Keep Christ in Christmas by Celebrating Advent

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St. Nicholas: The Story of the Real Santa Claus

Take back Christmas by preparing your heart to receive Christ. The commercialization of Christmas has hit a new low. Last year, Dr. Pia de Solenni joked about the possibility of trick-or-treaters receiving candy canes. This year, it actually happened to our daughter; first stop, no less! Should I really be surprised? For my part, I recently received my first say-Merry-Christmas-not-happy-holidays email forward, assuring me the “Keep the Christ in Christmas” movement is still alive and … [Read more...]

Catholic Church in the Crosshairs

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Image by Lawrence OP, used under Flickr Creative Commons License

Obama administration empowers dissident Catholics to represent the Church, tries to shift conversation from religious freedom to contraception. “Click, click.” Did you hear that? It’s the sound of the Obama administration taking aim at the Catholic Church. I’m sure there are some who disagree with me, who want me to just relax and stop with the conspiracy theory nonsense. I won’t. According to Fr. Jesus Urteaga, “If we love truth, we must learn to defend it against all attack.” Make … [Read more...]

Ash Wednesday: Begin Again

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Begin Again

Lent, a season particularly focused on renewal and conversion, begins today.  Flip through the pages of most current home and garden magazines and you will easily find articles with tips for spring-cleaning. I recently found an article titled, “Spring Clean Your Finances.” The first paragraph read, “Spring is the season of renewal --- the time to get out the gardening tools, begin a new exercise program, or tackle the dirt that’s accumulated in the house.” Let’s focus on that first line: … [Read more...]

Building a Pro-Life Culture in Honor of the Millions Never Born

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The Child Who Was Never Born

On the 39th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade, in remembrance of the 51 million children lost to abortion . . . "Along with the work of advocacy, and the importance of our vote, in the struggle to secure the rights of the unborn I urge us all to embrace the truth of what it means to be human in our own lives.  Never forget, we have been made by love, for love. In your families --- strive for compassion and for mercy.  In your neighborhoods --- look for ways in which you can reach out to the most … [Read more...]

Going to See Jesus!

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advent-week-2-300x214

Advent Week 2 Reflection: Occupy the Confessional We’re going to see Jesus!” my then two-year old daughter joyfully proclaimed as we entered the church parking lot on the morning of the first Sunday in Advent. My husband Joel and I, a little surprised yet proud of her recognition, chuckled and agreed, “Yes, we ARE going to see Jesus!”  How fitting her proclamation was at a time when we are especially called to joyfully prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus Christ. If you were planning … [Read more...]

Occupy Advent

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The Nativity

Take back Christmas by preparing your heart to receive Christ. Like homecoming weekend in a college town, there are currently no vacancies. Everything, it seems, is occupied. Occupy Wall Street. Occupy San Francisco. Occupy DC. Begun as Occupy Dataran in Kuala Lumpur in late July, the Occupy movement has spread around globe like wildfire in just over three months. “The 99%” seem intent on taking back financial and government institutions that have apparently been corrupted by the minority … [Read more...]

Holding Back and Hurting Ourselves

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Who are we really hurting?

September 11, 2011: Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Have you ever held a grudge? C'mon, who among us hasn't? When we have been wronged, our first instinct is usually to get angry. Our second instinct then is to hold onto our anger, because we somehow feel justified in doing so. Forgiveness comes later, much later if we've been deeply hurt. Sometimes, forgiveness never comes. In contrast, "The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion" (Ps 103). So, what is the price … [Read more...]

The Curious Case of the Cursing Catholic Coach

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Notre Dame Head Football Coach Brian Kelly

How should Catholics respond when other Catholics publicly misrepresent the Church? That's really the fundamental question. It has been before American Catholics ever since September 12, 1960 when John F. Kennedy, in a televised speech in Houston, essentially disavowed the influence of the Catholic faith on his political choices. With regard to politicians, U.S. bishops have increasingly taken them to task for publicly touting their Catholicity while simultaneously undermining the Church by … [Read more...]

They Know Not What They Do

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MosesGoldenCalf

September 12, 2010: 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time The daily Mass readings this past week urged us to conduct our affairs in a manner pleasing to God. In 1 Corinthians, St. Paul urged us to purge immorality from our lives (Mon.), deal justly with one another (Tue.), refrain from idolatry (Thu.), exercise discipline (Fri.), and respect the Eucharist (Sat.).  Given we often fall short at one time or another, how fitting it is to begin this week with an unmistakable reminder of God's mercy! The … [Read more...]