Catholic author J.R.R. Tolkien (the initials stand for John Ronald Reuel) influenced millions through his popular writings of  fictional tales of a world called Middle-earth. His introduction to this world, “The Hobbit” (published in 1937), was later greatly expanded into an epic tale of war, courage, beauty, grace, and friendship called “The Lord of the Rings” (LOTR) trilogy, which consists of “The Fellowship of the Ring” (1953), “The Two Towers” (1954), and “The Return of the King” (1955). Many have read these works growing up; still more have been pleased by the cinematic rendition of these works by Peter Jackson.

Friar Raymond della Vigna was perplexed.

Sometime in 1375, the priest, a member of the Order of Preachers founded by St. Dominic, was celebrating Mass. As the moment of consecration approached, he prayed that the wafer of bread he held would become the veritable body of Christ by virtue of his speaking the words of Jesus at the Last Supper, “For this is My body”.

Father Matthias Joseph Scheeben (1835–1888) was a German Catholic theological writer and mystic. The generations that followed Scheeben regarded him as one of the greatest minds of modern Catholic theology, but his writings have not always been available to the lay reader.

It’s October, and our Colorado weather will soon chase away our flower-filled gardens. The temperatures will freeze our vegetable plots and make them a distant memory. Now is a good time to start planning for next season. Rock gardens are a great choice that can be a mix of plants, flowers and rocks that seconds as a work of art.

Abortion has become one of the primary means of perpetrating violence against women, however, most of society does not see it this way. We need to begin reframing abortion for what it really is — domestic violence.