Amazing Catechists

Teaching and learning the faith together

Puppet Script: Jesus, the Greatest Gift of All!

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This week, I offer you another Advent-themed script about a grumpy kid frustrated with all the busyness and distraction of the adults during Advent.

Jesus the Greatest Gift of All-Advent

Feel free to change the names, add or subtract from the content, and share my free script in any way that helps you catechize and enjoy the season with your family, your students, or your parish. I recommend it be used as a puppet show for little ones or a skit to be performed by your confident readers!

NOTE: The only thing I ask is that you not sell the scripts. I own the copyrights and I’d like to keep them free for everyone. If you charge for performances, that’s fine. I know your ministries can use all the help they can get!

p.s.

Some of my scripts, you will notice, were inspired (many years ago) by a Christian script writer by the name of Louise Ferry. I believe this is where you can currently find her wonderful work: https://puppetscripts.tripod.com/puppet.htm

Interview with Dr. Brant Pitre on His New Book!

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My Friends, Enjoy this delightful half-hour with Dr. Brant Pitre. We’re talking about his fantastic new book, “Introduction to the Spiritual Life: Walking the Path of Prayer with Jesus.”

Just click the book cover to watch my super-fun chat with Dr. Pitre!

I highly recommend this resource for individuals and groups.

It is truly accessible to anyone–from teens and RCIA candidates to those who are advanced in the spiritual life. 

Dr. Pitre presents the faith in easy steps, without skimping on the beauty, majesty, challenge, and joy of growing in the spiritual life.

You can order it in plenty of time for Christmas, here.

Pro-Tip: For 2022, form some accountability partnerships and go through this one short chapter at a time, discussing your learnings and then setting goals for your own growth!

Dr. Brant Pitre is Distinguished Research Professor of Scripture at the Augustine Institute, Graduate School of Theology. He earned his Ph.D. in Theology from the University of Notre Dame, where he specialized in the study of the New Testament and ancient Judaism. He is the author of the best-selling books, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist (Image, 2011), The Case for Jesus (Image, 2015), and Jesus and the Jewish Roots of Mary (Image, 2018). Dr. Pitre has also produced dozens of video and audio Bible studies, in which he explores the biblical foundations of Catholic faith and theology (available at BrantPitre.com). He currently lives in Louisiana with his wife Elizabeth and their five children.

Advent Puppet Script

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My Friends!

Today, to mark the beginning of this holy Advent season, I’m sharing a sweet Advent puppet script, which I wrote years ago. It can be performed easily by any adult or teen. In fact, any child who reads well can perform them!

I have dozens of such scripts, some connected with the liturgical year, others with articles of our faith, others with virtues (which I created for our local YMCA nursery school), some created for VBS programs (for free, by request), and so on. I’ll be sharing them here at AmazingCatechists.com, in the coming weeks and months, and may eventually create an ebook, so you can acquire the whole “collection.”

How to perform the show

Simply sit with the script pages laid out on a desk or story rug and gather the children around you, or hand out copies and use it as a skit for older students to act out together in front of the class.

Use a different “voice” for each of the two characters, moving the one that is speaking, to make it clear for the children.

Some of them are wacky and silly, while others are more reverent. Be sensitive to mood, and have fun!

Please read my “Note on Reverence” before using any of my scripts. It’s important, truly.

A note from the author about reverence

And, without further ado, here is The Empty Manger, to start off your Advent season with the children:

The Empty Manger

A little history, if you have a minute more…

Between 2003 and 2008, I wrote dozens of puppet scripts for use in a YMCA nursery-school (virtue) program, then for Catholic and Christian children’s events, library programs, parties, scout troops, and finally my own religious education classroom. I was a volunteer mom teaching elementary-aged kids, but I was also a writer and a former actress, so–along with the Holy Rosary and our parish curriculum–I incorporated singing and creative dramatics, every week.

I almost always capped my lessons with a puppet show (hastily created beforehand), and the children adored them. It was a reward for good behavior, I told the children, but it was also a way to emphasize a point from that day’s lesson, break open a difficult concept, or make a dry subject fun and intriguing. If we had time and the children were clamoring to see it again, I would do an encore performance. Each lasts only a few minutes, and I figured, “Hey, they’re asking for another lesson in their faith. How can I say no?” They wanted to touch and talk with the puppets, so I often held a brief, extremely silly, improvised Q&A with the characters, after the show.

My religious education credo

To ignite their imaginations is extremely important to me, and I sincerely believe that it is a crying shame, if not actually sinful because it’s so dishonest, to make our amazing, transformative Catholic faith a dull and ordinary business. So I gave it my all, each week, begging the Holy Spirit to “light me up” and make the lessons impactful. He never let me down.

A little more about how to use them…

At the end of the day’s teaching, using whatever hand puppets I had at the time, I sat on the story rug, placed the scripts on the floor in front of me, and gathered the eager children around me. I started out using some old, neglected puppets they had at the YMCA, when I volunteered for a summer program with nursery-school-aged children. I also incorporated sock puppets, which were a scream and easy to make (and I am the least crafty person I know). But eventually, I bought an adorable, racially-diverse collection of “kid” puppets that Oriental Trading used to sell cheap. I added some animal puppets my daughter had been given (and never used), and a few oddball ones I borrowed from some enthusiastic neighbor kids (who were not using their’s, either).

A couple of important insights

As I branched out into children’s parties and library programs, I noticed a couple of amazing things:

  • all kids enjoyed the shows–even kids as old as 14 wanted to try them on after the show and make up their own stories,
  • and special needs children who normally could not attend long to a regular lesson were spell-bound by the puppets.

The puppets excited them like nothing else–like animated characters sprung into 3-D before their eyes!

CatholicMom.com…

Then, in 2007 (or thereabouts), I was on a Catholic writers’ email group, and offered to share my scripts for free to anyone who wanted them. Another member, the lovely Lisa Hendey, invited me to share them with the world at her popular site, CatholicMom.com. They had a home there, as a “puppet ministry” until 2019, when the site went through an overhaul and all PDF content was lost. (I just found out about it because someone tracked me down, asking for the scripts, and I made inquiries.)

The upshot is that I’m now sharing them here, so stay tuned!

Next up will be a Christmas show about a disgruntled kid feeling lost in the busyness of the season, who learns a lesson about service and sacrifice. Coming soon!

I pray these little lessons bless you and the children you care about, pray for, and teach. I would love to hear from you about how you use them, and I pray they will inspire you to create and share scripts of your own! I’d be happy to post them, here.

Feel free to write to me: lisa@wonderfullymade139.com

A very sweet and holy Advent to you and yours!

Lisa

Exciting Opportunity for Our Amazing Catechists Community!

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Have you ever thought about writing for AmazingCatechists.com?

If so, I’d love to hear from you!

Even though we are still blessed with thousands of visitors to this site, every single month, and the site is packed with over a thousand incredibly varied free resources, I have to admit, I haven’t been doing much with the site lately.

For the last several years, I’ve been building a Catholic coaching business, teaching online, podcasting for homeschoolers, and—just lately–creating a brand-new video-cast about the intersection of faith and talent, called Wonderfully Made. (I’ve already started production and will be launching in the near future. I’ll tell you more about that, soon!)

But back to my need for contributors to this wonderful little site.

There was a time when this site was “my baby”! We had a group of a dozen or so regular contributors, and I tended the site with daily care. Over a short period, I and my volunteers watched joyfully as AmazingCatechists.com grew by leaps and bounds!

What started out as a totally unknown start-up site in 2008, soon became well-known in catechetical circles. With a thriving audience reading their work, the site helped some get the attention of Catholic book publishers. It became a platform for many new and up-and-coming writers and speakers to get noticed and then to leap-frog out to other bigger, more established sites and events.

Because I’ve been a best-selling writer and speaker in the Catholic world for over ten years, I would talk with many of these publishers at Catholic conferences, and they would tell me,

“You’ve got some very good writers, there. We’re keeping an eye on AmazingCatechists.com!”

However, because I got so very busy writing, speaking, traveling around the country, teaching, and publishing…I inadvertently allowed the site to fall into disuse. It’s bothered me for quite a while, but I was busier than I’d ever been, spinning plates and trying not to let any hit the floor, as I freelanced my head off and paid for my daughter’s college. I felt the Lord saying, “It’s okay. Just keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll tell you when to get back to AmazingCatechists.com.”

Well, my daughter graduated in June of this year–with honors and no debt–and her very tired, very proud mom heaved a HUGE sigh of relief.

So, guess what?

It’s time to breathe new life into this beautiful “baby,” with the help of dedicated catechists, educators, parents, and ministry heroes like you!

If you’re intrigued, please drop me a line with some ideas about the kind of work you’re interested in doing, and tell me a little about yourself! I’m listing some possibilities at the end of this post, to jumpstart your thinking, but I’m open to suggestions!

For instance, I’m always open to students with a passion for the Church, retirees finally getting to devote time to ministry, and any of the thousands of unsung heroes giving of themselves so generously out in the vineyards of the Lord.

What that means is that you don’t have to have any publishing experience at all! And you can start building your own publishing and speaking platform right here!

All you really need to get started is a love of God, faithfulness to the authentic teachings of the Church, and a desire to serve.

There’s no money in it, but believe me, God will pay you back in full—and then some. He is incredibly generous.

And He will use your work to touch the lives of others, lifting their spirits with your generous contributions, and providing them with practical, free support when they need it most.

So…

I’m praying that, if you’re getting that little Holy Spirit nudge right about now, you’ll reach out to me and start a conversation.

I’d love to hear from you!

Write to me here: lisa@mladinich.com

I can’t wait to meet you.

In Jesus through Mary,
Lisa Mladinich
Owner, AmazingCatechists.com
and WonderfullyMade139.com

A little brainstorming…

  • Are you a Catholic catechist, homeschooler, parent, grandparent, Catholic educator or student, ministry leader, evangelist, or apologist with experiences to share or tips that might be helpful to others?
  • Do you enjoy reviewing books, art, music, apps, or media that our niche Catholic readers would enjoy?
  • Do you have a knack for turning lessons and concepts into graphic resources that help parents and catechists hand on the faith to the children in their care?
  • Are you experienced in running retreats, conferences, and other faith-based events—in person or online—that have taught you valuable, sharable lessons?
  • Are you creative and eager to share your teaching techniques, classroom management strategies, and innovative ideas for handing on the Faith?
  • Would you like to try your hand at interviewing Catholics about their walk of faith, their original programs, or their successes in bringing new Catholics into the Church?
  • Do you create art, videos, music, fiction, or anything else out-of-the-box designed to help draw others closer to God?

Your Talent, God’s Purpose: FREE Event

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Greetings, Friends!

Talent awareness improves professional performance, relationships, and teams–which translates into all spheres: marriage, ministry, and business.

As a certified coach specializing in cultivating natural strengths, I feel deeply called to the mission of helping Catholics really shine in this dark world–now more than ever. I’m passionate about helping them to ditch misunderstandings and false shame about their talents, stand with confidence in God’s design for their lives, and experience the growth and enthusiasm that comes with that holy and humble clarity.

To that end, I’ve started doing free online events, and this month’s is called, “Wonderfully Made: Your Talent. God’s Purpose.”

Timing

We will start at 8:00 pm ET on November 12th, in my Zoom room, and run about 60 minutes. If people want to stay and chat or ask questions beyond that point, I’ll linger, but my prayer and presentation together should be no more than 30 minutes, with time for people to get settled beforehand and Q&A afterwards rounding out the hour.

Access

The Zoom link and password are at the bottom of this post.

Those of you who sign up here by midnight November 11, will receive a reminder the day of the event. No registration is needed, but you’ll need to be on my mailing list to receive a reminder.

 

Invite Your Lists

I’d be grateful for any support, especially prayer, and your presence would be wonderful. You’ll probably see this invitation in other places, too, as I get the word out. I’d appreciate your help with sharing.

FYI, my primary audience tends to be Catholic women, but I also work with and welcome men, teens, young adults, and people of other faiths (as long as they’re not hostile to Catholicism). Feel free to share this with anyone you think might be interested.

Again, this is a free opportunity to have fun learning, to share your own insights, and to help me discover how best to serve our community.

Thank you, so much!

Blessings,

Lisa Mladinich

Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach

lisa@mladinich.com

Join Zoom Meeting at 8:00 pm ET, November 12th

https://zoom.us/j/6312359340

Password: 111220

Meeting ID: 631 235 9340

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Dial by your location

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Meeting ID: 631 235 9340

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/aby0eSKFD5

 

NEW: Homeschooling Saints Podcast

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Hi Everyone!

I am proud to announce the Homeschooling Saints Podcast, sponsored by Homeschool Connections! I’m the host, and we launched today with our first episode, “Do You Have to Be Crazy to Homeschool?” with Mary Ellen Barrett, along with a short feature on praying the Rosary together as a family, with Chantal Howard.

Tune in, subscribe, share, and leave us an honest review!

And enjoy these tracks from our amazing composer, Taylor Kirkwood!!

First: Doxology, our theme song! Second: Watchful Teacher, our special feature music!

Advent #GIVEAWAY and Interview With #aromaRosary Inventor, Chantal Howard

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UPDATE: Comments were turned off by accident but are now ON. Feel free to enter! So sorry for any inconvenience!–Lisa

Guadalupe Rosary Bracelet

Beloved Readers, we have an exciting and unusual giveaway: an Our Lady of Guadalupe rosary bracelet that diffuses essential oils, as you pray!!! Talk about awesome!

TO ENTER, please tell us in the comments why you would like to win!

The popular Our Lady of Guadalupe aromaRosary Bracelet will be awarded on December 12th, on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, so enter right away!

And start praying the Novena to Our Lady, which starts today (December 4th)!

 

Now, meet aromaRosary’s inventor, Chantal Howard! 

Welcome, Chantal! Please give us just a few glimpses into your world so that we can get to know you a bit more personally.

I am a Byzantine Catholic by birth, giving me a great love for icons, chant, and the Divine Liturgy. I am an oblate of the Community of St. John and, therefore, identify myself as Eucharistic, Marian, Seeker of Truth, and devotee of all things truly Catholic. I have a charismatic side, a traditional Latin-loving, veil-wearing side. Above all, I want to live a life of prayer, holiness, and heroic virtue. The New Evangelization is knit into who I am.

Rosa Mystica Rosary Bracelet

Chantal HowardI have been married for nearly 15 years to the man of my Jane-Austin-like dreams.  I can truthfully say Peter and I are a work in progress.  But I rejoice in the Mercy of God that is helping us to put lofty ideas of love into practice with greater gratitude and tenderness. I love that I get to share life with a man of such conviction, passion, and fidelity – to me, to Our Lady, and to Our Lord.

My five children are the pure light of my life. We homeschool.  I admit, though, that our homeschool has been interdependent with much family collaboration and even part-time school going opportunities to help round out our family dynamic, allowing for me to be as active in work as I am.  This is the nature of the “School of the Family,” as it has developed for us. The desire to nurture them in health, in mind, in spirit, and in creativity and joy is foundational and much of that I can give to them, but I also realize that I am not fully sufficient alone.  I laugh when I hear the not so popular expression, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and yet can we really deny the fact?  So, we had better choose our villages carefully.  In our case, our family is our village, and so we have recently relocated to Northern Idaho to be near all my siblings and my mother so that we can foster our kids in the context of family, faith, farming, good food, and adventure.

Tell us about the nature of your work.

Victory Heirloom aromaRosary

My Grandaddy began the entrepreneurial streak in our family as an inventor. My mom and dad firmed it up by building a family business. I grew up helping to answer phone calls, strategize marketing plans and work in the field. As my mom homeschooled me, this practical work in business became second nature. Since then, I have not ceased drumming up new ventures. Ministry, writing, dōTERRA, and my family have offered platforms to launch entrepreneurial dreams in more directions than I ever imagined – Catholicpreneur style. In addition, as a young person I was a highly competitive gymnast and high-level athlete, in several arenas.  This promoted a lifestyle of fitness and wholesomeness that has been a steady undercurrent in my life. Together, these life experiences have brought me to where I am today as a “natural solution coach.” I help families find health and happiness through an essential oil-inspired wellness lifestyle, without New Age overtones.

Where did your passion for the rosary begin, and why do you see it as such an important mission to bring to the world?

As a young person my parents rested all their hope of us remaining a faithful family on the prayer of the Holy Rosary. Through their inspiration, we began early chanting the rosary in a Byzantine style, and I have never turned back from loving the rosary and wanting to bring it to life as—not just a prayer but—an experience that helps us traverse from our earthly dimension to the spiritual plain of contemplation.  (You can check out the audio CD in the Byzantine style that we produced as a family, here.)

How did your passion for essential oils and the rosary together take shape?

The Rosary is a gift that has been given to all of humanity to heal our wounded nature.  It offers us a way to ascend to the heights of our calling as children of God by tethering our fidgeting hands, our wandering minds, and our wayward souls to the life of Christ. In light of my work coaching so many people who are wounded physically and emotionally, the support of essential oils tied to the rosary struck me as a natural bridge.

A few years ago, Immaculée Ilibagiza spoke to my heart, as she shared her story of suffering and triumph through the power of the rosary with 30,000 other individuals. It just so happened that she was the keynote speaker at a large, global essential oil summit I was attending. As she shared, I marveled at her passion and unhindered dedication to sharing the rosary with the world.  Here, in one moment, two of my greatest loves in life were colliding before my eyes—essential oils and the rosary! As I drove across the county, I reflected on my personal visit with Immaculee, her powerful gesture of throwing her rosary to someone in the crowd, and all I had just learned about the movement of essential oils in health care. My heart overflowed with inspiration and the desire to bring to our hurting world the solace and rich blessings of essential oils and the rosary. Thus this effort was born.

Describe an aromaRosary.

Every aromaRosary is hand-crafted to hold and diffuse essential oils, to expand the prayer experience.  Using natural stones and lava rock and other ceramic, metal, or wood beads, we have designed rosaries that can withstand the intensity of therapeutic grade essential oils that have been chosen carefully to reflect the mysteries of the rosary.  These blends are symbolic and calming, to help promote an atmosphere of prayer.  Together with fingering the beads, chanting the prayers, and smelling the aromas of sanctity, we can more fully engage our senses and focus our prayers.

Unpack for us briefly the four essential oil bends you have chosen.

We use four unique blends. The Joyful Blend is comprised of frankincense and other oils that help create an aroma reminiscent of the Nativity.  The Luminous Blend is a blend of citrus oils that reflect the light and miraculous nature of the Luminous mysteries. The Sorrowful Blend is woody and earthy, with Myrrh and other wood oils that are an aromatic encounter with the cross and the mysteries of Christ’s suffering.  The Glorious Blend offers floral notes and Easteresque aromas that are gentle, soft, and Marian.

Do you have resources that would help others to learn about aromaRosary and your work as a coach and speaker?

Please visit us at aromaRosary.com. We’re having our Advent sale, right now!  I would welcome your comments, your reviews, your support of our efforts, and of course I would love to work with you. I offer coaching and essential oil training.  We have a dynamic Catholic team of essential oils coaches throughout the country and we want you to be a part of what we are doing to heal families and evangelize in the process.

aromaRosary-2.jpg

Thank you, Chantal!

TO ENTER:

Leave a comment below about why you’d like to win the Guadalupe aromaRosary Bracelet! A random drawing will take place on the evening of Wednesday, December 12th.

NOTE: you must have access to a mailing address in the United States, to win!

 

Advent Tips: Manage Time, Reduce Stress, and Have a Happier, Healthier Christmas

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(Note: The following article is based on my recent appearance on Relevant Radio.)

How are we supposed to enjoy Advent, when we’re more rushed and more stressed than ever before in the history of humanity?

Or are we?

Author and popular podcaster Gretchen Rubin shared an excerpt from Little House in the Ozarks, a collection of articles Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote for regional newspapers and magazines in the 1920s while living on a farm in rural Missouri:

“We are so overwhelmed with things these days that our lives are all, more or less, cluttered. I believe it is this, rather than a shortness of time, that gives us that feeling of hurry and almost of helplessness. Everyone is hurrying and usually just a little late. Notice the faces of the people who rush past on the streets or on our country roads! They nearly all have a strained, harassed look, and anyone you meet will tell you there is no time for anything anymore.” —Laura Ingalls Wilder

It sure does seem like managing stress has always been needed! So, let’s consult a couple of experts. I’ll be drawing from Time Management: A Catholic Perspective, by Marshall J. Cook and from a wonderful webinar by Allison Ricciardi, owner of TheRaphaelRemedy.com (tips on stress, using natural remedies—especially essential oils) and Chantal Howard, the owner and creator of AromaRosaries.

Tip #1: Time management isn’t always about a lack of time.

Sometimes we are averse to tasks and they create stress for us because they’re not getting done.

  • Think about them differently (positive reframing)
    1. Instead of “all that decorating” that has to be done, let’s set out to reveal beauty to our families. We’re all a little broken-hearted over someone we love who has left the Church; let’s let God speak through beauty and touch their hearts in unexpected ways.
    2. Instead of procrastinating and griping about all the housework on that to-do list, let’s thank God for a house to clean, clothes to wash, and loved ones to serve!
  • Break the avoidance/overwhelm cycle and schedule the tasks we usually avoid–and stick to the schedule!
  • Science tells us that small rewards to celebrate progress actually impact our brains, boosting creativity and refreshing our minds! So go ahead and buy flowers for yourself, read a few chapters of a good book, or meet a friend for coffee. It’s good for your brain!

Tip #2: When you make time for a task, you don’t actually create more time. You take it from something else.

MAKE TIME: Simplifying as much as you possibly can, to allow for the added activities and tasks of Advent

  • No, you DON’T have to buy them all gifts. (Hear my story in this radio interview!)
  • Ask each person in your family what one thing really makes it feel like Christmas for them, and make sure to do those things.
  • Paring down the card list is just smart. Don’t be a slave to that list you’ve been accumulating for years. Cut it down and save both money and time.
  • Speaking of money, setting a budget and working within it can really brighten your spirits. It’s empowering to take control. Build in a little margin for that special “find” or the person you forgot to put on your list, but stay as close to your budget as possible.
  • SWAP some habitual activities (social media, phone, web surfing) for activities that hold greater value (prayer, time with family, trips outdoors, celebrations, crafting, decorating)
  • Delegate tasks as much as possible (sometimes hire help, if needed). Your family can work as a team, your little ones can learn, and you can be building something a little less perfect than if you did it yourself–but a lot more fun: a happy Christmas that everyone contributed to!
  • Multitask in fun ways. Rather than stressing out and staying up late, plan a time to listen to music or watch a Christmas movie while you bake, write a few cards, or decorate the tree.

Tip #3: Waiting can be a good thing:

  • If you’re stressing out in traffic jams, post-office lines, doctor’s offices–TURN THE WAIT INTO A REST.
    • Stress can restrict our breathing, so–while you wait–let some of that good air God created flow in–and out, and then…
    • Let your mind delve into a beautiful memory (the face of someone you love, a time you felt really happy and peaceful, a scent that lifts your spirits).
    • Face up to what is stressing you out! Picture it vividly–is it a clock spinning its arms wildly, screaming that you’re late?–then imagine it being captured in a translucent bubble and release it–letting it float away.

Tip #4: Self-Care, so Everyone is Feeling Good on Christmas Day

  • Stay hydrated for healthy body systems
  • Eating early and fasting late: a great rule for weight and energy control
  • Vitamin D: even in small daily doses, D is great for mood regulation and weight loss
  • Get outside! Spending time outdoors provides short-term benefits by relieving mental fatigue and long-term benefits by improving your overall health
  • Grazing with small snacks throughout the day is healthier than 3 squares plus snacks
  • Rest when you’re weary (NAPS are a great idea at any age and can do you a world of good)
  • Limit TV and go to bed on time–just do it!
  • Schedule the hard stuff. Plan to do the most challenging tasks during your peak energy/focus hours. This is very individual, so take a good look at your planner and rearrange it to fit your natural rhythms, as much as possible.
  • Oils work wonders!
    • lemon or other citrus oils support metabolism and help detox the body
    • lavender is calming, healing, and helps reduce inflammation and infection
    • frankincense, which is used in churches, enhances meditation, relaxation, builds immunity, refreshes the skin
    • diffuse oils to clear out pathogens in the home
      • cinnamon leaf
      • clove
      • lemon, grapefruit, wild orange
      • tea tree (melaleuca)
      • oregano
      • sage
      • rosemary
      • thyme
      • eucalyptus
      • frankincense
  • (For tons more information on boosting health and wellbeing with essential oils, from a Catholic perspective, see TheRaphaelRemedy.com)

Tip #5: For More of That Wonderful Christmas Spirit

  • What is your best quiet time? Schedule morning or evening prayer, daily throughout Advent (and hopefully beyond)
  • JUST 5-10 minutes of reading, daily (choose a cool Catholic book). Here are some hearty recommendations:
  • In the CAR, your spirit will go far: Prayer CDs, beautiful music, the Rosary–use your travel time for reveling in the beauty and wonder of the season.

Bonus Tip: Here’s a Super-Cool Catholic Gift Idea–Rosaries that diffuse essential oils!!!

These AromaRosary gifts are beneficial to your health and your spiritual life, and the owners are faithful Catholics who support beautiful ministries with their business!

AromaRosaries:

  • Crafted to Diffuse Essential Oils
  • Solid Bronze Metal Crucifix and Center
  • 4 Sample Oils with Every Rosary
  • Every Rosary Blesses a Ministry

Have a blessed and beautiful Advent!

[Stock images from Pixabay.com]

Interview With Catholic Speaker, Hudson Byblow

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Lisa: Hudson, you’ve done wonderful work promoting the need for all people to grow in virtue, rather than falling for the culture’s increasingly bizarre and limiting sexuality labels. Your new Lighthouse CD, titled, In Pursuit of My Identity: Homosexuality, Transgenderism, and My Life, is terrific!

What would you say are the most important facts for people to ponder about human sexuality—specifically regarding same-sex-attractions and gender identity —at this stage in our history as Catholics?

Hudson: All glory be to God. Aside from learning how to be present with a person in a pastoral moment, there is also the aspect of educating the people within our church overall. This is important because we all contribute to the overall environment that people grow into. Education on any topic typically includes an enhanced understanding of language, and on this topic, that is no exception. Needless to say, there is a lot of work to be done. After all, we could never expect to fully understand the meaning of a song if we didn’t know the lyrics, so it would only make sense that we at least try to understand the lyrics to the “song of the Church” in a more profound way as well.

The Nuances

First, I think it would help if we examined linguistic nuances pertaining to attractions/inclinations. For example, if we speak about attractions/inclinations as something people experience instead of something people have, we introduce the nuance of non-permanence. For many people, becoming aware of that nuance can be life-changing. It helps them understand that they are not necessarily destined to experience those attractions/inclinations forever. Though the attractions/inclinations a person experiences might not transform over time, a sense of impermanence can definitely shift their expectations of themselves, and that shift matters because it impacts how a person chooses to live. Note that none of what I said has anything to do with the objective of “changing from gay to straight” (or any type of therapy that has that as an objective). It does, however, have to do with opening our hearts and minds to other possibilities beyond the narrative of this day.

Second, I think it is more important than ever to clarify attractions/inclinations experienced from sexual/romantic attractions/inclinations experienced. This is because not all attractions/inclinations are sexual or romantic in nature. However, our society imposes that expectation by romanticizing/sexualizing nearly all relationships, and so many people absorb that expectation and integrate their responses to attractions/inclinations through that lens. Truthfully, I think the world would change overnight if people came to realize that not all attractions/inclinations are sexual/romantic in nature. I can see it reducing the probability that people would feel the need to “explore” to find out. People could again experience true friendship and closeness without wondering if that meant they were gay (or the second “Q” in LGBTQQ, which stands for “Questioning”). Further, sexual/romantic exploration tends to feel good (it feels good to be held, cared for, and chosen), so the consequence of romantic/sexual exploration may very well be a flood of “good feelings” that may influence how a person comes to view themselves. I would imagine this to be especially true if that exploration was with a person of the same sex because our culture seems to be overtly supportive of exploration in that way at this time.

Third, it would be valuable if people began to talk about attractions/inclinations in terms of appetites—and particular attractions/inclinations as particular appetites. Consider the following: We all have an appetite for pleasing sounds, but only some have particular appetites for certain types of music. We all have an appetite for food, but only some have particular appetites for certain types of food. We all have an appetite for relationships (of some sort), but only some have particular appetites for certain types of relationships—perhaps involving certain types of people. The particulars of any appetite are influenced by the environment we are soaking in – an idea first presented to me by an LGBTQ activist of all people!

Appetites are transformed by our experiences and the world knows this. When we experience something we don’t like, our appetite to continue experiencing it decreases. This could be with particular foods, or particular relationships. I know this first-hand for after I was sexually abused by a male while in my teens, I also experienced this; my particular appetite to be around men in a close way was pretty much annihilated (even though I still desired to belong within the fold of men). Because appetites transform based on the whole of our experiences (and the whole of our environment, according to what that LGBTQ activist told me), it seems sensible that transitioning to speaking about attractions/inclinations as appetites is something that the world does not want. If this shift did begin to occur, and if it caught on to the point where that type of language was embraced by a critical mass of people, then society would be made even further aware of how particular appetites are not static. The result is that people would more easily see that statements claiming people are “created that way” (with particular appetites) are false. This is in line with that that LGBTQ activist shared with me when he told me that “environment plays a factor in the development of our attractions.”

Of course, revealing the falsehood of static particular appetites is not for the purpose of calling out a person who says that being gay is “who they are,” but rather so that we can provide a hope for those who are ready (or near ready) to walk away from those types of identities and their associated narratives even if their particular appetites still persist. It’s merely about being able to see oneself in a different light, which matters because how we see ourselves influences what we perceive we ought to do to pursue fulfillment. And many people are burnt out from a pursuit of fulfillment that has simply never given them the satisfaction they thought they would experience. Many of these people have spoken to me about their newfound freedom after departing from their prior way of seeing themselves as LGBTQ+. All of them had felt trapped where they were, and it was through clarified language (introduced lovingly and appropriately) that they were able to see a way out of it. For many, it has allowed them to re-center their identity on Christ, who they have come to know loves them more than they ever could have imagined. When I think of joy, I think of what radiates from the hearts of these people.

Now, if we strive to elevate the language to include these types of nuances, perhaps we could in some small way help bring that experience to others. Given the joy they now experience, I hope and pray that everyone might open their hearts to growing in their understanding of this topic. I know that I have a lot of room to grow as well. Again, real people with real hearts are who await us in the world. Let us never forget that.

Lisa: Thank you, Hudson! You always present ideas that are both sound and refreshing, and I’m so glad you’re out there speaking and teaching!

Folks, order a few copies of Hudson’s Lighthouse CD to share around!

 

HOT TOPIC: Same-Sex Attraction (SSA)

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I’d like to introduce this topic by saying that I believe, personally, that there are many possible roads leading to the experience of SSA. For some, it is emotional/physical deprivation or abuse that creates the deep-seated need for same-sex affirmation and affection, but for many young people raised in loving homes, it may be cultural influences bearing down through indoctrination, peer example, and the destruction of intimate friendships by an over-sexualized society. I’m not an expert, so feel free to disagree with me, but this 3-minute video, created by a young woman who has identified a clear path to her SSA, uses “spoken word” (rhythmic, like rap) to powerfully express her legitimate, personal experience. Please share it around.