Feast Day: St. Bruno, founder of the Grand Chartreuse

Today is the feast of St. Bruno, the founder of the Grande Chartreuse (also known as the Carthusians).  Bruno, born in 1030 in Cologne, came from a wealthy family and was highly educated.  Ordained a priest, Bruno courageously criticized the excess worldliness of his fellow clergy.  Following a vision, he moved (with 8 others) to establish a monastery in the French Alps near Grenoble.  The Grande Chartreuse is still an active order today -- for a wonderful look into this ermetic order, watch the widely acclaimed Into Great Silence ... it is an amazing movie!

Full disclaimer:  I'd never heard of St. Bruno or the Carthusians until we moved to Austria in 2001 and lived/learned at the Kartause Maria Thron (that is, Carthusian Monastery dedicated to the Throne of Mary) -- the image on the prayer card I made is from one of the frescos painted on the ceiling of the "chapel" at the Kartause.  We lived in the shadow of the renovated monastery, next door to a former monk's cell.  So, my interest and love of St. Bruno is fairly recent.  Did you know, do to the Carthusians wanting to be anonymous, there are no gravestones marking individual burials, but rather the bones are all together in an ossuary?  Or that St. Bruno was never officially canonized but Leo X allowed the Carthusians to celebrate his feast in the 1500s and the Church added "St. Bruno" to the list of saints in the 1600s?  Or that Carthusians, living in their own private quarters, not talking to anyone but God on most days, always have a skull -- to remind them that life on earth is fleeting and that the goal is eternal life?  Cool, huh?

From the Collect:

Father, You called Saint Bruno to serve You in solitude. In answer to his prayers help us to remain faithful to You amid the changes of this 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. 

 

Feast Day: St. Faustina Kowalska

Today is the feast of the young Polish woman who brought Jesus, in the image of the Divine Mercy, to her people and (after Pope John Paul the Great's canonization of her in ) to the world.  Here is one of the quotes from the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (a book that sets down all St. Faustina (Helen) Kowalska's encounters with Jesus as well as His message of Divine Mercy):

On February 22, 1931, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ appeared to this simple nun, bringing with Him a wonderful message of Mercy for all mankind. Saint Faustina tells us in her diary under this date:  "In the evening, when I was in my cell, I became aware of the Lord

Jesus clothed in a white garment. One hand was raised in blessing,

the other was touching the garment at the breast. From the opening

of the garment at the breast there came forth two large rays, one

red and the other pale. In silence I gazed intently at the Lord;

my soul was overwhelmed with fear, but also with great joy. After

a while Jesus said to me, 'paint an image according to the pattern

you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in You.'"

St. Faustina lived a very short time in this world, but has had a HUGE impact on the world since her death in 1938. 

Dear St. Faustina, I have come to know you as a friend. I ask you to plead to the Lord for me the prayer I ask of you. In times of doubt, dear friend, implore the Lord's Mercy as you did so often here on earth, that I may remember who I am, and to what His mercy has called me.

In times of fear, implore His Mercy that I may ever remember to trust, and trust again, in joy, and in the knowledge that God is preparing me for a beautiful mission.

Please pray dear St. Faustina, that I may never forget that the abyss between my Lord and I has been bridged by His tender mercy. He will continue to be faithful and heal me of anything which stands in the way of His Will. My life is in His Hands.

Thank you dear friend. Pray with me the prayer Our Lord taught you to spread throughout the world; Jesus, I trust in You! Remind all pilgrims of life that if our trust is great, there is no limit to Jesus' generosity. Amen.

 

Review: Adventures in Booga Booga Land

First, I have to say that I think this dvd would sell better if it was set somewhere else than "Booga Booga Land" ... it's just too goofy of a name. 

But, that aside, this is a pretty good cartoon for the kids. The Adventures in Booga Booga Land is an animated series made in Canada based on Richard Milner's allegories, compiled in his book Adventures in Booga Booga.  The dvd has three episodes which bring parables of Jesus into a new context -- that of BoogaBooga Land.  Marty the monkey and Gerard the giraffe are the "stars" of the series and work all different kinds of jobs ... which is how they get involved in the scenarios that evolve into the telling of the parables. 

All of the parables on this dvd are from Matthew:

1. the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1-16)
2. the wise and foolish builders (Matt 7:24-27)
3. the lamp under the bowl (Matt 5:14-16)

All are well done re-tellings (except for the third which doesn't have as clean a link between the Booga Booga story and the original parable).  My kids -- 7, 10, and 11 -- and I all liked the stories on the dvd.  The animation is well-done (especially at a time when most of the animation done for kids is cheesy computer-generated graphics or ugly).  The voices are appropriate (and cute with the Canadian accents!).  The music is not irritating but peppy and "fits" the stories.

Overall, I'd say this is a great dvd to show kids of all ages.  I wish they had a study-guide or resource at the end of discussing the links between these cartoons and the scriptures; definitely want to take advantage of the teachable moments engendered by these stories.

---

Disclaimer:  I recd this dvd as part of the Book Sneeze program.  I promised to post a review of the product.  The words of the review above are  honest opinion of this dvd.
 

What a great weekend ....

... to be a Virginian, a Catholic, a fiber fanatic and a mom/wife!

Why?
.... a Virginian -- because this weekend's weather was pure Fall!  Crisp days, chilly nights, the promise of rain on Monday (but who cares ... since it's Monday!).  No joke: the weather from Friday through Sunday afternoon was just perfect ... and we enjoyed it to the hilt.

.... a Catholic -- because our pastor, who is an amazingly devout priest, resurrected the tradition of First Saturday devotions:  exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, benediction, rosary, confession, and private prayer ... culminating in the celebration of Holy Mass.  All before 10:00 in the morning.  It was wonderful (especially the ability to receive the graces bestowed by the sacrament of Reconciliation) and an amazing turn-out considering it started at 8:00 on a Saturday!

.... a fiber fanatic -- because this gorgeous weekend included the ability to attend both days of the Fall Fiber Festival down at James Madison's Montpelier.  In its 23rd year, this fiber festival is a fiber-fanatic's paradise.  Raw wool, spun roving, yarns in every color imaginable ... sheep dog trials ... weaving, spinning and knitting demonstrations (I did this for an hour each day ... with my String Bean right alongside knitting away) ... supplies and finished products to buy (or in my case, drool over) ... and the nicest people with whom you'd ever want to hang.  The weather cooperated nicely ... threatening rain in the afternoon but holding off till the late evening.  A woman with a lovely voice and personality, seranaded us on Sunday with her dulcimer while String Bean and I knitted away.  [And to finish off the weekend, I was able to make some contacts for possible knitting-design work!]

.... a mom/wife -- because I got to hang out with my lovely, talented, crafty 10 year-old daughter for big batches of time both days ... I got to play catch (with a football) with my wonderfully athletic sons (re-playing the near-upset of Tenn vs LSU on Saturday) ... I got to play with Max (9 weeks old on Friday) who has settled into the family-circle nicely and is allowing me to get 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep before needing to go "out" ... and quality time spent with my gift-from-God husband!

What more could a girl want? [Lest you think BamBam doesn't like Max ... it's just that he refused to take a picture as he had football to watch/play/talk about!]

 

Feast Day: St. Francis of Assisi

Today is the celebration of St. Francis of Assisi, known throughout the world as the man of great charity toward all God's creation. St. Francis, who lived a wild youth, had an amazing conversion experience which led to his founding the Friars Minor, popularly known as the Franciscans.

Francis begged God to allow him to suffer as Jesus had on the Cross. While on retreat at a mountain-top monastery near Assisi, on September 17 1224, St. Francis got his request: the stigmata, the five wounds of Christ.

We were blessed to visit this mountain monastery in the Tuscany back in 2000. We were in the middle of our Jubilee Year Pilgrimage and thought we'd stay at LaVerna for a few days, using it as our base for visiting Siena, Assisi and other towns around the area. When we arrived at Chiusi della Verna, we felt such peace ... we ended up staying on the mountain for four days (only coming down one day to do laundry in the town below the fortress-like monastery). What a blessing to pray and walk the path of Francis and other Franciscans who continue to pray and work and love in Francis' shadow!

Below is a painting by Ghirlondhiao (1449-1494) that shows the mountain of LaVerna ... where Francis and others came to pray and retreat from the world ... the place of such unbelievable peace even today ... a place we couldn't leave ...

St. Francis had a great devotion and faith in God and everlasting life.  Reportedly, as he lay dying, he was heard to pray ... "bring my soul out of prison".

St. Francis, you who bore the wounds of Christ without complaint, pray for us in our trials and tribulations ... help us to offer these to God.

St. Francis, pray for us!

A lovely St. Francis quote ... and one I use at the bottom of my By Hand, With Heart letterhead ... says:

He who works with his hands is a laborer.

He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.

But, he who works with his hands, his head, and his heart, is an artist

 

Review: Tin Cups and Tinder: A Catholic Boy's Little Book of Fire, Food & Fun

Alice Cantrell does it yet again!  First, she came out with Sewing with St. Anne ... a classic hand- and machine-sewing book for girls that I've used extensively with mine own lovely girls and recommend to others for teaching sewing.  Then a few years later, she wrote Tea and Cake with the Saints: A Catholic Young Lady's Introduction to Hospitality and the Home Arts.  These were both directed at the girls in the family -- sewing and cooking and welcoming others.  The books were replete with great explanations of HOW to do all these wonderful skills.  These were proof that you could teach 21st century girls how to embrace the good, the true and the beautiful.

But what about the boys in the family?

Introducing Tin Cups and Tinder: A Catholic Boy's Little Book of Fire, Food & Fun.  This volume proofs that boys, too, can be taught the good, the true and the beautiful! If attractive pictures/presentation are half-the-battle for hooking a young audience today, than Cantrell has won the war.  The book includes gorgeous pictures of antique camping and outdoor cooking equipment and beautiful pictures of the final products ... if that doesn't get the boys in your house chompin' at the bit to use this book ....

The book begins by explaining cooking in the kitchen as well as cooking outdoors.  She then follows that section with a section of amazing, boy-friendly recipes:  cornbread, pancakes, brownies, and hot chocolate mix to name just a few.  

For more hands-on fun, the boys are taught to sew -- simple hand-stitching that comes in handy for sewing on buttons.  But, Cantrell adds some fun sewing projects:  a pot holder, haversack and a pocket-sized sewing kit.  She also explains WHY boys should sew!  These are projects that teach useful skills while also giving the boys something useful to have. 

The final section deals with book-binding -- making a nature notebook and a portable plant press(to keep in the haversack the boy made in the previous section).  What better way to have boys off couches, away from the video games, and out into God's creation than to have them create their own nature journals?  And the plant press is an ingenious use of out-grown board books.

Scattered throughout this useful book are quotes from male saints as well as biographies of these saints that help guide our young men to His Kingdom.

I can't recommend this book enough -- it's so wonderful to find a useful, beautifully presented, practical guide to life skills for boys.  And it's Catholic to-boot.  What's not to love?  This book needs to be high on every parent's Christmas list for their boys (and girls could get quite a bit of good stuff out of it,too).

 

Feast Day: St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower

Today's feast is rather special for us.  We have a great devotion to the Little Flower and her Little Way.  She can teach us all humility and obedience to God's Will even when it goes against our rather strong wills (she's a self-diagnosed spoiled and stubborn princess).  Her ability to attain what she believed was God's will for her (entrance into Carmel at a young age) while also accepting life in Carmel and not in the Missions prove her love and faith in God.

A funny story about St. Therese -- last Advent, we started a new family tradition of drawing saints to be our patron for the year.  All the saints chosen had an affiliation with priests, since 2010 was declared "The Year of Priests".  We had all kinds of saints -- young, old, male, female, religious and lay.  We all drew names:  BamBam got St. Ignatius of Loyola, LegoManiac got St. John Marie Vianney, I got St. Damien of Molokai (who had just been canonized), and dh got St. Catherine of Siena.  String Bean pulled St. Therese of Lisieux ... a saint she's been hearing about all her life; String Bean was not happy: she wanted a new "cool saint.  We let her re-draw.  She drew again:  St. Therese of Lisieux.

"You didn't choose her ... she chose you, dear!"

St. Therese of the Little Flower, pray for all of us! 

and a very special prayer for God's many blessings to our little friend Tess on her 5th birthday this Sunday.

Oh, and the menu tonight? Cheesy-Focaccia (String Bean's request for her patronal feast) and Eclairs (St. Therese's favorite treat). 

CHEESY FOCCACIA in an hour!


Ingredients:
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup grated mozzarella (in the dairy section)
• 1 cup Italian blend grated cheese (in the dairy section)

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and water.
2. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Mix oil and dry parmesan + 1 tsp garlic powder. Brush top with mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Add remaining cup of Italian blend cheeses. Pop in turned-off oven to melt and keep warm. Serve warm.

Little Flower Eclairs


Ingredients:
½ cup butter
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
4 eggs
1 (5 oz) package instant vanilla pudding
½ cup choc chips
2 cups milk
1 cup choc chips
2 tbls butter
3 tbls strong coffee

Preheat oven to 450. Grease a cookie sheet.
In a med saucepan, combine butter and water. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts. Reduce heat to low and add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and begins to form a stiff ball. Remove from heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate compeltely. With a spoon or pastry bag pipe dough into 1-1/2x4 inch strips.
Bake 15 min in the preheated oven, reduce heat to 325 and bake 20 minutes more, until hollow sounding when lightly tapped on bottom. Cool completely on wire rack.
Make pudding as directed on package, adding chocolate chips just because…..
Cut tops off of cooled shells and fill with pudding.
Icing: melt 1 cup choc chips, 2 tbls butter, 3 tbls hot, strong coffee – stirring till smooth. Spread on eclairs and serve.