Planetary Peregrination—Reviewing C.S. Lewis’ Science Fiction

/ chicoinematt / 2 Comments

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 16, 2017. Review contains mild spoilers.

Growing up I had those glow-in-the-dark planet decals attached to the ceiling of my bedroom. Space exploration and the study of astronomy always fascinated me and still grips my attention. As a kid, I even made sure my planet decals were proportionately spaced from the sun [the light in the center of my bedroom ceiling] as the real planets’ orbit around the sun!

I have maintained a love of space through my reading of both scientifically based works like Stephen Hawkings’ A History of Time and Space to sci-fi works like Spin by Robert Charles Wilson.

About five years ago, my cousin introduced me to another sci-fi series related to space—one by Clives Staples Lewis! You heard me right, the same C.S. Lewis who wrote great Christian apologetic works of The Screwtape Letters and Mere Christianity. The same C.S. Lewis who his endeared children with the Chronicles of Narnia.

Penned by the motivation of a literary challenge to delve into the genre of science fiction posed by his close friend J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis branched out and wrote three tales in The Space Trilogy. Because I want to share this amazing work, here is a brief review of the first book— Out of the Silent Planet.

Continue reading →
Thank you for sharing!

Led by the Shepherd: Finding Abundant Life and Bringing Others Home

/ chicoinematt / Leave a comment

Guest Post by: David Tonaszuck

A reflection on the Gospel of John 10:1-10

Dear friends in Christ,

There was a man named John who, for much of his life, felt lost. He grew up in a small town, knew the routines of daily life, but a shadow seemed always to hover at the edge of his spirit. John tried to fill the emptiness with work, with distractions, even with the approval of others. None of it lasted. He wandered, like a sheep without a shepherd, never feeling truly at home, never truly at peace. One day, in a moment of quiet desperation, John found himself sitting alone in a church, staring at the crucifix. He whispered a prayer he wasn’t sure he believed: “Jesus, if you’re real, help me.”

Something shifted. Over the next days, John felt drawn back to the church, to Scripture, and to prayer. He met a priest who listened, who encouraged him to read the Gospels, to come to Mass, to let Jesus lead him. John gradually realized that Jesus was not a distant figure, but a Shepherd who knew him by name, who had been calling him all along. As John learned to trust Jesus and follow Him, his life changed. He found hope where before there was only emptiness. And, slowly, almost without realizing it, he began reaching out to others who felt lost as he once did. He listened, he prayed with them, he invited them to experience the same peace he’d found. John became a shepherd of souls, leading others to the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

Good Shepherd
Continue reading →
Thank you for sharing!

The Simple Catholic Sunday Funnies: Episode 31

/ chicoinematt / Leave a comment

Welcome to another The Simple Catholic Sunday Funnies! Growing up, one of my favorite parts of Sunday was flipping to the comics section of the newspaper: a little pocket of humor, color, and light-heartedness to start the week.

Now, in that same spirit, I’m excited to share this weekly collection of wholesome, funny Catholic comic strips. Thanks to the incredible talents of artists like Father Alvaro Comics, The Catholic Cartoonist, Sam Estrada, Tomics, and Fr. Michael DeBlanc. These comics bring a joyful twist to our shared faith, reminding us that laughter is one of God’s great gifts.

Enjoy Catholic comics!

Continue reading →
Thank you for sharing!

Why Christian Anthropology is the Key to Modern Identity Crisis

/ chicoinematt / Leave a comment

Sponsored: This article is made possible by Image & Gift Ministries LLC, supporting quality and engaging Catholic content.

In a world where identity has become increasingly fragmented and fluid, what if the most profound answers about who we truly are have been waiting for us since the beginning of creation? The modern man has an identity crisis and the solution is Christian anthropology. This might sound like advanced terminology, leaving you wondering: what does this actually mean?

In simplest terms, Christian anthropology is understanding human persons as God created them. Ultimately what is at stake is human identity. As our culture moves farther away from the true understanding of the nature and purpose of the human person, the need for education in Christian anthropology is more necessary than ever before in our experience.

The Christian understanding of the human person was once taken for granted in our culture as the standard by which all understood themselves and others. Today this is not the case. We see evidence of identity confusion all around us or even within ourselves. Just do a Google search of “define identity” and one can see the confusion that surrounds the idea.

Continue reading →
Thank you for sharing!

5 Stunning Facts about Saint Catherine of Siena

/ chicoinematt / Leave a comment

Sponsored: This article is made possible by Letters From Heaven — Saint Letters for Catholic Kids supporting quality and engaging Catholic content.

Saint Catherine of Siena was one of the greatest followers of Christ. Her ability to articulate the Gospel and her courage to call even the papacy to reform are among the key reasons she is one of my favorite saints. My youngest daughter is even named after this amazing saint, which means her story shows up often in our home in very real and tangible ways.

Read on to learn five amazing facts about Catherine:

Continue reading →
Thank you for sharing!