Read Posts About Saint John Bosco

There are many saints that we all especially like and love. And one of those of many for this blog, is Saint John Bosco.

So, here are the main posts that we have for Saint John Bosco, and since January 31 is his Memorial, I thought it a good idea to point those out to you.

First, is the quote for “Saint Quote of the Day”, which can be read here.

Back in 2007, there was a post by former contributor Marie, a biography of this great saint on our blog “Saints of the Faith” which you may read here.

Marie also wrote the other two posts which I will link to here. Both were posted on “Approved Apparitions”. The first is “The Prophecies of St. John Bosco”, and the second is “St. John Bosco's Dog... or Angel?”

I hope you enjoy these, and I hope they encourage you to visit other topics on Faith of the Fathers blogs.

May God bless you all!

Catholic Truth from Saint Augustine of Hippo

Merry Christmas!

Yes, Virginia, I Do Have A Blog Roll

Some long time readers and followers of "Faith of the Fathers Blogs" are probably familiar with the items in our sidebars. However, many who only read the blog posts with a feed/news reader or a mobile device (such as an iPhone) never see the sidebar items (which is why you should visit us with a computer occasionally) at all.

In particular, I want to call your attention to the sidebar item (on the right hand side bar) "MY FAVORITE BLOGS (LISTED BY MOST RECENT POST)". This is more or less a blog roll, where I link to some good, solid Catholic blogs and bloggers that you may not be aware of, and would find good reading (when your not here, that is) and good information as well.

The two newest additions are the Catholic apologist Tim Staples, and his blog, appropriately entitled, "Tim Staples", and Father Tim Finigan's blog, "The hermeneutic of continuity". Both are well worth the time to read, as are all the blogs listed there quite frankly..

There are also a lot of well known blogs and bloggers listed here as well as some well known Catholics whom you may not have been aware of as also having blogs.

These include Timothy Cardinal Dolan's "The Gospel In The Digital Age"; Father Robert Barron's "Word On Fire"; Father John Zuhlsdorf's "Fr. Z's Blog" (formerly called "What Does the Prayer Really Say?"); Priests for Life's "Father Frank Pavone's Blog"; Father Juan Velez's (author of "Passion For Truth: The Life of John Henry Newman) blog "Cardinal John Henry Newman"; Jimmy Akin's blog, “Jimmy Akin”; Sofia Guerra's “Always Catholic”; Lisa Graas' “Catholic Bandita”; Taylor Marshall's “Taylor Marshall”; and more than I have time to post about here.

As I said, all have great posts, not just the ones I mentioned here, but all of them that are in "MY FAVORITE BLOGS (LISTED BY MOST RECENT POST)" on the right hand sidebar. Give their stats a boost and visit them all. You won't regret it!

Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

On October 13, Pope Francis is planning a Marian Day celebration at the Vatican and at this event he plans to consecrate the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

As such, PrayMoreNovenas.com is organizing a novena as a way to join in unity with the Holy Father and prepare for this event.

So, beginning on October 4, Faith of the Fathers Blogs, and I will be joining more than 63,000 Catholics to pray the Novena to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Won't you join us for this important event? You can sign up to receive email reminders to get the novena prayers here:

http://www.praymorenovenas.com/novena-immaculate-heart-mary

Blog Posts For Monday, September 9, 2013

Catholic Mass Readings For Monday, September 09, 2013 - See more at: http://faithofthefathersreadings.blogspot.com/#sthash.KgWAUdIi.dpuf

Saint Quote: Saint Peter Claver - See more at: http://faithofthefatherssaintquote.blogspot.com/2013/09/saint-quote-saint-peter-claver.html

Today's Christianity

NOTE: The post below originally appeared on our "Spiritual Warfare" blog (now archived) in 2006. I thought it worth posting here for those who may not have ever read it.

Pick and Choose Theology

There is a trend in today’s Christianity that is ever growing, and is an alarming trend that threatens the very foundations and tenets of our faith. That trend is not limited to any one geographical or denominational identifier, but, is widespread among all nations, all peoples, and all systems of Christian belief. Thousands and thousands of people who would identify themselves as Christian have willingly been led into "pick and choose" theology. Most of these pick and choosers tend to identify themselves as “progressive Christians”.

What was that? You’re asking me what is a "progressive Christian"? You sure you want the answer? Especially coming from me, one who is an unabashed conservative. You really want my answer? OK, then…you asked for it…too late to cry now, so here it is: A “progressive Christian” is a person or group of people who though they claim to be nominally Christian, do not have the faith, courage, integrity or intestinal fortitude to stand up for God and His truth, but, have the unwavering, unflinching, unmitigated gall to stand up for anything and everything that opposes God, opposes His Church, opposes the teachings of His prophets and His Apostles. They are the ones who will call sin good, and call that which is good evil.

We see these people making their outlandish and ungodly stands on television, radio, the internet, and in the print media as well. If there is a camera, a microphone or pen and paper to be had, they will do all that they can to try to destroy all that God has wrought. You will see them use terms like “social justice” where they accuse the conservatives of ignoring the poor and vulnerable while focusing on issues like abortion and same sex marriage.

I tend to think they want we conservatives to ignore abortion and same sex marriage issues, because deep down they know that theologically the “progressives” don’t have a leg to stand on when it comes to those two issues. The “progressives” would like for us all to think…no, to believe that because man changes, God changes, too. I think they actually believe that God should reform to suit what they think and what they believe, and that God and His law are merely words written in a book that can be taken or discarded at will.

They really don’t understand scripture or the teachings of the Apostles and the Church, and they tend to prove so each and every time they open their mouths. For instance, when conservatives oppose the gay lifestyle that is so often promoted by these “progressives”, the progressives will tell us, and in quite a smug manner, too, that “if Jesus was walking on earth today, He would be spending His time with the gays and lesbians” and so forth. I have to agree. He more than likely would. What they fail to comprehend with what they have said, is that they themselves have just made an admission of the gay lifestyle being a sin, and that they...like all of us... are in need of His redemption. For when Jesus taught in Palestine, He was always with the sinners, and in Mark 2: 16 And the scribes and the Pharisees, seeing that he ate with publicans and sinners, said to his disciples: Why doth your master eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 17 Jesus hearing this, saith to them: They that are well have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. For I came not to call the just, but sinners. Further, they also should realize, that as His instructions to them would be as His instructions to the woman caught in adultery in John 8: 10 Then Jesus lifting up himself, said to her: Woman, where are they that accused thee? Hath no man condemned thee? 11 Who said: No man, Lord. And Jesus said: Neither will I condemn thee. Go, and now sin no more.

So, yes. I agree Jesus would be with them, and He would tell them, as He tells us all to “go and sin no more". His being with them would not be to approve their lifestyle, but, to reprove it.

What people do not want to realize, do not want to admit, is that no matter how much man changes, no matter how much the times may change, God does not change. God is not bound by time, He is beyond all time, and His ways and His thoughts are above our ways and our thoughts. God is not bound by what we may think is right or wrong, but, man is bound to honor and obey what God says is right and what He says is wrong, and there is nothing or no one who can change what God’s law is, and no matter what man may think it should be, God has told us all what His law is, and a feeble excuse on His Day of Judgment that “the times had changed” is not going to hold up. We know what His law is. It is up to each of us to do it. Calling oneself “progressive” is just an excuse to live as we please, and not as God pleases. After all, God’s way is tough. The progressive way is not, and is a way of denying that sin is indeed, sin.

Isaiah 5:20 Woe to you that call evil good, and good evil: that put darkness for light, and light for darkness: that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.21 Woe to you that rue wise in your own eyes, and prudent in your own conceits. 22 Woe to you that are mighty to drink wine, and stout men at drunkenness. 23 That justify the wicked for gifts, and take away the justice of the just from him. 24 Therefore as the tongue of the fire devoureth the stubble, and the heat of the dame consumeth it: so shall their root be as ashes, and their bud shall go up as dust: for they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and have blasphemed the word of the Holy One of Israel.

2 Timothy 4: 1 I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming, and his kingdom: 2 Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. 3 For there shall be a time, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: 4 And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables. 5 But be thou vigilant, labour in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill thy ministry. Be sober.

Copyright © 2006 - 2013 Gary Stephen Smith. All Rights Reserved.

Most Recent Blog Visits (Makes My Day)

The image below shows what country the most recent visitors to my bogs came from. 

You will see near the bottom, Vietnam as one of those countries. That visitor went to the "Daily Mass Readings" blog. So did visitors from Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Russia, and more. Some went to "Saint Quote of the Day" and "Favorite Prayers and Scripture", like the visitors from Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

When you start feeling doubtful that anyone is reading your blogs, you can look at these, and see why it is important and worthwhile to keep on keeping on.

New Guest Post On "Saints of the Faith" Blog

I am very fortunate to be able to tell you that we have a very good guest on our "Saints of the Faith".

The post is "Blessed John Henry Newman, A Great Teacher and Catechist" by Father Juan R. Vélez. Be sure to give it a read and leave a comment if you'd like.

Father Juan R. Vélez, is the author of "Passion for Truth, The Life of John Henry Newman". Father Vélez is a priest of the Prelature of Opus Dei who resides in San Francisco. He holds a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the University of Navarre. His doctoral thesis was on John Henry Newman’s Eschatology.

His interest in the life and works of Cardinal Newman began with his doctoral studies under Prof. José Morales, author of John Henry Newman (1801-1890).

Fr. Vélez has a medical degree, also from the University of Navarre, and was previously board certified in internal medicine.

Back Online

Due to circumstances that were beyond my control, I have not been online for the last 5 days as my internet access took an apparent vacation. 

I will once again resume my regular postings of the Daily Mass Readings, Saint Quote of the Day, and the news from the Vatican Information Service on the Pope Benedict XVI blog.

I apologize for any inconvenience to my regular readers.

Letting You Know A Couple of Things

Two things to share with you.

1. I have decided which blogs will be continued, and which will be archived. At the top of the page, underneath the blog title and description you will see the titles Welcome, Privacy Policy, About Comments, etc., pages. To the far right is the page for Our Archived Blogs. Clicking that will open the page and show a list of the blogs that will no longer be updated or have new posts added to them. These are the blogs that get few readers if any. They are still available for reading, but I just don't have the time necessary for more than the 13 remaining blogs.

2. I did a new post on the "Approved Apparitions" blog about "Our Lady of Nicaragua", also known as Our Lady of Cuapa. This is about a series of apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to a poor rancher in Cuapa, Nicaragua. These occurred from April to October of 1980. Granted it is a long post, but I deemed it necessary because so few are familiar with this approved apparition, and seem to be too distracted by a questionable  apparition which has not been approved.

Anyway, these are the things I wanted to share with you. The new "Approved Apparitions" took awhile to complete, and my old gerbil powered computer crashed three times on me while trying to complete it. Fortunately, I kept saving what I was working on, so nothing was lost. Apparently, Satan doesn't want anyone to know about this apparition. Can't whip me. The Good Guys are on my side.

Need Prayers?

Many of you may know, that one of my blogs is "Prayer Requests". People requesting prayers for themselves, family, or friends may send an email to: faithofthefathers@gmail.com. I will post the prayer requests there, and people from around the country and around the world can pray for your special intentions.

Be sure to include Prayer Request as the email subject.

Changes In Faith of the Fathers Blogs Effective January 1, 2013

Effective January 1, 2013, Faith of the Fathers blogs will reduce the number of "active" blogs, from 24 to 10.

Beginning January 1, the 14 that will no longer be posted to, will be listed as "Older Faith of the Fathers Blogs" as a link list at the very bottom of each blogs left hand sidebar. Those blogs will not be deleted, they will just no longer have any new posts added to them.

A decision to delete them entirely may come at a later date, as the 14 have very little to no traffic at all.

The 10 blogs that will remain active are as follows: 

Faith of the Fathers, Saint Quote of the Day, Daily Mass Readings, Approved Apparitions, Saints of the Faith, Pope Benedict XVI, Favorite Prayers And Scripture , Prayer Requests, The Early Church Fathers, and Apologetics.

These 10 are the blogs that have the most traffic and subscriptions, with the exception of the Prayer Requests blog. I will not remove it, as it is a blog I feel that is, and has been very helpful to many people.

In any case, thank you all for reading, following, and subscribing to these blogs.

Our Gift Store

As some of you may know...or may not for that matter. I have an online gift store associated with these blogs called "Faith of the Fathers Catholic Gifts" at Zazzle.com.

Mostly the gifts are mugs, mouse-pads, and a few other items thrown in that have images of Our Lord, Our Lady, or the saints with an appropriate quotation.

I also have 3 or so Christmas card designs available.

The majority of the items are designed with some of the works of the masters.

Below is a mug I "created" for sale at "Faith of the Fathers Catholic Gifts" on Zazzle.com. One side has the following quote from scripture:"I can do all things through Him who stregtheneth me" Philippians 4:13 The photo shows it in the 15 oz. white mug, but other colors and sizes are available, and you can make your choice by clicking here.

You can also go the store and see all of the other items offered by clicking here.

Where Visitors Come From as of 11/25/2012

I thought you might want to see what nations visitors to "Faith of the Fathers" blogs come from. This graphic shows the visitors to all of the blogs.

Click on the photo to see the full size image:

Is The Church a Democracy?

Note: The following post, "Is The Church a Democracy?" was written by Marie in February 2006, where it appeared on our "Apologetics" blog. I thought it worth repeating here.

One of the mistakes being generated by various groups and figures of prominence is to think that the Catholic Church is a democracy. This is not so!

The Church has never been a democracy, not in the past, not in the present and not in the future. In fact the Church does not change to suit the times in this anything goes generation. Most of the acrimony comes from a failed understanding of this essential fact. Some may not agree with everything the Church does, but that does not give anyone free license to dissent nor question the Churches authority.

Catholic Church doctrine and Dogma's are not to be disputed; they are to be accepted with filial obedience to the Vicar of Christ and the Magisterium, anyone who does other than this would have to consider themselves above the Church. This can also be a problem within the Church as some Priests and Religious embrace a spirit of liberalism and try to introduce a 'new doctrine' to the Catholic Church. They do this by trying to make Jesus seem as no different from all of us. They emphasise Jesus' humanity and either disregard or totally ignore Jesus Divine Nature. In their efforts to make the Church and Jesus more relevant they have in effect made both `seem' irrelevant. For why worship a `man' who is `just like us'? This is one of the weapons that the 'modernists' use to bring an element of relativism into the very heart of the Church.

There is also the opposite case where those who are so intent on never changing that they then negate the works within the Church such as the Second Vatican Council. Vatican 2 was not a mistake, for the Holy Spirit is never stagnant nor does it `move with the times. The Holy Spirit is above trends and modernism, but seeks within each heart and gives empowerment to that which it is espoused, The Roman Catholic Church. For as the keys were given to Peter so too they were given to Pope John XXIII, who opened the Heart of the Church to the awakening of its hidden depths and mysticism and allowing the Light to pierce the Truths of the Church, for all to seek God through the Sacraments and to acknowledge His Majesty, within.

The modernistic trend in the Church cannot be solely and entirely blamed on our Priests or religious, it is also to be shared with equal responsibility with the laity. We cannot complain about bad liturgical practices, if we maintain our silence in the presence of the Priests who espouse this `new (false) Doctrine'! The true enemy of the Church is apathy and timidity of soul, when in fear of repercussions or a loss of popularity the laity maintain their silence, thereby giving the Priest its sanction to do as he wishes. Some may say, `but we cannot speak or correct a Priest'. Was Catherine of Sienna wrong, when she confronted the legitimate Pope, and requested his return to his rightful seat, which is Rome? Was Paul wrong when he corrected Peter as to being chained by the Law?

Christ is the Head of the Church and we the people are its Body so it is incumbent upon us to follow the Church in Rome over and above `rogue priests and nuns' who espouse a false doctrine which tries to imply that man is Gods equal!! In the words of our late Pope John Paul II, " At the root of this loss of hope is an attempt to promote a vision of man apart from God and apart from Christ, this has led man to believe he is the absolute centre of reality……. the place of God and which forgets that it is not man who creates God, but rather God who creates man…..European culture gives the impression of `silent apostasy' on the part of people who have all that they need and who live as if God does not exist".

The Catholic Church is also a `patriarchal' Church, simply because Christ ordained it as such during The Last Supper, and our first Pope was St. Peter to our present Pope Benedict XVI. This does not negate a woman's role in The Church, but enhances and makes unique a woman's contribution to the faithful. Every Priest was born of a woman, the woman is central to the continuation of a healthy and spiritually productive Church, which Mary most Holy Mother of God, encapsulates for each one of us. Therefore any modernistic trend to elevate women as superior to men is doomed to fail, for its foundation is pride the first enemy of God.

The Church also honours the role of woman in that Christ was born of a woman and not just any woman but one especially chosen by the Triune Spirit. Mary would by her obedient Fiat, become the Spouse of the Holy Spirit and the Mother of God through the birth of her son, our Saviour Lord Jesus Christ. The Catholic Church honours and esteems Mary's role as The Mother of God above all other women. It is also to Mary the Mother of God, that women need to emulate as their most perfect example of femininity and filial obedience to God.

The modernistic trend to deem all things of faith in the concept of rationalisation is a heretical view, propagated by the `rationale humanism' of individuals. It is faulty in that the mind needs proof of what is unknowing and is essentially Mystery, for example `the Incarnation', if faith is based on ones own rationale, how was Christ conceived of a Virgin? If man bases his faith on the concept of what is understandable and logical, then what answer to this Mystery of Mysteries, the Incarnation?

When one dissents from the Church founded by Christ, then one has essentially, excommunicated himself from the Faith, for if the Catholic Church is to be held in dispute then you are in effect denying Jesus Christ as head of that very same Church. Thereby proclaiming oneself a heretic and essentially placing one's faith on what is acceptable to your own ideology. With a willful pursuit of dissent against The Churches Teaching and instigating upon one's own authority to be an enemy of the One True Holy and Apostolic Church, and an enemy of Christ, He, who Is and ever shall be The Head of The Catholic Church.

In matters of Liturgical correctness, whether it be in Latin or in the vernacular language of the persons country, is not based on a `perfect language' but on a `perfect intent', that seeks to give all Honour, Praise, Glory to the Trinitarian God, through Worship and thanksgiving and receiving of The Eucharist and through the Sacraments of the Church. To suggest that the only valid Mass is the Latin Mass is faulty in that it disregards the Popes authority to proclaim what is True and acceptable in forms of Worship. For if language is the source of the problems encountered by many Latin Mass observers, then should the Mass not be said in Aramaic, as was spoken by Jesus and the Apostles?

As for the Seat of Peter, if it were to have been vacant for any length of time, then you are proclaiming that God is impotent within His Church. For Jesus gave the Keys to the first Pope, St. Peter and unto him also the authority which is now given to our present Pope Benedict XVI. The Church is infallible, by the very fact that it is through Christ Jesus and Him Crucified, who is the Head of The Church entire. God does not make errors or mistakes, therefore neither does the Church, in matters of Doctrine and those who dispute The Churches authority are in danger of scandal and placing themselves over and above their Creator……and on a level with the serpent, who is also an enemy of the Church and an enemy of God its Creator, for the serpent was the first to embrace `rationale humanism' and presented it to Eve.

When the level of our Faith becomes dependent on what we are able to grasp intellectually is this Faith or reason? For as St. Augustine teaches, " Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe."

We need to truly recognise the `signs of the times' and then with prayer, speak the Truth irrespective of the cost to oneself, for what comes first, self preservation or Salvation?

Peace of Christ to ALL

Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.

A Little Boost

The last month found me short on work hours (I only got to work 3 days last week), and once again with too much month left at the end of the money.

I would greatly appreciate a little boost if possible, and as always, your prayers are greatly needed and valued.

Thank you!

Are We Being Too Political?

Almost everyone agrees that the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election is one of the most important, if not the most important elections in the nations history.

People are somewhat divided however as to what issue is the most pressing or important issue of the day. The economy...abortion...same sex marriage...religious liberty...education...and the list goes on and on.

People are disagreeing right, left, and center about what is the most pressing and important issue of the day, and many feel, that there is more than one pressing issue, and that we shouldn't focus on just one issue alone, and throw the rest under the proverbial bus.

My question is, have we been so focused on the "issue of the day", that we Christians have taken our focus off of God?

Many of us have gotten so caught up in politics that we have allowed our faith to take a back seat to the elections. For instnce, I shared the news from Fox News on Saturday, that Iranian pastor, Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who was origianlly sentenced to death for his Christian faith, was released after 3 years in an Iranian prison. A reason for great joy among Christians around the world. Yet that news seems not to have been noticed until today.

Apparently, the ending of the Democratic Convention was still too fresh in people's minds for them to take any notice of anything not related to politics. While there should have been, and still should be great rejoicing over Nadarkhani's release, there was instead an almost deafening silence.

Therefore, I have decided that on my blogs there will be no mentions of either candidate except in ways that relate to religious liberty, abortion, or same sex marriage.

Why? Because I don't want to be a party to focusing our attention on the world when we should focus our attention on God, and as Catholic, those are the faith issues I will be sharing as regards the elections. If we would all take the time to focus our attention on God, ask for His help, His belssings, and His Grace, then through Him the rest would take care of itself.

Below are some scripture passages for you to consider:

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you: my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled: nor let it be afraid.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress. But have confidence. I have overcome the world.

Romans 12: 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and the acceptable and the perfect will of God.

1 Corinthians 1: 20 - 21 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  For, seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world, by wisdom, knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of our preaching, to save them that believe.

1 Corinthians 3: 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written: I will catch the wise in their own craftiness.

James 1: 27  Religion clean and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation and to keep one’s self unspotted from this world.

2 Peter 2: 20  For if, flying from the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they be again entangled in them and overcome: their latter state is become unto them worse than the former.

1 John 2: 15 - 17  Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh and the concupiscence of the eyes and the pride of life, which is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world passeth away and the concupiscence thereof: but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever.

1 John 4: 1 - 6 Dearly beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits if they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. By this is the spirit of God known. Every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that dissolveth Jesus is not of God. And this is Antichrist, of whom you have heard that he cometh: and he is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome him. Because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore of the world they speak: and the world heareth them. We are of God. He that knoweth God heareth us. He that is not of God heareth us not. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Top All Time Posts For Faith of the Fathers Blogs

I was looking at the stats for some of the Faith of the Fathers blogs, and it occurred to me that I had never looked at the "all time" top posts of the blogs.

So, I decided to share here what the Google Stats says are the top posts for all time, and thought that some of you might want to read some of those posts.

So here they are in no particular order:

Faith of the Fathers: The Digital Catholic Bible

Apologetics: Why Don't Catholics Read The Bible

Saint Quote of the Day: Saint Quote : Saint Anthony of Padua

Daily Mass Readings: Daily Mass Readings for Sunday, January 01, 2012

No Walls: The Beatitudes

Pope Benedict XVI: News Vatican Information Service 09/10-12/2011

Church Under Attack: Gospel of Judas

The Early Church Fathers: Saint Jerome: Early Church Father and Doctor of the Church

Favorite Prayers And Scripture: Prayers Before And After Reading Holy Scripture

Our Lady: Mary's Way Of The Cross - Fifteenth Station: Jesus is Raised from the Dead

Saints of the Faith: Sister Josefa Menendez-Victim Soul

Spirituality and Mysticism: Mystical Suffering of The Victim Soul

Busy Mom's Notebook: Shepherds Pie With Mushroom (Yes, we have recipes)

Prayer Requests: Prayer Request for Fallen Away Catholics

Approved Apparitions: Our Lady of Kibeho

Spiritual Warfare: The Seven Deadly Sins-ENVY

Bible Stories (one of our Kid's Corner blogs): The Story of Gideon

So, give them a read if you have the time. I hope you find them enjoyable and informative.

Copyright © 2005-2012 Steve Smith. All Rights Reserved.

Seven Years And Still Here (By the Grace of God)

In late July of 2005, Marie and I had an idea to start a Catholic blog. We had several discussions about it over the phone, and invited Emmy and Ginny to join us in contributing to the blogs.

Marie is from Australia, Emmy is from the Netherlands, Ginny is from Trinidad and Tobago, and I am from the United States. So our blogs were an international effort.

We discussed a name for the blogs, and came up with the name "Faith of the Fathers". Marie and I discussed the look of the blogs, and the different blog topics, and decided each of our primary topics deserved it's own "blog" under the name "Faith of the Fathers".

We started with the main blog under the name "Faith of the Fathers", and the others were (in no particular order) "Our Lady", "Pope Benedict XVI" (the only blog of ours that has been regularly visited by The Holy See), "Spiritual Warfare", "Church Under Attack", "Apologetics", "Approved Apparitions", "Saints of the Faith", "Daily Mass Readings", "Favorite Prayers and Scripture", "The Early Church Fathers", "Spirituality and Mysticism", "Saint Quote of the Day", and "Prayer Requests".

Later we added "Catholic Books And Movies", "No Walls" (a youth section), "Busy Mom's Notebook", "Faith of the Fathers Links", "Faith of the Fathers Report", and then our "Kids Corner" blogs (which was primarily attended to by Ginny) which included these blogs for kids: “Learning and Understanding Our Faith”, “Our Blessed Mother and The Holy Rosary”, “Bible Stories”, “Angels and the Saints”, “Prayers and Scripture”, and "Fun and Crafts".

Whew...no wonder I am so tired....

So our first posts were published on July 31, 2005, and now 7 years later, our blogs are still here and still growing. During our first year we had the following stats: 55,348 page loads, 26,908 unique visits, with 23,000 first time visits, and 3.908 returning visits. That was a monthly average of 152 page loads, 74 unique visits, 63 first time visits, and 11 returning visits.

For the period of August 1, 2011 through July 31, 2012 we show the following stats: 214,273 page loads, 170,224 unique visits, with 156,311first time visits and 13,913 returning visits. That's a monthly average of 585 page loads, 465 unique visits, 427 first time visits, and 38 returning visits (which I would love to see get better). Not too shabby an increase overall but, it perhaps could have been better if not for a few setbacks.

The setbacks that occurred were health related, financially related, and due to personal obligations as well. First, I had a "light heart attack" (I think health professionals call it light because they weren't the one's that had it), and since I had no health insurance (still don't), and was out of work for about 2 months, I eventually wasn't able to contribute much. Then Marie's health got bad, and the others personal obligations prevented them from contributing as before. I keep their nameshere as contributors because the posts they wrote are still here, and I will never remove them unless they ask me to for some reason. Marie apparently removed herself as being listed as a contributor a couple of years ago, but her posts are still here, and all the posts by all of them are still worth reading and reflecting on.

Anyway, it's 7 years later, and "Faith of the Fathers" is still here. Let's pray and hope for another 7 years!

Your brother in Christ, Steve Smith.