(213) Living With Christ in the Womb of Mary Through Images of the Holy Land

AMDG

A statue of Mary in the patio in front of the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth.  Different manifestations of Mary from different countries are on the walls.

A street in Nazareth, leading up to the Basilica of the Annunciation in the background.  

       Today is Gaudete Sunday, the Third Sunday in Advent.  That puts us at the half way point in our wait with joyful anticipation for the birth of Christ.  It won’t be long now.

       The Annunciation, the First Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.  In the fullness of time God sends the Archangel Gabriel to make an astonishing request of a poor obscure teen aged virgin in Nazareth in about the year 3 BC.  Mary is startled, but realizes that the Archangel Gabriel is sent by God.  The deceased prophets and thousands more hold their breaths at the gates of Heaven as Mary has to make a decision that would change the world and open the gates at the Resurrection of Christ.  Humanity has been waiting for the fulfillment of the promise made by God 4000 years before…… that He would send a redeemer.

The Archangel of the Lord declares unto Mary: "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.  Blessed art thou among women."  But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.  Note that the greeting is the first two sentences of the Hail Mary prayer.

 

Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus (a powerful name taken from the Hebrew word for, “God is salvation” that defined His mission on earth).

    

He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."  (Luke 1:28-33).  Thus He will be Christ the King, whom the Knights of Columbus serve as we also should do.

 

But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?"  And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.  And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her, who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." (Luke 1:34-37).  Mary does not doubt as Zachary did.  She only wondered how this can be, knowing that nothing is impossible for God.

 

     Mary said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her (Luke 1:38).  This is Mary’s “fiat” or YES to God’s request.  God has given each one of us a special mission, but we have the freedom to accept or reject that mission.  Mary’s decision is YES and at that very instant Mary is conceived by the Holy Spirit.  “The word was made flesh and He dwelt among us.”  Thus Mary becomes the Mother of God the Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity, i.e., in His human nature.

Behind the main altar is the spot believed to be where the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary with the epic news and a request.

       Mary is destined to suffer with her son, Jesus.  As God’s servant, Mary accepts anything that He might ask of her. She trusts God without question…….that all will work out according to His plan and thus for the best since she is confident of His great love.  Notice that the principal elements of the Angeles prayer that is said at noon in much of the world is contained in (Luke 1:28-38).  This biblical passage comprises the First Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, the Annunciation.  Mary can teach us so much when we meditate on that mystery as well as all the other mysteries of the Rosary.

The Visitation, the Second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary.  Mary learned from the Archangel Gabriel that her aging cousin Elizabeth miraculously conceived and is six months pregnant.  Mary sees Elizabeth in need of help, especially at her age.   Thus Mary travels (notice the painting on the façade of the church above) to Ein Karem to help Elizabeth.  The 80 mile journey by donkey is difficult over crude roads and there is a danger of being attacked and robbed.  However, as shown in the mural, Mary is protected by angels.  Let St. Luke the Evangelist describe their meeting.

The Church of the Visitation in Ein Karem.  The façade depicts Mary traveling on a donkey for her visit to her cousin St. Elizabeth who is pregnant with St. John the Baptist.  It’s about an hour and a half by car, days by donkey.

During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.  When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant (St. John the Baptist) in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled" (Luke 1:39-45).

      The baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaps for joy.  Babies in utero can hear what’s going on outside.  The infant in utero must have sensed that something epic was happening or God actually inspired him with the joyous news.  This is a beautiful testimony for a human being in the womb.  The above passage contains the second and third sentences of the Hail Mary prayer.

Inside the Church of the Visitation is a painting of Mary greeting her cousin Elizabeth.

Mary’s womb is effectively a tabernacle of the most high.  Centuries before King David hid the Ark of the Covenant in Ein Karem for three months; Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months.  We look on Mary as the new Ark of the Covenant.  The original Ark contained manna, the Ten Commandment slabs written by God, and the staff of Aaron, shepherd and priest.  

As the new Ark of the Covenant, Mary carries in her womb not manna, but the bread of life; not the slabs, but the word incarnate who will later speak for God; not the staff of Aaron, but the good shepherd and priest who will offer himself in 33 years as the victim to make reparation for all the sins of the world past, present, and future in order to open the gates of Heaven for us if only we follow Him.

And Mary says the most beautiful canticle of all time and a gem of literature, the Magnificat.

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.

For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.

The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him.

He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.

He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.

The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty.

He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy,

according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever"  (Luke 1:46-55).

Appendix

See http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/50-meditations-of-joyful-mysteries-of.html - (50) Meditations For the Rosary I: The 1^st and 2^nd Joyful Mysteries, The Annunciation and the Visitation.

(212) Waiting For Christ's Coming During Advent Through Images of the Holy Land and an Overview of the Old Testament

AMDG

            We had the privilege of being able to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land with 260 pilgrims from the Diocese of Rzeszow-Poland, which made it much cheaper than flying from the United States.  We thought of you all and prayed for you there.  Now we would like to share it with you through the liturgical year as we trace many of the steps of our Lord therein.  Hopefully, we can help you to make the Gospel come alive as we relive the epic events described in the Gospel.  Perhaps some of you could make the same pilgrimage yourselves by living modestly and saving up.  It would be a lot more uplifting and spiritually fruitful than a trip to Las Vegas.

Italics = quote from the Bible.

Italics Bold = quotes from the Bible.

Bold = Subtitles. Title. And captions for photos.

       Why do we celebrate Advent?  During the liturgical year we relive with Christ the main events of His life.  Advent, the beginning of the liturgical year, is a time of preparation for recalling the first coming of Messiah, Jesus Christ and His final coming at the end of time.  

Thus we should prepare ourselves with extra prayer as the rosary, Bible and other spiritual reading, charity, good works, daily Mass when we can, and an Advent Confession to clean our souls for the coming of the Savior.  Since such preparation involves some penance or sacrifice, the priest wears purple vestments. Still Advent is a more a time of joyful expectation and hope than a period of penance as in Lent.

Let’s go into greater depth in order to better understand and appreciate Advent.  Let us examine the long wait for the redeemer through an overview of the Old Testament and its promise, starting with Adam and Eve in Genesis 1, 2, & 3.  For an excellent time line through it all, click on http://www.bibleworldhistory.com/.  It also has links to fascinating maps.

  

The Garden of Eden. God intended that each person occupy Paradise for a period of time as a test and preparation for Heaven; then at death there would be a seamless transition to Heaven.  God clearly forbade Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  According to St. Pope John Paul II, the Lord used that tree as a test of obedience and to show that He is God and they are creatures. 

God warned Adam and Eve that disobedience would mean death.  However, the serpent said to Eve “No, you shall not die; for God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be open and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  They did eat of the apple and God expelled them from Paradise.

Adam and Eve had a close and special relationship with God and direct communication with Him.  Thus giving in to the serpent’s temptation was a betrayal.  What made their sin even more grave was that they did not believe God, but believed the devil (Do we do the same?); they did not trust God; they wanted to be like God, (i.e., little gods).  They were not satisfied to be created according to His image and likeness.  They doubted God’s word that they would die by eating the fruit, looking upon Him as a liar.   They said no to God; they rejected Him; they turned away from their Creator and what is right.  That defines serious sin.  It was blatant disobedience, a direct affront against God. 

As a result, the gates of Heaven were closed.  By inheritance and association as descendants of Adam and Eve, every person (except Mary and her Son) is conceived with a stigma as a member of the human family.  This we call Original Sin which causes a separation from God and a tendency to sin (concupiscence)…….Adam and Eve’s legacy to us. 

However, in His mercy God left humanity with hope.  He promised to send a Redeemer…….“I will put enmity between you (the serpent) and the woman (Mary), between your offspring and hers; He (Christ) will strike at your head while you strike at his heel” (Gen 3:15).  Only the Son of God could make reparation for the great sin of Adam and Eve and the sins of their descendants in order to open the gates of Heaven for humanity if we repent and follow Him.   

“God created man in His image, in the divine image He created him; male and female he created them.  God blessed them saying: ‘Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.” (Genesis 1:27-28).  They would multiply through God’s gift of sex which He intended for procreation (to create with Him) and bonding.

God created sex to be beautiful and sacred, where a man and a woman that God has brought together give themselves to each other in the marital act and the product of that love is a human being made to the image and likeness of God.  Thus sex is sacred and not to be used for recreation, simply as a toy for pleasure     

Analogous to the enticing apple of the Tree of Knowledge is the enticing, often addicting pleasure and excitement of illicit sex, be it heterosexual outside of marriage or homosexual in all cases whether with an adult or a minor, whether forced (the perpetrator) or consensual.  Objectively all are deadly mortal sins if there is full knowledge and full consent of the will (see http://ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/catechism/index.html#561/z on the vocation to chastity (p 561) and offenses against chastity on page 564 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church). 

The devil tempts us as he did with Adam and Eve…….“It’s OK; there’s nothing wrong with it; it’s not a sin because you’re in love and committed to each other; you’ll get married anyhow; everyone does it; it’s only fair that gays should also have sex; it’s legal; etc.”.  Pornography leads one away from God into the darkness.  Our Lady of Fatima revealed to Jacinta on her death bed:  “More souls go to Hell because of sins of the flesh than for any other reason.”  We are fallen and Christ came to redeem us and reconcile Adam and Eve as well as us with God, if we repent and follow the Lord.   

During 4000 years of Salvation History after Adam and Eve, fallen man in a fallen world groped in the dark.  “In pain shall you bear children……by the sweat of your brow shall you get bread to eat” (Genesis 3:16 &19).  Some theologians believe that Mary probably did not undergo labor during the birth of the Christ child because of her Immaculate Conception, i.e., she was conceived without original sin.
 

       Planet Earth was a dark place…….Cain killed his brother Abel in the first homicide.  Because of rampant corruption and injustice, God sent the flood to destroy humanity, but saved Noah and his family.  Yet even after the flood, all kinds of sin and debauchery continued.

Just south of the Dead Sea (above) lay Sodom and Gomorrah.  Water from the Sea of Galilee, the River Jordan, and other streams in the Holy Land empty not into the ocean, but into the Dead Sea which has no outlet.  The water evaporates, but all of the salts and medicinal minerals remain.  Thus the water is much denser than ocean water and the human body.  Therefore a person can float in it without effort.    

Among the darkest places at the beginning of the second millennium B.C. were five thriving sin cities just south of the Dead Sea near Zoar, where immorality and depravity in sins of the flesh, including homosexuality, reigned until God destroyed four of the cities like in a nuclear holocaust.  The most notorious of the five cities were Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18 &19). 

      The word sodomy is their legacy.  The same sins are common today.  What was sinful then is just as sinful today because morality flowing from the natural order created by God is absolute and unchanging.  Robert Bork, President Ronald Reagan’s nominee for the Supreme Court rejected by a Democratic Senate, indicts our society as a culture in moral decline in his 1996 book, “Slouching toward Gomorrah”.  Does he have a point?  If so, will the consequences of widespread depravity destroy America?

Thus the Ten Commandments and basic Church moral teaching (the magisterium) --as written in the official Catechism of the Catholic Church and handed down to us by Christ through the apostles-- cannot be changed.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church can be accessed at  http://ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/catechism/index.html#I/z).  The user can quickly access any part of the catechism by clicking on the desired item in the Table of Contents at the beginning of the book. 

The Muslim Mosque, called the Dome of the Rock where Abraham demonstrated his willingness to sacrifice his beloved son to God.  Some 50 yards away is the Temple Mount, site of the first and second temples.  The first built by King Solomon in about 940 BC was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC The second temple was built in about 515 BC, but was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

In about 2000 BC God chose Abraham as the first patriarch and father of nations after he showed his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac to Him.  God intervened and rewarded Abraham for his obedience by making him the father of nations.  Two millenniums later God the Father gave His only Son to be sacrificed for us and our sins.  His son Isaac begot Jacob, the third patriarch who begot Joseph.  The latter brought his kin to Egypt to escape from a severe famine in about 1700 BC. 

Eventually, their descendants were enslaved by the pagan Egyptians.  After 400 years (1280 BC), God sent Moses to bring them out of Egypt to the promised land of Canaan that was originally settled by Abraham centuries before.  God let the Jews wonder in the desert for 40 years because of their rebelliousness, complaining, and idol worship.  During that time God gave the Jews the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai between today’s Israel and Egypt.

Map of Ancient Palestine

       The Jews finally settled in Canaan, the promised land in about 1240 BC and were ruled by God through Judges, the last being Samuel.  It was during this period that Boaz married Ruth, whose great grandson was King David, who continued the line to St. Joseph and probably Mary as well.  By 1050 BC the Jews demanded a human king, rejecting God as their king and against the advice of Samuel.  Nevertheless, Samuel chose King Saul who betrayed God through disobedience and killed himself to avoid capture.  

    King David and King Solomon, who built the great temple, followed.  The latter betrayed God through idol worship.  The Lord punished him by allowing infighting to occur between his son Rehoboam and the ten tribes of the north under Jeroboam.  They then became two separate kingdoms, Judah (south) and Israel (north) in 930 BC.

The Promised Land as viewed from Mt. Tabor in Galilee.

       The Jews of the Old Testament followed a cyclic pattern.  When they were close to God as during the reign of King David and most of the reign of King Solomon, Israel was prosperous and powerful.  When corruption and idol worship crept in toward the end of King Solomon’s reign, Israel lost its power and prosperity until they returned to God and became powerful again before falling again as the cycle would repeat.

 

Assyria defeated the Jews and then the Babylonians conquered and took them to Babylon (in Iraq) as slaves.  The exile lasted almost 200 years from 722 to 538 BC.  During the Babylonian Exile, the Jews kept together as a people and slowly came back to God.  The Lord sent Cyrus of Persia to free the Jews to return to their lands and rebuild the temple.  In about 330 BC, the Greeks led by Alexander the Great conquered Palestine.  In 167 BC, Rome with Pompey in command drove the Greeks out and took Israel.

       Of all the peoples of the world only the Jews believed in the one true God; the rest practiced some form of idol worship.  There was human sacrifice to these false gods, who often were demons.  Even the Romans placed little value upon human life.  If a Roman woman did not want her baby, she would simply trash the infant.  Later Christians buried many of them with dignity as they do today with abandoned aborted babies.

There is a statue of the prophet Elijah at Mt. Carmel where he demonstrated the power of God against the false god Baal in bringing down fire from Heaven (1 Kings 18).

The Promise of the Old Testament. Even God’s chosen people, the Jews often fell into corruption, sin, and some idol worship.  God raised up prophets to speak for Him to the people in order to teach them and help them to turn away from sin and come back to God.  They often prophesied the coming of the Redeemer, particularly Isaiah (especially in chapters 7, 9, and 11), as well as Zechariah, Jeremiah, Zephaniah, Malachi, David, and Nathan.  Christ was to be born of a virgin in Bethlehem in the line of David (from Abraham to St. Joseph in Matthew 1:1-17). 

Humanity already had to wait 4000 Years for the fulfillment of the promise.  Each Sunday in Advent and each candle in the Advent Wreath represents 1000 years of world history since the fall of Adam and Eve.

 

     The promise of the Old Testament will yield to the fulfillment of the New Testament.  Let us prepare our hearts for Christmas.  To grow spiritually do more reading of the Bible…...the most read book of all time.  The promised Messiah will come soon.  Be ready!

                                                                                                                                         

(211) Our 2018 Family Thanksgiving & Christmas Newsletter……..Stephanie’s Engagement

Everybody has a full stomach in this photo after Jaga’s delicious Thanksgiving meal.  The turkey was very tender and juicy……just right.  Jaga and I celebrated our 30^th wedding anniversary last August 13 when I was 50.  From left to right are John Faro, Naomi (24), John Paul (29), Joseph (21), Jaga, Paul, Daniel Spiotta, and Stephanie (27).  We have so much to be thankful for.

Dear Extended Family and Friends:

       It’s Thanksgiving Day and I’m thinking of you.  A Happy Thanksgiving to you all!  We have a lot to be thankful for and among them is having you as our extended family.  Whether this is a good year or not so good, you still have many blessings to count.  Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of thanksgiving to God in the midst of a bloody Civil War after the victory at Gettysburg.  Some of you might enjoy the following article of mine on Thanksgiving:

(197) PUT THANKS BACK INTO THANKSGIVING DAY: History; Count Your Blessings Before Eating theTurkey
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/11/197put-thanks-back-into-thanksgiving.html

       Loya Wedding. We attended the beautiful wedding of Maria Loya and Johnathan Desrosiers in the Byzantine Rite at the cathedral of Parma.  Maria works in physical therapy and Johnathan is in law enforcement.  It was a beautiful wedding in which her uncle Fr. Tom Loya married them while her father, Deacon Greg and my brother, Deacon John assisted.  It was great seeing her grandmother Martuka, her Uncle Tim and Aunt Barbara, and great Uncle Bob Foley.

       Full House. For the first time since 2007 that we had all of our family together for Thanksgiving and with a big bonus.  Stephanie drove from Dallas, Texas with her fiancé, Daniel Spiotta and John-Paul.  Naomi came from Cincinnati with her boy friend, John Faro.  So that made not only our half dozen family members, but two more to make eight of us devouring the Turkey in our small dining room.  It was great having everybody together.  Suddenly, we went from empty nest to full house for a few days.

Joseph came home from Ohio State (www.osu.edu) where he is a senior, majoring in Computer Science & Engineering.  He has a marvelous opportunity to live with other Catholic students in community as part of the St. Paul Outreach (www.spo.edu).  The young men pray together and have their meals together.  They recruit students to their Bible studies and Men’s Night.  Joseph heads one of the Bible study groups.  This past summer he worked as an intern in software development at Wright State University for the U.S. Air Force.  Recently he ran the marathon in Columbus and finished ahead of 2/3 of the participants.         

  John Paul, an Ave Maria University grad (www.avemaria.edu), where he ran track, continues to teach Math at Faustina Academy High School in Dallas (https://faustinaacademy.com/).  He’s a member of St. Basil’s Byzantine Catholic Church in Dallas and is a member of their choir.  It’s gratifying that he’s following our Byzantine Catholic heritage that his great grandfather, Fr. Vladimir Mihalich handed down.  

 Stephanie, a Thomas Aquinas College grad (www.thomasaquinas.edu), continues to teach at the Great Hearts Elementary Charter School (https://www.greatheartsamerica.org) that builds their program around the great children’s books.  She likes to run, especially when stressed out.  While teaching at Great Hearts in Phoenix, she met Daniel Spiotta, a Hillsdale College grad (www.hillsdale.edu) who was a Latin teacher.  Today he is a brilliant doctoral student in Literature, specializing in Shakespeare at the University of Dallas, a Catholic institution.  Interesting is that Hillsdale is so fiercely independent that it refuses all government aid to avoid being subject to government regulations and control.  They both are very devout and try to attend daily Mass.  

   Naomi graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville (www.franciscan.edu) last year with a major in Nursing.  She didn’t want anybody from rural Gallia County.  So she accepted a position at Montefiore Hospital in Pittsburgh.  There she met John Faro, a graduate from Pitt in Neuroscience and guess where he's from?  You can take the girl out of Gallia County, but you can't take Gallia County out of the girl.  He's a very intelligent and hard working student at the University of Cincinnati Medical School.  

     Naomi followed him to Cincinnati and accepted a position as a Labor and Delivery nurse at the University of Cincinnati Hospital, a dream fulfilled since Middle School.  Everybody just assumed that they were going to live together.  Naomi corrected them……”No we’re not.”  Both Stephanie and Naomi are doing it the right way with their boy friends and we’re so proud of them.  Today that’s counter cultural.  Years ago cohabitation was scandalous; today it’s considered to be normal.

       Jaga teaches the First Communion class at St. Louis Catholic Church and was elected to the parish council there.  She has a major role in the monthly soup kitchen supported by a few of the churches in town.  She’s also a member of the Catholic Women’s Club.
  
       As a team Jaga and Paul bring Holy Communion to the sick every Sunday, pray with them, and give moral support.  We encourage them to trust in the Lord and to unite their crosses with the Lord's cross, offering it all to Him as a dynamic prayer for the conversion of sinners as Mary requested at Fatima, for the world, for the Church in crisis, and for their loved ones.  Research shows that patients who spiritualize their suffering, do better.  Then suffering has meaning and purpose, becoming productive and more bearable.  See
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/02/133-lourdes-and-world-day-of-sick.html.  

    We are advisers for the Catholic Newman Club at the University of Rio Grande.  It’s struggling now since our society has become more and more secular and indifferent to religion.  See (93) The Newman Club (Center) A Catholic Presence on the Secular Campus
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-newman-clubcenter-catholic-presence.html.

       We both helped to found a monthly free clinic staffed by volunteer doctors and nurses for the uninsured poor, but after nine years Obamacare put us out of business. If Big Government can “afford” to pay, so be it.  When individuals and the community does the work, it’s so much more efficient.  With a Big Government bureaucracies it’s often a case of giving without love and care without concern.  

       Paul. I help out with the Confirmation class at church and am active in the Knights of Columbus.  After being their treasurer for two years, I’m their public relations guy and I write up a newsletter every month.  I continue on the Steering Committee of the annual Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal.  I still write my blog of one or two articles a month.  The complete list is in the right column of the blog and by subject and link in the appendix.

         Every year in January, the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in 1973, I participate with about 300,000 other pilgrims in the March for Life in Washington.  See details at http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/02/203-diversity-as-east-meets-west-at.html.  In the past we've had all kinds of bad weather.......rain, sleet, snow, and bitter cold, including being stuck on the Pennsylvania Turnpike for 18 hours.  But the weather for the 2018 March was absolutely beautiful.  I usually devote a blog for each March.  On the eve of the March there's a standing room only crowd for a Mass at the huge Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.  The fellowship is always great.  During a break I meet with my godson, Danny Turk in the Archives Building.

       I tagged along with Dr. Sam Wilson’s History field trip to Virginia (a couple of hours out of Washington) in April.  It included Monticello (home of Thomas Jefferson - https://www.monticello.org), Montpelier (home of James Madison - http://www.montpelier.org), the Woodrow Wilson Library (his boyhood home - https://www.woodrowwilson.org), and American Shakespeare Center (https://www.woodrowwilson.org) in Staunton.  The latter has an authentic reproduction of a Shakespearean theater.  We saw the “Taming of the Shrew”.  Part of the audience sits on stage.   This trip inspired me to write the followed article: (207) THE FOUNDING AMERICAN IDEALS & RIGHTS BETRAYED: FROM SLAVERY TO ABORTION. May we make the ideals of our founding fathers a reality in our businesses, communities, and ultimately in our nation. http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/04/207-founding-american-ideals-rights.html.

       Family of Champions?  In the summer Paul (No. 1), Naomi (No. 1), Jaga (No. 1), and Joseph (No. 3) entered a 5 K benefit race and we all came out in the top three in our age categories.  I won in my age group.  All I had to do to be the winner was to walk and finish.  After all, I was the only one to enter in the 75 and above category.  I did pass some people.  Moral of the story for the old guys:  Take a brisk 45 minute walk (e.g. rosary walk) every day and you’ll be in decent shape to win.

Naomi & John Faro in a dead heat.  See the Appendix for more photos.    

Champions: Paul, Naomi, Jaga, and Joseph.

       Stephanie and Daniel were engaged on June 9, the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  He went the traditional route and asked me for her hand in marriage.  I replied: “She’s not mine to give, but I entrust her to you”.  They call it a betrothal and their pastor blessed it in a beautiful ceremony at Mater Dei Church in which the Masses and devotions are in Latin.  That was followed by an engagement party.  

         Daniel is a convert to the Catholic faith for a few years now, a very exemplary one, really a super convert who puts us cradle Catholics to shame.  One priest observed that the best Catholics are converts because they discovered the faith and thus appreciate it more.  They don’t take the faith for granted as we cradle Catholics tend to do.  Converts, such as John Henry Cardinal Newman and Scott Hahn, pursued the truth and had the integrity to follow it to wherever it led to the point of being ostracized by their families, friends, and colleagues.  Often they lost prestigious positions as a result.

Stephanie and Daniel are betrothed to each other at Mater Dei Church, Dallas.

Daniel and Stephanie’s engagement picnic.

Daniel’s Aunt Diane Spiotta organized a bridal shower for Stephanie at the home of his parents.  Jaga, Kathleen, and Michelle on my side; Justina and Kalina on Jaga’s side attended.  So Polish and English both were spoken at the gathering.  Meanwhile, the men had a stag steak cookout with Daniel, his father, and uncles at the home of his Uncle Mark Spiotta.  I tagged along for the ride.  Daniel has a wonderful family and they made us feel so comfortable with them.  It will be a joy to share grandchildren with them.

Stephanie and Daniel will be married on December 29 at traditional Mater Dei Church in Dallas, Texas.  The Nuptial Mass will be in Latin. 

 

       Please keep us up to date on your extended family by marriage and comments at my primary e-mail address paulrsebastian@yahoo.com.  Keeping in touch would make the Mihalich girls (my mother and her four sisters) and their parents very happy.  They did a wonderful job in keeping our extended family together. Then only my mom was left and now it's up to us to carry the baton to the next generation that would always stay together across the world at least via an occasional e-mail.  

     Again my fondest and best wishes to all of you for a beautiful Thanksgiving and a blessed Christmas (see article link below) together with your loved ones.  May the Christ child bless you richly throughout the new year.   

(200) WHAT MAKES CHRISTMAS SO SPECIAL? Why Is It the Most Important Birth in Both Salvation History and World History?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/12/200-what-makes-christmas-so-special-why.html

Appendix

Paul, Naomi, Jaga, and Joseph pose on the portable stage with their medals.

Joseph to the finish line.  He was number 1 in the family.

Jaga to the finish line.

Paul bringing up the rear.

LIST OF MY BLOG ARTICLES ON A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS

The articles are classified according to different subjects……from religious to sports, history, and business.  Just click on the link that accompanies the article that may interest you. My personal blog is http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com and the Men’s Conference blog is http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com promotes the diocesan Men’s Conference and has articles on  spirituality for men as well as for all.  Article submissions on men’s spiritually are invited for consideration for diosteubmen.blogspot.com. 

RELIGIOUS ARTICLES

Most were originally published as one sheet bulletin inserts in our Sunday Church Bulletin and later expanded.

(4) Commonality - Iran, Islam, Christianity, & Judaism

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/common-ground-iran-islam-christianity.html

(5) Every One of Us a Missionary Wherever We Are

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/every-one-of-us-is-missionary-wherever.html

(7) A Christian Spirit of Ecumenical Dialogue

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/christian-spirit-of-ecumenical-dialogue.html

(8) Has the Papacy Changed God's Laws & Promoted Graven Images?http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/has-papacy-changed-gods-laws-promoted.html

(9) The Christophers - You Can Change the World a Little Bit At a Time

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/christophers-changing-world-little-by.html

(10) Accomplishments of Blessed Pope John Paul

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/accomplishments-of-blessed-pope-john.html

(11) Maryknollers – A Century Spreading the Gospel And the Part of Each One of Us

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/maryknollers-century-spreading-gospel.html

(12) Business From a Christian Point of View

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/business-from-christian-point-of-view.html

(15) The Awesomeness of the Mass (Short Version)

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/15-awesomeness-of-mass.html

(18) Called to Be Saints….....Each One of Us

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/18-called-to-be-saintseach-one-of-us.html

(19) Why Canonized Saints?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/19-why-canonized-saints.html

(20) The All Saints Top Ten: Men and Women

 http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/20-all-saints-top-ten-men-and-women.html

(21) Purgatory is Real; Them Now, Us Soon

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/21-purgatory-is-real-them-now-us-soon.html

(22) Learning From St. Martin de Porres

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/learning-from-st-martin-de-porres.html

(28) A Prayer for National, State, and Local Leaders

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/28-prayer-for-government-leaders.html

(31-C) Fr. Vincent Capodanno M.M.: A Medal of Honor Marine Chaplain of the Vietnam War & a Maryknoll Father.  
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/31-c-fr-vincent-capodanno-mm-medal-of.html

(32) TV Series On EWTN, ewtn.com, and DVD On the Beauty, the Richness, and the Truths of the Church.
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/32-tv-series-on-ewtn-wwwewtncom-and-dvd.html

(39) A Knight’s Prayer to Christ, His King and the Knights of Columbus

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/39-knights-prayer-to-christ-his-king.html

(42) Blessed Padre Miguel Pro S.J.: 20^th Century Mexican Martyr for Christ the King

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/martyr-for-christ-king.html

(46) 1 - The Church in Poland I: The Catholic Culture

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/46-church-in-poland-i-catholic-culture.html

(47) 1 - The Church in Poland II: The Catholic Culture Throughout the Year

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/47-church-in-poland-ii-catholic-culture.html

(48) 1 - The Church in Poland III: The Domestic Church Movement (Domowy Kosciol & Oaza).
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/48-church-in-poland-iii-domestic-church.html

(49) 1 - The Church in Poland IV: Inroads of Secularism

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/church-in-poland-iv-inroads-of.html

(52) Christmas Customs: Why Do We Do Them?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/52-christmas-customs-why-do-we-do-each.html

(57) What Is Christmas Really?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-is-christmas-really.html

(69) Was the Reformation for Nothing?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/01/68-was-reformation-for-nothing.html

(72) The Vocations Crisis Hits Home

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/02/72-vocations-crisis-hits-home.html

(74-C) Serving as a Deacon to Cardinal George in the Basilica of St. Peter

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/03/74-serving-as-deacon-to-cardinal-george.html

(77) The Lenten Journey: What It's All About

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/03/77-lent-what-its-all-about.html

(79) Remembering Blessed Pope John Paul II

 http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/04/blog-post.html

(80) The Divine Mercy Message and Our Four Visits to the Divine Mercy Shrine in Krakow, Poland.
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/04/blog-post_15.html

(81) May Day and St. Joseph the Worker: Model of a True Man of God

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/05/81-st-joseph-worker-model-of-true-man.html

(82) National Day of Prayer: Prayer for the Military and Veterans Still Hurting

 http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/05/82-national-day-of-prayer-prayer-for.html

(86) St. Thomas More & St. John Fisher: Their Inspiration for Freedom of Religion Today

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/06/86-st-thomas-more-st-john-fisher-their.html

(92) The Tremendous Dignity of the Worker & His Work: the Basis of Social Responsibility, Business Ethics, Labor Relations, and Productivity.   
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/09/thetremendous-dignity-of-worker-and-his_3.html

(93) The Newman Club (Center) A Catholic Presence on the Secular Campus

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-newman-clubcenter-catholic-presence.html

(94) The Eucharist: Pagan Idolatry????

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/09/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none_25.html

(98) Memories of Seeing Blessed Pope John Paul II Three Times When He Visited Detroit September 1987

 http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/10/memories-of-seeing-blesseed-pope-john.html

(103) Catholic Chaplains Who Received the Medal of Honor in Vietnam

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/11/103-catholic-chaplains-who-received.html

(106) Review of the Visit of the Pilgrim Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Louis Church

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/12/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

(107) The Holy Family and Our Own Particular Families

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/12/107-holy-family-and-us.html

(111) A Challenge: Start a New Sexual Revolution on the High School or College Campus

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/02/111-challenge-new-sexual-revolution-on.html

(112) Easter Dinner at a Soup Kitchen and the St. Louis Church Gallipolis, Ohio Connection

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/04/112-easter-dinner-at-soup-ktchen.html

(113) A Godfather’s Letter to a First Communicant –

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/04/113-godfathers-letter-to-first.html

(114) National Day of Prayer: The First Thursday of May

          http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/04/114-national-day-of-prayer-first.html

(115) Prayer For the Community - 

          http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/05/115-prayer-for-community.html

(117) Modest Dress: Can a Young Lady Dress Fashionably Chic, Yet Be Modest and Pure?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/07/can-young-lady-dress-fashionabley-chic.html

(120) The Cristero War: The Historical Context of "For Greater Glory", the Star Studded Movie.
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/08/120-movie-for-greater-glory-and-its.html

(121) WE ARE St. Louis Church Gallipolis……. A Vibrant Parish Community of Faith and Prayer; Love of God and His People 

 http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/08/121-we-are-st-louis-church-vibrant.html

(124) Liver Transplant: Gallia Man to Give Part of His Liver to Cousin

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/10/130-gallia-man-to-give-part-of-his.html

(127) Heroic Chaplains Who Have Been Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/11/catholic-chaplains-who-have-been.html

(128) Liver Transplant Update: So Far So Good and Back Home for the Hog Roast Benefit

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/11/128-liver-transplant-update-so-far-so.html

(129) Joseph E. Loya & Martha Foley Loya: For Better or For Worse Until Death Did They Part…......The Agony and the Ecstasy in 61 Years of Marriage

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/12/129-joseph-martha-loya-for-better-or.html

(132) Blessed José Sanchez del Rio: Boy Martyr & Real Soldier of Christ….......His Participation in the Cristero War & the Intense Persecution of the Church by the Government of Mexico.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/02/131-blessed-jose-sanchez-del-rio-boy.html

(135)  A Jewel on the Banks of the Ohio: Inauguration of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption Marietta

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-facade-of-basilica-of-basilica-of-st.html

(136) The National Confession Crisis: Are we part of it?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/03/136-national-confession-crisis-are-we.html

(137) The Divine Mercy Chaplet and Novena Beginning Good Friday

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/04/137-divine-mercy-chaplet-and-novena.html

(138) Remembering St. John XXIII on the Day of His Canonization, Divine Mercy Sunday

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/04/138-remembering-st-john-xxiii-on-day-of.html

(141) Your Presence Makes a Difference, a Big Difference…....the Power of One, You! Building a Solid Parish  Community

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/09/140-your-presence-makes-difference-big.html

(146) Bob & Mary Murphy: 60 Years of Marriage They did it; so can we….......or until death do us part.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/11/146-bob-mary-murphy-60-years-of.html

(147) The Great Dignity and Value of the Developmentally, Mentally, and Physically Disabled: The Funeral of  Theresa Pappas With the Dignity She Deserved….....81 years institutionalized, her life had meaning.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/11/blog-post.html   

(149) SECULARISM: The Grinch that Stole Advent and Christmas---- Let’s Take Them Back and Put Christ into Christmas

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/12/149-secularism-grinch-that-stole-advent.html

(151) You’re IN the Super Bowl…....the Real One: A Football Analogy of Life…......Vocation, Mission, &  Confirmation

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/01/151-were-in-bigger-super-bowl-vocation.html

(155) How About a Lenten Confession?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/03/155-how-about-lenten-confession.html

(156) A Life Changing Mission Trip of a College Student (Naomi Sebastian) to Haiti

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/04/156-life-changing-mission-trip-of.html

(157) The Rite of Confirmation & Its Meaning

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/04/157-rite-of-confirmation-its-meaning.html

(159) Graduates & All: Make a Difference For Good in Your Careers….....to Change the World in a Small Way

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/05/159-graduates-all-make-difference-for.html

(161) The Principal Educators of the Faith…....Parents!!!!!

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/10/161-principal-educators-of-faithparents.html

(162) Attending the Eighth World Meeting of Families and the Visit of Pope Francis…......a Great Experience

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/10/162-eighth-world-meeting-of-families.html

(163) Why All of This Fuss Over Pope Francis and the Synod on the Family?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/11/163-why-all-of-this-fuss-over-pope.html

(164)  Only World War II Chaplain Who Received the Congressional Medal of Honor: Navy Captain Fr. Joseph Timothy O’Callahan” 

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/11/164-first-catholic-chaplain-to-receive.html

(167) Life Lessons From the Brutal Pittsburgh Steelers – Cincinnati Bengals Football Playoff Game http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/01/167-lessons-learnt-from-pittsburgh.html

(171) The Awesomeness of the Mass and the Eucharist

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/05/171-awesomeness-of-mass-and-eucharista.html

(176) St. Mother Teresa: A New Saint of Mercy in this Year of Mercy, a Prophet For Our Times

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/09/176-st-mother-teresa-new-saint-of-mercy.html

(180) Army Capt. Fr. Emil Kapaun, the Most Decorated Chaplain in Military History

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/11/180-fr-emil-kapaun-most-decorated.html

(181) VIVA CRISTO REY: THOUSANDS DIED FOR THE FREEDOM TO PROCLAIM IT…...The Role of the Knights of Columbus for Religious Liberty Against Persecution of the Church in Mexico

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/11/181-viva-cristo-rey-thousands-died-for.html

(182) Poland, Peru, and the Ukraine Consecrate Their Countries to God

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/11/182-poland-peru-and-ukraine-consecrate.html  

(183) GOD’S MOST MAGNIFICENT CREATION………FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AN ENGINEER.........Design, Design, Design:  You are amazing; you are a walking miracle.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/12/183-gods-most-magnificent-creationfrom.html

(187) Catholic Familyland: Play and Pray; Grow in Every Way as a Family

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/05/187-catholic-familyland-play-and-pray.html

(189) Why Eucharistic Adoration? What Can You Do During Adoration? Not Boring, Even Exciting

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/06/189-why-eucharistic-adoration-what-can.html

(194) Poland: the Biggest Rosary Rally Ever?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/10/polandthe-biggest-rosary-rally-ever.html

(196)  MARINE LT. FR. VINCENT CAPODANNO: the Grunt Padre’s Heroism and Holiness on the Battlefield in Vietnam Earned Him the Congressional Medal of Honor---- Beyond the Call of Duty.  
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/11/196-marine-lt-fr-vincent-capodanno.html

(197) PUT THANKS BACK INTO THANKSGIVING DAY: History; Count Your Blessings Before Eating the Turkey  
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/11/197put-thanks-back-into-thanksgiving.html

(198) The Protestant Reformation; May the Observance of the Quincentennial of the Protestant Reformation Lead to Church Unity…… What the Catholic Church Has to Offer Our Separated Brethren

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/12/198-protestant-reformation-and-what-is.html

(200) WHAT MAKES CHRISTMAS SO SPECIAL? Why Is It the Most Important Birth in Both Salvation History and World History?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/12/200-what-makes-christmas-so-special-why.html

(202) A Beautiful Byzantine Catholic Experience Last Summer and Christmas Too

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/02/202-beautiful-byzantine-catholic.html

(205) A Catholic Alternative to Obamacare & Commercial Health Insurance Plans.........Accepted by the Affordable Health Care Act and the IRS

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/03/205-catholic-alternative-to-obamacare.html

(208) The Gates of Hell Shall Never Prevail No Matter What the Scandal Is

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/08/208-gates-of-hell-shall-never-prevail.html

(210)  Medal of Honor Recipient U.S. Army Chaplain Major Fr. Charles Joseph Watters Made Parachute Jumps With His Men in Combat During the Vietnam War

https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/11/210-fr-maj-charles-joseph-watters-us.html          

ARTICLES ON MARY, CENTENARY OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA, & THE ROSARY

(2) Rosary Prayer Rally For Peace at the City Park

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/introduction-to-all-of-my-blogs.html

(6) Reflections: Our Public Square Prayer Rally in Gallipolis-Ohio

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/reflections-on-public-square-rosary.html

(50) Meditations For the Rosary I: The Joyful Mysteries

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/50-meditations-of-joyful-mysteries-of.html

(55) Our Lady of Guadalupe I: Binding the Americas Together

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/our-lady-of-guadalupe.html

(56) Our Lady of Guadalupe II: Mary's Message to the Indians of Mexico

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/our-lady-of-guadalupe-ii-marys-message.html

(73) Meditations For the Rosary II: The Luminous Mysteries

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/03/73-meditations-of-rosary-ii-luminous.html

(78) Meditations For the Rosary III: The Sorrowful Mysteries

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/03/77-rosary-meditations-iii-sorrowful.html

(83) The Role of Mary in the Church

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/05/role-of-mary-in-church.html

(84) Meditations For the Rosary IV: The Glorious Mysteries

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/05/84-meditations-of-rosary-glorious.html

(95) International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Fatima Visit; Its History & Message

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/10/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

(96) International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Fatima Visit (II): Its History & Consecration of the World to the Immaculate Heart

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/10/blog-post.html

(100) A Review of the Public Square Rosary Rally in Gallipolis, Ohio Saturday October 13, 2012

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/11/100-review-of-public-square-rosary.html

(104) Our Lady of Guadalupe (I): Binding the Americas Together

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/12/v-behaviorurldefaultvmlo.html

(105) Our Lady of Guadalupe (II): Mary’s Message to us in the Image

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/12/our-lady-of-guadalupe-ii-marys-message.html

(125) World History and the Power of the Rosary & Mary’s Intercession….......The War on Terror is just another chapter in a 1300 year war between Radical Islam and Christian Western Civilization

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-power-of-rosary-and-marys.html

(133) Lourdes, the Mystery of the Value of Suffering, Healing, and the World Day of the Sick

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/02/133-lourdes-and-world-day-of-sick.html

(143) Rosary in the Park: the Public Square Rosary Rally in Gallipolis, Ohio….....You can organize one in your community.   

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/10/143-rosary-in-park-public-square-rosary.html  

(175) The Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus: United as One

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/08/175-immaculate-heart-of-mary-and-sacred.html

(177) The Consecration to the Immaculate Heart and the Course of World History

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/10/177-consecration-to-immaculate-heart.html

(184) The Appearance of Our Lady to St. Bernadette at Lourdes as Described by the Seer in Her Own Words

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/02/184-lourdes-france-appearance-of-our.html

(186) What Made Jacinta and Francisco New Saints 100 Years After Mary’s Appearances in Fatima, Portugal?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/05/186-what-made-jacinta-and-francisco-new.html

(188) Our Lady of Fatima at 100…...the First Apparition on May 13, 1917 & the Second on June 13, 1917

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/06/188-our-lady-of-fatima-at-100may-13-and.html

(190) Our Lady of Fatima at 100…...the July 13, 1917 Apparition…….To Hell and Back

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/07/190-our-lady-of-fatima-at-100the.html

(192) OUR LADY OF FATIMA AT 100: The August 13 & 19 Apparitions and Jail

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/10/our-lady-of-fatima-centennial-august-13.html

(193) OUR LADY OF FATIMA AT 100……..The September 13, 1917 Apparition

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/10/193.html

(195) OUR LADY OF FATIMA AT 100……..The Apparition of October 13, 1917 And the Miracle of the Sun

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/10/195our-lady-of-fatima-at-100the.html

(199) A Homecoming to the Great Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/12/199-homecoming-to-great-shrine-of-our.html

(201) The Fatima Storm: the Great Unknown Light of January 25, 1938......a Prelude to World War II

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/01/201-fatima-storm-great-unknown-light-of.html

Michael Cygan produced and directed a beautiful musical for the Centennial of Our Lady of Fatima.  Click on

https://www.fatimathemusical.com/  or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y669RdFpF5c&t=2397s

NEWMAN CLUB & THE CHAPLAINCY BOARD OF THE UNIVERSITY OF RIO GRANDE

(28) Prayer For National and State Leaders –

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/28-prayer-for-government-leaders.html  

(71) Human Sexuality From a Christian Point of View

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/02/71-human-sexuality-from-christian-point.html

(82) Prayer For the Military and Veterans Still Hurting –

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/05/82-national-day-of-prayer-prayer-for.html

(93) The Newman Club (Center) A Catholic Presence on the Secular Campus

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-newman-clubcenter-catholic-presence.html

(111) A Challenge: Start a New Sexual Revolution on the College Campus

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/02/111-challenge-new-sexual-revolution-on.html

(114) National Day of Prayer: The First Thursday of May –

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/04/114-national-day-of-prayer-first.html

(115) Prayer For the Community - 

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/05/115-prayer-for-community.html

(159) Graduates & All: Make a Difference For Good in Your Careers….....to Change the World in a Small Way

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/05/159-graduates-all-make-difference-for.html

MEN’S CONFERENCES

For Resources to Promote the Men’s Conference go to http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com 

b = the article is from http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com

(33) 2010 Diocese of Steubenville Men's Conference in Marietta, Ohio With Ralph Poyo & Chris Horn

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/33-2010-diocese-of-steubenville-mens.html

(34) 2010 Men's Conference Evaluation & Summary of the Work Involved

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/34-summary-of-work-involved-and.html

(35) 2011 - Diocese of Steubenville Men's Conference With Fr. Thomas Loya & Reid Carpenter

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/diocese-of-steubenville-mens-day-of.html

(75) 2012 - Diocese of Steubenville Men's Conference With Danny Abramowicz

         http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/03/75-2012-diocese-of-steubenville-mens.html

(76) Two Hundred Men Attend 2012 Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/03/76two-hundred-men-attend-diocesan-mens.html

(85) Have We Fathers Dropped the Ball?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/06/have-fathers-dropped-ball.html

(110) 2013 - Fr. Larry Richards Featured at the Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/01/fr-larry-richards-featured-at-diocesan.html

(134) 2014 - Dr. Ray Guarendi to feature Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal March 22

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/02/134-dr-ray-guarendi-to-feature.html

(152) 2015 - Allen Hunt Featured in 2015 Steubenville Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/02/152-allen-hunt-to-feature-2015.html

(169) 2016 - Matthew Leonard Featured in 2016 Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal and Poster

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/02/169-matthew-leonard-featured-in-2016.html

(185) 2017 - Former POW in Viet Nam Capt. Guy Gruters Featured Speaker at 2017 Steubenville Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/02/185-former-pow-in-viet-nam-capt-guy.html

(204) 2018 - Mike Aquilina, Expert on the Early Church, Featured Speaker at Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal  
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/02/204-mike-aquilina-expert-on-early.html

From the Conference Blog at http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com

(19b) Danny Abramowicz Speaks to Two Hundred Men at the 2012 Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal: a Recap 

http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com/2012/03/19-two-hundred-men-attend-diocesan-mens.html

(48b) Fr. Larry Richards Wows the 250 Men at the 2013 Steubenvile Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal 

http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com/2014/02/14.html

(71b) Dr. Ray Guarendi - Highlights the 2014 Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal

http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com/2014/09/71-highlights-of-2014-steubenville.html

(89b) Dr. Allen Hunt - Highlights of the 2015 Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of renewal

http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com/2016/02/89-highlights-of-2015-steubenville.html

(105b) Matthew Leonard: Highlights of the 2016 Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal

http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com/2017/02/105-highlights-of-2016-steubenville.html   

(132b) Capt. Guy Gruters: Highlights of the 2017 Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal

http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com/2018/02/132-highlights-of-2017-steubenville.html

EULOGIES AND TRIBUTES TO OUR DEPARTED

(66) Eulogy & Obituary for a Pioneer in Female Dentistry…...Dr. Stephanie Mihalich Sebastian

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/01/eulogy-for-dr-stephanie-mihalich.html

(68) Eulogy for Ruth Vanco – Her Secret For Longevity –

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/01/68-eulogy-for-ruth-vanco.html

(89) A Eulogy for a Coal Miner and Farmer…....John “Mike” Hager

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-eulogy-to-coal-miner-and-farmer.html

(118) Eulogy For a Man on a Journey into the Church….....Fred Young

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/07/118-eulogy-for-man-on-jouney-to.html

(147) The Great Dignity and Value of the Developmentally, Mentally, and Physically Disabled: The Funeral of Theresa Pappas With the Dignity She Deserved….....81 years institutionalized; her life had meaning. 

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/11/blog-post.html

(158) Becky Riepenhoff’s Journey Up the Mountain, Her Message, and Our Own Personal Journeys Soon to Come.  
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/05/158-becky-riepenhoffs-journey-up.html

(165) A Tribute to Doris Cormier…....a New Orleans gal who will be in that number when the saints go marching in. 
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/11/165-tribute-to-doris-cormiera-new.html

(172) John Payne: His Great Suffering From Cancer Was Not in Vain –

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/06/172-john-payne-his-great-suffering-from.html

(191) Irene Kobak Surber (1931-2017)…......She was ready to personally meet her Good Shepherd.
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/07/191-irene-kobak-surber-1931-2017she-was.html

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS

Past Council 3335 Newsletters since 2014 can be accessed on the St. Louis Church website at www.stlouiscatholicchurchgallia.org, giving a historical and pictorial history of its activities.

(6) Reflections: Our Public Square Prayer Rally in Gallipolis-Ohio

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/reflections-on-public-square-rosary.html

(39) A Knight’s Prayer to Christ the King and Mary Our Queen Mother

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/39-knights-prayer-to-christ-his-king.html

(100) A Review of the Public Square Rosary Rally in Gallipolis, Ohio Saturday October 13, 2012

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/11/100-review-of-public-square-rosary.html

(126) Columbus: the Person and His Motivations

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/10/126-columbus-person-and-his-motivations.html

(143) Rosary in the Park: the Public Square Rosary Rally in Gallipolis, Ohio….....You can organize one in your community. 

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/10/143-rosary-in-park-public-square-rosary.html  

(145) Knights of Columbus Council 3335 St. Louis Gallipolis Receives International Award

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/10/145-knights-of-columbus-council-3335-st.html

(146) Bob & Mary Murphy: 60 Years of Marriage They did it; so can we….......or until death do us part.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/11/146-bob-mary-murphy-60-years-of.html

(153) A Typical Month of Activities of a Small Town Knights of Columbus Council in Gallipolis, Ohio

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/03/153-typical-month-of-activities-of.html

(154) Any Council of the Knights of Columbus that Honors a Pro-Abortion or Pro Gay Marriage Politician Should Be Disciplined, Censured, Reorganized, Placed on Probation, or Expelled.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/03/154-any-council-of-knights-of-columbus.html

(166) KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS PROMOTE THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS: One Council Throws a “Keep Christ in Christmas” Party

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/12/166-knights-of-columbus-promote-true.html

(170) Knights of Columbus Council Hold Free Throw Contest for Developmentally Disabled Groups

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/03/170-knights-of-columbus-council-hold.html

(172)  John Payne: His Great Suffering From Cancer Was Not in Vain

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/06/172-john-payne-his-great-suffering-from.html

(173)  Knights of Columbus Council 3335 St. Louis Church Gallipolis, Ohio Awards for Service to Parish and Community  

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/07/172-knights-of-columbus-council-3335-st.html

(179) Our Country Desperately Needs Prayer Before and After the Election -------- Knights of Columbus Urging Members, Their Families, and Everyone Else to Pray

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/11/179-as-election-nears-knights-of.html  

PRO-LIFE ARTICLES

I have written several pro-life articles at paulrsebastianphd.bogspot.com as blogs #67, #109, #131, #168, & #203 describe the Marches for Life of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015-16, and 2017-18.  Each March is a different adventure.  Blog #88 is on Kent Moore, the pro-life martyr; #97 describes the 2012 Life Chain; and #144 is on the 2014 Right to Life Conference.  Blog #183 is on God’s Most Magnificent Creation…….From the Perspective of an Engineer.  Or you may click on any of the following links:  

(67) Participating in the March for Life 2012 in Washington

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/01/southeastern-ohio-residents-march-for.html

(88) Andrew Kentigern Moore: Martyr for the Cause of Life -- Giving His Life So that Many May Live

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/07/88-adrew-kent-moore-martyr-for-cause-of.html

(97) Gallia County Ohio Participates in the National Life Chain With a Message in Silence and Prayer

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/10/97-gallia-county-ohio-participates-in.html

(109) The March for Life 2013 Pilgrimage: Thoughts and Lessons Learned

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/01/109-march-for-life-2013pilgrimage.html

(131) Our March for Life Pilgrimage January 22, 2014........a Different Adventure

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/01/131-our-march-for-life-pilgrimage.html

(144) Highlights of the 2014 Respect Life Conference of the Diocese of Steubenville

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/10/144-highlights-of-2014-respect-life.html

(168) The 2016 March for Life Pilgrimage, Encounter With Pro-Abortion Demonstrators, and a Blizzard........An Unforgettable Adventure

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/01/168-2016-march-for-lifean-unforgettable.html

(183)  GOD’S MOST MAGNIFICENT CREATION………FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AN ENGINEER

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/12/183-gods-most-magnificent-creationfrom.html

(203) Diversity As East Meets West at the 2018 March For Life in Washington

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/02/203-diversity-as-east-meets-west-at.html

(207) THE FOUNDING AMERICAN IDEALS & RIGHTS BETRAYED: FROM SLAVERY TO ABORTION

May we make the ideals of our founding fathers a reality in our businesses, communities, and ultimately in our nation.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/04/207-founding-american-ideals-rights.html

FORMER PAPAL VOLUNTEERS

See Blogs #61-65 on PAVLA at http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com or click on the links below; #65 (link is below) tells what many former Papal Volunteers have done and are doing now.  It also includes other opportunities for Catholics to volunteer their time and skills in the missions.  

(61) Papal Volunteers for Latin America (PAVLA) After Fifty Years I: Its Value and Role

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/61-papal-volunteers-for-latin-america.html

(62) PAVLA  After Fifty Years II: General Evaluation and My Role in It

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/62-pavla-after-fifty-years-ii.html

(63) PAVLA  After Fifty Years III: Recommendations

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/this-is-third-part-of-series-of-five.html

(64) PAVLA After Fifty Years IV: Evaluation of My Own Work As a Papal Volunteer

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/01/64-pavla-after-fifty-years-iv.html

(65) PAVLA  After 50 Years V: Long Range Effects and What They Did & Have Been Doing Since

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/01/65-pavla-after-50-years-v-looking-back.html

SECULAR AND LESS RELIGIOUS ARTICLES

(                (1)   Introduction to All of My Blogs
                 http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/rosary-prayer-rally-for-peace-at-city.html   

THE SEBASTIAN/MIHALICH EXTENDED FAMILY

(43) 2007 – Our Experience as a Family Living in Kielce-Poland for One Year

        http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/45-our-experience-in-poland-iii-our.html

(58) Our 2011 Christmas Newsletter Regarding Our Extended Family

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/58-christmas-newsletter-2011-for-our.html

(59) 2009 Family of the Year: You Mean Us?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/family-of-year-you-mean-us.html 

(66) 2006 Eulogy & Obituary for a Pioneer in Female Dentistry......Dr. Stephanie Mihalich Sebastian

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/01/eulogy-for-dr-stephanie-mihalich.html

(108) Our 2012 Family Newsletter

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/01/108-2012-newsletter-for-extended-family.html

(129) Joseph E. Loya & Martha Foley Loya: For Better or For Worse Until Death Did They Part…......The Agony and the Ecstasy in 61 Years of Marriage

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/12/129-joseph-martha-loya-for-better-or.html

(130) Our Christmas 2013 Family Newsletter         

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/01/130-our-christmas-2013-family-newsletter.html

(150) Our 2014 Family Christmas Newsletter......... A Family Aspiring to Build the Domestic Church

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/01/150-our-2014-family-christmas.html

(156) A Life Changing Mission Trip of a College Student (Naomi Sebastian) to Haiti

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/04/156-life-changing-mission-trip-of.html

(202) Our 2017 Newsletter: A Beautiful Byzantine Catholic Experience Last Summer and Christmas Too

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/02/202-beautiful-byzantine-catholic.html

(203) Running Into the Loyas at the 2018 March For Life in Washington

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/02/203-diversity-as-east-meets-west-at.html

(206) Discovering and Visiting Our Long Lost Hungarian Relatives in the Ukraine

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/04/206-visit-to-our-long-lost-relatives-in.html

(211) Our 2018 Family Thanksgiving & Christmas Newsletter……..Stephanie’s Engagement

https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/11/211-thanksgivingchristmas-2018.html

HISTORY

(60) The Berlin Wall: Fifty Years Since Its Construction.......A Monument to Allied Resolve and Ashes of Soviet Communism and the Cold War

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/60-fifty-years-since-construction-of.html

 (87) Ohio Chautauqua: History Comes Alive in Gallipolis.......Marietta, Urbana, Burton, & Warren too

 http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/07/87-ohio-chautauqua-history-comes-alive.html

(120) The Cristero War: The Historical Context of "For Greater Glory", the Star Studded Movie

 http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/08/120-movie-for-greater-glory-and-its.html

(125) World History and the Power of the Rosary & Mary’s Intercession….......The War on Terror is just another chapter in a 1300 year war between Radical Islam and Christian Western Civilization

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-power-of-rosary-and-marys.html

(126) Columbus: the Person and His Motivations

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/10/126-columbus-person-and-his-motivations.html

(127) “Heroic Chaplains Who Have Been Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor”

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/11/catholic-chaplains-who-have-been.html

(160) Gallipolis, Ohio Resident Part of the History of the Berlin Wall: An Adventure in Cold War Intrigue

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/08/gallipolis-ohio-resident-part-of.html

(178) A Son of Immigrants Remembers the Hungarian Revolution 60 Years Ago

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/10/178-son-of-immigrant-remembers.html

(206) Discovering and Visiting Our Long Lost Hungarian Relatives in the Ukraine

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/04/206-visit-to-our-long-lost-relatives-in.html

(207) THE FOUNDING AMERICAN IDEALS & RIGHTS BETRAYED: FROM SLAVERY TO ABORTION.  May we make the ideals of our founding fathers a reality in our businesses, communities, and ultimately in our nation.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/04/207-founding-american-ideals-rights.html

SPORTS

(40) & (41) Lessons From the Penn State Sex Abuse Scandal

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/40-lessons-from-penn-state-sexs-abuse.html

More Lessons From the Penn State & Clergy Sex Abuse Scandals

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/41-more-lessons-from-penn-state-clergy.html

(51) Donnie Saunders: Coach of the Year Despite a Losing Season?,

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/51-coach-of-year-despite-losing-season.html

(70-C) Article/Interview of Danny Abramowicz a Few Days Before the 2010 Super Bowl - 1967 All Pro New Orleans Saints Wide Receiver & former Offensive Coordinator.  He devotes his life now to men’s spirituality.   His program is on EWTN at 1:30 pm Monday.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/02/articleinterview-of-danny-abramowicz.html

(151) You're IN the Super Bowl.......the Real One: A Football Analogy of Life.........Vocation,
 Mission, & Confirmation and Life:  “We’re in the Super Bowl”

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/01/151-were-in-bigger-super-bowl-vocation.html

(167) Life Lessons from the Brutal 2016 Steelers – Bengals Football Playoff Game

          http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/01/167-lessons-learnt-from-pittsburgh.html

(174) Major League Baseball in Pittsburgh in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960 - It includes Video Clips of the 1960 Pirates-Yankees World Series.  

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/08/173-major-league-baseball-in-old-days.html

(209) Following the Quest of Josh Faro For a Division I Baseball Scholarship.........and Ultimately the Big Leagues
https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/10/every-little-league-pitcher-dreams-of.html

ARTICLES ON PERU, MEXICO, AND LATIN AMERICA

Artículos Que Yo escribí Sobre el Perú, Méjico, América Latina, y Latinos en Inglés con Fotos.  No están en español, pero serían buenos para prácticar su inglés.  Cada artículo tiene enlaces ó links a videos y otros artículos sobre América Latina.  That is each article has links to videos & other articles on Latin America.              

Articles relating to Latin America include Blogs #22 on San Martín de Porres, #42 on Blessed R.P. Miguel Pro, #61-65 on the Papal Volunteers for Latin America (PAVLA), #104 – 106 on Our Lady of Guadalupe, #120 on the Cristero War, #132 on San José Sanchez del Rio, #181 on the Mexican Martyrs, #182 the Peruvian President consecrating Peru to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Click on http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com.  Or click on:

(22) Learning From San Martin de Porres

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/learning-from-st-martin-de-porres.html

(42) Blessed Padre Miguel Pro S.J.: 20th Century Mexican Martyr for Christ the King

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/martyr-for-christ-king.html

(65) The Papal Volunteers for Latin America (PAVLA) After 50 Years V - Long Range Effects & What Are They Doing Now?  See also Blogs #61, 62, 63, and 64.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/01/65-pavla-after-50-years-v-looking-back.html

(104) Our Lady of Guadalupe (I): Binding the Americas Together

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/12/v-behaviorurldefaultvmlo.html

(105) Our Lady of Guadalupe (II): Mary's Message to us in the Image

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/12/our-lady-of-guadalupe-ii-marys-message.html

(106) Review of the visit of the Pilgrim Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe: The Marian Prayer Program of the Knights of Columbus at St. Louis Church Gallipolis December 11-16, 2012

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/12/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

(120) The Cristero War: The Historical Context of "For Greater Glory", the Star Studded Movie

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/08/120-movie-for-greater-glory-and-its.html

(132) San José Sanchez del Rio: Boy Martyr & Real Soldier of Christ..........His Participation in the Cristero War & the Intense Persecution of the Church by the Government of Mexico

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/02/131-blessed-jose-sanchez-del-rio-boy.html

(181) VIVA CRISTO REY: THOUSANDS DIED FOR THE FREEDOM TO PROCLAIM IT......The Role of  the Knights of Columbus for Religious Liberty Against Persecution of the Church in Mexico             

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/11/181-viva-cristo-rey-thousands-died-for.html

(182) Poland, Peru, and the Ukraine Consecrate Their Countries to God

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/11/182-poland-peru-and-ukraine-consecrate.html

(199) A Homecoming to the Great Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/12/199-homecoming-to-great-shrine-of-our.html

EDUCATION

(3) It Still Boils Down to Teachers, Students, & Parents

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/it-still-boils-down-to-teachers.html

(13) Going For the Gold In Our Schools

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/13-going-for-gold-in-our-schools.html

(14) School Tax Levy: Small Sacrifice, Huge Return

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/14-small-sacrifice-huge-return.html

(17) School Tax Levy Passage: A Grand Slam For Kids

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/grand-slam-for-kids.html

(23) Tips on Developing a More Effective Study Method

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/23-tips-on-developing-more-effective.html

(37) Teaching: What a Noble Profession!

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/37-teaching-what-noble-profession.html

(38) Cheating in School Now; Corruption in Government and Business Later

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/38-cheating-in-school-nowcorruption-in.html

(116) A Vision of What the University of Rio Grande Can Be: Remarks and Afterthoughts Upon Being Named Professor Emeritus

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/05/116-remarks-and-afterthoughts-upon.html 

(123) A Labor Day Salute to the Staff People of the University of Rio Grande (Southeastern Ohio)

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/09/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

(139) Thomas Aquinas College: The Quest for the True, the Good, and the Beautiful Through the Great Books

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/06/140-thomas-aquinas-college-quest-for.html

(140) The Unique Thomas Aquinas College Summer Program: A Great Books Camp!

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/08/140-unique-thomas-aquinas-college.html

(156) A Life Changing Mission Trip of a College Student (Naomi Sebastian) to Haiti

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/04/156-life-changing-mission-trip-of.html

(159) Graduates & All: Make a Difference For Good in Your Careers….....to Change the World in a Small Way

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/05/159-graduates-all-make-difference-for.html

POLAND AND POLES

Articles I wrote relating to Poland are Blogs #43 – 45 on our family’s year stay in Poland, #46 – 49 on the Church in Poland, #53-54 on the Polish Economy, #182 on Consecration of Poland, #194 on perhaps the biggest Rosary Rally in history at a given moment.  All can be found at http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com.  Or you can simply click on any of the following links that may interest you:

(43) Our Experience in Poland I: Living There

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/43-our-experience-in-poland-living.html

(44) Our Experience in Poland II: Teaching There

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/43-our-experience-in-poland-teaching.html

(45) Our Experience in Poland III: Our Family Adapting to Poland

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/45-our-experience-in-poland-iii-our.html

(46) 1 - The Church in Poland I: The Catholic Culture

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/46-church-in-poland-i-catholic-culture.html

(47) 1 - The Church in Poland II: The Catholic Culture Throughout the Year

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/47-church-in-poland-ii-catholic-culture.html

(48) 1 - The Church in Poland III: The Domestic Church Movement (Domowy Kosciol & Oaza)

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/48-church-in-poland-iii-domestic-church.html

(49) 1 - The Church in Poland IV: Inroads of Secularism

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/church-in-poland-iv-inroads-of.html

(53) 2 - The Economy of Poland I: A Look From Within

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/53-economy-of-poland-i.html

(54) 2 - The Economy of Poland II: A Look from Outside

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/12/54-2-economy-of-poland-look-from.html

(182) Poland Consecrates Itself to God in Presence of the President of Poland

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/11/182-poland-peru-and-ukraine-consecrate.html

(194) Poland: the Biggest Rosary Rally Ever?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/10/polandthe-biggest-rosary-rally-ever.html

(201) The Fatima Storm: the Great Unknown Light of January 25, 1938......a Prelude to World War II

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/01/201-fatima-storm-great-unknown-light-of.html

VETERANS AND THE MILITARY

(29) Veterans, Salute The Flag Out of Uniform

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/29-veterans-salute-out-of-uniform.html

(30) Veterans Still Suffering for God and Country

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/30-still-suffering-for-god-and-country.html

(31-C) Fr. Vincent Capodanno M.M.: A Medal of Honor Marine Chaplain of the Vietnam War & a Maryknoll Father  
http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/31-c-fr-vincent-capodanno-mm-medal-of.html

(103) Catholic Chaplains Who Received the Medal of Honor in Vietnam

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/11/103-catholic-chaplains-who-received.html

(127) Heroic Chaplains Who Have Been Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/11/catholic-chaplains-who-have-been.html  

(160) Gallipolis, Ohio Resident Part of the History of the Berlin Wall: An Adventure in Cold War Intrigue

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/08/gallipolis-ohio-resident-part-of.html

(164)  Only World War II Chaplain Who Received the Congressional Medal of Honor: Navy Captain Fr. Joseph Timothy O’Callahan 

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2015/11/164-first-catholic-chaplain-to-receive.html

(180)  Korean War: Army Captain Fr. Emil Kapaun, the Most Decorated Chaplain in Military History

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/11/180-fr-emil-kapaun-most-decorated.html

(185) 2017 - Former POW in Viet Nam Capt. Guy Gruters Featured Speaker at 2017 Steubenville Diocesan Men’s Day of Renewal

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/02/185-former-pow-in-viet-nam-capt-guy.html

(196)  MARINE CHAPLAIN LT. FR. VINCENT CAPODANNO: the Grunt Padre’s Heroism and Holiness on the Battlefield in Vietnam Earned Him the Congressional Medal of Honor---- Beyond the Call of Duty

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2017/11/196-marine-lt-fr-vincent-capodanno.html

(210)  Medal of Honor Recipient U.S. Army Chaplain Major Fr. Charles Joseph Watters Made Parachute Jumps With His Men in Combat During the Vietnam War           

https://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/11/210-fr-maj-charles-joseph-watters-us.html

(132b) Capt. Guy Gruters: Highlights of the 2017 Steubenville Diocesan Men's Day of Renewal

http://diosteubmen.blogspot.com/2018/02/132-highlights-of-2017-steubenville.html

COMMUNITY SERVICE, CITIZENSHIP, AND GOVERNMENT

(16) Dr. Mel Simon: A Career Serving God & His People

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/dr-mel-simon-career-serving-god-his.html

(90) French 500 Free Clinic (Gallipolis, Ohio) Celebrates Its Third Anniversary of Operations

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/08/french-five-hundred-free-clinic.html

(91) Description of the French Five Hundred Free Clinic in Gallipolis, Ohio

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/08/91-description-of-french-500-free-clinic.html

(99) Project Your Chosen Candidate into the Future in the Presidential Election; Vote Intelligently; Vote Responsibly for the Common Good with the Moral and Social Teachings of the Church in Mind; Pray

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/10/99-project-your-chosen-candidate-into.html

(101) Election Post Mortem and Cooperation to Defuse the Coming Debt Crisis

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/11/election-post-mortem-and-cooperation-to.html

(102) The Choice in the National Debt Crisis: Sink or Swim Together

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/11/102-choice-in-national-debt-crisis-sink.html

(112) Easter Dinner at a Soup Kitchen and the St. Louis Church Gallipolis, Ohio Connection

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/04/112-easter-dinner-at-soup-ktchen.html

(115) Prayer For the Community - 

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/05/115-prayer-for-community.html

(119) Health Care: Compassionate Apostolate or Impersonal Business?........Revisited Thirty Years Later

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/07/119-health-care-compassionate.html

(122) Alternatives to Obamacare.......There has to be a better way!

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/09/122-alternatives-to-obamacarethere-has.html

(124) Liver Transplant: Gallia Man to Give Part of His Liver to Cousin

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/10/130-gallia-man-to-give-part-of-his.html

(128) Liver Transplant Update: So Far So Good and Back Home for the Hog Roast Benefit

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/11/128-liver-transplant-update-so-far-so.html

(142) The Ohio Valley Symphony: 25 Years a Jewel on the Banks of the Ohio

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/10/142-ohio-valley-symphony-25-years-jewel.html

(147) The Great Dignity and Value of the Developmentally, Mentally, and Physically Disabled: The Funeral of Theresa Pappas With the Dignity She Deserved….....81 years institutionalized, her life had meaning.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/11/blog-post.html

(148) The Future of the Ohio Valley Symphony: the Next 25 Years and Beyond

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/12/148-future-of-ohio-valley-symphony-next.html

HEALTH CARE

(16) Dr. Mel Simon: A Career Serving God & His People

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/dr-mel-simon-career-serving-god-his.html

(90) French 500 Free Clinic (Gallipolis, Ohio) Celebrates Its Third Anniversary of Operations

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/08/french-five-hundred-free-clinic.html

(91) Description of the French Five Hundred Free Clinic in Gallipolis, Ohio

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/08/91-description-of-french-500-free-clinic.html

(119) Health Care: Compassionate Apostolate or Impersonal Business?........Revisited Thirty Years Later

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/07/119-health-care-compassionate.html

(122) Alternatives to Obamacare.......There has to be a better way!

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/09/122-alternatives-to-obamacarethere-has.html

(124) Liver Transplant: Gallia Man to Give Part of His Liver to Cousin

          http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/10/130-gallia-man-to-give-part-of-his.html

(128) Liver Transplant Update: So Far So Good and Back Home for the Hog Roast Benefit

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2013/11/128-liver-transplant-update-so-far-so.html

(147) The Great Dignity and Value of the Developmentally, Mentally, and Physically Disabled: The Funeral of Theresa Pappas With the Dignity She Deserved….....81 years institutionalized, her life had meaning.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2014/11/blog-post.html

(183) GOD’S MOST MAGNIFICENT CREATION………FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AN ENGINEER Design, Design, Design:  You are amazing; you are a walking miracle.

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2016/12/183-gods-most-magnificent-creationfrom.html

(205) A Catholic Alternative to Obamacare & Commercial Health Insurance Plans.........Accepted by the Affordable Health Care Act and the IRS

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2018/03/205-catholic-alternative-to-obamacare.html

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

(12) Business From a Christian Point of View

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/10/business-from-christian-point-of-view.html

(24) A Primer on Business Ethics

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/24-primer-on-business-ethics.html  

(26) What Are the Social Responsibilities of Business?

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/26-social-responsibilities-of-business.html 

(27) Social Responsibility and a Better Community

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/27-social-responsibility-and-better.html

(36) Country Soil Still Fertile for Small Business

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2011/11/36-country-soil-still-fertile-for-small.html

(92) The Tremendous Dignity of the Worker & His Work: the Basis of Social Responsibility, Business Ethics, Labor Relations, and Productivity

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/09/thetremendous-dignity-of-worker-and-his_3.html

(102) The Choice in the National Debt Crisis: Sink or Swim Together

http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com/2012/11/102-choice-in-national-debt-crisis-sink.html