‘Accepting the Gift’ in Review
Catholic . Parenting . SMA PostsWhat great weight is lifted off one’s shoulders when a major project finally comes to completion. I spent all of last Sunday walking around and smiling and remarking to Tony, “I’m no longer planning a conference!” Of course on Monday I dove into video editing, and by Wednesday I was making notes for another event,
Your Child Can Attend the Catholic College of Your Dreams
Catholic . HumorEveryone is talking about the college bribing scandal, and the lengths some wealthy parents went to to secure their childrens’ admission into a few Ivy League schools. Although somewhat shocking, we need to admit that nothing is more important than enrolling our children into top schools by any means necessary. As Catholics, we know it’s
Just Tell Me What To Do Already!
CatholicLong time readers will know that typically every Lent I try to challenge myself with some extreme diet or mortification, then spend several weeks writing about how I’m such a lousy Catholic because I can’t do this crazy, self imposed fast/diet/penance. This year, as Lent approached, I got antsy. I didn’t know what I wanted
#sackclothandashes And Action
CatholicToday begins the #sackclothandashes campaign founded by my good friends Kendra and Bonnie. I invite you to join along with us for 40 days of fasting and prayer in reparation for the sins committed against the faithful of the Church by those who should have been leading it. While it would be easy to
#31DaysofMary Stops in China, Plus Updates On The Boys
31 Days of Mary . Catholic . Seven Quick TakesMay is always a crazy month. October is also a crazy month, but I seem to always remember that. The constant running around that is May, always sneaks up on me. I’ll document a bit of the madness for posterity and be sure to share a new Marian title in the process. I am a
#31DaysofMary: Our Lady of Africa
31 Days of Mary . CatholicOur Lady of Africa Title given to a miraculous bronze statue of Our Lady, housed in the Basilique Notre Dame d’Afrique in Algiers, Algeria In the time of Constantine, northern Africa was Christianized along with the rest of the Roman Empire. St. Augustine was from this area. In time, this land fell under Muslim control and it
#31DaysofMary: Our Lady of Altotting
31 Days of Mary . CatholicOur Lady of Altotting (sometimes spelled Altoetting) Miraculous Black Madonna statue placed in the Chapel of Grace, Altotting, Germany in 1330 The Chapel of Grace in Altotting, marks the spot where St. Rupert baptized the first Christian Duke of Bavaria. An octogonal baptismal chapel was built to commemorate the event. Although the original chapel was destroyed, the
#31DaysofMary: Our Lady of Mariazell
31 Days of Mary . CatholicOur Lady of Mariazell, Austria In 1157 Our Lady dramatically answered the prayer of a Benedictine monk named Magnus by splitting a huge rock formation in two. While walking through the forest of what’s now Austria, a Benedictine monk named Magnus sought the perfect location for his hermitage. He came upon a rock formation too
#31DaysofMary: Our Lady of Le Puy en Velay
31 Days of Mary . CatholicOur Lady of Le Puy en Velay Apparition which appeared twice in Haute-Loire, France Around 250, Our Lady appeared to a sick, recently converted Christian woman in Velay, now part of modern France, and told her to visit Mount Anis and lay on a large flagstone. She did this, and upon arising was found to be
#31DaysofMary: Our Lady of Aparecida
31 Days of Mary . CatholicOur Lady of the Conception Aparecida, or simply Our Lady of Aparecida Miraculous statue venerated in Brazil, originally fished out of the water in 1717. Three fisherman from the small town of Guarantinqueta had been charged with the task of catching a large number of fish for an upcoming banquet. Before setting out on their
#31DaysofMary: Our Lady of Octlan
31 Days of Mary . CatholicYes, I’m a bit behind, and maybe you’ve noticed I’m backdating these posts….don’t judge me! We’ll continue our travels with Mary and hit 31 days one way or another! Our Lady of Ocotlan Apparition of Our Lady that appeared in Tiaxcala, Mexico in 1541 Many Catholics are familiar with Our Lady of
#31DaysofMary in Equador
31 Days of Mary . CatholicOur Lady of Good Success, Ecuador Apparition of Our Lady that appeared to Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres at her Conceptionist Royal Convent in Quito, Ecuador in 1594 In 1577, 13-year-old Mariana de Jesus Torres traveled from Spain to Ecuador with a group of religious sisters to found a new convent in Quito. By the