For her feast day, we offer a prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Oh most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in my necessity. Oh Star of the Sea, help me and show me you are my Mother. Oh […]
Are you feeling weighed down, exhausted, uneasy with the world? Perhaps it’s time for a thorough examination of conscience. Admit your faults and praise God joyfully!
How many times have you watched an old movie or read a historical novel and told yourself, “I don’t know how they did it back then.” You can’t imagine living during a time where you had to wash and dry your clothes without the help of your energy-efficient washer and dryer, or prepare dinner minus […]
Saint Joseph was a common manual laborer who descended from the royal house of David. He was destined to become the spouse of Mary, the Mother of God. Joseph was a just man whose faith in God led him to fulfill his holy calling in life to protect and guard God’s greatest treasures upon the […]
Children of Light The Friday killings of 1st grade children in Connecticut is a fearful thing that has shaken our country. It is a stark reminder that evil exists. For children to be murdered…there can be no reason or sense. The souls of children are pure and the devil hates that purity. But the clean […]
We live 40 miles away from the nearest big city. So driving on the highway is a way of life. On the days when I go into “the amazing town” (as my daughter used to call it), I find my mind filled with worries and random thoughts. It’s really amazing what twists and turns the […]
In my catechism classroom I tell my students to “leave room for your angels.” It’s a way to keep them from poking and annoying each other by sitting too close. But I also want to remind them that our angels are always with us, and they have an important role. At the time, I didn’t […]
Prayer for this Day Dear Heavenly Father, We turn to You, Lord, on this day of remembrance. It was eleven years ago that our country was attacked and plunged into fear and mourning. Yet, You in Your infinite wisdom, brought us together during that time. We were, for awhile, no longer Democrats or Republicans. We […]
How awesome is God’s mercy! Only a God of Love would extend mercy to sinners like us. Since the beginning of time, humans have ignored, disobeyed or turned cruelly against our Creator and Lord. Sometimes, these sins have happened right after God makes His presence known in a spectacular manner. Imagine being there when God […]
I was sure we were low on flour. And I don’t like going to the cupboard to bake something—which is usually at the last minute because Peter says, “I have to bring a snack to class tonight”—only to find there’s not enough flour for the recipe. So I brought home a ten-pound sack of high-quality […]
I suspect there are thousands of ways to stuff a turkey. I’ve been looking for a new recipe since my kids aren’t fond of the celery, onion & butter variety that my mother made throughout my childhood. At our house, we’ve tried stuffing with apples, walnuts, bacon and oatmeal. We’ve tried different spices and different […]
Our mother in heaven is the quintessential mother…she wants to rescue us, her children from the darkness in our lives. And her special prayer—the rosary—is like a rope dangling down from heaven. In fact, Michelangelo painted it just that way! In his Last Judgment painting, two souls hold onto rosary beads. They are pulled into […]
I always remember the feast day of the archangels because of the numbers: 9-29. My son Peter was born on 12-29, so I guess the symmetry of the numbers is a handy device for my memory. But I didn’t really think about the importance of these angels until I met an exorcist. Father Mottet passes […]
