Blogposts

“The Most Important Person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral -a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby’s body. . . The angels have not been blessed with such a grace. They cannot share in God’s creative miracle to bring new saints to Heaven. Only a human mother can. Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other creature; God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation. .. What on God’s good earth is more glorious than this: to be a mother?” ~ Venerable Jozsef Cardinal Mindszenty

The Conclave to elect the next Vicar of Christ, Successor of St. Peter, will take place on May 7. Prayer is vital for the Cardinal-Electors, those Cardinals under the age of 80. We need to especially ask the prayers of the Blessed Virgin, Mother of the Church, to whose Motherhood May is dedicated, for the Pope we need in these times of fracture, doctrinal confusion, and scandal in the Church, although we should keep this observation of St. John Henry Cardinal Newman in mind as we think about the state of the Church:

‘Unshakable’ Rationalist Blogged Her Way into the Church Jennifer Fulwiler “always thought it was obvious that God did not exist.” Fulwiler grew up a content-atheist. Having a profound respect for knowledge, particularly scientific knowledge, Fulwiler was convinced that religion and reason were incompatible. Not surprisingly, she was also emphatically anti-Christian and, especially, anti-Catholic. “Catholic beliefs seemed bizarre and weird,” she says. Fulwiler would have been astonished to know that she and Joe Fulwiler, her husband, would come to embrace those “bizarre,” “weird” beliefs. On Easter 2007, they entered the Catholic Church with deep joy and a sense of coming home — and a blog aided their conversion. Register (National Catholic Register) correspondent Nona Aguilar spoke to Jennifer Fulwiler about the couple’s unexpected journey.

As we approach Holy Week and the holiest days of the Church-Year it’s good to reflect on the meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection and the mission of the Church. Canon Law reminds us: The Supreme Law is the salvation of souls. Canon 1752.

“The salvation of souls. How often do we hear this language in the Church today? Not very often, I am afraid. And yet that is the very mission of the Church! … Bishop Alexander Sample, Archbishop of Portland Oregon.

The White Rose (German: Weiße Rose) was a non-violent, intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany which was led by five students and one professor at the University of Munich: Willi Graf, Kurt Huber, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmorell, Hans Scholl and Sophie Scholl. The group conducted an anonymous leaflet and graffiti campaign that called for active opposition to the Nazi regime.

Chastity is an inner state of beauty and harmony developed by self-retraint, intentional prayer, and grace. - www.woveninhislove.org

Chastity has almost become a taboo for those in the Church who are calling for a change in the Catholic doctrine on sexuality. Change to be blunt is a euphemism for those who reject the Church’s teachings on sexuality and think they have the power to overrule the Scriptures and what has been handed down by the Apostles on questions of sexual morality. Every bishop takes an oath to uphold Catholic teaching.

Hearing (Mark 8:34ff), the following hard words of Jesus hit home: For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

For many contemporary Catholics, denying Jesus takes the form not of apostasy under duress but of "being ashamed" of him and his words -- not frequently, perhaps, but on those occasions when they are anxious not to appear uncouth or ignorant or in the grip of unfashionable moral hang-ups. Business luncheons, faculty receptions, parties can, by more subtle means, accomplish what Tyburn* and the Coliseum could not.

Satan makes his presence universal, either directly or through demons or through perverse men-sending some to this city or to that, throughout the whole world, so that no province, no place, no state of life, no single person is overlooked. Consider the text: “Enraged at her [the Virgin Mary’s] escape the dragon went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep God’s commandments and give witness to Jesus.” (emphasis added) Fr Andre Ravier S.J. The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius

Mark 10:28 Peter began to say to him, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you." 29 Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many that are first will be last, and the last first." The numbers in the illustration below stand for countries

Infertility is a real, heartbreaking and increasingly common struggle for couples. Almost 20% of U.S. married couples have experienced infertility. Ethical restorative reproductive medicine that takes a comprehensive and holistic approach is often able to authentically heal the underlying conditions causing infertility. Restorative reproductive medicine is typically overlooked (and, unfortunately, it can take significant work to find a provider). A number of national Natural Family Planning (NFP) education organizations can assist married couples with a list of medical professionals who provide restorative reproductive medicine. NFP organizations can be found on the USCCB’s website or through an online-search. usccb.org All human life takes place at conception, a distinct human being made in the image and likeness of God