Joyful Hearts Moms Group

40 Days for Life Kick-Off Rally!

2011-03-08T11:18:00.001-06:00

Tuesday, March 8 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm

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Location Public right-of-way outside of Planned Parenthood in Bryan, TX

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Come help us celebrate the beginning of the Spring 40 Days for Life campaign! The kick-off will begin at 7 pm and will feature former abortionist turned pro-life hero, Dr. Haywood Robinson! Bring your friends, and get ready to stand up for life!

Trick or Treating at Bluebonnet House 2010

2010-11-01T08:00:00.004-05:00

Thanks to all who came out! We hope to see you on our next trip! If you have pictures you would like to add, please contact Julia Motekaitis, we'd love to have yours here too!

Exterminate the “Nag Bug”! The Gentle Virtue of Self-Control

2010-10-18T13:51:00.000-05:00

Here's an excellent article that touched on a little bit of what we discussed today:

Exterminate the “Nag Bug”! The Gentle Virtue of Self-Control

I really enjoyed this quote towards the end of the article:

"The great medieval mystic, Bernard of Clairvaux, taught that there are four levels of love: Love of self for self’s sake, love of God (and others) for self’s sake, love of God (and others) for their own sake, and love of self for God’s sake.
I realized that, to love someone for his own sake (rather than what I need from that person), is a liberating choice. It keeps me from trying to control another human being . . . and keeps my focus on how I can be a blessing to the one I love, rather than one more problem to manage. Even if the other person never changes (a real possibility), this approach minimizes the effect of the problem in the marriage, and on the family. It also gives God a chance to work in the heart of the other person."

St. Luke, the Evangelist

2010-10-18T12:38:00.000-05:00

Father, you chose Luke the Evangelist to reveal by preaching and writing the mystery of your love for the poor. Unite in one heart and spirit all who glory in your name, and let all nations come to see your salvation. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

http://www.wf-f.org/StLuke.html

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=76

http://rclweb.com/resources/2009/10/18/st-luke-the-evangelist-feast-day-october-18/

Blessed John Henry Newman

2010-10-09T06:00:00.000-05:00

Cardinal Newman's motto, Cor ad cor loquitur, or "Heart speaks unto heart", gives us an insight into his understanding of the Christian life as a call to holiness, experienced as the profound desire of the human heart to enter into intimate communion with the Heart of God.

http://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Calendar/National/Newman.shtml

http://www.wf-f.org/BlessedJohnNewman.html

Our Lady of Good Remedy

2010-10-08T06:00:00.002-05:00

http://www.wf-f.org/OurLadyGoodRemedy.html

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/novena/Remedy.htm

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of Good Remedy.

R. That we may deepen our dedication to thy Son, and make the world alive with His Spirit.

Our Lady of the Rosary

2010-10-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

This feast was instituted by Pope St. Pius V in thanksgiving for the great naval victory over the Turks at the battle of Lepanto on this day in the year 1570, a favor due to the recitation of the Rosary. This victory saved Europe from being overrun by the forces of Islam.

to continue reading, click on http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?id=281

Comment (from http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1161)

The purpose of the rosary is to help us meditate on the great mysteries of our salvation. Pius XII called it a compendium of the gospel. The main focus is on Jesus—his birth, life, death and resurrection. The Our Fathers remind us that Jesus' Father is the initiator of salvation. The Hail Marys remind us to join with Mary in contemplating these mysteries. They also make us aware that Mary was and is intimately joined with her Son in all the mysteries of his earthly and heavenly existence. The Glorys remind us that the purpose of all life is the glory of the Trinity.

The rosary appeals to many. It is simple. The constant repetition of words helps create an atmosphere in which to contemplate the mysteries of God. We sense that Jesus and Mary are with us in the joys and sorrows of life. We grow in hope that God will bring us to share in the glory of Jesus and Mary forever.

Saint Mary Faustina

2010-10-05T11:41:00.000-05:00

Divine Mercy

Eternal God,

in whom mercy is endless

and the treasury of compassion
- inexhaustible,

look kindly upon us

and increase Your mercy in us,

that in difficult moments

we might not despair

nor become despondent,

but with great confidence

submit ourselves to Your holy will,

which is Love and Mercy itself.

Amen.

http://www.mycatholictradition.com/prayer-saint-faustina.html

http://www.wf-f.org/StMFaustina.html

Catholic Radio for Bryan/College Station

2010-09-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to give a shout out to our Catholic radio stations in town. Please consider listening to them and supporting them. Check their websites for programming schedules.

KACB - 96.9 Aggie Catholic Broadcasting

http://www.aggiecatholic.org/index.cfm?load=page&page=290

KEDC - 88.5 The RED-C Apostolate

http://www.redcapostolate.org/

Reconciliation Times for Bryan/College Station

2010-09-23T12:40:00.000-05:00

St. Thomas Aquinas
Wednesday 11:30am - noon
Friday 11:30am - noon
Saturday 3:30pm - 5pm

St. Mary's
Monday 4:30pm - 5pm
Tuesday 4:30pm - 5pm
Wednesday 4:30pm - 5pm, 8:30pm - 9:30pm
Thursday 4:30pm - 5pm
Friday 4:30pm - 5pm
Saturday 4pm - 5:15pm

St. Joseph's
Wednesday 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Friday 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Saturday 4:30pm - 5:30pm

St. Anthony's
Thursday 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Saturday 4pm - 4:45pm

Christ Our Light (Navasota)
Saturday 5pm - 5:30pm

Love Put to Action

2010-09-23T12:03:00.000-05:00

“Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do…but how much love we put in that action”
–Mother Theresa

Click on this link to read a really good post. http://thepioneerwoman.com/homeschooling/2010/09/love-put-to-action/ I especially like the quote she chose (above) that she ended her post with. What a great reminder for us when we feel bogged down with endless chores.

Now I'm off to do some laundry!

Children's Prayer for the New School Year

2010-09-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

I know we are several weeks into school now. But, I just found this prayer at http://www.youthapostles.com/. What a great idea to have our children praying for their education and their teachers.

Prayer for the New School Year

Spirit of God,

fill our hearts with a desire

to seek truth and rejoice in beauty.

Help us to know what is pleasing to you

and to understand what is right

and good in your sight.

Give us the spirit of learning

that we may please you by our thoughts

and love you in your creation.

Give all teachers

your constant encouragement

and guide them in their good work.

Spirit of God,

make us effective witnesses of your truth

to all whose lives we touch.

We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord.

Amen.

St. Robert Bellarmine

2010-09-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

"Sweet Lord, you are meek and merciful." Who would not give himself wholeheartedly to your service, if he began to taste even a little of your fatherly rule? What command, Lord, do you give your servants? "Take my yoke upon you," you say. And what is this yoke of yours like? "My yoke," you say, "is easy and my burden light." Who would not be glad to bear a yoke that does no press hard but caresses? Who would not be glad for a burden that does not weigh heavy but refreshes? And so you were right to add: "And you will find rest for your souls." And what is this yoke of yours that does not weary, but gives rest? It is, of course, that first and greatest commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart." What is easier, sweeter, more pleasant, than to love goodness, beauty, and love, the fullness of which you are, O Lord, my God?"
Is it not true that you promise those who keep your commandments a reward more desirable than great wealth and sweeter than honey? You promise a most abundant reward, for as your apostle James says: "The Lord has prepared a crown of life for those who love him." What is this crown of life? It is surely a greater good than we can conceive of or desire, as Saint Paul says, quoting Isaiah: "Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it so much as dawned on man what God has prepared for those who love him."

from On the Ascent of the Mind to God by Saint Robert Bellarmine

http://www.wf-f.org/StRobertBellarmine.html

http://ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-voices/16th-and-17th-century-ignatian-voices/st-robert-bellarmine-sj/

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-09-17

Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian

2010-09-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

God our Father,

in Saints Cornelius and Cyprian

You have given Your people an inspiring example

of dedication to the pastoral ministry

and constant witness to Christ in their suffering.

May their prayers and faith give us courage

to work for the unity of Your Church.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

http://www.wf-f.org/StsCorneliusCyprian.html

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2010-09-16

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1140

Our Lady of Sorrows

2010-09-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

"As we contemplate this Mother, whose heart a sword has pierced (cf. Luke 2:35), our thoughts go to all the suffering women in the world, suffering either physically or morally. In this suffering a woman's sensitivity plays a role, even though she often succeeds in resisting suffering better than a man.

It is difficult to enumerate these sufferings; it is difficult to call them all by name. We may recall her maternal care for her children, especially when they fall sick or fall into bad ways; the death of those most dear to her; the loneliness of mothers forgotten by their grown-up children; the loneliness of widows; the sufferings of women who struggle alone to make a living; and women who have been wronged or exploited. Then there are the sufferings of consciences as a result of sin, which has wounded the woman's human or maternal dignity: the wounds of consciences which do not heal easily. With these sufferings too we must place ourselves at the foot of the Cross."

Pope John Paul II

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/novena/sorrow.htm

...As we honor our Blessed Mother, our Lady of Sorrows, we honor her as the faithful disciple and exemplar of faith. Let us pray as we do in the opening prayer of the Mass for this feast day: “Father, as your Son was raised on the cross, His Mother Mary stood by Him, sharing His sufferings. May your Church be united with Christ in His suffering and death and so come to share in His rising to new life.” Looking to the example of Mary, may we too unite our sufferings to our Lord, facing them with courage, love, and trust.

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0364.html

Exaltation of the Cross

2010-09-14T06:00:00.001-05:00

"How splendid the cross of Christ! It brings life, not death; light, not darkness; Paradise, not its loss. It is the wood on which the Lord, like a great warrior, was wounded in hands and feet and side, but healed thereby our wounds. A tree has destroyed us, a tree now brought us life" (Theodore of Studios).

We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,

for by thy cross thou hast redeemed the world.

http://www.wf-f.org/ExaltCross.html

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1138

http://www.magnificat.ca/cal/engl/09-14.htm

http://catholicexchange.com/2009/09/14/121794/

St. John Chrysostom

2010-09-13T06:00:00.001-05:00

Father,

the strength of all who trust in you,

you made John Chrysostom

renowned for his eloquence

and heroic in his sufferings.

May we learn from his teaching

and gain courage from his patient endurance.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

http://www.wf-f.org/StJohnChrysostom.html

Organization

2010-09-10T06:00:00.000-05:00

Since our topic in Chapters 10 - 12 of Graced and Gifted discusses organization, I would like to share my kitchen drawers with you. I have found that preparing meals is a lot less stressful when you know where your tools are. It doesn't take a whole lot of time or money to create a good organizational system in the kitchen.

It might seem odd to have pens and pencils along with oven mitts, but the phone happens to be right next to the oven. So, it works. The white plastic baskets were purchased at WalMart for around $2 total.

In this drawer, I have covered the bottom with non-slip material. The knives used most often are towards the front, with those used less often at the back. These utensils are next to the oven, since that is where the meats will be prepared and pizzas cut.

The island is where I prepare my baked goods and do other meal prep. You can see I have some of those white plastic baskets again. As for the cookie cutters, there's no real point in trying to keep them neat. They have their own separate space.

I chose a drawer that is out of the way to put the items that aren't used as often, but that are still needed. Again, utilizing the non-slip material.

I splurged on the silverware drawer. We have deep drawers on this side of the kitchen due to the bar, so I needed an extra-large organizer. This organizer costs around $20, and it was well worth it. I even purchaed one of these for my bathroom drawer. It's perfect for all the stuff we need to primp ourselves with in the morning.

I like to have all the appliance manuals in the kitchen. They are good to have on hand. But if you are lacking space, make a separate file in your filing cabinet. So, if you have a question about the oven, you'll know exactly where to find the information. It's also good to have a stain marker on hand to make quick touch-ups to your cabinets.

My cabinets have actually stayed organized since I took these pictures, and it's not because I'm some amazingly organized person. I thought through where the most logical place would be for each item - where would I use it in my kitchen. Once you do that, and come up with your organized layout, it's easy to keep it up.

I hope this encourages you to go organize your kitchen or some other area of your home that could use some help. Be sure to measure your spaces before you go shopping for baskets and such.

Housework is God's Work

2010-09-09T12:08:00.000-05:00

Cleaning Management from Graced and Gifted by Kimberly Hahn

As you manage clutter, you simplify the cleaning process, but cleaning still must be done. The best book for cleaning organization that I have read is called Sidetracked Home Executives: From Pigpen to Paradise, written by two sisters, Pam Young and Peggy Jones. I read this book during a night of labor with my firstborn, and if a book is funny during labor, it is a good read! These sisters were more disorganized than anything I imagined possible, and they found a way, working together, to bring order out of their chaos.

These easily sidetracked homemakers have given many people hope. One of their mottos is "We Change Lives With 3 x 5s!" They list all possible jobs for cleaning any room in the house (in the back of their book) in terms of daily, weekly, biweekly, monthly and seasonal chores.

For each room they recommend that you list one task per note card, color-coded based on frequency: blue for daily or every-other-day jobs, white for weekly or biweekly jobs, yellow for monthly tasks, orange for seasonal jobs, red for holiday tasks, pink for personal tasks. Twenty-five years ago I could not afford colored note cards, so I cut construction paper to the size of index cards and created the same system. Today you can download the information you want, customize it for your home and print cards yourself.

Once each task is listed separately, time the jobs and designate any task as a mini-job if it takes less than ten minutes - many tasks are five-minute (or less) jobs. Determine a time each day by which you will complete the daily jobs. When you are ready to begin, closely follow the cleaning routine that you have set up, noting challenges. The secon week, only make slight adjustments - you are working on a new habit. The third week, evaluate and fine-tune only.
...
If your children (or someone you hired) help you clean, add instructions to the cards, so they know how to do each task. Either designate who should do the chores and when, or shuffle the cards and have the children draw one. Include on the card what supplies are needed to complete that chore, and store those supplies near the point of use. It may not save you money on supplies - unless you find them on sale - but why not at least save time by having cleaning supplies located in each bathroom, for instance, or in a designated closet on each floor?

Labor Day

2010-09-06T06:00:00.002-05:00

God our Creator,

it is your will that man accept the duty of work.

In your kindness may the work we begin

bring us growth in this life

and help to extend the kingdom of Christ.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

http://www.wf-f.org/LaborDay.html

http://www.livingfaithatwork.org/Documents/Labor%20Day%20Prayer%20of%20the%20faithful%204%20LFAW.pdf

Mother Theresa of Calcutta

2010-09-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

Make us worthy, Lord, to serve those people throughout the world who live and die in poverty and hunger. Give them through our hands, this day, their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give them peace and joy.
- Mother Teresa of Calcutta

http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20031019_madre-teresa_en.html

Our Lady of Surprises

2010-09-04T06:00:00.001-05:00

O, Mary my mother and Our Lady of surprises,

what a happy joy you caused the wedding guests, when you asked your Divine Son

to work the miracle of water into Wine

What a happy surprise for them, since they

thought the wine had run dry, I too Mary,

love surprises, and as your child,

may I ask you to favour me with one today.

I ask this only because you are

my ever caring Mother, Amen.

http://www.wf-f.org/SaturdayDevotions.html

St. Gregory the Great

2010-09-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

Father, you guide your people with kindness and govern us with love.

By the prayers of Saint Gregory give the spirit of wisdom to those you have called to lead your Church.
May the growth of your people in holiness be the eternal joy of our shepherds.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

http://www.wf-f.org/StGregoryGreat.html

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=54

Shaped By Our Wounds

2010-09-02T06:00:00.009-05:00

by Vinita on September 29, 2009
http://deepeningfriendship.loyolapress.com/2009/09/29/shaped-by-our-wounds/

It’s important to understand that healing involves more than the wound. A wound can usually get better; and most pain will eventually subside. Situations resolve, and life goes on. But the need for healing remains. Why?

The need for healing remains because of what happens to us when we are harmed. Perhaps you are critically injured in a car accident. After surgeries and painkillers and then weeks in rehabilitation, you get your life back. Only it’s not the life you had before. The life you return to has absorbed a whole new realm of fear and helplessness. The weeks of dealing with pain have changed the way you operate from day to day. The recurring memories of the crash have formed new, disturbing patterns inside you. Long after the scars fade, you will need healing.

We are shaped by what happens to us. Every wound—the death of a loved one, a lost friendship, a long illness, a disruption due to change in job or income, a dashed dream—each event and emotional season works on us at every level. If we do not allow God to infuse every day with fresh faith, life can devolve into a misshapen and fearful existence. If we do not cultivate trust in God’s constant care and the Holy Spirit’s ability to renew us constantly, our lives might become mere long memories of hurt and disappointment. If we do not walk with the compassionate Jesus, inviting his friendship to strengthen our hearts and minds, we could easily become more defined by our wounds than by our gifts.

It’s quite common to hear someone say, “Oh, I’m over it,” when referring to a difficult situation she’s come through. “I’m moving on now, but thanks for asking.” Our culture is so focused on action and productivity that we feel an obligation to recover quickly from whatever has hurt or discouraged us. But if we get quiet and sit with our deeper wisdom, we become aware of how profoundly we’ve been affected by events. We may need to cry or take a walk or stare absently out the window.

When we come to such a moment, it’s time to pray. It’s time to ask God for the healing that can reshape what the hurt distorted. I confess that ever since the accident I am much more fearful of driving. You admit that since that horrible break-up you have shut out nearly every person who’s tried to get close to you. We are living out patterns that owe their power to bad memories. God means for us to live out patterns energized by hopefulness and peace.

The exercise for the week is based on Lyn’s chapter, “Hoarding Our Gifts”.
http://issuu.com/loyolapress/docs/excerpt_from_a_healing_walk_with_st._ignatius?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true

Does being wounded block your service to others or your ability to receive God’s gifts in any way? If so, describe how it does.

Set aside time this week to be quiet and in prayer. If necessary, do this with your spiritual companion. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the patterns in your life that indicate a need for continued healing.

The Spiritual Meaning of Balance

2010-09-01T10:30:00.000-05:00

by Vinita on July 13, 2009
http://deepeningfriendship.loyolapress.com/2009/07/13/the-spiritual-meaning-of-balance/

When most people refer to balance, they envision a successful juggling act. A balanced life is one in which, simultaneously, I keep all my projects going and all my relationships healthy. I achieve this balance by sheer strategy and willpower.

In Christian spirituality, balance has more to do with temperance, which means that we allow our deepest principles to hold our passions in check. As Paula Huston explains in chapter 2 of By Way of Grace, temperance has been misconstrued in popular language to mean an unhealthy denial of life’s pleasures. But from earliest times Christians have valued spiritual balance.

St. Ignatius spoke of people having “disordered affections”—being ruled by desires rather than free to make wise choices. When we don’t practice temperance, eventually our affections will become disordered. A temperate person honors her desires and passions as gifts from God, but she does not constantly rearrange her life according to the ongoing flux of those desires and passions.

I’ve discovered that whenever I feel pushed, desperate, or hurried, that’s a signal that I need to apply some temperance. When I am driven to act—by my fear, my need to impress, or my own impossible expectations—I allow my perfectly good passions to run away with me. Passions themselves are not bad, but they were never meant to be in charge either.

Most of us can relate to Paula’s story; her desire to give her daughter the perfect wedding led to weeks of frenzy and overwork. One time, when my sister and brother-in-law were visiting, we’d had a full day of sightseeing and had returned home to cook a nice dinner. At about 8 p.m., I started pulling out ingredients to make an apple pie, and my sister stopped me: “Are you on speed?” she asked, laughing at my insistence on providing a homemade dessert. I decided that it was more important to relax and watch a movie with my family than slave over a pie we were too tired to eat anyway.

As an editor, I have to practice temperance; otherwise I would never finish making a manuscript “perfect.” As a writer I practice temperance when I decide that, no, a sixteenth rewrite of that scene is not necessary.

Parents must practice temperance when it’s time to let go of children, even though we know we could help them organize their lives or choose their friends. Our good desire to help those we love must be tempered by wisdom.

One of the best gifts of temperance is that it frees us to enjoy our loves. When I write, I can throw myself into it completely. And when temperance tells me it’s time to stop writing and do something else, I can put down my work and enter the next thing wholeheartedly.

Exercise:

Identify situations in which you feel pushed, or hurried, or desperate. Can you describe what’s going on, and how you might apply some temperance?

Praying By Hand

2010-08-31T06:00:00.001-05:00

by M. Basil Pennington, O.C.S.O.

Hail Mary: The Ave

The Ave also has a gospel origin, though not entirely. It was not offered there as a prayer, and the form we know only gradually came together. The earliest rosary or psalter of Mary was made up of the earliest form of the Ave - simply the angelic salutation: "Hail, Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with you." In the little office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as it was recited in the monastic choirs, the antiphonal response to this angelic salutation was the greeting that Elizabeth gave to her cousin: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb." The carryover to the psalter of our Lady was quite natural.

Pope Urban IV (1261-1264) asked the faithful to add "Jesus Christ." In the course of the following centuries, however, the title "Christ" got lost. Perhaps it was because one of the earlier popular forms of the rosary added a different modifying phrase after each repetition of the Ave (Jesus, born of Mary; Jesus, risen from the dead; and so on), and the inclusion of the Christ title proved too cumbersome.

Up to this point, the Ave is not a prayer in the sense of a petition. It is simply an honorific salutation. Phrases from the offices of the monks, such as "Pray for us, O holy Mother of God," led to further additions to the Ave. Various phrases were used until "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death" became common by the end of the fifteenth century. Pope Saint Pius V canonized this wording in his breviary in 1568.

It would be hard to doubt the presence of the Holy Spirit guiding this long evolution, for the result is an exquisitely beautiful prayer. With one of heaven's great spirits as our mentor, we approach Mary with gracious delicacy, honoring her greatest prerogatives: that she is totally pleasing to God, filled with God, worthy to be the mother of God. We honor her for what she is: woman. And we delight her in honoring her child, calling him blessed. Graciousness opens the way for grace. We can now make our petition. We pray to the mother of God, knowing that nothing ca be denied her. (Remember Cana.) She, as a mother, knows our needs far better than we, so we content ourselves simply to ask her intercession for us now, caring for our present needs, and at the hour when we will experience our greatest need and most want a mother near. It is not surprising to me how often a Christian who has used the rosary through life holds it in his or her hand at the hour of death - a witness of faith, a pledge to heaven, a silent but powerful prayer.

pgs. 23-25

Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist (Prophet and Martyr)

2010-08-29T15:04:00.002-05:00

The Last Prophet’s Last Offering

John the Baptist was born about six months before his cousin, Jesus Christ. We remember the Virgin Mary, who had just conceived the Word of God, hurrying to meet her cousin Elizabeth, who was in the sixth month of her miraculous pregnancy. Elizabeth was considered far too old to conceive a child, but she waited with faith and hope, and the love of the Lord, Who was faithful as He always is. She and Zachariah, her husband, made a promise to God that they would name their child John.

The birth of John the Baptist is commemorated on June 24, and his martyrdom on August 29. John had been sent by the Lord to prepare the way for the Messiah. He is the last prophet before the Birth of Christ. He was actively “preparing the way of the Lord” by baptizing and boldly proclaiming the need for people to repent of their sins. His message was directed to the poor and weak, and the rich and powerful. He dressed in camel’s hair and ate locusts and wild honey, yet people were drawn to his message of repentance and forgiveness, and flocked to him to be baptized. Christ Himself came to John to be baptized, to mark the beginning of His public ministry. Humble, John tried to refuse but did baptize Jesus, and we see here the first “Theophany” — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all present as distinct Persons.

According to St. Mark’s Gospel (6:14-29), John had publicly criticized King Herod for living with his brother’s wife. (This was not Herod the Great, who had tried to kill the infant Jesus, but rather one of his sons.) Herod had John arrested and imprisoned, though he had no definite idea of what to do next. St. Mark tells us that “Herod feared John, knowing him to be a holy and upright man…. When he heard him speak he was very much disturbed, yet he felt the attraction of his words” (Mk 6:20).

Herodias, Herod’s sister-in-law, had no such respect for John. Embarrassed by his speaking out against her living arrangement with Herod, she was determined to have him killed. Her daughter (traditionally known as Salome) performed a dance at Herod’s birthday feast which delighted the king and his guests so much that he publicly promised to grant her anything she wanted, up to half his kingdom. Prompted by her mother, the girl asked for John’s head. Because of his guests, Herod reluctantly agreed, and dispatched the executioner, who beheaded John. When his disciples heard of this, they came and took away the Baptist’s body, and then informed Jesus. Speaking of John, Jesus said, “Among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist” (Mt 11:11).

http://catholicexchange.com/2010/08/29/79452/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+catholicex_todays-saint+%28Catholic+Exchange+%C2%BB+Today%27s+Saint%29

St. Augustine

2010-08-28T06:00:00.000-05:00

God of life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and wear us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, we beseech you; turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise.

(From Prayers of the Saints: An Inspired Collection of Holy Wisdom, ed. Woodeene Koenig-Bricker - San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1996)

http://www.wf-f.org/StAugustine.html

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1121

St. Monica

2010-08-27T06:00:00.000-05:00

O God, You observed the devout tears and pleading of St. Monica, and granted to her prayers the conversion of her husband and the penitential return of her son, Augustine. Grant us the grace to implore You also with earnest zeal, so that we may obtain, as she did, the salvation of our own soul and of those belonging to us! Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

http://www.wf-f.org/StMonica.html
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saints/saint.aspx?id=1120

Our Lady of Czestochowa

2010-08-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Holy Mother of Czestochowa, Thou art full of grace, goodness and mercy. I consecrate to Thee all my thoughts, words and actions, my soul and body. I beseech Thy blessings and especially prayers for my salvation. Today, I consecrate myself to Thee, Good Mother, totally, with body and soul amid joy and sufferings to obtain for myself and others Thy blessings on this earth and eternal life in Heaven.

Amen.

http://www.polishamericancenter.org/Czestochowa.htm

Familia

2010-08-25T11:57:00.001-05:00

The mission of FAMILIA is to help women live their vocation to marriage and parenthood in all its fullness. Teams of 8-10 women meet bi-monthly for an hour and a half to read the Gospel and study the teaching of the Church through the Catechism and writings of Pope John Paul II. It is interactive with time for questions and answers regarding the material and also time for personal sharing. It is a time to make friendships with other women who share a desire for a closer union with Christ and His Blessed Mother.
The first year is entitled "Authentic Feminism" in which we learn to see ourselves as Christ sees us. It consists of 9 sessions. Both morning and evening sessions are available: at St. Thomas Aquinas on the 2nd and 4th Fridays, 9:30-11am starting on Oct 8; at St. Thomas Aquinas on 2nd and 4th Tuesdays from 7-8:30 pm starting Oct 12; evenings at St. Joseph Church, the day yet to be decided.
It is a 4-year program, but it is not required to participate in all 4 years. There is a workbook specific to each year that each participant orders online and the cost is approx. $49. (We have a few scholarships available if someone needs financial help. Inability to pay should not discourage anyone.)
Childcare will be provided for a small fee. If you have questions/concerns/need more information, please call or email Meredith Olson (olsonjm25 at aol dot com 695-6440) or Patty Veazey (pveazey at gmail dot com 777-5045).

Sign-ups are on-line now at familiausa.net. Books are ordered online at that website for $42 plus shipping.

A Wife's Prayer

2010-08-25T10:54:00.000-05:00

Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You instituted marriage in the earthly Paradise and in the New Law You elevated it to the dignity of a sacrament, attaching to it many graces. Grant to my husband and me the grace to live holily in so sacred a state and, by the practice of Christian virtues, to act always as is becoming a Christian couple. As Your minister joined our hands at the holy altar, so may we journey through life with one heart and soul, tasting its pleasures with moderation, enduring its sorrows with resignation and, at all times, mutually assisting and consoling each other.

May Your true and holy fear strengthen us to serve You uprightly with pure heart and eyes and lips, in mutual esteem and for bearance! Grant that the children born of our union may be pure of heart and well-disposed in mind, and that they may gladly walk in the way of Your Commandments. Teach us to be faithful images of the Holy Family of Nazareth, of the blessed foster-father Joseph, of the most devout Mother Mary, the most blessed Mother of the Child Jesus, that we may be made worthy to live under their protection, to die in their favor, to be forever blessed in their company.

Amen.

Taken from Mother Love: A Prayer Book for Christian Wives and Mothers

http://www.mycatholicstore.com/motherlove.html
http://stellamarisbooks.com/shop/product_view_item.asp?idProduct=929

St. Bartholomew

2010-08-24T06:00:00.001-05:00

Lord,

substain within us the faith

which made Saint Bartholomew ever loyal to Christ.

Let your Church be the sign of salvation

for all the nations of the world.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

http://www.wf-f.org/StBartholomew.html

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1117

St. Rose of Lima

2010-08-23T06:00:00.002-05:00

God, You filled Saint Rose with love for You and enabled her to leave the world and be free for You through the austerity of penance. Through her intercession, help us to follow her footsteps on earth and enjoy the torrent of Your delights in Heaven. Amen.

http://www.domestic-church.com/CONTENT.DCC/19980701/SAINTS/STROSE.HTM

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1116

Queenship of Mary

2010-08-22T06:00:00.002-05:00

On August 22, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates a memorial in honor of the Queenship of Mary. This memorial is placed within an octave, that is, eight days after celebrating Mary's Assumption into Heaven. The Queenship can be considered a prolongation of the celebration of the Assumption.

catholicweb.com

http://www.wf-f.org/QueenshipMary.html

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1115

“Let the entire body of the faithful pour forth persevering prayer to the Mother of God and Mother of men. Let them implore that she who aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers may now, exalted as she is in heaven above all the saints and angels, intercede with her Son in the fellowship of all the saints. May she do so until all the peoples of the human family, whether they are honored with the name of Christian or whether they still do not know their Savior, are happily gathered together in peace and harmony into the one People of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 69).

St. Pius X, Pope

2010-08-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven. -- Pope Saint Pius X

Father,

to defend the Catholic faith

and to make all things new in Christ,

You filled St. Pius X

with heavenly wisdom and apostolic courage.

May his example and teaching

lead us to the reward of eternal life.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

http://wf-f.org/StPiusX.html

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1114

St. Bernard

2010-08-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

“In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let not her name depart from your lips, never suffer it to leave your heart. And that you may more surely obtain the assistance of her prayer, neglect not to walk in her footsteps. With her for guide, you shall never go astray; while invoking her, you shall never lose heart; so long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception; while she holds your hand, you cannot fall; under her protection you have nothing to fear; if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal” (St. Bernard).

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1113

http://www.dailycatholic.org/issue/2002Dec/dec15doc.htm

St. John Eudes

2010-08-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

Father,

you chose the priest John Eudes

to preach the infinite riches of Christ.

By his teaching and example

help us to know You better

and live faithfully in the light of the gospel.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,

one God for ever and ever. Amen.

http://www.wf-f.org/StJohnEudes.html

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1112

Subsidiarity Over Social Justice

2010-08-18T11:29:00.001-05:00

by Dr. Paul Kengor

We’re hearing a lot about “social justice” lately. If only we heard half as much about “subsidiarity.” When it comes to truly helping the needy, few words are so instructive. Unfortunately, very few Catholics have even heard of this core Catholic social-economic teaching.

When it comes to assisting the needy, subsidiarity encourages localism. Think about it: Localities, whether public or private, from counties to churches, are closer to the problem; they offer a more efficient, human touch than a distant bureaucracy. Most importantly, as the Catechism states (1885): “The principle of subsidiarity is opposed to all forms of collectivism. It sets limits for state intervention.”

In addition to the Catechism, I strongly recommend Catholics visit the website of the Acton Institute to learn about subsidiarity.

I’m convinced, from study after study, and years of observing public policy, from the New Deal to the Great Society, that addressing poverty in the narrow federal, collectivist way preached by modern progressives—in the language of “social justice”—is counter-productive, fostering rather than lessening dependency.

In fact, the long experience of economies shows that those titled toward collectivism—to a single central government—become so unproductive and lacking in prosperity that they can’t produce the very wealth that progressives want to redistribute in the first place. That’s the self-defeating danger that social-justice engineers face as they shift private charity to a federal collective.

That’s not the policy of the Catholic Church. It’s incumbent among Catholics to learn more about this blessed concept of subsidiarity. Ask your priest about it, or your Religious Ed director. If they haven’t heard about it, look it up together.

Go to the Catechism, open the index, and look under “sub.” You won’t regret it.

http://catholicexchange.com/2010/08/16/132612/

For a more in-depth read, check out http://www.acton.org/pub/religion-liberty/volume-6-number-4/principle-subsidiarity

Open House - A Success!

2010-08-16T13:12:00.001-05:00

Thank you all for coming to our Open House. It was so nice to see so many new faces. For those of you that were unable to attend, here is a synopsis of what was discussed at the meeting:

We are currently in need of new leadership. Positions available are: Head Leader, Co-Leader, Babysitter Coordinator/Finance, Meal Coordinator, Childcare Activities Coordinator, and a PR Coordinator. Julia Motekaitis recently stepped down from the Head Coordinator position and will now serve as our Service Coordinator. Rebecca Najvar recently stepped down from the Finance position and will now serve as our Blog Administrator. Paula Boulanger will serve as our Social Coordinator.
We have added the position of Service Coordinator this year, and hope to have lots of opportunities for us to give back to the community. If you have any service projects that are close to your heart, please contact Julia Motekaitis.
Our blog contains lots of great resources, including our calendar of events. If you would like to submit an article, book review or your favorite prayer, please contact Rebecca Najvar. Please, consider becoming a follower or subscribing to the posts, so you can stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Joyful Hearts.
Babysitting Funds – We are currently collecting donations to pay for our babysitters. On November 13 and 14, St. Thomas Aquinas will be holding an Ignatius Book Fair. All proceeds will go towards babysitting fees for Joyful Hearts, Familia, The Better Part, and the baptism classes. We also hope to have a permanent bookstore at STA, so that the funds will continue to come in for these groups. Volunteers will be needed for the book fair.
We are currently studying Graced and Gifted by Kimberly Hahn. We will resume this book study at our August 30th meeting. Please feel free to suggest other books you think might be a good fit for the group. We also hope to have quite a few speakers throughout the year.
In this ever-changing world of motherhood, we sometimes find we have certain needs or issues that Joyful Hearts may not be addressing. Since we only meet twice a month, we are very limited in our time together. You are encouraged to start up a special interest group. For example, last year several ladies got together about once a month in the evening to discuss raising boys. There is also interest in getting a group together to study The Volumes by Ann, a Lay Apostle. We also hope to organize prayer partners (for more information, please contact Erin Dvorak).

Marilyn Vargas has offered to be our PR Coordinator, as much as possible until baby #5 is born in November. Crissy Hartl has offered to be our Meal Coordinator - please contact her if you would like to receive meals after the birth of your baby. We have our babysitters scheduled for the rest of the Fall schedule. (Yay!) Please let us know of any playdates you would be interested in for our "off" Mondays, and we will get that scheduled. Please feel free to invite your Mommy friends to the group!

See you on the 30th!

St. Stephen of Hungary

2010-08-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

Almighty Father,

grant that St. Stephen of Hungary,

who fostered the growth of your Church on earth,

may continue to be our powerful helper in heaven.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

http://www.wf-f.org/StStephenHungary.html

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=409

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

2010-08-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

'See the beauty of the daughter of Jerusalem, who ascended to heaven like the rising sun at dawn.'

-- Benedictus antiphon from Daily Office

"By contemplating Mary in heavenly glory, we understand that the earth is not the definitive homeland for us either, and that if we live with our gaze fixed on eternal goods we will one day share in this same glory and the earth will become more beautiful. Consequently, we must not lose our serenity and peace even amid the thousands of daily difficulties. The luminous sign of Our Lady taken up into Heaven shines out even more brightly when sad shadows of suffering and violence seem to loom on the horizon.

"We may be sure of it: from on high, Mary follows our footsteps with gentle concern, dispels the gloom in moments of darkness and distress, reassures us with her motherly hand. Supported by awareness of this, let us continue confidently on our path of Christian commitment wherever Providence may lead us. Let us forge ahead in our lives under Mary's guidance".

— Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience at Castel Gandolfo Aug. 16, 2006.

http://www.wf-f.org/Assumption.html

St. Maximillian Kolbe

2010-08-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

Dear Christ,

Saint Maximillian was imprisoned in Auschwitz where he ministered to the captives and celebrated Mass by consecrating bread and wine that had been smuggled in. He was matyred after he voluntarily took the place of a young married prisoner condemned to die. Since he's the patron saint of drug addicts and people in prison, I ask him to intercede for the inmates in our jails. O, Lord, heal their hearts and protect them from the evil that surrounds them. I also ask him to pray for the addicts in my family and my friends' families. O, Lord, set them free from the prison of their addictions.

Saint Maximillian, pray for us. Amen.

http://www.marypages.com/KolbeEng.htm

Open House!

2010-08-02T21:45:00.000-05:00

Save the date!

August 16th marks our first meeting of the Fall Semester.

We will be holding an Open House from 9:30am to 11:30am. Childcare will be provided.

Please invite all moms you know, and those that you don't know. Now is the time to reach out to all moms and invite them to join Joyful Hearts.

This will be a time to share what the group is all about and get to know one another. We will resume studying Graced and Gifted at our August 30th meeting.

Please bring a breakfast item to share with the group. Coffee will be provided.

Please check the calendar for all our Fall 2010 meeting dates and times.

Significance of the Pretzel on Ash Wednesday and during Lent

2010-02-16T21:20:00.000-06:00

Pretzels for God: Lent and the Pretzel

Incorporating pretzels into our Lenten program is a wonderful and appropriate devotion. The pretzel being symbolic of prayer and penance is a small but powerful instrument in bringing families to God. This activity includes the history and the significance of pretzels, and a short family ceremony of the pretzel.

Directions

Lent is a period of fasting, self-denial and prayer, in imitation of our Lord's fasting, forty days and forty nights, and in preparation for the feast of Easter. It comprises forty days, not including Sundays, from Ash Wednesday to the end of Holy Saturday. The term "penance" should be made clear to children. It means a "change of heart," a victory over sin and a striving for holiness. The sacrifices of fasting and self-denial are only means and signs of this spiritual penance.

A traditional means of reminding the family that it is the holy season of Lent is the Lenten foods which are served only this time of the year. Thus parents and children realize, even at their meals, that prayer and penance should be practiced during these days.

The pretzel has a deep spiritual meaning for Lent. In fact, it was the ancient Christian Lenten bread as far back as the fourth century. In the old Roman Empire, the faithful kept a very strict fast all through Lent: no milk, no butter, no cheese, no eggs, no cream and no meat. They made small breads of water, flour and salt, to remind themselves that Lent was a time of prayer. They shaped these breads in the form of crossed arms for in those days they crossed their arms over the breast while praying. Therefore they called the breads "little arms" (bracellae). From this Latin word, the Germanic people later coined the term "pretzel."

Thus the pretzel is the most appropriate food symbol in Lent. It still shows the form of arms crossed in prayer, reminding us that Lent is a time of prayer. It consists only of water and flour, thus proclaiming Lent as a time of fasting. The earliest picture and description of a pretzel (from the fifth century) may be found in the manuscript-codex No. 3867, Vatican Library.

That many people eat pretzels today all through the year, that they take them together with beer in taverns and restaurants, is only an accidental habit. In many places of Europe, pretzels are served only from Ash Wednesday to Easter, thus keeping the ancient symbolism alive.

There seems to be no reason why our Christian families should not return to this beautiful custom of our ancient Roman fellow- Christian, especially since we still have these breads everywhere. The children will be delighted and greatly impressed when they hear the true story of the pretzel

From The Year of the Lord in the Christian Home by Rev. Francis X. Weiser, S.J. (Collegeville, Minnesota, The Liturgical Press, ©1964) p. 89, pp. 93-94.

Ceremony of the Pretzel

1. On Ash Wednesday, father or mother may explain the origin of the holy pretzel, so that the children will understand its significance.

2. The pretzel might be served on each plate for each evening meal until Easter.

3. Added to the grace before meals, is the following "pretzel prayer":

PRAYER

We beg you, O Lord, to bless these breads which are to remind us that Lent is a sacred season of penance and prayer. For this very reason, the early Christians started the custom of making these breads in the form of arms crossed in prayer. Thus they kept the holy purpose of Lent alive in their hearts from day to day, and increased in their souls the love of Christ, even unto death, if necessary.

Grant us, we pray, that we too, may be reminded by the daily sight of these pretzels to observe the holy season of Lent with true devotion and great spiritual fruit. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

--With ecclesiastical approbation.

Activity Source: Pretzels for God by Unknown, Pretzels for God, St. Francis Xavier Church, 4715 N. Central, Phoenix, AZ 85012

Valentine's Day visit to Bluebonnet House

2010-02-14T00:07:00.000-06:00

Thank you to all who came out, we had a wonderful time and look forward to next year!

Cleaning the House

2010-02-06T13:41:00.001-06:00

Here is some great advice from a blog called Everything Moms:

Mama Knows Best - Cleaning the House

We as mama have to be innovative and thrifty all in the same beat. Some how we find new ways of doing things that save us money, time and maybe if we are really blessed...sanity!

I clean on Saturday mornings. Its a time that I can let the kids play and I can do what I need to do. When I was telling my best friend that the other day, she wrinkled up her nose and said, "Doesn't it take up your whole day?"

The truth is that I have such a routine it only takes me 2 hours...max. Another confession is that cleaning is one of my control things. I go to cleaning when life seems a little crazy. as a result, I have picked up some tricks and tips that help the cleaning go faster and be more effective.

* Save the all out, sweeping the ceiling, washing down the baseboards type of cleaning for spring and fall. (Or at least quarterly.) If you try to tackle this type of cleaning every week...it will take you all day!

* Do one task at a time. Not one room at a time. For example dust the whole house first or empty all the trashes in the house. That way if something comes up and you can't finish the house you feel like you have actually gotten a lot accomplished.

What sounds better? I got the whole house dusted or I got the dining room cleaned. See??

* Do the things you hate the most, first. I hate bathrooms, so I do those first. After those, the rest seems easy and I breeze through them.

* Start off with a picked up house. I always, no matter how tired I am, pick up the house last thing on Friday night. If I have to pick up the house, putting things away, it will take me forever to clean!!

* Keep things freshened up throughout the week. I sure won't clean but I may run the sweeper or wipe out a sink here or there. It makes things look nice and it cuts down the cleaning time on my cleaning Saturdays!!

You can check out her blog at: http://everythingmoms.blogspot.com/

Please feel free to leave a comment with your helpful cleaning
tips.

Book Review of Holiness for Housewives by Hubert van Zeller

2010-01-21T11:20:00.000-06:00

This book was first published in 1951 under the title Praying While You Work. It teaches you just that - how to pray while you work. This book is an easy-to-read explanation of what to expect in your journey towards a meaningful prayer life with God. "This is the first lesson for the Christian wife and mother today: to let go of what may once have been - and under other circumstances might now be - a recollected self, and take on, with both hands, the plan of God. Indeed it is the lesson for every Christian in every age; it is the gospel principle of dying on one plane in order to live on another." Page 15.

Van Zeller seems to really understand the life of a housewife and gives practical advice for building up your prayer life. "It becomes a matter then, of developing a system of prayer within the framework of your God-given duties. It will be your system of prayer - not neccessarily anyone else's. You will have to find a way of communicating with God by means of and not in spite of the calls upon your time and energy and patience." Page 26.

He gives the reader different ways of thinking about prayer. "Prayer, if it means expressed praise, is only one form of communication with God. Prayer, if it means directed effort toward God, can cover all forms of communication with God. Your whole purpose, then, is to work out a way of praying that directs every effort toward God - and to work out a way of directing effort so that everything becomes a prayer." Page. 26. Prayer isn't just a set time away from all the distractions of motherhood, it is in the midst of the distractions, it is your entire life.

...

To read more of this review, please go to http://tiberriver.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/home.viewReview/review/868

First meeting of 2010 and vote for your favorite book!

2010-01-17T19:04:00.000-06:00

Hello Joyful Hearts!

Our first meeting of the year will be Monday, January 18th at 9:30 am as usual. We will start with our devotional "Grace Filled Moments" and then we will spend a little time discussing which text we'd like to read this semester to help us begin this year on the right foot!

Here are some options on the table, and we'd love to hear your ideas and recommendations too.

Choosing Beauty:A 30-Day Spiritual Makeover for Women - Gina Loehr

Graced and Gifted: Biblical Wisdom for the Homemaker's Heart - Kimberly Hahn

The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer - Fr. John Bartunek

We so much hope to see you and your little ones at the meeting tomorrow. Many blessings of joy to you in your motherhood!

Celebrating Halloween, All Saints and All Souls Day feasts

2009-10-18T19:33:00.001-05:00

Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day by Florence Berger
www.catholicculture.org

Halloween

The year of Christ has made its round like a great symphony played by humanity. Sometimes the pulse of the tempo has risen to high intensity and sometimes slowed to a lazy languor. The theme melody has appeared again and again, and always it sang praise to the Lord. Now one movement has followed another until at last we have reached the finale when drums and brasses and strings are poised for a mighty climax. That climax is in the feast of All Saints.

The doctrine of the mystical body unites all Christians to their Master, and one with the other in God's kingdom here on earth. As the branches have their source in the vine, so with Christ we have been bound together for growth and fruition. But project that unity out of time, out of life, out of the universe and we have a doctrine of more tremendous inclusiveness.

How many millions of the servants of Christ have gone on to a closer unity with Him? All those men and women whose story we have written and those whose names have never been acknowledged, all those who celebrated lavishly both "festival and solemn times" and those who have eaten only poverty, all are our brothers in Christ whether they be living or dead. "We are not strangers nor pilgrims, but fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God, since we who were once faraway have been brought near by the blood of Christ." Some may be enjoying the festive banquet for eternity. Some may not yet have made perfect their wedding garment. But all are one in the Communion of Saints.

We speak of world fellowship and forget that the best common denominator of any unity is our life in Christ. Catholics are world citizens of Christ's kingdom, and this very universality marks our church as true. But we are more than that. We are members of an "other-world" fellowship which is eternal, and of this kingdom there shall be no end. The saints in heaven, too, are our brothers.

"Thou hast redeemed us O Lord God, in Thy blood; out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation and hast made us a kingdom unto our God."

We hear the call of the first vespers:

"Bless the Lord all ye His elect, keep a day of gladness and give thanks unto Him."

The day that we keep holy is the Feast of All Saints.

A few years ago we invited several families of the neighborhood to help us celebrate All Saints Day. It was to be a family party for little and big. When we counted all the children, we had quite a house full. The invitation bade them come for the vigil and feast of All Saints. We wanted to bring Halloween back to its proper place as a "build-up" for the festival of All Saints, rather than an end point after which we were too tired to even attend well at Mass. Our guests were warned not to expect much in the line of food on the eve of the feast because this was one of our days of fast.

We had planned a great bonfire out-of-doors around which we could cook our simple supper, but a steady drizzle on Halloween morning made us pull our party under roof. I had a suspicion that the menfolks prayed for rain so they wouldn't have to chop so much firewood. This was an old pagan bonfire day, Samhain, which marked the end of summer and the beginning of the winter solstice. Since at this time of the year the powers of growth are weakest, it became known as the day of the dead. We had to be satisfied to make our pancakes at the fireplace.

"Pancakes again?" you will say. Yes, pancakes and Kail Brose and Callcannon and Bannock Salainn. The Boxty Pancakes were made by the Irish for this fast day, but you know the recipe by this time. We substituted buttermilk and soda for sweet milk and baking powder. The Kail Brose, a mixture of cabbage, stock and oatmeal, was not a great success with the children. I suppose it was too much like their everlasting oatmeal for breakfast. But we all agreed that the Callcannon was delicious. This is a combination of potatoes and turnips in a two to one ratio. The vegetables are cubed and cooked in salted water. When tender they are mashed and served with a large chunk of butter in the center. Soon after the portions were dished out, Mary was biting on a golden ring. Ann found a wheel which gave her promise of a journey. Every one ate all the scraps of the Callcannon in hope of having his fortune told. There were silver pieces and thimbles and a tiny doll. Callcannon was an Irish dish, and we all enjoyed eating the luck of the Irish.

The biggest laugh, however, came when one of the mothers tasted the Hallowmas or Sallain Bannock. You would have thought she was poisoned. Such sputtering you have never seen. Sallain Bannock was a cake made by Scotch lassies especially for Halloween. They stir about six teaspoons of salt into the dough so it is scarcely edible, eat it, and then, without a word or drink of water, they climb into bed to dream of their future husbands. We, who have good husbands and a lot of little olive plants besides, decided we didn't need any salty cake to make us dream.

Since Halloween was often called Nutcrack Night, we chose nuts and apples for dessert and served plenty of cider to lubricate the singing which always goes with a fireplace party. Our family had promised our guests a play so at 7:30 sharp the curtains opened on our home-made production. We had decided to act out three Halloween customs. Strangely enough each one had to do with food. We had read over the story of the customs several times, but there were no written lines. There was one rehearsal the night before in which most of the old clothes of the attic trunk were dragged out. Feed sacks were our background, our scenery and our draperies.

The first scene showed how the Bretons passed their Halloween vigil. Since the morrow was to be the banquet of all saints, both living and dead, it was natural to think of those who had gone before them. Some of their kin were in heaven, and they would come to the feast to give hints on heavenly celebrating. Others were in purgatory, and they would have a long way to come. They would bring warnings so that all might avoid their state. Still other souls might even be released from hell to come to the feast, but they would bring nothing but remorse and resentment.

This was the deep and sincere Christian thought behind the superstitious practices of Halloween. Souls, both good and bad, were coming back. We should be ready with our welcome. The Bretons spent the day in prayer. After black vespers they took trays of hot pancakes, curds and cider into the cemeteries to wait for the returning souls. Our scene was laid in front of the charnel house, and the vigil was held among tombstones, skulls and bones.

The food was left on the mounded graves. One by one the watchers disappeared as the hour approached midnight. Only one appointed to the task remained in the charnel house to keep vigil. That was our daddy with his knees a-quaking. It is strange how hungry one gets when praying alone. There is a terrible void in the stomach when one is afraid. Nobody would ever know who ate the cakes and cheese. Better the living should eat than the dead.

On the following morning, the crowds returned. They saw that the food was gone. They were glad that the trays were empty. The poor souls had surely been there. Then everyone, church triumphant, militant and suffering would go to High Mass together.

The second scene was laid somewhere along the border between England and Wales. The charnel house had now become a rich man's house. The rich man objected to having his rest broken by boys and girls who came "a-souling." They would chant at each door until it was opened:

A soul cake, a soul cake,
Have mercy on all Christian souls;
For a soul cake.

This practice, too, was originally a religious one, following along the same thought. If the dead were returning tonight, some of them would need prayers. A rich man doesn't have too much time to pray and, since we all belong to the great Communion of Saints, perhaps some other Christians who were less occupied would pray for the dead of his family for a small consideration. The consideration in this case was a Soul Cake. Perhaps, too, the cake may have been given in charity in the hope that it would cover a multitude of sins. At any rate, the custom which began in religion has been secularized until today our children no longer know why they beg on Halloween.

The Soul Cake was originally a small round bun. We made enough to pass around the audience between scenes. They are best served warm from the oven with plenty of berry preserve.

SOUL CAKES

1 cake yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 cups scalded milk

6 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 beaten egg

Dissolve yeast in water with one tablespoon sugar. Cover and allow to rise until light. Cream butter and remaining sugar. Add scalded milk. When mixture is lukewarm, add yeast and sifted dry ingredients. Knead into a soft dough. Let rise until double in bulk. Shape into small round or oval buns. Brush tops with egg. Bake on greased cookie sheets in a hot oven (400 degrees) for 15 minutes. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake the cakes until golden brown.

It seems, however, that in one rich man's house there was a cook who had imagination. She had made Soul Cakes at Hallowmas for years. She noticed how the children were becoming secularized. Instead of singing plain chant, they were whining doggerel. Instead of thinking of the meaning of their acts, they were thinking only of their stomachs as they yelled in her window:

Soul! Soul! for a soul cake!
I pray good misses, a soul cake!
An apple or pear, a plum or a cherry
Any good thing to make us merry.
One for Peter, two for Paul,
Three for Him who made us all
Up with the kettle and down with the pan,
Give us good alms and we'll be gone.

She also had a grave suspicion that once those children left the door they thought no more of the poor souls for whom they were to pray. They stuffed her good sweet buns in their hungry mouths, and never so much as an Ave ascended to heaven for the dead.

One year she decided to fix them so that with every bite they would remember why they had been given the cake. Instead of making plain round buns, she made a circular bun with a hole in the middle. In those days the never ending circle was common parlance for everlasting life and our passage to it. The result of her cleverness was a doughnut, a reminder of prayer. Requiescat in pace.

DOUGHNUTS

2 beaten eggs
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons melted shortening
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cinnamon
Sugar

Beat the eggs, milk and shortening. Stir in sifted dry ingredients. Roll the dough on a well-floured board until one-fourth inch thick. Cut with doughnut cutter. Fry the doughnuts in deep fat at 370 degrees until brown. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon while still warm.

The third and last scene of our show took place in a little Irish kitchen where boys and girls were playing Halloween games and telling fortunes. They had gathered red berries to keep away witches, and had ducked for apples until the floor was dripping. It was time for bed. Before they went to sleep, however, the children had to prepare for the coming of the dead. They spread a table with a clean white cloth and placed an uncut loaf on it. Water was set there, too, in case a poor soul were parched and thirsty. Pat allowed that Uncle Tim would prefer a bit of something stronger than water, but water it was or nothing. Chairs were placed in a semi-circle. Then Pat had to poke up the fire and add a log or two because dead souls are such cold ones. When everything was in readiness, the little Irish family retired.

The curtains closed and that was a signal for the rest of us to think of the night. Curfew was to ring at nine o'clock, and we had to find beds for all the children and the grownups. By nine o'clock, the little ones were covered up. Out-of-doors the curfew began to toll slowly. As the last stroke sounded, a group began to sing the Dies Irae and then the De Profundis. This gave the tone to the adult discussion which began with death and ended with much talk of the morrow's feast.

All Saints Day [TOP]

The next morning, All Saints Day, the entire party set off for 8:30 Mass to "offer Thee, O Lord, the gifts of our devotion; may they be pleasing to Thee in honor of all Thy saints and of Thy mercy let them avail for our salvation." This is the day the Gospel teaches the Beatitudes. It is good for children to hear them read out while their parents sit at their sides. It is as though the child says, "I see that in you my father and mother"; and the parent replies, "I expect that of you my child."

Back home we came for a real feast-day brunch with roast chicken and ham baked in red wine and all sorts of trimmings. At the table there were songs for the harvest and stories of our name saints. We sang many Negro spirituals because they reflect so well the close communion of saint and sinner. If heaven is to be a great banquet, we felt we would not be embarrassed strangers because we, too, had had our feasting. I have always had grave doubts about my ability to play a golden harp, but perhaps the Lord will let me help serve at the "welcome table." That is much more in my line. We spent the afternoon in harvest dances and had a bag-puppet show given by and for the children. Strange to say no one missed their dinner even though it was past dinner time when they went home.

For the feast we used our finest recipes, all-American choice and family favorites. What they were I will not tell you now. Use your best dishes and make your own All Saints' tradition. So in a mighty climax the symphony of the church year rose in crescendo. It was a finale we would not forget.

All Souls Day [TOP]

Now all that was left was to add a coda to round the whole and let the music find its peace. That coda was a prayerful watch with the dead of All-Souls Day, November 2. We had knocked at Heaven's gate to invite all the saints to a feast day. We had peeked between the lattice so we could imitate the Heavenly etiquette. We had made merry with our friends, because, as Christians, we who were dead have come to life again and, as prodigal sons of God, we who were lost are found.

But our charity and love go out to those who, though dead, still stand and watch at Heaven's gate before they can taste of the Lord's feast. We turn from our gaiety to the sombre thought that we, too, may one day be waiting at the closed lattice because we are not yet perfect. We leave our friends to visit the loneliest spot on earth--the cemeteries of the dead.

If we had lived in France, we would have carried wreaths of artificial flowers to brighten the darksome graves. If our home were Belgium, we would have made All-Souls Cakes and eaten one for each of our dead. If we had been born among the hills of Lithuania, we would have taken large hampers of feast day food to the cemeteries and had a picnic with the departed members of our family. Had our home been Hungary, we might have decorated the family graves with strands of electric lights much like our Christmas tree trimmings. There seems to be a universal desire to brighten and lighten the home of the dead. In Mexico we would have made holiday with death in song, in poetry and joking. Our children would have played with little confections made in the shape of skulls or hearses or coffins. The grisly shapes, however, would not he enough to prevent them from eating the goodies after the game. But, as American Catholics, we visit our dead with empty hands and empty hearts. Our hands are clasped in a plea for mercy and our hearts have poured out their love before God on behalf of the suffering souls in purgatory.

Other Recipes [TOP] [BACK]

FASTNACHT DOUGHNUTS

3 potatoes
2 cups flour
1 cake yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 cups flour

2 cups lukewarm milk
4 beaten eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter

Boil potatoes in water to cover. When done, mash potatoes. Use potato water to scald two cups of flour. Dissolve yeast in one-fourth cup lukewarm water. Combine potatoes, flour sponge and yeast. At bedtime add two cups flour to lukewarm milk. Add to potato mixture. Let the dough rise overnight. In the morning of fetter Dienstag, mix in eggs, sugar and butter. Knead dough and let rise until double in bulk. Roll dough one-half inch thick. Cut with doughnut cutter. Fry in hot deep fat (370 degrees).

CAR CAKES (PANCAKES)

2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups milk
2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat eggs and sugar. Add milk and sifted dry ingredients alternately. Stir in butter and vanilla. Fry in large iron skillet.

This makes a sweet pancake, good served with fruit or jam. Omit the sugar and vanilla for a plainer dish; use four eggs, one cup milk and three tablespoons sugar for a dessert.

FINNISH PANCAKES

2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups sifted flour
1 tablespoon melted butter

Beat salt and sugar with eggs. Add milk and flour alternately. Stir in butter. Fry on hot griddle.

Served with ripe red raspberries, fresh from the garden, Finnish Pancakes are sure to make your bonfire party a success.

A Mother's Prayer

2009-09-29T20:53:00.000-05:00

Father in Heaven,

grant me the grace to appreciate the dignity

which you have conferred on me.

Let me realize that not even the Angels

have been blessed with such a privilege -

to share in your creative miracle

and bring new Saints to heaven.

Make me a good mother to all my children

after the example of Mary, the Mother of your Son.

Through the intercession of Jesus and Mary

I ask your continued blessings on my family.

Let us all be dedicated to your service on earth

and attain the eternal happiness of your kingdom in Heaven.

Amen.

Homily (14th Sunday in Ordinary Time) July 5, 2009

2009-07-06T16:53:00.000-05:00

Homily given by Deacon Sam Mullen, Holy Spirit Catholic Church:

Featured in our readings today are three prophets; Ezekiel,
St. Paul & Jesus. Each rejected and scorned by the very people they were sent to deliver their prophetic message too.

The prophet Ezekiel in today’s 1st reading is among his own Israelite exiles, who’ve been taken off by the Babylonians into captivity.

These exiles needed to reconnect with their God who brought them out of slavery in Egypt and who was once again offering them freedom.

But they weren't open to a rebirth in that relationship. So God complains to Ezekiel that the people are just as rebellious as their ancestors. He calls them, "Hard of face and obstinate of heart…a rebellious house." Still, God takes the initiative and calls Ezekiel to be the prophet to them, because God doesn't give up on his people.

It seems the Israelites had settled in and become comfortable in a foreign land. When a chance to return to their native home was finally given them, the Israelites chose not to go back. They now fit in and even adopted the gods of the Babylonians, who looked stronger and more successful than Israel's God, especially in military battles.These exiled Israelites weren't so very different from us. When offered a chance to change, make some sacrifices; turn to a more faith-filled way of living, praying or serving, do we? Or like the exiles, have we settled in and accepted different values from those we profess?

I wonder what Ezekiel was doing that God had to "set him on his feet." Some say maybe he was prostrate in mourning for a nation gone astray.

As we celebrate America’s Day of Independence this weekend, we pray that God will not give up on us as a nation, but instead, keep sending the "Ezekiel’s" of our generation to help us through these trying times.

In our 2nd reading, Paul is defending himself, and his ministry, against those who doubt his authenticity; he describes the situation as "A thorn in the flesh was given to me." But he goes on to say, "I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecution and constraints, for the sake of Christ." This bold statement of St. Paul is one each of us should echo, are we content with weakness, insults, hardships for the sake of Christ?

And in today’s gospel, Jesus’ own town people explain how well they know him and how ordinary he seemed to them. He was a carpenter, Mary’s son; they were neighbors to his relatives for goodness sake. So they say, "Where did this man get all this?"
As was the case with all the prophets, Jesus’ ministry required him to speak the truth, and some truths are hard for people to hear.

Keep in mind however in this passage, Jesus’ neighbors weren’t denying his wisdom and mighty deeds; they just couldn’t accept that his message was from their God, the Holy of Holies, how could he be speaking through such an ordinary person, one of their own no less?
We could ask the same thing about ourselves. Is it possible that our God, the Most High, the Holy of Holies could be using ordinary people like you and me to reach out to our exiled brothers and sisters?

You might ask how are we in exile living here in beautiful East Texas. Well, how about when we experience an illness or infirmity that makes us feel like a stranger in our own body, or when we feel out of sync with the cultural values of the times, or beaten down by continual reports of terrorism, war and new diseases that can threaten our very existence.

Oh, we’re in exile alright. If for no other reason than none of us has arrived at the place we’ll ultimately call "home," that place where our Heavenly Father will set "all things" right.
What all this means is we, the "ordinary" people of Holy Spirit are called to be prophets. Each of us, through baptism has been entrusted with the Spirit of Truth and directed to carry the Good News of salvation, to all we encounter.

In light of the theme of today’s Scripture readings, I’ve often heard people say it’s harder to be a practicing Christian in their own homes, than it is in the workplace or with friends. "My kids won't listen to me." "My brothers and sisters think I am a religious nut." "My husband refuses to come to church with me," and so on. Just remember, "a prophet is not without honor except in his native place, and among his own kin and in his own house."

But also remember, the God who sends us to witness among our own, will be there to instruct, bolster and feed us, just as he did the prophets of old.

He accomplishes this during our liturgical celebrations, when he invites us to the Table of His Word to listen attentively to these Scripture passages and then put them into action.

And also by welcoming us to the Table of the Eucharist to partake in the life giving food that nourishes us and helps us stay focused and strong as we "ordinary people," the prophets of today, continue our faith journeys.

Let me leave you with this thought, you know God must have loved ordinary people, because he made so many of us. But every day, ordinary people do extraordinary things.

Praise God.

Memorizing Scripture, or anything else for that matter.

2009-04-15T12:10:00.000-05:00

I was reading a homeschooling blog, and she mentioned this website: http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/memorysys/ . She is using this method not only to memorize scripture, but basically anything else that needs memorization. Such as Catechism, poetry, prayers, etc. This is such a great idea. And it appears fairly easy to implement for ourselves or our children. Here is the system:

Scripture Memory System

Recitation

The instructions below outline an easy-to-use system to help your family members develop the habit of memorizing and remembering Scripture. By spending just five or ten minutes a day, you and your children can learn and retain hundreds of verses.

First, a word about memorizing, or recitation. The Charlotte Mason method of Recitation is not cumbersome, yet works amazingly well. The method is simply this: once or twice each day read aloud the verse or passage you are memorizing. As the words become familiar, the family members should join in saying the parts they know. Continue the one or two readings a day until all family members can recite the Scripture together with confidence.

It doesn’t matter how long the passage is. In fact, your family should memorize longer passages regularly. Simply once or twice each day read the entire passage through until everyone can recite it together. Don’t worry about how many days it takes for everyone to memorize the selected Scripture. Hiding God’s Word in your heart is not a race; it’s a lifelong habit.

The System

Step One: Get an index card box and forty-one tabbed dividers that fit inside it. It doesn’t matter if the dividers have letters on them; you can flip them over and use the other side for labeling.

Step Two: Label the dividers as follows and place them in the box in this order:
1 divider — Daily
1 divider — Odd
1 divider — Even
7 dividers — Days of the Week (Sunday, Monday, etc.)
31 dividers — Numbered 1-31

Step Three: Copy onto index cards (or slips of paper) any verses your family already knows. Record both the reference and the text of the passage. If you don’t know any yet, don’t worry — you will very soon. Place the verses you already know behind the numbered dividers, distributing them evenly.

Next write cards or papers for verses you want to memorize. Put one verse card or paper behind the Daily divider; this will be the passage you’ll work on memorizing first. Then stack the rest of the verses to be learned in front of the Daily divider to learn at a later time. At the beginning, you won’t have any verses in the Odd and Even or Days of the Week slots. Don’t worry, they’ll fill in; see the next two steps.

Step Four: Each day you will say together the verses behind four dividers:
Daily
Odd or Even
Day of the Week
Date of the Month

So if today is Tuesday, the 3rd, you will say the verses behind Daily, Odd (because 3 is an odd number), Tuesday, and 3. The next day (Wednesday, the 4th), you will say the verses behind Daily, Even, Wednesday, and 4. Keep in mind that only the verse behind Daily is a new one that you are memorizing; all the others are just review.

Step Five: As you master the verses behind the Daily divider, advance that card and move the replaced verses farther back in the box. So when you have memorized a Daily, move it behind either the Odd or Even divider. Move the verse that was in that Odd or Even slot back to a Day of the Week slot. And move the verse it replaces in the Day of the Week slot back behind a numbered divider. You can then put a new verse or passage to memorize behind the Daily divider and you’re ready to go again.

In this way, you will review a new verse every day, then graduate to every other day, once a week, and finally, once a month. Use the system every day of the month and you will review all the verses you know every month of the year! Of course, not all months have thirty-one days; the verses behind 31 will be reviewed seven months out of the year. We recommend putting verses that you know quite well behind that number since it gets reviewed less frequently.
When you have advanced enough verse cards that you have one placed behind each numbered divider, start at 1 again and add another card to each. Soon you’ll have several cards behind each numbered divider. And eventually, you’ll have memorized so many verses that you’ll have enough cards to expand to two boxes! What a wonderful milestone that will be!

Seder Meal

2009-04-06T13:58:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had a Seder Meal in your home? We started the tradition of having a Seder Meal on Holy Thursday a few years ago. This is such a wonderful tradition that I wanted to encourage you all to try it. There is a lot of preparation and cooking that goes into a Seder Meal. You may want to get together with another family to lighten the cooking load. And if you have experience with Seder Meals, invite another family over that has never done one before. I'm sure they would appreciate it!

Here are a few websites that explain the Seder Meal and give some recipes:
http://www.wf-f.org/Seder.html
http://www.domestic-church.com/CONTENT.DCC/19990301/FRIDGE/seder.htm
http://www.cresourcei.org/haggadah.html
http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Holidays-and-Events/Passover/Seder/Main.aspx

Here are a few pointers that I have learned over the years:

1. Start your preparations and cooking early in the day.
2. Traditionally, the house is supposed to be completely clean to assure that there is no trace of leaven in the house. Don't stress it if your house is not up to par because, believe me, after your Seder Meal your kitchen will be a disaster.
3. Begin your meal early enough to allow time to go through the entire ritual without being rushed (especially if you plan on going to church that evening). I'm aiming for starting at 4pm this year.
4. Make notes of what recipes you liked or disliked. It might be handy to have a Seder Meal file containing your ritual and recipes.
5. Color code your ritual to make it easier to follow along.
6. For kids old enough to drink out of a regular cup, but too young to drink wine, purchase some plastic wine glasses and fill with grape juice. This will make the Seder meal even more special for them.
7. Enjoy this time with your family as you prepare for Easter.

Shalom!

Ideas for celebrating Holy Week

2009-04-02T14:08:00.000-05:00

Taken from CatholicMom.com

Create a family centerpiece for the week using Sunday's palms from mass as the focal point. Have a special family dinner together on Holy Thursday and think of ways to, as a family, "wash the feet" of people in need in your parish or community. As a family, take the day off on Good Friday and attend services at your parish. Accompany your children to church and participate in the Stations of the Cross at a level they can understand - as a family unit you can "do" your own stations - spend a few moments contemplating each station and discussing quietly and reverently with your child the true meaning of each station. Say a quiet prayer at the end of each Station.

Have you taken advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation to fully prepare yourself for Easter this year? If your parish offers a penance service, take your children and explain to them the Sacrament. Even young children who have not as yet received the Sacrament will benefit from attending the prayer service and having an examination of conscience described to them in terms they can understand. While you go to confession, ask your child to pray for you...we need all of the prayers we can get!

On Holy Saturday, make a tradition of coloring Easter eggs as a family reflecting on the beauty of new life. Tie this tradition to the Church's joy at the Resurrection of Jesus and our treasuring of the sanctity of all new life. Pray as a family for the countless people who will enter our Church at the Easter Vigil mass through the RCIA program. You may even want to contact your parish and "adopt" a candidate for whom your family will pray during Holy Week. Light a candle each evening and pray for this person and all who are being baptized and coming into full Communion with the Church. As a family, make attending Mass on Easter Sunday the highlight of your celebration. Rejoice at the Resurrection of our Lord! Read the gospel as a family as a highlight at your Easter meal.

How does your family participate in the joy of the Resurrection of our Savior?

Please feel welcomed to comment and share your ideas with us!

Easter Story Cookies

2009-03-31T20:02:00.000-05:00

To be made the evening before Easter.

Ingredients:

1 c. whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
1 c. sugar
Zipper baggy
Wooden spoon
Tape
Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F Place pecans in zipper baggy and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested the Roman soldiers beat him. Read John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1-tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1-c. sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read ISA.1: 18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt. 27:65-66.

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt. 28:1-9.

HE HAS RISEN!

(taken from www.catholicmom.com)

Come and Join Us!

2009-03-23T10:38:00.000-05:00

Our next official meeting will be Monday, April 6th at 9:30a - 11:00am! Also, Father will be hearing confessions in the chapel from 10:00am-11:00am. Babysitting will be provided! More details to come! We are looking forward to seeing you!

Excellent Online Resources for Ash Wednesday and Lenten Activities

2009-02-25T10:56:00.000-06:00

http://www.holyheroes.com/
“Holy Heroes Lenten Adventure will help you and the children you love learn more about our faith beginning with Ash Wednesday (Feb 25) through the 40 days of Lent, into Holy Week and Easter Week, and concluding with Divine Mercy Sunday.
Join your family with Holy Heroes to learn more about:
Family traditions from around the globe that you can make part of your family's Lent and Easter, The Stations of the Cross, The Seven Last Words of Christ from the Cross, How to live a fruitful Lent of prayer, penance, an alms-giving, The Rosary and other prayers and devotions that bring the faith to life in our homes. Like to sing? Sing along while you learn the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Regina Caeli, and the Stabat Mater - in English and Latin, And much more!”

http://www.catecheticalresources.com/
http://www.catecheticalresources.com/attachment.cfm?Attachment=ACF2600.pdf
Here you will find Station of the Cross coloring sheets.

http://www.catholicmom.com/
http://new.catholicmom.com/2009/02/13/ash-wednesday-and-lent-activities/

http://www.sfaparish.com/lent_activities.htm

http://marysaggies.blogspot.com/
Get all your questions answered about Lent. Excellent resources for parents with older chilidren.

Enjoy Your Planning!

Bunco Tournament Fundraiser 2009

2009-02-21T19:55:00.001-06:00

Just a few photos before the event kicked off! Look at these beauties. What a great group we have! Can't say enough thank yous to all the women (and men) who donated their time, talents and treasures to make this night happen! And a special thanks to St. Mary's Catholic Center for hosting us!

Happy St. Valentine's Nursing Home Visit

2009-02-13T20:53:00.000-06:00

Thanks to all who came out! We had a great time today!

Q & A: Potty Training

2009-02-04T15:58:00.000-06:00

Q: Abby (will be 3 in March) is potty training. So far, she has done perfect with going #1. It's the #2 we are having issues with. She wants to put a diaper/pull-up on when she needs to have a BM. I've done just about everything I can think of to get her to go #2. Has this happened to any of you? What do I do?

A: That's exactly what Caleb did. He did it for three months. He would go when I put a diaper on at night or he would go in his swim diaper at the pool. Sometimes he couldn't hold it and he just went in his pants. I can hardly remember that time because Ann Marie was a newborn and Kyle was 2. Anyway, I think I finally told him that if he tried to hold his poop in he could get sick, and that made him concerned enough to go in the potty. He was also starting preschool and I told him they would put him in a baby class if he pooped in his pants. But it was three months after we started with the process. Yikes. I remember someone telling me, he will probably be your hardest potty trainer. In fact I think 2 people told me that. I am still laughing about that comment after potty training Kyle.

Kyle went through a period recently where he started going number 2 in his pants again. I tried everything and finally told him I wouldn't take him back to Barnes and Noble if he went in his pants. He had to have clean pants for two whole weeks before I would take him back. This is a HUGE deal for him because he likes to play with the trains and read books and he begs to go every day.

Good luck, Janet. And don't feel bad about throwing away underwear if you have to. It gets pretty gross after a while. :)

A: We had this same issue with our most recently potty-trained child. Shedid this for months. Finally, as her birthday drew nearer, we startedtalking to her about not using a diaper anymore once she turned three.She picked up on it and started telling us that she would go poo-poo inthe potty when she turned 3. For some reason, this actually worked. Onher birthday (or maybe the day after), she wanted to put a diaper on,and we reminded her of what she had told us. It was a struggle for afew days, maybe a week, but we did not give in. She had told us shewould go in the potty, and we held her to that. The deadline was niceb/c we didn't argue about it until then. I had something to lookforward to and was content to wait until then. She knew she had freedomto do it her way for awhile, so she was content in the present as well.
Also, then and anytime she had a setback, I would start the stickerchart again. I would only do that for a few days, until she forgotabout it. It would help get her back on track, though.

A: Try having her sit on the toilet with a step-stool or chair tall enough for her to place her feet on. Sometimes kids need the extra stabilization and it is hard for them to have a BM without it. Recommendation courtesy of my OT friend from my ECI days…

A: finally "gave up" for a little while because I was tired of cleaning up dirty underwear. Clare could control #1 even throughout the night, but she refused to go #2 on the toilet. This was when I was pregnant with Mary. I tried again when Mary was about a month or two old. That would make Clare almost 3 1/2! I had three in diapers and was fed up! Clare went all day and all night and then all of the next day without an accident (also no #2). That second evening, I realized I hadn't seen her in a while and then I heard, "Mommy, I went... (my thoughts: Oh no, she went #2 in her pants) potty in the toilet!" I ran screaming to the bathroom I was so excited. I think it just clicked for her. So, don't sweat it. When she's ready, she will do it. I know it's frustrating when things don't go as WE plan them to. But just remember she can't go #2 in a pull-up forever. :) Good luck!

Please add your comment if you have any other helpful suggestions!

GREAT potty training blog entry‏

2009-02-04T10:19:00.000-06:00

Hey moms,
I just wanted to share this in case anyone has potty training struggles/insecurities. I know we all have our battles, and this is definitely one of ours. Both boys have given us a total run with the potty training. I won't go into details, but I found this extremely comforting to read. It is all inclusive on advice and encouragement:http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2008/09/every-single-st.html
Elizabeth

Her points on potty trainig (visit blog for more in depth info):

1. Don't do it until they're ready.
2. Don't do it until YOU'RE ready.
3. Treat them like big kids.
4. The specifics are up to you.
5. Keep it positive.
6. Don't sweat the nighttime potty training.
7. What about regressions? Or really stubborn kids?
8. Don't compare yourself--or your kid--to others.
9. Limit the use of disposable training pants.
10. (And I almost forgot this one, but many thanks to Stretch Mark Mama for reminding me) I'm not a fan of the potty chair.

Happy New Year 2009 and January announcements

2009-01-05T15:24:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year Joyful Hearts!

We pray your year is beginning with many blessings.

We wanted to let you know that we will not be having our January 19th meeting, as it is Martin Luther King day, and families may wish to spend that day together. We are also waiting for our sitters to come back for the Spring semester and let us know their availability, so that information will also influence our meeting schedule. We will update the blog to let you know!

We are hoping to hold another playdate this month, the time and location is up for grabs! If you have ideas or suggestions, please let us know, we're all ears!

We are looking forward to resuming our Grace Filled Moments study with you all, and we will be keeping you and your families in our prayers as the New Year begins for us all. Many blessings to you!

Membership Information

2008-11-08T09:09:00.000-06:00

Beginning next year, we will be grouping our meetings into three sessions. The Fall session will be January through May, with approximately ten meetings. The Summer session will be June and July. These meetings will be informal play dates held at parks and member’s homes and lunch dates at various kid-friendly locations. There will be no formal meetings during this time. The Spring session will be August through December, also, with approximately ten meetings.

Dues in the amount of $15 will be collected at the beginning of the Fall and Spring sessions. There will not be dues for the Summer session. Childcare payments of $1 per child per meeting will continue to be collected. We hope that you will find these prices reasonable as we try to cover the costs of running this most-needed ministry.

We will also be holding fundraisers, one in the Fall and one in the Spring, to cover the remainder of our costs. We greatly appreciate any help you can offer in our fundraising efforts. Thank you and God bless!

Buy a gift, help a family across the world!

2008-11-06T10:22:00.001-06:00

Everything about my consumer views changed when I was introduced to serrv international back when I worked for St. Mary's and we sponsored the Work of Human Hands Christmas sale every year. Serrv international is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating poverty wherever it resides. They work in cooperation with Catholic Relief Services and other Christian non profit organizations.

By purchasing these lovely, handmade gifts from these talented artisans, we are able to bring hope to families all across the world by providing them the opportunity to have sustainable work to support themselves and break the cycle of poverty!!!! How is THAT for making a difference that matters????

There are nativity sets, handmade linens for the house, bags, woven baskets, kitchenware, handmade soaps and candles, jewelry, toys and fair trade chocolate, tea and coffee. You can browse their online catalog, or visit St. Mary's for the sale this year (I'll find out when it's happening and post soon!) You can find a TON of information on their site - meet the artisans, request a catalog, find out how to sponsor a sale...and much more!

Here is a description from their website:

Your purchases give you the chance to have a direct impact on our global market’s great injustices: the inequality in income and quality of life for people living in developing countries. With your help, SERRV becomes a powerful tool for putting right the imbalance in the world.

Our work encompasses more than just buying and selling.
We offer prepayments so our partners can sustain their business.
Create new designs so they can build their markets.
Teach new skills so they can develop their craft.
Provide grants so they can expand their resources.

We support equal rights for women.
Guide sustainable development.
And of course, pay a fair wage.

For 60 years, we have worked on behalf of the world’s Artisans and Farmers. One of the first alternative trade organizations in the world, SERRV is a founding member of the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT) and a member of the Fair Trade Federation (FTF).

SERRV with us and craft an experience that will reward every person it touches, and build a sustainable style of life that’ll be enriching for us all.

Book Review: Full of Grace by Johnette Benkovic

2008-11-03T20:10:00.000-06:00

This is an excellent read. Here is a snippet from Chapter 3: Praise and Petition, Thanksgiving and Contrition: Symphony of the Abundant Life.

Our times of prayer and encounters with God are meant to be transforming moments in our lives. Their purpose is to produce within us sanctifying grace and the ability to lead a virtuous life. When we cooperate with the grace we receive in prayer, not only do we become transformed into the image and likeness of God, but our very presence becomes a conduit through which the love of God flows into the world.

If we are to experience the authenticity of our femininity, living out God's call for us to "aid humanity in not falling," we must commit ourselves to a regular time of prayer and develop an attitude of prayer throughout the day. Prayer must become the "song of our heart."
But how can we be in a constant state of prayer and still be busy about the duties of everyday life? St. Paul suggest the answer. He tells us, "Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, always and for everything giving thanks in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father" (Eph
5:18-20).
This passage hints as to how we can make each day of our lives a symphony of prayer, a melody of love, which rises from the depths of our being to the throne of the Father in praise and worship of Him. As is the case with most symphonies, our symphony of prayer is orchestrated around four movements or dispositions of the heart.

Read on to learn about the four "movements of prayer": Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (ACTS).

Joyful Hearts Blog!

2008-10-28T13:05:00.000-05:00

Thank you for visiting the Joyful Hearts blog. We are glad you are here!

Welcome to our blog! The Joyful Hearts are a Catholic Mother's prayer and study group of Bryan/College Station, Tx who meets bimonthly at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish of College Station. Babysitters care for our children across the hall while we meet, lap babies are welcome in the meetings.

We meet on first and third Mondays at the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in College Station.