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May 21, 2013 - FoxNews.com The Catholic Church unveiled a new iPad application this week, intended to keep the faithful abreast of Vatican comings-and-goings, as well as other news from the church’s missions throughout the world.
Called the MISSIO App, the new software debuted during a ceremony hosted this week by...
May 18, 2013 - By: Katie Sanders - Glamour They’re the winners of Glamour’s 56th annual Top 10 College Women competition. And they just might be the CEOs, superstars, and lady legends of our future!
May 15, 2013 - By: Rick Hampson - USA TODAY Kermit Gosnell, 72, of Philadelphia was charged with first-degree murder in the death of four newborns and third-degree murder in the 2009 death of a 41-year-old woman.
The conviction Monday of Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell on first-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges produced rare agreement by opposing...
May 12, 2013 When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. -Sophia Loren
With "In My Daughter's Eyes," country music artist Martina McBride explains exactly why...
May 10, 2013 -By: Teresa Manion I know this title seems a little cliché, but the truth of this message still holds true today. In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus explains how those that enter the Kingdom serve the least of the people. He specifically tells us “whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).
I was given a very powerful reminder of this message while serving as a Eucharistic Minister at daily Mass. As I held the host up before my peers, I realized that as a Eucharistic...
May 7, 2013 That's right! "Somebody's Hero" by Australian country artist Jamie O'Neal is being featured just in time for the next hero holiday coming along at the end of this week... And yes! It's the one for our pricelessly beautiful moms :-)
According to the back cover of the CD single, O'Neal said, "I had been saying to all my...
May 4, 2013 -catholicculture.org The month of May is the "month which the piety of the faithful has especially dedicated to Our Blessed Lady," and it is the occasion for a "moving tribute of faith and love which Catholics in every part of the world [pay] to the Queen of Heaven. During this month Christians, both in church and in the privacy of the home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent and loving homage of prayer and veneration. In this month, too, the benefits of God's mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abundance" (Paul VI: Encyclical on theMonth...
May 1, 2013 - By: Libby Copeland - Glamour On a Thursday morning in early 2012, nursing student Marcella Wagner, who was 32 years old and seven and a half months pregnant, was driving to class not far from her home in Redding, California. A car swerved in front of her Honda, clipping her front wheel. Marcella's car flipped twice and landed upright on the side of the highway. Barely able to process what had just happened, her first thought was how convenient it was that the car had landed upright - she could simply step out of it and walk away. Then she tried to, and nothing happened. She sat, paralyzed, watching blood drip...
April 28, 2013 -By: Brad Tuttle - Time Oscar winner Ben Affleck’s next project is a challenge aimed at raising money and awareness for global poverty. The star of “Argo” and “Good Will Hunting” is joining thousands of others around the world by living on $1.50 a day from April 29 - May 3.
Live Below the Line bills itself as “a campaign that’s challenging the way people in the...
April 25, 2013 - By: Eric Metaxas - Christian Post Some Christians are heroic because they fought back against evil. But today we'll learn about a hero who was great because he didn't fight back. The words are famous even among those who know little about baseball: "I'm looking for a ballplayer with guts enough not to fight back." They were spoken by Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey to the man whom he'd chosen to break baseball's color barrier: Jackie Robinson...
April 22, 2013 - By: Erick Erickson - Fox News I remember it so clearly — a memory you can only remember so clearly when it is from sadness. You can’t let it go. I was sitting in the mud by the rear passenger side tire of my old Acura cradling my one-year-old in the steady, driving rain. I was sobbing, doing my best not to fall apart in front of my little girl.But the tears ran. My throat hurt as I tried to suppress the guttural cries I wanted to cry there in the mud...
April 19, 2013 - By: Daughters of God + their 'mazing mission To encourage women to become who God meant them to be so that they can set the world on fire for Him. To help them grow in virtue and in their identity as daughters of God and inspire them on their faith journey towards eternal happiness.
April 16, 2013 - By: The Huffington Post President Obama addressed the Boston Marathon explosions on Monday evening, saying that the "American people will say a prayer for Boston tonight" in the wake of the "senseless loss."
"On days like this there are no Republicans or Democrats," Obama said. "We are...
April 15, 2013 -By: Stephanie Guyla After blogging for a year and a half on the topic of being a Catholic woman (and after almost 24 years of actually being a Catholic woman), I have come to the conclusion that the topic of fatherhood is a sore subject for almost every woman. This, of course, is not to say that there aren’t women out there who have great relationships with their earthly fathers and no problem at all relating to God the Father, but through my experiences, I have found that a majority of women (Catholic or not) need healing when it comes to their father...
April 13, 2013 - By: Steve Gershom - Catholic Exchange I’m so used to being gay and Catholic, I forget how strange that sounds. I forget that, for some people, “homosexual” describes something like a different race, or maybe even a different gender. I forget that some Christians think I’m the worst kind of pervert (but a pervert they have to treat nicely), and some secularists think I’m the worst kind of hypocrite; the former because I’m sexually attracted to men, and the latter because I don’t do anything about it...
April 10, 2013 - By: Lisa Cotter - FOCUS Two days before I left for college, I was told that my dad had cancer. It came as quite a shock, as he was currently being treated for a skin condition, which a doctor had just discovered to be a misdiagnosis. My dad was adamant that I still leave to begin my freshmen year, especially since I would only be an hour away. So in a daze I headed off to Benedictine.
In the following months, I frequently went home to visit my dad in various hospitals while doctors from all over the country exhausted every kind of treatment they could think of...
April 7, 2013 -By: Jimmy Greene & Nelba Marquez-Greene - USA TODAY Our daughter, Ana Grace Marquez-Greene, would have been 7 years old this past Thursday if she hadn't been murdered less than four months ago at Sandy Hook Elementary School. We named her Ana after the praying widow in the Gospel of Luke and Grace for the characteristic we most hoped her life would embody.
Ana was an infectiously happy child loved by everyone - equal parts her passionate Puerto Rican therapist mother and her African-American jazz musician father. She danced...
April 5, 2013 It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all The opposite of love's indifference... And the highway signs say we're close, But I don't read those things anymore I never trusted my own eyes...
April 3, 2013 - CNN PRODUCTION NOTE Marie Sager attended the Blessing of the Animals in downtown Los Angeles, California, on March 30. She says this event is held the Saturday before Easter each year and has been a tradition in the area since 1930. Pet owners come out to the event in hopes of having their pet blessed by the archbishop of the Catholic Church, but she explains all are welcomed to participate. 'The highlight of the event is walking in the procession and being blessed with the holy water by the Archbishop,' she said. 'He tosses the Holy Water on the animals...
March 31, 2013 - Eric J. Lyman - Special for USA TODAY The Easter homily he delivered from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to an enthusiastic crowd urged an end to conflict in the Middle East and Korean Peninsula.
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis used his first Easter homily to call for peace around the world and to decry greed, before taking a spin through the hundreds of thousands of worshipers in the popemobile and greeting the faithful. Speaking from main balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Francis specifically mentioned conflicts in Syria, between Israel and...
March 29, 2013 -By: Nicole Winfield - Associated Press ROME — Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of a dozen inmates at a juvenile detention center in a Holy Thursday ritual that he celebrated for years as archbishop and is continuing now that he is pope. Two of the 12 were young women, a remarkable choice given that the rite re-enacts Jesus' washing of the feet of his male disciples. The Mass was held in the Casal del Marmo facility in Rome, where 46 young men and women currently are detained. Many of them are Gypsies or North African migrants, and the 12 selected for the foot...
March 28, 2013 - http://theosophical.wordpress.com McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, Robert George, et al have written what I believe to be one of the best defenses of opposite-sex marriage, and one of the best arguments against same-sex marriage available in print. Titled, “What is Marriage?”, this paper appeared in the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy.
I’ve often said the reason support for same-sex marriage has grown so fast in the West is because we have ceased to understand what marriage is. George et al understands that when it comes to the marriage debate, everything hinges on the question, What is marriage?
March 28, 2013 -www.staycatholic.com In light of the Supreme Court's second day hearing on the issue of same-sex marriage , here is the full text from the Vatican's official document on the Catholic Church's teaching of homosexual marriage: "Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons." It was approved by Pope John Paul II and signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of the Congregation for the...
March 27, 2013 No one knows the true meaning of Easter better than this clever crew from ATC Sunday School :-) See for yourself how excited they are to celebrate the everlasting Easter message, starting with the Last Supper!
March 24, 2013 -By: The Little Catholic Book series Although it is still not a tradition practiced in all countries, the blessing and use of palms for the liturgy of Palm Sunday is believed to have originated in Germany during the 8th century. Palms then soon became incorporated into Catholic liturgical tradition. But because palm branches are not easy to obtain in certain European countries, a substitution is sometimes made. In Italy, many churches use olive branches. In other nations, spruce branches or...
Go-sling-is-m [Ga-slean-is-umm] Noun = Pretty much the greatest Catholic dating / marriage lines EVER. Need we say more?! Origin = Ryan Gosling, an American (Catholic) actor, who starred as Noah Calhoun in The Notebook
March 20, 2013 - By: Jason Horowitz - The Washington Post The Catholic Church inaugurated Pope Francis as its first Latin American and Jesuit head Tuesday morning, vesting the Argentine with the trappings of authority at an open-air Mass in St. Peter’s Square attended by more than 150,000 people. Representatives from 132 nations, including many heads of state, sat opposite 250 red-capped cardinals and purple-clad bishops who had taken their seats atop the basilica stairs. Leaders of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Jain faiths...
March 17, 2013 -www.catholic.org/saints Around the age of 14 circa 400 A.D., Patrick was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to tend sheep. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and pagans. He learned the language and practices of the people who held him. During his captivity, he turned to God in prayer. He wrote:
"The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night...
March 16, 2013 - By: Kristin DeSutter During my internship with an Illinois congressman nearly two summers ago (who happens to be Catholic and has 10 kids, btw :-), I became friends with other congressional interns from across the states - Arizona, Montana, and Pennsylvania - and a Florida intern I became friends with was actually Haitian. One muggy summer evening, he, my roommate Alissa, and I were traversing the historic war monuments when we began discussing how much wealth America has compared to other so many other nations. "It's funny..." he said, "Most people in Haiti are much poorer than the poor in America - many have no electricity or...
March 13, 2013 - CNN & ABC News Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina,the new pope, is breaking historic ground by choosing the name Francis. It's the first time the name is being used by a pope, said CNN Vatican expert John Allen. There are cornerstone figures in Catholicism," such as St. Francis, Allen said. Figures of such stature as St. Francis of Assisi seem "irrepeatable -- that there can be only one Francis," he added. The name symbolizes "poverty, humility...
Cosette and Valjean on the run from Javert (again)
March 11, 2013 - By: Joseph Jablonski and Tabitha Garnica - Gaudium Dei Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. -Matthew 5:10 Throughout the whole of Les Misérables, Javert and Jean Valjean are at odds with each other. While this may seem obvious in the sense of their relationship of jailer to jailed, it actually becomes more evident when one observes how they treat moral laws, hope, and...
March 10, 2013 -By: Rachel Zoll - AP Religion Writer Cardinals took a break from maneuvering ahead of this week's papal conclave to fan out across Rome and celebrate Sunday Mass at local parishes. The worship services provided a chance to see the cardinals up close and hear them preach two days before they enter the conclave. Roman Catholics and others packed the churches, holding up cell phones to take photos and video. The cardinals said Mass in their titular churches, the parishes that according to church tradition are assigned to them as clergy of Rome, creating a symbolic...
March 9, 2013 -By: Stephanie Gulya I never have enough time in the day to get all my work done. I never have enough money to live comfortably and not worry about it. I never have enough food (although at the moment that one can be contributed to the fact that I am six months pregnant). I never have enough...
It is never warm enough in the winter or cool enough in the summer. The knowledge I have is never enough to answer everyone's questions. The degree I have is not enough to get me...
March 7, 2013 With papal installation celebrations, St. Patrick's Day, spring formals, Easter, and gradfests coming up within the next few weeks... You don't just want to go to the parties, you want to BE the party! And no one could give a better guide than the most dynamic walking partier around... Kid President!!
Pope Benedict XVI stepped out of his signature shoes Thurs
March 4, 2013 - Eric J. Lyman - Special for USA TODAY VATICAN CITY -- The process of picking a successor to Pope Benedict XVI officially got underway Monday with more than 100 of the electors meeting in "congregations," but press officials said the dates of the papal conclave will not be set until all the cardinal electors are in town. Of the 115 cardinals who can vote, 103 were in Rome for the pre-conclave meeting in which the cardinals a chance to get to know one another better. The Vatican said the cardinals prayed together and talked over coffee. Twelve more cardinals had yet to arrive. The dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, has said a date won't be...
Ratzinger celebrates mass in Ruhpolding, Germany (1952)
March 2, 2013 - Ruby Russell, Janelle Dumalaon, Sumi Somaskanda & Eric J. Lyman - USA TODAY - Ratzinger entered seminary at the age of 12 and was unable to avoid becoming a reluctant member of the Hitler Youth.
BERLIN — When Joseph Ratzinger was 7, he wrote to the baby Jesus — the Bavarians equivalent of writing to Santa — telling him what he wanted for Christmas.
"Dear Baby Jesus, come quickly down to earth," he wrote. "You will bring joy to...
Pope Benedict held his final public audience Feb 27
February 27, 2013 -By: Daniel J. Wakin - The NY Times VATICAN CITY — He circumnavigated St. Peter’s Square in the popemobile for the last time. He gave his final waves to cheering masses. And most profoundly, Pope Benedict XVI bestowed his valedictory words to the world on Wednesday in a heartfelt, sometimes wistful address that highlighted the price of being a pope — and its rays of happiness.
His eight-year papacy held moments of “joy and light,” at times resembling the boat carrying Peter and the other apostles on the Sea of Galilee, enjoying many days of sun...
February 25, 2013 -www.lillypulitzer.com When 21-year-old Lilly married Peter Pulitzer, the two escaped the hustle and bustle of New York City for the sun and sand of Palm Beach. In the shadows of Peter's citrus groves, Lilly opened a juice stand. To disguise the juice stains on her clothing, she had a sleeveless dress made from colorfully-printed cotton. Soon, she was selling more dresses than juice, and Lilly Pulitzer the clothing label was born. The "classic shift dress" shot to international fame and demand when Lilly's old schoolmate Jacqueline Kennedy née Bouvier, then the First...
February 22, 2013 - By: Maggie Jones - The NY Times Smuggling Jewish children out of the Warsaw ghetto was by necessity quiet work. It was invisible work. And it was largely women’s work. For Irena Sendler, a Catholic Pole in her 30s, and for the dozens of women in her underground network, gender was as crucial as code names, secret hand signals, safe houses and smuggling routes in a conspiracy that would save at least 2,500 young lives...
February 19, 2013 - By: Brandy McDonnell - BAM Entertainment Country music superstar and Checotah native Carrie Underwood is planning to make the hills come alive with the sound of music in late 2013. The 2005 “American Idol” winner will take on the legendary role of Maria Von Trapp in a live television broadcast of “The Sound of Music.” The five-time Grammy winner already has a bit of experience with the musical’s memorable title theme: Check out this YouTube video of her rendition of “The Sound of Music” theme on CBS’ “Movies Rock” special...
February 16, 2013 - By: Elisabetta Povoledo and Alan Cowell - The NY Times VATICAN CITY — The basilica was packed for Ash Wednesday - Pope Benedict XVI's last public mass - including the attendance of a number of the cardinals who will be called on to choose his successor in just over a month. A huge banner at the rear of the Vatican’s Paul VI audience hall, which held around 8,000 people, proclaimed “Thanks Your Holiness.”
“I am strengthened and reassured by the certainty that the church is Christ’s, who will never leave her without his guidance and care,” the pope said. “I thank all of you for the love and...
February 14, 2013 The numbers have been crunched and the wisdom of 58 guys revealed more than ever... that's right, the V-Day ballots are in! And it's practically impossible to thank our outstanding guy friends enough! For not only their time, but most of all, for always being there for us - for your faith, encouragement, and friendship - and know that because of you, our day is that much sweeter :-) By giving us your thoughts, you've given us a pretty priceless gift, one that we can always come back to whenever we're needing a bit of inspiration, and happy Valentine's Day to you too!!
February 11, 2013 - By: CBS News Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday that he would resign his position as the head of the Roman Catholic Church on February 28, shocking the Christian world and even many close to him. Benedict, 85, announced his decision in Latin during a meeting of Vatican cardinals Monday morning, explaining that because of his advanced age and diminishing strength, he didn't feel he could carry on the job. In his remarks to the cardinals, Benedict said his age and health left him with a level of energy, "no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry." The Petrine ministry is the...
February 9, 2013 Alright, we'll admit it... Having the opportunity to pepper you with questions for our annual Valentine's survey is one of our absolute favorite things about YCW! We LOVE getting your feedback because we really do admire your awesomeness and value your opinion very much. The 9 multiple choice questions have been puzzled over by several [girl] team members of YCW, and we're sure that many other girls are curious to find out your thoughts as well. So please! Take a few moments and tell us what you think! Really. It's completely anonymous, so no worries, and we hope you have fun too :-) *The polls close on February 13 at 5 p.m., and results will be posted on Valentine's. Dozens of thanks!
February 7, 2013 A candid, wise, personal book in which Lewis explores the possibilities and problems of the four basic kinds of human love: affection, friendship, erotic love, and the love of God. “Immensely worthwhile for its simplicity...a rare and memorable book.” -Sydney J. Harris
The Four Loves - Quotes to Note! “In friendship...we think we have chosen our peers. In reality a few years' difference in the dates of our births, a few more miles between certain houses, the choice of one university...
February 4, 2013 - By: Kristin DeSutter The things that have inspired me the most in my life have never really been things, but rather certain people God has placed throughout my journey. Luckily, my parents have played a significant role in motivating me to always do my best in being kind to everyone, a loyal friend, hard worker, and faithful to Christ. A number of friends have played a pivotal role as well, often inspiring and challenging me to better myself without ever even realizing it. And I can't forget! I am so grateful for the amazing saints God has given us too - St. Gianna, St. Thomas More, St. Joan of Arc, and countless others - saints whose independence, persistence, and tremendous love for God I admire very much. Yet! A fourth group remains, and you most likely guessed...
February 1, 2013 - By: Lisa Cotter - FOCUS Let’s jump right in. Three things I wish students knew about marriage... 1. There is no such thing as “The One” Ouch. I know you’ve written me off already, but hear me out. In life we have free will, which means we have the ability to choose. We like this when it comes to picking our hairstyle, bank, and ice cream, but when it comes to who we are going to marry, we want a clear voice from heaven to tell us what to do. While every so often this does...
January 29, 2013 - By: LCYouth Productions - discovered by Gabby S. But the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord's glory, just as the water covers the sea. -Habakkuk 2:14
January 27, 2013 - By: Catholic News Agency / EWTN WASHINGTON DC - Young participants at the 2013 March for Life voiced enthusiasm and hope as they stood up for the dignity of every human life, from conception to natural death. This year's march has “a lot of energy,” observed Tony Visintainer, a 23-year-old seminarian at Mount St. Mary's in Maryland. “I don’t know if it’s the 40th anniversary,” Visintainer told CNA, “but there’s a difference in the atmosphere.”
January 24, 2013 - By: Anneke E. Green - USA TODAY In a life-loving society, momentary circumstances should never determine abortion Tuesday marked 40 years since the Supreme Court established a legal right to abortion in Roe v. Wade. The March for Life and other groups gather Friday for their annual journey on foot from downtown Washington, D.C., to the Supreme Court. Media coverage of the event promises to be as thin as in past years. The message is not popular: America has failed to support its women and children. A national abdication of social responsibility...
January 21, 2013 - By: Lysa Allman-Baldwin - Unity in Action Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.” In essence: Take the first step assuming the rest will be there, even if you have doubts and fears. Believe that as long as you keep going, you will arrive.
King was born January 15, 1929. From the beginning he demonstrated natural gifts far beyond his years, ultimately leading him to become a pivotal figure in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. In this nation and around the world, his words...
January 19, 2013 - The Catholic World Report The evil of abortion inflicts unimaginable pain, but Jesus offers us healing and renewal. -Cardinal SeÁn P. O’Malley of Boston
WASHINGTON—The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities called on Catholics to participate in “Nine Days of Prayer, Penance and Pilgrimage,” January 19-27, to mark the 40th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision...
January 18, 2013 - By: Glamour When our Women of the Year winners get up there in front of thousands at Carnegie Hall, they let the inspiration fly. Listen in:
"Have the courage of your convictions. Learn to say no, but have no fear in saying yes. And you don't need to conform, because rebellion creates character." -Nicole Kidman, 2008
January 15, 2013 - Biking for Babies Happy New Year's everyone,
It is hard to believe--we're already past halfway to our New Orleans to Chicago ride for 2013 which begins on July 6th; the riders and support crew have already begun working hard to get ready for it! The primary reason for us contacting you today is this exciting news... the two founders of the Biking for Babies ride, Jimmy Becker and Michael Schaefer, will be special guests on the television show, "Life on the Rock", on the EWTN station. They will be sharing their story of how Biking for Babies began and how it helps young people...
January 13, 2013 -Catholic News Service The idea of "spiritual Communion" -- inviting Jesus into one's heart and soul when receiving the actual sacrament isn't possible -- is part of Catholic tradition. Obviously, receiving Communion is the way to participate most fully in the Mass, but it's not always possible for everyone to receive, nor do many Catholics in the world even have regular access to Mass. In the 1700s, St. Alphonsus Liguori wrote a prayer for spiritual communion...
January 10, 2013 -By: Lisa Cotter - FOCUS Can you remember the first time someone explained to you what the little phrase “being open to life” means in the Catholic world? I know I can. I was at youth group in high school and I remember thinking, “Okay, but practically nobody actually follows that.” It wasn’t until college I truly understood what it meant to follow the Church’s teachings on contraception and happily consented to the idea of God planning my family while I blissfully cared for my little blessings who brought more joy to my life than I could comprehend. *Sigh* Actually, when I had my epiphany, my inner dialogue went like this. “Oh (insert your choice mild...
January 7, 2013 - How much is enough? The American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat of just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied, only a little while.
The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish?
January 4, 2013 -An excerpt by the Trinitarians Less than a century after her passing, the Church declared Anna Maria Taigi Blessed on May 30, 1920, in testimony to how an ordinary housewife and mother could become a saint and positively affect the lives of those who came in contact with her. Her great dedication to daily Mass, complete surrender to God , readiness to serve those in need, and involvement in the Third Order of the Most Holy Trinity were significant in her devout spiritual life. But these qualities are only part of her awesomeness, so read on to discover additional details about her rock star faith, and check out her prayer for wives and mothers too!
January 1, 2013 A hit in the United States and abroad, "Breakaway" peaked at #6 on America's Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2004 and ranked within the top 10 for multiple European countries, including Australia, Hungary, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The universal message in "Breakaway" is one reason the song has been so popular across sooo many cultures, and if you're looking for some inspiration to make 2013 even better than the past... here it is!
December 30, 2012 - Glamour They arecourageous. Intelligent. Driven. And caring. And they are Glamour's Women of the Year. This award honors the top ten celebrities, politicians, local leaders, and athletes from across the globe who helped empower and inspire women in 2012, some of whom have been shining their light for decades.
December 28, 2012 - By: Father Edward T. Dowling - Catholic.net Much more than a melody with nonsensical lyrics, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was written by the English Jesuits during the 16th century as a catechetical device. I’m sure you have all heard the Christmas carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” with its haunting melody. The carol dates back to the 16th century and its precise author is unknown. It has generally been assumed to consist of twelve nonsense verses built around...
December 25, 2012 - By: Philip Pullella - Reuters VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict, leading the world's Roman Catholics into Christmas, on Monday urged people to find room for God in their fast-paced lives filled with the latest technological gadgets. The 85-year-old pope, marking the eighth Christmas season of his...
When people find no room for God in their lives, they will soon find no room for others. -Pope Benedict XVI
December 23, 2012 Take a peek to find out what this gang of pre-school kids like best about Christmas, what they think Christmas is really about anyway, what they're hoping to discover under the tree, and why they think Jesus died on the cross.
Oh! And they are pretty adorable, so it's a clip you won't want to miss! :-)
December 20, 2012 - By: Renzo Allegri - Messenger of St. Anthony Renzo, a journalist for Messenger of St. Anthony, had the privilege of meeting Mother Teresa, who explained to him why Christmas was so important for her CHRISTMAS was the most significant feast for Mother Teresa. She used to say that her work with the poor began on Christmas Day in 1948. Celebrating Christmas for Mother Teresa meant being with the poor to whom she devoted her life. Yet the poorest of the poor...
December 18, 2012 What if ribbons and bows didn't mean a thing Would the song still survive without five golden rings Would you still wanna kiss without misletoe What would happen if God never let it snow What would happen if Christmas carols told a lie Tell me what would you find... -Taylor Swift
Mourners gather in St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church
December 15, 2012 - By: Steven Erteit - LifeNews.com Pro-life groups and leaders share their faith through the shock and horror Americans are feeling following the travesty in Connecticut, where two dozen adults and children were brutally slayed by a gunman at an elementary school. Responses include the thoughts from Rick Santorum, the Family Research Council, Missouri Right to Life, and more.
December 13, 2012 - By: Phoebe Natanson - ABC News Today with a hesitant tap on an iPad at his weekly public audience in the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI, using the handle @pontifex, sent out the first tweet from his official personal account to his followers -- close to a million of them in English alone -- on Twitter. His first tweet in English: "Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart." The tweet, which was sent at 2:00 a.m. ET, has been rewteeted over 30,000 times. @pontifiex sent several...
December 11, 2012 First featured in The Polar Express, "Believe" is sung by world-renowned artist Josh Groban. Written by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri, the lyrics are intended to encourage children to trust in the existence of Santa, yet they can be interpreted as a much deeper mystery as well: to reflect the joy of having faith in the true meaning of Christmas.
December 8, 2012 - By: Teresa Manion What do running and practicing the Catholic faith have in common? They both push you to go past the comforts of this world to achieve greatness.
December 6, 2012 Check out how Lora Evenstad, a 22-year-old senior at the University of Nebraska, shares a powerful witness on the role Catholicism and her trust in God play in motivating her faith both on and off the gymnastics floor.
December 3, 2012 - By: The Most Rev. John Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City As we begin the Advent season, our thoughts naturally turn to Christmas in anticipation of the birth of our Savior. Already we are inundated by Christmas decorations in stores, Christmas cards, Christmas party invitations and Christmas carols on the radio. But not so fast! For Catholics, Dec. 2 marks the beginning of the liturgical season of Advent, not Christmas. It is a time of expectation, of longing and of preparation for the coming of the Messiah, the newborn Christ child. We must wait until Dec. 24 at the vigil Mass to...
November 30, 2012 -http://mitchalbom.com From the author who's inspired millions worldwide with books like Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven comes his most imaginative novel yet, The Time Keeper,a compelling fable about the first man on earth to count the hours. The man who became Father Time. In Mitch Albom's newest work of fiction, the inventor of the world's first clock is punished for trying to measure God's greatest gift. He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more...
November 28, 2012 - By: The Maryvale Institute Pope Benedict XVI has set aside a special year for Catholics throughout the world to rediscover, and share with others, the precious gift of Faith entrusted to the Church and the personal gift of faith that we have each received from God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Find out exactly why Pope Benedict XVI chose to implement the Year of Faith on October 11 instead of January 1, along with his hopes for each one of us during the Catholic Church's great celebration of renewal and rediscovery.
November 25, 2012 - By: Teresa Manion On the feast of Christ the King, we celebrate the Kingship of Christ throughout time and space. Why not make Christ the King of your heart as well?
November 23, 2012 - By: Sue Fox - Etiquette for Dummies Cheat Sheet Research and thought will make selecting a gift easier and more appropriate for the person and occasion. Remember the spirit of giving is what matters!
Consider these gift-giving guidelines: - When selecting a gift, consider the person’s hobbies and interests. A bit of research and thought can make the gift-selection process a whole lot easier...
November 20, 2012 - By: Kristin DeSutter I was so surprised when I went to confession at the University of Illinois nearly two years ago this winter, as I received a completely different kind of penance than I ever had before. Rather than being absolved of my sins through prayer, the priest asked that I instead spend ten minutes making a list of the gifts God had given me. But the priest didn't want me to just reflect in the moment of that one wintery afternoon; he wanted me to dive deeper and remember all the gifts I had been given since the day I was born. So once I had my pen...
November 18, 2012 - By: Leah Darrow - http://www.focus.org Know who you are, dress in accordance of who you are and love in spirit and truth of who you are - these three things, while not an exhaustive list, are what I wish every college student knew about true womanhood. No one has said it better, at least to my knowledge, than the Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen: "To a great extent the level of any civilization is the level of its womanhood. When a man loves a woman, he has to become worthy of...
November 16, 2012 If being an avid skier, actor, soccer goalie, master of 9 languages, and ohh yeah... the Pope! ...Wasn't enough Blessed Pope John Paul II, he also knew how to rock an audience. Check out his epic clip to see for yourself!
November 14, 2012 - By: Chrys Howard -Because Two are Better Than One 1) Her steadfast devotion to her family - even her brother 2) Her desire to be the best she can be 3) Her endless love for brushing my hair 4) Her patience when I give unsolicited advice 5) Her dimples...
November 12, 2012 - By: Freya Peterson - GlobalPost.com After embracing Twitter via the Vatican account, Pope Benedict XVI will reportedly begin tweeting from his own personal handle by the end of the year. According to a Newsmax report, the pope will be sharing opinions and Church news urbi et orbi – "to the city and the world" — via the social networking platform. A source told Newsmax: "It will be proper language, for example pointing to his weekly catechesis [teaching] or whatever he is doing on that day. You're probably not going to get any tweets saying..."
November 9, 2012 - By: Dennis Schaal - USA TODAY Photo apps these days are all about picture taking, editing, filtering, animating, printing — and, all important in the eyes of many, sharing them with your social networks. Many of the apps, including Adobe Photoshop Express, Cinemagram, Pic Stitch and Postal Pix are geared for honing your images and giving them keeper status after a vacation or sojourn around town. But they can be used back at the hotel or during a restaurant reprieve, too. The very popular Instagram, on the other hand, is very much oriented to use in the picture-taking...
November 7, 2012 - By: Marian Therese Horvat, Ph. D. - traditioninaction.org This mother of a large family wrote to tell me that her son had died shortly after birth. In her note, she expressed a beautiful Catholic response to what is truly one of the tragedies of life, the loss of a child. “This has been a difficult time,” she wrote, “but along with the suffering, God had also given our family many blessings and made us stronger in the Faith. We also know that we have our little saint in Heaven who is there for us to pray to and who is loving and helping us every day.” This is the way a Catholic deals with tragedy and suffering, a...
November 5, 2012 -United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Lord God, as the election approaches, we seek to better understand the issues and concerns that confront our country, and how the Gospel compels us to respond as faithful citizens in our community. We ask for eyes that are free from blindness so that we might see each other as brothers and sisters, one and equal in dignity, especially those who are victims of abuse and violence, deceit and poverty. We ask for ears that will hear the cries of children unborn and those abandoned, men and women oppressed because of race or creed, religion or...
November 3, 2012 - http://dignitasmagazine.com Since Dignitas was launched earlier this year, we have been blessed beyond expectation with encouraging responses from readers around hte globe who support our work and have promised us their prayers. To those who have reached out to us we send our sincere thanks! Your encouragement has not only reassured us that Dignitas' message is relevant and needed, but it has also allowed us to experience the powerful, encouraging reality of the Body of Christ. With this in mind, we set out to plan this fall issue with the desire to "pay..."
November 1, 2012 - By: Scott P. Reichert -About.com All Saints Day, the day on which Catholics celebrate all the saints, known and unknown, is a surprisingly old feast. It arose out of the Christian tradition of celebrating the martyrdom of saints on the anniversary of their martyrdom. When martyrdoms increased during the persecutions of the late Roman Empire, local dioceses instituted a common feast day in order to ensure that all martyrs, known and unknown, were...
October 30, 2012 - MarthaStewart.com That's right! Martha Stewart has concocted more cute and clever (and simple) baking ideas for Halloween. Impress with your trick-or-treaters, family, and friends with these spooky sweet treats. But be prepared... you might have creatures, witches, astronauts and princesses coming back for thirds and fourths!
October 29, 2012-FOCUS.org Presented by FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, SEEK 2013 is an adventurous five-day event in Orlando from January 2nd – 6th. Keynote speakers include Matthew Kelly, author of twelve books that have appeared on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestseller lists along with Leah Darrow, a participant on America's Next Top Model and current apologist for Catholic Answers...
October 27, 2012 -By: John C. Maierhauser When I was 9 years old, I was a wounded military medic. Dried blood and grit covered my forehead and my neck. A shredded white tee shirt clung around me and my break-away athletic pants and Adidas tennis shoes completed the outfit. Our little gang ran from house to house answering, “And who are YOU supposed to be?” very politely with our heads bowed we respond, “a medic ; a power ranger; a ninja,” and memorably we laughed at a pal dressed up in a bright blue shell yelling, “An M&M!” After combing the neighborhood for goods and with bulging pillow...
October 25, 2012 - By: A Catholic Man Dear sisters, To be honest, I have been disappointed with the state of the current dating culture. I see women everyday who are settling for less and less from their men. It is now common place for women to offer their boyfriends intimacies meant for their future husbands. They give everything and receive little of value in return. These women offer us more and more, and require less and less- and men like it. Where did all the virtuous men go you ask?...
October 25, 2012 - By: Jim Forsyth - Reuters SAN ANTONIO - A Texas high school cheerleading team may continue using religious scriptures on banners at football games for now, a federal judge ruled last Thursday, saying the students had a constitutional right to express their faith on school property. The ruling over the so-called "Bible Banners" at the school in the east Texas town of Kountze marked the latest twist in a broader national clash over the separation of religion from public schools. Hardin County State District Judge Steve Thomas, in allowing the banners pending a...
October 23, 2012 - By: Kristin DeSutter While cooking dinner and jamming out to my T Swift Pandora station after work last night, these lyrics (ones I hadn't ever heard before) started playing, lyrics so pretty that I almost entirely forgot about my bubbling pasta and just... listened. Almost every Taylor Swift song revolves around dating relationships, but this song focuses on a completely different (and completely awesome) relationship - one with little baby girls - and although it may not be explicitly pro-life, she recognizes the sweet innocence of early life so beautifully that it's...
October 21, 2012 - By: Mary Gearin - ABC News Kateri Tekakwitha, known as "Lily of the Mohawks," who for centuries has been a symbol of hope for the long-oppressed American Indians, was canonised in a lavish ceremony in St Peter's Square that followed her beatification in 1980 by the late pope John Paul II. Native American pilgrims in headdresses came to the Vatican to see the canonization. Some see the canonisation as a gesture of reconciliation by the Church for past injustices to Native...
October 20, 2012 - A response to the Washington Post's article, "Did Jesus have a wife? New historical discovery raises old questions" So, I'm not sure how noteworthy this news article actually is. I only bring it up because it sparked some very interesting thoughts when I read it. The Washington Post posted an article called, "Did Jesus have a wife?: New historical discovery raises old questions." Naturally, I read the article out of curiosity. I attached the link to the bottom of this....
October 19, 2012 - By: Anonymous Guy When thinking about Halloween – what is the purpose of it? As a kid, it was to dress up as your favorite superhero, fictional character, or idol and go trick-or-treating for candy. And as a kid, that was awesome, but now that we are in college or older, what is the purpose of Halloween for us?
October 17, 2012 - By: Deirdre Donahue -USA TODAY For untold millions, Dec. 14 marks a day of pop culture rapture. No, we're not talking about the Dec. 21 Mayan prophecy. We're talking about The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Peter Jackson's film adaptation (Part 1) of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic novel. To help you navigate the Middle-earth mania, here are 10 reasons we're still hooked on The Hobbit as it celebrates its 75th anniversary.
October 15, 2012 - By: Teresa Manion I love fall. The warm sweaters, hot chocolate, apple pie, just everything about fall. Without a doubt my favorite part of fall is the beauty of the trees as their leaves change from green to a multitude of shades of yellow, orange, and red. For example, take some time and simply look at the picture on the left... I can imagine what you’re probably thinking right now. It might go something like this, “Okay Teresa, the tree is cool and all, but why are you gushing about how much you love it?” And that is a great question. I keep talking about this tree because I think it can show us two wonderful truths of...
October 14, 2012 - By: Lisa Quast - Forbes In support of October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, read this emotionally inspiring interview with Karen Vaniver, MD, to find out how having cancer made her a better doctor, why she believes cancer can be used as a stimulus for positive life growth, and her advice for women diagnosed with breast cancer.
October 12, 2012 - ABC News In case you missed the vice presidential debate last evening, watch Paul Ryan explain how he and presidential candidate Mitt Romney plan to stand on abortion issues if elected to the White House this upcoming November.
October 9, 2012 - By: C.S. Lewis - The Four Loves "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of yours selfishness. But in that casket..."
October 8, 2012 - By: Naomi Schaefer Riley -USA TODAY In August, a court-appointed psychologist recommended granting Bill Verst primary custody of his daughter, Maddy Verst, citing Maddy's participation in toddler beauty pageants as the reason her mother wasn't fit. The girl, now 6, was a regular on the pageant circuit, where she appeared dressed as Dolly Parton, complete with padded bra and enhancements for her rear end. Apparently, her father wasn't happy about this. Bill Verst is no model father, sporting a rap sheet of drug and alcohol related arrests as well as child support delinquency, but it...
October 6, 2012 "My Best Friend" is a single by country music singer Tim McGraw that reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart upon its release in 1999. Ben Foster of Country Unvierse wrote, "Sometimes it just takes the right vocalist to find the layers of emotion woven into a lyric that could scan as pedestrian in the hands of another performer. In this instance, Tim McGraw indeed proves to be the right vocalist."
October 4, 2012 - By: Taylor Caputo – FOCUS Mish at Ball State, Indiana Time, what a precious resource, but how can we use it best? I would say moment by moment. Something like the way it was in our childhood. All we had was the present moment, and we took in reality as it came. I think we sometimes have glimpses back into this youthful outlook. You know, the times in your life when you stop for a brief moment of reflection to say, “such and such was only last week?” I would term it best as fullness. A fullness of...
October 1, 2012 - By: Amy Smith - National Catholic Register I have been to the National Shrine of St. Thérèse in Darien, Ill., several times, and each time there is always something new to see and learn about the Little Flower. Relics of her life are on prominent display — everything from furniture and clothing to toys (a little teacup) and schoolwork (a well-drawn map of North America), as well as lovely handwritten notes in French. Her first Communion preparation book is also there for...
September 30, 2012 - By: F.K. Bartels - www.catholic.org In recognition of St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael's feast day on September 29 - a day of honor for the three Archangels - F.K. Bartels cites scripture to demonstrate how we can seek holiness with three of the greatest angels since the beginning of time. By referring to additional scripture, Bartels shares how we can seek a deeper relationship with our own guardian angels, asking them for guidance and abundance in our daily lives.
September 25, 2012 -By: Teresa Manion Reading St. Faustina’s Diary is a process, one that I am still far from completing, but one that is none-the-less inspiring and thought provoking. In paragraph 411 of her diary, St. Faustina writes, “I know that I am united with Him as closely as a drop of water is untied with the bottomless ocean.” I read this sentence a few days ago and it stood out to me because as a biology major, I am constantly re-learning the importance of water. All living organisms...
September 24, 2012 - By: Matt Krantz - USA TODAY Jason Close knows a lot about sound money advice. And leading up to the birth of his first child this month, even he's amazed at how much parents can do to prepare. Jason and Jackie Close of Beverly Hills, Mich., worked to make the appropriate financial plans in preparation for the birth of their first child. Jason is well-qualified; he's a certified financial planner. As a 29-year-old financial planner in the Detroit area, Jason is used to dishing out advice for...
September 22, 2012 - By: Brian Mansfield -USA TODAY Even though he helped write the song, Luke Laird says Carrie Underwood's Temporary Home took a while to sink in with him. "I connected with that song, but it didn't hit me that hard when we wrote it," says Laird, who wrote the song with Carrie and Zac Maloy. "But the more I go back, I feel very fortunate that she would write it with me." Laird, a Nashville...
September 19, 2012 - The Food Network Whether you're rooting for the home team or just rooting for a good time, these tailgating bites from Guy Fieri will have you cheering through the fourth quarter!
Visit http://www.foodnetwork.com/tailgating/package/index.html to take Tailgating 101 with Guy, learn his 10 rules for pulling off a party in the parking lot, find super sweet recipes for the sidelines, steal the secret ingredients for championship chili, and more. Bon appetite!
September 17, 2012 - By: John Whitesides - The Chicago Tribune WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan launched a broad assault on President Barack Obama in a speech to social conservatives on Friday, accusing him of pandering to extremists on abortion and emboldening U.S. enemies in the Middle East. The Wisconsin congressman told the Values Voters Summit, an annual gathering of religious and conservative activists, that Obama had led a "reckless expansion of federal power" and waged economic class warfare. Declaring himself "a values voter, too..."
September 16, 2012 - By: Felicia Milewicz - Glamour When Evelyn Lauder died in November 2011, Glamour lost a partner, a friend, and all women lost a hero. But what an amazing legacy!
September 14, 2012 -By: Jorge L. Ortiz - USA TODAY "I thank the Lord because of what happened to me, because it led me to getting to know Him," Ramirez said. "Maybe if those things had not happened, I would have continued hitting home runs and my soul would have been lost. I already had my glory on the street, so now I have to seek my glory in the kingdom of God."
September 11, 2012 - By: John G. Duffy -Former president of Keefe, Bruyette, & Woods, who lost 67 employees, including his son, on 9/11 - The Washington Times Today marks the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on our nation. Sept. 11, 2001, certainly was one of the darkest days in our country’s history, when 2,977 people from 90 countries were murdered at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pa. I will never forget the horror of that morning as I lost my son, Christopher, and 66 other...
September 10, 2012 -By: Esteban - TotalProSports.com If you thought the regular Olympics provided a lot of inspirational stories, think of the 2012 Paralympic games, which ran from August 29 to September 9. Here’s a list of the 13 greatest Paralympians of all time. You’re guaranteed to have heard of one of them; maybe you’ve heard of two or three. But for the most part, you’re going to learn a few things. So take a look!
September 7, 2012 - By: Amanda Teixeira - FOCUS Ah yes, it’s that time of the year again! Potential new members walk campus like cattle, being herded from one house to the next, praying it doesn’t rain on their hairstyle that took an hour fighting with a curling iron to pull off. Fraternity men sit on their front lawns watching, hoping girls that pass them by will think they are cool and want to hang out with them someday. Sorority members are exhausted from waking up at the crack...
September 5, 2012 - By: Cathy Lynn Grossman - USA TODAY What does a candidate's faith tell you about that person? And why does it matter? President Obama and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney answer those e-mailed questions for Rev. Francis Wade, interim dean of the Washington National Cathedral, that great church on a city hill where the nation has mourned for and prayed with national leaders for nearly a century...
September 3, 2012 - An excerpt from The Rhythm of Life, by Matthew Kelly During my time in Austria, each afternoon when my classes were finished, I would take a walk. Just beyond the boundaries of the monastery was a small park. In the middle of the park stood one very tall, strong tree. Each day I would look at this tree and notice that despite its imperfect forms and crooked branches, it had a perfection of its own. One night, there...
September 2, 2012 - KCCI News A guitar playing dad has built quite a following. Not one, but two eager fans at home are drawn to his music. It was a double dose of cute when his identical twin daughters rocked out while he strummed an acoustic guitar. The 11-month-old twins sat in their high chairs, eating stray peas, when their mom told them that there were going to hear a favorite treat from their dad. "Hey guys! Daddy's gonna play a little song," the mother said. "Are you...?"
August 30, 2012 With Labor Day weekend being one of the busiest and craziest travel weekends all year, here is a prayer for extra protection along the way!
O God, You called Abraham Your servant out of Ur and kept him safe and sound in all his wandering. We humbly ask you to protect us Your servants. Be for us a support when..
August 28, 2012 - By: Cathy Lynn Grossman -USA TODAY After Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York and head of the U.S. bishops, gives the closing prayer for the Republican National Convention in Tampa this week, he'll head to Charlotte for a repeat performance for the Democrats. And today, another religious figure was named to a speaking slot at the DNC: Sister Simone Campbell, head of a group of nuns and sisters known as NETWORK, according to an Obama campaign staffer who declined to be named because information was not yet public. Back when...
August 27, 2012 -www.marthastewart.com Even if you've graduated college, you'll still want to try out Martha Stewart's collection of clever and tasty [and naturally nutritious] study snacks!
August 25, 2012 Released on May 24, Kelly Clarkson's Dark Side music video depicts the importance of not only forgiving others, but also the importance of finding forgiveness as well as humility in ourselves.
August 23, 2012 - By: Deirdre Donahue and Craig Wilson - USA TODAY Once upon a time, J.K. Rowling set children's imaginations on fire. Can the creator of Harry Potter ignite a similar conflagration for a grown-up audience? The British author will find out on Sept. 27, when more than 2 million hardcover copies of her first novel for adults hit U.S. bookstores, along with the digital edition. It will be simultaneously released in the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Germany. Set in the little...
August 21, 2012 - By: John Inazu - Editorial in USA TODAY For anyone who believes that the battle over the Department of Health and Human Services' "contraception mandate" is simply the Catholic Church vs. the Obama administration, consider Wheaton College. Last month, the Christian liberal arts college in Wheaton, Ill., joined Catholic University in a lawsuit filed against HHS. Numerous Catholic organizations have already brought suit to challenge the requirement that...
August 20, 2012 - AmericanCatholic.org With many American universities starting the fall semester either this week or next, here are a few saints who can help you rock almost every course along the way!
August 16, 2012 - By: Deirdre Donahue - USA TODAY "This is the one story I had to write," says Ratner, 41. In stores since August 7, Ratner's first novel, In the Shadow of the Banyan (Simon & Schuster, $25), has emerged as one of this year's most anticipated books, thanks to early rave reviews. Although In the Shadow of the Banyan is inspired by her childhood, Ratner chose to write a novel rather than a memoir. Her goal wasn't to provide journalistic evidence of Pol Pot's genocide in Cambodia, where it is estimated that the Khmer Rouge killed 1 million to 2 million...
August 15, 2012 - By: Castel Gandolfo - Catholic News Service Italy (CNS) -- Assumed into heaven, Mary is with God and is ready to listen and respond to cries for help, Pope Benedict XVI said. Joining God in heaven, Mary "does not draw away from us, does not go to an unknown galaxy," but becomes "even closer to each one of us," the pope said Aug. 15 during his homily at Mass for the feast of the Assumption...
August 12, 2012 - By: David A. Fahrenthold & Paul Kane - The Washington Post Vice presidential candidate Paul Ryanis Capitol Hill’s ultimate self-made man. He began as a 19-year-old intern delivering congressional mail and propelled himself upward with a mastery of detail and a talent for cultivating powerful mentors. Ryan is now a seven-term congressman, a committee chairman and the chief architect of GOP ideas on Medicare, the budget and the national debt. Ryan’s big ideas bear the stamp of his own story: they stress independence and self-reliance, the qualities that took him from the mailroom to a spot on...
August 11, 2012 - By: Brian Fraga - National Catholic Register Diego Estrada - pictured far right - is a 22-year-old distance runner who competed for Mexico in the London Olympics and placed 21st in the 10K. Yet he maintains a sense of humility and perspective, thanks to his deep Catholic faith, and Estrada is also a FOCUS Bible study leader at Northern Arizona University.
“Catholicism and Christianity is a big part of my daily life. I wake up with prayer. I go to bed with prayer. Before a race, I pray. All around, it’s a big part of my life,” Estrada said in a...
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