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Social Media Boundaries for Your Children: 4 Practical Tips

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Jesus came to turn the hearts of parents toward their children and the hearts of children toward their parents (cf. Luke 1:17; Malachi 3:23-24). But social media, although good in itself, can sometimes get in the way of this saving grace.  Not too long ago I was talking to my neighbor while doing some yard work. We did something that few neighbors do these days: we actually talked to each other. Imagine that! My neighbor happens to be the father of two teenage daughters.  And off the cuff, he confided to me that his daughters rarely give him more than a one or two-word answer to his questions when he comes home from work; this, because they are spending an unlimited time on their i-phones. During the conversation, I had wondered why he didn't leverage his parental authority to improve that situation. In fact, he seemed resigned to his inability to do anything about it. In any case, I realized that neighbors are not the only ones that rarely talk to each nowadays. Face-
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What You May Not Know About Christmas

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If you ever watched the History Channel or Discovery Channel you may have come across certain theologians and historians who dismiss, out of hand, the historical accounts of Christ's birth as told in the Gospels and passed on through Church tradition.  Take for instance the date of Christ's birth. Many scholars have said that it is highly unlikely that December 25th was the actual date of our Lord's birth. One principal reason was that shepherds in the Holy Land did not normally graze their pastures with their sheep during the month of December.  Jerusalem Consults Rome Rather, the more likely month for such activity would be during the month of March. But, as we shall see, there are reasons to believe that the tradition of the Church got it right.  For starters, early in the fourth century, St. Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, wrote Pope St. Julius, bishop of Rome, to inquire about the date of Christ’s birth. One might think that if anyone was qualified to answer t
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Speed Up God's Work: One Proven Way to Do It

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What was said of Samuel, I hope can be said of the Diocese of Green Bay one day: "Samuel grew up and the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect." (I Samuel 3:10) This passage took on a new meaning one  cold February morning during my commute to Green Bay. It was February 2, 2016 to be exact! My daily commute to work is about thirty minutes; so I have plenty of time to think and pray. But this particular commute was a little different.    The Lord seem to be saying to me that morning: "It's time to put into practice with what you know to be true."   What did I know to be true? I had been convinced for quite some time that without setting aside time during my busy workday for intercessory prayer, I would never see God powerfully transform the lives of people I minister to on a daily basis. I would never see parishes grow again. And I would never see priestly, religious and marital vocations flourish as they once did. 
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