In an effort to grab a bigger piece of Holiday Shopper Pie, major retailers have altered their “after Thanksgiving” hours such that they’ve begun to cut deeper into the Thanksgiving Holiday itself. In recent years, chains such as Target, Kohls, Macy’s, Wal-Mart, and Best Buy had opened their doors to customers in the wee hours […]
Organ-robbing is something that, in polite company, is referred to as organ donation or organ removal from a “dead” body or some similar term. The idea is to persuade the public that donating a vital organ is a brilliant idea, and since the person making the donation is dead, who’s to care? Well, folks, you […]
For years, the Geron Corporation has been touting its embryonic stem cell program as the future of regenerative medicine. Just last year, it became the first company to begin human trials on a treatment derived from embryonic stem cells. This Monday, however, citing financial constraints as the primary reason, Geron announced that it has terminated these […]
It’s good news or bad news, depending on the headline. Last week, Census Bureau statistics on the percentage of working new mothers who receive paid maternity leave prompted two kinds of stories. There’s the “glass is half full” variety, such as this one from parents.com: “Census Report: Over half of working mothers get paid leave.” […]
I have great love for Mary of Nazareth, the God-bearer, whose womb housed Divine Wisdom. Given my tender feelings, I undertake this article with hesitation, lest I should appear hostile. Nothing would upset me more than to dishonor our Lady, whose submission allowed the Eternal Logos to assume man’s frail flesh. Nevertheless, I feel compelled […]
I am not a coffee drinker; my mother on the other hand, having grown up in New Orleans, would gulp down ten to twelve cups a day. But not me. So what do I do on my coffee break? I indulge in a quick read here at Catholic Lane or on my other favorite Catholic […]
A faith removed from lived experience is no faith at all (James 2:14ff). Our faith concerns the totality of the human person, the shape of culture, with a commitment to building a “civilization of love.” The political arena is a very specific place we are called to “go into the world” (Matt. 28:19). So it was […]
“For all” to “for many” Of all the changes in the new translation, two small words used by the priest at the consecration are evoking the most questions. Those two words are “for many.” Currently, the priest refers to Jesus’ blood as having redemptive value “for all”: “This is the cup of My blood, the […]
When I was in 4th grade, I wrote my first short story. My teacher was the first in my school who wanted to try a “creative classroom.” After we finished our assigned work, she had stations we could go to with extra projects. One included story starts. I took one of the cards and wrote […]
Twelve nurses at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) said on Monday that the hospital is continuing to pressure them to perform abortion-related services, despite a restraining order issued by a court Nov. 3. “In October, we were suddenly confronted with a choice between our faith and our jobs,” said Fe […]
A barrage of news headlines on the Solyndra scandal continue to remind us that President Obama made green jobs one of his administration’s priorities. Those headlines also reveal this initiative to have been a costly mistake. The bankruptcy of Solyndra, the solar-panel manufacturer that has collapsed despite receiving half a billion dollars from the federal […]
I woke up this morning to the most glorious sound. Well, first I woke up to someone throwing a laundry basket at my door before he went downstairs, but after that I woke up to the squeals and giggles of an (almost) 12 week old baby girl – our tenth baby (on earth). As I […]
Home is the place where we feel safe, where we can shut out the world, enjoy the people we love and who love us, be accepted for who we are, and always go if something is wrong. Home is the place where we grow into the person we are called to be. Those whose home […]
A study published in one of the most respected medical journals in the world this month has found that many “vegetative” patients are in fact fully conscious and aware. Experts at the University of Western Ontario conducted the experiment by applying an electroencephalogram (EEG) machine, a common mechanism for measuring brain waves, to a large […]
Christian prisoners in Pakistan’s jails are suffering severe discrimination, according to a local Catholic lawyer. Moazzam Aslam Bhatti reported his claims of anti-Christian prejudice to staff from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), who are currently visiting projects which the Catholic charity is supporting in the country. Mr. Bhatti said that Christians are marginalized […]
Suddenly, it seems, President Obama is all about the Pacific. As he put it at a weekend summit of the region’s leaders in Hawaii, “The United States is a Pacific power and we are here to stay.” Unfortunately, thus far in his presidency, Mr. Obama has caused many of his guests to see America as […]
“I cannot tell how you came into my womb: for I neither gave you breath nor life, neither was it I that formed the members of every one of you; but doubtless the Creator of the world, Who formed the generation of man, and found out the beginning of all things, will also of His […]
Another day, another Catholic scandal – or that is how it seems lately. If you are like me, you are just sick of it, yesterday already. I felt myself reeling a bit with the news about German bishops, and needing a little balancing support, I decided to run a few questions by my friend Rod […]
How do you think of the Sacrament of Reconciliation? If you are like most Catholics, you probably think of it as little as possible! Or, perhaps, you think of it as something good to have available in the event you do something really, really wrong, but not something you need to concern yourself with otherwise. […]
Yesterday, someone close to me shared the pain of his son’s incarceration due to drug abuse and brushes with the law. Also this week, I received a letter from a prisoner sentenced to twenty years for meth. He was a graduate of St. Mary’s High school where my kids go. After reading Amazing Grace for […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Ezekiel 34:11-12,15-17; Psalm 23:1-3,5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26,28; Matthew 25:31-46) Allowing Our Hope in the Second Coming to Impact Our Lives When the Son of Man comes in his glory . . . (Matthew 25:31) Today is the last Sunday in the church year. So it’s appropriate to […]
All three network morning news programs opened recently with the story of the phone call firing of legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno. Hardened newscasters expressed shock that men like Paterno, Penn State president Graham Spanier, and other university officials knew that children were being abused, yet turned their backs. “Who among us,” one […]
On Nov. 12 at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, Pope Benedict XVI addressed participants of the Nov. 9-11 international conference Adult Stem Cells: Science and the Future of Man and Culture. The Holy Father opened his remarks with praise for the various institutions exploring and promoting research on adult stem cells. Adult stem cells hold great […]
G.K. Chesterton, in his noble goal to make the life of a Catholic blogger unbearably easy, said that “the Catholic Church is the only thing that frees a man from the degrading slavery of being a child of his age.” You might think I cannot possibly add to such a perfectly rounded statement of truth. And in […]
