Beyond Chocolate
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Faith on Friday, February 24, 2012
If you’re still in the market for some Lenten resolutions, either because you’re getting a late start or like to add on as you go,
Ironic Catholic has some unusual suggestions.
(I like her list from last year, too).
More seriously, but still humorously, click here for your lenten penance flow chart.
And Elizabeth Foss likes Lent.
Fishy Fridays
Posted by Rebecca Teti in News on Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Have you heard that the bishops of England & Wales have returned their dioceses to meatless Fridays?
The reason the bishops give for the move is the desire for common witness:
The Bishops wish to re-establish the practice of Friday penance in the lives of the faithful as a clear and distinctive mark of their own Catholic identity. They recognise that the best habits are those which are acquired as... READ MORE
Groaning Yet Grateful
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Faith on Wednesday, March 09, 2011
I remember, during college, going to Mass on the last day before Lent and looking at the crucifix, the statues and icons, somewhat wistfully. They would be shrouded in purple for the duration of the penitential season. I missed them, and all the purple got me down a little.
Some people get excited as Lent approaches, but I am not one of them. I’ve always felt depressed on Ash Wednesday, facing the... READ MORE
How Mortifying
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Faith on Thursday, September 09, 2010
This post is about mortification.
Come back! You can offer up reading it for the souls in purgatory!
Here’s a quick little article on an un-favorite subject, 5 Ways To Practice Mortification Without Outing Yourself As A Catholic.
Because…“There is no quicker way to expose yourself as a “Cath-oholic” than to drop the word mortification on an unsuspecting interlocutor. Once you’ve unleashed that baby you may as well change your name to Francis Xavier O’Surname and start wearing your brown scapular on the outside of your dress shirt—your cover is blown.”
Includes tips on the papal diet.
Pope In Portugal
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Faith on Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Pope hadn’t even de-planed from his trip to Portugal before delivering on the promised “intense message” at Fatima.
Benedict’s remark that the deepest attacks on the Church today come not from without, but from sins within, made instant headlines.
When a reporter asked about the Third Secret of Fatima, the Pope in essence downplayed the specific meaning and focused on its general prophesy of suffering... READ MORE
Wake Up…
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Faith on Tuesday, March 23, 2010
They say it’s dangerous to pray for patience, because God will give you opportunities to build your patience, and you won’t get to choose what they are.
I’ve got my own new corollary to that idea: it’s dangerous to make a resolution to do better penance (and declare it publicly!), because God just might send you some serious opportunites. Ones you don’t want, at all.
Last night at 11:00 I was in the... READ MORE
Turning Over a New Leaf
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Faith on Monday, March 22, 2010
With only ten days until Holy Thursday, we’re on the home stretch of Lent.
I made four resolutions this Lent. Two of them, I’ve been keeping pretty well. The other two, not so much.
On one of those - 40 bags in 40 days - I’ve still got time to catch up. The other one was a personal prayer resolution and there’s no real way for me to go back and make up the extra prayer I’ve missed.
But this week,... READ MORE
Bacon and Donuts Begone
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Faith on Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Pancakes aren’t my thing, but making homemade doughnuts on Fat Tuesday is a family tradition. We fried them today, and then we had bacon and doughnuts for dinner.
(Bacon is a family favorite food. You should see how many pieces my kids can put away!)
I really tried not to overeat, and I managed pretty well, but the high sugar and fat content of the dinner are making it sit heavily in my stomach. The... READ MORE
Fruitful Fasts
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Faith on Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The Holy Father’s Message for Lent is out.
It’s a meditation on justice and our need to renew our thirst for it—and be restored to it by grace.
The letter’s publication reminds me I need to think about my program of prayer and penance for this Lent.
There’s nothing wrong with the “usual” penances (giving up sweets or coffee, praying the Stations of the Cross). In the spiritual life, the rule is to... READ MORE
Quitting the Penance
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Faith on Wednesday, April 15, 2009
This year one of my Lenten resolutions involved fitting extra prayer into my life. It’s prayer I felt I should have been doing anyway, but the arrival of Lent gave me the motivation I needed to commit to making it happen daily.
In past years when I’ve given up things for Lent, it’s been clear what I should do when Easter came around. If I’d given up cookies, Easter naturally meant I could enjoy... READ MORE
