Catholic Culture: Easter Bonnet

Mum sometimes said in her youth Catholic ladies would save up and buy themselves a nice new hat for Easter.  Then came the hippies.  It's a nice tradition.  Spring is here! 

The Perfect Souvenir from Italy: Terra Cotta

Baked earth. 

You can buy this stuff in Assisi, Florence, Piazza Navona in Rome, etc. 

Great gifts. 

Indoor or outdoor use. 

They last forever. 

Help to Restore the Room Where St. Francis of Assisis Stayed in Rome

In Trastevere, you can see his cell. 

Your Catholic Pilgrimage Company

Priests, be in touch with us to lead pilgrimages.

Be a part of this ministry of bringing pilgrimage to people. 

http://oc-travel.com/

Christian Martyrs

The Ignatian family mourns the loss of Jesuit Father Frans van der Lugt, murdered in Syria. 

You can find news & blog coverage about his ministry and death at: http://bit.ly/1hzYgTc

Tradition and Standing With It

Teaching Our Kids Latin

Nature Reflects the Beauty of the Creator

Happy 87th Birthday to Benedict the Great!

BENEDICTO DECIMO SEXTO, PAPÆ EMERITO, PACEM, VITAM ET SALVTEM A DEO OPTIMO MAXIMO CATHOLICA PLEBS IN DIE GENETLIACA, ANNO ÆTATIS SVÆ OCTOGESIMO SEPTIMO EXPLETO, EXOPTAT!

Thanks, Francisco!

Restoring the Beautiful

The Queen with the Popes

Happy Birthday Benedict XVI!

Pro-Life Student Groups at High Schools

Prayer Request

In your charity kindly pray for the soul of a dear friend, Imelda Edwards.

Born in 1950s South Africa, Imelda was a 5-time cancer survivor.

She had a sweet countenance.   

Reverend and dear Fathers, kindly remember the repose of her soul at Holy Mass.

Imelda passed away yesterday, on Palm Sunday.

From the antiphon of the Palm Sunday liturgy:

Hosanna filio David: benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.  Rex Israel.  Hosanna in excelsis.  

Requiem!

Jewish poet remembers her friend, JPII (+playlist)

Have a Devotion to St. Joseph

Aka the forgotten saint. 

Be sure to foster in your kids a devotion to this powerful saint.

From the youngest age, teach them to go to Joseph.

Ite ad Ioseph!

Filipino Catholics

God bless them.  They fill our churches.  They are everywhere.  Rome, New York, Montreal.  And they always bring food.  This adds a lot to the parish community - the integral connection between public worship then feasting afterwards is a cultural aspect that I wish more parishes still had. 

Catholic Culture: Easter Lamb

Always nice to have spring lamb for Easter Sunday.

This is done in Orthodox countries.

Yours truly will always remember the time I was in Athens on Easter Sunday and the whole city emanated the beautiful scent of roast lamb on charcoal. 

In the Roman Ritual there is a blessing for lamb (benedictio agni).

Episcopal Gloves and Shoes

Saints!

Only 50 years ago these photos were taken.

Pray for us, sainted Roman Pontiffs of old. 

Catholic Vancouver

Downtown Vancouver scene, 1955. 

Archbishop Johnson in mitre.

Catholic Culture: Veiling of Statues

As a kid I sometimes heard my grandparents talk about how when they were kids statues were veiled during the last two weeks of Lent.  My grandmother was in the choir as a little girl and explained that she would watch as her future husband, my grandfather, helped the school sisters veil the statues.  A nice tradition. 

Palm Sunday: Dominica in Palmis

Travel to ITALY With Orbis Catholicus

Welcome to ALL!

http://oc-travel.com/
 

Please Donate to the Widow and Family of Nathan Trapuzzano

This wonderful young man, a traditional Catholic, recently lost his life. 

We pray for his sweet widow.  Please be generous...

http://www.gofundme.com/7zj4fo

I wish I could have met him.  I'm sure he was the greatest.

He is being called the patron saint of "traddies."   

RIP: Fr. Ray Ryland (AD 1921 - 2014)

Excommunication of Pro-Abortion Politicians?

Maronite journalist Faith Goldy has some interesting things to say...

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/3450762031001

Rome March for Life 2014 T-Shirts

 

Support the cause.

Wear your t-shirt to the march.

https://sine-timore.net/en/product/march-for-life/

Welcome to My Next Presentation on Vatican Art

http://oc-travel.com/

Catholic Culture: Televised Mass

EWTN. 

Get Yourself a St. Christopher Medal

In North American shopping malls, you can see lots of jewellery shops. 

Many of them carry St. Christopher medals.  Get yourself one and have it blessed. 

Cultivate a devotion to this saint.  Yours truly will always remember standing in awe of the intercession of this great saint inside the historic Cathedral of Cologne, in Germany. 

Subscribe to a Catholic Newspaper: National Catholic Register

http://www.ncregister.com/?rddis=20140407/

Righteous Anger

Telling the Truth: A Revolutionary Act

Proclain the WHOLE Faith

Help to Promote Adoption

We must speak to people of alternatives to abortion. 

Not Always the Majority Opinion

Catholic Devotions: Remember the Hour of Mercy

Each day, begin to offer a slight prayer at the third hour, when He died on the gibbet of the cross. 

How Can a Family Stay Together?

Sinners That We Are

Sell the Vatican?

Why Does God Ask Us to Follow Him?

Adapting Christianity to Man?

The Secularization of Easter and Christmas

Even in Catholic Italy, we are seeing more stuff like this.  Easter is bunny and Christmas in tree. 

Remember to always keep Christ in Easter and Christmas. 

Be Willing

"What Has to Change in the Church?"

Support This Film Effort

Watch the video.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/michael-w-chapman/hercules-actor-kevin-sorbo-hollywood-media-ignoring-crime-century

And this video.

 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/gosnell-movie

Prayers for Nathan and Jennifer Trapunazzo

A very sad story.

Prayers for this blessed couple.

He was saintly.  

Requiem.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2600843/EXCLUSIVE-I-told-I-without-He-hugged-tight-felt-baby-girl-kick-Nathan-Trapuzzanos-widow-reveals-talked-dying-night-shot-dead-16-year-old-robber.html

Italian Postal Stamp Commemorates the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem

The Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope.  

Pope St. Pius X was the one who ordained that the Order's cape or mantle, as worn by the original knights, be a "white cloak with the cross of Jerusalem in red enamel." 

Thanks, Tom, for the postcard!

Join us in Paradise

Contact me for details. 

http://oc-travel.com/

You will see all the extras on this tour.

The Rome trip you always wanted to make.

Maybe now is the time.