Fasting to save money--Catholic Social Justice in Action

My friend Kasima at Bubblews wrote a post that hit me right in the heart. She is fasting every other day to save money. I think there's a deeper spiritual level to fasting that she has latched onto. Consider this--3/4 of the world's kids go to bed hungry. Many eat only every other day. While we in the developed world consume too much. We shop, buy, spend, eat and drink too much. We spend too much time on the internet. We gamble and ingest dangerous things. We lavish money on our own personal entertainment while others struggle to have beans and a little rice.

We are hurting ourselves. We are developing lifestyle diseases because of it: obesity, hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, alcoholism, addictions. And those are just the physical issues--the emotional, social repercussions are many. We go deep in debt feeding our greed. Our relationships crumble. We're miserable. And we are hurting others by selfishly hoarding and not sharing. There is no reason why everyone can't have enough, all 7 billion even, if we would all just lighten our load.

Christians, Catholics, protestants--we all do this, even though Our Lord and Our Lady tell us not to. This is not gospel teaching. Jesus spoke exhorted us to social justice, not capitalistic greed. Solidarity with the poor, ha! More like envying and sucking up to the rich.

I'm not going on a political tirade, but it's time we wake up and learn a lesson from people like Kasima, who are living simply so themselves and others can simply live. Fasting isn't just for lent. Or advent or Fridays. It's about living minimal every day. I fasted twice a week when I heard Our Lady of Medjugorie's call. I lost 35 pounds and I wasn't even thinking about weight loss.

Now I am dieting to lose weight and have cut down portions. I show you these two pictures of me, before and now, not to brag, but to demonstrate that I am happier eating less and living light. I eat simpler food that aren't rich or expensive. I'm healthier but I feel better emotionally and spiritually. I've lost some of the weight of  attachment to possessions. I can focus on higher-minded things without the craving and coveting getting in the way. It's a battle. I don't have it licked, but God is helping. He sends me kindred spirits like Kasima. I'm fasting to save money - News - Bubblews

Click either link to read her story
.

Parents Consider Kids' Facebook Social Implications

I've got some concerns about social networking and kids. Simply, that we parents are letting kids spend too much time on Facebook, texting, etc. What I'm saying applies to all parents who care about kids. Catholic, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu Buddhist, atheist, Wiccan--ideology matters not. If you have kids, you need to think about Facebook, Twitter and the implications of digital interaction.

Facebook and social networking are bubbles. They occupy a lot of time and airspace for a significant number of people, including children. It crosses all boundaries. Parents will do unethical things that they wouldn't normally do, probably to keep their kids plugged in.

I heard a Catholic doctor, homeschooler and dad of six on a parenting talk show, advocate Facebook. He admitted to allowing his 10 and 12 get Facebook accounts. Given the age restriction, he had to have lied to them. This obsession with social technology knows know bounds. I'm not an alarmist reactionary. I'm a realist who foresees danger from the digitial drug. A spectrum of users interact instantly and globally. We don't yet know what all the impacts will be. From my own experiences, I see that digital interaction impairs face-to-face communication. Here's how.   Facebook, Social Media Impairs Real-Life Communication

Spanish Mass Blesses Catholics Even if You Do Not Speak the Language

We've started attending Spanish mass, even though we're English speakers. Instead of a language barrier, we're feeling a special connection despite our spoken differences. My husband works 6-7 nights a week. Having only one day off a week and being a third shifter makes going to mass complicated. If we want to spend any time together, it has to be Saturday night. When he worked Friday night, he needs to sleep Saturday. So we often end up staying up late, even till early morning, visiting. So we like evening mass.

Our church, St. Patrick's recently merged with St. Anthony's, a small mission parish in Grand Haven township. This is predominantly a Hispanic church with migrant workers and local Spanish-speakers. They've always had a Spanish mass and carried the tradition to our larger congregation. There is a 6 pm Sunday mass in Spanish during the summer.   Spanish Mass Blesses Catholics Even if You Do Not Speak the Language