Lent 2011: a third desktop background ...

 

Lent 2011: another desktop background ...

... based on today's responsorial psalm ...

 

Feast Day: St. Katherine Drexel

St. Katherine Drexel, born into a fabulously wealthy family, spent an estimated $20 million of her family fortune to help the African- and Native-Americans throughout the country.  She opened schools, convents and centers throughout the country, including Xavier University, in New Orleans some 80 years ago.  A tireless worker for minorities, St. Katherine founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, and at the age of 77 suffered a major heart attack which left her confined to the motherhouse in Pennsylvania.  The last 20 years of her life were spent in prayer for her sisters and the minorities.  She died in 1955 and was canonized by JPtheGreat in 2000, one of only five canonized American-citizens (and the second born in the United States).

 

Feast Day: St. Brigid of Kildare and Anne's birthday ...

Today is one of String Bean's patronal feasts ... St. Brigid of Ireland ... we'll make BarmBrack and I've already made a confetti cake (for the weather-cancelled St. Agnes Fiber Club meeting) ... so we are good to go.

It is also my favorite sister's 55th birthday today!  God bless you, Aunt Anne ... we love you.  Thanks for helping the kids with the "snow dance" ... we have another snow-day today!

And may all your angels keep you warm ... and cozy ... and safe ... wherever you go today!

 

Feast Day: St. John Bosco

St. John Bosco (1815-1888) was a priest, educator and champion of the young.  He has some amazing insights into teaching the young (a wonderful resource for Boscovian quotes can be found at Saint Bosco.org.)  A great way for the kids to understand this wonderful man's life is the movie St. John Bosco: Mission to Love (Italian but dubbed in English)... a favorite around here!
 

Feast Day: St. Thomas Aquinas ....

St. Thomas,

please watch over all our students today and throughout the year ...

help them to remember that

"love takes up where knowledge leaves off" ...

St. Thomas Aquinas, pray for us!

 

Obedience ... my word for 2011 ...

As I've mentioned previously, my "word" for 2011 is "obedience" ... "docility to the will of God" .... "cheerful embracing of God's desires for me" ...

Sounds easy? 

Not if you were raised in the United States in the last half-century.  Americans are taught from cradle-to-grave to be independent, self-reliant, demanding what WE want.  If you are an American woman raised in the last half-century ... you've been taught: "you are woman, hear you roar", "it's your body and no one can tell you what to do to it", "you can want it all ... you can have it all ...you can do it all".

If you notice, nowhere in that paragraph above is there anything about me submitting to anyone else ... let alone God.  Nowhere is there mention of allowing God to have His say in my life.  Nowhere is there even the suggestion that I would need anyone or anything else in my life.

What a load of cow manure! 

But this is what the "American dream" has become ... self-centered claptrap engendering chaos, discord and disunity.  Is this REALLY what we're meant to do here on Earth?  Is this really getting us what we want?

I'm thinking not.  I'm thinking that when I back off from my own desires -- not needs, but wants --when I submit to others, sacrifice for others, seek the needs of others, I am so much happier.  I have such a better day and go to bed with a clean conscience and a stronger love for all.   

THAT's why my word for 2011 is obedience -- docility to God's will and cheerful acceptance of where I am and who I am and what I am.  

The prayer card above I created to help me remember my goals.  I will put it on my laptop as my "wallpaper" so that every time I pass my desk ... or sit down to work ... or get ready to school the kids, I will think of this prayer and my need ... my desire ... my wish to bend my will to Him who created me. 

[A personal note:  This is a prayer attributed to St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits).  My father, God rest his soul, really liked this prayer and, furthermore, LIVED this prayer: May I be so blessed as he was.]

 

This is why our fiber club is under the patronage of St Agnes ...

Pope blesses special lambs on Feast of St. Agnes :: Catholic News Agency (CNA). 

Don't you love how the little lamb is all decked out in roses and leaves ... he almost looks like an Easter cake!  The article linked above has pictures including what the pallia look like and further info about this annual "blessing of the lambs".
















and the prayer card I created last year for this special day ...

m

WooHoo ... John Paul the Great .... Blessed-to-be!

How cool is this?  The Vatican announces that JPtheGreat will be beatified on May 1, 2011 .... 

• http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2011/01/coming-soon-blessed-jpii.htm
• http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/01/14/vatican.john.paul.beatification/index.html
• http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/breaking/2011/01/14/benedict-xvi-announces-beatification-of-john-paul-ii/
• http://www.radiovaticana.org/EN1/Articolo.asp?c=454138
• http://press.catholica.va/news_services/bulletin/news/26696.php?index=26696&lang=en

 Road trip, anyone?????? 

New Year ... new mottoes ...

So, we have put our family under the patronage of the Holy Family for 2011 (yes, we need all the help we can get).  The cool thing?  We rec'd a gorgeous Holy Family picture from dear friend and graphic artist, Maura Harrison, and our Pastor gave us a copy of the following Prayer for Family ...

---

The family word for the year is:

Charity

and not in the contemporary sense of the word where we give stuff to the poor, or serve in a soup kitchen, or visit the home-bound (altho those may all be things we'll do this year).

Here's the definition of Charity that we'll be working on in 2011:

Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God.

(CCC #1822)

Yes, that WILL BE our first copywork assignment once we start school back up!

---

My word for 2011 is

OBEDIENCE

or rather DOCILITY to the Will of God

and it's funny that today (Jan 4th) is the feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton as she has a great quote about obedience (and one that I might just have to memorize ... or tattoo on my arm ... or post on my laptop!):

The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God;
secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it;
and thirdly to do it because it is his will.

---

Today at Mass, Father gave a great sermon about St. Elizabeth and used this quote. I loved his explanation: not only do we need to decide that DOING God's will is a good thing, but we also need to joyously and willingly DO God's will, and, further, we need to not worry about why God wants us to be in a certain place at a certain time, but to accept that it's God's will and, in the words of Nike ... JUST DO IT! 

Since I'm one of those people who likes to over-analyze and second guess WHY, this third point is particularly important for me to remember.

Thank you, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton!

Prayers for a healthy, holy and happy 2011 for one and all ... and by the way, we'll be making Colonial Brown Bread in honor of St. Elizabeth Ann for dinner tonight ... 
UPDATED:  this brown bread recipe was deemed the BEST bread I've ever made ... and since it's yeast-less and dummy-proof, looks like I'm going to have to start stocking buttermilk!

Novenas: when prayers are answered ....

... sometimes God really needs to give me a "thwack" upside the head!  Back on November 30th, I began a St. Andrew Novena -- 15 times per day I said the following prayers, each day from November 30th till December 25th.  I made it easier to remember by printing the below prayer card which I'd designed, printing it out, and putting it right next to my computer -- throughout the day, I would pray this prayer, mentioning my intention, and thinking about the words (especially that Jesus was born, not just in a dirty, messy stable, but at midnight in freezing cold!).

Anyway, a dear online friend mentioned today that she had rec'd her request in a wonderful way ... and I duly remarked on how wonderful that was and kept on keeping on ... until tonight.  I then realized that I too received my request ... and God is so very good!

May all your needs be filled by our good and gracious God!  Thanks be to God for giving us not just His love (which is amazing) but also other humans who have given it all to Him and now help all of us who ask!  Thank you St. Andrew for your intercessions and thank you, God, for your great love!



 

Feast Day: Pope St. Damasus I

Pope St. Damasus I fought against the Arian heresy as well as fighting succesfully to preserve the primacy of the Apostolic See.  With his suggestion and assistance, St. Jerome finished his Vulgate translation of the Bible.  St. Damasus also worked to restore the Catacombs ... still preserved to this day. 

[note:  the above image of St. Damasus is from St. Peter's Basilica, a place every Catholic should visit at least once in their lifetime!]

Pope St. Damasus, you worked tirelessly for the Truth.  Pray for me ... help me to always work for the Truth ... doing the good and avoiding the evil!  

 

Feast Day: Feast of the Immaculate Conception

This is a BIG feast around here: the feast when we honor the fact that the Blessed Mother was conceived without the stain of original sin ... was pure from her conception ... so filled with grace that God chose her to be the mother of His son!

This is such a big feast that even dh "parties" -- on his way to work he stopped to get a sausage biscuit and coffee at McD's.  For those of you who KNOW my husband, this is really kickin' back for him.

Unfortunately my littles are sick!  String Bean has been down with a horrific cold since Friday -- she's getting better but her voice sounds like a bad impression of Lauren Bacall.  BamBam is sneezling and generally icky while poor LegoManiac has been feeling the pangs of a horrific cold that has his stomach so upset that he's been in the bathroom off and on for about 2 hours now (it's 6:00 a.m.) and generally unable to sleep.  The poor kids ... we don't even know if we'll make it to Mass today, that's how pitiful all are.

But, as the kids awaken and feel like it they'll be joining me in a new tradition: on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, we will each make our own Nativity sets as well as put up and decorate our family one.  My plan is that each year, as the children's skills improve, the Nativity sets become more and more elaborate -- something that will become an heirloom collection that they can take with them as they grow into adults. 

This year, String Bean and LegoManiac have opted to make theirs with felt, making sewn 3-d shapes and stuffing them.  BamBam wants to make his from wood -- painting a simple, thin-wood set.  I'm going to make a "bread dough" set.  We will at least finish the Baby Jesus figures today as our Pastor will bless Jesus at Sunday's Mass (which is also the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe) -- so those kids better get better!  Although, somehow when we have a school day that includes crafting, miraculous cures take effect.

Prayers that your day is blessed with the intercessions of Our Lady and that you continue to experience a holy, healthy and happy Advent season.
 

Advent 2010: Second Sunday of Advent

Prayers for a holy, healthy and happy Advent 2010 ... from our house to yours ....

 

Feast Day: St. Andrew, Apostle

Today is the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, brother of St. Peter.  St. Andrew was crucified on an x-shaped cross when trying to evangelize the Greeks -- he lived for two days on that cross, continuing his preaching!

Tonight, we'll make St. Andrew Scones (with x's on the top, of course) from the recipe at Catholic Cuisine (altho I'll probably change them slightly and will post our version tonight).

 

Feast Day: St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Today is the feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, the daughter of Alexander II of Hungary.  At the age of 4, she was sent to live in the court of the Landgrave of Thuringia since she was betrothed to his son.  At 13, she married Louis and they had three children.  In spite of her position at Court, she was dedicated to helping the poor, the homeless and others unjustly accused.  When her husband died in the Crusades, Elizabeth left the world and became a tertiary Franciscan, continuing to help the poor and destitute, building the Franciscan hospital at Marburg.  She died at the age of 24. 

St. Elizabeth of Hungary, even though you had all the power and prestige of the world of your day, you renounced it all to take of God's poorest.  Help me to always help others with a willing spirit, punctually.  St. Elizabeth of Hungary, pray for us!

FYI:  the image in the prayer card above is from a painting done by Marianne Stokes  (1855-1927).  Titled St. Elizabeth of Hungary Spinning for the Poor, this picture not only shows St. Elizabeth's youth but her tireless working for the poor and destitute. 

Dinner tonight?  Red Bean and Rice Soup from Br. Victor-Antoine's Twelve Month of Monastery Soup (with a bit of a tweak ... adding leeks with one onion, mixed peppers in lieu of the carrots, but otherwise ... I'll do the recipe!) and kalacs (a Hungarian sweet bread) to eat with the soup.  Charlotte over at Waltzing Matilda led me to the recipe, but I'm tweaking that a bit too.  Here's my version:

KALACS (Hungarian Cinnamon Bread) with slight revisions from moi!


Ingredients:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (+ scant 1/4 cup if dough too sticky)
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 tbls envelope active dry yeast
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• melted butter for brushing
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup brown sugar

Directions:
1. Place flour, white sugar, salt, and yeast large bowl; stir to combine. Measure milk and butter into a microwavable bowl and heat till butter melts. Add egg and vanilla and stir till all combined. Pour liquid into the flour mixture. Stir until dough clings together. Continue to knead in the bowl until comes off the sides; add up to 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour if needed.
2. Place dough into a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Punch down dough, turn out onto a floured work surface, and divide into 2 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 1/3 inch thick rectangle. Brush each square with melted butter. Mix together cinnamon, walnuts and brown sugar in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the two rectangles.
4. Roll each firmly into a log, pinch the ends closed, and tuck them underneath. Place each into a greased loaf pan. Cover, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
6. Brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter, then bake in preheated oven until loaves are golden brown, and sound hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes.

mmm... the smells in the kitchen are amazing!


 

Feast Day: St. Margaret of Scotland

Today is the feast of St. Margaret of Scotland, one of String Bean's patron saints.  St. Margaret, born in Hungary to the exiled King of England, fled to Scotland to live under the protection of Malcolm.  They married and she brought sanctity, charity and love to the Scottish kingdom -- softening Malcolm and his court's ways and helping to reform the Catholic church in Scotland.  Margaret worked hard to obtain good teachers, to correct the evil practices, and to have new churches built. She loved to make these churches beautiful for God's glory, and she embroidered the priest's vestments herself (I wonder if she knitted, too?). 

Malcolm and Margaret had six sons and two daughters, the youngest son is St. David.

St. Margaret, you knew trials and triumphs in your lifetime and yet never wavered from your faith in God.  Let my faith be as strong in good times, and especially in bad times.  St. Margaret of Scotland, pray for us all ... especially String Bean!


 

Feast Day: St. Albert the Great

Today is the feast of St. Albert the Great, a renowned Dominican philosopher, theologian and scientist who taught at the universities in Cologne and Paris.  It was at the University of Paris that St. Albert taught St. Thomas Aquinas, encouraging Thomas to write the Summa.  St. Albert's works included the compilation of an encyclopedia of the learning of his day. His study of the natural sciences was far ahead of his time .

St. Albert the Great, please pray for all our students and teachers today ... may we always seek the Truth!

 

Feast Day: St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

Today is the feast of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first US citizen canonized.  Born the 13th child into a prosperous Italian farm family, Frances Xavier (whose patron, St. Francis Xavier, was the missionary she wanted to be) was asked to organize and run orphanages for Italian children.  Altho she would have prefered the life of a missionary to the far-east, she stayed in Italy and opened orphanages, schools and convents all over her country, using her newly founded Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to staff the facilities.

She was so successful within Italy, that Pope Leo XIII asked her to go to the United States and help the Italian immigrants who had left poverty in their homeland to travel to the distant western continent.  In 1889, she arrived in New York with seven other sisters and began her work of building and bettering the lives of not only the Italian immigrants, but of all immigrants.  Mother Cabrini now extended her activities to westward: Newark, Scranton, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles, all became familiar territory. In Colorado she visited the mining camps, where the high rate of fatal accidents left an unusually large number of fatherless children to be cared for. Wherever she went men and women began to take constructive steps for the remedying of suffering and wrong, so powerful was the stimulus of her personality. Her warm desire to serve God by helping people, especially children, was a steady inspiration to others and the establishment of each school, orphanage or convent seemed touched by the miraculous, for the necessary funds generally materialized in some last-minute, unexpected fashion.

In 1909, at the age of 59, Mother Cabrini became a naturalized US citizen.  In 1917, coming back from a trip west, she stopped in Chicago.  Worn out by her never-ceasing work, Mother Cabrini succumbed to a recurrence of malaria and died.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, missionary in your homeland and missionary to your adopted country, you worked tirelessly for the poor and downtrodden, the sorrowful and lonely.  Watch over us all as we go about our days:  Help us to see Christ in the less fortunate as you so readily did.  Help us to love as you so readily did.  Help us to work till we drop, always willingly obeying God's wishes for us.  St. Frances Cabrini, pray for us!


 

Feast Day: St. Josaphat, Martyr

Today is the feast of St. Josaphat a man born into the Orthodox Church in Lithuania. St. Josaphat later converted to the Latin Rite, joining the Basilian monastery at the age of 24.  He worked tirelessly to end the division, the Great Schism, between the East and the West and to promote and assure unity amongst the Catholics and the supremacy of the papacy.  He was later named Archbishop of Polotsk and died a martyr's death by axe-blow AND bullet-shot at the age of 43.

St. Josaphat, you worked tirelessly and fearlessly to unite the two-halves of the Church and bring unity and accord.  May I, too, do whatever is necessary to assist at the unification of the Church and rebuild the Kingdom for God.  St. Josaphat, pray for us all!