Archive for October, 2013

Like Your Plan Keep Your Plan - Obama
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Why President Obama Lied

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A 1994 TV ad explains much.

Plan, Be Realistic, and Take the Shot
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Plan, Be Realistic, and Take the Shot

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I’ve been traveling. A lot. Heaps, you might say, for those Down Under. I’ve learned three important life lessons in my travels this past three months during all the travel on which I’ve embarked for Little Flower Strategies. There’s been, in fact, more than three lessons, to be sure. Out of respect for your time, I’m […]

Contraception Does Not “Empower” Our Youth – A Conversion Story
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Contraception Does Not “Empower” Our Youth – A Conversion Story

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I visited St. Pius High School last week, located on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to teach about 100 students a sex education lesson focused on chastity. The headmaster of the school invited me to come give this lesson as the parents wanted teaching that reflects their traditional and faith values. Children in […]

A Singular Vocation
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A Singular Vocation

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When my fiancé and I were still just dating, we approached our priest and spiritual director and asked him how we might discern if we were called to marriage together. He leaned back in his chair and said, “You have to know how to pray, and what to ask when you pray.” Father went on […]

Choose Your Costume Wisely
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Choose Your Costume Wisely

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Halloween is the only time of year when adults take seriously the idea of spending a night in public as someone or something different.  Whatever their reasons (e.g. cultural tradition, social engagement, etc.), they seem to revel in stalking the streets in costumes and cosmetics that they wouldn’t normally where in order to score some […]

The Communion of the Holy: True Consolation of Our Faith
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The Communion of the Holy: True Consolation of Our Faith

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“The communion of the holy”, one of the most beautiful aspects of our faith, as it was defined by Pope Francis, was the theme of the catechesis of this Wednesday’s general audience, which took place in St. Peter’s Square and was attended by more than 80,000 people. The communion of the holy consists of two […]

Can Obamacare Inform Us If a Plan Covers Abortion?  Sebelius Unsure
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Can Obamacare Inform Us If a Plan Covers Abortion? Sebelius Unsure

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During testimony this morning before the House Energy & Commerce Committee, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said she doesn’t know whether the administration can commit to ensuring that Americans seeking to purchase health insurance under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) exchanges can be told which plans do or do not cover abortion. Rep. […]

Miracles, Faith and Abandonment
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Miracles, Faith and Abandonment

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Not too long ago, I came across two seemingly different perspectives on the relationship between God’s action in our lives and our faithfulness.  This question had been on my mind lately.  After four years of infertility and now some roadblocks in the process of adoption, I’m starting to wonder “What gives?”  I’m sure it’s a reflection […]

Love is Not a Union of Opinions
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Love is Not a Union of Opinions

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People have strong opinions.  And with a strong opinion comes a definite sense of being right. Sadly, in the dating process, too many singles believe that they have not found love if they are dating someone who has different opinions.  In other words, love is about having the same opinions. But love is the union […]

Reflections for Sunday, November 3, 2013
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Reflections for Sunday, November 3, 2013

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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Wisdom 11:22–12:2; Psalm 145:1-2,8-11,13-14; 2 Thessalonians 1:11–2:2; Luke 19:1-10) Loving Others as Jesus Has Loved You He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner. (Luke 19:7) When Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, he made it clear that it […]

The Trainwreck: Obamacare System Down
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The Emperor Has No Clothes

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“Obamacare isn’t a political abstraction any longer. Its success doesn’t depend on spin or solidarity. What matters for the law — and for the people who are depending on it — is how well it actually works. So far, it’s not working well at all.” So concludes Washington Post columnist Ezra Klein (no Obama antagonist) […]

Poem: "Going to Heaven!"
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Poem: “Going to Heaven!”

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Going to Heaven! I don’t know when- Pray do not ask me how! Indeed I’m too astonished To think of answering you! Going to Heaven! How dim it sounds! And yet it will be done As sure as flocks go home at night Unto the Shepherd’s arm! Perhaps you’re going too! Who knows? If you […]

Mottos - Truman - Obama
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Presidential Mottos

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Out of the loop.

Satirical Halloween Costumes
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Satirical Halloween Costumes

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“The wife and I came up with so many Halloween costume ideas this year to satirize Washington politicians, but we aren’t sure which to choose.” “You speak of a relatively recent trend in which adults pick or create Halloween costumes that mock or satirize current events and popular culture. Robert Thompson, a pop-culture expert and […]

Baseball Park - PNC Park, Pittsburgh
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Bonding Over Baseball

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Baseball still brings friends and families together.

Political Amendments: Struble versus Levin (part 4)
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Political Amendments: Struble versus Levin (part 4)

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Go to part 1, part 2, Part 3, Part 5 More than two months after publication, Levin’s book, Liberty Amendments, continues on the New York Times bestseller list.*  At the outset the reader encounters an earnest and persuasive appeal on behalf of an Article V “convention for proposing Amendments.” Levin then proceeds to propose an […]

African Girl Brought to UK for Organ Harvesting
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African Girl Brought to UK for Organ Harvesting

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This is so horrific and evil that it almost defies reason. Officials have rescued a girl from Somalia that was brought to the UK to harvest her organs. They are sure that this is not an isolated incidence. The Telegraph has the story: The unnamed girl was brought to the UK from Somalia with the […]

Liturgical Parenting
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Liturgical Parenting

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Liturgy is a lot like parenting. No. Liturgy IS parenting. Jesus Christ is the groom and His Church the bride. Together they have done a wonderful job of cosmically birthing a multitude of Christians. In an effort to raise their children to the heights of charitable virtue, they provided us with the rhythmic order of […]

Ferial Day
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Ferial Day

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When Headlines Lie
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When Headlines Lie

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We all know headlines are meant to sell news, so we are right to read articles through a discerning lens and even some healthy skepticism. We are also wise to consider the source. Is this a trusted reporter? Is this a reliable journal, paper, or author? You can imagine my sense of outrage when last […]

The Christian Family Experiences Joy in Faith
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The Christian Family Experiences Joy in Faith

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The readings this Sunday invite us to reflect on some basic features of the Christian family. 1. First: the family prays. The Gospel passage speaks about two ways of praying, one is false – that of the Pharisee – and the other is authentic – that of the tax collector. The Pharisee embodies an attitude […]

Russia - "If You Want to Find God, Then Go to the Children's Hospice"
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Russia – “If You Want to Find God, Then Go to the Children’s Hospice”

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The first ever hospice in Russia for children with terminal illnesses is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The project was started by the Russian Orthodox priest Aleksandr Tkachenko, who came recently to visit the international headquarters of the Catholic pastoral charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) in the town of Königstein, near […]

'Intact' Killing Deemed Inactionable
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‘Intact’ Killing Deemed Inactionable

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Earlier this year a 29-year-old expectant mother entered the abortion facility operated by infamous abortionist LeRoy Carhart. She was seeking Carhart’s surgical expertise in ending the life of the 33-week-old baby she was carrying in her womb. The woman’s name was Jennifer Morbelli; her daughter’s name was Madison Leigh—a name chosen by Jennifer and her husband. Subsequent to […]

Preparing for All Saints' Day
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Preparing for All Saints’ Day

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As each of my kids approached mid-fall of their second grade year, an excitement comes over me in anticipation of the Saint project!  My oldest son had a thing for St. Francis.  He loved animals and thought that Francis was the man for him.  We read up on the saint’s life, found a hooded brown robe, tied a rope around […]