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Pope St. John Paul II said that the Basilica of our Lady of Guadalupe is the "heart of the Americas."  A close look at the tilma on which the image appeared shows how our Lady changed the Aztec heart.      A new heart for the Aztecs   The Aztecs to whom Mary appeared were known as the "people of … [Read more...] about Heart sacrifice in Christ

The holiday suggests that this is a time to give thanks more than other seasons.  But the problem is, preparation and visiting and other aspects of the holiday add stressors that get in the way. So we take at least a moment, either publicly or privately, to say what we're thankful for. I hope we all … [Read more...] about How to practice gratitude

I took the skull out of the box in my mother's closet (she had it for anatomy study) and put it on my desk for display. I had to steel myself to do this, but I wanted to make a macabre statement--skulls were cool in middle school. It was a phase. When the novelty wore off, I put the skull away. … [Read more...] about A skull and our hope

The sliver of a moon was brilliant before dawn this morning, with Venus shining just below. I pointed it out to my kids in the car as we left the driveway. It was dark and they were sleepy, but the view left an impression. Our Mass reading from Romans today has strong words for people who don't see … [Read more...] about How to get open eyes to the Gospel

Our kindergartner, Sophie, is learning all the important things in life--like how to share and how to handle disappointment without a fuss. But then enter her little sister, a toddler, and a new kind of conflict ensues.  Sophie and her sister Our toddler refuses to share her cookie, so Sophie … [Read more...] about Give them words

Today is traditionally known as Michaelmas, a pivotal day in the Church year.From of old, this day has marked the beginning autumn and the end of harvest. As the nights grow longer and colder, we call on St. Michael to defeat the powers of darkness. A time for contemplation Today we also … [Read more...] about Michaelmas