Fine Art Friday - Le Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry

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The Tres Riches Heures is _the_ classic example of a medieval book of hours. This was a collection of the text for each liturgical hour of the day - hence the name - which often included other, supplementary, texts. Calendars, prayers, psalms and masses for certain holy days were commonly included.

The pictures in this directory are from the calendar section of the Tres Riches Heures. This was painted some time between 1412 and 1416 and is arguably the most beautiful part of the manuscript; it is certainly the best known, being one of the great art treasures of France. In terms of historical and cultural importance, it is certainly equal to more famous works such as the Mona Lisa, marking the pinnacle of the art of manuscript illumination.

The Tres Riches Heures was painted by the Limbourg brothers, Paul, Hermann and Jean.

Jean de Berry was one of the highest nobles in 15th-century France.

To learn more about this Book of Hours please visit The University of Chicago's website and Wikipedia

To view the complete calendar please visit Web Museum

Perhaps We'd Better Rename it - Spiritual Moms Apostolate

We need to appreciate the difference between "ministry" and "apostolate" in the Church. In this regard, Vatican II is most helpful:

"They [the lay faithful] exercise the apostolate in fact by their activity directed to the evangelization and sanctification of men and to the penetrating and perfecting of the temporal order through the spirit of the Gospel. In this way, their temporal activity openly bears witness to Christ and promotes the salvation of men. Since the laity, in accordance with their state of life, live in the midst of the world and its concerns, they are called by God to exercise their apostolate in the world like leaven, with the ardor of the spirit of Christ." (Apostolicam Actuositatem, 2)...

Ignatius Insight Scoop - The difference between "ministry" and "apostolate"

Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Starts Today

EWTN Novena - Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Top Ten Ways You Know You Are an Adoptive Parent

Through my Statcounter account I found one of my blog visitors, Anne who posted the following on her blog A Cup of Tea With Anne

10. The fact that there are 143 million children without a parent to kiss them goodnight has made you lose sleep.

9. You can't watch Adoption Stories on TLC without sobbing.

8. You spend free time surfing blogs about families who have experienced the blessing of adoption.

7. You have welcomed a social worker into the most private parts of your life.

6. You had no idea how you would afford to adopt but stepped out in faith anyway, knowing where God calls you, He will provide.

5. You have taken an airplane ride half-way around the world with a child you just met.

4. You know what the word "Dossier" means, and you can actually pronounce it!

3. It drives you crazy when people ask you about your adopted child's "real" parents.

2. You realize DNA has little to do with love and family and that welcoming a child into your heart and family is one of the most important legacies you could ever leave on this earth.

1. You shudder when people say your child is so lucky that you adopted them, knowing full well you are the lucky one to have him or her in your life. (I prefer to say that we have been blessed by God with our child).

The Cause for Canonization - Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

Now that Fr. Damien is thisclosetosainthood I thought it a good idea to put my efforts to pray for and to promote the cause of Archbishop Sheen. See sidebar for the prayer.

The following is from the Honolulu Diocese's e-letter.

Cause for the Beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen
From Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, Bishop of Peoria

As the sponsoring bishop for the cause of Archbishop Sheen, I was hoping you might include the following note in any upcoming newsletter/bulletin to your clergy.

If you would like any more information about the status of the Sheen cause or the work of the Archbishop Fulton John Sheen Foundation, please feel free to contact my office (309-671-1561) or the foundation office (309-671-1550).

We are very excited about the possibility of Bishop Sheen being the first American-born bishop to be declared “blessed.” Please include his cause in your prayers.

The Fulton Sheen Cause:
On February 3, 2008, the cause for the beatification of the Servant of God, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, was officially sent to the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints at the Vatican. Since that time, there has been a renewed excitement about the cause of Archbishop Sheen’s beatification.

The Sheen Foundation, sponsored by the Most Reverend Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, Bishop of Peoria, has various speakers – lay and ordained -- available to give parish talks, missions or homilies about the life and witness of this Apostle of the Media. For a listing of those speakers or to receive biographical literature, holy cards and newsletters, please contact Fr. Stanley Deptula, executive director of the Sheen Foundation: The Archbishop Fulton John Sheen Foundation, Sheen Pastoral Center, P.O. Box 728, Peoria, IL 61652-0728, 309-671-1550 or e-mail, frdeptula@cdop.org.

The Manner of Receiving Holy Communion by the Laity

Picture source here

My friend Sue posted an interesting article by Fr. Paul McDonald regarding Communion in the hand.

St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us that reverence demands that only what has been consecrated should touch the Blessed Sacrament. By baptism, the Christian has been consecrated to receive the Lord in Holy Communion, but not to distribute the Sacred Host to others or unnecessarily to touch It. “To touch the sacred species and to distribute them with their own hands is a privilege of the ordained, one which indicates an active participation in the ministry of the Eucharist” (Dominicae Cenae, 11).

In recent days, I have seriously been rethinking my service as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. Since I know better than to believe things are coincidental any more, it is not surprising that Sue would post this particular article.

14th Sunday of Ordinary Time

...Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light..." (Matthew 11:25-30)