New Documents Released From Church’s Birth Control Commission

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist

Newly released documents from a member of the commission tasked with discerning whether the Church would allow the use of artificial contraception show that Pope Paul VI issued Humanae Vitae in spite of the fact that a majority of the members were in favor of changing Church policy.

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Sacraments

“Frequent and daily Communion is greatly desired by our Lord and the Church.”
St. Pius X

For Reflection:
How often do I receive Communion during the week? If it is less than seven, what can I do to adjust my schedule to receive at least one additional time? To what extent do I think this is really important?
(See the next three Grace Lines for some very good reasons.)

Non-Catholics Using Best-Selling New Confession App

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist

The new iPhone app, Confession: A Roman Catholic App, has not only risen to the number one spot on Apple’s “Lifestyle” app chart, but it’s drawing people back to Confession for the first time in years and is even being used by non-Catholics as a useful examination of conscience.

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Toddler Born With “Missing” Cerebellum Makes Astonishing Progress

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist

A three year-old boy who was born with key parts of the brain either missing or severely atrophied has doctors stumped as he continues to progress far beyond what medical science says a person in his condition should be capable of achieving.

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Sacraments

“This Sacrament infuses into the soul great interior peace, a strong inclination to virtue, and great willingness to practice it, thus rendering it easy to walk in the path of perfection.”
St. Alphonsus Liguori

For Reflection:
According to St. Alphonsus Liguori, what are the effects of Holy Communion? To what extent have I experienced these effects of the Sacrament? How does this aid me in my fervency of reception?

Campaign Launched to Promote Animal “Personhood”

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist

The Institute for Emerging Ethics and Technologies (IEET) has launched a new program that has as its goal the granting of rights to “non-human persons” such as dolphins, apes and other “higher mammals” who they believe are deserving of human rights.

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Administration Official Wants US Cable Companies to Carry Al-Jazeera

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist

In an op-ed published in the Boston Globe yesterday, a woman appointed by President Barack Obama as the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security is calling on American cable and satellite providers to offer access to the notoriously anti-America and anti-Israel Al Jazeera English.

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