Today both the Western and Eastern churches observe the Feast of St. Andrew, which commemorates the martyrdom of this Jewish fisherman.  In Scotland, where Saint Andrew is the patron saint, this is their national holiday. Saint Andrew was Saint Peter’s younger brother and the first of Christ’s apostles. Saint Andrew’s name, which is of Greek origin, means “manhood.” How fitting that St. Andrew’s Christmas Novena begins today and ends Christmas Eve. Normally a novena is prayed over a period of time... Read more

Feast of St. Saturninus  I’m not even going to try and squeeze all of the good out of the Beatles in this post. It simply can’t be done. It’s not even remotely possible. Sure, maybe Rolling Stone magazine (or these guys) could come up with the definitive Beatles play list, but why would you believe it? I mean, on what authority? I’m just glad the Vatican gave them the big thumbs up sign! So forget all about picking the “best... Read more

Last Thanksgiving, let’s see…yes that was on November 26, 2009,— I received an e-mail from Webster Bull asking me if I would consider sharing my conversion story with the readers of this blog. I had been pointed towards YIMCatholic from either Patrick McNamara’s blog, or Deacon Greg Kandra’s blog (I don’t really remember which one), and I enjoyed what I had found here.  I was a new(ish) Catholic myself and I had started poking around in the blog-o-sphere looking for kindred... Read more

First Sunday of Advent  Tonight, as darkness fell outside, I sat beside my husband of 17 years at the Vigil Mass for the First Sunday of Advent. Before Mass began, I thumbed through the readings. I usually do this. Sunday’s Gospel reading from Matthew shook me up because it brought back a difficult chapter of my family’s life. Christ, speaking to his disciples on the Mount of Olives, tells us: “Two men will be out in the field; one will... Read more

Writer Julie Cragon runs the Saint Mary’s Bookstore in Nashville, Tennessee. She shares with us this reflection from her blog. Guest Post by Julie CragonSister Sally, a Daughter of Charity, came by the store the day before Thanksgiving and was jumping out of her skin to tell us a story about the “Spirit of the Season.” She came to the register at the bookstore and I immediately tried to help and screwed up her order for 10 minutes. Finally we... Read more

As Christians prepare for the First Sunday of Advent, we also are heading into the Christmas shopping season. It’s important we consider where our dollars are going. My friend Judy and I had the opportunity the other night to attend a Fair Trade Christmas Sale sponsored by the Diocese of Metuchen. The diocese didn’t charge a dime to the fledgling entrepreneurs from the Intersect Fund who had set up tables at the fair. Judy and I were both delighted to... Read more

Tonight, after a scrumptious Thanksgiving meal my husband and our 14-year-old son prepared, we popped in a DVD of Twilight Zone’s first season in 1959. For those of you too young to remember, Rod Serling hosted and narrated this Emmy-award winning TV show, which ran for five seasons. Both my husband and I were born too late to watch the original shows, but we fondly remember watching the Saturday night reruns on New York’s WPIX as teenagers, and are enjoying... Read more

A Thanksgiving by Blessed John Henry Newman “Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.” Lord, in this dust thy sovereign voice First quickened love divine; I am all thine,—thy care and choice, My very praise is thine. I praise Thee, while thy providence In childhood frail I trace, For blessings given, ere dawning sense Could seek or scan thy grace; Blessings in boyhood’s marvelling hour; Bright dreams, and fancyings strange ; Blessings, when reason’s awful power Gave thought a bolder range;... Read more

Feast of Pope St. Clement I Today is the feast day of the third (or fourth?) pope of The Church. Clement left one of the first patristric writings when he wrote letters from his office in Rome to the church in Corinth. But what else is known about him? The first source I saw, from the good folks over at Universalis, said that nothing certain is known of his life. Looking for a little bit more than the terse paragraph they... Read more

Feast of St. Cecilia, Patron Saint of Music Around this time of the year, my appreciation for classical music rises to the surface. I don’t know if it is because of the change of seasons, or whether it is the “fall back” move on our clocks. Perhaps it’s because the days are getting shorter and the nights longer now that “daylight savings time” is over. I’m a simple man, and I would be quickly found a liar if I tried... Read more