Catching Up with PSA's

It's been crazily busy this week, so I've had to "ignore" several emails in my inbox as I've focused on getting homework done and dashing off posts for things that popped into my head and scrambled around in effort to be written.

So, now that my 2 Midterms have been turned in, and my paper is edited and printed, I can finally bring you the important news from the Catholic world...and believe me, this is stuff you DO NOT want to miss!

First up - PRAYER AND FASTING!

Ignorant Redneck (who isn't so ignorant) is encouraging us to pray and fast for 3 days leading up to the election...and don't let that time limit you. Prayer and fasting even not until then is greatly needed!

Remember the Gospel? Remember where the Apostles were trying to cast out a demon and couldn't, and Jesus came and did? Remember when they asked him why, he said that kind of demon couldn't be cast out except by prayer and fasting?

Well--I suggest that people commit--promise an follow through--to fasting for three days before the election, and praying, maybe the Rosary, maybe the Prayer of St. Michael. Fast and Pray that the election will place into power people who will at least respect life, and the will of God.

Just today I read a quote somewhere: Pray for a country that refuses to pray for itself. So go to IR's post and committ to prayer and fasting! Or, if you can't do that for 3 days (I confess I'm a wimp and can handle a day...beyond that I'm mush.), Then give up chocolate, give up SOMETHING as SOME kind of fast. And Pray, pray, pray! Start now and call it a "mini Lent"!

Thanks, (Not-So)Ignorant Redneck!

VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD

I received a message today about a new website promoting Priestly Vocations:

I have recently read an interview given by Monsignor Georges Durand to the French publication “Thérèse de Lisieux.” The monsignor is one hundred years old. During his ministry he spent 27 years at the Basilica at Lisieux and was a good friend of Céline, the sister of St Therese. At the conclusion of the interview the old Monsignor said “Pray fervently to Saint Therese for the priesthood. Pray for priests. We must not bemoan the lack of priests, but act. We must pray for vocations to the priesthood”.

May I respectfully request you to mention this new web site on your blog. It contains wonderful suggestions for Bishops, Priests, Seminarians, Families, Schools and Directors of Vocations.

This web site called http://www.vocationsguidetopriesthood.org/ has positive suggestions for all members of the community.

I sincerely pray that you will visit it and hopefully give it some much needed publicity.

Pat Ryan

What else is there to say? St. Padre Pio said that the world could better exist without the sun than it can without the Mass. Anything that encourages more men to consider the priesthood is bound to bear fruit!

CATHOLIC WRITERS AND READERS UNITE!

Attention Writers & Readers!

Leoness Books is a newly formed small press specializing in Literary Catholic Writing. Leoness has been created due to the dearth of publishing opportunities for Catholic writers whose work can be described as "Literary, yet artfully overt." Leoness is seeking book-length fiction (both novels and story collections) and narrative non-fiction submissions for their Leoness Book Award, and short stories for their Best Catholic Short Stories, 2010 edition.

Leoness Books is also seeking dedicated readers who are tired of the syrupy genre fiction that Christian publishers attempt to pass off as "real life," who are put off by the poorly written Apocalyptic novels that misrepresent Bible teaching, and disheartened by the plethora of literary options for nearly every subset of humanity, except for devout Catholics seeking quality literature inspired by faith. There are several ways to become involved and ensure Leoness Books’ success. Please visit www.LeonessBooks.com for more information.

And FINALLY...

I learned today that I was nominated for the Blogger's Choice Awards in the "Best Religious Blog" category. When I finally found my blog, I found that I had a whopping 2 votes....a really long ways behind a couple of atheist blogs. And that just DEFIES logic. While I don't write for awards or to be noticed, I do have a problem with the idea that someone who either hates God or disbelieves in Him such that they base their entire lives and defitions on there not being a God actually has more votes than I do.

Or maybe I'm supposed to be learning the Virtues of Patience and Humility from this. But if not...then feel free to vote for me! (I'm probably about 200 pages back....)

You do have to register to vote, it's painless and minimal (I did it last year), and you can help promote your favorite blogs....or condemn the worse ones! (The latter is literally a category for the worst blog ever, and thank God I haven't been nominated for it!)

Thanks to the person who nominated me...I think that this is the first time that happened!

Catholic Blog Awards 2008 - WINNERS!

This post is overdue, but I didn't want to post it during Holy Week. It seemed improper. Congratulations to all the nominees and all the winners of this year's awards! The winners can be found here, but note you have to register to see all of the winners and nominees.(which is free).

Congratulations to the infamous Fr. Z. who swept several categories. A huge number of the faithful are clearly partaking in his wisdom, and I see this as a sign of renewal in the Church. (And maybe the beginning of the end of Haugen-Haas and Lifeteen?) Fr. Z. won: Best Apologetic, Best Blog by Clergy/Religious/Seminarian, Best Individual, Best Insider News, Best Overall, Best Political/Social Commentary, Best Written, Most Informative/Insightful, Most Spiritual, and Smartest Catholic blog.

Congratulations to the New Liturgical Movement, who won Best Designed and Best Group Blog.

The Best New Blog was Creative Minority Report , the Best Social/Political Commentary went to American Papist, And Funniest Catholic Blog was granted to Curt Jester who has never lost this particular spot.

Yours Truly was exactly 10th in the "Most Spiritual" category, and I'd like to thank the Academy (ahem...that's YOU, regular commenters and readers!). It was an honor to be nominated in all the categories, and I was honestly shocked. I don't have a sitemeter, so had assumed my readership had fallen off, based on the number of comments on my posts. So either my readers are voting early and often, or my readers are really, really loyal and voted for me at least twice each time. In any case, thank you, dear readers!

I recently pointed out to a couple of fellow bloggers that there are thousands of Catholic blogs...and only a relatively small number were even nominated. Each year, I "discover" new blogs to read, new Catholics contributing to the New Evangelization. This gives me hope for the Church; so often, we find so much to complain about, but when we read firsthand about the faith and knowledge of people who could well be sitting in the pew next to us, well...can I just say that I am edified? You all give me hope, you all encourage me. You all are effecting conversions through your witness.

A huge thanks to the Catholic Blog Awards organizers, most specifically Joshua LeBlanc and Corey Bordelon. And Jeff Miller, who once again designed the award icons, some of which will be also displayed here.

Of all the winners and nominees, I don't know a single one who writes for the purpose of awards; if any of them do, their priorities are sadly misguided. Yet it's nice to be recognized, and it's a great way to strengthen the Catholic community online. Jesus Christ created his Church for a reason, and the internet gives us a chance to bond over states, over countries, over continents, making our Church seem even more connected. I'm grateful for the friends I've "met" via Catholic blogging, and forsee the growth of this technological medium.

God bless you all, and again, Congrats to the winners!

Just a few bits'n'pieces of life...

First off, mantilla twitch to Happy Catholic for the link revealing that the Top 10 of each category at the 2007 Catholic Blog awards has been posted. And I'm amazed to report that I'm number 8 in the "Most Spiritual Blog" category. Wow! Thanks for all of you who voted me that far!

Voting closes on Monday, March 17 at Noon (and I don't think that "noon" is fluid according to consecutive time zones) so vote early if you haven't voted already.

Moving on....

This week I took the Spiritual Gifts and Charisms test through the Catherine of Siena Institute. When I began taking the test, having marked a great number of "0's" (on a scale marked 0-3), well, I actually became a bit concerned. "Oh my goodness, I'm completely USELESS to God!"

But as it turned out, apparently I do have some usefulness and apparently the Holy Spirit had not actually forgotten about me...he just wanted me to remember humility first. That's OK. I can always use more humility. (Incidentally, "humility" was not tested as a gift or charism...I shudder to consider the result if it was!).

There were no real surprises, although I was a little concerned to see "mercy" ranked very low. I have not gone back to read those questions, and hope to avoid that temptation so that I can take the test again at some point and not remember anything specific. The less I can remember of the test, the more honest my answers will be the next time I take it.

Oh, and not surprisingly...the vast majority of my current job duties are actually very low when it comes to spiritual gifts. And practical gifts for that matter. More and more, I'm convinced that God has brought me into my current position for a few very simple reasons:

1. Last winter/spring, I begged God to have mercy on me and let me "start over." Done. I am "starting over", all the way back to elementary school! And middle school at the same time, and I get to experience Confirmation vicariously. None of this is coincidence.

2. God has brought me into my weakest areas, for reasons known to Him alone. Maybe because, since I am completely helpless with the vast majority of tasks I have to handle, God is MORE glorified because if something goes well, I can't claim a single bit of the credit.

3. God has a sense of humor.

I do not see myself remaining in my current position for long. It's not where I'm truly called, but for the meantime only. And I accept that. Yet it's not my future, and this frustrates me. What do any of us want, but to know where we really belong? To use all of our gifts, whether our practical everyday talents or the spiritual gifts/charisms God grants us? And when we're stuck, we can't help but feel the chafing as we strain to run to something better.

But that's what it's all about; God can't give us what He intends until we are ready to receive it. All too often, He has to spend time preparing us in some way, because even though we might not want to do something, it is a necessary skill that will be required later in order to complete the mission the Lord has assigned to us.

So far, much of this week has been about surrender to God, and in that department, I'm failing miserably. A friend of mine even observed this week what she has witnessed of me, and this friend has, between her spiritual gifts and natural aptitude, the ability to read people fairly accurately. And she completely nailed me. I could do nothing but own up to it, affirming what she saw. Because I saw it, too, although not so concisely. She didn't intend it to be so, but her assessment was brutal, and I deserved it, and NEEDED it.

Her biggest critique...I haven't surrendered to God. I'm in an almightly power struggle against the Almighty, and against myself. She doesn't know what the struggle is about, exactly, nor do I, really. But I do know that this battle has been ongoing and I will be eternally grateful for God's infinite patience.

But there's another thing that came up this week, and in this I request your prayers. I can't say too much, and I won't. But as I learned last semester in class, God does not reveal sin without revealing His Mercy. As we all know, God's Mercy covers EVERY sin, ours, and those of others. He sees everything. He knows all, and in knowing all, there is His mercy.

This week an issue at work dredged up an old memory, something that occasionally comes to mind but which I push aside, either as unimportant, "over with" or even as too uncomfortable to consider. Yet the issue at work made me face it and consider consequences not just to myself, but to others in the same situation, and how to handle it. How it SHOULD be handled. And how my own little secret memory from so long ago has in fact influenced who I am today and why my life took the course that it did.

It has revealed God's mercy to me; it has helped me understand His patience with me as I've come to see that some of my decisions in life were not necessarily mine. It is not an avoidance of culpability in willful sin, but rather, has opened my eyes to see why I need to accept His Mercy, and be more merciful to others. None of us will ever see what God sees, none of us will ever understand what God understands.

None of us will ever bleed for another as much as Jesus has bled for us, knowing full well our true hearts. Because when He bled en route to Calvary and from the cross, upon the whole world, He took our own hearts with Him, so that we could bleed in unison. He shed His own blood...but He did it in order to unite us with Him for eternity.

I need to pray about what came to my attention this week, and determine what to do with it, and when. The revelations that accompanied the memory are important for my own spiritual growth, for my own self-knowledge. So while it's a bit uncomfortable, I am grateful to God for revealing these things so that, ultimately, I can come even a bit closer to Him.

Maybe Lent isn't such a failure for me this year!

Awards and Coffee

I woke up this morning to a wonderful surprise, and in fact, I haven't even finished my morning coffee yet and I'm writing a post. That should tell you something.

Adrienne has given me an award she dreamed up just for me, the Most Spiritual Blog Award. Although I have to say that this award says a lot more about HER than it does about me. And with wonderful friends like her, who needs th 2008 Catholic Blog Awards?

So go on over and visit my dear friend Adrienne...you may find yourself so at home you'll not find the need to visit anyone else!

Thanks, Adrienne!

Blogger Reflection Award

Last week I was shocked to discover that angelmeg at Transcendental Musings nominated me for this award. I am amazed by her kind words and the nomination, and happy that my writings have apparently had an impact of some sort on others. All for God's Glory!

Here are the rules:

1. Copy these rules.

2. Reflect on five bloggers and write a least a paragraph about each one.

3. Make sure you link to this post so others can read it and the rules.

4. Leave your chosen bloggers a comment to let them know they've been given the award.

5. Put the award icon on your site

So, without further ado, and in no particular order, here are the bloggers who have also impacted me:

Angela Messenger: I found my way to her blog after she left a comment on mine, and for some reason, I have never left! She's one of those "gotta-check-every-day" blogs that addresses a range of things; deep spiritual introspection, everyday life, family, work, and liturgical conundrums. I always learn things from her, and so I encourage you to spend some time over at her place, too; you may find yourself cheering on her pro-life actions!

Father V. : Father V.'s posts are informative, inspiring, and oftimes, hard-hitting. He is in the process of providing ongoing catechesis in the art of symbols in the Church, as well as the realities of serving as a priest in today's world. His parish is lucky to have him, and I'm thrilled to have made his acquaintance (via blogging).

The Recovering Dissident Catholic: : Cathy_of_Alex does NOT mince words. That quick mind and biting sarcasm (with a soft heart) used to work for another side....and when she learned the Truth, she grabbed onto it with hands and feet and has resolved never to let go! And now she puts her talents to work in putting the rest of us to shame when she puts common behaviors of Catholics under the microscope of what is proper...and what is lazy or sinful. God bless her and may every other recovering dissident out there come to see the light so clearly!

Cow Bike Rider: He is on a journey, and is undergoing some very deep introspection which requires not only an assessment of what he has always believed, but what he is being lead to believe. And he is inviting us along on his journey, inviting comments and advice as he pursues God's will for him. I am constantly astounded by the fortitude of people who seek to follow Christ, even in the face of adversity that seems to try to prevent the steps they need to take. My prayers are with him as he undergoes perhaps the most reflective and exciting experience of his life.

Vive Jesus!: Ali is a fan of St. Frances de Sales and an author of deep reflections that will bring tears to your eyes. She has the ability to take a snapshot of life and serve it to you in a whole new perspective.


I pray you all will visit the blogs noted here, and find yourself, through them, lead ever closer to the Lord.

Rockin' the World!

I was nominated by Ironic Catholic as a Rockin' Girl Blogger, and now I get to nominate five other women who rock!

* Cathy_of_Alex, the Recovering Dissident. This woman blows me away with her knowledge of the faith and her boldness in sharing it with others, no matter what it might cost her. If the world were full of Catholics like her, well, it would be a better place. Gotta say it...she ROCKS!

* Angela Messenger. This Canadian Catholic woman and I have a bit in common...we both teach RCIA, but she's probably better at it and she knows more than I do. Her blog is filled with spiritual introspection and resultant instruction, humor, prayer, and parody. What else could anyone want? Angela is Rockin' Canada!

* Ma Beck! This Lady inspires me with her strong pro-life stance. She has a few recent posts about her experiences at an abortuary in Chicago and the raw reality contained within the words of Planned Parenthood workers themselves. And of course, I know she's tough because she was a Coast Guard Cop, and now, as an ex-Coastie I feel a bit of solidarity with her because I was an almost-Coastie. Learning that about her just increased the already-great respect I have for her and her writing. Rock on, girlfriend!

* Loved Sinner. Tara is a convert to the Church and has completely fallen in love, and that's why she rocks. Not only did she have to wade through a lot of stuff and overcome a great deal in order to join the Church, but once she made that decision she pressed on in spite of her own private battles. She kept her eyes on Jesus, knowing that He was there for her, and now she shares her conversion, her faith, and her everyday life and photos with us. I can see that she loves with the love of Christ, and that's why she deserves this award. Tara is A Rockin' Girl Blogger from Utah.

* Catholic Mom of 10. This wonderful Lady who hails from England not only serves as a loving mother to ten children, but is willing to put it all out there even in the face of rabid secularism. If that doesn't Rock, I don't know what does! Mrs. Jackie Parkes MJ, mantilla-twitch to you and yours!

And you know what? That's not enough. I'm sorry, but I HAVE to add another name, another blog, to the list. I'd be remiss if I did not.

* Sarah, the Snoring Scholar. Talk about writing from the heart, and even from the heart of the garden! She can bring a flower to life just as easily as she can bring her little girl's joi de vive to your screen...and apparently she doesn't have a green thumb! A confession here...for years, I thought that I could never be a mother, thought I'd NEVER want to go through childbirth, raise children, etc. Yet, when Sarah shares her experiences as a young mother with another on the way, I come to understand what it means to be a woman, what it means to be a mother, and the miracle of life is made personal to me. Thank God for women like Sarah. Is there any doubt that Sara is a Rockin' Girl?

Blog On, Ladies!

Atheism is NOT a Religion!

H/T to Happy Catholic

The Blogger's Choice awards is going on right now, and in the "religion" category, an Atheist blog is winning!

So get thee over there and vote for a blog that actually involves religion!

Some very prominent Catholic blogs are featured. You will have to register, but it's painless and I got the email to confirm the account immediately.

What are you waiting for? GO!


UPDATE: Friday, April 13, 6:00 pm

Atheism is falling off the charts. Catholics are ahead. Thanks be to God!

And the Winners Are...

...still unofficial.

And I am...(drumroll...........................................)

Not one of them!

No surprise there, but again, I'm thrilled to have even been in the mix this year. A big "THANKS!" goes out to all of you who nominated me and voted for me. That alone is a reward in and of itself and one I never asked for nor expected.

I "met" a lot of great new blogs this year, soon to be added to my sidebar. Our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II would be so proud to see us carry on his directive to use technology to spread the Word of God and the love of Christ throughout the world in such an enterprising way.

So go check out the Unofficial Results of the 2007 Catholic Blog Awards!

I'll update again when the results are official, with all the pomp and circumstance such an event requires.

2007 Catholic Blog Awards

I just found out today that I was nominated for the 2007 Catholic Blog Awards!

The categories I was nominated for include:

* Most Spiritual
* Best Written
* Best Individual

Thank you, dear readers. I could never have done it without you. After all, if it weren't for you, I'd be just sitting in front of a computer talking to myself! Because of YOU, I don't have to answer myself, too. What a great blessng.

Please be sure to check out all the great blogs before casting your vote. I intend to find many new blogs for my sidebar this week!

And everyone...remember this is supposed to be FUN!

Bloggers, Start Your Windows.....

...the nominations for the 2007 Blog Awards opens February 4!

H/T to Happy Catholic

Here are the categories:

Best Overall Catholic Blog
Best Designed Catholic Blog
Best Written Catholic Blog
Best New Catholic Blog
Best Individual Catholic Blog
Best Group Blog
Best Blog by Clergy/Religious/Seminarian
Funniest Catholic Blog
Smartest Catholic Blog
Most Informative & Insightful Catholic Blog
Best Apologetic Blog
Best Political/Social Commentary Catholic Blog
Best Insider News Catholic Blog
Most Spiritual Blog

Check out Cyber Catholics for more info!


* singsong * I know some bloggers who are getting nom-in-ations! (But I'll never teeellll!)