Last Friday, August 10, 2018, I chanced to watch the Daily Mass on EWTN. There was a very interesting homily given by a parish priest, the Rev. Msgr. Beaubrun Ardouin, from St. Leo’s Parish in Irvington, New Jersey. He was leading his parishioners, mostly the members of the parish’s Rosary Society, on a pilgrimage to …
I am going to recommend a book for my Sober Catholic readers; I’ve read it as a daily devotional several times already, especially during January, May and October. It is My Ideal, Jesus, Son of Mary by Fr. Emile Neubert. Written in the style of “The Imitation of Christ,” with a dialogue between Jesus and …
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In the Gospel according to St. John (Ch. 14, V. 6), Jesus says “…I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life…” (Courtesy Sacred Bible: Catholic Public Domain Version) Jesus is our Master, but if we exert our self, as in our self-will and self-love, Jesus ceases being the Way. We are our own …
I’m off to morning Mass in a half hour or so, and then I will stay afterwards in our parish’s Adoration Chapel and adore Jesus, truly Present in the host exposed in the monstrance. He had been reposed since last Wednesday evening, so I have been unable to visit and see Him. I feel a …
In this excerpt from the First Reading from today’s Mass for Ash Wednesday we read: “…rend your hearts and not your garments.” (Joel 2:13) As I said a few days ago “I have been reading quite a lot of Marian spirituality and theology over the past few years.” My interior life has grown as a …
Random thoughts that I have while sitting in my parish’s Adoration Chapel just looking at Him. You are little…the World prefers big. You are humble… the World demands pride. You are meek… the World encourages arrogance. You are still… the World is fast. You are helpless… the World honors the strong. You are mercy… the …
Continue reading ‘Random thoughts on the Blessed Sacrament’ »
I’ve taken to regular repeat readings and studies of AA’s “Big Book” and “12 and 12.” Although my Catholicism takes precedence in my recovery, Twelve Step literature – especially the main reference works, do provide major assistance in dealing with life issues and such. I have noticed one curious phenomenon every time since I last …
One of my favorite saints, St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe, once suggested somewhere in his writings that we should meditate on the Passion narratives of Our Lord on Fridays. Or was that St. Therese of Lisieux? Another favorite of mine, I’ve been studying her writings recently along with St. Max’s. I might get their suggestions mixed …
Today is October 3rd and that is the vigil of the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi. For Franciscans worldwide, tonight is the “Transitus,”or the ritual observance of his death. I won’t go into details as to what transpires during the ritual, as I am not a Franciscan and thus have never participated. However, …
Today was the Solemnity of the Triumph (or Exaltation) of the Cross. The Cross was a symbol of failure. Christ was condemned as a criminal and hung on a tree. One would expect His movement would just die shortly after. Humiliated, degraded, mocked, beaten and scorned, and finally given a grisly, horrific form of capital …