I wrote a book review on Aleteia: In The Catholic Hipster Handbook, writer Mary Rezac has a chapter on buying from the local farmer’s markets as a way of living the principle of subsidiarity, but she doesn’t go to the extreme of starting your own organic farm. Looking back on my life, I think I might have been …
Tag: Eucharist
May 13
A Texas parish keeps faith after a tornado destroys the church
A story I found and covered on Crux. Simon Salinas heard that a tornado had destroyed his parish church, and knew he had to help. He was with his sister and her critically ill father-in-law in her home during the storm, and they hunkered down in the house hallway and prayed. After the tornado passed, …
Feb 28
Reading Amoris Laetitia in Light of Trent
I wrote a piece over at the Catholic Stand. In the debate over Amoris Laetitia, many people have made reference back to Familiaris Consortio 84 where John Paul II commands that for Communion, the divorced and civilly remarried “take on themselves the duty to live in complete continence, that is, by abstinence from the acts …
Feb 20
Pastoral handbook on ‘Amoris’ says answer is no on Communion
I summarized an important new book over at Crux: Three professors from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute in Rome indicate Amoris Laetitia upholds traditional teaching in a new bookAcompañar, Dicernir, Integrar: Vademécum para una nueva pastoral familiar a partir de la exhortación Amoris Laetitia (“Accompany, Discern, Integrate: Handbook for a new family ministry starting …
Feb 10
What if we’ve been wrong about ‘Amoris’ all along?
I published this on Crux. Ever since it came out in April 2016, there’s been an avalanche of debate in Catholic circles about Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis’s document on the family. At least in English, both sides seem to agree that it permits Communion for the divorced and civilly remarried who continue relations in some …
Jun 23
12 Students Reveal What It’s Like Being Catholic in School These Days
Schools are where the next generation is formed. Sometimes, negative things happen there but there is so much positive going on as well. I wanted to know how being Catholic positively affected students’ lives, so I asked them. I offered a free student planner to the best response to a simple question: “What is different …
Jun 22
Amoris Laetitia Study Guide
I produced a study guide for Amoris Laetitia for RCSpirituality.org. I have questions for every chapter so an ordinary Catholic in the pew can discover what Francis wants to teach us all. I also made notes where needed to avoid misunderstanding. You can read it there. If you want a teaser, here are the first paragraphs: …
May 02
Clearing Our Heart for Love by Remembering God’s Mercy
Remembering God’s Mercy is one of those rare books that combines personal testimony, theological insight, sound psychology, and prayerfulness all-in-one. Along with reading, I used this book for meditation for a week or two. It’s an amazing book that has to be comprehended as by whole chapters and not by lines. When I read a …
Aug 16
The 7 Essential Steps For Converting First Communion Parents
I was recently reading Marc Cardaronella’s post which points out a gap many parishes have in their Catechesis programs. When we prepare kids for first communion, we have the opportunity to evangelize parents, but do we do it? Probably a good 2/3 of parents bringing their kids for First Communion are not regular mass attendees. …
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