Praying the Rosary: Try and Try Again
Posted by Sarah Reinhard in Faith on Tuesday, October 05, 2010
I have been trying to succeed at the rosary for nearly ten years. It seems to be the devotion I just can’t escape: I’ll put it away for months at a time, only to have an intention that calls for nothing less than the Big Guns.
My failures over the years seem to fall into a range of categories, but, as I’ve considered the excuses I tell myself and God over and over, there seem to be a few repeat offenders.... READ MORE
Praying the Rosary: the Mechanics
Posted by Sarah Reinhard in Faith on Monday, October 04, 2010
I started trying to pray the rosary sitting on my bed at night. I would juggle the beads and the prayer book, stumbling through the unfamiliar prayers and wondering how I would ever be able to call the fumbling I was doing successful. Was THIS what prayer was supposed to be? I felt like I was multi-tasking in the very worst way, and my connection to God seemed non-existent.
I was committed, though.... READ MORE
Choosing Favorites
Posted by Rachel Balducci in Family on Thursday, August 26, 2010
In his general audience yesterday, Pope Benedict encouraged Catholics to have a devotion to a specific saint, asking that saint for intercession but also working to imitate his or her holy life.
According to Zenit, the Holy Father said that it is important “to have ‘travel companions’ on the journey of our Christian life: I am thinking of a spiritual director, a confessor, persons with whom we can... READ MORE
Defending The Sacred Heart
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Faith on Friday, June 11, 2010
After praying the associated novena, it seems lame to let the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart pass without notice.
In Rome they celebrated with a pontifical Mass, as the post below notes.
For those to whom devotion to the Sacred Heart seems old-fashioned, here’s an article about the deepest meaning of the feast.
The “article” is actually the introduction to Prof. Timothy O’Donnell’s book on the subject,... READ MORE
Holy Week Traditions
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Faith on Friday, March 26, 2010
I don’t have a great attention span, and it’s a struggle for me to stay focused during the long haul of Lent. So I love Holy Week, because it gives me a chance to make that last push before we celebrate the Resurrection really count.
For a while I’ve had a tradition to make an extra sacrifice during the week leading up to the Triduum.
One crazy Holy Week during my college years I gave up eating everything... READ MORE
Compulsory Devotion?
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Family on Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Remember a while back when I asked you all about behavioral standards for kids during family prayer time?
I got some great answers, so I want to go back to the topic of kids and prayer.
Should we force our kids to pray?
I have no problem with enforcing good behavior during prayer time: sit still, don’t poke your brother, don’t cause a ruckus, etc. What I’m wondering about is whether, and until what... READ MORE
Why I Wear a Brown Scapular
Posted by Danielle Bean in Faith on Tuesday, May 12, 2009
“Oh, I know what that is,” a fellow library craft class mom once said to me when she caught a glimpse of the brown scapular peeking out of the collar of my t-shirt. “That’s one of those ‘get out of hell free’ cards.”
Not exactly.
My history of wearing a scapular began in my teenaged years when my parents encouraged me to wear one.
As a young Catholic, I read horror stories of devils and days of darkness,... READ MORE
Counting on Mary
Posted by Rachel Balducci in Family on Thursday, May 07, 2009
Today has been a challenging day, and while that seems to be the tune I’ve been singing lately, this one was tough beyond the typical toddler stuff. You know, *real* issues.
And I had this thought, as I was praying for grace and mercy. Mary. The Month of Mary. Ask for her help.
I came across this beautiful teaching by Pope John Paul II about asking for the intercession of Our Lady—and that is what... READ MORE
As I Have Loved You
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Faith on Monday, October 27, 2008
A week ago I had a phone conversation with my dear younger sister, who is a self-admitted perfectionist.
She was upset about a mistake she’d made that day. It was a fairly minor thing and the consequences were going to inconvenience only her personally, but she was still beating herself up about it. “What kind of person is so stupid that they [insert mistake here]?” she kept repeating.
I made her... READ MORE
