This past weekend I served and assisted in a Youth Ministry themed: “Confidence in the Faith.” Appropriate for the Year of Faith and the Holy Father’s call for the New Evangelization, it was also appropriate for what we discerned from…
Confidence in the Faith, our Youth Ministry Retreat, and Xtreme Discipleship
Evangelization Begins From Within
There is a common phrase that states, “change begins from within,” and as one of the greatest changes we will ever experience, we must realize that evangelization begins from within, as well. At some point in your life, you may…
Ignorance of Scripture Is Ignorance of Christ
Readings for January 27, 2013: Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C There is a myth that we must lay to rest, once and for all–Protestants are all about the Bible, while Catholics are all about the Sacraments. While I…
The Lighthouse
For millennia, sailors have ventured out to open treacherous seas. Some go for adventure, some go for profit, and others go for battle. Once they have set sail, they expose themselves to the unforgiving elements of which they have little…
10 Tips for Teaching Your Children to Pray
As the mother of five children, finding time to pray can be a distinct challenge. Another daunting task on my plate? Teaching my children how to pray. 1. Start simple. Set a small goal — in our house, we started…
10 Ways to Support Evangelization Even When Your Parish Is Falling Apart
Last month I opened a thorny topic that had been posed to me by a fellow Catholic: How do I evangelize when my local parish is mired in dissent or disorder? My answer was built around how to think about…
Why are we still waiting?
In the old version of the mass, the priest would invite us to proclaim the mystery of faith, and we would sing: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. The first sentence is in the past tense. …
Endings
On the last day of 2012 the readings of the Church gave us an odd juxtaposition. The first reading from the first letter of John (2:18-19) continues the “preparation” warnings of Advent. We are cautioned, “it is the last hour.”…
3rd Grade Evangelization
A mom relayed this story to me about her son’s evangelization plan. After Mass he told his mom he had a great idea on how to use the flyers from children’s liturgy. He would take them and make them into…
The Cana Connection
Readings for January 20, 2013: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time In the past two weeks, the Church has celebrated the Epiphany and the Lord’s baptism. This coming Sunday we remember the Wedding Feast at Cana. What’s the connection between the…