What are you waiting for?

... in the check out line at the grocery store?  Waiting for the gas to fill your tank?   Are you waiting in line at the movies?  Possibly, waiting on some test results, either medical or academic?  Do you know someone who is waiting on their SAT scores like here at the Pillars household?  Kids are waiting to grown up, teens are waiting to drive cars, graduate out of high school, adults are waiting to retire, possibly travel.

We are always waiting for something, aren't we?  Waiting seems to be just another task to complete each day, so why is waiting any different that any other activity we do daily?  Waiting takes on a very exciting rush of both fear and joy when one is expecting a baby; as the baby grows there is excitement about meeting a new person.  I remember how it felt each time I was pregnant, being excited, but also wondering about this new person; the anticipation of the delivery, the baby, and the health of both.

Waiting, it is what we do as a member of this world, but do we do it well?  Do we do it with the proper frame of mind?  Grouchy, impatient, or patient and good natured, as we stand in line or sit with a phone in our ear?  Can we be comfortable in the waiting mode for however long the waiting takes?

Waiting can be hard, especially when we aren't really sure why we are waiting.  

The season of Advent can be one of those times when we really don't understand what we are waiting for.  On the one hand, the commercial world is telling us "why wait to decorate" put up your Christmas tree the week of Thanksgiving and they hold "Black Friday" retail sales to get us in the gift-giving panic mode even before Advent begins.  All the while the Church is telling us it's not Christmas yet, and there is some waiting to do.  How do we go against the commercial tide that is everywhere around us to abide in the Church's practices and calendar?

Advent also marks the new year in the Catholic liturgical calendar and as we all know new years bring new beginnings; a chance to start over and possibly do better than last year.  A new year brings new adventures, possibilities, and events to ponder and wait for with excitement and some cautious curiosity; if not a tinge of fear.  There may be plans now that will come to fruition this new year that are already being waited for.  But wait, there is more!

More to wait for, something you don't hear about on the nightly news (ugh!), or in the newspaper, and it's not a something, but a someone.  No, it's not the baby Jesus, (or a sleigh full of toys being drawn by reindeer) that we are really waiting for, no.

It is the resurrected Jesus in total fulfillment of His saving glory.  It is the Kingdom of God that we are waiting for, the place of paradise that the thief at the cross spoke of.  It's the Return.  That is what we are truly waiting for.

In our day to day lives, we strive for reachable goals:  meeting a deadline at work, getting the laundry done and finishing papers, jobs, chores, and assignments.  But there is a reachable goal that we hardly ever think of, much less strive for:  Eternal paradise, the Kingdom of God.

Christ came to us as a human child to bring us the Kingdom of God.  He came to fulfill a mission that came to fulfillment at His passion and resurrection.  He said he was preparing a room for us in His Father's house.

In our busy days of waiting, are we preparing ourselves to be invited into these prepared rooms?

Religious Breakdown Among Democrats

This Pew Research Poll highlights several interesting facets of the Democrat coalition.  Less than 6 in 10 Democrats seem to belong to belong to Christian Churches.  When the White Evangelical sliver is factored out, less than half of Democrats self-identify as traditional main-line Protestants and Catholics. Amongst people that Pew surveyed, just 29% thought that Democrats were more friendly towards religion. This reaction may have reflected the  vehement reaction among Democrat delegates against inclusion of the last minute face saving God and Jerusalem plank in the party platform in Charlotte.




Another remarkable feature is the size of the “Nones”.

READ MORE at DC-Laus-Deo.US

Celebrating the Golden Anniversary of Vatican II

Pope John XXIII at Vatican II

Fifty years ago today, Pope John XXIII opened the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).  It surprised many that this “caretaker” papacy would launch such a sweeping endeavor as Vatican II.  In fact, Pope Blessed John XIII died on third of the way into the conclave, but he believed that the Roman Catholic Church required aggiornamento or “updating”.

Having been born towards the conclusion on Vatican II, I have no personal recollections of the way the Church was prior to Vatican II.  My cursory knowledge as a child caused me to conclude that Vatican II translated the mass into the local languages (vernacular) and stopped the use of High Altars with priests back to the congregation. I was aware of people who were put off by the Novus Ordo liturgy and longed for the Tridentine  rituals, but that just seemed like an old translation.  It was only when I started to study Vatican II that I had a better appreciation for the fruits of the council and how strongly disappointment from the right and the left remain today.

Bishops meeting in Plenary Session of Vatican II

Over three years, some 2800 bishops from 116 countries met, debated (in Latin) and produced 16 documents.  Instead of automatically taking the preparation work from a cautious curia, the Council regrouped in geographical zones and requested a thorough re-thinking of the Council’s agenda.  But regional politics was serendipitously curtailed by seating, which was by seniority rather than delegations.

Unlike other councils, Vatican II did not define any dogma or pronounce anything anathematic.  The documents used word of persuasion and inclusion, like People of God or “brothers and sisters” rather than top down neo-scholastic theological statements.

 While keeping true to the essence of the Church in scripture, holy tradition and the Magisterium, Vatican II renewed the vision of what it means to be Church.

  READ MORE at DC-LausDeo.US

Movie Review: For Greater Glory

Based on a true event in the Mexican history books in 1926 to June 1929.  It was the struggle of the Mexican Catholics for religious freedom, drastically taken away with force by the Mexican government.  A movement called Cristeros, rose up to defy the anti-religious strictures of the Mexican regime.   "Viva Cristo Rey!"  meaning "Long Live Christ the King" was the battle cry of the members of this movement.


Three years of battle against the heavy-handed government filled with brutality and oppression against the Catholic Church and her members in Mexico.  The violence in this movie depicts this cruelty, including the torture of the 14 year old boy.

Three priests and 10 laymen, including a 14 year old boy, Jose Sanchez del Rio, were beatified in 2005, join a growing list of 20th-century Mexicans recognized by the Church, including the 25 martyrs beatified by Pope John Paul II during his trip to Mexico in 2000.

This movie, as violent and intense as it was, should make every American, rather every human being, stop and appreciate the freedoms we have to move about and enter any religious building and worship as we see fit.  It also should make every human being take a step back and ponder how cruel we are to each other beyond reason, beyond human, beyond comprehension!  How horrific we have been to each other throughout our history starting with Cain and Abel.  Is there a way we can stop this madness?  Is there a way we can come to our senses and learn to love, to do to others as we would have them do to us?

My prayer tonight and every night from this day forward will be for peace, agape love for our neighbor.  That we treat each other as we would want to be treated.  That punishments fit the crime, but love tenders the punishment.  I know that there will never be a utopia as long as we are human with a free will, but
basic rights of worship should be one of those things that are called untouchable by anyone, including the governments of countries. Those who are centered around their God are more centered people, that is good for society, good for each other, and possibly leading to being peaceful people.

The New Evangelization, Part IV: Culture of Witness

This part of the USCCB's document, "Disciples Called to be Witness, the new Evangelization, covers how and when we can evangelize without too much effort.    Through conversion and the methodologies of:  discipleship, a commitment to the Christian life, parish life, the liturgical life of the Church: popular devotions and piety, the Christian family, catechist and teachers of the faith, and religious experience we bring the Church to the world by our examples in these areas.  Last time I discussed conversion and promised a discussion on methologies of evangelization which will make it clearer how we all can be new evangelizers.

Through discipleship we serve as witnesses for Christ and His teachings.  Witnessing is a farther reaching act of teaching that traditional teaching.  When someone shares their own personal experiences about life it drives home to those how it looks and feels in real time not just from a book.  This makes total sense, too, as a new mother-to-be some years ago, I had symptoms that weren't in my pregnancy books or from the doctor office, but hearing from other mothers who experienced same or similar symptoms, I was relieved and confident that all was well with my pregnancy.  When we share our understandings and experiences with Christ's teachings and the teachings of the Church in positive light, we are planting seeds in those around us for future witnesses.

In order to do this we must first grasp these teachings personally through a firm commitment to the Christian life and active participation in parish life.   Without being committed to our Christian faith we cannot be active learner and teachers, but we cannot do this alone, "the Holy Spirit within the Christian community forms the person as a disciple of Christ."  The parish must provide formed disciples, catechists and teachers to formally pass down the faith to it's members, especially those who want to return to the Church.  "It is the responsibility of the parish community and it's leadership to ensure that the faith it teaches, preaches, and celebrates is alive and that it is a true sign, for all who come in contact with it, that this truly is the living Body of Christ."

Speaking of the Body of Christ, attending Mass and receiving the Eucharist as often as possible it crucial to a healthy spiritual life.  Praying the rosary, attending adoration, confession, and observing other holy practical acts of piety like meatless Fridays year round all provide a powerful witness to the faith.  They "form the basis of "Catholic Culture."  The coming together in the Liturgical life of the Church as one gives strength and continued faith development for the Church family and those who seek to return.

In the Christian family or the "domestic Church" the sacrament of matrimony models the Trinitarian love of God for His children as parents nurture and care for their children. It is here in the home that faith develops deeper within the children.  Many children that I see today are not taught their faith at home much less experiencing it there.  Parents are so busy with their own jobs and responsibilities that they do not take the time to practice their faith at home.  This is a major problem because children are being basically taught to compartmentalize God at school or at Church only, so during the majority of their lives they are not witnessing God's touch in all that they see and do.

Catechists and teachers of the faith must be teachers and witnesses of the faith!  They must believe and live what they teach or else they are scandalous.  These precious people provide a powerful witness to the Gospel and lay the ground for a culture of witnesses.  "A vibrant Catholic identity and active promotion of gospel values in Catholic schools help foster future generations of disciples and evangelists."

"Discipleship is rooted in human experience.  It is through human experience that one enters into a dialogue with modern culture."  The human experience provides the "sensible signs' that help us come to know ourselves, one another, and God."  These are the concrete signs and works of the Holy Spirit present in the Christian's everyday life. Through retreats, bible studies, prayer groups, ecclesial movements give way to opportunities to grow and blossom in our faith and provide avenues of witnessing to each other.  With constant searching and participation in religious experiences, we can create a culture of witness that will continue to nurture our faith and the life of the Church as we go forward into the future.

Again, I'd like to share Justin Stroh's mini podcast part 4b, he also mentions that catholic schools have been a mainstay in our country that pass on the values to our children.  It is a great gift, but it is declining in many parts of the country, however, we need to pray and support these fine institutions. However, this does not mean that we pay the tuition, send off each day to the Catholic school and not live the faith at home by attending Mass, etc.

Dragon Slayers! Awesome book for 8-12 year olds!

Awesome book for 8-12 year olds: teaches about sin and virtue!

Dragon Slayers instructs with humor and diligence how to identify sins and vices in the form of dragons, learn tactics to withstand their attacks through Scripture and the proper use of the Armor of God. He also introduces our ultimate mentors: the Dragon Slayers of Old (the Saints) and the Chief Dragon Slayer Himself (Jesus).

Read more about this book at Equipping Catholic Families and if you decide to purchase the book from Equipping Catholic Families , you can get your very own FREE Dragon Slayers Progress Report download!







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-centred crafts! 

Back to Catechism Class with Cathletics Craft Kits! {Giveaway}

Back to Catechism Class Cathletics Craft Kits {GIVEAWAY}

 

 

This Giveaway is co-hosted by a an awesome group of Catholic Bloggers who have reviewed the Catholic books, quizzing cards and paper craft kits offered by

Arma Dei:

Equipping Catholic Families.

 

TEN Cathletics Craft Kits to pick from!

FOUR WINNERS will be selected!

These Catechism, Sacrament and prayer-PACKED paper craft kits

come with permission to photocopy for a WHOLE CLASS or

for all the kids who live in your house!

 

Enter the Cathletics Giveaway here!

 

Check out our Catholic Reviewer Panel!