“He is Risen!” That phrase is splashed all over social media and church signboards. After the trials of Lent, Catholics are ready for the Easter season! Read on for some uniquely Catholic aspects of Eastertide! 1. “We are the Easter People“ Attributed to Pope St. John Paul II, are you even really Catholic if you don’t share at least one meme or graphic with this now iconic phrase on it during the Easter octave? 2. Taking allergy medicine before Easter Mass Whether it is the gratuitous use of incense on Easter Sunday or the overpowering aroma of hyacinths, lilies, and potting soil, it isn’t ..read more

I could get so much more done if I didn’t have to stop to sleep. Yet, I’ve proved to myself countless times that overriding the need for sleep robs the waking hours of quality. So, I surrender. At least it’s my goal to get enough sleep to operate at maximum capacity and health during daytime hours. God is the inventor of the 24-hour day, so I’ve come to accept that either I do have enough time to get to everything—so don’t stress over it—or I’ve taken on too much. And while I love being productive and getting things done, I also consider spending time with loved ones and especially God to b ..read more

So many things get in the way of being on time for Mass. It’s Lent and you promised yourself you’d be on time every time, but the time change, the kids, the late-night movie, the restless sleep… The mornings seem impossible and you barely get there for the procession much less any announcements. Maybe you’re even later and trying to sneak in before the first reading. If this sounds like you, don’t worry. Being on time for Mass doesn’t have to be an impossible task, even for those who struggle with timeliness. Here are five tips for being on time for Mass. Just know that some of these tips wil ..read more

No one talks about it in public. It is unpleasant and uncomfortable to discuss. It is that place that no one wants to go to, but where the saints have had visions that were full of fire, darkness, and agony. This place has several names; Gehenna, Hades, Tartarus, but most commonly today, it is named Hell. Father J. Godfrey Raupert tackles the topic in Hell and its Problems. Ask most people today, and they will say they don’t believe there is a Hell or that is just for the really, really “bad people” but as long as they aren’t that “bad” then they won’t go there after death. Unfortunately, th ..read more

Did Easter Baskets slip your mind? Here is the most favorite book about the Easter Bunny in our house to date. With Easter is becoming more and more about commercialism in the culture around us, we finally have a heart-warming story to bridge the gap between the Easter Bunny and the Crucifixion and Ressurection. The Story of the First Easter Bunny The story of a young bunny who witnesses the Last Supper, The Crucifixion, The Resurrection, and then receives a miracle, will easily give the true story of Easter without being too preachy or so cute that it misses the point of Easter altogether ..read more

Who doesn’t love a great board book? If it rhymes and is adorable with great illustrations, all the better! This one is a keeper and lives on the family room bookshelf where the smallest of hands can easily find it. Joseph’s Workshop The joy in this book is so easily to caught. Joseph wasn’t just the silent step-father of Jesus, and he comes alive in this book in new and lovely ways. They will see the tools used and the items made in the skillful hands of the carpenter. The patience, creativity, the love and care and so many other qualities and virtues of this earthly father of Jesus. This ..read more

The Triduum can be a mysterious and sad time even for adults. Below are some ways to help our kids enter into this sacred day as we remember Jesus’ Passion, death, and Resurrection. Holy Thursday Seder Meal Photo by Charles Hutchins on Flickr A Seder is the meal traditionally served for Passover. It is the type of meal Jesus would have eaten with his disciples at the Last Supper. You can be as eleborate and accurate or not as you choose. Inlcuding unleavened bread, bitter herbs and grape juice can focus your celebration on remembering the events of Holy Thursday. Pray before the Eucharist Pho ..read more

Recently I had a conversation that took me by surprise. In this conversation, an acquaintance of mine suggested that it was audacious and insulting that the Church would insist on “telling us” what can and can’t happen in the Mass. In essence, they were incredulous that we have such mechanisms as rubrics and that we, the laity, couldn’t decide how we wanted to celebrate and participate. To say I was taken aback is an understatement. However, it did get me thinking. What is worship? And how do we get it wrong or right? Made for worship It should come as no secret to us that we, as humans, are ..read more

Within the theology of grace, we see a connection between the sacraments as instruments of grace, and Christ who is the instrument of grace. Opponents of the Church argue that Christ is the sole mediator and they cite 1 Timothy 2:5 as a prooftext. Regarding Christ being the only mediator between God and man, the Church agrees and has also taught it to be so. However, Christ can mediate in any way he desires since he is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Christ chose to mediate through the sacraments. Charles Journet describes this as, “Christ was to come as Mediator, to teach, to give ..read more

As Catholics and as people of faith, we have much to be joyous about in terms of living out our Catholic identity. In many ways, one may ask the question, “How can we be depressed?” It is true, that as Catholics we make a conscious decision to bare our crosses, and this is the most effective way to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world. We are all affected by sin in some way, shape, or form. In addition, we are human, and we suffer the effects of disease, disorders, and ailments of all kinds. Depression affects most of us at some time in our lives. So ..read more