Has reverence for the TRUE PRESENCE of Christ in the Eucharist increased since Communion in the hand or decreased? Polls say only 25% of Catholics believe.
Casualness brought in more casualness. Yes, the slippery slope.
Communion is supposed to be RECEIVING. I TAKE potato chips out of my hand.
Should Communion be a time like any other????
No.
It should be the MOST sacred thing we do, the most humble...a moment like no other.... marked in difference in our thoughts and posture! Doesn't He deserve it?
I'm crying.
God bless Our Pope, The Vicar of Christ on Earth LED by the Holy Spirit!
The Pope is trying to lead, will we follow?? Or, will we put our will ahead of his guidance? Doesn't the church teach, doesn't Jesus teach, that we should mortify our wills....
This 15 year old homeschooler had parents who have taught her well, and now she is starting to make her own Catholic movies....God Bless her....
Let's follow their lead and embolden our children to stand up for Life. Confirm your family's spot at a free webcastthis Thursday night. "If you have students in middle school or high school--this could well be part of their Civics class or Government class, or Political Science, or any course dealing with faith issues, worldview etc. "
The pro-life webcast's promotional material states that "Powerful abortion industry lobbyists and Washington, D.C. bureaucrats have just launched a massive effort to mandate taxpayer-funded abortions as partof their proposed trillion-dollar healthcare takeover.
Registration for the FREE event is accessed athttp://www.stoptheabortionmandate.com/. Registration also allows those who are unable to be online at the time of the webcast to later access a recording of the webcast audio.
During the event, the following nationally known leaders will be heard: MIKE HUCKABEE, Former Governor and Presidential Candidate DR. CHARMAINE YOEST, Americans United for Life TONY PERKINS, Family Research Council FR. FRANK PAVONE, Priests for Life MARJORIE DANNENFELSER, Susan B. Anthony List DOUGLAS JOHNSON, National Right to Life Committee TOM MINNERY, Focus on the Family CONGRESSMAN CHRIS SMITH, U.S. House of Representatives KRISTIN HAWKINS, Students for Life of America CONGRESSMAN JOE PITTS, U.S. House of Representatives DR. RICHARD LAND, Southern Baptist Convention CARMEN PATE, Point of View Radio Show DAVID BEREIT, 40 Days for Life
This is my first time doing the 7 quick takes for Friday. I do have a hodge-podge of stuff to remember, so here goes....
one
I made this for dessert when a dear priest came over for dinner recently. It looked as delicious as it tasted and so I'll be making it again for a party tomorrow.
I baked sugar cookie dough into a tart pan then mixed together some vanilla pudding, whipped cream and a tad of cream cheese to spread. I wonder if adding some crushed pineapple to that would have been nice? Then, I just added berries and bananas. Refrigerate. Simple.
two
After a sunset meal on the deck of grilled steaks and veggies with roasted potatoes, we came inside, away from the mosquitoes for dessert. Father blessed the Holy Water with the old Latin prayers that include an exorcism of the water and the salt first...very powerful! This is where I printed off the prayers, LINK.
three
If you are on facebook and you are a Catholic homeschooler in PA, NJ, DE or MD, I set up a facebook group. JOIN us. Hopefully, we can create an online community of "local-ish" homeschoolers to share events, tips, field trips ideas and such.
Been enjoying a clever song parody today that a friend put on her facebook. It would be more comical if it weren't so true...here's the YOUTUBE link.
six
School prep - how about you? Lots of reading, syllabus prep and paperwork to organize for my first time highschooler and the other 3 students. Just finished 4 days of teleconferences listening to Laura Berquist describe the scope, sequence and more of Mother of Divine Grace History and Language Arts. We also corrected papers "together" on Webex. I have 2 more days of Religion teleconferences coming up. And, the other day my CD's from the IHM teleconferences arrived. I should have my head plugged into something for the rest of the summer!
seven
For summer reading, one of the books I am having the boys read is Stand Up, Shake Hands, Say "How Do You Do" What Boys Need to Know About Today's Manners. We discuss each lesson and it's been very enjoyable and enlightening. Manners are a lost art, sadly. I remember as a young girl enjoying the pretty book my mother gave me, White Gloves and Party Manners. (Written by the same authors!) Isn't the title itself just great! It's easy to lose sight of these niceties and social protocol. I myself will be revisiting my Miss Manners(mine is not the "updated" version) in an attempt to recommit us all to gentility.
* My husband reminds me that we don't follow these measures for their sake, but rather good manners show respect and honors the inherent dignity of every person.
May I also suggest that you read GARMENT OF GRACE? It's very short, but powerful! I read it once during a family holy hour and I immediately passed it on to the son beside me whispering, "this will blow you away!" I highly recommend it!
Don't you just love it when you're somewhere and you see a person or a child and the string of their scapular is peeking through their clothing? I do. I feel comforted, for them too!
Nothing sleeveless and bare shouldered, nothing short....
Before my mother returned to her faith, her bible was the one of "good breeding". Emily Post and proper etiquette informed, and my mother always reminded, that it was poor taste to bare your shoulders in a church. Today, I am sure, that has all been overturned to conform to modernism and fashion and those all important "feelings" rather than the standard and "silly" respect of reverence in the presence of God.
What has happened to our good manners...to the word SHAME? Does it still exist? Parents, do you no longer see modesty/proper dress as one of the character traits to teach your children? And if you deem charity more important to teach, isn't there a charity in proper attire that does not distract from worship?
I am reminded of 2 quotes from a previous post- "I guess when it comes to dressing for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass we all need to look at our own motives for wearing or not wearing certain things in the light of is this the BEST we have to offer Our Lord?"
and, "Why does our culture, and even those Catholics with good intentions, always reduce everything to the lowest possible standard? Mainly because we are too concerned with "feelings..."
I am grateful for the MANY lessons my mother taught me. I may not have liked them at the time, but she stuck to her ideals. When she came back to her faith and I was lost, again I did not appreciate her motivation to consider Catholicism and life beyond my own selfish desires, wanting things easy, worldly and my way - requiring no sacrifice or hardship, no mortification of my will...yet all the things Christ lived. And again, she stuck it out in love and prayer....and it made all the difference.
We had a wonderful time on our Royal Carribbean cruise! The kids acclimated to life on a ship so quickly and we explored its every nook and cranny. The first day at sea I had my frosty pina colada and thought of you all. There was a little time to sit and stare out to sea, but mostly we followed the kids around!
The accomodations worked out well, with adjoining rooms and the whole family on the same floor. (There were 14 floors!) In each room there were little loft beds above us for the littles. Our 2 youngest loved their perches. We all stayed up late and watched shows and movies and played trivia and mini golf. Of course, there was lots of delicious food....
Bermuda was gorgeous and the water and pink sand were captivating. What a lovely island. I remember going to a high tea in Bermuda with my Nana when I was a teen and hope to do that with my daughter someday. On the way back to America we hit a day of 12 foot swells and that was VERY exciting. You could really feel the ship moving, yet no one got sick. The boys couldn't stop staring at the waves.
The kids loved being with their cousins, Aunt and Uncles and especially GMom! We made memories and we are still talking about life on the boat. It's a great way to travel. This was my 3rd cruise and I have loved each. Hope to have another one, someday.
Perhaps we could plan one for Catholic bloggers and have Father Z join us and say the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass ?!
A Doctor from my local, CUF Chapter published this in our recent newsletter stating that the list is correct as of May 2009.
The following are charities that SUPPORT Embryo-DESTRUCTIVE research or Planned Parenthood. (<---- yet another video of PP hiding and violating sexual abuse laws aimed at PROTECTING children!) MS Society - Multiple Sclerosis, Bike to the Bay JDRF - Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation ADA - American Diabetes Association Alzheimer's Association American Heart Association - not funding embryonic reserach, only adult, BUT using lobbying leverage for embryonic American Cancer Society Leukemia and Lymphoma Society UNICEF - advocates for abortion internationally March of Dimes- promotes Genetic Screening & Abortion Susan G. Komen - pink ribbons, gives grants to Planned Parenthood and supports hESCR So sad that groups that should be ALL about LIFE....are not..... (<----more and links)
queue LOVE BOAT music... We set sail today for Bermuda and will return with lots to post about...until then, I promise to hoist my first pina colada, deck side, to all my friends! :)
And, yes I have been bad about accepting awards and following through. This time, it was because I wasn't sure what to say. But, then it came to me....
I know what I can honestly say:
1. I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all that is seen and unseen.
2. And I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God. Born of the Father before all ages. God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God. Begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father. By Whom all things were made. Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and here I would genuflect.
3. And I believe He became flesh by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary: and was made man.
4. And I believe He was crucified for us and suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried.
5. And I believe on the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures. He ascended in heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.
6 . He will come again, I honestly believe, in glory to judge the living and the dead. And of his kingdom there will be no end.
7. And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son Who together with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified; and Who spoke through the prophets. And in ONE, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
8. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. And I await the resurrection of the dead. And the life of the world to come. Amen.
9. Other than that, let it be known that I am afraid of big, hairy spiders.
10. And finally, there's a lot of fart humor around my house. (blush- that's the kind of honest stuff I feared telling you!)
Now...to keep this award, I must do the following:1) Say thanks and give a link to the presenter of the award. CHECK 2) Share "ten honest things" about myself. CHECK 3) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me. SEE BELOW 4) Tell those 7 people that they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving it. WILL DO
I will also be giving out other awards as Sarah gave me a second!!!!
The second is a brand new award from Jennifer at My Chocolate Heart, a great blog!!
The award? To.... "Those who receive this award are of the sweetest nature. They are kind, friendly, funny, loving eager to share their love for Jesus with others, and brave in their efforts to reflect Him to this darkened world. They are the kind of folks you're blessed to know, even if it's only in the bloggy-shere."
O! I know these types and they are "brilliant" and "encouraging" too! Easily those noted below win and deserve both awards!
U2 Song "Magnificent" from new album "No line on the Horizon" inspired by the Blessed Virgin Mary
In a recent Rolling Stone interview Brian Hiatt quotes Bono as saying "Magnificent was inspired by the Magnificat, a passage from the Gospel of Luke in the voice of the Virgin Mary that was previously set to music by Bach. "There's this theme running through the album of surrender and devotion and all the things I find really difficult," Bono says. "All music for me is worship of one kind or another."
Dick Staub of www.DickStaub.com writes "Magnificent" recalls the prayer of the Virgin Mary in the Gospel of Luke: "Magnificent, Magnificent, I was born, I was born to be with you in this space and time. I was born, I was born to sing for you. I didn't have a choice but to lift you up and sing whatever song you wanted me to. I give you back my voice from the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise ... Only love, only love can leave such a mark, but only love, only love can heal such a scar."
[Her model of faith IS Magnificent! - LUV seeing Bono kiss his rosary]
The Magnificat [Latin: magnifies], also called the Canticle of Mary, is recorded in the Gospel of Luke (1:46-55). It is the Virgin Mary's joyous prayer in response to her cousin Elizabeth's greeting (Luke 1: 41-45). This great hymn forms part of the Church's prayer in the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours). When it is recited as part of the Divine Office, it is followed by the Gloria Patri ("Glory be"). The traditional sung Magnificat is Latin plainchant. One of the hymn's most glorious musical renditions is the version of the Magnificat by J.S. Bach.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the Magnificat as "the song both of the Mother of God and of the Church" and explains this prayer's significance:
Mary's prayer is revealed to us at the dawning of the fullness of time. Before the Incarnation of the Son of God, and before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, her prayer cooperates in a unique way with the Father's plan of loving kindness: at the Annunciation, for Christ's conception; at Pentecost, for the formation of the Church, His Body. In the faith of His humble handmaid, the Gift of God found the acceptance He had awaited from the beginning of time. She whom the Almighty made "full of grace" responds by offering her whole being: "Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be [done] to me according to Thy word". "Fiat": this is Christian prayer: to be wholly Gods' because He is wholly ours.
The Prayer
My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen
[Only the indwelling of the Holy Spirit could effect such elegant prose from a poor, young, village girl...Our Lady was the first tabernacle holding Our Lord inside her for us to worship]
My brother and sister-in-law just had their 3rd baby girl!
Whitney was born on Monday and we are so overjoyed with the gift of this new soul to love for a lifetime. They had to look at her for a while to decide if she was a Whitney or an Elizabeth. Ultimately, she seemed like a Whitney to them.
Up until that time, there had been two possibilities for a name of our newest family member. It seemed that "Elizabeth" was not to be....
But God had other plans.
Today, this information (below) arrived to our home.
PLEASE, join us in praying for "our" Elizabeth.
(Isn't she sooooo cute and precious. We wish she was really ours!)
Father's Day began with a prayer, on the way to Mass, for protection, health and encouragement of Father's - biological and spiritual....
The boys were on the altar with this dear Priest for a wonderful, Sunday Mass. Father, in his homily, made a connection I had not yet heard before. Adam's bride, Eve, came from his side. Christ, the 2nd Adam, from His Sacred Heart peirced had His bride come forth from his side. Blood and water, the Precious Blood of our Church's Eucharist and the water of Baptism...
God bless this friend and Father.
Then, we went to my parent's house to be with my Father. The children went swimming while my Mother, Father, husband and I enjoyed a breezy conversation, bird watching, flower graden appreciation and snacking patio side.
While the sumptious feast was being prepared, the kids jumped on the trampoline.
My second son recieved a grilling lesson from his Dad. God has been so good to me and my children to give them a Father who truly puts his faith first...and....he's a alot of fun!
My Father seemed to have a great Father's Day. He is loved.
God bless these fine men. St. Michael, in a world that devalues these roles....defend them in battle....
We pray Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, to shower Thy most abundant and precious graces on the priests of Thy Holy Church, who are Thy dearest servants and dispensers of Thy celestial graces, the father of our souls; that they being more and more intimately united to Thee may obtain from Thy bounty the grace to confirm our faith; to strengthen our Hope, to increase our Charity, to make us detest our sins with more lively sorrow, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
O Mary Queen of the Clergy, pray for us; obtain for us many holy Priests.
What I do know is that I came off happy, relieved and confidant in what curriculum choices to make for next year. She remembered the names of my children, their ages and interests. How many times have I heard other homeschoolers say the same.
Where else will someone talk through every decision and give you such pertinent advice on curriculum? Their catalog reads like a homeschooling manual, with descriptions like no other vendor.
This year has been hard on many financially, us included. When the coupons came from places that undercut Emmanuel Books, I asked my husband if he felt we should go that route and save some money? Knowing that I consistently talk to Paola who always has time for me and experienced advice with each item in her catalog, he said no. I was relieved. We both feel it is important to support this small, Catholic, family business!
The quality of what they offer has a price to us.
What they stand for has a price to us.
We remain grateful for Emmanuel Books and the time and care for homeschoolers that the Ciscanik family provides! That family embodies exceptional service in building relationships with their customers!
Nightswimming deserves a quiet night I'm not sure all these people understand It's not like years ago, The fear of getting caught, Of recklessness and water
Nightswimming, remembering that night September's coming soon I'm pining for the moon And what if there were two Side by side in orbit Around the fairest sun?
"You are free to decide where and with whom you stand. You do not, however, have the right to try to change the Catholic Church to suit your opinions or wishes. No matter how brilliant you are, you are not above the Magisterium. No matter how persuasive the political position, you cannot ignore the law of the Church and the Natural Law. Doctrine and Orthodoxy may be distasteful words in this age of personal freedoms, but if you call yourself Catholic, you need to know what Catholic doctrine actually says and follow it. All of it – not just this or that particular idea that suits your preferences. The Church is not a cafeteria. You are not free to take some things and leave others.
If you support (that means vote for) politicians who advocate and legislate for laws and policies that violate the moral teachings of the Catholic Church, you are choosing to conform to this world rather than be transformed by Christ, and that’s very dangerous for all of us. To whom does your heart belong? It’s time to wipe out the notion that it’s okay for a Catholic to believe one thing in private and support the opposite in public, a la Biden, Pelosi, Kerry, Sebelius, etc. It is not okay. It is in fact, a mockery of our faith and a pathetic lie.
Either live as a Catholic Christian or don’t, but stop trying to remodel the Church to make it more appealing to the world. Learn your Catholic faith, understand it correctly and LIVE IT out in public without apologizing. Stop compromising the truth. Quit trying to rewrite Church teaching to bring it “up to speed” with modern times. The Church is not out of step with society; society is out of step with the Church. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and thus His Church is timeless, ageless and always perfectly relevant. It is not the Church who needs to change her thinking; it is society that needs to CORRECT its thinking. "
Best Written Blog? Quite surprised to be nominated!
Thank you!
Our Family
Easter 2009
Visitors since June 2007
(Totus Tuus) All for....
+JMJ+ THE HOLY FAMILY - God could have chosen ANY way to come to us. He chose the FAMILY...St. Joseph and The Blessed Virgin Mary are examples God has given us for authentic masculinity and femininity.
About the author
+JMJ+
WELCOME TO THIS PHOTO - JOURNAL, an online scrapbook of sorts! This blog is TRADITIONALLY CATHOLIC, PRO-LIFE and PRO-HOMESCHOOLING.
Here I hope to capture memories of our love of tradition, Catholicism, family life and home educating.
We are a Catholic homeschooling family of 6 in love with the "Old Mass", the Traditional Latin Mass...the Mass of the saints.
My husband and I have 3 sons and a darling daughter and together we are trying to live more consciously of the fact that Heaven is our goal, the eternal life.
Our blog journey began in May of 2007. Along the way I have made so many like-minded friends! It is so encouraging to know you are out there. I look forward to your friendly hello in the comment box. :)
Thanks for visiting with us.
To Jesus through Mary. She intercedes in prayer to her Son in her most sinless, motherly way.
True Devotion
It was THROUGH Mary that the salvation of the world was begun, and it is THROUGH MARY that it must be consummated. ~ St. Louis De Montfort
Patron Saints of this Blog
2009- St. Peter Eymard 2008 -St. Gertrude the great 2007 - St. Gerard Majella +JMJ+
TLM - The Holy SACRIFICE of the Mass
Traditional Catholicism
We are what you once were. We believe what you once believed. We worship as you once worshipped. If you were right then, we are right now. If we are wrong now, you were wrong then.
The Mass of saints is the history of the church. The Novus Ordo is the last 40 years.
What are you doing to support your Pope's Motu Proprio?
Do you love Eucharistic Adoration and it's peacefulness? Then you're going to love the Latin Mass, the Mass of the saints!
We must RECLAIM our Catholic Identity!
I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine.
Song of Solomon 6:3 - it began June, 1991 (Sacramentally, but in July of '85 we fell in love.)
Our Children
GIFTS from God
A photo that captures their souls
In front, the "full on", fearless adventurer followed by the joyful pixie, then the cautious protector & leader and finally, the thinker!
Today's Holocaust
Father Peyton said....
"The family that prays together, stays together!" Do you have a family holy hour?
On their knees before their Lord
Truly present as He promised, St John's gospel, chapter 6
Girl Gone Adoring
Pray for the Unborn
They can't defend themselves, the ultimate little "guy" without the protection whales, seals and bald eagles have! They didn't "choose" to be where they are, yet in this active duty over 48,923,992 Americans since Roe v. Wade have lost their lives to the Abortion Indu$try. These devalued little humans are the US "war" casualities of the HOLOCAUST of abortion!.... 48,923,992 DEAD...more than all the war casualites ever, added together...4,000 American lives lost a day...WHAT COMPARES????....50 million soon....
Saint Anthony, you always reached out in compassion to those who had lost their faith. You were especially concerned because they had lost access to the healing words of Jesus found in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and in the nourishing presence of Jesus in the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
Intercede for (name) who has stopped practicing his/her faith. Reawaken in his/her heart a love for our Church and the sacraments, and enkindle in his/her heart a sense of forgiveness for the ways he/she might have been hurt by members of the Church who fell short of the teaching of Christ.
Finally, St. Anthony, help me to respond to my own call to conversion so that I might become an example of someone who has found great peace in the arms of Christ. May the joy I experience as a Catholic be an invitation to those who are lost to come home again to the Church which we love. Amen
