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Top 10 Blog Posts of April 2026. #9. How do Catholics commemorate Good Friday?

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  Sula, parish cat, venerates the cross on Good Friday Good Friday is the most solemn day of the Christian year — the day the Church stands at the foot of the Cross. Catholics do not “celebrate” Good Friday; they  commemorate  it with silence, fasting, and a liturgy unlike any other. It is the only day of the year when the Church does not celebrate Mass, underscoring the starkness of Christ’s death. Good Friday is part of the Triduum, the three‑day passage from the Last Supper to the Resurrection. If Holy Thursday is intimacy and command, Good Friday is exposure and surrender — the moment when love refuses to turn back. The Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion The central act of Good Friday is the  Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion , which has three movements: the Liturgy of the Word, the Veneration of the Cross, and Holy Communion. 1. The Entrance in Silence The liturgy begins without music or greeting. The priest enters in silence and  prostrates himself  — the only...
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Precerpt from Grandma's Ninja Training Diary: How I Train When Life Doesn’t Care About My Schedule

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  Some people plan their workouts. I plan my emergencies. I live with a medically fragile family member who can collapse without warning. He’s on oxygen 24/7. He has episodes where he stops breathing. I am the one who brings him back. This means I don’t get uninterrupted time. I don’t get predictable days. I don’t get to say, “I’ll be at the gym at 10.” I get windows. Moments. Opportunities. And I’ve learned to train inside those. Here’s what that looks like: 1. I take the cardio when I can get it If I can drop into Nena’s class, I do. If I can’t, I don’t punish myself. I do incline walking instead — even 10 minutes counts. 2. I shrink the expectation A gym visit doesn’t have to be an hour. It can be 12 minutes. It can be one machine. It can be “I showed up.” 3. I train at home when the world won’t cooperate Weights, calisthenics, marching in place, simple cardio — whatever fits the moment. 4. I don’t wait for perfect conditions Perfect doesn’t exist in my life. Possible does. 5. I...
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Publisher's Pride: Books on Bestseller Lists -Anger Anonymous (Ortman)

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    Today's Publisher's Pride is  Anger Anonymous  by Dennis Ortman, which recently reached #198 on Amazon in anger management self-help. Book Description: When you feel in the grip of anger, ask yourself these questions: Do you feel powerless to control your temper? Does your anger frighten you so much that you feel compelled to suppress it? Does your life feel unmanageable because of your anger? Does your preoccupation with the unfairness of life and being wronged interfere with your happiness Do you feel hopeless about finding a cure for your temper?  If you answer "yes" to these questions, you may be addicted to your anger. It acts like a drug that stimulates you, energizes you, and causes you to act insanely. Viewing your anger as an addiction, Dr. Ortman guides you through the time-tested Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous to find healing and growth. He shows how the Steps offer practical wisdom to use the natural energy of your anger wisely and well, ne...
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