Ginny’s Gems

by Marc Postiglione | We need to explain to our youth that mercy must be met with continual daily conversion in our own lives. In examining the parable of the prodigal son...

by Kevin Clark " | Recently, I read the novel The Children of Men by P. D. James. The premise of the book is that sometime in the not too distant future, women stop conceiving and giving birth. The book takes place approximately 25 years after the last child was born, and so there are, on the face of the earth, no more children.

by Dave Armstrong | Once upon a time, virtually no Christians denied that Mary the mother of Jesus was perpetually a virgin: including Protestants. Of the early leaders of that movement, virtually all fully accepted this doctrine: including Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Bullinger, and Cranmer.

Emily Molitor believes that involving grandparents and children together teaches incredible life lessons. Turns out, we need them more than they need us.

by Abby Sasscer | When Baby Girl felt she was ready to move in her sister’s room, our challenge was to make them feel like they had their own “special space”. This took a bit of creativity since the space we were working with was so limited. When Baby Girl is a bit older, we will eventually move a bunk bed in here to make their special space a bit more permanent.

by Kerry Costanzo | It seems that the time has come. After nine years, our little house must be tired. Tired and busting at the seams. Its walls scream out in pain from being hit one too many times with soccer balls.

Kids' Corner | Download this 'The Glory of Easter' Word Puzzle! A fun activity to for all ages! Search for these words: Ascension, Athanasius, baptize, disciples, Fatima, James, Matthias, olives, Philip, Trinity, Visitation, worker.

by John Clark | Alright, homeschool Dads. Your wife is reaching the end of another academic year. She has endured arguments from the teenagers about book reports for Goodbye, Mr. Chips. She has sharpened dozens of number 2 pencils.

In the teaching of the Church, there are only three original societies or communities on Earth: the family, the Church, and the state. … According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “The family is the original cell of social life. It is the natural society in which husband and wife are called to give themselves in love, and in the gift of life."

by Charles Asper | All 19 years of my classroom education took place in public institutions. My father (a son of a Lutheran missionary and minister) was a public school teacher. I even had him as my Algebra, Trigonometry and Geometry teacher in High School (not quite homeschooling, but I really enjoyed him as a teacher).

by Dave Armstrong | Our Protestant friends in Christ often challenge us to find “proofs” of our doctrines in the Bible. When it comes to the doctrine of the Assumption, almost all of them think or say: “there is nothing whatever in the Bible about that!”

by Mary Kay Clark | St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, is considered by the Church to be a patron saint for mothers, and is honored by the Church with her feast day on May 4th. Monica was born in 332—only 300 years after the crucifixion of Jesus—in Tagaste, currently Algeria, in North Africa.

by Liz Beller | The past few months have put a little strain on our wallets… due to that finally, a year and a half after our wedding, my husband and I are beginning to budget. I know, we probably should have started sooner, but getting over the initial hurdles of settling into an apartment, figuring out monthly bills, oh yeah, and having a baby, pushed budgeting to the back burner.

by Emily Molitor | Our days are eternal. Yes, you and I will live forever in heaven, but have we ever reflected upon the fact that not only are our heavenly days eternal, but that the moments we are living here and now will live forever in the mind of God, and therefore live on in eternity?

by John Clark | Why don’t more people write moving pieces? I think that one of the answers is that it’s risky. When you leave a part of yourself on the page, and someone doesn’t like it, it is hard to accept that fact—when people don’t like your work, you sometimes feel like they don’t like you. That can be a bitter pill to swallow.

by Mary Lou Warren | All my life, I thought the ability to multitask was a positive and desirable “talent” to acquire. It seemed a great way to accomplish numerous tasks in a short period of time. Intellectually I reasoned that with all the many technological innovations at hand, life should become simpler.

As pro-life Catholics, Barth and Abbie Bracy don’t want to pay for health insurance that covers elective abortion, but under the Affordable Care Act, they don’t have much choice. The Bracys’ health-insurance plan is set to expire in November, and all policies currently offered by Access Health CT, Connecticut’s health care exchange, include coverage for elective abortions.

Being organized often seems impossible, & moms ask “Why try again?” Here are 3 simple themes broken into 13 easy tips to give you fresh hope and order!

by Dave Armstrong | One of the most fascinating of Luther's beliefs has to do with the question of Mary's Immaculate Conception (her being preserved from original sin from the moment of her conception). Luther had a rather “high” Mariology in many respects.

by Ken Clark | Back in the golden age of Hollywood, major studios made religious movies that actually praised God and religion. Charleton Heston alone seems to have played most of the Apostles and Prophets. Who can forget his roles as Moses in The Ten Commandments or John the Baptist in The Greatest Story Ever Told, two excellent religious movies.