Celebration of Las Posadas is a Mexican Catholic Advent tradition that marks the beginning of the Christmas season. Taking place from the 16th-24th of December every year, Las Posadas is a nine day community celebration in preparation for the birthday of Christ; a novena that is a mix of religious devotion and relaxation. Ultimately,...
Two concepts related to Mary the mother of Jesus, virgin birth and immaculate conception, are frequently confused. This post is focused on the development of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Did you like this? Share it:Tweet
The 4CatholicEducators.com web site seeks to assist Catholic teachers and catechists in their role as educators of the faith by providing them with easy access to free online resources. Together with its sister site, Resources for Catholic Education and Catholic Faith Education (a blog), this site offers an abundance of free materials that can...
In his letter to the Galatians (5:22-23), Paul speaks of the “Fruit” of the Spirit. He uses this term in the singular, implying there is just one fruit, with nine aspects or expressions. Susan Mahan notes that Paul does not speak of fruits of the Spirit (in the plural). Instead, there is one fruit...
When I stare at the night sky, especially if I am out in the country, I get almost overwhelmed at the immensity of the universe. I am in awe of the beauty of the stars and then amazed at a God who can create and manage such an enormous and complex reality and yet...
Drawing from the example of the approach to invention of a vacuum cleaner, Dr. Mahan offers a reflection on the Gift of Counsel, also known as the Gift of Right Judgement. Noting that the two names of this gift reflect its two sides — with both divine and human contributions — she provides concrete...
"Wisdom is a gift from God which empowers us to do what is best." In this post on the Gift of Wisdom, Susan Mahan looks at wisdom from a variety of perspectives, offering examples and insights from daily life as well as the social sciences. And lest anyone think that only Christians are interested...
In this third post of her series on Pentecost and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Dr. Mahan explores the topic of Understanding. Beginning with understanding a bit about God and moving through the levels of our human experience of self, others and the course of history, concrete examples and explanations of ways the...
A reflection on the relationship between spiritual growth and discernment, with examples of ways that ordinary choices are forms of discernment that help us in our spiritual growth. Dr. Mahan is a trained spiritual director and writes from years of experience accompanying her fellow Christians on their journeys of faith. Find It. Did you...
Advent calendars are a traditional way to mark the passage of days in December leading to Christmas Day. This post includes links to a Do-It-Yourself Advent Calendar that children can make. Find It. Did you like this? Share it:Tweet
