Because Christ is A Royal (Then, So Am I)

—Feast of Bl. Marie of the Incarnation
What has the Royal Wedding got to do with anything? I ask this question because of the ambivalence to the event that I noticed across the Catholic blog-o-sphere. There was either nary a mention of it anywhere, or derisiveness when it was mentioned.

What's the story? Jealousy of the royals? Feelings of inadequacy? Bunch of rich guys...to hell with 'em? Was the prince's red-coat stirring your loins for battles your ancestors fought long ago? You can't stand monarchies, perhaps?

For the Royal Wedding Homily From Our Anglican Brethren

Feast of St. Catherine of Siena 

Photo: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

Even Joe Six-Pack, USMC can appreciate a wedding like this one. The pomp, the circumstance, the sacredness of the institution of marriage upheld. I mean, this is the wedding imagery of the Holy Scriptures brought to life for the world! What's not to like?

And did you hear the wedding homily? No? Given this morning to a world-wide audience by Dr. Richard Chartres, Anglican Bishop of London, it is simply smashing!

Have a look and see if you don't agree.

To Train My Family to Pray, And Lead Them By Example

-Feast of St. Peter Chanel 

Joe Six-Pack, USMC here. Yesterday my family put into practice prayers that they learned a long time ago. You see, a line of storms was forecast to hit our area, and everyone took them seriously.

Wednesday nights are when many parishes hold their C.C.D. classes for the kids. That's an abbreviation for Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes. The teachers called the house and informed us that due to the weather forecasts, classes for tonight would be cancelled.

Pat McNamara on "Why I Am Catholic"

One of the first blogs I ever read was McNamara's Blog. I enjoy it because I enjoy history. And as a new Catholic, the amount of Church history I do know is tiny compared to what is available for me to learn. Pat McNamara, who also has a column over at Patheos, helps bring Church History to life for me.

This is the second time I have asked one of my blogging friends to write a post for me answering the phrase that headlines this space. Remember the first time? Each of us has a different reason, but as conversion is on-going (and not a "one and done event") each one of us must confront the reason as we make progress along the path of our individual pilgrimages.

Thanks to Easter and My Journey

Guest Post by Dee Sparacio

Last week, I spent hours in church. Not just the normal one-hour Sunday Mass, but the services on Thursday, Friday and Saturday known as the Easter Triduum. Attending those services gave me time to reflect on my ovarian-cancer journey and my faith.

To Invest for the Long Run (Can You Say, Eternity?)

There was a brutal bear market in the Spring of the year 33 AD. Not in wheat or lamb futures, nor in cloth, or precious metals. This was a bear market of the human soul, and it was experienced acutely by the Disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Graphically, it looked a lot like what Sir Isaac Newton experienced in the great South Sea Bubble.

Jesus Goes Mainstream (Music for Mondays)

True enough, Elvis Presley loved gospel music. And though he never shied away from singing of his love for the Lord, did anyone else? I mean besides Johnny Cash. Did the culture at large recognize Jesus in song?

Well, that is what this first MfM post of Eastertide is going to focus on: pop songs about Jesus. Many of them were mega-hits, others were one-hit-wonders. Some you'll remember easily, others probably not.

For All the Miracles: The Road To Emmaus and After

Guest post by Giovanni Papini (published in 1921)

After the solemn interval of the Passover, plain, ordinary everyday life began again for all men.

Two friends of Jesus, among those who were in the house with the Disciples, were to go that morning on an errand to Emmaus, a hamlet about two hours journey from Jerusalem. They left as soon as Simon and John had returned from the sepulcher.

Because of Holy Water

When Catholics know someone is ill, we can do many things. We can offer a Mass in their name. We can add their name to a parish prayer list. Or we can do what my dear friend Meredith did: We can mail the person a bottle of holy water.

My octogenarian dad has been struggling recently with a puzzling array of health problems. Meredith mailed me a bottle of holy water for him. The gesture moved me; she never even has met my father.

To Get To Know My Pope (Viva il Papa!)

First a confession. A confession perhaps someone who writes for a Catholic blog shouldn't make. But truth be told, until I read Light of the World, A Conversation with Peter Seewald, I didn't "get" our Pope.

I missed Pope John Paul II terribly, as if he were my father. I didn't understand Benedict. And though six years passed by since he took office, I really hadn't given him a chance.

So when a friend recommended I read this book, I thought to myself, "perhaps I can see what this man is all about."