30 years of marriage. Thanks be to God! Jesus, we are yours. Hold us in your tender gaze. Teach us to love well and with heroic virtue. Keep our children and grandchildren close to you always. Plant us deeply so that generations will grow strong even as we fade.

It seems a good idea that all highly visible ministers should be required to take a periodic break from the public eye for a variety of reasons, one of which is their own well-being. There’s no reason on any “side to view Father R’s “fast” as a negative.

LSN broke the news that the Denver archbishop has asked exorcist Fr. Chad Ripperger to take a one-year break from public speaking. While LSN is taking a critical view of the bishop's actions, I suspect there is more to the story. Bishop Golka is a trained exorcist who studied at the highly regarded Pope Leo XIII Institute. As an exorcist himself, he must've seen or heard something in Fr. Ripperger's public (or private) remarks that were sufficiently concerning to cause him to take such action. I also understand that the USCCB may be publishing new guidelines restricting public appearances by all American exorcists, over concerns that the ministry has become too public. I'm of two minds on this. On the one hand, exorcism used to be a deeply private ministry, and for good reason. On the other hand, when you remove solid exorcists from the public sphere, all the quacks with crazy, harmful ideas rush in to fill the void, offering terrible advice and wrong catechesis on spiritual warfare. This is especially true in these times, when demonic activity is on the rise and so many souls are seeking guidance. On a related note, I noticed last week that Fr. Ripperger's status in the Denver archdiocese had changed to "retired" earlier this year, and his community of Doloran Fathers is no longer listed on the website.

Until their bodies fell apart from damaged feet/knees/hips and sarcopenia. I do wish we had more societal elegance, but I am grateful for development of understanding of the womanly body and why tennis shoes or flats would have been a better pedestrian option.

I understand the impulse to counter the ghoulish Halloween decor, but this is truly ugly. Gaudy, cheap, cartoonish. Why can’t we just decorate our homes with beautiful things?

So many parents (mostly moms) building platforms after their kids go no-contact. I can’t think of a more certain way to make sure that your child never comes back into your life than to make their suffering into your brand. Wild. I almost can’t believe it when I see it.

This is a remarkably helpful definition of addiction. And maybe, unintentionally, a way to describe the expansive peace that comes with deep faith and intimacy with God; gratitude and awareness of gift so irrepressible that it even bleeds into (and redeems) suffering.

I took social apps off my phone for a while, except Strava where I have maybe 18 friends. Very wholesome time.

A couple weeks ago I thrifted a pricey Marmot rain jacket for $15. I woke up this morning to a 100% chance of rain and a 5-mile run on the schedule. I was so excited. This must be what a devoted prepper feels like when TEOTWAWKI finally comes.

They have all these convoluted theories about how the boomers ruined everything. It’s so tragic. They allow themselves no agency, perpetual victims.

Parish council recently voted to make me "Queen of the World" but I declined because I knew that X anons would disapprove. Near miss! All newly married FOCUS missionaries are totally safe.

Those of you who have chosen to scapegoat boomers for your personal misery are going to find that someday you get old--the "boomer"equivalent for your time--and the young will do the same thing to you. Bank on it.

You could preach the gospel to hundreds of thousands of people and still watch while the American parish dies and families crumble. Same with the marketplace of influencers. Your comment does not disprove mine. facebook.com/share/1A6veQcjn…

Exhibit A for why public Catholic discourse is trash. Not seeking to understand. Not engaging conversation. Just a mocking wholesale misrepresentation for the social W which is actually a monstrous L. Glad you like FOCUS. Let’s talk about it. facebook.com/share/1A6veQcjn…

I recently met a young woman whose conversion didn’t come through the Church, it came through her job as a caregiver to disabled elderly in memory care. “I was a degenerate. But I learned how to love and receive love at my job, caring for people who are lonely, afraid, and sick.”

Walk, run, and stand with your toes pointed forward. Parallel. Make sure your kids do the same. Walk through the big toe. “Duck feet” contributes to a lot of preventable surgeries, esp knee and Achilles. It’s a small lifestyle adjustment that pays dividends.