Today is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord. Before I was a Catholic, I wouldn’t have even known what that all means. Just another one of those big ol’ words linked to Jesus’s mom that everyone knew Catholics worshiped. Mary, schmerry, I thought, God can do anything. If Mary would have said no, big damn deal. Sort of like asking a girl to dance at a party and you get rejected.”Sorry God, looks like she said No. Let... Read more
-Feast of St. Macartan If it’s Thursday, then I’ll be lectoring at daily Mass at the parish near my office. I went to the USSCB website to see the readings for today and again was amazed, for like the millionth time, at how prescient the order of the readings are. I have no idea when the readings for the Lenten season were chosen, or put in this particular order. I know it wasn’t last week though. Most likely it was 30,40,50,... Read more
Joe Six-Pack, USMC here, also known as “the Worst Consumer of Catholic Media on the Planet.” You’ve heard the news about Fr. John Corapi? Let’s say that you are a devotee of his. You aren’t alone, because last time I checked, there are 45,800+ “fans” on his Facebook page alone.He has been placed on Administrative Leave, which to a Marine (like me) means he has been given a “time-out” from line-duty until an investigation can be completed. Nothing to get... Read more
A few weeks back, my family and I hit the used book sale that is held annually to benefit our local public library. Going to this sale has been an annual event for us, ever since we moved to Tennessee six years ago. It is at that sale where I first picked up the collection of Harvard Classics, where I met Blaise Pascal and Thomas à Kempis. Now that I’m a Catholic, I go to this sale on the lookout... Read more
This first ran back in September, 2010 during the Feast of Our Lady of La Salette. I think it deserves another look… —Feast of Our Lady of La Salette Today I heard the best explanation of the parable of the “Unjust Steward” that I have ever heard. Or maybe it is the parable of the “Shrewd Manager.” Either way, thanks to the homily of my pastor today, I think I may finally understand this parable. (more…) Read more
-Feast of St. Enda Singing, dancing, joy. A break from the mundane, or the monstrous. That is what music offers us. Performance art that often times touches on truth. Poetry, set to music, that gets closer to what we think and feel as a united humanity than almost anything else. That’s one of the reasons I share music with you here, almost every Monday morning. And after the week just past, we need some music to put some spring in... Read more
I was moved this morning at my home parish when we all raised our voices at the end of Mass to pray this Litany for Japan. Our Lady of Akita, pray for them St. Peter Baptist, martyr and patron of Japan, pray for them St. Francis Xavier, patron of Japan, pray for them St. Paul Miki and companions, pray for them All Holy Martyrs of Japan, pray for them God our Father, you guide everything in wisdom and love. Accept... Read more
—Feast of St. Joseph There are scandals, and rumors of scandals and there always will be. To be tainted by scandal, whether you are wrongly accused or guilty, is really a no-win situation. How does one take on the burden of this situation? Christ was wrongly accused and He barely said a word to defend himself. But others have been wrongly accused and have borne their accusations in a similar manner.One of my favorite examples of this is from... Read more
This is another example of why I didn’t give up Facebook for Lent. I’d miss a lot of great things that friends are posting during this season of conversion and reflection. Like this great little video Fr. James Martin narrates about today’s saint whom we celebrate. St. Joseph, Patron Saint of the whole Church. Have a look. You’ll be glad you did. Read more
As I have alluded to before, our 11-year-old son and a classmate are up to their eyebrows in a project for National History Day, a task that has taken on a disproportionate amount of time, energy and angst in this household. The boys chose The Troubles in Northern Ireland as their topic and, in addition to interviewing a family friend who grew up Catholic in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, reading excerpts of President Clinton’s biography, trolling BBC websites and... Read more
Why I Am Catholic
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