Among Women ReadHER 8.11.12... Olympic Gold, Flannery O'Connor, NFP, and more

Among Women ReadHER 8.11.12

What I Learned from Having the Sikh Temple Shooting Practically in My Backyard
By Marge Fenelon at Catholic Lane
With Aurora's shootings still on folks' minds, Marge Fenelon reflects on this recent shooting at a Sikh place of worship in Wisconsin.

Clear Skies Reveal Messy Scope of Manila Flood
By Oliver Teves at The Boston Globe
This situation needs our prayer and our outreach. Two million people affected. 

Baltimore Bishop Lori: Catholic Voters Can't Vote for a Candidate Who Stands for An Intrinsic Evil
By Kathryn Jean Lopez, Editor at National Review Online
Stirring words from the Archbishop, sentiments from the Vatican, and more on the religious liberty fight here in the USA.

Flannery O'Connor and the Hardest Lesson of All
By Lorraine Murray at The Integrated Catholic Life
An author reflecting on author Flannery O'Connor's life of writing and suffering. (H/T Maria Morera Johnson)

Congrats and Mazel Tov to Aly Raisman
By Tony Rossi at Christopher Close-Up
All I can say is this routine is poetry in motion. It is fluid, graceful, and it looks like this young woman is flying and being borne on air. Congrats to Aly Raisman from Massachusetts! If you haven't seen it, enjoy the video of this Gold Medal-winning routine.

The Faith of an Olympian
By Katrina Fernandez at The Crescat
Cool photos of faith-filled Olympians... I especially loved the portrait of Our Lady whipped out from the Gold Medal Winner's shirt! 

Top 10 Reasons to Use NFP
Posted at IUSENFP
Very helpful reminders, especially if you are unaware of all the benefits of using Natural Family Planning methods. Speaking of this subject, Among Women has two shows in our archives on this: AW 46 on the Billings method,  and AW 42 on the Creighton method.  

Among Women ReadHER 8.4.12

Among Women ReadHER

8.4.12

The Dark Knight Rises

By Peggy Noonan from her column, Declarations, at the Wall Street Journal

Lots to think about on the state of culture, as it pertains to violence, entertainment, and parenting.

50 Encouraging Tweets for Women from (in)courage
Posted by (in)courage
A fun Christian site for women with some cool quotes from Twitterers.


How Children Evangelize Us
By Gretchen Filz at CatholicMom
A great article on how "a little child shall lead them."


5 Steps to Embracing NFP
By Renee McGuire at The Practicing Catholic
Good stuff here.


A Jury of My Peers
By Jaymie Stuart Wolfe at The Boston Pilot
Jaymie talks about her months seated on a grand jury. 


What Guys Need to Know About Women
By Marge Fenelon at CatholicMom
An excellent explanation of the gifts femininity can bring to the workplace. My book, due out in 2013, talks about a women's gifts, among other themes.


Lou Xiaoying: Story of Chinese Woman Who Saved and Raised 30 Abandoned Babies in China
As Reported in The Daily Mail, London
This might just be woman of the year, or of the decade -- if they were voting in China.


Athletes Astound But "Fairness" Rule Leaves Us Dismayed
By Mary Beth Hicks at Family Events
Some folks think a US gymnast -- the reigning world champion -- ought to have been able to compete for an individual medal.

Regis Jesuit student and Olympian Missy Franklin, a gold medalist swimmer, backed by her fellow classmates.  


Not an article, but an announcement of a free online course called "Pillars of Catholicism" being offered beginnning Aug 20 from John Paul University. You might wish to check it out.

Among Women ReadHER 5.5.12... obedience, grace, May crownings, NFP, tweens online...

Among Women ReadHER 5.5.12

Obedience: The Dirtiest Word in America
By Julie Davis at Happy Catholic
Take and read and consider it carefully.

Credo: Mary Eberstadt
By Liz Essley at Washington Examiner
Mary Eberstadt briefly gives a history lesson on why women are not as happy as they once were, a premise from her new book Adam and Eve After the Pill.

Brandon Vogt's Interview with author Dawn Eden on healing from sexual abuse. 
Posted at The Thin Veil
(Blog post and video) Speaking of books, Dawn's latest book, My Peace I Give You, is addressed in this interview (15 mins.)

Kristen Walker: Fearless, Funny, and Pro-Life

By Jennifer Fulwiler at National Catholic Register

So good to hear clear voices in the pro-life cause.


How to Plan a May Crowning for Kids
By Lacy Robideau at Catholic Icing
Great activity! Every Catholic child should have a memory of a May crowning in their life. 


If You've Been Looking for a Sign
By Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience
Christian author Ann Voskamp talks grace, graffiti, gifts.


How to Ruin Your Marriage Using NFP
By Simcha Fisher at her blog National Catholic Register
Seriously fun and very worthwhile.


The Endearing Name of Mommy
By Susan Terbay at Catholic Mom
Oh. Wow. This is so me... the Mom of young adults looking back on the Mommy years.


A Rose for My Mother
By Bishop Libasci of Manchester, NH
Funny, sweet, and serious memoir and tribute to the Blessed Mother. (Elsewhere, I'm doing some talking of my own about Mary and the Hail Mary here, and about my varied nicknames for Mary here.)


Tweens Secret Lives Online
By Katherine Rossman at the Wall Street Journal
Got tweens? Teens? Pre-tweens? Don't miss this.


Legal Scholar Helen Alvare gives a great talk on Religious Freedom and Sexual Liberation. I highly recommend your listening and digesting this content. Please share this video link with others. 





And finally, one of the coolest events in the Archdiocese of Boston every year that is touching our young adults...

Among Women ReadHER 4.21.12... love, brides, nfp, facebook, blogs & more

Among Women ReadHER 4.21.12

Love Desires to Know the Beloved
By Randall Smith at The Catholic Thing
This is brilliant. We cannot love what we do not know. A "must read" for anyone who is trying to not just think about faith, or "be spiritual", but actually go deeper and live the faith. 


America's Crisis of Character
By Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal
Read it. Decide in advance not to panic, but to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. (See Micah 6:8.)

The Resurrection of Our Bodies
By Christopher West at Theology of the Body Institute
Short, but power-packed catechesis here. (FWIW, in a similar vein, here is my article on the same theme from last week at Amazing Catechists.)


Here Comes the Catholic Bride
By Lori Hadesek Chaplin at National Catholic Register
Shopping for a bridal gown? Some options and opinions here worth a look.


The Bride Who Was Groomed for a Career
By Lea Singh at Mercator
This packs a punch, that is worth deep consideration by women of all ages. Nothing speaks more loudly to us than the voice of experience. This will dare you to scrutinize your own life in terms of the way you've spent it. Your feminine genius may call out to you in this, so be forewarned, your mileage may vary. 


The End of Women
By Carolyn Moynihan
If that last article got your attention, you probably should read this one. These are exactly the themes that a new feminism proposed by the Church needs to address.

Young Catholic Women Try to Modernize The Message of Birth Control

By Michelle Boorstein at Washington Post

This headline is slightly misleading, but lots of content on the subject of Natural Family Planning and its attraction or rejection by women (especially Catholic or Christian women) who might use it or reject it.

Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?
By Stephen Marche in The Atlantic
Loneliness, narcissism, isolation, connections... lots of food for thought here. Loved this line: "...we are left thinking about who we are all the time, without ever really thinking about who we are." Important words for a Christian to consider.


Divine Mercy
By Amy Welborn at Charlotte Was Both
A beautiful memoir of saying goodbye to your parents' house and the memories there. 


A Beautiful Love Story
By Jill Joiner at Echoes of the Cross at Patheos
Another more brief slice-of-life post that reflects the power of real love. A piece from last month that I must have missed, but worth the read.


The Mystery of Motherhood
By Sherry Boas at Catholic Mom
This one needed a "love" button for facebook.


Life After Lesbianism
By Dawn Wilde at LifeSite News
A very brave post, and one we need more of, frankly. 
(This is an issue I'd like to address on Among Women, but as yet, have not found a guest willing to talk about the subject. If any of you have any insight or resources on this subject, send me a private email at pat.gohn@comcast.net.)  


Dateline Series Proves What We Don't Know About Kids
By Mary Beth Hicks at a Family Events
Some very good help for parents here.


A Prayer Campaign for the Protection of Religious Freedoms
Posted at the USCCB
The US Bishops are calling us to pray for the protection of religious liberty in the US, and offer prayer card for our use. You'll also find bulletin announcements and other resources on this page.

Watch a 4 minute video featuring Bishop William Lori describing forming consciences on faithful citizenship. From the USCCB.

Test of Fire: Election 2012
Posted by Bishop Christopher Coyne (of Indianapolis) at Thoughts of a Catholic Bishop
Recommended by Bishop Coyne, it describes our duty to know the issues and to vote in the Nov. election.

Mother, May We Fight for Freedom?
Posted by Kathryn Lopez at K-Lo at Large
K-Lo posts the entire text of Mother Agnes Mary Donovan from Sisters for Life, and her stirring speech/reflection at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast this week.

Among Women ReadHer... 7.30.11: Sexy NFP, Prayer and Stress, Saint Therese, Internet Kiddos

Among Women ReadHer

7.30.11

NFP: Making Catholic Sex Sexy

--Ashley E. McGuire at AltCatholicah

H/T to The Anchoress, Elizabeth Scalia for this find. I'm a supporter and a user of NFP... using a symto-thermal method for much of my marriage, but switching to Billings method (BOM) when I hit mid-life. So far, so good. Okay, if this NFP topic is of interest to you, there's more conversation going on with Danielle Bean and with Rachel Balducci over at Faith and Family Live. Finally, you can hear previous episodes of AW on the subject:  AW 42 on the Creighton Model, and AW 46 on the Billings Method.


Seeing Through the Eyes of God: Therese [of Lisieux]
--Heather King at Shirt of Flame
Heather has a way of honestly listening to the heart, and actually sharing what she hears. Her book on St. Therese is coming out soon.


Technology Creates New Risks for Kids, Families
--Mary Beth Hicks at Family Events 
Parents: Stay informed. Now we gotta learn Google +! You may also want to read this one on how kids fool their parents about their online "life". (BTW, Hick's newsletter is worth subscribing to --very solid in the topics & info posted for families.) 


Stress: a Pathway to Prayer?
--Kathy Coffey, with a new column over at Patheos
Some excellent applications to daily life. (I'm not a fan of the yoga reference only cuz so many folks confuse it for a religious/spirituality practice -- or in place of it.) But the experience of deep breathing and using the other "techniques" for prayer are recommended by Kathy and by me. 


Cord Blood and God's Grandeur
--Simcha Fisher at National Catholic Register
I've been a proponent of this, being a cancer-survivor. The technology was not around when I gave birth, but I'm glad to see more women investigating this. Here's a list of places to donate cord blood.