View from the Domestic Church: An Advent Refection

In addition to my books

I have written for the English edition of L'Osservatore Romano (Vatican newspaper)

The National Catholic Register, Catholic World Report, Our Sunday Visitor (national) newsweekly, Columbia Magazine, The Catholic Transcript, The News Times, The New Milford Times, Hearth magazine, Canticle magazine, Lay Witness magazine, Faith & Family magazine, CarbLite magazine, On the Web - many areas, including Catholic Exchange, Catholic Online, Catholic Lane, Catholic Mom, and a parenting column for Irish Family Press (print edition), a Catholic weekly newspaper published in Ireland as well as the online format. My work appears in many foreign publications as well (Nigeria, Singapore, Africa, Russia, and more).

A Catholic Woman's Book of Prayers

With all the mixed messages that women receive from society today, women can be distracted from--and even unreceptive to--the deep and abiding love that Christ has for them. Whether single or married, religious or consecrated, parenting children, or spiritually mentoring others, women need to know that the Lord understands the many challenges they face, their desire for inspiration, and, above all, their need to be affirmed as women.Through this book of original and traditional prayers from one of the top ten most fascinating Catholics of 2009 as rated by Faith & Family Live, women can realize God's divine Love, thrive in inspiration from Saints and the Church and rest in the affirmation of the "feminine genius." (order above by clicking book image at top of page)

First and foremost educator

"Since parents have conferred life on their children, they have a most solemn obligation to educate their offspring. Hence, parents must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children. Their role as educators is so decisive that scarcely anything can compensate for their failure in it. For it devolves on parents to create a family atmosphere so animated with love and reverence for God and others that a well-rounded personal and social development will be fostered among children. Hence, the family is the first school of those social virtues which every society needs."--Gravissimum Educationis (one of the documents of the Second Vatican Council)

Thursday, December 3, 2009

An Advent Refection

A reflection from Mary Kochan at Catholic Exchange...

A Time for Joseph

"It’s time once again for the Advent procession. Time to get out the figurines of the Nativity set and let the children move them about the house. From room to room and shelf to shelf the Wise Men process on their journey that will end on Epiphany, while Joseph and Mary, by a different route, will be carried to the same Christmas Eve destination. On that night, we will celebrate the Gift of all Gifts, but now while righteous Joseph leads the Virgin Mother toward the manger — not his choice of maternity lodging! — and while they both are carried (more or less delicately) from place to place, it is a good time to think about what a gift the man Joseph himself was, and is.

A Gift to Mary

If ever a man could have felt himself to be superfluous in a situation, a real 5th wheel, it might have been Joseph, for the Incarnation was very pointedly accomplished without his help. Having signed up to be the husbandly guardian of a woman who was vowed to holy virginity was one thing. But when unexpectedly she was expecting: everything around him — their plans, his and her reputations, the entire way of life he was anticipating — was suddenly overturned. Then, just to make things interesting — and Joseph was not asking for interesting — angels started having conversations with him. Gulp..." (Continued here at Catholic Exchange)