Marriage Is A Sacrament: A Sacred Union Between One Man, One Woman, and God

"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife." – Mark 10:6-7

There is a term known as "marriage" that has been tossed around quite a bit recently by the US government and politicians. Just for some clarity let's look up the definition of the word "marriage" in the dictionary. In my book it says, and I quote, "marriage – (noun) the formal union of a man and a woman, typically recognized by law, by which they become husband and wife." In other words, two persons of the opposite-sex are formally committed to one another and are united by a wedding ceremony and legally binding contract. Within this union the husband and wife are bound together by their vows of everlasting love. This gives the couple the opportunity to bring about new life into this world under the promises that they shall remain together as a family. In essence, it means the two shall become one flesh out of love for each other.

Pope Francis recently affirmed this as the church’s teaching of marriage between one man and one woman in his 82-page encyclical, originally started by Pope Benedict XVI, stating, “This union is born of their love, as a sign and presence of God’s own love, and of the acknowledge and acceptance of the goodness of sexual differentiation, whereby spouses can become one flesh and are enabled to give birth to a new life.” (Click here to read more.) As you can see, the union of marriage is meant for the purpose and intention of creating life; which in turn, creates a family.

Keep in mind, if God wanted two persons of the same gender to be united He would have only created one gender in the first place that could reproduce homosexually or asexually. But that is not the case. Instead, God created two beautiful genders of the human race that compliment one another with their bodies to produce life. Naturally, a man and a woman are meant to come together on a very intimate level for reproduction. This physical bond between husband and wife is essential for any marriage to thrive. If the marriage is not consummated then it lacks in fulfilling the wedding vows. And although true love is not always physical, the physicality of love is a big part of romance—especially within a marriage. This special type of romantic bonding is found only in the relations between a man and a woman. 

Along with that, a child raised from a traditionally married couple is also secured with a relationship between parents of both genders. It is very important for the growth, well-being, and physiological health of the child to have both a mother and a father figure to look up to. With that said, God has clearly given us the perfect example of a typical family demonstrated by His own Holy Family. The Holy Family is made up of a (male) husband, (female) wife, and child that we all know as Joseph, Mary, and Jesus Christ, respectively. Even though Joseph was not Jesus’ biological father, he was Mary’s earthly spouse and helped raise the Christ Child with Mary. As Jesus grew up within the family He learned life lessons from both of His loving parents and carried out the fruits of their love in His ministry on earth.

This is how the family unit is meant to be—a supportive and loving union containing a husband, wife, and child/children. However, satan wants to twist the holiness of marriage and change it so it no longer revolves around true love or the family. Marriage is the glue that binds families together. If we let satan break apart marriage through divorce or the dilution of a true marital union, between husband and wife, it breaks apart the family. Just as Blessed Pope John Paul II said, "As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live." This is the devil's plan—to destroy marriage, in turn, destroying the family and our whole world as we know it.

That is why we must pray for our Church the sanctity of marriage to be upheld in the United States and in the rest of the world. People need to be reminded of the beauty and holiness of marriage between one man and one woman. Marriage is supposed to be a beautiful, sacred, and holy experience of two lovers joined intimately by Christ's love. Marriage is an institution, founded by God, to unite a male and female in the sanctity of their love for one another. That is why marriage is considered to be a Sacrament of the Roman Catholic Church known as Holy Matrimony. I, myself, hope to one day be married in the Catholic Church with the man I love under the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. I believe many other people want this too! In order to preserve and protect the sanctity of Matrimony we need to uphold our values as Christians and be steadfast and true to our beliefs on marriage.

Below is a passage taken from the statement of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops response to the Supreme Court's decision on DOMA on June 26, 2013:

Today is a tragic day for marriage and our nation. ...The common good of all, especially our children, depends upon a society that strives to uphold the truth of marriage. 

Marriage is the only institution that brings together a man and a woman for life, providing any child who comes from their union with the secure foundation of a mother and a father. 

Our culture has taken for granted for far too long what human nature, experience, common sense, and God’s wise design all confirm: the difference between a man and a woman matters, and the difference between a mom and a dad matters. While the culture has failed in many ways to be marriage-strengthening, this is no reason to give up. Now is the time to strengthen marriage, not redefine it. 

When Jesus taught about the meaning of marriage – the lifelong, exclusive union of husband and wife – he pointed back to “the beginning” of God’s creation of the human person as male and female (see Matthew 19). In the face of the customs and laws of his time, Jesus taught an unpopular truth that everyone could understand. The truth of marriage endures, and we will continue to boldly proclaim it with confidence and charity.

Lifelong Crusaders

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." – Proverbs 27:17

It has been nine years since I graduated from 8th grade at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic School in Tampa, FL, home to the Crusaders. During my last year at MHR all of the 8th graders were assigned a Kindergarden buddy. It was our responsibility, as the older students, to hold our buddy's hand and walk them to the church for all-school Mass. We also played games with the Kindergardeners and helped them out with arts and crafts. Thankfully, God placed me with a little angel named Catie. I have some great memories of being her "Secret Santa" and watching her fall asleep at nap time.

Over the years I kept in contact with Catie and her beautiful family. Since we both attend the same local parish I would see her every now and then at Mass on Sunday mornings. Her father also became a deacon and is very much involved with the church at St. Paul's in Tampa. Now, Catie is 14-years-old and I watched her last night graduate from 8th grade at Most Holy Redeemer like I did nine years ago.

What a blessing! I am so thankful to still be friends with Catie. I even promised her way back then that I would attend her MHR graduation, and I'm so happy I did! I'm very proud of the young woman she has flourished into and I know she will become even more spectacular as she heads off to high school next year.

With high school in mind, I gave her a copy of the book How To Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul by Jason and Crystalina Evert. This book was such a blessing for me and I wished I had read it during my high school years. Although I couldn't have, because it wasn't published back then, I know that she has the opportunity to read it now and apply all of the Evert's great advice to her future relationships.

And for all of those young men and women out there who are in a similar situation, waiting and praying for your future spouse, here is a novena prayer I found to St. Agnes—the patron saint of unmarried couples.

St. Agnes, although you were only a child, you believed that Jesus was alway with you; help us to remember that He is also with us and to remain true to His presence.

St. Agnes, you refused to give up your faith, help us to be proud of our faith to love it, to be strong in it, and to give witness to it daily.

St. Agnes, patron saint of unmarried couples, watch over my future husband/wife and I. Please keep us strong in our faith, committed to chastity and virginity until marriage. Be with us and always pray for us. Amen. 

Just like I gave Catie a copy of the Soulmate book, I pray that you too will grow in the light of Christ in your own personal relationships. Ask St. Anges for her intercession and I guarantee she will not let you down! But as I mentioned in my pervious blog post, A Love Worth Waiting For, it may take some time before you meet the right person you are meant to be with. Every milestone in our lives takes patience to complete. It is something that cannot be rushed. Just like graduating from middle school, high school, and college... it all takes time. Relationships also take time to develop and grow in Christ's love.

So as I see it, enjoy the moments we have now. You never know if you'll have tomorrow, so celebrate life today! If it is God's will then everything you can hope for and possibly dream of will happen in His own good time. Probably the hardest part of it all is just giving Him our heart's desires and letting Him have complete control. In doing this, God can work through other people to help guide you. And just as I guided Catie to weekly Mass when she was in Kindergarden, I pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you follow a pure lifestyle in your personal relationships and all of your future endeavors.

            

A Love Worth Waiting For

"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." – Hebrews 13:4

Hello dear friends in Christ! I hope everyone has had a blessed May, Our Lady's special month. Spring is such a beautiful time of year when nature thrives among us. Every day I look out my window and see sunny skies, gorgeous flowers, fluttering butterflies, squirrels scurrying up trees, and birds chirping in the wind. It has been very nice to take some time off now that the semester is over. Now I can relax because all of the hard work is done. I have officially graduated college and earned my degree with the honors of Magna Cum Laude! It has been a whirlwind of a ride, but I have the feeling it is only just getting started. I am ready to embrace a new adventure and to see where God takes me in this amazing world of His.

As I begin to embark on a new phase in life I recall my high school days at the Academy of the Holy Names, an all-girls Catholic high school, where we talked about vocations in religion class. What is a vocation anyways? Well, I can tell you one thing—it's not just a job or a profession, but rather a lifestyle. A vocation is a summons or strong inclination to a particular call by God. This divine calling puts us in the right place to serve God and His Kingdom as best as we can on earth...but only if one adheres to it. If we ignore God's calling to our true vocation we will end up missing out on the best plan He has for us!

Although I feel very strongly that God has called me to graduate school in attending the University of St. Thomas, I know that is not my vocation. That specific calling is more in line with my profession. My vocation will be how I choose to live my life in accordance with God's calling to a particular lifestyle. Maybe going to St. Thomas will help fulfill my vocational calling in leading me in the right direction.

Since I am very active within the Catholic Church many people have asked me if I'd like to become a nun. However, I personally feel called to a married life instead. Even so, religious life is another beautiful vocation! I admire those who choose to love God in this way. It is a great sacrifice. But many people will also tell you that marriage is just as big of a sacrifice, in a different way.

Both vocational callings, married and religious, are different—yet similar. Being a religious, priest, deacon, nun, brother, sister, monk, etc., has the call to love God within the church and the Sacrament of the Eucharist. A priestly vocation, anointed by the Sacrament of Holy Orders, also includes the love of his congregation and clergymen. This is another way to love God, through other people. It is such a beautiful way to love...which is also shown significantly in the Sacrament of Matrimony. In marriage the couple loves one another and commits to this love with their vows, honoring God and each other. In doing so, they love Jesus in a formally committed way because Christ resides in every person. If the couple is blessed with children that committed love extends to their offspring. This is very similar to how love is extended to the congregation of the church in the priesthood.

However the lifestyle may be, love is always the center of the calling. Love is God and God is love! Christ's love is deeply rooted in each of these vocations. ...Although I have yet to mention the calling of a single life. The single life is another type of vocation, but I feel that it is a rare one. Maybe not, but I haven't met that many people called to a single life. Most of my single friends are like myself, waiting for that right person to love in a married life. However, single life is definitely another option for a vocational calling. Some choose to commit their virginity to God during their entire life on earth, like St. Philomena. Others may have been married once, but were widowed, like St. Rita of Cascia.

I like that St. Rita actually lived all three vocations. As a young woman she was married and had children, embracing the calling of marriage. Later, her husband and children died from a terrible disease. As a widow she lived a single life for a while. Then she became a nun in her older age and died peacefully in the religious life. Although she had many hardships, how beautiful it is for her to have lived all of these different vocational callings? She is a great example to anyone who desires to love God with their life and vocation!

I remember feeling called to my vocation a long time ago. When I was given the Sacrament of Confirmation, during my sophomore year of high school, the bishop blessed me with holy oil. During his blessing he looked at my name tag and saw I was taking the name of St. Anne, the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. It was then that he said how I would one day be a great mother, just like St. Anne. It dawned on me that I truly do feel the call to marry and have children. I would love to be a mother someday! However, this call to love must come with patience. Before I can be a great mother I have to wait for the great man God has planned for me to be with. You have probably heard the phrase, "all good things come to those who wait." This calling to love is a love worth waiting for! Waiting for love doesn't only happen within marriage, but also in religious life. A man entering the priesthood must wait years and years before he is ordained with Holy Orders.

This reminds me of the first description of love in 1 Corinthians 13. Saint Paul writes, "Love is patient."  Just think about...he could have put love is patient much farther down on the list of his description. However, he writes it as the first account of love. Without waiting, without having patience, love cannot truly exist. Think about how Christ waited three hours on the cross in indescribable agony just to die for us! It was a big sacrifice but He did it out of true love. ...So like I said before, it may take years to finally live out a personal vocation, but it is totally worth it because your vocation is a love worth waiting for.

Below are two of my favorite songs about love that I wanted to share with you. The first is called "Hide Your Love Away" by the Anthem Lights. This is an amazing single about waiting for marriage! My friend Rachel had shared it with me on Facebook a little while ago and I can't thank her enough for that. The other is called "Plan on Forever" by Dana Glover and Mervyn Warren. I first heard this song on the movie called The Wedding Planner and fell in love with it! I hope these tunes will touch your heart the same way they touched mine. God truly loves you and He wants you to find your happily ever after, according to His own good plan and His own good time. Amen!

            

It's Time For You To Shine!

"You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light." – 2 Samuel 22:29

This past weekend, during Sunday morning Mass, I felt a bit sad when I didn't hear our Holy Father's name read aloud after the consecration of the host. The reality has finally settled in that our Church is without a Pope. Although I am supportive of Pope Emeritus' decision, it's hard to imagine what kind of papacy will transpire within the coming days, weeks, or months. We certainly need someone who will be a strong and devout leader in these difficult times for the Church. I pray that whomever God selects, through the Cardinals, they will be a hit with the young people at World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro this summer. It is with today that we begin to take a step in a new direction for the Catholic Church. Today was the first day the Cardinals met for a pre-conclave meeting. Once the actual conclave begins they will be isolated from the world until a final decision has been made for a new pontiff.

Since the resignation of Benedict XVI there have been a lot of reports and rumors in the media about scandals within the Catholic Church and the Vatican itself. These news sources are not the most trustworthy and should be taken with a grain of salt. There may be some truth to corrupted politics and power within the Vatican, but most of it is twisted and exaggerated to the extreme. Unfortunately, the Church is not perfect because it is run by people. However, Jesus, who founded the Catholic Church, is perfect and will see to it that it becomes perfect at the end of time.

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Meanwhile, we are called to be stewards of faith, hope, and love by shedding light upon the Catholic Church through our own lifestyle. By living in the light of Christ others will see our example and will desire to find that light within themselves. They will feel attracted your interior light, like a moth, and won't cease to look for it as long as they can see it in you. WOW! Wouldn't that be a real statement...if Catholics really lived Catholic!? It seems simple, and yet there are so many Catholics who have fallen away. Some are even embarrassed to be Catholic because of what the media has shaped Catholicism to be. It's a sad reality, which is why we need a good Pope in the coming era.

Whatever the outcome may be for our Holy See we still need to do our best to live the Catholic faith to the fullest and set an example for others. You may not even know how you could touch someone just by being yourself. For example, I had no idea that I genuinely touched my best friend Janelle Sanchez before we became friends. As we became closer friends over the years she wrote a book called Confessions of a Pure Heart and asked me to design the cover. I was pleased with her request, but little did I know that she wrote something so heartfelt about me in her own book! On page 48, she writes,

"People are naturally attracted to things that are good, and through your loving presence, you attract loving people to you. Have you ever heard the phrase, "Birds of a feather flock together?" It means that people who are alike become friends and associate with each other. When you start living a pure lifestyle, and God's love radiates from you like the sun, you will find people who are attracted to this light, no matter where you are. Though your current circle of friends may not appreciate this, some will—and those are the people who will bring you up and not tear you down.

I have a friend named Danielle Duet and she is one of the most cheery people I know. She is always smiling, always happy to see you, and always there with a big hug whenever you see her. Do you want to know how I met her? In the school bathroom. We were both commuters at the time (meaning we drove to college instead of living there). I had noticed she had a rosary hanging in her locker, and I thought about how unique it was to find another Catholic on campus, and decided I wanted to get to know her. I never really had the courage to introduce myself, until we were standing next to each other in front of the sinks. She smiled at me and just looked so friendly I couldn't help but say something, and we became such good friends that she designed the cover of this very book! 

It was her demanor that attracted me, God's love was evident in her life, and she didn't shove her rosary in my face and tell me to pray it. No, simply having it in her locker for her own use was enough for me to gather interest in her. Her very lifestyle attracted me, and now we are close friends."

I honestly had no idea she even wrote that about me until it was published. I was so shocked and amazed that after I read it I almost wanted to cry. Janelle is one of my very best friends! If I hadn't been living my life faithfully and in accordance with God's love on a daily basis I would have never met her. That is why it is ssssooooooo important to live as best you can with God's love pouring out from your heart and soul like a radiant beam of light. You never know who you'll meet or become friends with.

The love of God shown through happiness is contagious! Just smile at someone and see if they smile back. As Blessed Mother Teresa said, "Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting."

That is the life we are called to live by God as Catholics in the Roman Catholic Church. If we all lived like that, as practicing Catholics, no one could ever say anything bad about the Church because they would be so overwhelmed with the love they see in it. So while we are in the transitional period between Popes, Sede Vacante, let us continue to pray for the Church and the new pontiff.

Let me leave you with a song by Owl City called Shooting Star. I was inspired to write this blog for you after listening to Adam Young's music. Even though he is a very popular music artist in the secular media I have heard some of his songs on Spirit FM 90.5, my local Catholic radio station. Apparently he writes songs and lyrics based on his faith as Christian. I never looked at his music that way until now. His songs are very good and I encourage you to listen to this one with an open heart and mind—cause' it's time for YOU to SHINE!

           

Celebrate Life

January Birthday Girls!

"Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward." – Psalm 127:3

You know what's great about January? It's the first month of the year! ...And a new year means new beginnings. It also happens to be my birthday month, which I share with a couple of other good friends. It's a wonderful time of year when my friends and I get to celebrate the gift of life together.

When you think about a person's birthday you think of the day they came into this world. It's only the very beginning of their existence. From that day forward they are given the gift to live each and everyday until God calls them home. Life is a beautiful thing, which is why we celebrate it every year on our own special day. Life is precious. Life is God's own creation. Life is the most valuable aspect of the entire universe, which is why it should always be respected and protected.

However, many people these days have forgotten the value of life. People ignore the fact that the gift of life is what has given them the opportunity to be here today. At one point, all of us were formed in our mother's womb as a tiny fetus. As the days grew into months so did we grow into beautiful babies. But if someone had objected to our life and decided to abort us we wouldn't be here. In fact, we wouldn't have had a birthday because we would have never been born. How sad!?

Not only would we have never existed...but none of our friends would have been given the chance to know us. None of our teachers would have had the opportunity to teach us. Nobody would've had the chance to invite us to special events, like parties, dances, or sports games. Nobody would've given us hugs or kisses. And nobody would have known our kindness or felt the love from our heart that we share with others in the most generous way.

Recently, this month, thousands of pro-life people gathered in Washington DC for the March for Life. It was so amazing to watch all of those people stand up for the those who cannot speak for themselves. Even though I could not attend the event I had the opportunity to watch it live on EWTN.

As of now, it's been 40 years since the Roe vs. Wade abortion law was put into effect. Can you imagine!? That means for the last 40 years hundreds of thousands of babies have been murdered legally! These murders take place every day. In fact, the total estimate of deaths by abortion in the United States since then has risen to the total of 55 million. Fifty-five million!!! Do you realize how much that is? That is almost the same number of people that live in either France or Italy. And to top if off, the current president has included abortion as a part of woman's health care according to his HHS mandate that will take effect in August. How sick!

Although we can't change the fact that our own country has destroyed the lives of so many innocent children, we can stick up for what we believe in and celebrate life itself. As those wonderful people participated in the March for Life, we too, can participate in expressing our concern for those who have yet to see the light of day. I hope and pray that more women will realize how inhuman and barbaric abortion really is. Not only does it hurt the child, but it also hurts the mother in unimaginable ways. This, my friends, is not health care. More and more woman come out of an abortion depressed, feeling terrible remorse, regret, and heartache after the realization sets in. The womb of a mother should be the safest place for her child to grow. Let's keep praying for those women who have already had an abortion and those who are pondering it at this time. May they realize how precious and beautiful life truly is!

I encourage you to celebrate life each and every day. Life is a gift! As you can see, we are so blessed to be living and breathing right now. Although some are not so lucky, we can be the voice for them in this war on life. God has a plan for each of us, so let's make the most of it. As for those who are pro-choice here is the choice I'm asking you to make: choose LIFE!

The following video shows groups of Catholics gathered at the March for Life 2013 in Washington DC. Check it out! :)

         

There's A Glitch

"There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." - John 15:13

Over the weekend I finally saw the new Disney movie called Wreck-It Ralph. It was so cute!!! I highly recommend it for a family movie night. It's most definitely enjoyable for all ages, very well done, and super entertaining!

*SPOILER ALERT!* Throughout the duration of the movie I noticed many good and valuable life lessons. Here are some just to name a few. One: the desire for conversion. Two: the true meaning of love and friendship. Three: to restore/mend what is broken—especially if you created the problem or mess in the fist place.

Initially, I noticed the expression of Ralph's desire for conversion. After a long life of continuously breaking things people began to hate him for it. Being a video-game character, Ralph was created as a "bad guy" for his game called Fix-It Felix, Jr. The "good guy" was Felix and everyone loved him. He was always getting medals for doing good deeds. He was praised and honored for being such an exemplary role model—always fixing what was broken. Ralph was tired of living like this. He decided he didn't want to be the "bad guy" anymore. He wanted to be good! He wanted to change his life for the better! And he wanted to be truly happy.

Although he had such a great desire in his heart, the task was not easy. Everyone kept telling him that "bad guys" don't win medals and can never be good. This was discouraging, but he did not give up. He realized he could not win a medal in his own game, so he decided game jump into Hero's Duty. In this game he found a way to win a medal. Everything was going just fine until some of the CY-Bugs started to attack him.

This relates very much to how to devil will try to discourage you and attack you for doing something that is good. Since his desire for conversion was so great no wonder why it was challenging! These obstacles that get in our way need to be acknowledged in our lives, but must not defeat us. We need to overcome evil when we are faced with it. We must continue to aim for the best—like Ralph did when he desired to win that shiny golden medal and become a "good guy."

As he was trying to get away from the bugs, Ralph was chased into a little girl's game called Sugar Rush. In the land made of candy Ralph met very spirited little rascal, Vanellope von Schweetz. Little Vanellope was known as "the glitch" because her programming code was messed up. In Sugar Rush all the other little girls could race cars, but Vanellope couldn't be a racer since she was a glitch and would mess up the game.

Both Ralph and Vanellope, two very unlikely friends, formed a bond relating to the fact that they were always unwanted by everyone else around them. The two misfits made a deal to help each other get what they want—Ralph's medal and Vanellope's race car. Fortunately, they found a way to achieve their desires. However, once Vanellope had her race car Ralph pulverized it to protect her from racing. He talked to King Candy and found out that Vanellope could destroy the game and herself if she were to race since she was a glitch. Ralph's intentions were good, but again he came across as the "bad guy." This made Vanellope very upset.

Eventually Ralph found out that King Candy had lied to him about Vanellope racing. In fact, King Candy was the one who messed up her code in the first place to make her a glitch. He was trying to prevent her from racing because if she did she would reset the game and her code would be fixed.

At this revelation Ralph got Felix to fix Vanellope's race car. This also helped in mending their friendship. After some training and getting her car back Vanellope was ready to race. She was admitted as a contestant and took off. But during the race thousands of CY-Bugs appeared and began to attack the game of Sugar Rush. If they didn't stop the bugs, Sugar Rush and the entire gaming arcade would be destroyed!

Ralph knew what he had to do. He wanted to save Vanellope, her game, and the arcade. The only way he could think of doing it would be to smash into the top of Coke Mountain and make all the mentos icicles fall into the soda. This would make a huge explosion and eliminate the CY-Bugs from the game. However, if Ralph died in the explosion outside his own game he would not regenerate—meaning he would be gone for good. But he took the risk in doing so to save Vanellope and everyone else.

This is a very Christ-like action he took. Ralph decided to sacrifice himself for his friend's life. If there is anything to take away from this movie, that would be it. What a great life lesson! And to top it off, his heroic deed screams "good guy"—which is far better then winning any medal, in my opinion. Even though he didn't die, because little Vanellope snatched him up in her race car just in time, he was most certainly willing to die for her.

Ralph also made an effort to fix Vanellope's race car. Although he could not do it himself, he found someone who could. Ralph realized that it was wrong to destroy her car and he should have let her race in the first place. Come to find out, King Candy was an impostor known as Turbo (who was another racer from a different game).

Once the CY-Bugs were gone Vanellope crossed the finish line and Sugar Rush was reset. All of the code was restored and the characters could remember what had happened before King Candy took over. Apparently, Vanellope wasn't just a racer—she was also known as "Princess Vanellope von Schweetz." All of the girls who used to make fun of her for being a glitch were now in awe of her royalty. Ralph was also recognized as a hero for saving the gaming community. 

In the end, Ralph was still the "bad guy" for his game because that's his role. However, he is now accepted as a friend among the other characters. In fact, there would be no Fix-It Felix game without Ralph...so he is definitely recognized as an important member. But the best thing that came out of this entire adventure was his friendship with Vanellope. Disney demonstrated a beautiful Christ-like love between these two crazy characters. Plus, the two misfits are now in there rightful place, are recognized as being important members of their own game, and there is peace among the communities. Talk about a real happily ever after! We, too, should strive for love and peace within our own world through prayer, fasting, and the demonstration of it in our own lives.

          

Love The Babies

Kissing the Face of God

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." - Jeremiah 1:5

It is so sad to what the world is coming to, especially on the topic of abortion. How can a nation survive if its leaders destroy its own people? ...It simply can't. In this upcoming election life and death is at stake. This is probably the most critical issue, even above our United States national debt. What we need to realize, as Americans, is that ABORTION IS MURDER! There is no other way to spin that.

All of us, at one point, developed from a tiny microscopic egg in our mother's womb. In Christianity we are taught that life begins at the moment of conception. As a country founded by Christians we need to keep our morals and values in line that began from our establishment. We all have inalienable rights stated in the Declaration of Independence as, "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." And "life" is the first one! Every person, inside or outside of their mother's womb, should have the right to life.

Even though a developing baby is incapable of making that decision we still don't have the right to decide for the child. We need to love them! We need to protect them! And a mother's womb, of all places, should be the safest for a growing child. The poor innocent babies have done nothing wrong to deserve death. They should have the freedom to live!!!

In our country the current president is trying to fund abortions in the health-care plan. We will all have to pay for abortions through our own taxes. We will have no choice but to give money to those organizations who contribute to this horrific massacre. Even Catholic hospitals will begin to close everywhere since funding this type of procedure does not concur with the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church. That means 12.6% of all hospitals in the United States will close! Talk about hurting our economy with extensive spending...this will just effect our whole nation in every negative way imaginable. How can the government even force that upon us? It is just sssoooo unconstitutional.

Praise God that Cardinal Timothy Dolan gave the benediction at both political conventions...especially at the DNC. He is a very brave and holy man of God. During the benediction, he prayed, "Thus do we praise You for the gift of life. Grant us the courage to defend it, life, without which no other rights are secure. We ask Your benediction on those waiting to be born, that they may be welcomed and protected."

He continued praying, "We praise and thank You for the gift of liberty. May this land of the free never lack those brave enough to defend our basic freedoms. Renew in all our people a profound respect for religious liberty: the first, most cherished freedom bequeathed upon us at our Founding. May our liberty be in harmony with truth; freedom ordered in goodness and justice. Help us to live our freedom in faith, hope, and love." If I hadn't known any better it was almost as if Cardinal Dolan was tossed into a cage of ferocious man-eatting lions ready to attack. Obviously some people did not like what he had to say. Even all of the TV stations cut off the airing during mid-prayer except FOX News. Click here to view the entire text of the benediction from the DNC. Click here to see what Women of Grace had to say about it on their lovely blog.

Even though the Catholic Church cannot technically side with either political party, it is clearly demonstrated that the Republican party has values which are much closer to those of the Catholic faith. You can even view the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops statement on religious liberty. For more information visit PriestsForLife.org. This is a crucial turning point for our country. If our nation keeps Obama in the White House for another four years the United States of America will cease to exist as we know it!

But the great thing is, you can do something about it! If you are an American citizen and are 18 years of age or older you are eligible to vote. If you love God and love the babies, I advise you to vote conservatively. Plus, both Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are both holy and prayerful men. Ryan is even a practicing Catholic! Thus, a vote for them is a vote for life!

I believe they do have authority from God to help get this country back on track. But, like I said, it is up to you. So please, during this time, ask our Blessed Mother to guide our country in this great decision. After all, she is the purest of all mothers. The mother of every nation. The mother of the United States. Also, continue to pray for the protection of all the unborn children in the world and for the survival of our religious hospitals.

In the following video you will see Melissa Ohden speak about how she survived a failed abortion. This is a very powerful video. I advise you to share it on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to distribute the message to your friends. We all have a choice in this election, as Americans. How will YOU answer?

Also, my friend Kendall sent me a song she wrote on this topic of abortion. She truly felt a calling from God to get this message out there, especially to teens. This pop song called "The Cries" has a lot of truth to it. Kendall said, "I wrote this song to hopefully bring attention to all the innocent unborn children who are being killed every day by the act of abortion. My heart aches for the children who will never have the choice to live."

Facebook Friends In "Real Life"

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth." - 1 Corinthians 13:6

Ok... so admit it, we've all done things a little backwards before. For example; sometimes we go to the mall, pick out an outfit, buy it, take it home, and then try it on. However, it is usually better to try on the clothes at the mall first, before you buy them, just to make sure they fit and look good. When you take home the outfit first there is a big chance you might not like it and want to take it back---because from my shopping experience---the outfit almost always looks better in the store, on the rack, then when you take it home and try it on.

The same goes for meeting people online before you meet them in person. (Not that people are like clothes in any way, shape, or form. lol. But the example here seems to showcase my point.) This is sort of backwards to how you would normally meet a person. It is much better to meet them in person first and to connect with them online afterwards. When you meet someone online first you don't have the luxury of seeing who they truly are. They could easily hide behind a profile of what you think they are. From my recent experience, I found out this is truly the case. Even if you really really think you know them, you can never be 100% sure of anything about them until you see them face to face. When someone is dishonest with you in real life it is easy to see their body language and personal reaction. This makes it hard for them to deceive you. But through the internet, texting, and sometimes even in phone conversations being deceptive can become very easy.

For example, I met someone online through a Catholic dating website---let's call him Andrew (although that is not his real name). Andrew and I talked for several months on the phone. We seemed to have lots in common---from our faith, music, movies, books, all the way to taste in food. We had loads of fun chatting for hours at a time. I truly thought he was unlike anyone I ever knew. He made me feel so special. We connected on social networking sites and video called each other. He actually lived very far away from me, so this was as close as we could get to be "in person." Since I saw him on the video chat I thought, Yeah, see, he is who he says he is. It's fine. *ahhemm* ...Not really.

Little did I know that Andrew was not who I thought he was. Over time it became easier and easier to see the reality of the situation. I don't believe he was being completely honest with me and I find that unsettling. It's sad because Andrew and I never got to meet face to face, but it was his choice. Early on we arranged a way for us to meet up in person but it never worked out. I believe God was protecting me from getting my heart even more broken. I'm not going to go into anymore details, because it's over and doesn't need to be brought up again. The fact is, I was painting a picture in my head of who I wanted him to be which was different from his real character.

"The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out." - Proverbs 10:9

This type of deception is very alarming. That is why I caution anyone who tries online dating, even on Catholic websites, because you never know who it is you are really talking to. Even one of my very good friends had the exact same thing happen to her! I honestly don't condom meeting people online. I actually know of some people who found their future spouse on the same Catholic website and it turned out to be completely fine! It was absolutely wonderful!!! But I'm just putting out a fair warning to anyone who wants to try it.

The good news is that God can, in fact, bring us holy Catholic people closer together through the internet. Like I said, meeting people online is not bad at all. There just needs to be a precaution taken into consideration. I've met many people online first and then in person. I actually met the Nolan family on YouTube. Eventually we met in person and took a pilgrimage to Medjugorje together. I've met several other classmates on Facebook first and now one of them is a really good friend of mine.

Furthermore, I've been talking to a Catholic girl on Facebook named Therese for a few years now. Somehow she found me and sent me a friend request with a sweet message. I accepted her and guess what!?! We are now actually friends in real life! I just met her a couple days ago. She is truly a remarkable person. For the longest time we've messaged each other, texted, phone called, and Skyped. But now, we finally got to meet in person. This is very unusual because she doesn't live anywhere near me at all. In fact she lives many states north of Florida, where I live. However, she decided to go to college in Florida and we were finally able to meet in person.

It was so surreal when we actually met. It was almost like seeing an old friend that you hadn't seen in a very very long time. Therese is a wonderful person! She is Catholic, devout, faithful, loyal, honest, trustworthy...and the great part is, she really is who she says she is. Therese encompasses all the qualities I actually imagined her to be. There was no fraudulent picture of her in my head. This confirms that our friendship was not fantasized, but it actually was and is real. It is so refreshing to know that since I recently had a not-so-good-experience online with Andrew. But after praying about it for some time now, I think I see why God allowed that experience to happen and why it didn't work out. It was a very good learning experience. It has made me wiser and more wary with people I meet over the internet.

I am grateful for knowing Therese and pray that we continue to be really good friends. Like I said before, meeting people online can be a very good thing since you can reach people of the same faith outside your local area.

But if you are trying online dating websites I suggest to match up with people within the same vicinity, or state, at least. Even if you find someone else outside your local area---who might be many states away---just make sure you don't get your heart too caught up emotionally right off the bat. You need to find out from them if you'll ever be able to meet them in person, otherwise it is a waste of time. If you're never going to see them why continue the relationship? So, my advice is to pray for that person. Pray a novena for you and for them if you feel called to meet them in real life. And if you are not currently online dating, but want to, I suggest to pray a novena for that too. Ask Mary in the rosary. I guarantee she will lead you to those who also hold her, as a mother, close to their heart.

May God bless you! †

Pursue Your Dreams

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." - Matthew 7:7

Today I'd like to talk to you about following your dreams! Everyone has dreams they want to pursue...even if they are realistic or not. God has placed certain desires in your heart. This is so you can pursue those longings and take action towards your lifelong goals. He has given everyone of us on earth a mission to fulfill in this life. The question is, do we know what that mission is? Are we aware of our passion and purpose? And if so, how do we go about it?

I don't have all the answers to those questions. As a matter of fact I'm still trying to figure it out myself. But I do know that if we want to be truly happy and live a successful life for the Lord that we must submit ourselves to Him and His Holy Will.

Have you ever heard the phrase, "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans"...? It is not that our dreams are funny in the least. If you feel called to do something, go for it! But it is in the way you go about it that must be taken into consideration. Making plans to follow a dream without God's help is not only unwise, but it is also really dangerous. The devil could easily influence you to make the wrong decision and, in turn, it could end up costing you your dream. Going to God in prayer and asking Him to make our dreams a reality is definitely how we should start when pursuing a goal.

After praying about it don't expect the answer to come right away, like a poof of magic. Praying is something we do in our time. The answer's come in God's time. Meanwhile, you should be concentrating on how to achieve your goal. As St. Augustine said, "Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as everything depended on you." Putting in the effort, for example, like studying to do well on a test...is what will give you the good grade. You can't expect God to just hand it to you. In order to pursue your dream it will take a lot of effort! But are you willing to go the extra mile to get there?

For example, one of my favorite movies is Rudy. In the movie Rudy wanted to attend the University of Notre Dame for as long as he could remember. Not only did he want to go to school there, but he also wanted to play college football for them too. He was a poor boy, not very well educated, and didn't have the best grades. It was a long shot, but even when everyone around him told him that Notre Dame was out of his league he ended up surprising them all. After a few years of attending Holy Cross he ended up transferring to Notre Dame with the grades he needed to get in! He also played football for them and dressed out for one of the games! That was all he needed. He was just happy to even be in that one football game.

The moral of the story is, don't give up on your dreams when others do. If you feel called by God to do something, then do it! Right now I feel called to pursue my master's degree after I graduate college next year. I know that I need to look into it now because it is so competitive. I'm also really looking forward to attending a Catholic university because right now I do not. I miss the fellowship of other Catholics around me on a daily basis. So, whatever it may be, I am willing to accept God's Will because I know He knows best.

Maybe you still don't know what your lifelong dream is. That's okay. If this is the case just go to God and ask Him. Don't worry. It might take a while but if you trust Him I promise that He will lead you to the right goal in life. Remember, He loves you so much and wants the best out of life for you! Also, you might want to check out some really good books by Matthew Kelly. He offers great advice about passion, purpose, following your dreams, and how to become the best version of yourself. Here is a video I found from one of his conferences called "What's Your Dream?" Enjoy!!

Praying that God will make your dreams a reality! (And please pray for me too, if you can. Thank you so much!) God bless! :)

God Bless America

"Jesus answered, 'My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world'." - John 18:36

Hello dear friends in Christ! Today is the fourth of July. Happy Independence Day to the United States of America! It is wonderful to be a citizen of the land of the free and the brave. In this time, especially now, we as Catholics need to come together and pray for our beloved country. It is imperative. With the upcoming elections and so much going on in the world we need to humble ourselves before the throne of God and beg His mercy on us and the USA. On January 19, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI said, "It is imperative that the entire Catholic community in the United States come to realize the grave threats to the Church's public moral witness presented by a radical secularism which finds increasing expression in the political and cultural sphere." Our Catholic faith helps to inspire us all for the protection of human life and the dignity of every soul. Religious freedom in America is a gift. If we can no longer practice our own faith in our own country the common good and the American way of life will be in jeopardy.

This past Friday I went to a huge Mass in our diocese to pray for our country called "Fortnight for Freedom." Bishop Robert Lynch came to our local parish to celebrate the Mass and gave a wonderful homily explaining the dire situation we are currently facing. Even though we are praying that our country will open up to God's Holy Will we also need to be aware that it might not. If this is the case, if America does not have a change of heart, we must take the road less traveled by and continue to stand by God. We need to remember, like Jesus, our home of eternity is not here and not of this world. Ask yourself, am I willing to fight for what is right? Like true servants of Christ we need to flock to Him and take on the battle. You can see throughout history how many saints have suffered martyrdom for the Father in Heaven. Are we, as a country, willing to go that route if necessary? Would you lay down your life for your God? Jesus, who loves us so passionately, died on the cross for us. Could we possibly die for Him as well?

Needless to say, we need to fervently pray that our country will have a change of heart and stand by the Constitution, one nation under God. I certainly believe that America has the ability to change, for the better. But like I said, if it does not, for some reason, we need to pray to God for the strength to endure whatever comes. We need to ask Him for the grace to bare the unbearable and live life in America without fear.

One quote Bishop Lynch shared with us at Mass is from Archbishop Thomas Wenski. He said, "As Catholics, we help people not because they are Catholic, but because we are Catholic." Let us live that message and strive to help America through our prayers and sacrifices so we can become a holy nation.

If you would like to visit the Diocese of St. Petersburg website for the "Fortnight for Freedom" click here. If you would like to view Bishop Lynch's blog post click here. You can also download the PDF version of the Litany for Liberty and pray together with friends and family for America. God bless you on this July 4th and God bless America!!!

And He Will Raise You Up On The Last Day

"Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord." - James 5:14

Yesterday, with my mother and sister, we visited my grandmother for her birthday. We have had many wonderful birthdays with her in the past -- so many beautiful memories, full of festive balloons and chocolate cake covered in chocolate icing. However, this was not one of those birthdays. But it was a very blessed one for her. Since my grandmother started to get cancer 3 years ago she has suffered a lot. After going through so much treatment in the hospitals and rehab it is now time for her to begin a new life with God. On her birthday we visited her in hospice.

The amazing thing was as soon as we got there, not too long after, we just happened to see our pastor from church walk by the door of her room. I was so surprised, so I just decided to come out and greet him. When I saw him I realized that he was with another priest from our parish too. Both came into my grandmother's room and talked with us for a while. Then they both prayed over her and one of the priest's gave her the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. This was such a joyous moment! My grandmother was definitely in need of these prayers and this special sacrament. I am so happy for her, that on her birthday she was blessed with so many abundant graces. It was truly a divine act of God -- that two of our parish priests just happened to be at the same hospice house and we saw them walk right past her room, just in time.

I know very shortly my grandmother will be welcomed into Jesus' arms. It is just so very hard to let go, but I truly want what is best for her... and being here on earth is not giving her the quality of life she needs. So I pray that we can accept God's Will, when the time comes. I just thank Him for giving her all of these great birthday blessings and how wonderful she has been as a grandmother to me and my sister. My grandmother taught me how to paint and draw from such an early age. I cannot thank her enough for this. She has greatly influenced my life and she will be greatly missed. However, I know in my heart this is not the end. ...No, no. ...It is only the beginning.