Dinkwad’s Corner
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,* because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
· National Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C. till April 13
o The nation’s capital comes abloom every spring with the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival. See the famed cherry blossom trees, lining the Tidal Basin, while strolling by iconic sites like the Jefferson and Martin Luther King memorials.
· Bucket List trip: Skiing in India?
· 30 Days with St. Joseph Day 22
· Month of the Military Child
· Spirit Hour: Water
Rich vs. Poor Tour — April 10
💎 Bulgaria (richer) vs. Vietnam (poorer)
“Threshold Kingdom / River‑Forged Nation”
💎 Bulgaria vs Vietnam
Threshold Kingdom / River‑Forged Nation
Bulgaria and Vietnam form the next outward step on the pilgrimage — a pair where history becomes the decisive force. Bulgaria is a threshold kingdom at the edge of Europe, shaped by Orthodoxy, empires, and the long shadow of communism. Vietnam is a river‑forged nation where Catholicism survived war, division, and state pressure to become one of Asia’s most resilient minority Churches. One stands at the doorway of Europe; the other rises from the deltas of Southeast Asia. Together they reveal how faith adapts when nations are rebuilt from memory and struggle.
🇧🇬 Bulgaria — Threshold Kingdom of Old Europe
GDP per capita (PPP): ~$29,000 (2024)
🧮 Why Bulgaria Sits Above This Ring
EU membership driving infrastructure and investment
Strong IT and outsourcing sectors
Tourism anchored in Black Sea coast and monasteries
Small population boosting per‑capita metrics
Gradual post‑communist economic stabilization
✝️ Catholic Landscape
Tiny Catholic minority (mostly Latin Rite and Bulgarian Greek Catholics)
Deep Orthodox identity shaping national culture
Catholic presence concentrated in historic pockets like Plovdiv
Quiet but steady parish life
Monasteries and sacred sites tied to medieval Christian memory
⚠️ Challenges
Severe depopulation and aging population
Corruption and political volatility
Brain drain to Western Europe
Economic inequality between cities and rural regions
🌿 Pilgrimage Cue
Bulgaria is a threshold kingdom — a land where faith survives through memory, monastic endurance, and the quiet strength of a people rebuilding identity after long winters of occupation and ideology.
🇻🇳 Vietnam — River‑Forged, Resilient, and Rising
GDP per capita (PPP): ~$14,000 (2024)
🧮 Why Vietnam Sits Below This Ring
Rapid growth tempered by large population
Manufacturing powerhouse but still developing
Rural poverty and regional inequality
State‑controlled economic and religious environment
Vulnerability to climate change in Mekong and Red River deltas
✝️ Catholic Landscape
~7% Catholic — one of the largest Catholic populations in Asia
Strong vocations, seminaries, and religious orders
Youthful, vibrant parish life
Marian devotion centered on La Vang
Church grows through perseverance, family networks, and quiet witness
⚠️ Challenges
Restrictions on religious activity
Environmental threats to river communities
Urban overcrowding and pollution
Tension between rapid modernization and traditional village life
🌿 Pilgrimage Cue
Vietnam is a river‑forged nation — a Church that grows through resilience, family devotion, and the courage to remain faithful in a landscape shaped by water, memory, and endurance.
🕊️ Editorial Reflection
Bulgaria and Vietnam reveal the second truth of the outer ring: once you leave the global middle, nations are shaped less by wealth and more by what they have survived. Bulgaria carries the weight of empires, communism, and demographic collapse — yet its faith endures in monasteries, icons, and the quiet fidelity of small communities. Vietnam carries the memory of war, division, and state pressure — yet its Church grows through youth, vocations, and Marian devotion.
One preserves identity through memory; the other advances through resilience.
One guards ancient thresholds; the other rises from river deltas.
Both show that the Church thrives where people learn to hope in difficult soil.
This pair marks the next outward step — where the pilgrimage begins to encounter nations rebuilt from struggle, and where grace reveals its ability to flourish in places shaped by endurance rather than ease.
APRIL 10 Friday
In the Octave of Easter
Psalm 118, verse 4-6
Let those who FEAR the LORD say, his mercy endures forever. In danger I called on
the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is with me; I am not afraid; what can mortals do against me?
When can we say, “His mercy endures forever!” It is
when we have received it and given it away. Everybody needs to forgive
somebody.
Allen R. Hunt outlines there are
three parts to forgiveness:
1)
Receiving Forgiveness which involves experiencing God and forgiving
yourself.
2)
Deciding to Forgive.
3)
Sharing Forgiveness.
Copilot’s Take
Psalm 118 tells us that only those who have tasted mercy can truly say,
“His mercy endures forever.” The Psalmist speaks as someone who cried out in
danger, was answered, and discovered a freedom no threat can undo.
Easter Week places us inside that same rescue. Christ steps into locked
rooms, breaks open graves, and speaks peace into fear. We echo the Psalm only
after we have received mercy and then given it away.
Forgiveness follows a simple path. First, we receive forgiveness from God
and extend it to ourselves. Then we decide to forgive those who have wounded
us. Finally, we share forgiveness as a way of life. This is not softness. It is
spiritual combat.
The Catechism teaches that evil is confronted by standing in truth with
courage and charity. Forgiveness is the victory of love over evil. Those who
refuse hatred bear witness to the Gospel even in a violent world.
Recent events involving Iran remind us how fragile the world is. Yet one
detail stands out: reports that a recovered pilot’s final words were translated
as “God is great.” In Arabic, Allāhu akbar is a cry of surrender and
awe. It echoes the Psalmist’s own plea. It shows that the human heart reaches
for God even in extremity.
The Church refuses to collapse whole peoples into the actions of their
governments. Evil must be resisted and innocent life protected. But the human
person is never the enemy. Only evil is.
Easter gives us courage. “The Lord is with me; I am not afraid.” This is
not bravado. It is the freedom of those who know death has been defeated. In a
world trembling with conflict, we stand in the light of the empty tomb and say
with confidence: His mercy endures forever.
Friday In the Octave of Easter
He revealed Himself in this way.
What
does St. John the Evangelist mean when he reports to us that the disciples “dared”
not ask Jesus “Who are you?” After all, the Beloved
Disciple had told Peter that this was the Lord. Today’s Gospel passage
suggests some unresolved ambiguity. While the miracle of catching 153
fish convinced the disciples who He was, there was still some reason for them
to ask His identity. His miracle convinced them, but His appearance did
not.
So,
the Risen Jesus, in His glorified Body, was the same person, yet somehow
different. He had the same two natures—human and divine—yet He was
somehow different. The Resurrection narratives demonstrate some of the
ways in which Jesus was different after His rising from the dead: most
famously—as we will hear this coming Sunday—the Risen Lord had a physical body
that could pass through solid matter.
The
point here is that in His Risen Body, Jesus looks different to His
disciples. He looks different enough to cause some confusion in their
minds: at least enough confusion for them to be tempted to “dare” ask Him
“Who are you?” For ourselves, regarding both our meditation and our
speaking to the Lord in prayer, we should ask: do we expect the Lord to
appear to us in some certain way? How might God want to surprise us in
making Himself known to us, and in showing us His love?
Easter
Friday Meditation
Easter reminds us of these
fundamental requirements of the Christian life: the practice of piety and
patience. Through piety we live detached from human frailties, in purity of
mind and body, in union with Christ. Through patience we succeed in strengthening
our character and controlling our temper so as to become more pleasing to the
Lord and an example and encouragement to others, in the various contingencies
of social life. The Resurrection of the Lord truly represents—and for this
reason it is celebrated every year—the renewed resurrection of every one of us
to the true Christian life, the perfect Christian life which we must all try to
live. "The Resurrection of Christ is the sacrament of new life." My
beloved brothers and children! First of all let us look closely at our pattern,
Jesus Christ. You see that everything in His life was in preparation for His
resurrection. St Augustine says: "In Christ everything was working for His
resurrection." Born as a man, He appeared as a man for but a short time.
Born of mortal flesh, He experienced all the vicissitudes of mortality. We see
Him in His infancy, His boyhood, and His vigorous maturity, in which He died.
He could not have risen again if He had not died; He could not have died if He
had not been born; He was born, and He died so that He might rise again.
·
Plan a pilgrimage; go to a shrine; do a Divine Mercy Hike.
o Easter Friday was
a favorite day for pilgrimages in many parts of Europe. Large groups would take
rather long processions to a shrine or church, where Mass would be offered.
Easter Friday is a favorite day for
pilgrimages.
Pilgrimage
was an essential part of Jesus’ religious life. As God was one, so he had only
one holy city, Jerusalem, to which he called his people to make pilgrimage:
“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God.”
These Tri-annual pilgrimages were required at the feast of unleavened bread
(Passover), at the feast of the weeks (commemoration of the Torah & the 10
commandments) and the feast of the booths (Sukkoth). Christ by his sacrifice
has created a heavenly Jerusalem which is not in a geographic location but is
Eucharistic and is located in the tabernacle of every Catholic Church.
Jerusalem has still retained an attractive power, because it contained the
monuments of the Lord’s passion and is one of the most popular pilgrimage
sites. A modern Catholic map of the world will offer many possible destinations
for pilgrimage. Jerusalem and Rome remain favorites as well as the Marian
shrines of Lourdes and Fatima. Also, since the middle ages travelers have also
thronged to Santiago de Compostela, the shrine of St. James in Spain. Yet, here
is the greatness of our God: we need not go to the far ends of the earth to go
on pilgrimage as God lives with us in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and we can
always find local shrines to make small pilgrimages. We could also make a
pilgrimage to visit with holy people we know, or travel to honor the graves of
our ancestors, friends and mentors. A pilgrimage is sacramental: an outward
sign of an inward grace. It reminds us that we are wayfarers on earth till we
are taken up into heaven.
Holy
Catholic pilgrimages for your “bucket list”
Whether
you follow in the footsteps of Jesus or the saints, a holy pilgrimage is an
opportunity to enrich one's faith.
Click here to launch the slideshow
The
holy pilgrimage has been a Christian tradition since the first recorded
spiritual journey, in which a bishop named Mileto from Sardis in Asia Minor
traveled to the Holy Land in around 160 to visit “the place where [things described
in the Bible] were preached and done. “In
the 4th century, pilgrimages following the footsteps of Jesus and the apostles
became popular after Constantine’s
mother, St. Helena, visited Jerusalem, discovered what is thought to have been
the True Cross, and built churches over holy sites related to Jesus’ life. To walk the same path as
Jesus and his followers, and to see with one’s own eyes the places mentioned in
Scripture, was more than just travel, it was meant to hasten an interior
journey as well. Rome became a major destination for European pilgrims in the
7th century after the Muslim conquest of the Holy Land limited the number of
Christians allowed to visit the holy sites there. The Crusades themselves were
considered a form of pilgrimage, and pilgrimages to the Holy land increased in
the late Middle Ages, partly due to the guidance of the Franciscan friars who
were entrusted with the guardianship of the holy sites.
Today,
Christians continue to make pilgrimages to enrich their spiritual lives. Taken
in the spirit of prayer, a pilgrimage can be as life-changing today as it was
in the time of St. Jerome, who in the 4th century wrote, “We will have a clearer grasp of
Scripture after we have gazed with our own eyes on the sites where the events
of our salvation unfolded.”
Read
more: Here’s why a
pilgrimage is an important aspect of the spiritual life
Here’s a glimpse of a few sacred places
to complete any Catholic’s
“bucket
list,” where
modern pilgrims can travel to walk the same path as Jesus and his followers,
and visit the sites of the miracles and apparitions:
The
Holy Land
Pilgrims
to the Holy Land and Jerusalem follow in the footsteps of Jesus, from the
Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem where Jesus was born to the Via Dolorosa
and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where he was laid to rest. For the last
800 years, the Order of St. Francis has had guardianship over these holy sites
and is today working to ensure that Christians continue to exist in the
birthplace of Christianity. By offering pilgrimages in the Holy Land,
they can help fulfill that mission.
·
When
to visit: The busiest times in Holy Land are during the major Christian and
Jewish feasts in spring and fall.
Fatima
The
shrine in Fatima, Portugal, marks the spot where Our Lady of the Rosary
appeared to three shepherd children, Lucia dos Santos and her cousins,
Francisco and Jacinta, between May and October of 1917. Pilgrims from all over
the world gather for the torch-lit processions held every day, but especially
on pilgrimage days in May and October.
·
When
to visit: Pilgrim’s travel to Fatima all year round, but the best-attended
processions are held on the 13th of May and October.
El
Camino de Santiago
The
Way of St. James or El Camino de Santiago became a major pilgrimage destination
during the Middle Ages. Tradition tells us that St. James’ remains were carried by boat from
Jerusalem to northern Spain where he was buried. Medieval pilgrims traveled
from their homes to what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela, receiving
penance for the expiation of sins by undertaking the arduous journey.
Today,
the pilgrimage has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, among believers as well
as non-believers in search of a retreat from modern life. Pilgrims’ hostels or albergues welcome travelers along
the way and can be found along the routes in Spain, France and Portugal.
Read more:
You want to walk the Camino de Santiago? Here are 10
things you should know
·
When
to visit: July and August are the busiest months on the Camino. Pilgrims
traveling during April, May, June and September enjoy warm weather without the
crowds.
Ireland
Ireland has a long tradition of holy pilgrimages, dating
back to St. Patrick’s
fast on what is now known as Croagh Patrick in 441. In the pasts few years, the
Pilgrim Paths foundation has been restoring the ancient penitential paths and
has so far created five guided walks. After pilgrims get their “passports” stamped after completing
each of the five routes, they receive an Irish Pilgrim Paths completion
certificate from Ballintubber Abbey in County Mayo.
Read more:
Walk along Ireland’s own “Camino” pilgrimage route
·
When to visit: This
·
Irish Pilgrim Journey 2023 – June
17th to 24th.
Rome
European pilgrims headed to Rome along the Via Francigena to
follow the paths of the martyred saints and early Christians. Emperor
Constantine erected basilicas over the tombs of Peter and Paul, which attracted
the faithful from all over Europe.
Read more:
The Via
Francigena: The other great European pilgrimage
Today a modern pilgrim
would similarly visit St. Peter’s
Basilica, attend a papal audience with the successor to St. Peter, take a tour
of the Catacombs, the Vatican museums, and the ancient churches of the Eternal
City.
·
When to visit: Winter is the best time to visit
Rome if you want to avoid the crowds. Spring and fall, outside of Easter week,
offer mild temperatures without the crowds of summer.
Lourdes
Millions of pilgrim’s flock to southwestern France each year
to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. It is there that the Blessed Virgin
Mary appeared 18 times in 1858 to a young peasant girl, St. Bernadette
Soubirous. In one of her appearances, she told St. Bernadette to drink from the
grotto’s spring. Many
of the sick and suffering claim to have been miraculously cured by the spring’s healing waters.
Read more:
Traveling to Lourdes? Go out of
your way to visit St. Bernadette’s incorrupt body
·
When to visit: The quiet season at Lourdes is
between October and March. During peak season, beginning at Easter, there are
usually about 25,000 pilgrims a day visiting Lourdes.
Poland
Even before Pope John Paul II’s canonization, a spiritual journey to his homeland in
Poland had become a popular pilgrimage among Catholics. An itinerary might
include a visit to Karol Wojtyla’s
childhood home in Wadowice, the shrine of the Black Madonna at Jasna Gora
Monastery in Częstochowa, and the beautiful Tatra Mountains where John
Paul II skied. Other must-visit sites: The Shrine of Divine Mercy and the
martyred St. Maximilian Kolbe’s
cell at Auschwitz.
Friday’s during the season of
Easter-Fast or not?
It’s well known that Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays
during Lent, and that Ash Wednesday and Good Fridays are fast days, in which we
cut back on how much we eat. But what about the rest of the year? Should we be
abstaining and fasting on other Fridays? And in particular, what about right
now, during the season of Easter? It’s easy to sound legalistic in answering
these questions, so let’s begin by laying something of a biblical and spiritual
framework:
First, fasting isn’t optional in Christianity. Jesus says that
“when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure
their faces that their fasting may be seen by men.” Instead, “when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but
by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward
you” (Matt. 6:16-18). So there’s clearly a wrong way to fast (doing it for the
acclaim of men), but that’s not an argument against fasting. Notice that Jesus
says not “if you fast,” but “when you fast.”
Second, we need to fast. God summarizes the story of Israel by saying that “it was I who
knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought; but when they had fed to
the full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore, they
forgot me” (Hos. 13:5-6). That’s true of not just Israel, but all of us. When
things are going poorly, we realize our weakness and (hopefully) cry out to God
for help. When things are going well, on the other hand, it’s easy to buy into
the illusion that we can take care of ourselves just fine without God. For this
reason, Moses warned that “when you eat and are full, then take heed lest you
forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt” (Deut. 6:11-12).
Fasting is one of the concrete ways in which we allow ourselves to be shaken
out of this forgetfulness and self-delusion.
Third, fasting is a practice of the Church, not just a
private devotion. It’s great to decide for personal reasons that you need to
fast for a particular period of time. But it would be a mistake to think all
Christian fasting is like that. When Jesus says “when you fast,” he doesn’t use
the second-person singular, as if it were up to each of us to decide when and
where to fast. Instead, he says “you” in the plural, like “when you all fast.”
We see concrete instances of local churches calling fasts in places like Acts
13:1-3 and Acts 14:23.
Fourth, fasting
on Fridays has always been part of Christianity. It’s easy to think of
fasting on Fridays as a modern thing. But it actually goes all the way back to
the time of the apostles. A first-century Christian text called the Didache instructs,
“Let not your fasts be with the hypocrites; for they fast on the second and
fifth day of the week; but fast on the fourth day and the Preparation.” In
other words, one of the ways that Christians were setting themselves apart from
groups like the Pharisees was that the Pharisees would fast on Mondays and
Thursdays, and Christians would fast on Wednesdays (the fourth day of the week)
and Fridays (the day of Preparation). This wasn’t an empty cultural marker,
like wearing pink on Wednesdays. It was a reminder of the death of the Lord
Jesus on Good Friday, the day of preparation (Mark 15:42; John 19:31). In the
modern era, this has taken the form of abstaining from meat on Fridays, rather
than a full-fledged fast. But the reasoning is the same. As the NCCB (now USCCB)
puts it, “Catholic peoples from time immemorial have set apart Friday
for special penitential observance by which they gladly suffer with Christ that
they may one day be glorified with Him. This is the heart of the tradition of
abstinence from meat on Friday where that tradition has been observed in the
holy Catholic Church.”
Fifth, the joy of Easter trumps the fast. St. John the Baptist’s disciples asked Jesus why his own
disciples didn’t fast, and he replied, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as
the bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken
away from them, and then they will fast” (Matt. 9:15). That’s the crux: our
fasting shouldn’t interfere with rejoicing in the presence of Jesus. During the
Octave of Easter (the eight-day period from Easter Sunday to Divine Mercy
Sunday), we celebrate the bridegroom returning to us from the grave, so it’s fitting for a
time to set all of our fasting and abstaining aside. Likewise,
there are certainly particularly important feast days (called solemnities) in
which we relax these disciplines in order to highlight the feast.
So
where does all of that leave us?
The Church’s
instructions are clear. Catholics who are able to do so* are required to
abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent (can. 1251), but we should also
treat the entire season of Lent and every Friday throughout the year
as penitential (can. 1250). As the USCCB
explains, “Friday should be in each week something of what Lent is in the
entire year.” Just as every Sunday is a mini-Easter, every Friday is a
mini-Lent, preparing us for Sunday and Easter.
How do we mark that mini-Lent, outside the season of Lent
itself? It depends a bit on where you live. In the United Kingdom, Catholics are
required to abstain from meat throughout the year. In Canada, Ireland, and the United States, you can substitute
something else for meat (like alcohol). But as the American bishops explained,
the point of this was not to abolish Friday penance, but to urge Catholics to
come up with “other forms of penitential witness which may become as much a part
of the devout way of life in the future as Friday abstinence from meat.”
All of this is relaxed entirely if “a solemnity should fall on a
Friday” (can. 1251). That always
includes the first (but only the first) Friday after Easter,
since the Universal Norms specify that
“the first eight days of Easter Time constitute the Octave of Easter and are
celebrated as Solemnities of the Lord.” For the rest of Easter season, we’re
back to Friday penances. Perhaps the best way to understand why is to consider
the counsel of St. Ignatius of
Loyola, who says in his rules for discernment, “Let him who is in
consolation think how he will be in the desolation which will come after,
taking new strength for then.” The Fridays of Easter keep our Easter
highs from getting so high that we forget the cross, just as the Sundays of
Lent keep our Lenten lows from getting so low that we forget the Resurrection.
So this season, let us keep that spirit of Friday penance,
without losing an ounce of our Easter joy!
*Those
who should not fast or abstain are exempted, including young kids, pregnant/nursing moms, and people who are
suffering from illness.
Fasting and abstaining from meat should never endanger your health or the
health of your child.
Divine
Mercy Novena
Eighth
Day - Today Bring Me the Souls Who Are In the Prison Of Purgatory.
Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You
desire mercy; so, I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the
souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet who must make
retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed
forth from Your Heart put out the flames of purifying fire, that in that place,
too, the power of Your mercy may be praised.
Eternal Father turn Your most merciful gaze upon the
souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart
of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the
bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded, manifest Your mercy to
the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way than
through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe
that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen.
Fasting: Wednesdays
and Fridays (Water/Juice and bread only, if medically allowed, otherwise as
is outlined
by the USCCB)
Fitness Friday
Enhancing one’s fitness goes a long
way to improving oneself image and raising one to the challenge of God’s
mission for them.
Help!
I’m Poor but Want to Eat Healthy!
Unhealthy food is indeed
often more accessible and cheaper than healthy
alternatives.
Unfortunately, it’s these very foods that make us unhealthy and
overweight, causing all sorts of INCREDIBLY expensive medical problems down the
road. Healthy eating on a budget IS possible; it just takes a game plan and
a little creativity. Today we’re going to talk about specific foods that
are a great bang for your buck. Whether you’re simply trying losing weight and
getting in shape or build some muscle and put on weight without looking like Jabba
the Hut, making
the right dietary choices will always be 80-90% of your success. And because
diet is going to make up THAT BIG of your chance for success, we want you to
slowly shift to the most effective choices you can – and for that we recommend
the Paleo diet. Over the last few decades, we’ve been eating and drinking more
and more, and we developed the idea that a “good deal” means a lot of food. In
other words, we tend to associate a deal by looking at the price
per calorie. “I got SOO
many fries, what a great deal!” Sure, you could buy pasta and ramen and
live on mere dollars a day, but we want a game plan that doesn’t skip out on
practically every macro and micronutrient – this is a strategy that builds
Superheroes. The aim will be to reshape the way you evaluate ‘good deals.’
Instead of price per calorie, we’ll be looking at the price per nutrient. We
want the most nutrients for the least amount of money. The
choices below will:
·
Target nutrient dense foods, but
understand that we’re looking for the most economical choices. If food A costs
$10 and has 50 of nutrient x, we’ll pick food B instead, which only provides 45
of x but costs just $2.
·
Limit
our draw to ‘good caloric deals,’ avoiding nutrient deficient
options such as white bread or ramen.
·
Identify
foods with high caloric AND nutritional value, for those currently trying to gain
weight through strength
training.
Let’s
do this!
Vegetables
While vegetables can often be expensive, when we looked at some of
the best choices, veggies are pretty awesome. One study showed:
“that although fruits and vegetables
are an expensive source of dietary energy (calories), they provide key
nutrients at a reasonable cost.”
·
For
starters, don’t be afraid to buy frozen
vegetables in
the freezer section of your local grocery store (or even canned
vegetables). Sure, I love fresh veggies, but since frozen veggies are
picked and then frozen at peak ripeness (and thus most nutritionally dense),
they are often a better value while being edible for months longer.
·
Kale and leafy greens (such as mustard or collard): If there is one super cheap
superfood, kale and leafy greens are it! Practically nature’s multivitamin,
kale is packed full of protein, vitamin K, C, and A, dietary
fiber, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and more (a
whole lot more). The catch is that kale and leafy greens can be bitter raw, so
they need to be cooked. But don’t worry, there are tons of quick and easy ways
to make kale delicious. You do NOT want to miss out on one of the most
economical superfoods. To get you started, check out Kale Chips or this try this kale and bacon recipe.
·
Cabbage: A sister food to kale and leafy greens, from
antioxidant to fiber to vitamin C, cabbage is both affordable
and nutritionally dense. Cabbage is extremely versatile (soup, salad,
stir fry, or sandwiches), and looks like it may have some superfood
cancer fighting qualities as well.
·
Broccoli: I didn’t understand why everyone
else hated Broccoli. Whether fresh or frozen, broccoli provides an excellent
price per nutrient value.
·
Spinach: Rich in minerals and vitamins, fiber and
protein, spinach should be your go-to choose for salads over cheaper
but nutritionally deficient greens like iceberg lettuce. The difference
between spinach and lettuce
is so large, this comparison is a great example to demonstrate why we should be
making choices based on price per nutrient, rather than
price per calorie.
·
Carrots: Carrots are one of my
favorite nutritionally dense snacks. Crazy amounts of vitamin A, good
carbs, and a little bit of everything else; carrots are a solid choice to
supplement a salad or soup.
Be sure to check out your local farmers’ market, as you may find some great deals on fruits and veggies depending on the season and where
you live.
Proteins
Consider the Paleo
Diet, today we’re going to explore all cheap protein sources, Paleo or
non-Paleo. Meats (chicken/turkey/beef): When
we looked at prices across the U.S., chicken and turkey consistently offered
better values. However, don’t count beef out; there is almost ALWAYS a
specific cut of beef on sale, and by targeting cheaper (and fattier) cuts, you
can usually leave the meat section with a killer deal. We aren’t targeting
these cuts simply because they’re cheaper.
·
Eggs: There’s a reason eggs are usually a staple among those
seriously strength train: eggs are a simple yet nutritionally dense source
of protein. Toss hard boiled eggs in a salad, scramble eggs in a stir fry, or
prepare a regular breakfast staple, eggs are usually too cheap to pass up.
·
Canned
Tuna: One can of Albacore Tuna
contains approximately 120 calories, 28g of protein, and can cost $1
or less. This makes canned tuna a superb value and an awesomely lean protein
source. Check out other canned fish, such as salmon, for some variety. And be
sure to rotate canned tuna in and out of your diet to reduce risks
associated with mercury.
·
Legumes: Beans,
chickpeas, lentils, oh my! Legumes (especially when purchased in
bags), are one of the best prices per nutrient values out there. Legumes such
as beans work great in a salad, soups, or even dips. Providing copious amounts
of both protein and carbs, legumes offer a great value and
easily satisfy macronutrient requirements. Be wary though,
nutritional value will vary depending on your specific legume of choice!
·
Protein
Powder: If the above recommendations don’t work for you and
you’re still a little short on protein, try a huge tub of protein
powder online. Make yourself a quick protein shake breakfast or post
workout meal.
·
Other `cheap protein options that may be a great deal include
quinoa, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and one of the many types of nut butter.
Fruits
Fruits provide one of the biggest challenges, especially in the United States,
because they are so expensive relative to other food groups. Fruits can also be
tricky. Grapes, which seem to be a moderate value, end up being one of the
worst price per nutrient options out there. This may lead to the completely
understandable reaction that I had, “SCREW IT! I love grapes, and I’m buying
them!” But don’t worry, there are still some excellent cost-efficient
options for fruits:
·
Watermelon: I know, I know. My first thought
too was, “isn’t it mostly water?” Well, yes. But as it turns out, since
watermelon is so darn cheap, it is an incredible value per nutrient. Packed
with lycopene (antioxidant), vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium, and
phosphorus, watermelon is a wonderful and easy to eat nutritional deal.
·
Bananas: If you’re following the Paleo Diet
and avoiding most grains, bananas are a great source of carbs. Bananas are
super cheap and provide you with tons of potassium. They can be added to
oatmeal, eaten as a snack, or my favorite, as a desert (frozen bananas).
·
Plums: Packed full great micronutrients
like vitamin A, K, and C, plums are an excellent source of fiber and carbs.
·
Pears: Although pears possess a good amount of natural
sugars, they are another great source of fiber and vitamin C…and
usually even cheaper than plums.
·
Other fruits that may be great nutritional
deals in your area: cantaloupe, apricots, kiwis, and nectarines.
Don’t forget about
dried fruit – although high in sugar, bulk dried fruit can be an incredible
nutrient value.
If you are training like crazy or are working hard
to get bigger by packing on muscle and size, then chances are you’ll require
more and more food (read: fuel) to reach your goals. If you’re strength
training and not getting bigger, then you’re not eating enough – it’s that
simple. Calories become more important, fats and oils, beans and legumes, and
dairy products become more cost effective than vegetables and fruits (however,
don’t neglect vegetables to make sure your…um…” plumbing” can handle the extra calories!).
·
Oats: Oats are incredibly cheap, provide ridiculous
amounts of both carbohydrates and protein, and fulfill other micronutrient
and mineral requirements such as thiamin, folate, magnesium,
and phosphorus. Oats are simple to make, can be prepared a variety of ways
(sweet or savory), and can be bought and stored easily in bulk!
·
Whole Milk: Although milk isn’t Paleo, its low
cost combined with high amounts of protein, calcium, and vitamin D makes it an
attractive option when trying to meet high calorie requirements (if your body
can handle the lactose).
·
Avocados: Avocados are perhaps
the densest food listed in this entire article, both calorically
and nutritiously. Although they may appear costly, avocados can be an
incredible price per nutrient value. Put them in salads, on sandwiches,
or eat them plain with a little bit of salt! When your local grocery store
puts avocados on sale, be sure to stock up!
·
Sweet Potato: A better nutritional value than
normal potatoes (plus a lower glycemic load), sweet potatoes are a great
source of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and incredible amounts of vitamin A.
Sweet potatoes sliced, covered in olive oil, and thrown in the oven at 375 for
12 minutes each side. So simple, even a nerd could cook it.
·
Olive Oil: One of the best ways to add good
fat without cholesterol or sodium is olive oil. Add extra olive oil to salads,
meats, and legumes.
·
Almonds/Walnuts/Almond butter: Raw almonds are
a versatile option that can serve as a great supplementary source of
protein and fat. While almonds can be a great value, be sure to buy them in
bulk to optimize your price per nutrient deal. And if you haven’t tried almond
butter and apple slices, you’re missing out.
Eat Smart
No matter what value foods you plan to buy, be sure approach eating
healthy on a budget with a
plan of attack. You will find that if you take advantage of healthy
foods on sale (especially buy one get one free deals), many foods that aren’t
listed here will suddenly become a great value! Remember: If your goal
is weight loss, the majority of your calories should come from fat and
protein, NOT carbohydrates/grains! This is the whole premise of the
Paleo Diet that
we’re so fond of. Concerned about pesticides and have a bit more
money to spend? Here are nine foods you should try to buy organic,
and seven organic options
you can pass up. As
long as you’re no longer thinking “more is better,” but instead searching for
value healthy foods, you’ll be on your way to becoming a Superhero.
Modern
populations are increasingly overfed, malnourished, sedentary,
sunlight-deficient, sleep-deprived, and socially isolated.
·
eat foods rich in antioxidants.
o
Beta-carotene: apricots, broccoli,
cantaloupe, carrots, collards, peaches, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato
o
Vitamin C: blueberries, broccoli,
grapefruit, kiwi, oranges, peppers, potatoes, strawberries, tomato
o
Vitamin E: margarine, nuts and seeds,
vegetable oils, wheat germ
·
Choose your carbs wisely. Limit sugary foods and
opt for smart or “complex” carbs (such as whole grains) rather than simple
carbs (such as cakes and cookies). Fruits, vegetables, and legumes also have
healthy carbs and fiber.
·
Foods like turkey, tuna, and chicken have an
amino acid called tryptophan, which may help you make serotonin. Try to eat
something with protein several times a day, especially when you need to clear
your mind and boost your energy.
·
Try the Mediterranean
diet.
Modern
populations are increasingly overfed, malnourished, sedentary,
sunlight-deficient, sleep-deprived, and socially isolated.
Eating: Be nourished not
overfed.
·
eat foods rich in antioxidants.
o
Beta-carotene: apricots, broccoli,
cantaloupe, carrots, collards, peaches, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato
o
Vitamin C: blueberries, broccoli,
grapefruit, kiwi, oranges, peppers, potatoes, strawberries, tomato
o
Vitamin E: margarine, nuts and seeds,
vegetable oils, wheat germ
·
Choose your carbs wisely. Limit sugary foods and
opt for smart or “complex” carbs (such as whole grains) rather than simple
carbs (such as cakes and cookies). Fruits, vegetables, and legumes also have
healthy carbs and fiber.
·
Foods like turkey, tuna, and chicken have an
amino acid called tryptophan, which may help you make serotonin. Try to eat
something with protein several times a day, especially when you need to clear
your mind and boost your energy.
·
Try the Mediterranean
diet
Bible in a
year Day 280 The
People of the Covenant
Fr. Mike concludes the book of Esther
and the book of Nehemiah by reflecting on the journey and resilience of the
Jewish people thus far in the story of salvation.Fr. Mike explains how, in our
lives, we don’t always know how God is going to show up, but we know that he
will be faithful. Today’s readings are Nehemiah 12, Esther 9-11, and Proverbs 21:21-24.
THIS WE BELIEVE
PRAYERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH
How to Baptize in case of an Emergency
When an individual is on their deathbed,
anyone can baptize them into the Christian faith.
Baptism is a beautiful
sacrament, one that opens the doorway to God’s grace into a person’s soul,
initiating them into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
As the Catechism
of the Catholic Church explains, “Holy Baptism is the basis
of the whole Christian life,
the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis
ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through
Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of
Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission:
Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word” (CCC 1213).
In normal circumstances, a bishop, priest or deacon is the
ordinary minister of the sacrament. However, in an emergency, anyone
can baptize a person who wants to be baptized.
In case of necessity,
anyone, even a
non-baptized person, with the required intention, can baptize, by using the
Trinitarian baptismal formula. The intention required is to will to do what the Church does when she
baptizes. The Church finds the reason for this possibility in the universal
saving will of God and the necessity of Baptism for
salvation. (CCC 1256)
Most often this is seen in
birthing centers, where newborn infants are quickly baptized by a nurse or
doctor, when death appears imminent. In this particular case, the parents
request this to be done (usually beforehand) and those administering baptism do
so with the right intention. Sometimes a baby will recover, in which case the
parish priest will perform additional rites surrounding the sacrament of
baptism, as it is not possible to be baptized twice.
At the other end of the
spectrum, adults who are dying can also be baptized if
they request it, by anyone who is present. Fr. Paul de Ladurantaye explains in
the Arlington
Catholic Herald
exactly how this is done.
In the case
of necessity (e.g., the danger of
death), the person who baptizes pours water three times over the candidate’s head, or immerses the candidate three times in
water, while simultaneously pronouncing the baptismal formula: “N., I baptize you in the name of the Father
(the minster pours water or immerses the first time), and of the Son (the
minister pours water or immerses a second time), and of the Holy Spirit (the
minister pours water or immerses a third time).” A lay person who administers
an emergency baptism must at least have the intention to do what the Church
does when baptizing. It is also desirable that, as far as possible, one or two
witnesses to the baptism be present.
It must be kept in mind
that this type of baptism performed by laypeople should only be administered to
people in an emergency situation. If the person recovers and
returns to full health, then that person should present themselves to the
nearest parish and explain their situation so that they can be fully welcomed
into the Catholic Church.
If a priest or deacon is
available and able to come to the bedside of someone dying, then that option
should be pursued first. However, if that is not an option and time does not
allow an extensive search for an ordained minister, a layperson should step in.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Restoring
the Constitution
·
Start April 10 to end on May 13, the feast of
Our Lady of Fatima
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face
·
Drops of
Christ’s Blood
·
Universal
Man Plan
Sheraton, Mimi. 1,000 Foods
To Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover's Life List (p. 892). Workman Publishing
Company. Kindle Edition.
A pre‑Code frontier romance where a spoiled New York heiress collides with the hard, unvarnished world of the American West; where pride and impulse lead two mismatched souls into a marriage neither is ready for; and where love becomes not infatuation but the slow, humbling work of learning to see — and serve — another person truthfully.
Kay Dowling, a restless New York socialite, is sent West to escape scandal and regain composure. Instead, she meets Buck Jones — a quiet, self‑possessed ranch foreman whose steadiness stands in stark contrast to her world of privilege and impulse.
Their whirlwind attraction leads to a sudden marriage, but the frontier strips away illusions quickly:
Kay’s disillusionment drives her back East, where old temptations and old comforts beckon. Buck follows, not as a conqueror but as a man trying to understand the woman he loves. Their reconciliation is not triumphant but tender — two flawed people choosing humility over pride, truth over fantasy, and commitment over escape.
Their union begins in impulse, but it matures only when both surrender pride.
The West strips Kay of illusions and Buck of self‑righteousness.
Kay’s upbringing blinds her to Buck’s dignity; Buck’s pride blinds him to her wounds.
Their reunion is not passion rekindled but hearts softened.
Both must learn that marriage is not escape but mission.
Serve in a plain glass — something that feels like a ranch hand’s evening ritual.
Humble, warm, and grounding.
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