• Prayer Life,  Theology & Faith

    When God Doesn’t Give Us The Thing We Want

    There’s a man in Albany who is fighting for his life due to sepsis.  He was given a 5% chance of survival. I have been following the story on social media.  A few nights ago they took him in for surgery to amputate his arm due to infection.  She begged the social media world to pray.  I feel asleep praying for this man.  When I awoke, the story had changed.  They didn’t need to amputate.  Miracle after miracle has been happening for this family. And his wife has been quick to praise God for His goodness. This story got me thinking about the purpose of prayer and it’s efficacy. I…

  • Theology & Faith,  Thoughts & Meditations

    Why do people claim to be “Catholic?”

    Last weekend, my husband and I attended a comedy show at Madison Square Garden in New York City.  The opener was a comedian I didn’t know named Pat McGann.  His material started out funny but quickly turned ugly. He mentioned that he’s “Catholic,” the religion in which nuns beat students and priests molest children, but we don’t ever leave.  As his act went on, he did a bit about Holy Communion, and made a sexual joke about receiving the Body of Christ on his tongue. And I felt PAIN!  I’m not exaggerating.  I felt actual pain as my heart broke for Jesus.   Then my righteous anger flared and I was…

  • Conversion,  Theology & Faith

    10 Important Things I “Discovered” as My Faith Grew

    Today I was thinking that I’d share some ideas that have been very important in my walk with the Lord. But first, as a reminder to you (and to myself), I am an average Catholic woman with no training in theology. I am not an apologist (a person who offers an argument in defense of something). Even more so, I feel particularly uncomfortable with the idea of teaching others about theological things.   BUT – I do feel a tug on my heart, a nudge of the Spirit, guiding me to say something, guiding me to state the Truth. Because once God has worked in our lives, it is our…

  • Theology & Faith,  Thoughts & Meditations

    Do You Know that You Are Set Apart to Be Holy?

    Earlier in the month, I sat in front of the computer searching for a Christmas card.  I noticed many that say something like, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Best Year Ever,” “Counting Our Blessings,” and, most annoyingly, just “Blessed.” And each was followed by a picture of an impossibly gorgeous family, with just the right clothes, frolicking in a bucolic field of evergreen trees. Honestly, it frustrated me.  As I called myself a Grinch, I reflected about why these sentiments bothered me.  I realized that these cards seemed like just another opportunity to shout our “blessings” to others.  It’s the social media pitfall in Christmas card form.     “Blessed” has become…