Eucharistic Quote

H/T to Sue

Whenever I go to the chapel,I put myself in the presence of our good Lord, and I say,"Lord, I am here. Tell me what you would have me do."

St. Catherine Laboure (1806-1876)

The Delicate Juggling Act of Praying as a Family

Picture courtesy of Catholic Culture

In this time of Advent, it feels appropriate to review the various ways in which we can prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus Christ. What is it exactly that we can do and how can we do it? This is quite a special time of the year and there's got to be more to it than frantic shopping and endless food-feasts with family and friends and co-workers, right? We all need to go on a diet anyhow and
this constant marching music of "Buy this! Buy that! Buy NOW!" is rather deafening. It is exactly in this month of December that the difference between the spirit of the season in the secular and consumer world and the Spirit of this Advent liturgical season in the Church are definitively taking different paths... and I think that the two of them are growing more and more apart as the
years go by. Lucky for us, we have the Mass and the readings of Scripture and the homilies (and our conscience!) to constantly call us to another level, to redirect us to the proper level of relationships vs. the level of things, because it is all about love, the love of God and the love of neighbor, and there is more to love than a wrapped box with pretty paper and lovely ribbons. Of course, a material gift can be the way we express our love but it's definitively not the first way and it looks to me like nowadays, in 2006, in our wonderful and wealthy and free democracies of the West, the voice of the Church is the only one to constantly challenge us to go beyond ourselves and beyond
what we see and hear and feel. Thank God for that challenge!

Please click title above for the entire article which includes suggestions for praying as a family.

The Sign of the Cross

H/T to Sue

When we bless ourselves with the sign of the cross, we should take advantage of
this opportunity to meditate the passion of Christ.

As I bless myself with the sign of the cross, I clothe my soul with the holy wounds of Jesus Christ who died for my sins.The image of my soul which has been destroyed by sin receives restoration and protection from my Lord and Saviour.

"Lord Jesus Christ imprint upon my soul your most holy wounds, so that I may be
purified from all my sinfulness, deliver me Lord from all evil."

In the name of the Father,

I bless my soul with the holy wounds of the sacred head of Jesus and the sufferings of His holy mind, so that I may always keep my soul in the Presence of God.

In the name of the Son,

I bless my soul with the wounds of His sacred feet, so that I may always walk in the path of Salvation and proclaim the Word of God to others.

In the name of the Holy Spirit, I bless my soul with the wounds of His sacred hands, that I may always do the work of God.

+ + +

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Joseph of Jesus and Mary
The Work of God Apostolate

While you are at it, please visit this website Work of God where the above was from.

Pope Remembers Those Who Suffer at Christmas

Word of the Lord for "Life's Wounded," He Says

VATICAN CITY, DEC. 17, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI remembered people who will spend Christmas in the cross fire of war, especially in the Middle East and Africa, or in conditions of loneliness and poverty.

Christmas, when Christ enters the world to save humanity, "is a prophetic proclamation destined for the whole of humanity, in particular, the poorest, in this case, those who are poor in joy!" the Pope said.

The Holy Father made his comments today to the thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square to recite the Angelus.

He referred to the readings of this Sunday's liturgy, which call for joy, as "The Lord is at hand."

"This promise was fully realized in the mystery of Christmas, which we will celebrate within a week, and which it is necessary to renew in the 'today' of our lives and in history," Benedict XVI said, speaking from the window of his study.

He continued, "The joy awakened by the liturgy in the hearts of Christians is not reserved to them alone: It is a prophetic proclamation destined for the whole of humanity, in particular, the poorest, in this case, those who are poor in joy!"

The Pope mentioned in particular "our brothers and sisters who, especially in the Middle East, in some areas of Africa and in other parts of the world, live the tragedy of war."

"What joy can they experience? What will their Christmas be like?" he asked. "Let us think of all the sick and lonely people who, in addition to having physical suffering, suffer in the spirit, as often they feel abandoned. How can one share joy with them without lacking respect for their suffering?"

Artificial paradise

The Holy Father also invited his listeners to think of those, "especially young people, who have lost the sense of authentic joy, and who seek it in vain where it is impossible to find: in the exasperated race for self-affirmation and success, in false amusements, in consumerism, in moments of drunkenness, in the artificial paradise of drugs and of other forms of alienation."

"The Word of the Lord is addressed precisely to those who are being tested, to life's wounded and orphans of joy," assured the Pontiff. "The invitation to joy is not an alienating message, or a sterile palliative, but rather a prophecy of salvation, an appeal for rescue that starts with inner renewal."

The Holy Father concluded by inviting Christians to do all they can "with humility and courage so that the world will welcome Christ, who is the source of authentic joy."
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The Liturgy - Changes Coming Our Way

According to Fr. Martin Fox

Some new things are coming for the Catholic liturgy--and what that might be is beginning to become clear.

Please click here to learn more.

Saintly Quote

Thanks Sue

One who is anchored in God does not suffer any loss,even if attacked by a thousand waves and a thousand storms. On the contrary, he emerges stronger.

St. John Chrysostom

Marian Quote

H/T Sue

The Mother of God contained the infinite God under her Heart,the God Whom no space can contain.
Through her, the Trinity is adored,demons are vanquished, Satan is cast out of heaven,and our fallen nature is assumed into heaven.

Saint Cyril of Alexandria

Rosary Army

H/T to Heather

Make Them, Pray Them, Give Them Away

to learn more about this project, please click the title above.

Saintly Quote

Mahalo Sue!

As love is paid for in love, I must imitate Him, sharing in spirit all His sufferings. I must consider how much I owe Him and what He has done for me.
Putting these sufferings between God and my soul, I must say, "What does it matter my God, that I should endure for your love these small hardships?"

St. Alphonsus Rodriguez

Vatican to Catholic Homeschoolers - Good Job!

H/T to Easter and Me Monk, Meander

As a Catholic homeschooling mom, I could take the opportunity to tell homeschooling naysayers, "I told you so" But I won't :-) The following article speaks for itself.

Vatican to Catholic Homeschoolers: "I truly admire parents, who take on this great commitment"

VATICAN CITY, December 13, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Three veterans of the United States Catholic home school movement spent Thanksgiving week in Vatican City meeting with officials of various congregations and councils of the Holy See to discuss the positive results of Catholic home schooling. Dr. Mary Kay Clark, Director of Seton Home Study School, as well as Dr. Catherine Moran,
President of the Catholic Home School Network of America, and Mrs. Virginia Seuffert, home schooling mother of 12 and a frequent speaker at Catholic Home Schooling conferences, were encouraged by the positive response of the Vatican prelates.

Many of the prelates were already familiar with Seton Home
Study School, a Catholic home study program in the diocese of Arlington, Virginia, which has been operating for the past twenty-five years, with a current enrollment of approximately 11,000 students. Officials were presented with textbooks from Seton Press, the publishing arm of the school, and the largest publisher of Catholic schoolbooks in North America with over 100 titles
and hundreds of thousands of books sold. Students are enrolled primarily in the United States, but also from many countries from around the world, such as Canada, Australia, England, Ireland, Mexico, the Philippines, Japan, the Czech Republic, Germany, Colombia, and India.

The home school envoys emphasized to the Vatican cardinals and bishops the primary importance of the Faith in Catholic home schooling. They explained that when parents teach the Faith to their children on a daily basis, teaching not only with textbooks but through the daily practice of prayer, good example, and frequent reception of the Sacraments, children will develop a love for the Faith and vocations will increase. They quoted one Midwest bishop who says that over a five-year period, 23 percent of young men graduating from one home school cooperative in his diocese entered the seminary. They pointed out that Justin Ferguson, the seminarian who gave the first reading at Pope Benedict's papal installation mass, is an alumnus of Seton Home Study School.

Click title above for the entire article.