Three, three, three Gods in One!

One concept that often causes confusion among non-Christians – and among many Christians, for that matter – is the Trinity, which, of course, we mark in Catholic circles on Trinity Sunday.

Some folks say Trinitarians worship three gods, and that makes us non-Christians. But even fellow Trinitarians get confused about what it means when we talk about the Three Persons in One God.

I’ve heard three explanations of the Trinity that put the concept in more concrete terms.

The most famous is that of St. Patrick, who used the shamrock to help explain how something could have three aspects, yet still be one.

St. Ignatius Loyola used music. He likened the Trinity to a chord – three notes combining together to produce one harmonious tone.

Another explanation is that the Trinity is like H2O. You can have ice, water and steam, all with different attributes, yet all the same.

All explanations work fine for me. To be honest, this is not one of the theological debates I find particularly gripping. Give me the ordination of women or the people who sit in the pew behind me and talk throughout Mass to chew on!

Then again, I also refer to the three Persons in the Trinity as the Boss, the Kid, and the Bird.

Somehow I don't think my description will make it into too many theology textbooks. It might make for a nice allegorical piece some day, though.

Fortunately, God does have a sense of humor.

At least, I think the Kid does. How else do you explain the Apostles?

Pax et bonum

Is that a Fly in my Soup?

Every night before dinner, my family and I hold hands and pray.

We thank God for the good things that have happened, we pray for other people who might need strength and help, and we pray for our own needs. Sometimes we also make comments or even jokes.

Because we’ve had some tough times lately, the other night I prayed, “Lord, they say you never give us more than we can handle. I think you’re overestimating me.”

It got the desired effect of getting everyone around the table smiling and laughing.

But in thinking about it later I realized that I don’t agree with the saying as it is often understood.

First, I don’t believe God “gives” us everything that comes our way.

Oh, I believe that life and all that is in it is a gift from God. But I think some of the specific bad things in it come from other sources. We are all affected by the consequences of our own decisions and deeds, the choices and actions of other people, and sometimes just the arbitrary forces of nature.

The decision to eat that burrito with the nuclear hot sauce, the boss who treated me unfairly, the fly that landed in my soup can’t necessarily be blamed on God’s direct action. (Well, maybe the fly: God does have a sense of humor).

Remember that in the story of Job, while God gave Satan permission to afflict Job, God himself did not inflict the misfortunes.

This doesn’t mean that God might not for his own purposes send bad things my way (such as that fly in my soup), but I don’t believe he is directly involved in causing them all.

Second, I believe that we do sometimes face problems that we really can’t handle. There are times when people suffer nervous breakdowns or mental problems. There are people who are addicted in ways they can’t control.

It’s at that point that we have to turn to a “higher power,” as the 12-step programs describe it. We have to rely on God.

Of course, turning to God for help and strength is a choice, and in this sense we do “handle” the problem. But that’s the same thing as a person hanging from a cliff reaching out to take an outstretched hand from someone trying to save him. He could choose not to reach out, just as we can choose to ignore God’s help.

So if I wanted to be accurate, I could have prayed for God’s help and for the openness, courage and strength to accept that help.

Of course, that wouldn’t have gotten my family smiling.

Maybe I could have added St. Teresa of Avila’s quip: ““If this is the way you treat your friends, it's no wonder you have so few!"

But then, I might have ended up with a fly in my soup.

Pax et bonum

Easy Essay - Christianity Untried

1. Chesterton says, 

         “Christianity has not failed

         because it has not been tried.”


2. Christianity has not been tried 

         because people thought 

         it was impractical.

3. And men have tried everything 

         except Christianity.

4. And everything 

         that men have tried 

         has failed.

5. And to fail 

        in everything 

        that one tries 

        is not to be practical.

6. Men will be practical 

       when they try to practice 

       the Christianity 

       they profess 

       to believe in.

- Peter Maurin

Pax et bonum

Blessed Solanus Miracle?

Teen’s tumors vanish after prayers to Bl. Solanus Casey: A possible final miracle for canonization


CV NEWS FEED // A Michigan teenager’s unexplained healing after prayers to Blessed Solanus Casey could become the miracle the Church needs to declare the beloved Capuchin friar a saint.

Sixteen-year-old Mary Bartold from DeWitt was facing surgery after doctors discovered tumors on both her ovaries in May 2024, the Detroit Free Press reported. As she prepared for what could have been a life-changing operation, her parents, Susan and Rick Bartold, turned to prayer — making a pilgrimage to the Solanus Casey Center in Detroit and initiating a novena for his intercession.

Mary, a sophomore at Lansing Catholic High School, had first experienced sharp abdominal pain during school in late April.

“I was toppled over,” she recalled. “I couldn’t move at all… because it hurt so bad.”

When the pain persisted, concern deepened. A CT scan and ultrasound revealed alarming results: there was a 7.3 cm mass on Mary’s left ovary and a 1.5 cm mass on the right. Doctors feared ovarian torsion — an emergency that could result in the loss of her reproductive organs. The possibility devastated Mary.

“[A]ll she could say to us was, ‘I want to be a mom,’” Susan remembered. “And even though we understand that there are other ways to be a beautiful mother, for a 16-year-old … it was really, really hard.”

Physicians at the University of Michigan determined the masses were teratomas — tumors typically benign but still requiring surgical removal. The procedure was scheduled for Aug. 2, 2024.

Trusting in the power of prayer, the Bartolds visited the Solanus Casey Center July 6, asking not only for Mary’s healing, but also that she be granted the grace “to travel this road that the Lord had put before her,” Susan said.

Mary’s family also rallied others in the community to join them in a novena to Bl. Solanus.

Then came July 30 — Bl. Solanus’ feast day. Mary underwent an MRI early that morning. As Susan drove her to the appointment, she prayed aloud: “Solanus, this is your feast day … I know you have big news.”

That evening, Susan saw the results in Mary’s patient portal. It appeared the tumors were gone. The next day, Mary’s doctor called and confirmed it.

“She was just like, ‘There’s nothing there. It’s all gone,’” Susan recalled. The doctor apologized for the delay in calling, explaining she had consulted with multiple radiologists to be absolutely certain before sharing the news.

“I really wanted to make sure that I was telling you the correct news,” Mary’s doctor had said. “We are good to cancel the surgery.’”

“I thought it was a mistake,” Mary said. But when the reality sank in, her response was simple: “I was just grateful. I didn’t have to get surgery.”

On the day Mary was originally scheduled for surgery, the family returned to Casey’s tomb in thanksgiving and submitted documentation of her healing to the Solanus Casey Center for possible consideration by the Vatican.

Solanus was known for his deep faith, simplicity, and miraculous healings. Born in Wisconsin in 1870 and ordained a “simplex priest” due to academic struggles, the humble friar spent much of his ministry in Detroit as a porter — a doorkeeper — where he offered prayerful counsel to the suffering. He gained a reputation for holiness and became a beloved spiritual guide.

If the Vatican recognizes Mary’s healing as a miracle, it could fulfill the final requirement for canonization. Solanus, who died in 1957, was beatified in 2017 after the Church affirmed a Panamanian woman had been cured of a genetic skin condition following prayers at his tomb.Pax et bonum