“the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (John 10:3) While assisting in a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium, I watched as a catechist read this passage from the Gospel…
Turn the Other Cheek?
Readings for February 23, 2014: Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time “Love your enemies.” “Turn the other cheek.” (Mat 5:38-40). This sounds admirable to some, but preposterous to others. The 19th century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche thought such talk promotes a society…
My Rosary, My Salvation
Last summer while visiting with my brother and his family at his cottage in Eastern Ontario, we decided to visit a historical Catholic Church at a nearby picturesque town and take in an afternoon Mass. I asked him if we…
Real Jesus
Way back in my Catholic school days, I could never figure out why folks in the Bible couldn’t figure out Jesus was the real Jesus. Pilot…clueless. Caiaphas…clueless. The Jewish mob…clueless. How could all these people miss Jesus? Couldn’t they see…
In a Minute
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. (1 Corinthians 15: 51-52) “Minute, Mom.” If I had a penny for every time I heard that…
Music: God’s Arrow to the Heart
Most of my articles here at New Evangelizers have focused on apologetics: giving a logical and systematic defense and explanation of the faith. As a religion teacher, this has been the focus of my career, to remove the intellectual obstacles…
Art for the Soul
As a young girl, Nellie Edwards dreamed of becoming a fine art painter. Off and on, throughout her life, she tried to paint. “Every attempt was pretty pathetic,” she said. “I thought that maybe someday I would take lessons.” At…
Holiness of the Pharisees
Readings for February 16, 2014: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Radio talk show hosts make a living on it. Show after show, they bring before our eyes stupid, unjust, and wasteful situations in order to incite outrage. We love to…
Fasting and Prayer: A Pathway to Peace
I’m on the winter blues bandwagon again! Yes, it’s still here in Chicago: heavy snowfalls, bitter cold and wind, and school closings. Last month I wrote how these humbling conditions can actually be a step in deepening our faith. However,…
Big Ideas Fast
I know y’all are too grownup for 6th-grade Catechism class, but everybody like pictures. And if they’re badly drawn then the viewer enjoys a frisson of superiority at the hapless artist’s expense. This is a photo of the second board from our…