Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Through Broken Roses

Home
Catholic

Lessons

Select a Category #PopeInUS 7 quick takes Abortion Bad Days Book Review Books Caitlyn Jenner Catholicsim Conversion Crosses Death Dignity of the Human Person Easter Ethics Evil Fall Family Fear Freedom Gay Marriage God Holy Week Homosexuality Jesus Laughter Lessons Love Marriage Mass Motherhood My Life New Evangelzation new year Parenting Peace Planned Parenthood Politics Pope Francis Pregnancy Race Rap Music Relationships Saints Sins Suffering Tempation The Catholic Church The Past Things about me Trust Truth Uncategorized Women's rights Writing

Select a Month December 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 May 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 October 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 August 2011 July 2011 May 2011

December 2018

December 02, 2018

First Day of Advent: Suffering Sucks

Fluffy Christianity gives me the creeps. I sometimes wonder how people can just pretend that...

October 2018

October 23, 2018

The Power of Choice

It's 2018 and all around us, we hear about how we are free to make...

September 2018

September 06, 2018

Living Means Fixing Your Hair

Yesterday I wrote on my website about life eighteen months after losing my oldest...

August 2018

August 29, 2018

Salvation through Judas

I was taught that only God can bring good out of evil. Not that he...

August 27, 2018

Yes, I am still Catholic

Maybe some of you know but maybe some of you don't know that I had...

July 2018

July 30, 2018

Burnt To the Ground

The day that my oldest son took his own life was the day that my...

June 2018

June 11, 2018

Homily for the Funeral Mass of Anthony Gallegos

Below is the homily from my son Anthony's funeral Mass. In case you don't know,...

May 2018

May 25, 2018

I am Not Only My Motherhood

First, let me begin this with the fact that I am not a theologian...

April 2018

April 28, 2018

The Best Life I Never Expected

The other day I was talking to my husband about how if Anthony were...

April 03, 2018

Praying With My Enemies

On Good Friday I went to Stations of the Cross at my parish. It...

March 2018

March 27, 2018

When You are Grieving During Holy Week

Earlier this week I considered writing up something about how to grieve during Holy...

March 16, 2018

Grace, Grief, Death and Joy

Right now, I am sitting at the 1-year mark of the day between my birthday...

March 02, 2018

In The Cool of The Evening

The other evening my husband and I were driving to the grocery store as...

February 2018

February 15, 2018

EASTER GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!

A few weeks ago I was thinking about how I was going to keep...

January 2018

January 22, 2018

Who Am I

I am twelve days away from going through hell. It will be one year since...

December 2017

December 22, 2017

Death Be Not Proud

On Wednesday March 8th at 1:51 my oldest son called me to ask if he...

October 2017

October 24, 2017

Faith After Tragedy

I have had a lot of people tell me that my faith in the aftermath...

October 18, 2017

Keeping Hope Alive

I never sold or did drugs but I dated drug dealers. I hung out in...

September 2017

September 20, 2017

If I Can Give One Piece of Parenting Advice

I see discussions where parents are all trying to figure out how to keep their...

August 2017

August 23, 2017

Interview With Shaun Morgan From Seether About Suicide

I met Shaun Morgan, the lead singer of Seether, in 2005 at Hooters in Amarillo,...

July 2017

July 11, 2017

Book Review- Healing Promises: The Essential Guide to the Sacred Heart

The first Mass when I realized there was something special about Communion was at my...

February 2017

February 24, 2017

Two days ago I had a really bad day. Every single wound I have ever...

November 2016

November 10, 2016

The Election, Failure and Where to Go From Here

It has been a crazy 48 hours since the election results came in and Donald...

November 08, 2016

I am Pro-Life, I voted for Hillary

My original plan for today was to drink and wait for Jesus. I was not...

September 2016

September 21, 2016

How I found Myself

Last night I wrote this post about losing myself. I went to bed thinking...

September 20, 2016

What do I know? What is Real?

I have an amazing therapist. In the three and a half years that I have...

September 19, 2016

When God Dedicates Songs to You

Today I was sitting in the car with my two youngest sons and this song...

August 2016

August 25, 2016

Catholic Writing, Brands and Authenticity

Waiting tables is a story of how different things are "behind the scenes" verses what...

August 09, 2016

One of the Stages of Grief: Anger

I am over at Aleteia talking about grief and how I used to try and...

August 05, 2016

Being Joyful Through The Pain, Remembering that I am Loved

I have been feeling pretty low lately. I don't feel loved or appreciated by my...