Category: Uncategorized

Walking With Mary : A Biblical Journey from Nazareth to the Cross

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network

This week I had the pleasure of kicking off Image Catholic Books Virtual Book Tour for their latest release Walking With Mary : A Biblical Journey from Nazareth to the Cross written by Dr. Edward Sri. The book was fantastic and if you are looking for an easy to read, deep exploration of Mary’s faith journey I highly recommend you get this book. You can find my review here. Also click here for your chance to enter my weekly giveaway, a copy of this great book.
Pete Socks
The Catholic Book Blogger

Drawn From Shadows Into Truth: A Memoir Review

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network
My most recent review is from The Catholic Company called Drawn From Shadows Into Truth: A Memoir. This is a true conversion story of how a married ordained minister followed the quest for truth which led him out of the Episcopalian Church and into the Catholic Church. Fr. Ryland, in a detailed format, outlines his journey from childhood, other denominations and into the Catholic Church.

In my opinion, his book reads like an intellectual autobiography which felt like text book reading at times. I appreciated his use of footnotes to back up his points but I also felt the context jumped around which left me confused at times.   I would turn back a page or two to see if I missed something.  It’s not filled with emotion even though he experienced the same confusion, fear and resistance that others have gone through in their journey to the Catholic Church.

Fr. Ray Ryland has been given a dispensation from the rules of celibacy and is a married Catholic Priest.  I was glad to see in his last chapter, that he addressed the issue of him being allowed to be married as a priest. Fr. Ryland does not promote married priesthood and in fact he discusses the apostolic tradition of priestly celibacy and how he agrees with the Catholic Church.  He candidly admits, he is not as free as a celibate priest to serve God, His Church and his parishioners.  I applaud the encouragement and support his wife gave him as he walked this path with them.  It can not have been easy to make this decision even though knowing God is calling him to do so.  It takes courage and faith.

Overall, I liked the book but it took me a long time to read it.  I enjoy conversion stories but I was not captivated by this one.  I think it’s because I found it to be more of a challenging read than a lighter more emotional story.  I guess those are the ones I would choose to read first.  The reason I picked this one was because it is a conversion story and it was endorsed by other famous converts.  Would I recommend this book?  Yes, but with a warning that it’s not a light happy conversion story.

This book was written as part of the Catholic Company Reviewer Program.  I was given a complimentary copy of Drawn From Shadows Into Truth: A Memoir for my honest review.  The Catholic Company is a great resource for all your First Communion Gift ideas as well as many other great books, rosaries, and statues.

Peace & Blessings,
Noreen

Falling asleep during prayer

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network
File:Sleeping boy (Nikifor Krylov).jpg
Sleeping Biy by Lrylov (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons).

If you are a parent trying to grow in holiness, you have no doubt fallen asleep in prayer. Among nursing babies, sick toddlers, wet beds, and waiting up for teenagers, parents spend years being sleep deprived. Then we go to pray and find ourselves nodding off, or even dreaming. How should we handle this?

Am I being lazy? Before reading Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux, I would get mad at myself and feel like a failure when I fell asleep. Of course, if I were to tell the whole truth, I was often at fault. I used to pray mental prayer last thing before going to bed. Even though I’m a night person, this is not a good time to pray. My thoughts are already on sleep. My mind and body are tired, and it feels like I’m giving prayer the lowest priority on my daily agenda. Sometimes I prayed that late due to forgetfulness. (Whoops, I haven’t prayed yet–better do it now!) Other times I was putting it off. But at least I was making some effort.

I find morning is the ideal time to pray, even for a night owl like me. It’s harder to forget and makes prayer my top priority. My mind isn’t racing with the business of the day.  And if I’m too tired, I can adjust the time I go to bed at night until I get it just right.

That’s how I reasoned in my single days.

Continue reading at Contemplative Homeschool.

Our Biggest Delusion

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network
I was never designed to live alone like an island unto myself. 
Yet, in my pride, I cling tenaciously to my throne and crown.
 Only when I was completely depleted and shattered,
 only then did I resign and give God  back His job.
There is a world of difference between a man who is aware of himself, sitting on a hill and looking at a beautiful sunrise and a man so enthralled with that very same sunrise that he forgets himself and becomes  absorbed in the scene. In the first instance the man is egocentric; he is at the centre 0f his world, not God.
When I see beauty everywhere, I experience joy and a sense of connection because my eyes are not on myself. The truth is that I am simply part of the whole. Everything does not depend on me. I am free to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature and the Spirit of God which permeates all when I am in the right place in the scheme of things.
I am living in a fantasy when I see myself as the center of the universe, viewing everything as it circles around me. As believers we sing and recite prayers that proclaim that God is the centre of all but our psychological make-up screams the exact opposite. I view people, events, history and yes even God through my eyes, judging what is right, trusting my thoughts and my feelings as the final judge of what is real. When Jesus says that we must die to ourselves, He is not speaking about some pious self-sacrifice that makes us look holy, no He has something much more radical in mind. The kind of inner transformation Jesus desires literally rips the rug up from under our feet and shatters our world view.

◄  Galatians 2:20  ►
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Why is modern man so anxious, nervous, out of sorts? Part of the reason is probably that many people barely see a blade of grass during their normal work day. Surrounded by concrete and glass, our innate self craves connection with the rest of the natural world, other people , the communion of saints, (both living and dead) and at an even deeper level, God Himself. Instead we live in isolated, man-made prisons which shut out other humans never mind other living creatures and God.  Each person is at the centre of their little artificial universe. That means that each of us has assumed the role of king or queen of our tiny kingdoms with everything depending on us.
I was never designed to live alone like an island unto myself. Yet, in my pride, I cling tenaciously to my throne and crown. Only when I was completely depleted and shattered, only then did I resign and give God  back His job. Only the did I surrender an ego centric point of view and embraced reality which is that God is at the centre of the universe and I am simply part of the Mystical  Body of Christ.
Silly?
Definitely absurd but I only saw this fact after I surrendered and let go of control. I cannot  find what is really important in life in self-created delusions butI can discover truth as I learn to live in harmony with a bigger universe than the one I create.

In the total expanse of human life there is not a single square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, ‘That is mine!’
Abraham Kuyper

St. John of the Cross (San Juan de la Crux), who lived in the 16th century  explains the inner process of becoming one with Christ.

I lose myself and remain,
With my face on the Beloved inclined;
All has come to rest,
I abandon all my cares
There, among the lilies, to die.

Father Larry Richards

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network

On August 2-4 I spent the weekend attending the 2013 Corpus Christie Men’s Retreat at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Emmittsburg, MD. On Saturday evening after dinner Father Larry graciously took some time to answer a few questions with yours truly. This week at The Catholic Book Blogger, I posted that interview which can be found here. While visiting, hop on over to enter this weeks giveaway where you could win a copy of Father Larry’s book Be A Man. You can enter the giveaway here. Lastly you can read my review of the book that changed life. This was perhaps my toughest review yet because of how personal it is. The review for Be A Man is posted here.

Harvesting Pope Francis's Call for Peace In Syria

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network

Italian artist Dario Gambarin took six hours to plow the likeness of Pope Francis in his parents field in Castargnaro, Italy.

The artist chose Pope Francis as a subject as Mr. Gambarin was inspired by the Pontiff’s call for a worldwide day of prayer and fasting for peace in Syria on September 7th. 

Field Artist Dario Gambarin 

Gambarin relies on his innate sense of proportion and his tractor driving capabilities to create his field art.   The image can only really be appreciated when flying near Verona. 

This type of art is deleted after a few days so the field can be cultivated for the new sowing of seed. 

May this act of artisinal agriculture remind us that “Love Liberates” as the world prays for peace in Syria. 

h/t: The Telegraph

[originally posted on DC-LausDeo.US]

Waking Up Catholic

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network

This week brings another great giveaway at The Catholic Book Blogger. My review of Waking Up Catholic : A Guide to Catholic Beliefs for Converts, Reverts, and Anyone Becoming Catholic by Chad Torgerson can be found here. This is a great book for someone entering RCIA this year. I followed that review up with an interview with Chad which can be found here. Last but not least is the giveaway of the book signed by Chad. Click here for the giveaway.

Something NEW at the Catholic Bloggers Network!

Posted: by Monica McConkey
Hey, who wants this Catholic Bloggers Network Facebook Group
to ROCK?!?

The Admins are talking ..and looking for ways to encourage
more sharing and liking and commenting and support and subscribers for the
Catholic Bloggers Network and the blogs of all its’ members. Although many of
us share posts on FB…there isn’t enough sharing of other people’s posts,
promoting fellow Catholic Bloggers and happy commenting.
Show-you-appreciate-and-reciprocate!

Are you up for it?
1. Do you want to be part of another Follow Frenzy: a link-up of awesome posts
along with a commitment to visit the other linked up posts and leave meaningful
comments. The last one was a big success!

2. Do you want to be part of the Blog Critique Co-op: do you want to be on the
panel to critique Catholic blogs? Catholic Bloggers have expressed an interest
in having their blogs critiqued…and as the “critique-er” your bio
and a link to your blog would appear. Open for suggestions as to how many
critique-ers should be assigned to each blog critique?

3. Do you want to be a Catholic Bloggers Network Facebook Group Facilitator: do you want to be part of
the elite group of moderators, committed to active involvement in this group,
moderating as necessary, commenting regularly and looking for new ways to
increase participation and effectiveness of promotion of Catholic Bloggers?

4. Do you want to be a Catholic Bloggers Network Website Facilitator.
Be assigned to a particular page or feature at www.CatholicBloggersNetwork,
answering comments and looking for ways to help the Catholic Bloggers Network
website ROCK.

5. Do you have special technical expertise in blogging? Would
you consider fielding technical questions about wordpress, blogger, SEO, social
media, widgets, gadgets, plugins, ETC.?!? Again, as a Catholic Bloggers Tech
Consultant, your bio and a link to your blog would appear.

6. Would you like to submit a proposal for a Catholic Homeschooling Article? Submit your article
for review and potential publishing in a prominent Homeschooling Resource!
Want to get involved?

Please Fill Out The Catholic Bloggers Network Rocks! Form















Do you have other ideas for things YOU would like to see at
the Catholic Bloggers Network?

A Bulletin Board to trade or coordinate Guest Posts?
The Official Catholic Bloggers Network Directory published?
Access and Magnified Promotion of the Catholic Resource
Directory?
More promotion of Catholic Etsy Shops, Catholic Family
Businesses and Apostolates?
Do you have suggestions to entice Catholic Bloggers 
to encourage and
promote fellow Catholic Bloggers!?

Have you seen cool features, events and services on other
big blogs…that you’d like us to tackle on our own Catholic Bloggers Network…either through our
Catholic Bloggers Network website, 
our Catholic Bloggers Network FacebookGroup
or Catholic Bloggers Network Facebook Page?
Tell us about it! 
Please Fill Out
The Catholic Bloggers Network Rocks! Form

If you are interested in making the Catholic Bloggers
Network 
an awesome venue to promote Catholic blogs
OR
If you have ideas about Events, Features or Services 
that
you would like to see at the Catholic Bloggers Network
OR
If you are willing to participate MORE, discover awesome
Catholic Blogs and GET NEW SUBSCRIBERS on your CATHOLIC BLOG…

Joy Alive in our Hearts, Hand-Maid with Love, Rose’s Supposes and Designs by Birgit

Posted: by Monica McConkey

Welcome to the
2013 Catholic Blogger Link-Up Blitz.
Announcing the Big Clicks Catholic Bloggers
for August 2013!

In the category of…

Readings and Reflections,
the Big Clicks Catholic Blogger is:
Joy Alive in our Hearts for the post
My Spirit-filled Idiolect and the Dead Battery

Catechism and Apologetics,
the Big Clicks Catholic Blogger is
Hand-made with Love for the post
Mater Eucharistiae
 
Liturgical Calendar Crafts and Homeschooling,
the Big Clicks Catholic Blogger are:
Rose’s Supposes for the post
Joking Around with St Jane Frances de Chantal

Catholic Family Journal and Random Ramblings,
the Big Clicks Catholic Bloggers are
Designs by Birgit for the post
Is Someone You Love Poison for Your Soul?

Spread the word!! Let your friends know about these popular posts on the Catholic Bloggers Network
and help promote Catholic Bloggers!

The new Monthly Round-Up for SEPTEMBER will be
UP and RUNNING on September 1st!
Make sure that you add your posts and visit often!!
You can also always revisit our Archives!

…You could also sign up to our Catholic Bloggers Mailing List to receive the INFREQUENT Catholic Bloggers Network News Flash for current events, link-ups and features at Catholic Bloggers Network.


There is STILL TIME to join the MEET and GREET
Catholic Bloggers Directory!
Fill out the MEET and GREET form before we finish compiling it…for awesome promotion of your Catholic blog and media links!

Tell your subscribers about the Catholic Bloggers Network and help us increase traffic and promote all these awesome blogs! We have 551 awesome Catholic blogs linked up so far!





Monica is a wife, Mom of 5+ kids, a designer, an architecture school survivor, an author and a crafter who thinks it’s cool to be Catholic! Check out the Arma Dei Shoppe for solid Catholic, fun teaching tools and gifts to celebrate and teach the Catholic Faith and subscribe to Equipping Catholic Families for family-building and Faith-centered crafts!

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Lord, I am not worthy…

Posted: by Monica @ Catholic Bloggers Network
File:San Leocadio Christ with the Host.JPG
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof,
but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

This response at Mass seems to me to sum up the whole spiritual life. It provides wonderful material for meditation.

I am not worthyOn my own, I cannot please God. I can only vaguely know His character. He had to reveal Himself to me through Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the teaching authority of the Church. He gave me parents who were loving enough to have me baptized and teach me the faith. He continues to show me His design for my life. All this is a pure gift which I could not merit.

But I have found the Christian life to be a constant battle. I fall every day. I repent, make resolutions to be good, then sin again. God’s purity is so beyond me. His holiness is a burning fire that I would never dare approach.

Except…

Read the rest at Contemplative Homeschool.