I made a point to stay away from sharing political commentary during the Lenten seasons. This year I had decided to go through Eastertide with this decision. But I can’t wait until after Pentecost to share my thoughts on what is happening as regards my faith, not just as a Catholic, but as an advocate for social justice.   I find it abhorrent how so many are more than willing to defile the Bible teaching by twisting God’s message to fit their immoral actions. I also find it l

It’s almost Holy Week. A week that, I believe, we should put deeper emphasis on the meaning of Jesus’ ministry from the beginning to his resurrection. We continue with our Lent reading from the Gospel of Matthew. The above three, peace, persecution and righteousness, are some of the central themes of Jesus’ teaching and preaching in addition to loving God and neighbor. The peace we read about in the gospels has to do with a spiritual peace borne of faith and trust in God. Thi

My blog today continues with the Beatitudes using specific words from the Gospel of Matthew. They are Meek, Righteousness, and Purity of heart. Three words, Meek, Righteousness and Pure are part of the Beatitudes spoken by Jesus. Read the verses in Matthew 5:5-8. These words can prove challenging for so many of with a desire to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Meek or gentleness , often mistaken for weak is hard to see in others when we understand that it biblically means a

Throughout the Old Testament God answered the cries of the Jewish people. He knew their suffering when they were being oppressed as a nation. In more intimate moments, God heard the cries of those who were hurting. Their pain stemmed from diverse needs and wants. Prayers for food and shelter. Prayers for protection. Prayers for healing. Prayers for a child. For the Jewish wife, having a child was extremely important. If pregnancy was delayed, a wife faced social shame, and in

As part of the Fellowship for Social Justice group, we have been sharing very short Lenten videos on social media. These videos are created by Teresita Scully who has a master’s in theology. I can only imagine she must have been loved by her students. She has inspired me so much that I consider her a mentor for my spiritual growth. You can review the playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3_aeevDeq24vfpUPjFVeJcxSyQ17PRVK For some this may be difficult to under

In Matthew 4:1-11, we read about the three temptations of Jesus after 40 days in the desert. Here I will focus on the temptation with food. View a short video on the food temptation here: https://youtu.be/1g4FGNaCz0Q This is about satisfying physical hunger. Our body needs nourishment to survive. Food is fuel for our body that provides the energy to move. What happens when we are tempted? We are often led by our physical desires. Whether they are for food, clothes, material t

“ Lent is a time in which the Church, guided by a sense of maternal care, invites us to place the mystery of God back in the center of our lives, in order to find renewal in our faith and keep our hearts from being consumed by the anxieties and distractions of daily life… .” Message of the Holy Father Leo XIV for Lent 2026, on the theme: “ Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion ”   When I think of Ash Wednesday I do think of my mortality, especially as I am now i

Yesterday’s blog was a little long. Yes, today is as well. I personally believe it just might prove valuable.   “Although there are many reasons to be discourage, amid many prophets of destructive and condemnation, and so many negative and despairing voices, may you be a positive force, salt and light  for this society. Like the engine of a train, may you be the driving force leading all towards their destinations. May you be sowers of hope, builders of bridges and agents of

Yes, this is a longer than usual blog. I personally believe it is worth sharing due to the significance of Lent. I pray you find it valuable as you read it.   We are entering the Lenten Season this week. Ash Wednesday is a couple of days away. A time when I, as a Catholic, begin some form of fasting, Lenten reflection, and journaling in addition to specific prayers.   I thought I would use Pope Francis’ message from March 5, 2025. while he was still hospitalized in Rome’s Gem

This was presented on November 16, 2025 at Santa Catalina Catholic Church, Oro Vallley AZ Key Aspects of Solidarity ·         Shared responsibility: As children of God we are all interconnected. We are responsible for each other. ·         Action-oriented: compassion needs to include a commitment to act for the wellbeing of others. ·         The “I am because we are” principle: the individual identity is part of the larger community; the good of each person is linked to the g

Meals in the Bible and What They Teach Us is the 5th in a series of Care for Creation: Catholic Social Teaching presented at Santa Catalina and via Zoom. Eating is never just an individual act. It is deeply communal, tied to our relationships with God, neighbor, and creation. As Catholics, we are called to approach food with reverence, acknowledging its sacred nature, considering its impact on others, and using it as a means of justice and charity. Read more here: More Than a

The Compendium of the Catholic Church on Social Doctrine is a long document compiled at the request of Pope John Paul II. The Compendium itself describes its work of making known the social doctrine of the Church “a genuine pastoral priority, so that men and women will be enlightened by it and will be thus enabled to interpret today’s reality and seek appropriate paths of action (#7).” ( Read more here: Summary: Compendium Of The Social Doctrine of The Church ) The Compendium

There are seven outstanding principles which sum up Catholic Social Justice: Human Dignity, Solidarity, Family/Community, Rights and Responsibilities, Workers/Producers Dignity, Preferential Option for the Poor and Care for Creation. The volumes of teachings based upon the Scriptures which constitute Catholic Social Teaching can be summed up under these headings. - Teresita Scully, MTS “The world exists for everyone, because all of us were born with the same dignity. Differen

“An authentic faith - which is never comfortable or completely personal - always involve a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow better than we found it.” Pope Francis, Evangalii Gaudium   Catholic Social Teaching encourages a process of See, Judge, Act  and theological reflection before acting. This process brings about ideas for how the Church directs it’s Bishops and pastors around the world to create communities that lift up ever

During this forum, when asking questions, I learned something new: There’s a period when the earth was in almost complete darkness for two years. It’s called, The Volcanic Winter of 536. Farmlands, animals, and people were affected. The devastation was horrific, and millions of people died. Here is an interesting article: The Worst Year in History to Be Alive The Catholic Church teaches us much about human dignity. “The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and

On September 21 we had the 2 nd  of 7 forums on CST: Care for Creation. Teresita Scully, MTS, was again speaker. The topic was the...

We finished the Catholic Social Teaching series on August 31, 2025. I have created a PDF of the daily blog posts that includes links to...

There were technical difficulties during the September 7 th forum on Catholic Social Teaching: Care for Creation and we were unable to...

Below is the 31 st  in the August Catholic Social Teaching series: Two Steps   Doing Catholic Social Justice is a Two Step affair. First...

Below is the 30 th  in the August Catholic Social Teaching series: Patrons to imitate in the exercise of Justice   Patrons to imitate in...