Pope Recalls John Paul's Plea to Europe

On the eve of the Feast of St. James... Pope: Youths of Cologne, fermentation for Europe’s roots and world peace

Tragic News

Britain Says Man Killed by Police Had No Tie to Bombings - New York Times

Does Sin Keep Us From Seeing the Glory of God?

A line from this article, gave me pause to think and pray "Lord touch my eyes that I might see!"



From A Restored Harmony in Creation:



"An example is given in the Eastern Christian understanding of the Transfiguration. In the Christian East, Christ is understood to have continuously radiated the glory of God but, because of human sin, people saw only a man. At the Transfiguration, however, it was the sight of Peter, James and John that was transfigured. The icons show the light radiating from Christ and touching the eyes of Peter, James and John, who thus see Christ as he truly is, with the whole of creation reflecting his glory."

St. Briget of Sweden (Memorial)--Day 4 of Our Appeal

The Fifteen Prayers of St. Bridget

Weekends were made for....(see how effective the beer ad was?)...if only we could come up with a way to make everything about our life giving faith as memorable. This was one of the reasons that I used the word S.A.C.R.I.F.I.C.E. to organize the material in my book How To Get The Most Out Of The Eucharist. Each letter stand for an attitude that we can bring to our weekend celebration of the Eucharist that will help us to both grow spiritually and closer to Christ--here's the kicker whether we are Catholic or not!

Yes How To Get The Most Out Of The Eucharist as well as Amy's Here. Now. A Catholic Guide to the Good Life. One of the first people that read my book and loved it was a young woman who is married to a Catholic and attends Mass every Sunday even though she hasn't converted. The book helped her to see the connection between following Christ and going to Mass.

We are asking readers of this blog and Amy's Open Book to consider buying one copy of her excellent book Here. Now. A Catholic Guide to the Good Life.and one of my How To Get The Most Out Of The Eucharist books that we believe can really help a wide variety of folks both Catholic and not. They would make a unique gift--one that challenges what weekends were made for...rest (See Genesis and God who is responsible for the creation of weekends.

All profits from the sale of these two books over this 30 day appeal will go to Food for the Poor.
Thanks to all who have already responded!

Deacon who Sang Gospel at Pope John Paul's Requiem Ordained

BBC NEWS | England | West Midlands | Pope's funeral singer made priest

Pope Loses the Zuchetto Goes With more Modern Cap

On vacation in the Alps...

Feast of St. Mary Magdalene

There are any number of books out there to give you all kinds of takes on who Mary Magdalene was, most will condemn Pope Gregory the Great for conflating her with a number of sinful women mentioned in the Gospels, but many of these same authors conflate Magdalene with Mary of Bethany or the woman with the alabaster jar.

Mary Magdalene is a follower of Jesus--symbolic of all of us who strive to follow him. Her moment of great joy at the resurrection of Jesus is tempered by a command to spread the news, not unlike the experience of the transfiguration for the apostles was tempered by the command to go back down the mountain.

We can learn from this, here in the fallen world we must always be about the work of Jesus empowered by Him but out spreading the Good News to all we meet.