Archive

Informed Catholics – May 2018

FEATURED BOOK Evangelizing Catholics: A Mission Manual for the New Evangelization, by Scott Hahn, 2014 “You cannot keep the faith unless you give it away,” is the very essence of what it means to be a Christian evangelizer. Hahn’s “mission manual” equips readers with a roadmap that addresses three aspects of evangelization: the call, the… Read More »

Informed Catholics – April 2018

The Importance of Family Mealtimes In the lives of today’s busy families, it may seem hard to make time for a family mealtime. However, the effort is well worth the return. When families eat together, it offers parents and siblings several benefits. Parents have an opportunity to listen to their children, and stay more in-tuned… Read More »

Informed Catholics – March 2018

Featured Book Praying the Rosary Like Never Before: Encounter the Wonder of Heaven and Earth, by Edward Sri, 2017 Do you struggle with praying the rosary: finding time in your busy life, difficulty with encountering the mysteries they present in depth, or fighting distractions while trying to pray the rosary?  In Praying the Rosary Like Never… Read More »

Informed Catholics – February 2018

Family Faith during Lent The liturgical season of Lent focuses on almsgiving, prayer, and sacrifice. Children often focus on the sacrifice part by “giving something up.” Consider that prayer is the focus that can impact both sacrifice and almsgiving. Using the Lenten season to develop prayer habits with the family will surely reach the mission… Read More »

Informed Catholics – January 2018

Featured Book To Light a Fire on Earth: Proclaiming the Gospel in a Secular Age by Bishop Robert Barron, with John L. Allen, Jr., 2017. This book-length conversation between Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, and John Allen, Jr., award-winning Vatican journalist, touches on a wide range of subjects including God,… Read More »

Informed Catholics – December 2017

  Adolescence and Faith Our faith for families focus stage is adolescence. We think of teenagers as easily being influenced by peers. However, several recent studies indicate that faith is mostly influenced by parents. These are ways that parents can influence faith: 1) Teens who continue to practice their Catholic faith into adulthood report that… Read More »

Informed Catholics – November 2017

  Featured Book Faith that Transforms Us: Reflections on the Creed, by Donald Cardinal Wuerl, 2013. This book makes a significant contribution in raising awareness of the beauty of our Catholic faith. As Curtis Martin, President and founder of FOCUS— the Fellowship of Catholic University Students—writes in the book’s foreword, “We must believe what we… Read More »

Informed Catholics – October 2017

  Our focus is for parents of elementary-aged children: stage 2 according to both James Fowler’s stages of faith and Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development. Children begin understanding other’s perspectives to some extent. They may imitate friends and try ideas that other people have. They also waver between truth and fantasy. It is difficult… Read More »

Informed Catholics – September 2017

Featured Book The Gospel According to St. Paul: Meditations on His Life and Letters by Carlo Cardinal Martini, SJ, 2008. A biblical scholar of international fame, Cardinal Martini successfully captures St. Paul’s passion for spreading the gospel in words that speak to our church today. The cardinal identifies key moments in this “apostle to the… Read More »

Informed Catholics – August 2017

Faith Sharing Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, especially the first verse:   “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.” When in a hurry for something, these verses remind me that all things occur at their appointed times. – Jackie Sturgis What is your favorite Bible verse and why is it your favorite?… Read More »