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Dealing with Distraction in Prayer
Perhaps somewhere out there are women who can completely empty their minds and focus totally on God. I’m sorry to say that I am not one of them – never have been. Just by way of example, there are times I have said an entire rosary and realized at the end of it that my […]
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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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Book Review: Partners in Holiness
Partners in Holiness: Guardian Angels in the Lives of the Saints by Melaine Ryther I have always found stories of Guardian Angels fascinating. For this reason, I was very excited to have the opportunity to review “Partners in Holiness,” a new ebook by Melaine Ryther that focuses on the role of Guardian Angels in 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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Why Giving Something Up for Lent Matters
It’s a common question: Why would you want to give something up for Lent when you could do something positive instead? After all, shouldn’t Lent be a time of self-improvement? Shouldn’t we pray more? Give more away? Be kinder, more patient, and more willing to forgive? Yes! Yes! and Yes! We should absolutely do all […]
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Book Review: “Fragments of Your Ancient Name”
Fragments of Your Ancient Name: 365 Glimpses of the Divine for Daily Meditation by Joyce Rupp Notre Dame: Sorin Books, 2011 Litanies, or the repeating of various names of Jesus or Mary, as a form of prayer has a long tradition in the Catholic Church. In “Fragments of Your Ancient Name,” Joyce Rupp explores 365 […]
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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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Are You Thinking About Homeschooling?
Even though September seems a long ways away, this is the time of year when academic decisions for next school year are often made. Are you considering homeschooling next year? Perhaps it is an idea you have been considering for a long time, or maybe you recently met someone who homeschools and you want to […]