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February 2011 Missionary Intention

February 2011 Missionary Intention

That in the mission territories where the struggle against disease is most urgent, Christian communities may witness to the presence of Christ to those who suffer.

Eight Great Reasons To Be Single And Celibate

Eight Great Reasons To Be Single And Celibate

As a Catholic you’ll find some of these reasons interesting, if not ironic, because they do not come from the pen of a celibate Catholic theologian, monk, or priest cloistered in a Mongolian monastery. Instead, they come from a Protestant-Evangelical minister, John Piper in his book Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. John is married to […]

The Muslim Brotherhood: The Enemy in Its Own Words

The Muslim Brotherhood: The Enemy in Its Own Words

As Egypt lurches towards the end of Hosni Mubarak’s regime, one way or another – by “an orderly transition to democratic rule” (as Hillary Clinton delicately puts it), through violent overthrow or simply through the demise of the ailing 82-year-old president – much is unclear. One thing that should not be is that the Muslim […]

Pro-life Youth Create Cautious Hope for the Future

Pro-life Youth Create Cautious Hope for the Future

At the 38th March for Life, we saw thousands of high school and college students, young seminarians, young religious sisters and families with young children.

Mystery, Meditation, Media: An Interview with Matt Swaim

Mystery, Meditation, Media: An Interview with Matt Swaim

Jan 30 11 • 0 comments

I recently had the good fortune to talk with Matt Swaim, producer of EWTN Radio’s Son Rise Morning Show, regarding his first book, The Eucharist and the Rosary: Mystery, Meditation, Power, Prayer (Ligouri Publications, 2010). Shane Kapler: Matt, I know that you entered the Church at Easter, 2005.  Tell us about your journey: Matt Swaim: […]

Top 10 Reasons to Use NFP

Top 10 Reasons to Use NFP

Jan 30 11 • 1 comment

10. NFP is based on scientific fact and modern technology. We’re not talking the “Rhythm Method” here! The rhythm, or calendar, method is the “Model T” of today’s NFP methods, which are based on over 30 years of scientific research on human fertility. 9. NFP users learn more about their bodies and about their fertility. […]

More than Just Apparent: You’re the Parent!

More than Just Apparent: You’re the Parent!

Jan 29 11 • 0 comments

A couple days ago I had great consternation over my kids’ less than virtuous attitudes, tones and dispositions, wondering where it was coming from.  Once again I turned inward toward my soul and inquired: “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, help me understand from whence it comes, before I drop-kick them all!” And the “mirror” spoke […]

News Flash! Marriage is HARD

News Flash! Marriage is HARD

Jan 27 11 • 0 comments

This week I’ve been reading Christopher West’s Heaven’s Song, an unforgettable reflection on marriage as a metaphor for the perfect union God longs to have with us.  When I reached a section called “The Agony and the Ecstasy of Becoming ‘One Flesh,” I was so struck by the boldfaced truth of one passage, I had […]

Prayer, the Heart of a Vocation

Prayer, the Heart of a Vocation

Jan 25 11 • 0 comments

“Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” The Twelve had witnessed the deep communion that existed between Jesus and his Heavenly Father, and, as holiness does, it attracted them.  Seeing that peace that comes from that personal connection, they wanted to be drawn deeper into this very mystical communion. In many ways, […]

Preparing the Way for the Roman Missal 3rd Edition, Part 7: The Gloria

Preparing the Way for the Roman Missal 3rd Edition, Part 7: The Gloria

Jan 24 11 • 0 comments

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth, in the new translation becomes, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. This “new” wording represents a return to the Scriptural roots of the text (Luke 2:14) and the angels’ announcement of the Savior’s […]

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Whoopin’ and Hollerin’

Jan 24 11 • 0 comments

The other day while I was at the YMCA, a group of mentally disabled adults and their caregivers joined us in the fitness room. It was obvious to me that this was a routine visit for them, because they knew exactly what to do. They found “their” machines, positioned themselves exactly right and waited patiently […]

Who Does God Use?

Who Does God Use?

Jan 23 11 • 0 comments

“It takes no great military expert to predict the results of a war in which large numbers of the solders do not fight, do not even know there is a war on. The officers are essential, and obedience to them is essential. But an army in which only the officers fights is likely to have […]

Preparing the Way for the Roman Missal 3rd Edition, Part 6: Penitential Rite

Preparing the Way for the Roman Missal 3rd Edition, Part 6: Penitential Rite

Jan 21 11 • 0 comments

Following the Introductory Rites, the next occurrence of change in the people’s parts of the Holy Mass occurs during the Penitential Rite, at the Confiteor, where three changes can be found. In the previous editions of the Missal we would say: I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I […]

Fatal Abstractions

Fatal Abstractions

Jan 20 11 • 1 comment

Women know what works and what doesn’t. And the Church cares that this knowledge of the concrete that women possess should be brought to bear upon all policy decisions.

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Unnatural Affection

Jan 20 11 • 0 comments

There is a natural desire in parents to provide a better life for their children. Indeed, the Apostle tells us that parents ought to lay up for their children (2 Cor 12:14). This is true not only in the material sense, but also in the moral and spiritual — the spiritual in fact being the […]

Why Not Just Have an Affair?

Why Not Just Have an Affair?

Jan 20 11 • 0 comments

Take one quick look at the culture and it is easy to see that marriage is in big trouble.  There’s a very high divorce rate (somewhere near half of all marriages in America end in divorce), and that rate is improving only because many people are deciding to skip it altogether and simply cohabitate.  There […]

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Saintly Survival of the Teen Years

There’s a bit of a theological disagreement when it comes to heaven. Some believe we will understand all of life’s mysteries and have all our questions answered there. Others expect that basking in the glory of the Almighty will satisfy all desires. Curiosity will simply not exist. My guess is the latter theory is most […]

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Best Practices of Faith Formation: Confirmation Requirements

Some years ago, I was working on a video documentary for Ford Motor Company about the famous American industrial statistician, W. Edwards Deming, who is credited with transforming Japan’s industrial quality after WWII, and making the Japanese the competitive powerhouse they are today. Quality Control In 1950, Deming had been upset with the quality of […]

Beyond the Power of Angels

Beyond the Power of Angels

Jan 17 11 • 0 comments

Like a lot of other people, I have been very busy this season, and even though I’ve taken time off from my usual homeschooling schedule, I’ve managed to find plenty to keep me just as occupied as usual.  I have to watch my use of time, as I sometimes treat it as something that needs […]

6 Blogging Tips for Boomers

6 Blogging Tips for Boomers

Jan 16 11 • 0 comments

If Charles Dickens blogged today, no one would read him.  He used too many words. Boomers can have great ideas, but they have to relearn how to write if they want people to read them. Less is more. Long is never read. How can boomers with great ideas learn to sift for gold and shake out […]

Preparing the Way for the Roman Missal 3rd Edition, Part 5: Introductory Rites

Preparing the Way for the Roman Missal 3rd Edition, Part 5: Introductory Rites

Jan 15 11 • 0 comments

NOTE: In order to make this examination of the changes in the people’s parts of Holy Mass easier to navigate, all of the text taken from the Missal will be in italics, while the newly translated text (where changes are found) will be in bold italics. During the Introductory Rites when the priest says The […]

Womanly Role Models from the Scriptures

Womanly Role Models from the Scriptures

Jan 15 11 • 0 comments

Women today receive mixed messages about what their roles in life should be — we’ve all heard about the “mommy wars,” debates over work vs. home issues, and other gender based issues that top many of today’s headlines. With her book Reclaiming Your Christian Self in a Secular World: A Woman’s Worth (Pleasant Word, October […]

Preparing the Way for the Roman Missal 3rd Edition, Part 4: Active Participation

Preparing the Way for the Roman Missal 3rd Edition, Part 4: Active Participation

Jan 12 11 • 0 comments

The widespread misunderstanding of “active participation” in the sacred liturgy has undoubtedly been one of the most disruptive forces in Catholic life after Vatican II. It is no surprise, therefore, that this has often been the subject of recent papal instruction. In his 2007 apostolic exhortation on the Eucharist, Sacramentum Caritatis, Pope Benedict XVI said, […]

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Calling All Geniuses

Jan 10 11 • 0 comments

A popular speaker on theology of the body once received an enthusiastic comment from a fan: “Gosh, I really love your talk on the hygiene of women.” It only took him a moment to realize what she meant to say: “I really love your talk on the genius of women.” While the hygiene of women […]