A common poor joke during my childhood was the “Catholic aerobics” we did at Mass: stand up-sit down-kneel-stand up-sit down-kneel. Now, I know that each posture has a meaning: we stand for the Gospel because it is Jesus speaking to…
Smells & Bells
Zumba and The New Evangelization: 3 Lessons Learned
On the day the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision was announced, I had a decision to make. I could stay at home and add my voice to the many other Catholic bloggers who would be weighing in on this major…
Big-Hearted Families
“I joined with (cancer survivor) and mother of nine Theresa Thomas to write Big Hearted: Inspiring Stories From Everyday Families,” Patti told me. “This collection of 22 stories is a recipe for happiness and love for families of any size….
Simplify Your Spiritual Life
I love a good holiday and all the attendant decorations, special foods, and parties. With the 4th of July past, and Labor Day still a month away, I’m ready for an event fix. Luckily there are plenty of unofficial celebrations,…
St. Paul’s Conversion and My Own Conversion Story
St. Paul’s Conversion Paul was the most ferocious enemy of the Church, who as a zealous Jew and Pharisee was persecuting Christians during the first century. He rooted out Christians in the synagogues, taking them into Jerusalem in chains to have…
Chosen, Schmozen
Sometimes I think we hear bible and religious terms to the tune of: “That again, what’s the big deal?” Terms like: holy, sanctified, sacred, ancient, established, marked, set apart, covenant, chosen. As we rush through life and religion, we sometimes make…
How Can I Forgive When I Can’t Forget?
While many people believe forgetting an injury is part of forgiveness, Fr. Justin Waltz of St. Leo’s Church in Minot suggested just the opposite. In fact, he stated that forgetting is not even possible. “The only type of forgetting I…
G.P.S. (God Powered Salvation)
But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29 KJV) God wants to fulfill His promises to us, to…
How Does Liturgy Fit with the New Evangelization?
What exactly is the relationship between the Church’s liturgy and the New Evangelization? From one perspective, you might feel as if liturgy is an obstacle, something that’s a barrier to more effective proclamation–just think back to the level of concern surrounding a…
Passing Time, Using Time
Summer is a good time to think about time. Some summer days, time seems to fly by and before we know it, the day is done. On others, time seems to crawl as we struggle to finish a project, or…