Matt Maher, who is a Catholic musician and one of my favorites, is currently performing in space! Well, not exactly, but pretty close:

Alive Again is currently orbiting aboard space shuttle Atlantis, servicing its final scheduled journey after almost a quarter-century of missions. Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Center on May 14, 2010, and will spend 12 days in orbit and 7 days docked to the International Space Station where astronauts will deliver a Russian research module, along with other equipment and replacement parts.

Maher’s music has become a staple carry-on item for NASA astronaut, Mike Good, who has officially selected Maher’s song “Alive Again” as one of his “wake-up songs” — not only reviving Good from an outer space slumber but the rest of the STS-132 and International Space Station crew as well.

Astronaut Good relayed a message of inspiration after a recent wake up call from NASA headquarters, “Good morning Houston! It’s great to wake up here in space again. We’re looking forward to another beautiful day docked at the International Space Station. I thank God for this opportunity to view the glory of His creation from this perspective — and thanks to Matt Maher for that song, ‘Alive Again.’”

This marks the third year in a row that Maher’s music has visited the cosmos. In June 2008 and 2009 Matt’s previous album Empty & Beautiful (4/8/08) found its way onto shuttle Discovery for NASA Mission STS-124 with astronaut Ron Garan and aboard Atlantis STS-125 with Mike Good.

“I had the pleasure of meeting Mission Specialist, Mike Good when I was in Houston last year thanks to a friend of mine; seeing the NASA facility and hearing about the work that everyone there does was amazing, especially since, as a child, I always aspired to be an astronaut!” says Maher. “Music intersects with people’s lives and inspires something unique from every person, so really, it’s such an honor that he would choose one of my songs to start his day. Having my song played in space is one thing, but in context with what he says reminds me of what a great Man of God Mike is. It is such an honor to have my music start anyone’s day.”

H/t: Aggie Catholics

About a month ago, I wrote that our response to the abuse crisis within the Church is to become saints. As we all should know, we cannot make ourselves saints – it is a work of God. All we can do is ask for His grace and make our will conform to His Will.

With this in mind, I’m very excited by the initiative of some students in Rome, who have decided to have Eucharistic Adoration in reparation for abuse:

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican is hosting two hours of eucharistic adoration “in reparation for abuses committed by priests and for the healing of this wound within the church.”

The service in St. Peter’s Basilica this Saturday will feature an hour of silent adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, an hour of prayer and meditation, and a solemn blessing at the end.

The unusual initiative was organized by Catholic university students in Rome. Sources said the event was originally planned for the small Church of St. Anne inside Vatican City, but that it was moved to St. Peter’s at the suggestion of Cardinal Angelo Comastri, who is archpriest of the basilica.

So far, however, the Vatican has not publicized the event. Invitations have been forwarded by email and spread by word-of-mouth.

The hour of prayer and meditation will be led by Msgr. Charles Scicluna, an official of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith who deals directly with cases of priests accused of abuse of minors.

In several recent statements, Pope Benedict has said the response to the sex abuse crisis in the church will require openness, adoption of new measures to protect children and spiritual reparation.

In a letter to Irish Catholics earlier this year, he asked that eucharistic adoration be set up in every diocese, so that “through intense prayer before the real presence of the Lord, you can make reparation for the sins of abuse that have done so much harm.”

What a wonderful idea! If you have Eucharistic Adoration available to you, try to take some time soon to go and adore the Lord and beg him for his mercy on the whole Church.

Just a reminder: my book Who is Jesus Christ? Unlocking the Mystery in the Gospel of Matthew is now available for pre-order. The current price at Amazon is $10.08, or you can buy a signed copy from my website for $12+$3 shipping. And if you want free shipping from Amazon, just buy three copies and give two to family and friends!

Here is what Fr. Benedict Groeschel had to say about the book:

“Who is Jesus Christ? Unlocking the Mystery in the Gospel of Matthew is a very serious and well-thought-out attempt to teach us once again just who is being proclaimed in the Gospel of Saint Matthew. It is a slow, steady journey through this Gospel, a journey that pauses over and over again to examine in a thoughtful and prayerful way the names and titles given to our Lord in this Gospel… I hope that in the years to come [Sammons] will follow this book up with later volumes on the other evangelists. I also hope that we will see more and more books like this, intelligent, erudite, yet accessible, on our Divine Savior and his life and personality.”

And for those who are wondering, I do plan to make this a series; in fact, I am currently writing the volume on the Gospel of John. Talk about some power-packed titles for Jesus!

More details about the book can be found here. Orders will ship in September.

Bishop James Conley, auxiliary bishop of Denver, throws out the first pitch before a recent Rockies-Nationals game:

I had the pleasure of working with then-Fr. Conley in the early 1990′s on pro-life efforts. He was an outstanding priest, and I’m sure he is an outstanding bishop. And it looks like he’s a pretty tough southpaw as well.

If you are a Catholic and you are a writer, then you should be interested in this:

The second annual Catholic Writers’ Conference LIVE will be held August 4-6, 2010, at the Scanticon Hotel Valley Forge in King of Prussia, PA. Sponsored by the Catholic Writer’s Guild and the Catholic Marketing Network (CMN), and held in conjunction with CMN’s annual retailer trade show, the Catholic Writers Conference LIVE provides Catholic authors with a prime opportunity to meet and share their faith with editors, publishers, fellow writers, and bookstore owners from across the globe.

To view our promotional trailer click here. Share it with your friends!

This year’s conference will feature presentations on such topics as market tips and time management for busy writers, poetry, creating evil characters, working with an editor, creating winning proposals, journaling and much more.

To register – you simply need to click here.

For accommodations contact the Scanticon Valley Forge. Rooms are $119 a night. Please tell them you are with the Catholic Marketing Network.

God bless all of you and we look forward to seeing you in Pennsylvania!

I plan on attending, so I hope to see you there!

In some Evangelical circles, knowledge of the Biblical Greek language is seen as a trump card in any arguments regarding the interpretation of Scripture passages. When a debate occurs, someone just has to say, “well, in the original Greek, this means…” and the argument is won. But the reality is much different: although knowledge of Biblical Greek is helpful in many ways, it does not automatically give one knowledge of the “real” meaning of a passage. Greek is still a human language, and as such, it has its ambiguities just like any language. Furthermore, those who know Greek have their own biases and preconceptions which they bring to the text. Sometimes knowing the Greek can eliminate certain possible interpretations, but never does it alone give you sure knowledge of the meaning of a debated passage.

One of the most well-known Greek teachers in the Evangelical world is Bill Mounce. I myself have used his materials to learn Biblical Greek. Fortunately, even though he is an expert in the Biblical Greek language, Mounce does not fall into the fallacy of thinking that knowledge of Greek gives you some secret knowledge of the inner meaning of the Bible. He understands that proper interpretation includes many factors outside of just knowing the original language.

Case in point: a recent blog post by Mounce caught my eye, as he decided to tackle 2 Peter 1:20-21, which is a heavily debated passage between Catholics and Protestants. This passage states:

RSV: First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
NAB: Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation, for no prophecy ever came through human will; but rather human beings moved by the holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God.
NIV: Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Greek: τουτο πρωτον γινωσκοντες οτι πασα προφητεια γραφης ιδιας επιλυσεως ου γινεται ου γαρ θεληματι ανθρωπου ηνεχθη προφητεια ποτε αλλα υπο πνευματος αγιου φερομενοι ελαλησαν απο θεου ανθρωποι

The importance of this passage in Catholic/Protestant debates should be clear: does this passage mean that an individual cannot interpret Scripture? If so, that would go a long way towards undercutting one of the bedrocks of Protestantism. After making some introductory comments regarding context, Mounce posits two different possible meanings for verse 20:

Contextually, Peter is saying that the prophecies of Scripture were not made up by the prophets from what they saw and heard in their prophecies and dreams; but what they understood them to mean was the result of the Holy Spirit carrying them along. They too had experienced the direct work of God, just as Peter had on the Mount of Transfiguration. But can we be more specific?

1. One view is to say the passage is talking about origins. These prophecies and interpretations came from God, as opposed to what the false teachers were teaching.

2. A second view is to say the prophecies are not open to any one person’s individual interpretation, but the interpretation must be in conformity to apostolic interpretation. For us today, this would mean Scripture in general.

At this point, I am not sure there is much difference between these two options. Prophecies and their interpretation come from God, not from individuals who vary from the apostolic teaching.

I would be in basic agreement with Mounce at this point, and in fact I would say the two possibilities can be combined into one: the origin of prophecies in Scripture (and all of Scripture for that matter) is the Holy Spirit, and therefore an individual is not allowed to make up their own interpretation of what they mean. Furthermore, any interpretation cannot vary from the deposit of faith – what Mounce calls “apostolic teaching.” But then Mounce goes off the tracks:

But the Catholic REB translates “No prophetic writing is a matter for private interpretation.” This would cement the seat of authority of interpretation in the church and not any individual teacher, preacher, or prophet, and exclude, among others, people like Luther. At one level, this is not saying anything different. The false teachers were wrong to come up with their personal (and different) interpretation of things. But I wonder how Peter would feel being told that his interpretation of the Messianic Kingdom was wrong because is was an individual interpretation and different from the prevailing (i.e., Rabbinic) views of the day. I suspect he wouldn’t agree.

Let’s get this straight: Mounce agrees that it is not proper to get interpretations “from individuals who vary from the apostolic teaching,” yet he thinks the Catholic understanding of the passage could be used against Peter, the chief apostle?! Peter, by definition, cannot have an “individual interpretation” which varied from the apostolic teaching, as he is himself an apostle. Surely Mounce cannot believe that Catholics would use this passage against Peter, the first pope!

And this brings up a more important question: how do we know what is “apostolic teaching”? Most Protestants today would say it is by properly interpreting Scripture. Yet you can see the circular argument: Biblical interpretation cannot vary from apostolic teaching, yet apostolic teaching is determined by (individual) Biblical interpretation. There must be some determination of what is apostolic teaching outside of Scripture. And fittingly, it is the role of the apostles (and their successors), not just any individual, to declare what is apostolic teaching. The reason is that the apostles have the same origin as the Scriptures, for it was the Holy Spirit which gives them their authority.

Although Mounce errs in his understanding of the Catholic interpretation of this passage, I would agree fully with the final paragraph of his post:

As is so often in Greek, the original language gives us the range of interpretive options, but usually it is context that makes the final decision. Greek is not a magic key that reveals the one and only possible interpretation; otherwise we wouldn’t have an endless supplies of Greek commentaries.

Fortunately, Christ did not expect us to be Greek scholars to understand the Bible; instead he gave us apostles and their successors to guard and teach the deposit of faith, which gives us the overall context in which to properly interpret Scripture.

I am not one to think that the reunion of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches are right around the corner. As I see it, relations between East and West have generally fallen into four approximately 500-year-long historical eras:

1) Complete union (0-500 A.D.) – from the time of Christ to Emperor Justinian

2) Weakening union (500-1000 A.D.) – from Justinian to the mutual excommunications

3) Deepening separation (1000-1500 A.D.) – from the mutual excommunications to the Council of Florence

4) Complete separation (1500-2000 A.D.) – from the Council of Florence to Vatican II

Now we are (hopefully) in the era of “deepening union,” which, if the past is any indication, could last 500 years before we could return to a “complete union” again. But every 500 years has to start somewhere, and it does appear that we are living at the beginning of a new era in Catholic-Orthodox relations.

Evidence of this deepening union abound. For example, there have been a number of articles recently on the “alliance” between the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church. Relations between these two churches are vitally important for the overall cause of Christian unity, as they are the two largest and most influential Christian churches in the world. Historically, the Russian Orthodox Church has had little interest in ecumenical relations, but recently there seems to be a thaw in their attitude towards the outside world. Specifically, they appear to realize that the restoration of a Christian Europe is only possible by working together with the Catholic Church.

Last week, there was a wonderful cultural exchange when a concert was held in Rome featuring both Russian and Italian music. It was attended by Pope Benedict and Metropolitan Hilarion, the chairman of the Department of External Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate. Both Benedict and Hilarion are accomplished musicians and have worked together in the past – before Benedict became pope.

The destruction of the Christian Faith in Europe has been a terrible thing to behold and has had untold negative consequences. But as usual, God works good out of man’s evil, and one good from the de-Christianization of Europe is the rediscovery of the common beliefs of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. In many ways, I compare it to the “accidental” ecumenical benefits of the pro-life movement here in the United States, as Catholics and Evangelical Protestants worked towards a common goal and realized along the way that they have more in common than just opposition to abortion. Hopefully the common cause of Catholics and Orthodox against the secularization of Europe will have a similar result.

Those of us who are living in this new era are responsible for it truly being an era of “deepening union” and not a continuation of complete separation. Let us all fervently pray that East and West might again be united as one Body in Christ. We may not see that day ourselves, but our prayers can help make it happen one day.

A famous Russian explorer has decided to become a priest:

Famous Russian traveler Fyodor Konyukhov has given up exploration and world records to become an Orthodox priest, Ukraine’s UNIAN reported on Saturday.

An extensive traveler, Konyukhov has reached the North Pole three times, the South Pole, the Pole of Inaccessibility, and climbed to the top of Mt. Everest. He has set world records by crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a rowboat in 46 days, as well as crossing Greenland on a dogsled in 22 hours. He has also made several round the world trips alone on yachts.

“Something probably serious happened since I made such a decision: I thought, enough of temptation, I want to pray more,” Konyukhov said.

He said he had made the decision during his last trip to the Antarctic and will now undertake praying for those who travel. He did not name the reason why he made such a drastic change in his life.

“I have worked a lot for people and for people’s fame as well as my own fame, and now I want to work for God and the Church,” Konyukhov said.

Konyukhov, 59, had earlier sent an official letter to the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, requesting to become a priest. Kirill told Konyukhov in April that he may choose which eparchy he would like to begin his priesthood.

Konyukhov decided on Zaporizhia, Ukraine, where he was born in 1951.

He made his first “expedition” when he was 15 by crossing the Sea of Azov on a rowboat. By the time he reached 50 years old, Konyukhov made more than 40 unique expeditions and climbs. He has written numerous books and painted many pictures of his travels.

God bless Konyukhov in this new stage of his life. I know one thing: he already has the beard for his new life as an Orthodox priest!

Over the past two centuries in the Western world, we have seen a fundamental shift in how people interpret the Bible. Unfortunately, much of that shift has caused the Bible to become not more clear, but more obscure. Thus, it is sometimes helpful to go back and see how Scripture was interpreted before this shift. Here are some clear steps for interpreting the Bible, written in 1786 by a Russian Orthodox prelate:

1.) Open the literal meaning, and where it is dark because of translation or an ambiguity in the language, explain it in such a way that no passage is left which students cannot understand, apart from the very rare texts which are too complex to comprehend.

2.) Interpret spiritual and mysterious meanings, especially in the Old Testament, in those passages where such meanings are transparently concealed. In doing this, one has to be cautious so as not to do this with force. Thus, one ought not to seek out a secret meaning where there is none (or where one is forced, as is noticeable with many interpreters), but where links and the parallel passages follow directly from the words. Interpret spiritual and mysterious readings in agreement with the best interpreters.

3.) For a better understanding of dark passages, find and link the parallel passages, for this will make comprehension easier, since what is said in one place is often said ambiguously and briefly in another place, and despite the similarity between the two texts, the one differs in terms of a more detailed and clearer account.

4.) In interpreting Scripture, do not forget to conclude with the moral teachings flowing from the text. Formulate it with great regard.

5.) In interpreting the books of the Old Testament Prophets, indicate clearly when and in which circumstances their prophecies were fulfilled in the Old Testament and the New Testament.

6.) Where passages of Holy Scripture seem to contradict each other, explain these texts in agreement with published sources that contain general agreement.

7.) Wherever passages are found from which some false conclusions were drawn and which subsequently led to schisms or heresies, one is obliged to clearly indicate the right and true meaning of these passages, and to invalidate the opinions and arguments of heretics and schismatics.

8.) Where passages of Scripture are found to which human wisdom might make objections, such objections must not be hidden. Instead, allow them to be seen in a clear and satisfactory form.

9.) On the part of the teacher, it is critical to consult the Church Fathers, to read scrupulously the best Church teachers and interpretors, to know Church history well, and, above all, to beseech often and diligently the Father of Light to open the eyes toward understanding the wonders in His Law.

Frankly, I think these nine steps are still valid today and following them would help anyone draw closer to Christ through the Scriptures.

H/t: Byzantine, TX

What do they have in common? They all became Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and are now living in one of the toughest cities in Ireland:

What happens when a former US Marine becomes a Franciscan friar and then goes on to found a monastery in the toughest district of Ireland’s toughest city?

In 2007, Father Sylvester and a small group of American friars from the Bronx, N.Y., did just that when they arrived in Limerick, Ireland. They left behind their former lives as a teacher, a soldier, a punk-rock singer, and a rapper to transform lives through prayer.

The urban district they live in, Moyross – a sea of burned-down and boarded-up houses – is always in the news for the wrong reasons: drugs, shootings, and stabbings. But the friars are working to change that. They have made a makeshift friary out of three abandoned houses in an attempt to bring spiritual renewal at the same level as a government-funded, multimillion-dollar regeneration program.

In a time of crisis for the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, the friars are trying to give people hope in countercultural ways. Their bushy beards, broad smiles, and shaved heads – not to mention their American drawls – seem to have captured Irish hearts. In 2008, they even appeared on “The Late Late Show” (considered Ireland’s premier talk show) alongside Bono and Sinéad O’Connor. But their celebrity is of a different kind. In an age of sexualized glamour, they practice humility and chastity; in an era of consumerism, they vow poverty.

Their informal youth ministry offers spiritual advice and support. At Christmas, they host a popular Nativity play that includes live animals, and their Easter Passion play draws a large crowd. Weekly prayer and support groups are offered for dads.

“People have the same needs all over the world,” says Brother Shawn, “we just try to show them the way to hope.”

Pray for the Friars!

I have always admired Evangelicals’ passion for evangelization (you must have passion for something if it’s part of your name). I wish all Catholics would desire to share their Faith with their neighbor as much as most Evangelicals do. Evangelicals are also on the forefront when it comes to using modern technology to spread the Gospel. They have pioneered outreaches via television, radio and now the Internet. But it is important to remember that Evangelicals do have a number of errors in their theology, especially when it comes to how one obtains salvation, and these errors can creep into their evangelization work.

Case in point: an iPhone app which “evangelizes” people who don’t speak English. An answer to that whole tower of Babel problem, the GM2:8 app will walk a person through the Gospel in a few short steps in their language, so you can bring someone to Christ just by the touch of a button! Here’s what evangelist Ray Comfort (and Kirk Cameron!) say about it:

The problem, of course, is that just walking a person through a few questions and getting them to make the right responses is not evangelization. It’s quiz-taking. Evangelicals like Comfort and Cameron believe that one is saved simply by making a prayer and that once saved, they are always saved. But that is not biblical Christianity. Christ, in the “Great Commission” told his apostles (and all of us):

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19-20, emphasis added)

Becoming a Christian, therefore, involves three things:

1) Discipleship: The Christian does not just give an affirmative answer to the question, “Is Jesus Lord?”, he becomes a disciple of Christ, which means that his entire life must revolve around Christ.

2) Baptism: Baptism is the entrance into Christ’s Body, the Church; it is how one becomes a Christian. When the crowds asked Peter how they were to be saved, he didn’t respond “say this prayer and it’s a done deal!” No, he stated, “Repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38). Baptism has always been the normal way in which one becomes a Christian.

3) Obedience: Once a person becomes a disciple of Christ and is baptized, he must live a life of obedience (cf. Romans 1:5). This means following the commandments and living a moral life. It also means obeying those Christ have put in charge of the Church, i.e. the bishops. Obviously, this cannot be done as a one-time activity, but instead involves a re-ordering of one’s entire life.

Kudos to Evangelicals like Comfort and Cameron for wanting to tell people about Jesus and using modern technology to help their efforts. But unfortunately they are hamstrung by bad theology, which ends up leading to really dumb iPhone apps like GM2:8.

Last week there was a wonderful story in the Washington Post about the newest class of men about to be ordained to the priesthood. The Lord has blessed the Church with many saintly priests over the years, and it appears He is continuing to do so.

Pray for our priests!

Years ago I was helping an RCIA class and at the first session the leader made a few introductory comments. He spoke over and over about the “journey of faith” and how we are all on a “journey” and when we become Catholic that is not the end of the “journey” but just a step in that “journey.” Needless to say, he said “journey” a lot. I recognized that there was truth in what he was saying, but something about it rubbed me wrong. It seemed to me too nebulous and not very descriptive of the spiritual life.

Since then I have noticed that “journey of faith” is a very popular catch-phrase in Catholic circles, and everyone from catechists to priests to bishops use it frequently. Yet I’ve never gotten comfortable with the phrase. Then, I recently read Pope John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation Redemptoris Custos about St. Joseph. In it, JPII noted that St. Joseph – along with the Blessed Virgin Mary – was on a “pilgrimage of faith.” And it clicked: we are not simply on a “journey of faith,” but we are on a “pilgrimage of faith,” and there are important differences between the two.

A pilgrimage has a sacred destination.
I can take a journey to Disneyworld, to my uncle’s cabin in the woods, even to the bank. But a pilgrimage always has as its destination some sacred place, such as a shrine or the site of a martyrdom. This changes the whole complexion of the trip, for if one is going to a sacred place, how one gets there matters. And as the destination of our life is heaven, then our lives are surely pilgrimages, not just journeys.

A pilgrimage involves prayer.
When you go on a pilgrimage, you spend your trip in prayer. You are not playing with your gameboys on the way, or watching movies in your van. You recognize that you need to be spiritually prepared when you arrive at your destination, so you use the pilgrimage itself as an opportunity to draw deeper into God’s sacred mysteries.

A pilgrimage involves sacrifice.
Another way to spiritually prepare for your arrival at the end of a pilgrimage is through mortification. You specifically take on sacrifices along the way, such as walking instead of driving, and you accept any inconveniences with a resigned spirit. On a journey, you might get annoyed with the hotel worker, crank up the A/C in the van, and figure out the shortest way to get to where you are going. In a pilgrimage, you offer your sacrifices and inconveniences in union with Christ’s Passion, and put yourself on the Way of the Cross.

A pilgrimage eventually ends.
Sometimes it seems that the phrase “journey of faith” emphasizes the trip to the exclusion of the destination. Yes, we do journey through life, but there is an end-point to our travels that we must always keep in mind. Unlike just any journey, a pilgrimage revolves around the final destination, and so too should our lives revolve around our desired destination, heaven.

I know that many people who use the phrase “journey of faith” are good-natured and recognize that our lives are more than a mere journey. But for me, I’m going to follow Pope John Paul II’s lead and remember that my life is supposed to be a pilgrimage of faith, with all that entails.

I recently reviewed the book “The Eucharist and the Rosary” by Matt Swaim on Amazon. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to grow in their appreciation of the Mass and the Rosary (and if you don’t want to, why not?).

Here is my full review:

A great way to deepen your love for the Rosary and the Mass!

The most important prayer for Catholics is the Mass, and the most popular devotion among Catholics is the Rosary. Matt Swaim takes these two important spiritual practices and carefully leads the reader to a deeper understanding of their relationship. It is a unique approach and offers Catholics an accessible way to deepen their appreciation of both the Mass and the Rosary.

In “The Eucharist and the Rosary”, Swaim dedicates a short chapter to each of the twenty mysteries of the Rosary. For each one, he ties the mystery to our celebration of the Mass, and in doing so, both allows us to understand the Mass better as well as the mystery in question. But this book is no dry theological tome; Swaim writes in a breezy style yet doesn’t fall into a disrespectful tone for the sacred topics he is addressing. He combines references to saints, Church teaching, and popular culture in a way that helps the reader better understand sacred realities with little effort.

There are many ways to approach the praying of the Rosary, and in “The Eucharist and the Rosary” Swaim gives the Church a marvelous method of enriching this traditional prayer – and along the way also enriches our appreciation of the Mass. For any Catholic who wishes to advance in the spiritual life, I highly recommend this book.

One of the distinct features of many practicing Catholic families is its size. In my Catholic homeschool group, our family – with five children – hovers around the median in regards to family size. But how do you know if you have a “big family?” Here is a guide to help you:

You might have a big family if…

1) You don’t park your van, you dock it.

2) When you go out for a family walk in the neighborhood, you need a traffic cop.

3) Even your parents ask you “are they all yours?”

4) The army asks for your advice about logistics regarding food distribution.

5) You have been asked hundreds of times, “don’t you know how they are made?”

6) There is nothing “mini” about your van.

7) You are constantly asked the name of the day care you run when you go out.

8) You don’t have a shoe rack in your house, but instead a shoe room.

9) You have to reserve the party room whenever you go to a restaurant.

10) You have grandchildren older than some of your own children.