Showing results by author "James Nugent" in All Categories

There are many guides and books that give excellent wisdom for those who would seek to make an offering of their lives to God. Still there is little practical information about how about how to go about the day to day business of being a Benedictine Oblate. This audiobook is an attempt to give practical suggestions to the beginner and the "expert". However, if what you do, gets you closer to God every day, then don't change a thing. But if you need new materials, new practices, new ideas or attitudes; then just consider listening to this audiobook.

If a Catholic couple chooses to avail themselves of the spiritual resources available to a Catholic married couple; the relationship will last a life time and thrive while doing it. A failure of a marriage is directly related to the spiritual heath of the individuals involved. Even if only one of the parties embraces the spiritual principals the marriage can be saved.

From time to time all of us have social conflicts. Sometimes we are invited to dance with people who have more external power than us, for example, a supervisor or an elder sibling or parent. Sometimes we might be invited to struggle with someone we don’t care so much about; like a stranger or acquaintance or a distant in-law. In either case the choice to engage or abstain is ours. If we engage, it is important to do our best to leave our dance partner some dignity and show some respect.

Catholic Christians have a different attitude toward pain, even if it is part of the natural dying process. This little booklet is an attempt to illuminate the Catholic Christian way of facing pain and transform it into a useful and productive time in life. It is a frank discussion. If you have not evolved in your relationship with Jesus, you may find this discussion hard to understand or even offensive. Still, if you listen and then pray you will understand. With understanding may come peace and joy.

Congratulations. You have completed a graduate program, and you have decided to serve the needs of students. You will soon learn that it takes tact and skill to be a good school counselor. It also will take some personal fortitude and perhaps a bit of luck in order to be successful and thrive in your chosen field. They probably never mentioned the above to you, but it will be okay if you keep your wits about you.

I went to learn more about Esperanto, a language that was invented 126 years ago. In the end I found hope for the future.

For a modern culture that does not highly value life, it is paradoxical that we don't want to talk about the dying process or the possibility of an afterlife. Catholics sometime suffer from the same hesitation about talking about death. Yet the Roman Catholic religion and culture are a constant preparation for that moment when we must trust Jesus for our salvation. All the rituals and sacraments, prepare our minds and hearts for that thing from which there is no escape.

This audiobook will examine a few of the beliefs in the Roman Catholic Church. I have no idea if I will be Catholic when I am done. Yet a faith untested is worthless.

What follows is a frank discussion about the Catholic view of sin. It can be painful to engage in such a discussion. If we are honest, we are all involved in some aspect of sin. Thankfully Christians have a way out of the destruction, guilt, and misery which sin inflicts on every sinner.

Kayaking like most extreme sports is potentially fatal. The hazards are too numerous to list here. However, with proper instruction and equipment the hazards can be minimalized. This book is not meant to be any kind of instruction. It is only a general discussion. All information presented should not be relied upon for safety. It is intended as a partial list of issues you may bring up with a certified instructor. No actual paddle techniques are discussed because you must use a certified instructor if you want to learn the way of water safely.

It took the full six weeks for us to move. I took 33 Ford Focus carloads and four full pickup trucks to move all our stuff to our new apartment. I also sent seven pickup trucks to the junk man and numerous carloads of stuff to neighbors and friends. This is the story of a very physically, emotionally, and spiritually challenging time. It took an additional six weeks before we were actually comfortably established in our new luxury apartment. Overall, I would not change a thing.

My wife and I began this voyage of self-discovery about two years ago. Our kids were gone and we wanted to use our living space a little differently. We wanted to clean out some of the clutter we had accumulated from raising two teenage boys and generally clean out our home. Little did we know that before we were done, we would change our view of material belongings, and actually begin rejecting our cultural addiction to owning more stuff.

Someone might ask, "Why all the prayer?" I pray a minimum of 10 times a day because it is the right thing to do, and it does incredibly good things to me. I pray at other times and other ways; however, prayers of thanksgiving seem to be among the most powerful, for effective and happy living. Here is my story.

This is my story of how I became a Right Wing Fundamentalist Roman Catholic and of course a Republican. I eventually became politically incorrect, and finally at peace with my church and my politics.

Writer's block has caused some people to actually quit their careers as writers. It is something that must be overcome sooner or later, or you will become a washed-up writer and a failure. Looking back on my personal struggles, I have some helpful observations and tricks to beating the phenomena. This is my story.

The Scripture said something like, “pray always.” I pondered the issue for a while and then gave up. It was a strange concept. How could a person pray all the minutes of the day? What was prayer anyway, and how could you do it and know that God was really there? It was a bit of a mystery to me which I would not resolve for another 25 years.

In January 2014 I stumbled upon an announcement that the South Sound Estuary Association was looking for volunteer beach naturalist. For $50 I would receive training in beach ecosystems and marine biology. In return I was expected to provide 15 hours of volunteer service to the general public on the local beaches.

There is too much intentional and mistaken misinformation in our present culture about the purposes and practices of modern Catholicism. This had led to endless bigotry and needless hate speech and deeds against Christ's original Church. This little audiobook is an attempt to explain to fellow Christians what it really means to be Roman Catholic. It is not a debate. It's an honest attempt on my part to share. It is not an attempt to convert you to joining the more than 1.2 billion Christians who call themselves Catholic.

For twenty years I searched for my perfect true love. I failed miserably until I asked God to help. Miracles do really happen!

In the still and cool hours before sunrise I have learned a few things about myself and God. It is my hope to share them with you, as I share the experiences which take place in my orange 15' kayak. Take what you like and forget the rest.