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By Susan Brinkkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist In his general audience today, Pope Benedict XVI said the ashes we receive today are a sign reminding us of our status as created beings, and inviting us to penance and to a deeper commitment to conversion.

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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist

The release of an undercover video in which National Public Radio's (NPR) top fundraising executive is caught denigrating Christians, Jews, and tea party members, while espousing the Muslim Brotherhood, has prompted outrage and renewed calls for an end of the organization's taxpayer funding. It has also resulted in the resignation of controverial NPR CEO, Vivian Schiller.

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By  Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist

During a recent filming of a documentary on premature babies, a prominent UK health official said she believes babies born at or before 23 weeks should be left to die.

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Feast of St. Frances of Rome (1384 - 1440) Merciful Father, in Frances of Rome You have given us a unique example of love in marriage as well as in religious life. Keep us faithful in Your service, and help us to see and follow You in all the aspects of life. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. +Amen. From the Collect of the Mass on the Feast of St. Frances of Rome For Reflection: St. Frances of Rome did not want to marry but desired instead to enter religious life. However, she recognized that marriage was God's will for her. She did marry and, following the death of her husband, she founded a religious order. How is God speaking to me through the witness of the life of St. Frances of Rome?

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“Those who sow in sorrow, will reap with shouts of joy.” Psalm 126:5 1997, 1998, 1999—three years that broke my heart. The loss of my loved ones during that time devastated me. Looking for answers to the ultimate questions, I found my heart turning back to God in re-conversion. I sought Him through a women’s group at my church. My steps were tentative but see now that God was with me. The women’s group reconnected me to Jesus yet there was a disturbance in my spirit. The group was gracious and spiritual but I longed for something more authentic and in alignment with the teaching of the Catholic Church. The Holy Spirit prompted me—actually gently pushed me—into the way I should go. Through His inspiration and the words of a friend I began a group called FIAT which sought to be truly Catholic and Marian. I searched for resources that were in alignment with Catholic teaching—Bible studies, inspirational books, lives of the saints, encyclicals. These works were inspired and beautiful but our little group lacked direction and a consistent vision.

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BF asks: "What can you tell me about Dan Millman and his new book, The Life You Were Born to Live?"

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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist

Conservative lawmakers are fuming over the discovery of $105 billion that was hidden in ObamaCare that will enable the unpopular law to be funded in spite of any plans to defund it.

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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist

An angry mob of 4,000 Muslims attacked the homes of Christians in a small village near Cairo in retaliation for a relationship between a Muslim woman and a Christian man.

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By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Journalist Unless the public steps in to put a stop to it, ABC is working on a pilot for a new sitcom entitled "Good Christian B-tches" which is intended to be a Christian-bashing version of  "Desperate Housewives."

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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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