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Category Archives: spirituality
Pamplona Eve
It was five hundred years ago a cannonball knocked a rowdy soldier-of-fortune off his life’s course and into sainthood. Naturally, the Jesuit founder has a holy year of sorts starting on the 20th of this month. During this year themed … Continue reading
Invoking Joseph
My wife alerted me to this news about my baptismal patron: The (CDWDS) presented the new invocations to Pope Francis, who approved their integration into the Litany of Saint Joseph. The new invocations, originally in Latin, are as follows: Custos … Continue reading
Posted in Saints, spirituality
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Signing Off
Catholics do it automatically at many turns, a personal signation. Often, at moments of group or individual prayer. We make the fingers to body motion with or without words. At a committee meeting some years ago, I stopped myself at … Continue reading
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A Daily, Discreet And Hidden Presence
My pastor preached a bit on Pope Francis’ apostolic letter Patris Corde at Mass this morning. I went to the document a bit later today and found this morsel suggesting how apt it is for us to turn to Joseph in … Continue reading
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What Inspires?
A social media friend posted a question: what books would his friends recommend for Catholic teens? I saw a lot of good stuff. I saw good books that would likely be misfires. The answers rather showed people who read or … Continue reading
Posted in evangelization, Parish Life, spirituality
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Thomas Merton on Christmas
My pastor quoted one of my favorite monastics in his Christmas homily: The mystery of Christmas therefore lays upon us all a debt and an obligation to the rest of the human race and to the whole created universe. We … Continue reading
Posted in Christmas, spirituality
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Christ Is Here
Now God says to us What He has already said to the earth as a whole Through His grace-filled birth: I am there. I am with you. I am your life. I am your time. I am the gloom of … Continue reading
Posted in Christmas, spirituality
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Saint Charles Day
I don’t know much about this desert father, but what I do know, I like. Pope Francis likes him, I think. A social media friend alerted me to his day of martyrdom today. In Christianity there are many prayers of … Continue reading
Posted in Saints, spirituality
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Like It Or Not
A social media friend shared this commentary from James Martin on “What brings a person to God …” Speaking of subjectively (or even objectively) poor things: It is easy to snigger at those things. It is easy. It can also … Continue reading
Posted in Commentary, spirituality
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There Are Days
Have I mentioned that lately, I’m finding a certain affinity with Saint Augustine? I was looking into Confessions earlier this year. I confess I’ve been finding reading in general tedious, so I will be going back when my spirit for … Continue reading
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A Night Prayer
A favorite prayer of the 19th century saint: May He support us all the day long, till the shades lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work … Continue reading
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On My Bookshelf: I Will Lie Down This Night
I’ve had this book in my household for years. Not on my bookshelf; I think it was a gift to my wife in the early years of our marriage. If two married Catholics had a difference of opinion on daily … Continue reading
Posted in On My Bookshelf, spirituality
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Heading To More Stay-At-Home
Been busy with church and elections work, so I haven’t been watching much news lately. Even church news. From Ireland, Fr Neil Xavier O’Donoghue discusses “Lockdown 2.0” at PrayTell. Last March all public activities, including churches, closed down overnight and … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgy, Parish Life, spirituality
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An Act Of Abandonment
A time-appropriate prayer for these days, I think: Yet, O Lord, though I have no feeling of confidence in You, nevertheless, I know that You are my God, that I am all Yours, and that I have no hope but … Continue reading
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On Tenderness
The apostolic letter Patris Corde came to mind when I saw this bit of speculation in church news today. There seems to be no end to musings about things really happening behind the scenes. But this bit from that first link struck … Continue reading →