By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Catholics around the world will be receiving their ashes tomorrow to mark the start of the Lenten season, and a UK bishop is asking all to refrain from rubbing off their ashes so that they can "take the sign of the cross" to all those they will meet during the course of the day.
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"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 her. The higher her virtue, the more her character, the more devoted she is to truth, justice, goodness, the more a man has to aspire to be worthy of her. The history of civilization could actually be written in terms of the level of its women."
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
For Reflection:
To what extent am I raising the level of our culture and civilization?
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This morning, my somewhat precocious six year old granddaughter and I had a conversation over breakfast:
“Grandma,” she said gazing out of the kitchen window in our Florida home.
“Yes, Julia?” said I.
“Pretty soon Easter will be here because it is Spring outside.”
“Yes, you are right. Ash Wednesday is this week and that begins the season of Lent.”
“Oh,” said Julia. “I began Lent already. Remember when you told me not to climb on the chair?
Well, I stopped and I haven’t done it again.”
“Julia, that is wonderful! I am proud of you!” I replied with enthusiasm (always ready to reinforce obedience!). “I have been thinking about how I will spend Lent this year, too.”
“Grandma, I know what you can do!”
“Really, Julia? What is that?” I said hesitantly not sure I wanted to hear the answer.
“You could donate things.”
“That’s true, Julia, I sure could,” I responded already ticking off the items in the garage that I’d just love to get rid of but realizing it would be a pleasure and not a sacrifice.
“You could give away some of my toys,” said Julia deep into the idea by now.
“They’re your toys, Honey. You should give them away.”
“Okay. I’m so good I’ll do that too!” and with that she finished her milk and bounded away.
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Actor Charlie Sheen has angered a coven of warlocks from Salem, Massachusetts for what they call his excessive use of the term "warlock" which they say is "a blatant offense against our ways."
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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
A growing trend in U.S. and European public schools to mandate graphic sex ed programs that promote promiscuity and "alternative" lifestyles has reached historic proportions in Germany where teh 10th Christian parent has just been tossed in jail for refusing to allow her children to attend the classes. Attorneys on the case are warning that this trend may soon reach American shores.
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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
Some of the country's top pro life organizations are rallying to the aid of baby Joseph Maraachli in an attempt to get him into a hospital in the United States where he can escape attempts by a Canadian hospital to remove his ventilator and let him die.
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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) announced on Friday that the U.S. House will appoint attorneys to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) after President Barack Obama decided it was unconstitutional and instructed the Justice Department to stop defending it.
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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist
A new national poll has found that public support for same-sex marriage is rising with those in favor of the unions on the verge of eclipsing those who oppose it.
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"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 her. The higher her virtue, the more her character, the more devoted she is to truth, justice, goodness, the more a man has to aspire to be worthy of her. The history of civilization could actually be written in terms of the level of its women."
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
For Reflection:
To what extent am I raising the level of our culture and civilization?
Read the rest
"Fear not, I have called you by name: you are mine."
Isaiah 43: 1
For Reflection:
How are these words meant for me today?
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This morning, my somewhat precocious six year old granddaughter and I had a conversation over breakfast:
“Grandma,” she said gazing out of the kitchen window in our Florida home.
“Yes, Julia?” said I.
“Pretty soon Easter will be here because it is Spring outside.”
“Yes, you are right. Ash Wednesday is this week and that begins the season of Lent.”
“Oh,” said Julia. “I began Lent already. Remember when you told me not to climb on the chair?
Well, I stopped and I haven’t done it again.”
“Julia, that is wonderful! I am proud of you!” I replied with enthusiasm (always ready to reinforce obedience!). “I have been thinking about how I will spend Lent this year, too.”
“Grandma, I know what you can do!”
“Really, Julia? What is that?” I said hesitantly not sure I wanted to hear the answer.
“You could donate things.”
“That’s true, Julia, I sure could,” I responded already ticking off the items in the garage that I’d just love to get rid of but realizing it would be a pleasure and not a sacrifice.
“You could give away some of my toys,” said Julia deep into the idea by now.
“They’re your toys, Honey. You should give them away.”
“Okay. I’m so good I’ll do that too!” and with that she finished her milk and bounded away.
