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Showing posts from February, 2017

A guide to dealing with people you don't like

A guide to dealing with people you don't like – For Her

Napa Institute February Newsletter

- Preparing for Lent - Matthew Leonard Lent is coming (sigh). Unlike really holy people, part of me starts to dread Lent as soon as the Christmas season ends. It’s the dark cloud on the horizon, the looming test for which I didn’t study. But once I refocus on the incredible value of sacrificing bourbon, coffee, and other “necessities” of life, some of the pain is assuaged. The goal of this life is to conform ourselves to Christ, the Christ who  gave  of himself for our salvation. Voluntary penance conquers our fleshly desires. It prevents them from mastering us so that we are more in control, so that we have possession of ourselves. And that’s the key. As St. John Paul II taught, you have to possess yourself before you can give yourself away. Why? Because you can’t give away what you don’t own. If we’re ruled by our passions, then we aren’t free to give of ourselves completely like Christ. That’s why penance is so powerful. It’s all about freedom and self-gift. The bourbon, coffe

After last night's Grammy tribute to Prince, here's my favorite cover of his hit 'Purple Rain' by Matt Terry and Nicole Scherzinger

How Catholic is your stance on Immigration: By Msgr. Charles Pope

How Catholic is Your Stance on Immigration? “The more prosperous nations are obliged, to the extent they are able, to welcome the foreigner in search of the security and the means of livelihood which he cannot find in his country of origin.” (CCC 2241) By Msgr. Charles Pope I have lamented in the past that the politicization of moral issues has caused distortions in the reflections of many Catholics. No Catholic should have any doubt about the Church’s teaching on abortion, contraception, and euthanasia, nor should he or she dissent from it. But enter the fact that political parties take different stands on the issues and suddenly many Catholics either set aside the teachings of faith, embrace flawed moral reasoning, or engage in outright dissent. Sadly, many are more influenced by their political leanings than their faith or the very Word of God. There are other moral issues (such as war and capital punishment) that are understandably intertwined with political thinking, as they invol

Middle East Christians as refugees: What are the facts? - Top Stories - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.org

Amid all the social media yelling and media narratives, here are some important things to know. Middle East Christians as refugees: What are the facts? - Top Stories - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.org

Why 'Groundhog Day' is worth watching again. And again. And again.

Happy Groundhog Day!! Why 'Groundhog Day' is worth watching again. And again. And again. – For Her

A little something as a respite from the rancor and partisanship of these times we are living through