Catholic How

Young Catholics thinking How: catholichow.wordpress.com

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Resurrection Preview: the 10th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Resurrection Preview: the 10th Sunday of Ordinary Time

There was a tradition at my grade school that, on the last day of school, students would visit the next grade up, in order to meet their teachers. It was a preview of sorts. A mean teacher, a quiet teacher, a funny teacher: in just twenty minutes we would all get a taste of just what was in store for us after a glorious summer vacation This Gospel – the story of the widow of Nain – is no…

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On the Virtue of Prudence

On the Virtue of Prudence

Author’s Note: This is a revision of the final lecture I gave to my Senior Catholic Social Teaching course. Tomorrow I’ll be passing out a review sheet and taking questions, but today I wanted to, for better or worse, actually give a lecture. I would ask, then, that you clear your desks, put away your pens, resist the temptation to use your phones, and just listen. A seeming lifetime ago, I made…

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The "Gift" of Pentecost

The “Gift” of Pentecost

By Matt Janeczko, OFM Cap. So often we hear Pentecost referred to as the birthday of the Church: associated with birthdays, of course, are celebrations, cake, candles, wishes and most especially, gifts. Indeed, the Church receives a gift on Pentecost: it receives the gift of its own divine life, the Gift of the Holy Spirit that binds the entire community, as Saint Paul says, into a single body.…

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A Real Problem; Or *The* Real Problem

A Real Problem; Or *The* Real Problem

By Matt Janeczko, OFM Cap. I had just finished explaining a particular exercise to my senior religion class (Catholic Social Teaching).  It involved primary sources and analysis. Any questions?  (hand raised) Yes? Are we allowed to be real in these reflections… like, can we talk about real issues and things? (me staring) Yes. And that, I think, sums up what I might call the “real problem” for…

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The Seeds of Remembrance

The Seeds of Remembrance

By Matt Janeczko, OFM Cap. When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable: “A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it.…

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"I Miss Bringing Communion"

“I Miss Bringing Communion”

By Matt Janeczko, OFM Cap. My list of communion calls ebbs and flows: I have a sad ritual, whereby when I bury one of those who I visited I go to my computer and remove them from my “sick call list” and say a final prayer for them. I take their memorial card and put it in my desk draw on a stack that has grown from a dozen, to two dozen, to somewhere near the number forty. The life of a parish…

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Catholic What? Catholic How.

@CatholicHow is back! Check us out at catholichow.wordpress.com.

By Matt Janeczko, OFM Cap. More than a year ago, when attempting to fix a name to this project, we played around with numerous words bearing inquisition in their context: how, what, and why come to mind. After settling upon “how,” the question then became where “how” would reside relative to Catholic. First thoughts suggested “How Catholic,” presented as a question could work. Then we realized…

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On Motherhood and Loving Unconditionally

On Motherhood and Loving Unconditionally via @yellowhelen -

By Ellen Romer

Today is my least favorite day of the year to go to Mass. And yes, it’s because it is Mother’s Day.

I am not a fan of sitting in a pew dreading a homily that quite often focuses on a very gendered view of mothers. I particularly cringe as the pressure is put on to be like Mary, the only woman who ever managed to be a mother and a virgin. I could be wrong, but I don’t believe I will…

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Why Holy Saturday Isn't a Day of Sorrow via @brianjniemiec - By Brian Niemiec One of my earliest memories of Holy Saturday was asking my father why Grandpop only ate bread and water on the Saturday before Easter.  

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Links Worth Clicking: Holy Triduum Edition

Links Worth Clicking: Holy Triduum Edition via @katiemorroni -

By Katie Morroni

Here’s hoping this Lent has been a fruitful one — and that we may all find new meaning in both uniting with Christ’s suffering on Good Friday and sharing in the joy of His Resurrection on Easter.

Here are some links you may enjoy clicking as we head into the weekend:

1. Bishop Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska (and formerly of my parish here in Denver) led prisoners in Mass this week.

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More than PreCana - Part II, Why Marriage Scares Me Sometimes

Before Triduum, a marriage post from @brianjniemiec - More than PreCana - Part II, Why Marriage Scares Me Sometimes -

By Brian Niemiec

Last Wednesday marked four months until my wedding with Ellen on July 25th. So many things are starting to happen now, and I am really excited to embark on this amazing adventure! Lent has given me the space to more intentionally pray and sit with this big life change that is approaching, and while I cannot wait to marry Ellen in July, there is a piece of me that continues to be…

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Happy Friday: Links Worth Clicking, Almost Palm Sunday Edition

Happy Friday: Links Worth Clicking, Almost Palm Sunday Edition

By Kate Morroni

The beginning of Holy Week is just around the corner. How is Lent going for you? It’s not too late to dig in and make this a more fruitful Lent.

Here are a few links from the last week or so that may interest you:

1. The pope is encouraging us to pray for the “grace of joy.” (National Catholic Reporter)

2. 5 ways St. Joseph can help your Lent (Catholic Exchange, via Coming Home…

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What Not To Say When Talking About Confession

What Not To Say When Talking About Confession as noted by @brianjniemiec -

By Brian Niemiec

This week’s homily on sin brought up a host of questions during our RCIA class. Are some sins worse than others? Why do we need to confess to a priest? Why does the Pope go to confession so often? Now, truth be told, I was a little off my game that morning. It had been a late night, but my co-catechist and I were doing a fairly good job of breaking open a subject we had not…

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Happy Friday: Links Worth Clicking

Coffee Tastes Better with @CatholicHow links from @katiemorroni: click and enjoy - Links Worth Clicking -

By Katie Morroni

Lent is more than halfway complete. It’s a good time to check our progress.

Lent has been very much a process for me, and I have fallen down more times than I can count. But I keep committing and recommitting to see it through, hobbling as best I can toward the joys of Easter.

How is Lent going for you? What’s surprised you so far in your journey? Here’s a few links worth…

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The Real Problem with Judgment; Or, Listen to Isaiah the Prophet

The Real Problem with Judgment; Or, Listen to Isaiah the Prophet from @mtjofmcap -

Saying to the prisoners: Come out! To those in darkness: Show yourselves!

By Matt Janeczko, OFM Cap.

Judgement, it seems, is under judgment yet again. I’ll leave what brings this up to you and your web browser.  Take a look.  It seems that, as a society, we’re hurtling toward the place where it is never right to judge anyone else, except in those cases where those who consider themselves “right”…

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Happy Friday: 10 Links Worth Clicking, 3rd Week of Lent Edition

Happy Friday: 10 Links Worth Clicking, 3rd Week of Lent Edition via @katiemorroni

It’s warming up here in Denver, and we should be seeing highs in the 40s, 50s, and 60s through the next week! Is there anything full of hope quite like the sun after cool days and record snowfall? I’m excited for some snow to melt and to get back into a walking routine with my newborn daughter. What are you looking forward to this weekend?

Here’s some links from the last week or so that you may…

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Quote of the Day: Bernardin on the Dark Valley Something upon which we can chew while snowbound: As Christians, if we are to love as Jesus loved, we must first come to terms with suffering.