What Kind of a Customer are You?

I used to wait table in high school and college. So did my kids. Once my daughter (who worked at Applebees) waited on a table of eight who left her a $2.00 tip. She had to tip share with the bus crew based on the amount of the bill. That night she worked for free because Applebees had no policy of adding the tip for large parties. She came home in tears. I will NEVER eat at Applebees because of that.

Fr. John Hardon used to recommend that one way of doing charity was to leave generous tips for those who worked for small wages. So we are generous tippers and pretty slow to get upset. These days working with the public is tough. Our culture is increasingly more rude and more crude. Just look at the comments on social media. Hey, you can name call and sling profanities from behind the "anonymous" rock.

I think a good new year's resolution would be to treat everyone, including the most casual contacts during your day, with a friendly comment and a cheery smile.

Poor Baby Jesus is cold...

....give him some swaddling clothes.

Did you ever notice in manger scenes that everyone has lots of clothes on except the poor baby. Mary wears a long gown with a mantle and veil. Joseph has on a long tunic and sometimes even a turban. The shepherds often are covered with nice warm fleeces in addition to their other clothing.

The only one exposed to the cold is poor Baby Jesus.

Now don't you think the first thing Mary would have done after the baby's birth was to wrap him up in those swaddling clothes the gospel talks about?

Eyewitnesses to Persecution in Communist Cuba Speak Out

Rewarding Evil

I am a Catholic without a Pope

Rubio: No Commitments Made by Cuba

Put on the Armor of God and Stand Your Ground

Matt Barber has it right. In the face of Satan's persecution against those who defend natural marriage and will not cooperate with evil, refuse to submit and stand your ground!

CHRISTIANS, STAND YOUR GROUND AGAINST HOMOFASCISM

Too many Christians are leaving the battlefield in full retreat instead of standing against the enemy. Like David facing Goliath, it's time to look for the five smooth stones that will ultimately destroy the behemoth. "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) No Christian should be forced to choose between his job and his faith. 

Time Out for Gramma Fun!

After Christmas dinner yesterday we brought two of our young grandsons home for a few days of "mini cousins camp." They are, as I write this, playing games together and then we are off to see a movie. Afterwards we will pick up two local little girl cousins and come home for an indoor picnic with hot dogs roasted in the fireplace followed by s'mores.

Only Three Decades Ago....

Merry Christmas!

What Better Way to Spend Christmas than Saving Babies?

Mary Wagner: a Heroine for Christmas, a Heroine for Christ

Mary Wagner is an angel sent by God to women considering abortion. Like the angel who rescued Baby Jesus from Herod's murderous soldiers, Mary goes into the temples of human sacrifice and offers women the chance to rescue their babies from Satan's knife wielding minions. Think of the life-long impact Mary has if she saves a mother from forever linking Christmas to the murder of her child. What a gift to save a mother from such a fate.

This Christmas while most of us are in church dressed in our Christmas best or in our warm homes celebrating Christmas joy with our families, Mary will be in an Ontario jail. She will spend her Christmas counseling the inmates and bringing a gentle message of Christ's love. And why is she there? For going into an abortion mill with roses and a message of hope and help.

Is Your Heart Ready for the King?

He's coming tonight! A Blessed Christmas to you and yours!

James O'Keefe and Project Veritas: Year in Review

I'm so happy there are young people out there fighting for the truth and "making a mess." James O'Keefe has more nerve than a cat at a hounds' convention. God bless him!

Catholic Colleges that Aren't (Catholic, that is): Two Thumbs Down for Marquette

Seems that standing up for Catholic orthodoxy is a no-no these days at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Well, it's a Jesuit school, after all, so who can be surprised?

What's the beef? Marquette suspended a tenured professor who dared to support a student who was told by a left-wing teaching assistant/doctoral student, Cheryl Abbate, that he couldn't defend marriage in class because his position was homophobic and might offend gay students. Professor John McAdams, who defended the student's rights describes the original event between the student/teacher and the young man here.

Interesting....