Mixed Messages From The Media

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Alicia Keys expecting baby, plans to marry

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When I first saw this, I did a double take. "Wait. 'Expecting baby' and 'plans to marry' do not go together.  What is going on here?" Then my brain got it and I was sad. Whatever happened to the day of having remorse about having premarital sex such that this kind of situation would never be publicized? 

We are not all ok.  We are sinners and having premarital sex is a sin.  So is creating scandal by indirectly celebrating it in this fashion.

Later on, I realized this is not all bad and celebration is indeed called for.  After all, God is bringing our world a new baby and that is a good thing.  He tends to do that.  Make good out of bad, that is. 

The other good thing is that Alicia Keys is going to carry her pregnancy full term, i.e. no abortion.  That is a wonderful thing. Thank you Alicia.

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image - Yahoo! News

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God

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If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

In happy moments, praise God.

In difficult moments, seek God.

In quiet moments, worship God.

In painful moments, trust God.

In every moment, thank God..


image - http://www.telecaretv.org/God%20is%20Good%20Logo.jpg

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Never Stop Planting Seeds With Your Children

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I had a very engaging conversation with one of my sons recently.  It started with my reminding him that Christianity needs to be given another chance [he has decided he is not Christian], since the Old Testament course he took in Prep school, which provided major impetus for his exodus, was most likely taught from an historical and literature-like perspective, instead of from a Catholic Faith perspective.  It ended over two hours later, after we  bounced from one important topic to another.  I think we ended just because we petered out.

We discussed the procreative and unitive aspects of the marital act, how disappointed he and many other Obama supporters are with Obama's lack of fruitful changes for the country, homosexuality and its origins, contraception and how it suppresses love instead of promoting it, what confession is about, him getting his boating license, clergy sexual abuse (and the sexual abuse in many other domains of our lives), the media's ongoing bashing of the Catholic Church, people's inability to separate the human side of the Church from the Truth/Jesus side, the concept of hating the sin but loving the sinner and how that might really play out, and more.  I love my son and I love that he thinks about these things.  I get anxious about  this stage of his journey, because after all, it may be a stage, as many people tell me, but it may not be.  No one can know for sure.   And what if he dies tomorrow?  He will not have had time to get through the stage before he has to face the Judgment Seat of God.

Perseverance.  That is what I need to deal with the reality that things happen in God's time and not in mine.  And I need lots of prayer.  In the meantime, I hope many seeds were planted for my son's conversion.  If he is ever moved by the Holy Spirit to see the Truth of the Catholic Faith, we will have one impressive Catholic on our hands.

St. Monica and St. Augustine, please pray for us.
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image - http://ucgmikebennett.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/planting-seeds-20524813.jpg

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The Rosary Army

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I will be doing just that with some friends of mine soon.  We will be making all-twine knotted Rosaries and donating them to the Rosary Army.  The "Army" gives them away free as part of their mission to evangelize the Faith.  Any individual of any faith from anywhere in the world can obtain one.

The Rosary Army also does public speaking and they produce Catholic audio and video podcasts for educational purposes freely available on their website.  I have not listened to them yet, but I hear that The Catholics Next Door and That Catholic Show are good.  Check them out at http://www.rosaryarmy.com/  and http://gregandjennifer.com  and http://thatcatholicshow.sqpn.com/


image - http://www.rosaryarmy.com/

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Come Holy Spirit, Fill The Hearts Of Your Faithful

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Happy Pentecost Sunday!  Such a healing and empowering day.  Wouldn't you have just loved to be with Mary and the Apostles when Jesus sent His Holy Spirit down upon them?

"Come Holy Spirit, enlighten my mind.  Help me to know my sins and to be sorry for them.  Renew in me a new spirit."

That is one of my favorite prayers to the Holy Spirit, before Confession, but on a daily basis as well.  I hope your feast day with the Holy Spirit brings a wonderful renewal in your soul.

In Christ,
Kathleen
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image - http://jameswoodward.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/pentecost.jpg

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