24th
May 2013
A few weeks ago on my birthday, a bunch of friends and I got together for drinks and excess amounts of various desserts. The conversation ranged from how on earth the wine bottle chandelier was constructed (I figured it out after about an hour) (everyone else seemed to not be mystified by it at all), to my friend’s inspiring interview that day with an ex-prostitute, to clothing, to chocolate. We finally settled in on a vibrant discussion of gender identity. One ... (Continue reading)
When I was growing up, my immature self believed that the family rosary was something that had to be endured. Through no fault of my parents, the nightly ritual was anything but idyllic. My siblings and I were called into our parents' bedroom where we knelt facing the crucifix. My older brother and I would sneak jabs and pokes at each other and then my mother would scold and separate us. I would often rush through the responses hoping that ... (Continue reading)
"I'm heartbroken to announce that last week, we discovered a crushed consecrated Host beneath one of the kneelers," the pastor of a small yet devout Californian parish says. He pauses for a moment before he goes on, his voice choked by just indignation and sadness: "This is God, people. God." Then he drops the bomb. "I'm writing to Pope Francis to do away with the practice of Communion in the hand altogether. I believe most of the abuses and blasphemies ... (Continue reading)
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. - Martin Luther King Jr. In his recent homily, Pope Francis recommends an approach to evangelization that is so radical, it is sure to make all comfortable Catholics cringe. Brace yourselves: it actually involves—gasp!—talking about Religion, even if that makes us seem annoying! I know, I know. No one wants to be that Christian, the buzz kill who somehow manages to ... (Continue reading)
Several years ago, when I was working on a community theatre project, I overheard two little girls having a conversation about wishes. They were clearly friends, perhaps seven or eight years old, and the conversation began somewhere along these lines: “When you see a falling star, you have to make a wish, and it will come true.” “My granny told me never to make wishes because they don’t come true.” At the time, I was pretty sure that this was the saddest thing ... (Continue reading)
My friend blogged the other day about how her boys, when allowed to have whatever they want for breakfast on their birthday, choose cereal. Not just any cereal, but the type of cereal with so much sugar it makes your toes curl. They don’t want pancakes or waffles or strawberry-flavoured milk or ice cream—nope. It’s all about the “vitamin-enriched” bits of crunchy wheat, enhanced with green marshmallows or chunks of chocolate. What’s not to love? And so it is with my ... (Continue reading)
He gently leads his dad down the aisle. Mass is about to begin and he knows it will take a few minutes to get him settled. The son's hand firmly grasped around dad's elbow, they continue slowly, carefully, to their favourite pew. The younger instructs the elder to hold the back of the pew in front of him and he guides his father gently down into the seat. He places the sturdy cane on the floor and then helps dad ... (Continue reading)
"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." - Elizabeth Stone In conversations about abortion, many young women have admitted to me that if they became pregnant, they could never “give it up” for adoption. Their options, they said, would either be to “keep the baby” or abort “it” early in the pregnancy. As a pro-life activist, this statement doesn’t surprise me. However, as an ... (Continue reading)
First, a clarification: All moms work, whether they stay at home or go out and earn a paycheque. For this post, I am defining "working mom" as those of us who work outside the home. In the twenty-five years that I have been a mother, I have worked as a full-time and part-time RN. I was also a stay-at-home mom for a few years, homeschooling for three of those years. Currently I am an RN in independent practice and own a ... (Continue reading)
"Can a woman forget her nursing child, or have no compassion for the child of her womb?” (Isaiah 49:15) Can you imagine a woman who is just like any loving mother, except completely sinless? Can you imagine a woman so radiantly humble, so sweetly selfless, so perfectly pious? Is there any way for us to imitate such loveliness, despite our wretched inclination to sin? As the mother of Jesus, the daughter of the Father, and the spouse of the Holy Spirit, ... (Continue reading)
A few weeks ago on my birthday, a bunch of friends and I got together for drinks and ...
When I was growing up, my immature self believed that the family rosary was something that had to ...
"I'm heartbroken to announce that last week, we discovered a crushed consecrated Host beneath one of the kneelers," ...
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. - ...
Several years ago, when I was working on a community theatre project, I overheard two little girls having ...
A few weeks ago on my birthday, a bunch of friends and I got together ...
When I was growing up, my immature self believed that the family rosary was something ...
"I'm heartbroken to announce that last week, we discovered a crushed consecrated Host beneath one ...
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things ...
Several years ago, when I was working on a community theatre project, I overheard two ...
My friend blogged the other day about how her boys, when allowed to have whatever ...
He gently leads his dad down the aisle. Mass is about to begin and he ...
"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have ...
First, a clarification: All moms work, whether they stay at home or go out and ...
"Can a woman forget her nursing child, or have no compassion for the child of ...
A few months ago, my Herbalist folded her hands in her lap and looked at ...
One of the towns that my family frequently stays in is Alliance, Nebraska. It’s a ...
In light of the building collapse in Bangladesh, the media has turned to the ethics ...
I watched the YouTube videos and read the articles of Susan Griffiths' final ...
“Chastity charms: we hand out the little hearts, but not the key. That way, nobody ...