Author Archives: admin

About admin

I am a Catholic clinical psychologist with a solo practice in Omaha, NE. In the Franciscan seminary, I completed about 2/3rd of an M.Div./MA in Scripture. In my 3rd year of temporary vows, I discerned a call to the married life. My lovely wife Mary and I have a son, Michael, as well as a number of children preceding us to Heaven through miscarriages. We are delighted to be in the Omaha archdiocese and love the Heartland.

Announcing My New Blogsite, “Transfigured Heart”

Posted on August 22, 2020 by admin

I am excited to announce that I have a new blog site, Transfigured Heart. It will replace this blog site, Fire in My Bones. Transfigured Heart not only features the best of my posts. It has a more attractive and professional feel. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off

Our Most Common Struggle: Proverbs and Perseverance

Posted on August 23, 2019 by admin

Is perseverance our most common struggle? To test that out, let’s look at our most common proverbs. It’s like looking at a nation’s laws to get a handle on what its most common crimes are. In the US, laws against … Continue reading →

Posted in Psychology, Western Culture | Comments Off

To Have a Child and Other Transformations: Falling in Love

Posted on August 16, 2019 by admin

Several years ago, a Wall Street Journal article (the link is here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/is-it-possible-to-reason-about-having-a-child-1378507807) explained how it’s impossible to make a rational decision about whether to have a child. Allison Gopnik, a mother herself, contrasted the decision to have a child with … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Psychology | Comments Off

No Pit So Deep: Jesus’ Descent into Our Pain

Posted on August 9, 2019 by admin

“There is no pit so deep that He is not deeper.” These are the words of Corrie ten Boom’s sister, Betsie, in the former’s autobiography, The Hiding Place. Betsie is dying from the horrible conditions of the Ravensbruck concentration camp, where … Continue reading →

Posted in Apologetics, Psychology | Comments Off

From Neurotic to Transformative Suffering: Getting Off of the Rollercoaster

Posted on August 2, 2019 by admin

Freud’s brilliant but troubled disciple, Carl Jung, discussed the journey from neurotic to transformative suffering. (Just a caution: Jung’s elaborate psychological system is riddled with problems from a Christian point of view. For example, he insisted that Satan and evil … Continue reading →

Posted in Psychology | Comments Off

Doublethink: Am I a Grandpa or Not?, and Other Questions

Posted on July 26, 2019 by admin

Doublethink is on the rise, as the Western world collapses into rampant individualism, thought control under the guise of tolerance, and soft totalitarianism. “Doublethink” is a term coined by George Orwell in his dystopian masterpiece, 1984. In his bleak vision of … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Life, Western Culture | Comments Off

David’s Magnificat: The Warrior’s Song of Praise

Posted on July 12, 2019 by admin

I have come to think of Psalm 18 as David’s Magnificat. Like Mary’s Magnificat (Lk 1:46-55), Psalm 18 praises God’s wonderful deeds. But in both “Magnificats”, the singer glorifies how God has made the singer great. They are splendid examples of … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholic Prayer, Men's Issues | Comments Off

The Catholic Sex Scandal: Scarred, Broken, and Chosen

Posted on July 5, 2019 by admin

A deeply troubling trend has arisen in the wake of the new wave of Catholic Church sex scandal revelations. Deeply committed Catholics, some lifelong, have begun to leave the Church. These are people deeply committed to the Eucharist and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Church Renewal | Comments Off

A New Novena to the Holy Spirit: Unleashing the Power

Posted on June 21, 2019 by admin

We recently celebrated the feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down as a mighty wind and appeared as tongues of fire over the heads of the first disciples. Forty-two years ago, I experienced my own Pentecost, referred to … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholic Prayer, Church Renewal | Comments Off

Finding Your Kingdom: Why God Made You

Posted on June 14, 2019 by admin

I just listened to a podcast by Christian therapist Adam Young on finding your kingdom. It was vastly encouraging and inspiring. I’ve been recommending it to all who will listen. The link is here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/34-your-kingdom-the-purpose-of-counseling/id1373926216?i=1000429621913 Young begins by citing Luke 12:32. Jesus … Continue reading →