This Lent, What Are You Cooking?
By Sarah Rozman | March 3, 2010
One of my colleagues reminded me about Fr. Leo Patalinghug of Grace Before Meals and his liturgically-colored sauces. Here’s his Burgandy Sauce–a meat sauce in the liturgical color of purple–perfect for Lent and Advent. (Not to be eaten on Fridays in Lent, he adds!)
Grace Before Meals stresses the importance of family meals–”A family that says grace together stays together.”
Browsing Fr. Leo’s blog, I found a couple other recipes for tasty-looking meatless meals: Sweet Pea Risotto with Corn Flake Crusted Scallops and Italian Tuna Pasta. Plus, on the Grace Before Meals site’s video page, there’s a 4-episode series devoted to meatless meals. Yum!
Topics: Lent, Liturgical Year, Family | No Comments »
The Holy Father’s Prayer Intentions for March
By Sarah Rozman | March 2, 2010
General That the world economy may be managed according to the principles of justice and equity, taking into account the real needs of peoples, especially the poorest.
Mission That the Churches in Africa may be signs and instruments of reconciliation and justice in every part of that continent.
Topics: Prayer, Pope Benedict XVI | No Comments »
What’s in a Name?
By Sarah Rozman | February 23, 2010
Over at Catholic Hour, Leon Suprenant looks at some uncommon possibilities for confirmation names. Leon was president of CUF during my first couple years here, and I heard some of his suggestions for baby names (”Lwanga,” after St. Charles Lwanga, comes to mind). His “top ten” list definitely lives up to my expectations. Here’s just a bit:
No, she’s not the patroness of toupe-makers. She was a duchess, wife and mother of seven, widow, and ended her life in Cistercian convent where she had taken religious vows. She’s not well-known in this country, and she suffers from “St. Blaise Syndrome” (see number six, below), in that her feast day gets overshadowed by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. But Hedwig is a biggie, and she is deeply loved and revered in Eastern Europe.
. . .
Ninth-century archbishop and missionary who did much to spread the faith in Scandanavia, and for that reason is called the “Apostle of the North.” Unfortunately, the Church double-booked his feast day, such that February 3rd is the feast of both St. Ansgar and St. Blaise. And since it’s cold season and people want their throats blessed, 999 times out of 1,000 the priest will opt to celebrate the feast of St. Blaise instead of poor St. Ansgar. But especially for those with Scandanavian roots (or a fondness for the Winter Olympics!), Ansgar is a most worthy patron saint.
Topics: Confirmation, Saints | 1 Comment »
Loving Jesus, Living Lent
By Sarah Rozman | February 22, 2010
Around Ash Wednesday, the CUF office typically begins receiving questions about the Church’s Lenten practices–especially her laws of fast and abstinence. Those are good questions, and we have answers available online.
But another topic that also comes up within the office–and one that relates to how we understand and process the Church’s teachings and disciplines–is that of knowing Jesus Christ. He is the reason we live and worship the way we do, so if we don’t know Him, all the rules and teachings of the Church can seem empty.
That’s why Msgr. Charles Pope’s blog post “The Key to True Fasting,” which a CUF Blog reader passed along, caught my attention. In it, he shows how fasting and knowing Jesus fit together in. A snippet:
Simply put, if you want to have the capacity to fast spiritually and truly you have to experience the wedding feast of the Lamb of God. In this great wedding feast which we are to experience through prayer, scripture and especially the Liturgy we are to be filled with Christ. We are to encounter him and feast abundantly on his Word, his Body and Blood and to rejoice with him exceedingly. And when this happens we are authentically equipped to fast. . . .
But let me ask you, Have you met Christ and been to the wedding feast with him? One of the sad realities in parish life and in the Church is that there are many people who have never really met Jesus Christ. They have heard about him and know about him, but they’ve never really encountered him powerfully in prayer or the Mass.
Go on over to the Archdiocese of Washington’s site and read the rest.
Topics: Jesus Christ, Lent | No Comments »
Keeping a Joyful Lent
By Sarah Rozman | February 19, 2010
Some good Lenten advice–and any-time-of-the-year advice–from Fr. Dwight Longenecker.
. . . we must take sin seriously. The reality of the devil must be admitted, and, especially during Lent, we must enter the spiritual battle wearing our full armor. All I am suggesting is that part of that armor should be the swift arrows of good humor and humility.
Laughing at Lucifer is a good way to do just that.
Laughing at Lucifer in Lent means that we are happy warriors. We are launching out on the spiritual battle with a spring in our step and a smile on our face. The Gospel says when we fast we should wash our face and put on a smile, and the spiritual writers speak of keeping a “joyful Lent.” We’re not going about as gloomy defeatists.
This requires a clear understanding of our own faults and the reality of temptation.
As we engage in spiritual battle during Lent, we should do so with the joyful knowledge that, no matter what, Christ’s forgiveness upholds us and that, in him, as St. Paul says, “we are more than conquerors.” When we face temptation, we should overcome it not just with a serious resolve and a whopping amount of self-control, but also with the wisdom and insight it takes to see the temptation for what it is.
Then we can sidestep the attack and parry with a counterthrust in the robust spirit of a jaunty swordsman or a laughing cavalier.
Topics: Satan, Evil, Easter, Lent | No Comments »
Helpful Lenten Resources
By Sarah Rozman | February 16, 2010
With Lent beginning tomorrow, I wanted to post a refresher of several great Lenten resources available on the CUF website.
Last year’s post answers a number of FAQs we get here at the office. It includes links to our Lenten Faith Facts (Lent’s discipline and history, Lenten traditions in the home, fasting and abstinence, and more).
CUF President Mike Sullivan reflects on Lenten sacrifice in “Giving Up for Lent.”
If you’re looking for a family project, here’s a salt dough recipe for a Crown of Thorns and other crafts.
Also, here’s Pope Benedict’s Message for Lent 2010.
Go to the CUF site for more!
Topics: Lent | No Comments »
“I Was Born”
By Sarah Rozman | February 11, 2010
A neat video created by students at Franciscan University of Steubenville at this year’s March for Life.
Topics: Pro-Life | 3 Comments »
Celebrating the Saints: Danny Abramowicz on the New Orleans Saints’ Superbowl Victory
By Sarah Rozman | February 10, 2010
From the Catholic News Agency, an interview with Danny Abramowicz. As a former New Orleans Saints player and coach, Abramowicz is celebrating the Saints’ Superbowl victory. In the interview, he said he was glad to watch a game with “no controversy” and which had “solid men of good character.” Abramowicz hosts EWTN’s show Crossing the Goal and is coauthor of the accompanying Playbook (Emmaus Road Publishing).
Danny Abramowicz, Catholic speaker and former New Orleans Saints player, has said the Saints’ Super Bowl victory on Sunday showed they were a “team with destiny.” The family quality of Sunday’s game made it more enjoyable and showed the benefit Christian values can bring to sports, he thought.
Abramowicz, a star wide receiver for the Saints from 1967 to 1973 and an offensive coordinator for the team in the late 1990s, discussed the American football championship game in a Monday interview with CNA.
Though the saints “should have lost” the NFC Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings and yesterday faced a 10-0 deficit just “being dominated” by the Indianapolis Colts, they came back under the leadership of Drew Brees.
“They were a team with destiny,” he remarked.
On a related note, check out Lay Witness’s interview with Abramowicz on the Crossing the Goal series and the challenges facing today’s men.
Topics: Sports, Emmaus Road Publishing | 1 Comment »
Pope Quote
By Sarah Rozman | February 10, 2010
“In a social milieu that encourages the expression of a variety of opinions on every question that arises, it is important to recognize dissent for what it is, and not to mistake it for a mature contribution to a balanced and wide-ranging debate.”
—Pope Benedict XVI, to the bishops of England and Wales on their ad limina visit to Rome.
(This quote was slated for appearance in the next issue of Lay Witness, but space limitations prevailed, so here it is, with a link to the full text of the Holy Father’s address.)
Topics: Pope Benedict XVI | No Comments »
The Holy Father’s Prayer Intentions for February
By Sarah Rozman | February 1, 2010
General For all scholars and intellectuals, that by means of a sincere search for truth they may arrive at an understanding of the one true God.
Mission That the Church, aware of its own missionary identity, may strive to follow Christ faithfully and to proclaim His Gospel to all peoples.
Topics: Prayer, Pope Benedict XVI | No Comments »