The joy of conversion, Christian community, and the Catholic faith
Isaiah 62:1-5; Ps 96:1-3, 7-10; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; John 2:1-11 It isn’t often that we speak about God’s power and gifts given to us. In Revelation 22:1-2, St. John had his last vision of heaven. He saw “living water” flowing from beneath the throne of God the father and Jesus. That water went through the...
Exodus 20:1-17; Ps 19:8-11; 1 Corinthians 1:22-25; John 2:13-25 The first theme this week is the 10 Commandments. The first three are God-centered. 1) "I am the Lord your God you shall not have strange gods before or along side of Me." 2)"You shall not take the Name of the Lord, your God in vain."...
Memorial of Pope St. John Paul II,1920-2005 How do I summarize the life of the second longest reigning pope in Church history? He was born Karol Wojtyla in Wadowice, Poland. He lost both of his parents and older brother before he was 21. World War II cut his promising academic career short. While working, Karol...
Editors Note: In his conversion story, Thirst for Reverence, Karl Erickson described his journey home to the Catholic Church. Here he shares how the obstacles were met and resolved in his heart. I’d like to address six areas that were pivotal in my acceptance of the Catholic Church as the one and true church established by...
(At CatholicMom.com our Lawn Chair Catechism lesson for this week from Sherry Waddell’s “Forming Intentional Disciples” is Chapter 7: The Third Threshold: Openness.) Openness to change, although applauded in our culture, takes courage. We fear what we will lose. We fear what we might need to do. Our comfort zone is so, well, so comfortable....
The upstairs windows are washed, and the glass and crystal knick-knacks on the top of the sash and sill have been wiped off. Looking out, I notice the seventy-foot maple in the neighbor’s yard is tipped in dark red. Within a week, it will flash its fall color, a glowing dark-orange. In front of the...
September 24, 2012 WASHINGTON—To honor the fiftieth anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and the twentieth anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI has announced a Year of Faith, starting October 11 and ending November 24, 2013. The goal is to strengthen the faith of Catholics and draw the world...
I came out of the Trade Show at the recent conference for Catholic writers, bloggers, podcasters and marketers, looking for a quick lunch. I ordered a box lunch and joined two writers on a long bench in the hall near the concession stand. They left just as a concession worker brought my box lunch. Across...