Just got back to the hotel from a Splendor of Truth conference in Lexington, KY...

Fr. Corapi is the speaker tonight and tomorrow. Not only did my 7 and my 10 year old girls absolutely demand to go with myself and Mrs. Fric, they were absolutely riveted by him. Emma, the oldest, has her Cathlolic Maniacs for Kids blog and commented to me about half way through the second session she wanted to do some blogging about this. She was absolutely animated in a way I rarely see her any more when it comes to Church. She was truly touched by Fr. Corapi in a way I never expected. She said she wanted to run up and hug him!

Can't wait to see what she blogs and to see her reaction tomorrow.
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We know that God allows evil in the world, because He has allowed us free will. We also know that death is the result of the intial evil in the world. (Satan... Adam... Eve... the Garden... Look it up.) God uses that evil, death, to bring about a Great Good in our salvation through the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord.

OK. Idea established.

I believe that God is using the media coverage of Pope's funeral and his life and death to do a great deal of good right now. I have never seen so much positive coverage of the Church in my life.

I have seen world leaders whose nations are unfriendly at best exchange the sign of peace at the Papal Mass.

I have seen images of the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance shown on secular television over and over as a backdrop to the faithful's prayers as the Pope died.

I have seen hours of video of the faithful praying for and with the Pope before and after his death.

I have seen some amazingly positive and accurate stories.

That said, I have also seen a lot of garbage. But overall it has been a wonderful reminder that the Catholic Church is what she is. The Bride of Christ. 2000 years old, unbroken in lineage back to the Apostles. And truly catholic in the universal sense.

I pray that this will lead even more home to the Church, new and fallen away.

OK, I am 5 days late with the Blogiversary announcement...

We've been here a year now and though we have slowed considerably of late, we're still not going away.

I have had about a hundred or so ideas and thoughts I have wanted to blog on in the last several weeks... The murder of Terri Schiavo... The death of Pope John Paul the Great... The impact of the Pope on life and culture... The new catechetical/evangelization talks I am putting together for my parish...

So much to do. Hopefully going to blog some more today. In the mean time...

Happy Blogiversary Catholic Maniacs!