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Lessons from the Newest Converts
I had the privilege of being a sponsor for an RCIA candidate at the Easter Vigil this year. My parish welcomed several individuals into the faith. Three received the sacrament of Baptism; others received First Communion and/or Confirmation. These adults provide such a powerful witness. They were excited and nervous prior to the ceremony and […]
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To Serve and Be Served
The scripture readings during the course of Holy Week offer several examples of service. On Holy Thursday, there is the beautiful image of Jesus washing the feet of his apostles (John 13:1-15). Here is the Son of God bending low to remove the dirt from his follower’s feet. He instructs his followers: “Do you realize […]
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The Value of Pain in the Spiritual Life
The Gospel for this week (John 11:1-45) shows Martha, a dear friend of Jesus, in great pain. Her brother Lazarus has just died and she holds Jesus accountable. “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Still, she trusts that He can make it right. “But even now I know that […]
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Book Review: Pathway to Our Hearts
Pathway to Our Hearts: A Simple Approach to Lectio Divina With the Sermon on the Mount by Archbishop Thomas Collins Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press, 2011 Archbishop Thomas Collins states “Lectio divina is a prayerful encounter with the word of God. By the ‘word of God,’ I do not mean simply the text of the […]
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Do We Allow People to Change?
The other night, I had the pleasure of watching “You Again,” a fun, lighthearted comedy that will appeal to anyone who ever found herself at the bottom of the social ladder in high school. Featuring such stars as Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Kristen Bell, and Betty White, it explores what happens when women are […]
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Book Review: New Mom’s Prayer Bible
New Mom’s Prayer Bible: Encouragement for Your First Year Together Zondervan Press If you have a Protestant friend or family member who is expecting or recently given birth, The “New Mom’s Prayer Bible” would make a lovely gift. It can be so hard to focus on one’s spiritual life during those sleep-deprived emotionally exhausting days […]
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Get Out of Your Spiritual Comfort Zone!
I am a creature of habit. I tend to exercise the same way, eat the same things, and engage in the same activities. When I go for a walk, I usually take the same route. My work, though varied, normally involves the same type of tasks. I get up and go to bed at the […]
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Book Review: “The Power of the Sacraments”
The Power of the Sacraments by Sr. Briege McKenna, O.S.C. Cincinnati, OH: Servant Books, 2010 The first thing one notices about “The Power of the Sacraments” by Sr. Briege McKenna is its size. This is a small book – a mere 64 pages. Does it actually have something new and valuable to say about the […]
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Book Review: “Flight Plan: Your Mission to Become a Man”
Flight Plan by Lee Burns & Braxton Brady PDS Publishing, 2010 Obviously, I have little first-hand knowledge of the challenges that come with growing from a boy to a man, yet I am in charge of raising two boys who will all too soon be facing this transition. It is through those eyes that I […]
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Depending on God
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick –no food, no sack, no money in […]