Quote of the Week

Steve Jobs on having children:

"It’s 10,000 times better than anything I’ve ever done.”

On having his biography commissioned:

For Pro-Life Thoughts Inspired By A Food Critic

I unwittingly came across one of the best Pro-Life articles I’ve ever read (via the mainstream media) in the latest on-line edition of Time magazine. The funny thing is, the author probably didn't realize that is what he was writing about. But that’s the wonderful way unintended graces work themselves out. You write one thing, and I see another, which in a nutshell is why sola scriptura is nonsense (but that's a post for another day).

Breaking: Minor Miracle(s) at Casa del Weathers

So there I was, just reading the morning paper after breakfast while sipping a cup of coffee when my daughter and my youngest son came tumbling down the stairs to share with me some miraculous news. My daughter's report went something like this:

For Evelyn Waugh's Prayer of a Convert

Psst...I finished reading Evelyn Waugh's novel Helena. I think it is fantastic and I enjoyed it immensely. Reading it makes we want to head with my family to the Holy Land on pilgrimage, bankrupting us in the process. St. Helena, as the empress dowager, never faced that particular financial aspect of her own journey to Palestine.

Because Life Goes On...

Acts of terror, wars, rumors of wars, budget crises, scary headlines, scandal, political vitriol, etc., etc. got you down? It's good to remember that life goes on. It is good to remember that for "the world,"

Because I Asked, I Prayed, And You Helped This Pro-Life Cause

Dr. Nagai and his children praying. 

Thank you YIMCatholic Readers! On the last day of this past August, I shared a post about helping to make the movie All That Remains. When completed, it will be a docu-drama about the life of Dr. Takashi Nagai, survivor of the aftermath of the atomic bombing of the city of Nagasaki. I called it "rattling the tin cup" for a good cause, and I shared the post with you all. I threw a few shekels in myself and prayed that others would respond too.

For Your Holiday Friday Night at the Movies: Soul Surfer

Are you ready for Summer to be over and for the kids to head back to school? Well guess what. My kids have been back in school since 3 weeks ago. Ugh! But just like the kids who don't start school until after Labor Day, their consolation is a long weekend now.

The Fig Harvest Begins!

‎And Amos answered and said to Amasias:"I am not a prophet, nor am I the son of a prophet: but I am a herdsman plucking wild figs."

Ok, so they're cultivated in my case. Either way, here at Casa del Weathers, it's harvest time! The storm damaged baby tree (5 years old) came through in a big way. God is good!

For Stuff My Abba Macarius Says About Discerning True Christians

A while back, I introduced everyone to my patron, St. Macarius the Great. He has some great homilies that help to prepare Christians for the trials and tribulations that we will encounter along this narrow path. What's that? You don't need to hear anything from a desert father about the inner struggle in the life of the Christian? Don't delude yourself.

Because the Case for Marian Devotion is Iron-Clad

On the cusp of the Feast of the Assumption, it's a good time for a little Mariology. What follows are thoughts of John C.H. Wu on Our Lady and the Catholic Church. This is from the epilogue of his book Beyond East and West. To me this is one of the best answers to the question "Why do Catholics venerate Mary and why is this important?" Think of that as an essay question on a final exam that you must answer in 700 words (or less) and see if you can top my friend John. I personally don't think you can (I know I can't!).

Recognizing Grace in a Manual Transmission

This past week, I've been on vacation. Actually, it's been a "stay-cation," with me working on little projects around the house. The repairs to our home after the hail damage (from the storms back in April) needed to be managed as well. And then there was my car.

The Suffering Church: Scandal

This is the final part of a three part series. Some folks thought I was skating on thin ice by mentioning heresy yesterday. What now? Surely, Frank, you didn't join the Catholic Church because of scandal? No. But at the same time, it didn't deter me much either. You know the old line, right? Hate the sin, but love the sinner. Well the Church is chock full of sinners, and it couldn't be otherwise.

For "Ghetto Catholicism?" Not Hardly.

The thoughts I share with you now were originally published in 1961, and in English in 1963. Yet today, to this humble reader at least, they seem prophetic. Taken from the first chapter of the first volume of the title you see below, Fr. Karl Rahner, SJ, explains why in the Post Christian world of today, opting for the ghettoization of the Church is a non-starter.

Thoughts on Obedience and Reading Maps without Guidance

Today, while make the rounds around the blogger neighborhood, I saw a great quote on a subject that is not near and dear to the heart of modern mankind: obedience. Deacon Greg Kandra shared the thoughts of a modern saint on the subject,

Because it is Only Rational That One Should Submit to Guidance

I've shared in this space thoughts on private interpretation of the scriptures before. Stuff from the Treasure Chest, like the article written by Father Bampfield for the Catholic Truth Society. I've even shared my own thoughts on this subject by way of my experience with land navigation and map reading skills.

Because Jesus Is The Unjust Steward

This first ran back in September, 2010 during the Feast of Our Lady of La Salette. I think it deserves another look...

—Feast of Our Lady of La Salette

Today I heard the best explanation of the parable of the "Unjust Steward" that I have ever heard. Or maybe it is the parable of the "Shrewd Manager." Either way, thanks to the homily of my pastor today,  I think I may finally understand this parable.

The title of this post gives it away. Jesus, Our Lord and Savior is the unjust steward, the shrewd manager. How else to find favor in the hearts of us all than to write off or write down our debts completely? How else could this steward's master find favor with him, unless Our Lord is the steward and God is the rich man? Let's look at the passage from today's gospel reading.

Because Blogging For Christ Is Like Being St. Philip

Above is a snapshot of the last 500 visitors to this space. If a picture is worth 1000 words, then this one is worth 1500. As such, I'll be brief. After baptizing the Ethopian eunuch, the Holy Spirit whisked Philip away to evangelize somewhere else. That is what it is like to be a Catholic working in the apostolate of St. Blogs.

And So, Goodbye

I joined this blog more than a year ago at the kind invitation of its founder, Webster Bull, and his writing partner, Frank Weathers. These two guys are like brothers to me now, even though I never have met Frank in real life, Webster has never met Frank, and I hadn't met Webster until after I started "working" with him. I have been blessed to have been able to share this space with two great men. And to meet my dear readers, some of whom have become in-real-life friends! Thank you for reading.

I've decided to spread my wings a bit and carve out my own corner of cyberspace.

Because the Peace of Christ is Real

 Guest post by Dwija Borobia

Dwija Borobia, 30, her husband, and their four young children decided to buy a house - sight unseen - in rural Michigan off the internet. Two months ago, we ran a piece of her story here.  Here's another piece. 


When I'm presented with a challenging circumstance, when the road gets a little bumpy and the things aren't going the way I wish they would, I clam up.  I need time to process the valleys of life.  The peaks...well, I shout those out eagerly!  Today, on the other hand, is different.  Today I'm ready to share something with you that was, or perhaps should have been, more difficult to celebrate.

On the Friday before Mother's Day, my husband was laid off.

Thanks to "Be Different: Adventures of a Free-Range Aspergian"

"Be Different" isn't a Catholic book, isn't a Christian book, and isn't a spiritual book. This is a book about a man who struggled his whole life to make friends and to fit in and finally was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at age 40.  His story awed me and reminded me how God has created us all with immeasurable love.

I bought John Elder Robison's audio book Thursday afternoon at a Barnes and Noble near the public high school where I teach. By Friday evening, I had listened to the entire six hours of it while driving the family minivan. So you have a sense of how much driving I do, as well as how compelling I found Robison's tales. He narrates his own audio book, which gave me an even more vivid sense of his life - how he struggled to understand the world beyond his own thoughts and feelings.