It's not too early to think about Christmas gifts!

And this one would be especially great for home schooling moms, older kids, your children's parochial school teacher, and those who like to keep themselves well organized and thinking Catholic. Check it out at Catholic Sistas. You can order a hard copy or a PDF and print it yourself.

Great Article at Catholic Sistas Today!

An Open Letter to My Gay Sister

A little tolerance please!

The First Sunday of Advent

What better way to honor Advent than to stay out of the mall and do your Christmas shopping at home? And what better way to celebrate Christmas than to include the faith under your Christmas tree. Here are some great Christmas gift ideas from the Catholic Sistas. Keep the important things front and center this Advent. Prepare spiritually first. And when you think Christmas presents keep it simple and don't forget to include the reason for the season. Here's one of my favorite gifts for the littles in the family.

Fisher Price also has a great little nativity set. And their toys are indestructible! Our grandchildren play with the Fisher Price toys we bought for our own children 40 years ago. They have a few teeth marks, but are still going strong.


And for a mom, you can't go wrong with this madonna and child, especially if there's a new baby in the family. I used to call my babies "little lamb" and would have loved this statue to put on a prayer shelf.

And for Dad, how about some monastery mints or Mystic Monks Coffee. Maybe he'd prefer some Trappist beer.

Check out all the great gift ideas at Catholic Sistas and if you pray for all your gift recipients throughout Advent, you can be sure they will appreciate them all the more. Guardian angels, help everyone receive the gift of a grateful heart on Christmas morning!

Check out Relevant Radio's Interview with Catholic Sistas

My daughter-in-law and a group of friends started a terrific blog less than a year ago called the Catholic Sistas. They've received over 700,000 hits since they started. The blog focuses on women and the Catholic faith. Contributors are stay-at-home moms, working singles, working moms, grandmothers, religious women. Whatever hat a Catholic woman can wear, they have somebody modeling it. Their interests are as diverse as their personalities and they are on fire with the faith. If you want an example of the new evangelization, you'll find it at the Catholic Sistas.

Martina was interviewed today on Relevant Radio by Wendy Wiese of On Call. Check out the archives for June 8th and listen to Martina's interview. She's a great gal and I'm proud to be her mother-in-law.

I'm a Guest of the Catholic Sistas

The Catholic Sistas posted one of my articles today. They are a group of young (mostly) Catholic moms on fire with the faith. Visit their website to get a glimpse of real Catholic women today instead of the stereotypes presented by "Catholic" dissent groups and the modern media.

And Whose Business Is It Anyway?

The Catholic Sistas has an interesting article about the Duggars and the animosity against them (which I personally experienced viewing a vicious video on YouTube). Are you familiar with their family? The parents, Michelle and Jim Bob, are unabashed Christians who are expecting their 20th child and, yes, each and every one is their biological offspring. They offer tremendous witness to a world that sees children as doll objects -- valuable if you want them, trash if you don't. They are certainly counter cultural.

But they weren't always.

Jim Bob and Michelle started marriage like many couples -- contracepting. After four years they decided it was time to have a baby. After his birth, Michelle went back on the pill, but became pregnant again and then miscarried. At that point, with the witness of a pro-life doctor, they read the pill packet insert and realized its potential to kill children. They repented, put their family and the number of their children in the hands of God, and the rest is history.

It's amazing how many people judge and condemn the Duggars for no other reason than the size of their family. "They're insulating their children from the world, they don't believe in 'diversity,' they only associate with people who think like they do, they homeschool so they must be nerds." And, of course, they are irresponsible for having so many children! You would think these critics were supporting this family, but instead the Duggars work hard, built a 7000 square foot home debt free, and they're children are hard workers as well. There is no welfare mentality in this home! And they give all the credit for their beautiful family to the Lord.

I love the Duggars! They remind me that St. Catherine of Siena was the 21st child in her family, that large families who love God and put Him at the center create fertile ground to make saints. It makes me appreciate the beautiful families in our parish who take up an entire pew on Sunday. May they prosper and grow in love.

Visit the Duggars' website and take a look at their latest book, A Love that Multiplies. Check out this video relating how the oldest Duggar son helped save the life of a little girl. And now -- If you haven't met the Duggars...here they are.

Check Out the Catholic Sistas!

I have a guest post at the Catholic Sistas on Planned Parenthood's eugenicist history. Check it out here.

Got Hope? No? Check out this blog!

Despite all the bad news, I find myself filled with hope these days. Why? Because generations X and Y (the birth ages my kids fall into) are picking up the sword of the spirit, the word of God and fighting for the faith. Here's one delightful example, a blog started by my daughter-in-law Martina and a group of her Catholic Facebook Friends. The blog, Catholic Sistas, has numerous contributors, most Catholic mothers of young families.

They understand social media and are using it to spread the good news. They know how to network for good. They remind me of all the communities St. Paul wrote to wrapped up in one and joined electronically. Their blog covers all things Catholic. You find women celebrating big families and some mourning over infertility and child loss. They share serious issues and just for fun stuff. Some home school, some are working moms. They ask for prayer and they offer perspectives on faith issues. And they do it all with such style. The blog only started a few weeks ago and already they have had 5600 visitors, many leaving comments. What a wonderful support group these ladies are for each other and for women in the Church. They reflect the dignity of women Pope John Paul II talked about in his encyclical.

 

I am so proud of all my children who have unique gifts and talents that they use so well. And I'm proud of my younger, much younger, "sistas" in the Lord who I know will touch many minds and hearts through their on-line friendships.

 

Do yourself a favor and go mingle with the sistas awhile. It will renew your hope and lighten your heart.