Apr302013

JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU

By John & Monica Sikorski on April 30, 2013 in Prayer and Devotion

Today marks the anniversary of the canonization of Saint Faustyna Kowalska in the Jubilee Year 2000. A humble nun who did not even complete her elementary education, Saint Faustyna (+1938) was nevertheless chosen by Jesus to become an “Apostle...

Apr292013

WHY DO WE END THE CREED WITH AMEN?

By Catechism of the Catholic Church on April 29, 2013 in Creed

“Amen” 1061 The Creed, like the last book of the Bible,[1] ends with the Hebrew word amen. This word frequently concludes prayers in the New Testament. The Church likewise ends her prayers with “Amen.” 1062 In Hebrew, amen...

Apr282013

ST. GIANNA MOLLA: MOTHER’S LOVE IN SUFFERING

By Theresa Thomas on April 28, 2013 in Saints

“If you must choose between me and the baby, do not hesitate: choose the child- I insist on it. Save him!” Gianna Molla said these words when faced with a serious medical condition which posed danger to her life, and which occurred during her...

Apr272013

LET CHRIST’S LOVE BE SEEN

By Fr. Matthew Coonan on April 27, 2013 in Sunday Readings

Love has come into our world. Love has been manifested before our eyes. Love has been poured out for us. Now we hear that Jesus Christ, He who shows us true love, desires that we allow His love to animate our beings and radiate through our...

Apr262013

JOY BEYOND ALL JOYS

By Robert Kloska on April 26, 2013 in Creed

“Eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and it has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1Cor 2:9) This is how Paul quotes Isaiah in his first letter to the Corinthians. But what does this mean? In...

Apr252013

ST. MARK THE ZEALOUS

By Mark Hart on April 25, 2013 in Saints

The young man who left his “Mark” on the Bible “MMaaarrrrrrkkkkkkkkk!” She shouted, letting all in our suburban utopia know that my presence was needed at home immediately. I could always tell when my mother was worried about my...

Apr242013

I BELIEVE IN LIFE EVERLASTING

By Catechism of the Catholic Church on April 24, 2013 in Creed

“I BELIEVE IN LIFE EVERLASTING” 1020 The Christian who unites his own death to that of Jesus views it as a step towards him and an entrance into everlasting life. When the Church for the last time speaks Christ's words of pardon...

Apr232013

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

By Ed Fox on April 23, 2013 in Creed

At the very least, we as Catholics recite the words “I look forward to the resurrection of the dead” once a week on Sunday as we recite the Nicene Creed. Or maybe daily we recite the words “the resurrection of the body,” if we include the...

Apr222013

VOCATIONS BEGIN IN THE HOME

By Terry & Terri Coonan on April 22, 2013 in Faith at Home

“Vocations begin in the home”. These are words from both Bishop D'Arcy and Bishop Rhoades that we have all heard. For our family, they have special meaning particularly since June 11th, 2011 when two of our sons were ordained to the...

Apr212013

GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY: PRAY FOR VOCATIONS!

By My Year of Faith on April 21, 2013 in The Church

In 1963 Pope Paul VI designated Good Shepherd Sunday (today!) as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Why Good Shepherd Sunday? The Gospel reading for today says, ” Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow...

Apr202013

FILLED WITH JOY: GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY

By Deacon Chris Lapp on April 20, 2013 in Sunday Readings

Apart from the briefly mentioned excitement of the Gentiles, there is an incredibly sharp contrast in the first reading today. On the one hand, Paul and Barnabas, while preaching the Gospel to the Jews in Antioch, are met with utter hostility: ...

Apr192013

I BELIEVE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS

By Catechism of the Catholic Church on April 19, 2013 in Creed

“I BELIEVE IN THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS” 976 The Apostle's Creed associates faith in the forgiveness of sins not only with faith in the Holy Spirit, but also with faith in the Church and in the communion of saints. It was when he...

Apr182013

GLUTEN-FREE CATECHESIS

By Jane Sandor on April 18, 2013 in The Church

Editor's Note: We welcome Jane Sandor to the blog today! Jane works for the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend in Catechesis, Evangelization and Special Ministries with a special focus in helping parishes and schools include and minister to...

Apr172013

MARATHON TO THE MONASTERY

By Jenn Garza on April 17, 2013 in Web Challenge

I visited my very first monastery in 2012, and all it took was one day of prayer with the young Norbertines before I realized I was finally home. The view of the 26 fully-habited nuns as they chanted the Divine Office from behind a screened window...

Apr162013

CELEBRATING BXVI’S BIRTHDAY

By My Year of Faith on April 16, 2013 in The Church

Today, our beloved Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI celebrates his 86th birthday! Please join us in offering up prayers for him, his health and his intentions. In order to honor his birthday, we thought it would be helpful for you to get to know him...

Apr152013

@PONTIFEX

By My Year of Faith on April 15, 2013 in The Faith in Action

Hard to believe that it has been over a month since Pope Francis was elected, isn't it? In that month, he has certainly given us a lot to talk, and think, about. One of the most exciting things for us is seeing how active he has been on...

Apr142013

PROCLAIMING WITH CONVICTION

By From the Writings of Pope Benedict XVI on April 14, 2013 in From the Writings of the Pope

Homily of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, Holy Mass for the New Evangelization, given October 16, 2011 at the Vatican Basilica. [In the First Letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul] tells us first of all that one does not evangelize by...

Apr132013

JESUS HAS BEEN RAISED

By Fr. Mark Gurtner on April 13, 2013 in Sunday Readings

There was a pretty famous non-Catholic scripture scholar in the last century named Rudolf Bultmann. Bultmann had a famous saying: “If the bones of the dead Jesus were discovered tomorrow in a Palestine tomb, all the essentials of Christianity...

Apr122013

CARING FOR WOMEN

By Marianne Stroud on April 12, 2013 in The Faith in Action

Editor's Note: April is “National Women’s Health Care Month” and we wanted to celebrate by featuring a new organization in our own area that is working to bring health care to under-served women. We asked Marianne Stroud,...

Apr112013

PASSION AND LOVE

By Grace Oberhausen on April 11, 2013 in Saints

When I was thirteen years old, I chose St. Gemma Galgani as my Confirmation saint. She was suggested to me by my oldest sister and sponsor. I felt connected to her right away in a way I couldn't explain. I loved her story and spent hours...

Apr102013

WELCOMED HOME

By Emily Barnes on April 10, 2013 in The Faith in Action

Jesus, in the Eucharist, first spoke to my heart when I was a senior in high school. Up until that point, my experience with Catholicism had been limited. My friend had brought me on a retreat and we were given time for adoration before the...

Apr092013

I BELIEVE IN THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS

By Deacon Jim Tighe on April 09, 2013 in Creed

“I believe in the communion of saints…” It is no coincidence that this statement is linked with “the holy Catholic Church” in the Apostles Creed, because the Communion of Saints is the Church…the people of God – all...

Apr082013

ANNOUNCING SALVATION

By Fr. Paul Keller O.P., S.T.D. on April 08, 2013 in Feasts and the Liturgical Calendar

Dominicans love to contemplate and preach about this mystery of our faith, the sending of the Archangel Gabriel to Mary. He announces the beginning of the final stage of human salvation: the entry of the Son of God into the world, through the womb...

Apr072013

DAUGHTERS OF DIVINE MERCY

By My Year of Faith on April 07, 2013 in Feasts and the Liturgical Calendar

Editor's Note: Today is Divine Mercy Sunday! To celebrate this feast in a special way, we invited some ladies from Franciscan University of Steubenville to share about their household (small faith community), the “Daughters of Divine...

Apr062013

OUR “TWIN” THOMAS

By Fr. Ben Muhlenkamp on April 06, 2013 in Sunday Readings

We all want to touch Jesus; we all want to put our hands in his side, and our fingers in his hands. We all want to see that he really has been raised from the dead with our own eyes, because like Thomas, we have doubts. The Hebrew name Thomas...