~From Guest Blogger Dr. Emily Dowdell, CPI Psychologist~

The #BlackLivesMatter socio-political movement is a call to action.  It is a cry to be seen, to be heard, and for an end to injustice. Movements like this rise from decades and generations of unacknowledged pain.  It represents a call to recognize how our society and culture continues to perpetuate and support the violation of human dignity.  It is a call to reform.

The desire to promote and educate others about their...

In the encyclical put forth by Pope Francis back in 2013 titled On Faith (Lumen Fidei), he talks about faith as being a guiding light for us.  I remember reading it with my psychology lenses on, and had a few thoughts to share, especially as we now find ourselves in such dark times.

The introduction to the encyclical reminds us that Christ says, “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” It is this distinction...

HERE’S AN EXCERPT FROM HER WONDERFUL NEW BOOK, “JOURNEY IN LOVE, A CATHOLIC MOTHER’S PRAYERS AFTER PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS.”

The ultrasound was our first opportunity to see our child. The discovery of our baby’s sex was a glimpse into who this person is. Then came the day when the discovery told us not only that this was our son, but his journey would take us on a path we had never experienced before.

It began with a cleft lip/palate, then he was diagnosed...

~Psalm 63~

I’ve been sick for about two months. Really sick. A few times I thought I was getting better then got worse! Perhaps the hardest part has been that almost everyone around me has been sick too. I feel like I’ve been living in a field hospital where everyone is sick–including the doctors.

I’m a Catholic who cares deeply about our Church and its members, the Body of Christ and am hurting alongside those who have suffered abuse by “wolves in sheep...

To the Bishops of the Catholic Church Who Are Not Complicit in Scandalous Crimes,

(To the Bishops who did know about the scandals and coverups, I’m not ready to write to you yet. You belong in jail or least retired. Once you are there I may be ready to speak to you.) There are many good men though among the rest of you. I’ve met some of you and know you love Jesus and his Church. I hope and pray you are part of the coming purification and reformation of the Catholic...

The level of chaos and crisis in the church now is overwhelming, and it only promises to increase. I have been thinking, praying, and reading through a lot of what’s out there, and I want to provide a mini-series of thought on the matter. This consists of three posts:

5 Things To Know About the Crisis

5 Things To Do During the Crisis

5 Lessons for Bishops From a Married Man During the Church Crisis  

With all the negativity and even the reality that there is little we can do in...

The level of chaos and crisis in the Church now is overwhelming, and it only promises to increase. I have been thinking, praying, and reading through a lot of what’s out there, and I want to provide a mini-series of thought on the matter. This will consist of three posts:

5 Things To Know About the Crisis

5 Things To Do During the Crisis

5 Lessons for Bishops From a Married Man During the Church Crisis

As a Catholic Psychologist, I work very closely with the Church. I am, of course,...

The US Conference of Bishops FINALLY admitted what the deepest problem is- “Our Church (read- Bishops) is suffering from a crisis of sexual morality.” Why do I say they are referring to themselves? Because this is the official statement released after McCarrick’s scandal broke. This isn’t the parish council’s crisis, or the church janitor’s crisis, no, this is the Bishop’s crisis. 

That’s actually not the point of this post though....

Coffee aficionados often claim that the spread of its popularity among Catholics is due to Pope Clement VIII’s influence. He was pressed by his advisers to denounce coffee. The advisers believed coffee was the “bitter invention of Satan” because of its popularity among Muslims. However, upon tasting coffee, Pope Clement VIII declared that, “This Satan’s drink is so delicious that it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of...

FROM GUEST BLOGGER BARBRA BOTTARO

10:47am on a Wednesday. We were enduring the 4th snowstorm in three weeks, and it was the first day of Spring.  We were stuck inside; it was too cold to go out anywhere else, but not snowy enough to play in the yard. Elijah and Francesca, 4 and 3 years old, had been vacillating between playing nicely together and trying to kill each other, every 10 minutes telling me what injustice had been done to them at the hands of the other. During the times they...