Pope
Apostolic Blessing
The other day when I shared pictures of our plants, a friend noticed a picture on the wall. It was a certificate of an Apostolic Blessing that my mom and dad received in 1974 from Pope Paul VI who is now a saint. I thought I knew what it was for, but I’m glad I […]
Exceptional Humility
Tonight we watched the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI. Of course it was attended by cardinals, bishops, priests, nuns, heads of state, and lay people. There has been a lot of talk the past few days of his great humility – particularly as he stepped down from his office realizing he was no longer able […]
Only To Trust
Other than getting well and trying to trust in God, I have no resolutions for the upcoming year. This year in particular has taught me that I’m better off if I don’t anticipate or have expectations. But that’s not meant in a negative way. One quote that struck me today was by Henri Nouwen, “If […]
Consecration of Russia and Ukraine
Today was the Solemnity of the Annunciation. It was also the day Pope Francis chose to consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. When Mary appeared to the children at Fatima, this was one of her requests, but it was to be done a certain way. I’m not exactly sure of the […]
Truth and Love
In the craziness of this world, we are being bombarded with “information”. At this point it is difficult to sort out what is the truth, what we should believe, and how we are supposed to respond. Today I read a few simple lines from a very wise and holy man – Pope Saint John Paul […]
Praying With the Pope
The other day I learned that Pope Francis was offering a special blessing to those who would join in praying with him for an end to the pandemic. I found that EWTN would be airing the event, so my parents and I watched and participated from the living room. It was surreal to see Pope […]
United In the Rosary
Yesterday I learned that Pope Francis was urging all Catholics to unite at the same time to pray the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, begging God to rid our world of the corona virus. It is the Feast Day of St. Joseph – earthly father to Jesus. We never hear a word from St. Joseph […]
Apprehensive Attila
My mom is reading a book called, “Keeper of the Keys: A Life of Pope Pius XII”, by Thomas McDermott written in 1946. The book includes some history of previous popes. She read one short story to me and my dad that I found fascinating: “When Attila, whose Huns had made of Europe a charnel […]
Pope and the Boy
I saw a video today of Pope Francis who was taking questions from children. A boy came to the microphone but was too upset to ask the question. Pope Francis had the boy come right up to him, gave him a big hug, and consoled him as he wept. The boy and the pope had […]
Live Like Magi
Today at church the priest spoke about the Gospel reading of the Epiphany and a homily by Pope Francis. It was a message that really spoke to my heart. There were 3 basic themes: Look up, take the journey, share your gifts. First, we know that our world is in a bad way and it […]
Still Finding God 