Blog

Blog Posts


Late For Mass

It is rare that the last one to arrive for Mass on Sunday is the priest, but such was the case at my church today. Father's tardiness was a simple human error that many of us have done at one time or another-- he set his alarm for the wrong time.  However, the fact that we were all gathered together waiting for our priest to arrive stirred a deep reflection in my soul. What if Father didn't arrive? What if there wasn't a priest to arrive? What if our priest was legally prevented from arriving? The fact of the matter is, in countries throughout the world -- including our own -- one or all of these circumstances do happen. How much gratitude do we express for the priesthood? To what extent do we pray for vocations? If we have sons, do we pray that one of them, or all of them, will respond to God's call should He invite? Have we taken seriously the blessing of freedom of religion? Do we actively engage in the cultural and political events of our day to preserve this privilege? Remember: no priest, no Mass. No Mass, no Eucharist. No Eucharist, no Church. Satan knows this. Do we? When Father arrived and the processional hymn began, gratitude filled my heart. First, for Father and his vocation. Second, that he was well and with us. Third, for the gift that is the Mass and the privilege to celebrate it. May none of us take for granted the priest, the gift, the privilege.  

Read the rest

I Can't Make You Happy -- And Neither Can Anyone Else

Not long ago, my granddaughter of four came and nuzzled up close to me. "Good morning, Julia, " I said. No answer. "Julia?" Still no answer. "Something wrong?" I asked. "Yes," came the quiet response. "What's the matter?" "I'm grumpy and I'm mad." "Why are you grumpy and mad, sweet lady?" I asked. "Because I didn't want to get up. I want to sleep some more," came the little response. Not being a morning person myself, I could certainly relate to her displeasure. "Well, Julia" said I, "you have a whole day in front of you with lots of blessings and surprises. Let's ask Jesus to help you feel better and fill you with zip so you can enjoy it," I offered. "Okay," came the less than enthusiatic response. And so we did. I don't know if Julia felt better, but that little prayer sure helped me get my day going.

Read the rest

Gypsy Man Martyred for Praying the Rosary

Gypsy. The word itself conjures up images of campfires, reverie, and sometimes raucous behavior. Rarely, however, does it illicit thoughts of piety, holiness of life, and martyrdom. But such is the case of Blessed Ceferino Gimenez Malla, a man pronounced "Blessed" by Pope John Paul II on May 4, 1997. His witness to the faith is an inspiration for each one of us in this our day and time, and we would do well to ask for his prayerful intercession.

Read the rest

Feast of Our Lady of Fatima

WOG.OLOFATIMAOn May 13, 1917 "a Lady all white, more brilliant than the sun" appeared to three young children tending sheep in the Cova da lria in Portugal. It was just eighteen months before the end of World War I which had been the bloodiest and most violent war to date.

This was not the first time a supernatural visitor had appeared to the children. Some time earlier an angel called the "Angel of Peace" had come three times. He had given them Holy Communion and had exhorted them to pray and make sacrifices.

Tenderly, the beautiful woman told the children not to be afraid; she would not hurt them. Lucia, the oldest of the three children, asked the woman where she had come from and what was it she wanted. The lovely Lady told her that she had come from Heaven and that she wanted the children to return to this same spot on the 13th of the month for the next six months. At the last visit, she would tell them what she wanted.

And so began the famous and incredible apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima.

Read the rest

Kids Say the "Darndest" Things

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite afternoon programs on television was House Party , hosted by television icon, Art Linkletter. I would watch and wait with anticipation for that one segment that kept me tuning in all through the long summer months. It came near the end of the program and featured four young school children, seated on child-sized chairs elevated on a  platform. The host, Mr. Linkletter himself, would interview the children one-by-one and ply from them honest, humorous, often unexpected answers laced with wisdom. This popular segment of his program led to his best-selling book, Kids Saythe Darndest Things, illustrated by Charles Schultz and printed well over 50 years ago. Last evening as I sung "goodnight songs" to my four year old granddaughter, I had an "Art Linkletter" moment.

Read the rest

Going to San Antonio

Today I am going to San Antonio to speak at a luncheon tomorrow hosted by Guadalupe Radio Network. I have had the privilege of being a Catholic communicator via Catholic radio since 1987. I was asked to produce and host a show on the radio station owned by my own diocese, the Diocese of St. Petersburg. At that time the call letters were its name -- WBVM -- in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Today it is known as Spirit FM. Sadly, our program is no longer heard locally here due to format changes. Given the fact that when I began in Catholic radio there were only 7 Catholic radio stations in the United States, it makes me a bit of a pioneer in using the airwaves to present the teachings of Sacred Scripture and the Holy Catholic Church. Of the 7 stations, only 2 were used for evangelization purposes. The other 5, though owned by dioceses, were "easy listening" stations and acquired revenue for the dioceses via advertising dollars. One short year later after our radio program's debut, I began to do programming for EWTN and have been on the air through EWTN since. Our radio program has been on EWTN's radio network since the radio network began and we now enjoy listeners hearing the program through over 200 Catholic radio stations in the US, and also via Sirius Satellite Radio and EWTN's short wave radio which take the signal worldwide. I support Catholic radio. I believe in the benefit of Catholic radio. And I seek to be of service to Catholic radio. I consider it to be one of the most effective means of evangelization today, and hope to see Catholic radio reach even more deeply into the minds, hearts, and ears of people throughout the US and the world. If you have Catholic radio in your area, consider sending a few dollars its way. Catholic stations are on the air because of your donations and contributions. And, so are Catholic radio program providers like ourselves. We need your help, too. We depend on your support to keep our program on the air. All of us are seeking one goal and one goal only -- to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the people of our country and the world. If we do that, we will solve our cultural, social, and political issues according to the mind of God. And we will experience a day and time of peace, a peace that surpasses understanding no matter the circumstance. Johnnette's radio program, Women of Grace Live can be heard Monday through Friday at 11 AM (ET) via EWTN Radio and its affiliates, on channel 160 Sirius Satellite, and short wave radio. The program is also podcast and is available for download or listening at www.womenofgrace.com.      

Read the rest

We Need Trust, Not Fear

A few listeners have called in to our radio broadcast, Women of Grace® Live, heard Monday through Friday at 11 AM (ET) and available via podcast on our website, www.womenofgrace.com, expressing fear about the direction our current president is taking the nation. Not only is there concern about violations regarding the dignity and worth of the human person from the moment of conception to natural death, but there is a great fear mounting with regard to the vilification of Catholics and Christians in the press and in potential policy. Recent statements identifying pro-life individuals and Catholics as “national terrorists” has frightened many.

In light of these calls, I am offering to you again a blog I wrote following the November, 2008 elections. It deals with fear and trust. I do hope it is of value to you. As always, I welcome your comments.

Read the rest

Our Lady's Scapular

On April 19 I was one of four speakers at the Boston Women's Conference, an outreach in the Archdiocese of Boston and held at Boston College. An attendee approached me through the course of the day and commented on my scapular. It is a bit of a dainty affair and features a picture of Our Lady and the Sacred Heart. She asked me if the Women of Grace website contained any information about the scapular. I expressed to her that it did not, but that I would consider adding information about this devotional and sacramental to the site. In the meantime, however, I offer the following article that I wrote about the scapular for an issue of Canticle Magazine: The Voice of Women of Grace. I hope you find it useful and beneficial, that it clears up any questions you might have regarding the scapular, and that it creates a desire in your own heart to be invested in this holy way of life.

Read the rest

Sheer Joy

After a busy day at pre-school, an hour at the kid's gym, and a T-ball game back at school, my four-year-old granddaughter made her way to the porch where I was busy with a writing project.  She plopped down beside me with the decorum of a ballyard princess and we soon involved ourselves in the very important business of drawing bunnies, rectangular shaped houses, stick-figured children, and various other cartoon delights.  The breeze played with palm fronds, the sky's golden orb began its descent,  and my little lady thrust her head into my lap encouraging me for a tickle or two. "Time for a bath," called Mommy from the kitchen, to which my grandgirl replied in a voice barely audible and muffled still more by a thumb and balled up fist, "I am sleeping in my grandma's lap."   My lips widened to a smile, a tear wet my eye, the horizon lit up in an explosion of orange -- and I experienced sheer joy! Ah, does it get any better than this? The gift of life...

Read the rest



Categories

Archives

2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
203

203 Archives