Realizing that his popularity may decline as the price of gasoline rises, President Obama is barnstorming the country, emphatically insisting that drilling for more oil isn’t the cure for high gas prices and that wind and solar energy represent our energy future. Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich recently challenged Obama, claiming that gas prices would fall […]
My second oldest, Sebastian, always gets his older brother Ezra’s hand-me-downs. One day I was telling them that in heaven we won’t need our earthly bodies, but will get new heavenly bodies. Immediately, with a look of disgust, Sebastian said, “Am I just going to get Ezra’s old one?” -Drea, mother of 4.
On March 19, speaking at a Morris Township, New Jersey Democratic Party fundraiser, Vice President Joe Biden provided what may be the mother of all election year bumper stickers when he asserted, “Osama Bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive. Think about it.” To help wrap our minds around these two facts, referring […]
They say what goes around comes around, or to paraphrase the Good Book, you reap what you sow. Nowhere is this more in evidence than in recent global data on abortion. For years, feminists have maintained that women will not be truly free or equal unless they are free to abort their unborn children. They have sought […]
Negotiations for a final document at the UN Commission on the Status of Women were supposed to end more than a week ago. However, they dragged on for another several days and resulted in a stinging defeat for the Obama administration and anger on the part of the developing world. The US was trying to […]
Recently, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius dropped her guard and gave the American people a good insight into how it is that Obamacare will ultimately stay solvent: The nonexistence of patients who, not being alive, cannot make claims upon the system. From CNSNews.com: During the subcommittee hearing, Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.) said that contraception provided by […]
I was at a cocktail party with my husband. “You don’t work?,” one woman said with pity in her voice, “ I could never stay at home and do nothing.” Do nothing? Really? I had to giggle. This woman obviously didn’t know my bursting-at-the-seams life of cleaning and cooking, gardening, driving, loving, meal planning, shopping, learning, writing, […]
My junior year of college I took a year off from my chemistry studies and went on an adventure. I spent a year studying English literature, philosophy and Latin at Blackfriars College, a part of University of Oxford. Academically, I got my butt handed to me. Once, after spending days poring over a philosophy text […]
Recently, as I was nursing my three-month-old son, I came across another writer taking yet another swipe at the Church and its position on the HHS health care mandate business. Just the week before, I also had seen an image, courtesy Planned Parenthood, which pictured five religious leaders, all men, as they testified before Congress […]
This story by Heather Gemmen Wilson is a dramatic testimony to the value of life–even life that results from a rape. It was featured in the Amazing Grace for Survivors book. It had been more than a year since Casey was stillborn, and it seemed Steve and I would never be able to have the third child […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22:8-9,17-20,23-24; Philippians 2:6-11; Mark 14:1–15:47) Opening Ourselves to God as We Contemplate Jesus’ Passion Crucify him! (Mark 15:13) St. Francis de Sales once wrote: “I especially commend earnest mental prayer . . . upon the life and Passion of our Lord. If you contemplate […]
Perception The cabin boy did his best As the wind tore at his clothes. The men said,”gods are angry, At whom, no one knows.” Awakened, Jonah stood there And he knew in his heart The Lord’s wrath for him Would cease if he departed. The boy prayed to his god But didn’t yet understand Why […]
“There’s trouble in Midgard again,” said the Watchman. “They need a Hero.””Very well,” replied the Director. “This is a job for Chase Hardrock.””But sir, Mr. Hardrock is out on leave.” “Balls. Send in Bob–from Accounting.” “Er. . . yes, sir.” And so, Bob from Accounting set out on his great Adventure. The Galleons had sailed when he came to the harbor, and he […]
My favorite food is peanut butter. I eat it every day. I don’t need bread or jelly—I eat it from the jar with a spoon. Every year I think about quitting during Lent but I never do. Like an addict, I cannot think about life without peanut butter but I know life cannot go […]
Some find it hard to accept that God would love some people more than others. That wouldn’t be fair, they say. But God became man. If he did not love some more than others, Jesus wouldn’t be fully human. For human beings have family and friends. While we can do good and even risk our […]
The United States burned diplomatic bridges during this year’s UN Commission on the Status of Women by using force and deception to pass an unpopular resolution calling for international access to contraception. Countries accused the US of manipulating the negotiations process from start to finish through proposing the initial text of the resolution on maternal […]
Santa Claus? Check. Easter Bunny? Check. Tooth Fairy? Check. Even Leprechauns. My 5-year-old believes in all these things. Yet last Sunday on the drive to Mass she announced: “I don’t think Jesus is real. I think he’s made up.” Wwwhat?! I thought I had till at least 10 or 12 before that started (or what […]
An Ode to the Mystery of the Trinity God Holy Jesus Mary is their love Jesus Mary Joseph The family of the Dove Jesus Mary Joseph God is their love God the Holy Trinity Family from heaven above These five are untied Mater Pater Son Who shall ponder this mystery? Beyond us it shall run […]
A cheerful crowd of young people with Down syndrome and their proud families filled a UN conference room on Wednesday to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day. Brazil and Poland hosted the event showcasing the achievements of differently-abled people who are allowed to live up to their potential. About 7 million people worldwide have Down syndrome, […]
The U.S. Supreme Court is now poised to review the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as “Obamacare.” The nine Justices will hear oral arguments totaling an unprecedented five-and-a-half hours beginning on March 26, 2012 and concluding on March 28. The usual allocation of time for Supreme Court oral arguments is just 60 […]
In his masterpiece, An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman at the age of fifteen describes his initial conversion toward the teachings of the Catholic Church where he, “Fell under the influences of a definite creed, and received into my intellect impressions of dogma, which, though God’s mercy, have […]
During Pope Benedict XVI’s General Audience on March 14 about praying with Mary, he pointed out times in Mary’s life that were pivotal to salvation history and in which she demonstrated particular aspects of prayer. When I read the Pope’s words, I was inspired to take them a step further and to explore ways in […]
I don’t recommend many movies, but today one that you really should see is coming into theaters nationwide. It’s called October Baby, and it deals in a masterful way with a difficult topic — abortion. Abortion is not and should not be an abstract debate. When I’m asked how the pro-life battle has evolved over […]
God’s Grandeur The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod? Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared […]
