Posts

Showing posts from January, 2013

Pondering Tidbits Of Truth - January 31, 2013

Image
Pondering Tidbits of Truth is my simple and inadequate way of providing nuggets of spiritual wisdom for you to chew on from time to time. Servant of God, Madeleine Delbrel "The basic revelation of the Gospel is the overwhelming, penetrating presence of God. It is a call to encounter God, and God allows Himself to be encountered only in solitude." (From We, the Ordinary People of the Streets ) John of Kronstadt, a Russian Orthodox priest and saint "What would happen, O my Lord God, Jesus Christ, if You made the light of Your divinty to shine from Your most Holy Sacrament, when the priest brings It in his hands to a sick person? Before this light, all who would encounter It or see It would fall prostrate on the groune spontaneously, just as the angels cover their faces before this Sacrament. While on the other hand, so many treat this heavenly Sacrament with indifference." (From Dominus Est - It Is The Lord! by Most Rev. Athansius Schneid

What Can You Tell Me About St. Thomas Aquinas?

Image
I had intended to write a brief post about the humility of this great Dominican, saint and theologian but misplaced my notes. Instead, I will share a quote, a video and a prior post.     From In Conversation With God by Father Francis Fernandez : "It is said of St. Thomas Aquinas that he was a man of few words. One day his sister asked him what was needed in order to be a saint. Without pause, he answered: To want it!" From Doctor Peter Kreeft : a video "12 Stories About St. Thomas Aquinas"       Last year's post, " Remembering St. Thomas Aquinas ".       

Sunday Snippets - January 27, 2013

Image
Please join me and other Catholic bloggers at  RAnn's Place  for Sunday Snippets - A Catholic Carnival where we share posts from the previous week. May something you read touch your heart and stir your soul: The Example of Altar Servers Can Lead Us to Greater Reverence and Appreciation for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass Check Out My Interview on My Catholic Blog Monday Musings - "Holy Spirit" vs. "Spirit of Vatican II" The Wisdom of St. Frances de Sales Abortion and Adoration

Abortion and Adoration

Image
As we continue fighting to protect life from the moment of conception to natural death, I thought today – a day when tens of thousands will be publicly standing up for life and protesting the horror and slaughter of millions of innocent lives in this nation facilitated by the Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973   - would be an appropriate time to share one woman’s example of God’s healing touch to those who come into His Presence. Several years ago, a dear friend, who has tirelessly labored for more than two decades to promote Eucharistic Adoration, gave me a copy of the journal entry set forth below with permission to share it widely. You are certainly not required to believe this woman's story. I suspect more than a few will. What no one you should ever doubt, however, is that our Lord continues to physically and spiritually heal countless souls who either humble themselves and spend time in His Eucharistic Presence, or who have asked others who do to intercede

The Wisdom of St. Francis de Sales

On this great teacher's feastday, I thought I would share one of his prayers: “The Everlasting God has in His wisdom foreseen from eternity the cross that He now presents to you as a gift from His innermost heart. This cross He now sends you is considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with loving arms and weighed with His own hands, to see that it be not one inch too large and not one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His Holy Name, anointed it with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation, taken one last look at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful love of God.”  

Monday Musings - "Holy Spirit" vs "Spirit of Vatican II"

Image
If God used Balaam’s donkey to get that prophet’s attention, I guess he can use me to get yours. May these periodic Monday postings (God willing) generate fruitful discussion and faithful change. (Image from Biblebios.com)   I have made a commitment during this Year of Faith to do a number of things, including reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Vatican II Documents. Both exercises have been worthwhile. From time to time I hope to share the fruits of my efforts. Today I will start with a few questions. Did you know that at the time of Vatican II the vast majority of Catholic Bishops in the world were opposed to permitting reception of Holy Communion in the hand and that as a result our Holy Father decided not to change the manner in which Communion was administered? ( See Instruction On The Manner of Distributing Holy Communion )   They feared then (and I would argue the resulting realty became) a widespread loss of reverence for and belief in the

Check Out My Interview on mycatholicblog.com

Image
How blessed am I to have been interviewed twice in the same week. The most recent interview was posted by Brendan at mycatholic blog.com .  Donna Marie Cooper O’Boyle conducted the other.   I am indebted to both for their kindness and generosity. I think the two interviews complement each other. What do you think?  

The Example of Altar Servers Can Lead Us to Greater Reverence and Appreciation for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Image
  Polls tell us that a majority of Americans identifying themselves as Catholic no longer attend Sunday Mass. They do not know what is happening at or Who is present at the Mass. We must address this deficit in catechesis , as well as the  widespread lack of belief in and reverence for the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist. Monsignor Charles Pope shared a video that helps put these issues in proper perspective. Please take a look.  

Sunday Snippets - January 20, 2003

Image
It is a privilege to once again join other Catholic bloggers at RAnn's Place for Sunday Snippets - a Catholic Carnival where we share posts from the previous week. Eucharistic Adoration -Man's Ingratitude Pondering Tidbits of Truth - January 27, 2013 Viewing Adoption With Different Eyes "Forgotten Truths To Set Faith Afire!" Is The Subject of Interview with Donna Marie Cooper O'Boyle

"Forgotten Truths To Set Faith Afire!" Is Subject of Interview By Donna Marie Cooper O'Boyle

It was my privilege to be inteviewed today by Donna Marie Cooper O'Boyle. You can find the interview by clicking here .

Viewing Adoption With New Eyes

Image
Jennifer Fulweiler posted this video today on her blog Conversion Dairy . She found it at  A Road Less Traveled . These are two blogs you should visit frequently.

Pondering Tidbits Of Truth - January 17, 2013

Image
Pondering Tidbits of Truth is my simple and inadequate way of providing nuggets of spiritual wisdom for you to chew on from time to time. St. Peter Julian Eymard “It is impossible for anyone to bestow upon us a love for Jesus Christ or infuse it into our hearts. People may exhort us to love Him, but it is beyond human power to reach us teach us how to love; we learn love by feeling it. This education of the heart belongs to our Lord alone, for He desires Himself alone to be its goal. He begins by giving to the communicant the sentiment of love, then the motive of love, and finally the impelling desire for the heroism of love, But this is learned only in Communion.” (From How To Get More Out of Holy Communion) Venerable Fulton J. Sheen “The Sermon on the Mount is so much at variance with all that our world holds dear, that the world will crucify anyone who strives to live up to its values; because Christ preached them, he had to die. Calvary was the price

Eucharistic Reflection - Man's Ingratitude

Image
However incredible may appear the love which the Son of God shows us in the Adorable Eucharist, there is something else yet more surprising. It is the ingratitude with which we repay so great a love. It is marvelous, indeed, that Jesus Christ should take delight in loving man. But it is most unaccountable that man should not love Jesus Christ, and that no motive, no benefit, no excess of love can inspire him with the least feeling of gratitude. Jesus Christ may perhaps have some reason for loving men. They are His work. In them He loves His own gifts. In loving them He loves Himself.   But can we have any reason for not loving Jesus Christ, for loving Him only in a small degree, for loving anything together with Him? Is there anything, then, in Him,that keeps you from Him? Has He not yet done sufficient to merit our love? Should we ever have dared to desire, or ever have been able to imagine, all that He has deigned to do, in this adorable mystery, in order to gain our he

Sunday Snippets - January 13, 2013

Image
Hard to believe another week has passed so quickly! This is a great time to visit  This, That and the Other Thing  where  RAnn invites Catholic bloggers to share our own blogposts from the previous week. I have no doubt you will read something there that God wishes you to see. Here are three of my offerings: Eucharistic Reflection - Jesus, The Bread of Life Got To Love Us Dominicans! Want to "Save A Soul Today?"

Want To "Save a Soul Today"?

Image
  When was the last time the first thought that came into your mind as you got up to enjoy the gift of another day was “Let me save a soul today?” For most of us, my educated guess would be, either not recently or never.   Have you heard a homily within the past year urging you to pray for the salvation of your soul and/or the souls of your loved ones and friends?   - not so much.   Do you ever think of where the souls of the 6,815 people (as estimated by the CIA World Factbook) who die on average everyday in this country have gone? Probably not!   Odd (and troubling) isn’t it, that even though the primary mission of the Catholic Church is to save souls, we rarely hear or think about that subject?   To paraphrase the great wisdom of Servant of God Madeleine Delbrel: how then can we desire to be saved, if we do not know we are lost?   For lots of reasons, too many Catholics have become quite complacent or even unconcerned about their eternal residence or that o

The Thought For Today!

Image
  BE JOYFUL!                

Got To Love Us Dominicans!

Take a look at this 2.40 minute dynamic video about St. Dominic and the Dominican Order. Thanks to Christopher's Apologies , Gloria TV, and our Father Dominic! I have been blessed to be a Lay Dominican in the St. Joseph (Eastern) Province for 12 years. Check us out here . Is God calling you to be a Dominican friar? Why not visit the website of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph ? Maybe the Dominican Sisters are calling you? Check them out. Here are a few to start with:  here , here and here . St. Dominic pray for us!

Eucharistic Reflection - Jesus, The Bread of Life

Image
"You want to progress without Communion? But Christian tradition is against you! No longer say the Our Father, since you ask in that prayer for your daily Bread, the Bread you think to do without!   Without Communion, one is constantly in the heat of the battle. One knows only the difficulties in the acquisition of virtue, not the sweetness of its practice - the joy of working, not simply for oneself and moved solely by the hope of reward, but purely for the glory of God, from love of Him, from affec­tion, like little children. He who receives Communion finds it easy to understand that having received much, he must give a great deal in return. That is piety - intelligent, filial, and lov­ing piety. Besides, even in the severest trials, Communion makes the soul happy, filling it with a tender and loving joy.   The height of perfection is to remain united with God in the midst of the most violent interior temptations, and it is when you are most tempted that God most lov

Sunday Snippets - January 6, 2013

Image
Here is  another opportunity for you to join me and other Catholic bloggers at RAnn's Place where we share our own blogposts from the previous week. May something you read during your visit today touch your heart and stir your soul! Here are my contributions: Eucharistic Reflection - Our Living, All-powerful, All-loving, All-perfect Lord A Must See Video on Faith, Love and the Meaning of Life Pondering Tidbits of Truth - January 3, 2013 Got $.99?  Be Part of the New Evangelization and Help Save Souls! Get Copy of "Forgotten Truths To Set Faith Afire"

Got $.99? Be Part of the New Evangelization and Help Save Souls! Get Copy of "Forgotten Truths To Set Faith Afire"

Image
There is no mystery – far too many Catholics do not know, have forgotten and/or have never been taught the fundamental truths of their Faith. The Pope’s call for the New Evangelization demands that this tragic state of affairs ends - and it must begin with each one of us. We must learn or re-learn our Faith and then help others to do likewise. Now there is a great tool that allows you to easily reignite your Faith and to evangelize family and friends. For $.99 you can purchase a Kindle copy of Forgotten Truths To Set Faith Afire! Words to Challenge, Inspire and Instruct and have the wisdom of more than 1200 quotations at your fingertips – words that will touch your heart and stir your soul – and in a format easy to use. If you do not have a Kindle, you can download the free Kindle Book reader and put Forgotten Truths on your desktop, laptop, tablet, android or i-phone.   Be challenged, inspired and instructed in the Catholic Faith one quotation at a time, at a pace you

Pondering Tidbits Of Truth - January 3, 2013

Image
Pondering Tidbits of Truth is my simple and inadequate way of providing nuggets of spiritual wisdom for you to chew on from time to time.   Madeleine Delbrel, Servant of God   “To take the Word of God seriously, we need all the strength of the Holy Spirit. If our witness is often mediocre, it is because we have not realized that the same kind of heroism is needed to be a witness as to be a martyr.” (From We, the Ordinary People of the Streets )   Father Winfrid Herbst, S.D.S.   "I am sure many lost souls in hell right now would cry out to preachers and writers if they could: Oh, why did you not tell us more about the horrors of hell? Why did you not strike such fear into our hearts by your realistic description of hell that we would have made greater efforts to avoid it?...Why did you spare our feelings in a matter of such eternal moment? Oh, why did you not make hell a thousand times hotter than you did, then perhaps we would not be here today?&quo

A Happy and Blessed New Year!

Image