by Charles D. Fraune
For those who were not brought up in an authentically Catholic cultural environment, Halloween can easily take on the character of a death festival.
Author Archives: Guest
Whom shall I send ? The “Three Sue’s”
A friend is the fabric which covers your life with Christ love. One friend’s famous quote sown in my soul is, “We all know Jesus loves us but sometimes you need Jesus with skin on.” A true friend is one who shows Christ’s love in action.
The Extraordinary Actions of the Devil
According to exorcist Fr. Francesco Bamonte, “the extraordinary actions of the devil refer to his particular actions on matter. Important: it is far more interesting to demons to keep people enslaved to sin and to bring them ultimately to the greatest misfortune — eternal damnation — than it is to provoke a series of misfortunes.”
The Song of Saint Francis of Assisi: A Canticle of Praise
The fact that, during his lifetime, Saint Francis of Assisi (1182 – 1226) enjoyed a deeply personal connection to all aspects of creation has been documented thoroughly over the eight centuries since his death. Stories and legends abound surrounding his interactions with elements of the natural world and creatures of all kinds.
The Family of Thérèse of Lisieux: Holiness and Challenges at Home
Saint Therese of Lisieux is one of the most beloved of God’s closest friends. Affectionately known as the Little Flower, her holiness of life attained global renown very quickly in the aftermath of her untimely death in 1897. For one who lived only 24 years, the final nine as a cloistered Carmelite nun, her speedy impact on the world was nothing short of phenomenal.
Temptation: The Ordinary Ways the Devil Attacks Us
Temptation is the devil’s ordinary mode of action (see 1 John 3:8– 10). Satan is the tempter (1 Thess. 3:5), and just as he incited the Fall, he still directly influences us to reject grace and commit sin. Temptation is common to all.
A Pink Slip with a Silver Lining
I was not a good candidate for being a homeschool mom. I felt underqualified, overcommitted, and feared I would be walking in unknown territory. Thankfully, I was never asked to do so. Until…
St. Monica: Carrying the Family Cross
The canonized women who are mothers add to our altars a special kind of incense – a two-fold fragrance of motherhood, both natural and spiritual. The very definition of their sainthood reveals that the life of the soul was sacrosanct to them and that while they nurtured the physical life of their children, it was eternal life which they desired to impart above all. Read the rest…
Masses for the living, too!
by Susan Tassone
Is a Mass offered for one who is still living more powerful than a Mass celebrated for that person after he or she has died? I often wondered about that, so I wrote to Father Edward McNamara, a noted professor of liturgy, at the Regina Apostolorum University in Rome. This is how he responded to my inquiry:
Saint Clare of Assisi: Gaze Ever Focused on Jesus
August 11th marks the feast day of Saint Clare of Assisi (1194-1253), a woman of outstanding virtue such that she was canonized only two years after her death. Her name is forever linked with that of the man she called “our Blessed Father Francis,” the beloved saint of Assisi who paved the way for Clare and her Sisters.
