Sunday, January 29, 2012

Former Altar Boy on Death Row


Ron Keine refused to become one of those people who find religion in prison on the way to death row. No, he decided, repenting is for the ones who are here for a reason. I have done nothing wrong.
Ron felt the justice system was a joke. "Justice was only a word that the court system was using to put four innocent men, myself among them, to death in New Mexico for a murder we did not commit," he said. As the days drew closer to his execution, his faith in God withered. "You did this to me, God!" Ron cried out. "I’m not gonna get on my knees and beg, because I don’t want your help! I am an innocent man!"

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Which is Worst Kind of Catholic?



Which is the worst kind of Catholic; an ex-Catholic or one who identifies as a cultural Catholic but does not follow the faith? 
One of the most unfortunate things about ex-Catholics is that they criticize and chip away at the body of Christ. One of the most unfortunate things about Cultural Catholics is that they criticize and chip away at the body of Christ. So, in that respect, it’s a draw.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Angel to the Rescue


Do angels really guard us and interact with us? This short story by Paulie  Ruby from Minot, ND was included in the Amazing Grace for Mothers book. It's a testimony that we are not alone. 
                            
One foggy morning I heard my son Dan's truck leave and I began to hustle. I was a slow starter this chilly morning and knew my husband would be waiting--
not so patiently--for me to begin our own route.  

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Vending Machine Morality



When a former college president shared that he had installed vending machines with condoms in the girls’ dorms, my face must have betrayed disapproval.  After a pregnant pause, (sorry, couldn’t resist) he further explained, “The girls asked me to do it because they wanted to be responsible.”

I was my husband’s date at a banquet he had been invited to as a county commissioner. Sitting at a table of strangers, we made introductions and small talk. The friendly, Mr. K explained that he was the retired president of a local community college. “There were always unexpected surprises around every corner,” he commented.

“So tell us about some of the surprises you encountered,” I inquired.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Beatitudes for Parents




Blessed are those parents who make their peace with spilled milk and with mud, for of such is the kingdom of childhood.
Blessed is the parent who engages not in the comparison of his child with others, for precious unto each is the rhythm of his own growth.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

How to Pray Like Jesus




During a recent talk, Fr. Thomas Richter explained that praying like Jesus requires one thing: to desire for God to have his way in your life.

As the vocation director for the Bismarck diocese, it would seem that Fr. Tom knows about answered prayers. Bismarck is in the top twenty per capita for vocations in the country.  But Fr. Tom would say it’s not a matter of God answering his prayers as it is for him to be answering God's will in his life.  They key to prayer, according to him, is to get out of the way.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Just Like Mother Used to Say



“Get down from there before  you break your neck!”  Sound familiar?  You heard it growing up and you have probably repeated it to your own children.  There are certain sayings in a mom’s lexicon that seems to have infiltrated homes throughout the land.  Some you probably promised you would never repeat once you became a mom--and yet, the sayings stowed away on your tongue and popped out of our mouth quicker than you could say, “Because I said so, that’s why!”

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Mary and The Moslems




 At times, it seems that Moslems and Christians have no common ground. Yet, there is one who can bring us together--Mary, our Blessed Mother. Mary is greatly loved by both Muslims and Catholics. There are differences in our devotions to her, but Bishop Fulton Sheen once stated that he believed it would be through Mary that one day the Moslems would convert to Christianity. It is perhaps through Our Lady of Fatima that this hope is most likely.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

My Son the Matchmaker by Regina Rico Ferreira as told in the Amazing Grace for Mothers book








“Mommy, where’s my daddy?”  My four-year-old son Jacob asked me.  The question was a jolt to our leisurly Sunday afternoon walk together.  I always knew the question would one day come, but I was not expecting it so soon.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Optimistic Antidotes


Warning:  Motherhood lends itself to pessimism.  Once the euphoria of holding your precious newborn bundle evaporates, you will find infinite reasons to fret and complain.  

“She never sleeps.  It seems like she wants to eat every hour,” can give way to: “Her room is always such a mess,” and “How many times does she need to be reminded to turn off lights?”  Then, of course, there are so many things to worry about now:  germs, colic, discipline issues, balanced diets, an unsafe world, and college tuition just to name a few.