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The Practicing Catholic

Intentionally, joyfully living the faith ... we hope.

Reconciliation

Keep Christ in Christmas by Celebrating Advent

December 3, 2012 by Deacon Joel Schmidt Leave a Comment
St. Nicholas: The Story of the Real Santa Claus

Has the commercialization of Christmas turned you into Scrooge? Rather than just making lists, baking cookies, hanging stockings, and wrapping presents, spend some time preparing your heart for the birth of our Savior by actually celebrating Advent. Here are some practical suggestions.

Posted in: Faith, Family, Schmidt, Joel Tagged: Adoration, Advent, Christ the King, Christmas, Elderly, Family, Gospel, Happy Holidays, Homeless, iPad, iTunes, Joy, Magi, Magnificat Advent Companion, Manger, Merry Christmas, Nativity, Old School, Peace, Pia de Solenni, poor, Reconciliation, Saint Nicholas of Myra, Service, Technology, Thanksgiving, Unplug, Volunteer, Wait

Catholic Church in the Crosshairs

March 7, 2012 by Deacon Joel Schmidt 4 Comments

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 … [Read more…]

Posted in: Schmidt, Joel Tagged: abortion, Catholic Church, Contraception, Department of Justice, Ethics, Fellowship of Catholic University Students, First Amendment, FOCUS, Joe Biden, Kathleen Sebelius, Nancy Pelosi, Natural Family Planning, NFP, Notre Dame, Obama Administration, Obammunism, One-Child Policy, Planned Parenthood, Prolife, Reconciliation, The Family Plan, Tim Murphy, Timothy Cardinal Dolan, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, University of Texas, US Constitution, White House, Women's Health, Women's Rights

Ash Wednesday: Begin Again

February 22, 2012 by Lisa Schmidt 3 Comments

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 … [Read more…]

Posted in: Faith, Schmidt, Lisa Tagged: Ash Wednesday, Catholic, Confession, Fasting, Lent, Penitence, Prayer, Reconciliation, Renewal, Saint Teresa of Avila, saints, Word on Fire

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

January 23, 2012 by Lisa Schmidt 2 Comments

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 … [Read more…]

Posted in: Schmidt, Lisa Tagged: abortion, Made by love fore love, March For Life, Meaning of Life, mercy, Needy, patience, Prayer Service for Life, Prolife, Reconciliation, Roe v Wade, St. Paul Minneapolis, Vote

Going to See Jesus!

December 3, 2011 by Lisa Schmidt 1 Comment

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 … [Read more…]

Posted in: Faith, Family, Schmidt, Lisa Tagged: Advent, Catholic, Confession, Mark 13, Occupy Advent, Prepare the Way, Reconciliation, Repent

Occupy Advent

November 23, 2011 by Deacon Joel Schmidt 5 Comments

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 … [Read more…]

Posted in: Faith, Schmidt, Joel Tagged: Adoration, Advent, Christ the King, Christmas, Elderly, Family, Gospel, Happy Holidays, Homeless, iPad, iTunes, Joy, Judgment of Nations, Kuala Lumpur, Magi, Magnificat Advent Companion, Manger, Merry Christmas, Nativity, Occupy Advent, Occupy Dataran, Occupy DC, Occupy San Francisco, Occupy Wall Street, Old School, Peace, Pia de Solenni, poor, Reconciliation, Saint Nicholas of Myra, Service, Technology, Thanksgiving, The 99%, Unplug, Volunteer, Wait

Holding Back and Hurting Ourselves

September 9, 2011 by Deacon Joel Schmidt Leave a Comment

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 … [Read more…]

Posted in: Faith, Schmidt, Joel Tagged: Communion, Debt, Ego, forgiveness, Grudge, Healing, Judgment, justice, Kindness, love, Martyr, mercy, Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, Paul, Peter, Psalm 103, Reconciliation, Resentment, Revenge, Romans, sacrament, sin, Sirach, Trespass, Wisdom

The Curious Case of the Cursing Catholic Coach

September 7, 2011 by Deacon Joel Schmidt 8 Comments

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 … [Read more…]

Posted in: Schmidt, Joel Tagged: cross, Example, Ezekiel, Fidelity, Football, Frank Leahy, Greg Pollowitz, JFK, John F. Kennedy, Knute Rockne, Lou Holtz, Luke, Matt Archbold, Mission, Moral, National Catholic Register, National Review Online, Notre Dame, Politics, Public, Reconciliation, sacrament, sin, Social, witness, Woody Hayes

They Know Not What They Do

September 13, 2010 by Deacon Joel Schmidt 1 Comment

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 … [Read more…]

Posted in: Faith, Schmidt, Joel Tagged: Catholic, Confession, conscience, Father, forgiveness, Golden Calf, Holy Spirit, ignorance, love, mercy, Moses, Reconciliation, relationship, sacrament
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