This week: Some middle school football players understand what true charity is all about. A US late term abortion capital (Albuquerque, NM) sadly chose death this week; a video shows what they embrace. An interesting new film for the upcoming Easter season: Heaven is for Real. Near death experiences, FWIW. Fr. Barron looks at Reza Aslan’s Zealot and finds it to be exceptional – in poor scholarship. A viral make-over video of a homeless vet. z8_GND_5296 is more than a catchy phrase.

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Some might say that charity and love are synonyms. They kind of are, but more nuanced than that. A lot of words have been poured out in explaining it more deeply. The danger is that the meaning gets obscured. I prefer to define charity as simply “love in action.” Here is an example:

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Live Action has produced a new undercover video on late term abortion. It is not graphic, but is clear. For example, the doctor explains why and how they kill the baby before delivery. More than outrage, this is just sad. Very sad. Albuquerque voted to keep the practice this week.

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I love the title of this up-coming (Easter 2014) movie. It’s premise is interesting and I expect to enjoy it. BUT I must say – and this is just a personal opinion – I do not believe in “near death experiences.” I don’t believe that people can visit heaven and be returned. In my opinion, when you die you have irreversibly left your “mortal” life and advanced to your particular judgment in which returning to earth is not one of the possibilities.

On the other hand, maybe my issue is just terminology. I certainly believe anything is possible for God and that supernatural miracles happen all the time. That includes everything from God speaking to us (which happens frequently if we listen) to personal revelations. Anyhow, here is the trailer for Heaven is for Real:

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While I am on the topic, those of you who believe in the possibility of near death experiences may want to check-out Fr. Jose Maniyangat’s. He suffered a serious auto accident (which he terms “fatal”) a result of which showed him the afterlife. Fr. Jose believes that he saw many bishops and priests in Hell for misleading people. (I don’t quibble with the assertion, just that he saw the real thing.) His story is here.

In my read of his story I see several theological issues, but do not doubt the sincerity of Fr. Jose. Near death or otherwise, he is completely consistent with Church teaching on the existence of Heaven, Hell and purgatory, who goes there and why.

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Fr. Barron looks at Reza Aslan’s Zealot. It is incredibly poor for that sort of book. It’s obvious, has poor scholarship and childish reasoning. (I read elsewhere that other purveyors of this “debunking Jesus” genre feel it makes them all look bad.)

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A homeless, destitute, alcoholic, thrown away life? Many would probably have walked by Jim Wolf just as the rich man ignored Lazarus on his door step (Luke 16:19-31). Yes, many would ignore their neighbor, this Army veteran, this child of God in his time of need. Fortunately, not everyone.

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From the Convert Journal astronomy desk: a new galaxy has been discovered with the catchy name z8_GND_5296. It is the most distant ever found and a bit of a hike to get there from here – about 30 billion light years. It’s a small galaxy, but is producing stars at a rapid rate.

Actually, for all we know it doesn’t even exist anymore. The view we have of it now is as it was a while back (13.1 billion years ago). As we gaze upon the light from z8_GND_5296, we are looking back in time to when the universe was only 700 million years old. Putting that in human scale (of an 80 year old), that would be about a 1.5 days after conception.

Some random thoughts or bits of information are worthy of sharing but don’t warrant their own full post. This idea was started by Jennifer Fulwiler at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!

This week: The latest issue of New Evangelists Monthly featuring a record number of contributions is ready for your perusal. Outside da Box hits it out of the park with their new video. Moms, are you satisfied with your parenting? Do miracles actually happen? A new upcoming film from Blackstone Films: Unnatural Law. Must we repeat tragic history / does truth matter at all? Passing a proposal for healthy treats by some critics.

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Have you seen this new Catholic resource?

Issue #11, November 2013, of New Evangelists Monthly is ready for your enjoyment! Scores of faithful Catholic bloggers have contributed their very best pieces from October. This month brought these great topics: complacency, eye in heaven, pursuit, blessing, purgatory, Emmaus, missions, publishing, all souls, Catholic Gospel, Hail Mary, discernment, beer pizza, little teachings, book review, swinging beads, salvation, Mary’s peace, true gold, Halloween, Pier Giorgio, indifference, Mother of God, not shaming, being Catholic, the Word, St. Michael, the path, fertility, a hymn, animals, veneration, everyday life, listen up, white space, Amalekites, curiosities, forgetting?, indwells, children’s Rosary, forgiveness, last Gospels, last things, feminist, straight, obedient stars, Tridentine fallacy, non-defensive, Ba’al?, St. Jude, prayer life, healing, Lou Reed, BSA solution, priceless, miscarriages, confusion, reformed, roses, marriage, La Leche, sequins, negation, Dr. of prayer, Byzantine, addiction, standing w/saints, feminism, prejudices, reformation, Nowa Huta, survivor, faith, prison, a week, readings, sharing faith, anti-life law, returned, a poem, Church names, St. Martin, teaching children, freedom, women, settling, celibacy, Rosary, envy, sobriety, perseverance, humble, stork and 33 weeks.

This monthly “meta-magazine” showcases faithful Catholicism from theology to family life and “everything in between.” Enjoy it now at NewEvangelists.org.

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I have previously featured aspect a couple other Outside da Box videos. I would say this new one is their best, but I am quite partial to this story. On the road to Emmaus Jesus broke open the word, broke bread and sent his disciples – exactly the same at every Catholic Mass since then.

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Moms, how are you doing? Are you satisfied with your parenting? How would you rate yourself?

Some moms were asked to describe themselves as mothers. Their answers are not very encouraging. Then their kids were recorded answering the same questions. The moms came back, bracing for the worst.

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Did miracles ever happen? Do they still happen? (Yes, of course – all the time.) The Sophia Institute is releasing a book by Patricia Treece: Nothing Short of a Miracle.

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Blackstone Films has released a trailer on their upcoming Unnatural Law film. Fr. John Hollowell offers background on the project here. Fr. Hollowell donated $3,000 of his own money to this project.

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Now more than ever, Americans should stop their unbridled enthusiasm for their beloved political parties and think. What is our almost certain future, based on history? Does the truth matter at all to us?

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This cute commercial proposes healthy Halloween treats. Kids consider them and give their verdict.

Some random thoughts or bits of information are worthy of sharing but don’t warrant their own full post. This idea was started by Jennifer Fulwiler at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!

This week: A powerful pro-life video showing the impact one man can have. Another beautifully simple pro-life video. Not religious enough: the Little Sisters of the Poor. 6 high-school kids form a singing group. Leah Darrow speaks on brokenness. A quote of the week. Unusual items from Convert Journal’s “something different” desk.

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This is a video about working in the vineyard. There is great pain and brokenness but also beauty and grace in one very determined worker, John Barros.

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A beautifully simple, scriptural, pro-life video:

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The Little Sisters of the Poor, like you and me, are not considered religious enough by the Obama administration to warrant any exception from ObamaCare mandates to violate their faith. The Little Sisters must financially support intrinsic evil or be fined millions of dollars (which, of course, they do not have). This is who they are:

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These 6 high-school kids formed a schola to sing sacred music at Mass. Now available on CD.

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There are a surprisingly large number of wonderful videos on YouTube that, even after a couple years, have a low view count. Here is one from 2 years ago by Leah Darrow on Brokenness. Her comments are directed toward teens, but are good for all of us:

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A quote of the week:

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From the Convert Journal “something different” desk: The Grommet. Many of you may be aware of Kickstarter, where innovators propose products and ask for funding to bring to market.

The Grommet is a complimentary idea. They are a retailer who offers useful but undiscovered products that are available right now. They call them “grommets”. They could be just another outlet of questionable quality, gimmicky products that you might see on late night infomercials – but actually are just the opposite of that. That is what makes them like the more popular Kickstarter products. Here is an example:

The products are reasonably priced and well presented. Many would make unique gifts. (FWIW: I am just passing this along and have no stake in them.)

Some random thoughts or bits of information are worthy of sharing but don’t warrant their own full post. This idea was started by Jennifer Fulwiler at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!

This week: A new documentary about the War on Humans is in the works. Plan B is an abortion inducing drug – that is how it “works.” How do you respond when the Church is attacked? Fr. Barron looks at violence in Holy Scripture. A true hero and some of the many people he saved. Everyone, especially those who have made it to college, knows about the Holocaust – right? Children who are brainwashed by their parents – one speaks out.

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We are not animals I wrote recently. Days after I published that, I found (via CMR) this trailer for an upcoming documentary from the Discovery Institute:

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Plan B is not a contraceptive. It is an abortifacient. That is, it causes a conceived human being to be ejected from his or her mother’s body (a/k/a abortion).

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Wake up Catholics! The Holy Catholic Church is increasingly under attack. How do you respond? Wilson Orihuela is very blunt, but makes a powerful point:

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Fr. Barron has just published a pair of videos on the topic of violence in Holy Scripture. He tackles how to make sense of it and what it represents.

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Nicholas Winton is a Christian convert (from Judaism) and quiet hero who is credited with saving 669 children from the Nazis. Yet, no one knew – until his wife discovered his scrapbook in 1988. That led to his invitation to attend the BBC show That’s Life! later that year, just as an audience member as far as he knew:

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Rhonda Fink-Whitman is appalled how little Pennsylvania high school graduates know about the Holocaust. To prove the point, she interviews kids on PA college campuses:

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Has Ethan Metzger been brainwashed by his parents? Does he do what he does and think how he thinks because of their manipulative influence? This victim of parental brainwashing speaks out:

Some random thoughts or bits of information are worthy of sharing but don’t warrant their own full post. This idea was started by Jennifer Fulwiler at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!

This week: A new documentary on our Holy Father airs this Sunday. Peter Kreeft on God and suffering. Three vocational videos: Sr. Mary Immanuel of the Sisters of the Immaculata, the The Poor Clares, and Sr. Faustina of the Sisters of Life. Obamacare’s impact on young women, seniors and doctors. The all-new, ground-breaking, must-have one-more-thing from Apple: the iPhone 5 (again; a/k/a “S”ame).

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The Knights of Columbus have produced a new hour-long documentary on our Holy Father: Francis: The Pope from the New World. It airs on Sunday at 5pm EDT (2pm PDT) on the Fox Business channel.

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Peter Kreeft discusses God’s existence vs. human suffering. His work is, as always, excellent:

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Sr. Mary Immanuel speaks about her vocational calling (Sisters of the Immaculata, Sydney Australia):

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Another vocational video, this one for The Poor Clares, Galway (Ireland):

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Sr. Faustina of the Sisters of Life talks about her vocational call. This is a bit longer, about 15 minutes, but quite engaging.

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Obamacare is going to have a significant impact, unfortunately a very bad one. New revelations are apparent every day. The question is: will we be able to undo it once everyone finally understands how bad it is? One list, for example: Top 8 Ways Young Women are Hurt By ObamaCare. Another is
Side Effects: Seniors Will Lose Big Under Obamacare. Prepare too for the big *reduction* in the number of doctors willing to practice. Here is how one is impacted:

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Dog or cat? Android or Apple? Preferences. I know many of you are different than me (dog / Android), but you (Apple fanbois) must still see the truth in this:

Some random thoughts or bits of information are worthy of sharing but don’t warrant their own full post. This idea was started by Jennifer Fulwiler at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!