This blog's mission is simple--to encourage moms who are married to non-Catholics and raising their children in the Faith. If you know a mom who needs a little encouragement in continuing her efforts, I would be delighted if you would share Kathleen's Catholic with her. Thank you!
Ever wonder if there are details of Heaven in the Holy Scriptures that describe exactly what it is like? When we were children, we were taught that Heaven is above and Hell is below. Is this true? Will we all be united in eternity? Does Heaven have an open-door policy so everyone gets in? Is there a hierarchy?
There are plenty of answers! Here's a video I think you will thoroughly enjoy. Susan Conroy, translator of The End of the Present World, joins Johnnette Benkovic and Fr. Edmund Sylvia to discuss our magnificent and eternal home.
Susan Conroy's translation
of a work St. Therese loved.
What I enjoyed so much about this episode is how joyfully Susan speaks about Christ and His Father's Heaven of many mansions. Click here to watch the episode now and learn more about Susan's work, The End of the Present World.
At Women of Grace, you will find a large collection of TV episodes of the same name. A cup of tea, a few moments to yourself, and you are set for some wonderful edifying television--a breath of fresh air!
St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, tells us that we can give glory to God in small and meaningful ways. Everyone's got a story. Maybe when we're stuck in line or in traffic, that's God's way of giving us an opportunity to live like St. Therese. You'll love this video.
Not a bonafide Catholic mystic, for sure, but this little kitty is absolutely adorable! You all know how much I love animals and God's creation, so I just couldn't resist. Be sure to turn up the volume, so you don't miss the beginning. "Mouse! Mouse!"
You might remember my review of Fr. Donald Calloway's book, called No Turning Back: A Witness of Mercy. Click here to read the review. You can also order the book by clicking on Kathleen's Book Shop in right column.
From a defiant teen hippie, runaway, and thief to devout Catholic and priest, Father tells an incredible story. A gentle reminder: Fr. Calloway's book is a page-turner, but please keep in mind that I do not recommend his book for children. Parents of teens should read the book first before sharing it with them. For my boys, I plan to wait until they are about eighteen.
Here is Fr. Calloway's interview with Marcus Grodi on EWTN's The Journey Home. This is just fine for teens to view!
Fellow Catholic writer and author of The Rosary Workout, Peggy Bowes, talks with Marcus Grodi on The Journey Home. A former Air Force pilot, Peggy tells her story about her wayward life in the academy, then her later reversion to Mother Church. This is a beautiful story that's very familiar. If you are in your early to mid forties, you might recognize Peggy's description of the catechism of her youth. I sure do.
Peggy's story is filled with hope.
To order The Rosary Workout, click on Kathleen's Book Shop in right column.
Have you read my article at CatholicMom.com, called Opportunity Outside Our Kitchen Door? Take a look. You never know when Our Heavenly Father is going to knock.
This little video doesn't need comment. It's so eloquent and complete, put to Ray Boltz's song. Unborn babies who are aborted ask Our Lord in Heaven, "What was I suppose to be?" Thanks to my FB friend, Birgit, for sharing this with me.
Lila Rose, an elegant and determined young woman (and a homeschool graduate) has dedicated her life to fighting abortion. Her speech is elegant and direct. Especially poignant is her story of the unborn cousins.
Here's also the story of the Mona Lisa Project and how this little grassroots group is fighting the Goliath Planned Parenthood with truth and love for the unborn.
The undercover video Lila mentions follows. (If you don't see it below, please click here.)
Here is the undercover video of the Mona Lisa Project. Young Lila Rose poses as a 13-year-old with a 31-year-old boyfriend. The indifference of the Planned Parenthood counselors will shock you, especially if you are a parent.
Catholic writer and fellow homeschooling mom, Susie Lloyd, posted Pavarotti's Nessun Dorma on Facebook one day, and it reminded me just how much I love this aria.
Nessun Dorma means "no man will sleep", and it's from Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot. In 2002, I included its English lyrics in one of my collections of classical poems, which I compiled for Ballantine Books.
Of course, Pavarotti's voice makes the aria super intense, and anyone who listens to it is sure to get goose bumps. But once you know the lyrics, you just might shed a few tears as well, especially if you've ever fallen deeply in love.
Here are the lyrics:
No Man Will Sleep
No man will sleep! No man will sleep! You, too, oh Princess, In your virginal room, Watch the stars Trembling with love and hope!
But my secret lies hidden within me, No-one shall discover my name! Oh no, I will reveal it only on your lips When daylight shines forth! And my kiss shall break The silence that makes you mine!
Depart, on night! Set, you stars! Set, you stars! At dawn I shall win! I shall win! I shall win!
St. Padre Pio: Born Francis Forgione in the south-central Italian town of Pietrelcina, he was a simple Capuchin monk who spent his entire life celebrating Mass and hearing confessions.
He did not travel the world, collect rare artifacts, scale walls or suffer in dungeons. He was not a soldier or a millionaire. Yet, he was a great warrior who fended off Satan himself and saved countless souls, literally. He built a hospital with his compassion and drew thousands upon thousands of Catholic and non-Catholics alike to his tiny confessional, where many waited as long as thirty days to be heard and absolved of their sins by this simple man who bore the wounds of Christ, the stigmata.
Just as The Little Flower, St. Therese of Lisieux, spent her life in one monastery and changed the world through the living sermon of her little ways, St. Padre Pio defeated evil and cast out darkness to make present Christ among us, never traveling but a few miles from home. His daily Mass took ninety minutes. This was not due to additional prayers but to his love for the ultimate prayer itself and his need to contemplate the great mystery of The Eucharist, often times bringing him to tears of joy and gratitude. Padre Pio could read hearts and souls, much to the surprise of many sinners, and his rare gift of bi-location was well spent as he brought comfort to the dying.
Here is a wonderful book my pastor, Fr. Deo, lent to me. It's a compilation of essays about Padre Pio from people who knew him best, covering topics such as his childhood, early priesthood, how the stigmata came to be, his work in the confessional, and his love for the Mass. A true delight to read all at once or bit-by-bit.
I'd like to share with you a video you will want to show your teen. It's a rap, but if you're 14 or 44, you're gonna love it, too. It's about the modern world--all the stuff we and our kids are "fed"--and how its promises are empty. There is only one true promise, and it is in Christ. The video is fun and not preachy...but very effective!
As Catholics, let's pray that the same fervor you see on this video brings all our brothers and sisters to the Blessed Sacrament, so all will have Christ with us both spiritually and physically and we will be united as One. What a bountiful gift our Lord gave us through His Body and Blood! May we also share in this fervor as we receive Him in Holy Communion. Remember to say, "Thank you, Lord Jesus," as you consume the consecrated host.
Thanks to Brian at A Book of Everything. Click here to watch the video now.
