December 16, 2006
God Works in Mysterious Ways . . . all the time
There’s a well-known restaurant in Atlanta called The Spaghetti Factory that is finely decorated almost overly so. It’s a great place to eat at a reasonable price, but I bring it up for another reason: it has a beautiful...Posted by jay at 05:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 09, 2006
A Short History of the Creche or Nativity Scene
For our family, the creche is a central part of our Advent and Christmas season and occupies a key place just beside our Christmas tree. These minature nativity scenes have been around for centuries, but I'm always surprised by the...Posted by jay at 08:34 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 05, 2006
"The Talents Are the Truth, Who is Jesus": A Reflection on Living the Faith
The following is a reflection taken from the Spetember issue of the Magnificat. Enjoy! A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew (25:14-30) Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and...Posted by jay at 02:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 24, 2005
Another disappointment in Boston . . .
It just breaks my heart to see the Boston archdiocese placing foster children with gay families. It makes me wonder if anyone working in the diocese has even read Pope John Paul's work. The road to hell is paved with...Posted by jay at 10:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 16, 2005
St. Nicholas, Patron Saint of Children
One of my favorite Saints just so happens to be the patron Saint of Children: St. Nicholas. And this acclaim comes with some merit, since there are many stories of children being saved either by St. Nicholas while he was...Posted by jay at 09:13 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
June 11, 2005
St. Monica, Patron Saint of Wives and Mothers
Perhaps one of the more beautiful stories is that of Saint Monica praying ardently for her son, St. Augustine, who finally converted just before his mother’s death. A priest once told St. Monica, “it is not possible that the son...Posted by jay at 03:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 09, 2005
St. Gerard Majella, Patron of Expectant Mothers
A look at St. Gerard Majella, the patron saint of pregnant women.Posted by jay at 09:37 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
June 05, 2005
St. Rita of Cascia, Patron Saint of Parenthood
I’ve decided to start a series at Living Catholicism that focuses on patron saints who are appropriate for families. I’m attempting to offer new opportunities to teach our children and ourselves about the wealth of help available to Catholics through...Posted by jay at 05:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 26, 2004
The Feast Of The Holy Family
The first Sunday after Christmas, on the liturgical calendar, celebrates the Holy Family. Pope Leo XIII instituted this feast in 1892, encouraging societies honoring the Holy Family to be established everywhere. He established this feast day to remind families of...Posted by HolyFamily at 07:22 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 24, 2004
No Room For Them In The Inn: Preparing A Place For Jesus
Christmas Eve is usually a day full of anticipation and excitement, especially for children. Unfortunately, their excitement is often centered around presents and Santa Claus. Not that the giving of presents is a bad thing, nor that Santa Claus can't...Posted by HolyFamily at 08:22 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
December 18, 2004
Why Should Men Develop a Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary?
1 Kings 2:20. [King Solomon speaking] “Make your request, my mother; for I will not refuse you.” Men are notoriously less devotional than their female counterparts, particularly when it comes to female Saints (not to say all men, mind...Posted by HolyFamily at 01:27 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
December 05, 2004
A Christmas Tree Blessing
Perfect for keeping the reason for the season front and center. It's to be said when putting up the tree as well as when watering the tree: Holy Lord, We come with joy to celebrate the birth of your Son,...Posted by HolyFamily at 08:49 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 18, 2004
Blessing Your House...Catholic Style
Last weekend my wife and I were invited to the home of some parish friends of ours for a special event. They were having their house blest. They invited two of the local parish priests as well as many friends...Posted by HolyFamily at 10:03 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
November 17, 2004
The Importance of a Family Litany
Personally, I love the idea of a “Family Litany” and I thought I’d share my thoughts on it. What I mean by litany is a family prayer where one person leads by naming a Saint or devotion and the rest...Posted by HolyFamily at 10:50 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
November 16, 2004
Developing Family Devotions
As adult converts to Catholicism, my wife and I were way behind when it came to knowledge of specific Saints. Needless to say, there is an unending supply of great information about individual Saints available, so catching up is pretty...Posted by HolyFamily at 03:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 01, 2004
Feast Days for the Month of November
The month of November contains several solemnities and feast days that beautifully express the "universal" attribute of our beloved Catholic Faith. November 1 - All Saints - This solemnity of the Catholic Church recognizes and celebrates all those holy men...Posted by HolyFamily at 11:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 29, 2004
Making Time to Visit Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament
In our hectic world it seems at times as if there are few places where we can go to be apart from the world, places where we can go to find peace, places where we can go and contemplate life...Posted by HolyFamily at 12:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 20, 2004
The Crucifix: A Sign of Faith
The crucifix is "the sign of faith" as manifested down through the ages. There should be a crucifix in every church, as mandated by the Catholic Church. Likewise there are several reasons for having a crucifix in your home. 1)...Posted by HolyFamily at 12:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 03, 2004
Why Should We Make Family Devotion to Mary Visible?
The tradition of Catholics having an image or statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in their homes stems from the tradition of the Church. Down through the centuries, statues, paintings, mosaics, and other images of Mary have been put in...Posted by HolyFamily at 10:48 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
September 30, 2004
Feast Days for the Month of October
The month of October contains the feast days of some of the Catholic Church's most beloved saints as well several unique feast days. Below I've list some of the more popular feast days: October 1 - St. Therese of Lisieux...Posted by HolyFamily at 12:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
