, 2014 Dear Jennifer, As you know, blogging about the Catholic faith is a sure path to fame and fortune. We who write for Patheos are filthy rich —... Read more
This week Archbishop Gregory of Atlanta announced that there’d be no concealed carry in his parishes. The context was a recently passed Georgia law that gave the pastors of churches the discretion to decide whether their facilities were or were not legal concealed carry locations. It is unclear whether the Archbishop’s decision applies to the other dioceses in the province as well. –> A quick Google indicates that while the state laws vary, pastors do have the power to prohibit... Read more
Fr. Longenecker argues in favor of pomp and ceremony here, and I have a story to go with. The background: My husband is a cantor at our parish. To improve his skill, he’s been training with the choir at a neighboring parish. My eldest daughter turns out and sings with them as well. Since they have a fantabulous music program, we’ll call the other parish St. Cecilia’s. So St. C’s goes to make a parish directory. One of those books... Read more
My friend Karina Fabian points me to her latest DragonEye, PI short story, now running at Liberty Island. Vern the Dragon isn’t to everyone’s taste, and I haven’t pre-read this story so I can’t promise you you’ll love it. But if Catholic Dragon Detective sounds like your genre, take a look. Read more
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