July 26
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.”
If you look back over your life, do you recognize the presence of God at work even in challenging times? When you stop to appreciate how far your spiritual journey has led you, do you see how much more wisdom you have today than years before?
There’s a real virtue in wisdom and to be able to know our Lord’s voice is a grace. How often we should attune our ears to hear that voice throughout the day!
If you were to make a list of three things in your life that our Father has let you see, what would those be? Now, what about the things He asks of you, but you pretend to not hear? What changes does He want you to make in order for you to truly know how blessed you really are? Open your eyes and your ears- He is calling out to you! Oh, how much He loves each of us, as if we were the only one!
Read the rest
July 26
"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
-2 Chronicles 7:14
Read the rest
Humanae Vitae had me at “hello.”
Read the rest
Deacon Patrick Mongan and his wife, Ellen
In this second part of the journey of Deacon Patrick Mongan and his wife, Ellen's, embrace of Humanae Vitae, we read about the tragic death of their eighth child and how the lessons of life convinced them of the truths of Humanae Vitae.
Read the rest
The Mongan family at daughter Kaitlyn's wedding in June, 2017
I was not a good candidate for motherhood. Had I gone for a “job” interview, I would not have been given the job. If there had been a try out, like for a cheerleader squad, they would not have selected me for the team. I did not have the qualifications, the necessary skills or the “heart” required. I don’t think I even had a desire to apply for the job. However somewhere on my journey God grew within me a “mother’s heart.”
Read the rest
We are often asked by people how to determine if they have been cursed or the victim of an evil spell? They might be experiencing a string of financial losses, accidents, or illnesses. Or maybe they suddenly can’t seem to focus or concentrate on their work. If someone put a spell/curse on them, how will they know and what can be done about it?
Read the rest
July 25
“Everything indeed is for you.” There’s so much wisdom in today’s reading from 2 Corinthians. My favorite line, though, is above: “Everything indeed is for you.”
In reflecting on the anniversary of Humanae Vitae and how special this very day is to me, I am filled with gratitude knowing that my dear Father has and wants to give me everything. All He asks in order for me to receive this most precious gift (you know, everything) is for me to simply die to myself and allow Him to take over.
This applies so much to today. Within the sacrament of marriage, our Father wants us to give to our spouse all of us without holding back. It’s the same He asks of us in our own individual lives- trust Me with all of it, every single detail, and put it all into My hands.
How beautiful it is for us to let go completely, to release every ounce of our grip and let Him take over. And within marriage, we are to trust Him with everything together, embracing the knowledge that His life within us is so much greater than simply our life without Him.
His gift of everything waits outstretched in the palm of His hand. All we have to do is to reach for it.
Read the rest
July 25
"Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly."
-John 10:10
Read the rest
Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
If Pope Paul VI was alive today, he would have every right to look at the #MeToo movement and say, “I told you so.” And he did – 50 years ago when he issued papal encyclical, Humanae Vitae, which put forth the Church’s teaching on love and marriage and on the use of artificial birth control. Since that time it has been called everything from puritanical to completely out-of-touch. But one thing it’s rarely been called is exactly what it turned out to be - the truth.
Read the rest
Deacon Patrick Mongan, MD and wife Ellen
By Deacon Patrick Mongan, MD, MAPS
In this poignant three-part series, Deacon Patrick Mongan, MD, MAPS, husband of Catholic author Ellen Mongan, he documents the couple’s journey through doubt, skepticism, a tragic loss, depression, and ultimately to acceptance and admiration of one of the most controversial documents of modern times - Humanae Vitae.
Read the rest
