Blog Posts


Finally Getting Back to You

Hello everyone! It has been a very busy time for me and, though my intentions were of the best, it has taken me longer IMAG0002than I'd hoped to get a post ready to go. As you know from my previous post, I attended the Catholic Radio Association Conference held in Birmingham, AL from October 13 - 17. The event began with a tour of Radio Mountain, the home of the shortwave radio network begun by Mother Angelica back in 1994. I never cease to be amazed at the wonder of radio communication through the air waves.

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At The Global Catholic Radio Conference

Hello Everyone! I am in Birmingham, Alabama this week for the annual Global Catholic Radio Conference. Today we went to "Radio Mountain," the site of the shortwave radio network that provides Catholic programming to the world and to the US via 200+ AM/FM radio stations and also through Sirius Satellite (Station 160). As a program provider since its inception, I was once again awestruck by the opportunities available by means of electronic communications. Zeal filled my heart and desire filled my soul. I am hoping to offer you some pictures from our visit today and to keep you informed of the event in general. Off to the Shrine in Hanceville tomorrow for a retreat. Wing a prayer for me and for all of those attending and presenting. Blessings in Jesus and Mary, Johnnette

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Christopher Columbus, Our Lady of Guadalupe, My Trip to Spain

Back in the early 1990's, I had the privilege of serving as associate producer for a four-hour television documentary that encompassed the evangelization of Europe and the efforts to bring Christianity to the New World.  Called River of  Light, it was produced by British film maker, John Bird, and was part of a series of films he produced about Our Blessed Lady.  Part of my assignment was to join the crew for eight days in Spain where they were producing some key segments for the documentary. It was a blessed experience in many ways and on many levels. One of the most significant moments for me came when we visited the Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe, located in the Estremadura in the village of Guadalupe. What I didn't realize but came to know was that Our Lady of Guadalupe played a significant role in the life of Christopher Columbus and in the founding of the New World.

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Radio Program Reaches Out

One of the great blessings of Catholic radio is its ability to have a significant impact in the lives of those who listen and, as a program provider for EWTN Global Catholic Radio, I have the opportunity to experience this often. Take this past Monday's program for example. At the beginning of the program I shared a little about the difference between good fear and morbid fear and the virtue of trust. Apparently, it struck a chord with a lot of our listeners. Following is one email we received. What touched my heart about this woman's experience is that she began to see God making a difference in her life almost immediately. When you have finished reading the piece you can find additional information about the topic by listening to the podcast of our program (go to the website www.womenofgrace.com) or you can read my post dated 04/28/09. May God bless you and meet your deepest need!

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The Rosary -- A Way to Contemplation

Today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. This prayer, though simple in form, is really a way to take us to the depths of union with God.     The following is from The Women of Grace Foundational Study Guide.

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The Rosary is an ancient prayer form that incorporates all three categories of prayer -- vocal, meditative, and contemplative. Its name is derived from the word rosarius,  meaning a garland or bouquet of roses. This popular devotion has been practiced in teh Chruch for more than a thousand years.

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Divine Mercy -- Gift for Our Times

"My daughter, be diligent in writing down every sentence I tell you concerning My mercy, because this is meant for a great number of souls who will profit from it."  So said Our Lord Jesus Christ to Sister M. Faustina Kowalska, a religious sister of the Congregation of  Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.  And so began one of the most influential spiritual movements of our day and time -- Divine Mercy.

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A Poet's Prayer

Today is the Feast of the Guardian Angels. Throughout history many poets have found the angels to be a topic of great inspiration and insight. My final post in this short study on the angels features just such a poem. It is written by J. Corson Miller, an American poet who was born in 1883. The time of his death is unknown. However, we do know that J. Corson Miller was a devout Catholic of whom one critic wrote, "Imagination, passion, facility of musical and expressive word and phrase, lyrical tone -- these natural endowments are augmented by education, vision and Catholic faith." Interestingly and not without note, Miller pledged his life to Our Lady and promised to be her "consecrated knight in deed and song." Many of his poems were written about her and to her.  As you read Miller's poem, Hymn to the Guardian Angel, look for his profoundly Catholic worldview, his knowledge of the faith, and the imagination and passion he employs to communicate it.

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St. Therese of Lisieux and Her Guardian Angel

Today is the Feast Day of St. Therese of Lisieux, one of my favorite saints since childhood. Since today is her special day and this week of my blog is dedicated to the angels, I am posting a poem St. Therese wrote to her guardian angel. May it inspire you to seek the intercession of St. Therese and also that of your guardian angel!

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The Angelic Function and Mission

Today's post continues our short study on the angels, a perfect week to consider these marvelous and holy creatures of God as we celebrate two feast days in their honor. We will be looking at their function and mission. I encourage you to read my earlier two posts on the angels if you haven't done so already.   St. Thomas Aquinas, called the Angelic Doctor because of his theological and philosophical study of the angels, tells us that the hosts of heaven are divided into three hierarchies of angels with three choirs in each hierarchy. The angel’s hierarchy and choir are directly related to his function and his divine office.

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Characteristics of the Angels

Happy Feast of the Archangels! Yesterday's post began a short study on the angels. We discussed who the angels are and who the angels are not. Today we are going to take a look at the characteristics of the angels. Angels are marked by a number of characteristics that are specific to the angelic. First, no two angels are alike. Each of them is a separate and distinct creation, his own species if you will, and each one of them reflects a separate and distinct attribute of God’s divine perfection -- His love, His strength, His goodness. Taken all together, the angels represent the Immensity of God (St. Michael and the Angels, pg. 12). 

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