Don’t be afraid to express your convictions! As a pro-life activist for many years, I can testify that you will more likely receive compliments than condemnation. I’m not saying that front-line workers like the sidewalk counselors don’t get some serious abuse. However, in ordinary situations, you will be surprised at the support you receive. T-Shirts A few years ago, I was in Los Angeles at a pro-life conference as a vendor with some religious T-shirts. One woman was interested in... Read more
Our mission as Catholics is to save souls by bringing them to Christ and his Church. That’s evangelization, but that word evokes images of foreign missionaries or retreat leaders. In truth, each of us is called to be an evangelist. We can’t all be traveling orators, though, so how do we evangelize in daily life? Fortunately, one of the best ways to attract people to our faith is through good works. My favorite passage in the Bible is from James... Read more
In a previous blog (https://www.patheos.com/blogs/musingsfromthepew/2021/09/famous-churches-still-serve-their-communities/), I mentioned that my husband and I have traveled quite a bit, mostly in the United States. In our travels, therefore, we have attended Mass at many different churches. As previously promised, I will occasionally share some observations about these churches as part of my “musings.” Future blogs will focus on individual churches, but here I would like to preview lessons learned as we wandered from “pew to shining pew.” I once knew a parish... Read more
A headline in the Angelus News on September 23, 2021 read: “Pope Francis to bishops: The saints spread the Gospel, not a ‘social program.’” The saints, the pope said, “lived the Gospel, without worrying about relevance or politics. . .. They did not have a ‘social program,’ but the Gospel alone.’” https://angelusnews.com/news/vatican/pope-francis-to-bishops-the-saints-spread-the-gospel-not-a-social-program/ These remarks were made in connection with the concern over the secularization of society. Every Catholic and Christian publication has noted that the newest generation is the most... Read more
Perinatal Hospice is a wonderful, compassionate practice that is not well-known. Consequently, from my place in the pew, I wanted to pass along information to other Catholics about this beautiful service. Although it is not Catholic in origin, Perinatal Hospice (or Palliative Care) matches Catholic teaching concerning life issues and has been embraced by Catholic leaders. The Church agrees with science that life begins at fertilization. Therefore, we must respect and care for life within the womb. If all goes... Read more
My husband and I learned a mortifying lesson about misjudging others when we mistook our saintly neighbor for a sinner. Newly moved to Houston, we learned that our next-door neighbor, Mr. G, was a retired widower (his wife had died a couple of years before). We observed that his son would come over to visit regularly, often working on cars with his dad. Sadly, in our neighborhood, people didn’t make much effort to get acquainted, a big city coldness that... Read more
There has been some controversy among Catholics and other Christians, particularly pro-life activists, over the Consistent Life Ethic, especially in election years. There shouldn’t be any dispute among Catholics since it is an essential belief of our Church. Full disclosure: this writer is a member of the Board of Directors for the Consistent Life Network (CLN) founded in 1987 as an international organization for peace, justice, and life. The Consistent Life Ethic First, let me share the mission statement of... Read more
The September 13, 2021 Angelus News, the official publication of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, featured a story with the headline “It’s time to start telling the truth about St. Junípero Serra.” The word “start” really raised my hackles. For years there has been vicious misinformation spread about St. Junípero Serra, the founder of the California mission system; some even say, “the founder of California.” Six years of misinformed protest In 2015, there were calls to remove the statue of... Read more
My husband and I travel whenever we can. As a consequence, we have visited a great many Catholic churches, either for Sunday Mass, to visit a shrine or to revel in the beauty of a magnificent structure. This column will discuss some of our adventures from time to time – so stay tuned! I’ll start with the Mission Basilica in San Juan Capistrano, California, completed in 1986 and designated a basilica in 2000 and a national shrine in 2003. Although... Read more
As the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks comes upon us, we are probably all remembering the events of the day and its aftermath. My personal connections included a daughter in New York City and a niece and brother-in-law who both worked for the Pentagon but were, fortunately, not on site that day. My niece’s office was being remodeled, so she was in temporary quarters in another location. If not for that, the results of that day might have... Read more
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