Celebrate ALL Saints!!

The Solemnity of All Saints Day on November 1 is a day that honors all those in heaven. Throughout the year we have many feasts of individual saints who are “canonized” or “listed” among the blessed. How did these saints get on the Church calendar? When Christ established the Kingdom, he didn’t hand out lectionaries,…

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Rearranging the Letters

Do you play Wordle? My daily text message to my youngest sister includes a word like “splendid” or “great” or “phew” to let her know how I fared on the New York Times popular game. Although the game is fun, that’s not the only reason I play. I prefer the communication with my sister, which…

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Backpack For Your Journey

Going somewhere?  Of course! We’re all on our journey of life into eternal life. Recently when I took a plane trip, I decided to take only a backpack. Of course, this meant only the necessities. On your journey to eternal life what would you pack? What do you consider essential? Here are a few things…

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Best Friend

Does anything surpass the pleasure of time spent with a best friend? Those blessed minutes and hours let us luxuriate in complete relaxation. Friends just be. Whether dining in a restaurant or eating popcorn during a Netflix, walking a rocky trail or sifting sand through toes, sharing a worry or snickering over a joke, sharing…

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Velcro Memories

Why is it that the memories that hang around the longest are the ones we wish we could get rid of? Don’t you hate the stubborn cling of Velcro memories? When schools and parishes come to mind, some I haven’t visited for thirty years or more, my first thought is often an uncomfortable incident. Even…

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Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Just a month ago, on September 8 the Church celebrated the birthday of Mary. Is this the correct date? It’s anyone’s guess. But the point is to honor Mary, and wishing “Happy birthday!” is one way to focus on the Mother of God. I am very blessed to be raised by parents who gave honor…

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Light Bulbs, Stay Screwed In

In this month when we honor Mary, Queen of the Rosary, perhaps you’ll be praying the 50 Hail Mary’s more frequently. I am glad that the Luminous Mysteries, or Mysteries of Light, were added to the other three sets of meditation. The five Luminous Mysteries reveal so much more of the life of Jesus: his…

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Blessing Others

Concluding liturgies and prayer services is the blessing: “The Lord be with you.” With those words we are blessed and given the privileged mission to extend the blessing to others. As we go through our day, we can breathe a silent blessing upon all that we see: people, animals, plants, all creatures. Of course, we…

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Plowing Under

As calendars turn from summer to autumn, farmers and gardeners plow under what they have spent months planting, growing, reaping. Wheat stubble and corn stalks are plowed under, tomato vines and bean plants start to enrich the soil for another year’s planting. Abundant rain in August yields healthy soybeans waiting to be combined. So much…

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Life’s Purpose

This blog is a little late but its message is still very relevant to daily life for all of us! College and university classes are beginning. Amid the chaos of packing, leaving home, carting textbooks up flights of stairs, juggling class schedules, adjusting to roommates, and eating a semester’s worth of snacks the first week,…

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