Sunday, December 18, 2011

O Antiphons

I am going to link to a page here that explains the O Antiphons. This is the first year we have included this in our Advent. My family looked at me kind of weird, wondering where I am coming up with this stuff but learning the Catholic faith is teaching me that there is alot I do not know.  


An antiphon is a short sentence sung or recited before or after a song or canticle. Many times this is a Scripture verse.


The “O Antiphons” refer to the seven antiphons that are prayed before the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the wonderful period of Advent preparation known as the Octave (or 8 days) before Christmas, Dec. 17-23, with Dec. 24 being Christmas Eve and Vespers for that evening being for the Christmas Vigil.
Today is day six of the O Antiphons:


O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, expectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos,  Domine, Deus noster.


O Emmanuel, God with us, our Kind and Lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: Come to save us, O Lord our God.




http://maryellenb.typepad.com/o_night_divine/advent---o-antiphons-dec-17-23/


I think this website explains it very well and has great coloring pages, more like the one above, or just use as pictures to help teach your children the O Antiphons.  I printed them all out and we are praying them in the morning with our Advent devotions or in the evening before our meal and then I place them on the refrigerator. My son is a little too old for coloring so I just use them as pictures.


I thought I would add this website also.  http://fisheaters.com/customsadvent10.html


Happy 4th Week of Advent!!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

December 6: Feast of St. Nicholas

Don't forget December 6th is the Feast of St. Nicholas. Here is a link to a great website with a lot of resources. Whether you homeschool or not it would be a good idea for your child to know of the true story St. Nicholas.
What I like hearing about is how he attended the Council of Nicea and played a role in the Nicene Creed we recite every Sunday.

We traditionally have our son put his shoes out by the fireplace and then I put something in them the night before for him in the morning. It has ranged from candy to small toys and lately since he has entered the teen years, a little bit of money. We could do stockings as that was supposedly part of the legend but we do shoes. For Christmas I will put the stockings out and maybe put a little something in them but since we do St. Nicholas Day I am not real big on the stockings.

I like remembering the real St. Nicholas.

Happy Second Week of Advent

Oh, what a beautiful season. I love this time of year.

Here is today's Gospel reading:


Gospel     Mk 1:1-8

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.


As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
he will prepare your way.
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
"Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths."
John the Baptist appeared in the desert

proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
People of the whole Judean countryside
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem
were going out to him
and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River
as they acknowledged their sins.
John was clothed in camel's hair,
with a leather belt around his waist.
He fed on locusts and wild honey.
And this is what he proclaimed:
"One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Sunday, November 27, 2011

ADVENT



FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT 
MAY GOD'S BLESSINGS BE UPON YOU.


Well, I think the first day of the new translation of the Catholic missal went well, though, next to me in Mass this morning was an elderly woman who whispered to me she was too old for all the changes. I could tell she was having a hard time with the missal. I am very glad for the changes. It feels awesome to me to know we are speaking closer to what the Latin text is. I know many people disagree with this but I like following along in the missal and I think people would get more out of it if they would, too.


On another note, I put up my advent wreath and candles today.  I purchased the regular taper candles and decorated around them but I am considering purchasing the LED tapers. I have seen them at a couple of different web sites. I just think they would be a little safer. Plus I could let them stay lit for most of the day. I am going out tomorrow to see if I can find them in a store somewhere. Hope so.







I, also purchased a devotional for the season. It focuses on writings of St. Francis.  I hope  to use this every morning with my son.








http://www.amazon.com/Advent-Christmas-Wisdom-Francis-Assisi/dp/0764817566








I hope you all have plans to draw closer to our Lord this Advent. It is a most beautiful time of the year.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving.

Just a little post with a little link about the first thanksgiving. I love this story. It is pretty interesting.

ttp://www.traditioninaction.org/History/B_005_Onate_Thanksgiving.html


HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Housekeeping Schedule

Okay, so I like to have a clean house. It gives me a good feeling but a clean house doesn't just happen. It takes work and organization and decluttering.  I am going to attach a copy of my schedule I just recently made up. It still needs a little tweaking but you will get the idea.

There are a couple of things I would like to touch on. One is everyone has their own way of cleaning. Their own preferences.  I have recently been reviewing several books on scheduling and housekeeping. It seems that the more modern the book, the more the advice refers to working women. The advice is for what to do when you get home from work. That's fine but it just doesn't apply to me. I work only  a few days a month and so I am home most of the time. I need advice that helps me get my work done during the day. I ordered a well-recommended book today to help with my homemaking endeavors. The book is The GoodHousekeeping Book of Housekeeping 1947. I'll let you know how it is when I get it.
I like to do my cleaning one to two days a week as you will see on my schedule. I usually clean on Mondays and Tuesdays, dividing my chores into two categories: high and low. High things need dusted, wiped and scrubbed. These are things such as countertops and tables. Low things are floors that need scrubbed, mopped or vacuumed.  If I get everything finished in two days I feel like I have the rest of the week to do other things without a feeling of disorganization. Some others may tell you they prefer to clean a little everyday. If that works for you, that's fine. I don't because I like a feeling of accomplishment.

Now this is going to get switched around on my second thought and that is laundry. I do my laundry a little every day and then finish up with one big laundry day toward the end of the week. I am not sure why but I don't need that great feeling of accomplishment with laundry or maybe I just don't think it is doable, for me anyway. Everyday there are clothes my family needs. They can not wait one week for me to wash all of or certain items they need. So everyday I do at least one load of laundry and that way I can keep it a minimum.

Another thing to consider is to keep your schedule doable.  If you try to schedule too much in one day you will get exhausted. Also, ages and number of children and whether or not you homeschool. When I homeschooled my schedule would look a lot different. I am home by myself now and my son is in school so I can get alot  more accomplished.  One more thing to consider is your age. My mother in law is almost 80 years old but is a great housekeeper. Her house is always in order but she does things alot different than I and  doesn't do as much as I in a day and I am sure I can't do as much as a young person in their 20's could do in a day.

So, I hope to be adding more to this topic but here are a just a couple of ideas to get started on your schedule. First write down everything you would like to get done in a day, a week, or a month. Figure out what you are capable doing in a day. You might want to categorize the list into wants and needs.

I have found scheduling my day works so much better than winging it. I can get so much more accomplished and thus find I have a great feeling.




Time/Day
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
0600
Rise and shower
---------------
-----------------
-------------
----------
0630
Make coffee/oatmeal/wake Josh/start laundry
---------------
-----------------
--------------
----------
0650
Fix Josh breakfast
--------------
---------------
---------------
----------
0730
Josh to school
--------------
---------------
----------------
----------
0800
Errands, prayer
--------------
---------------
-----------------
---------
0930
Begin laundry/ cleaning day/
-----------
mop floors every other week alternate with sheet changing
Grocery shop
Laundry catchup/clean out frig
Start ironing/laundry or mow if needed/end of week shopping for weekend needs
1130
Lunch
--------------
---------------
---------------
-------
1230
Finish cleaning
Finish cleaning
Pick up around house
Put laundry away
Put laundry away



Correspondences/ bills/insurance work
sewing
Continue ironing/sew if time allows. Monthly chores.
---------
-------------------
------------
----------------------
----------------
------------------
300
Leave to pick up Josh (unless crew)
------------
---------------
-----------------
-----------------
400
supper prep
-------------
------------------
--------------
----------------
430
Leave to pick up Josh if crew
-------------
------------------
--------------
----------------
530-600
Supper
--------------
-------------------
--------------
-----------------
Evening
Enjoy family
--------------
------------------
---------------
----------------



The times are not set in stone, are more of a routine and I do adjust as needed.  I don't get caught up on the time. I make my schedule my help not my master. I, also, soon will be adding a monthly schedule to go with this, so I can get chores done that don't need accomplished as often. That slot is included on Fridays.
Happy homemaking

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Housecleaning

It's been a while since I posted. Alot has been happening and I am trying to be more of a housewife at home. I love it. There is always something I can be doing, but I do have to admit one of my least favorite jobs is laundry. I don't know why but I think it is the bending and pulling, you know moving the clothes from the washer to the dryer. I have found putting the clothes away is the easiest part of doing the laundry.  I love the feeling of having the clothes done up and put away, though. It is a very good feeling.

It is the same with cleaning the house.  I don't mean to be judgemental but I often wonder how women can leave their homes everyday knowing that it is a mess and needs cleaning. Maybe I am just some kind of a neat freak but there is something about a clean house. It could just be a feeling of satisfaction. I don't know but I do know when it is clean and I sit down in the evening and turn on the low lights and relax I have this great feeling that I have done something good. I have created a peaceful haven for myself and my family.  I enjoy the smell of pine from cleaning products and lemon from dusting products and I have a sense of order when everything is in its place.

I wasn't raised that way, except that I as a child had to clean my own room. I can remember dusting and picking up and straightening. I had hardwood floors so I had to sweep. Then when it was evening I would sit with satisfaction with my low milk glass light in my room and it was great. I had a feeling of accomplishment, a homey feeling.

You see my mom worked 4 days a week and didn't always have time to clean so she was very busy. Not that she was messy, she just didn't have the time to spend on it.  I remember a woman lived next door to us who kept her house clean. She was a stay at home mom, a housewife and I always admired the order of her home.

Don't get me wrong, I have messes. My house gets messy. I clean once a week and so there are days it gets bad and right now I am tackling different projects, that have gone way too long and are very cluttered. Some of my projects are cleaning out dresser drawers, lining shelves, cleaning junk drawers,  closets and the garage. There are lots of jobs to be done at home. Being a housewife is good and godly. I love the old phrase, "cleanliness is next to godliness." 

You know we can lift our household chores up to God and make them prayers to him as we do them and ask him to bless our homes and make them great domestic churches because as the scriptures say, "unless the Lord build a house, they labor in vain who build it." Psalm 126:1. 

Happy cleaning.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Casey Anthony - A Catholic Christian Perspective

I haven't posted for a while. Part of me is trying to avoid some computer and another part of me has been on too much. I got a little caught up in the Casey Anthony case. Actually, I didn't even pay attention until about the last week or so. I didn't hear all of the testimony. The little bit I heard was very sad, no matter what theory you believe. Whether she murdered her daughter as the prosecutors say or she was sexually abused and Caylee drowned as her lawyer said.  Each story is horrible, but what about Caylee. The poor little victim in the story.  Every little life is valuable and should never end this way. To think a mother could do this to her child is depressing. How horrible to think her poor little body was left in the swamp and tore apart by animals. Many baby's bodies are torn apart every day, too.

I looked it up and since 1973 over 52 million abortions have been performed, according to ChristianLifeResources.com.  If Casey had killed her daughter two and a half years earlier, there would have not been a trial.  The death of Caylee is horrific and terribly sad but we need to remember killing is killing, whether in the womb or not. Murder is murder, whether babies, elderly or sick.  If a woman kills her baby in an abortion it is choice, if out of the womb, it is murder. These inconsistincies should not be so. We need to keep all mothers in prayer. Pray to end all murder, including abortion and remember every human being has a right to life- from the womb to the tomb.

Today it seems children have become a burden and motherhood dishonored. God thinks differently and our Catholic Christian faith tells us different. Protect every human life, born or yet to be born.

Second, what I want to address is how horrible an accusation was made of her father and brother. Whether or not the accusation is true or not, I don't know. According to Stop It Now up to 47% of sex abuse cases can be family or extended family.  This is something else I think is very sad. If her story is true, I don't know, but no one should ever be abused sexually by anyone.  We hear alot about the sex abuse scandal in the Church, which is terribly sad, but sex abuse is not a Catholic problem. It is a cultural problem. It happens all over and everywhere. Our culture is being severely attacked on an extreme level sexually, to harm and ruin the family. We must fight back with prayer and spiritual warfare.

Third, I am very bothered by the bullying done to Casey Anthony and the jury. Whether or not she is guilty I don't know. It makes me very angry when I hear about Caylee but I have no proof Casey is guilty. So, as a Christian I can't hate her or attack her. There is alot of cyber bullying, media bullying and even bullying of the jury going on  and it is not right. Casey had her day in court and it is over. All the bullying and attacking will only cause harm. It will hurt us. God instructs us to forgive. This is not dependent on the other person's repentance but it is our choice of cancelling the debt. We are forgiven. We must forgive. "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."

Just a link I want to add about a woman who was almost murdered just because she looked like Casey Anthony. http://www.news9.com/story/15084225/woman-mistaken-for-casey-anthony-attacked

How much more will this happen? I find this whole situation sad. Let us pray for mothers, babies and our country. Also, we need to pray for healing in the Casey family and pray for all families.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

About | Spiritual Motherhood

About Spiritual Motherhood

After posting the last post on The Seven Sorrows of Mary, I thought it might be a good idea to link you to the about page of Catholic Spiritual Motherhood. It appears to be an excellent ministry.

Benefits of Devotion to the Seven Sorrows | Spiritual Motherhood

Okay this is not my post either. I found this at http://www.catholicspiritualmotherhood.com/ but since we could all use these benefits in these trying times, I thought I would post it.

Benefits of the Devotion to the Seven Sorrows of Mary


The Blessed Virgin Mary grants seven

graces to the souls who honor her daily

by saying seven Hail Mary’s and

meditating on her tears and dolors.

I will grant peace to their families.

They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries.

I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.

I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.

I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.

I will visibly help them at the moment of their death, they will see the face of their Mother.

I have obtained from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors, will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son and I will be their eternal consolation and joy.

Our Lord promised the following four graces to St. John:

1.)Those who invoke the Heavenly Mother through her sorrows will obtain true sorrow for their sins before death.

2.) Our Savior will protect them in their tribulations, especially at the hour of death.

3.) He will impress upon them the memory of His Passion, and will reward them for it in Heaven.

4.) He will commit such devout servants to the hands of Mary, that she may dispose of them according to their pleasure, and obtain for them all the graces she desires.

Father Faber* names seven more graces:

1.) This devotion has a remarkable connection to great interior holiness.

2.) It reveals the emptiness of worldly joys. Worldliness finds no soul harder to attack than one entrenched in the sorrows of Our Blessed Mother.

3.) It gives us a permanent share in the sorrow for sin which Jesus and Mary felt.

4.) It keeps our thoughts close to Jesus Crucified.

5.) It communicates to our souls the spirit of the Cross and gives us strength to endure our own sufferings with resignation to the Holy Will of God.

6.) This devotion is wholly covered with the Precious Blood of Jesus and leads us directly into the depths of the Heart of Our Savior.

7.) Anyone who during their lifetime has felt compassion for our afflicted Mother may consider this a most assured sign of predestination.

Benefits of Devotion to the Seven Sorrows Spiritual Motherhood

Osama Bin Laden! How Much Do You Love Your Enemies?

This is a rather somber post and since I don't like to dwell here on sad issues too much, I will be posting something of a lighter note soon.

A 14 year old friend of my son made a comment on his Facebook page how any death is sad to God and then I found this post at Courageous Priest.com 

I think the points in this article say alot.  I think the whole situation should be one of sadness. He not only ruined the lives of so many people here in America, killing thousands but He led so many people in his own country into such horrible sins. It is not just the loss of thousands of lives but the loss of souls for eternity.

Osama Bin Laden! How Much Do You Love Your Enemies?Osama Bin Laden! How Much Do You Love Your Enemies?


This will make many people upset. It is a homily from Fr. Timothy Henderson. Very wise words for us to contemplate following the death of Osama Bin Laden. He answers some of the following questions.

•How does our reaction to Osama Bin Laden’s death stack up against the teachings of Christ?

•Why was he killed?

•Are you angry at this man?

•Can we curse Him?

•Can we want him to be in @#!*% ?

•Have you forgiven him?

•Have you or will you pray for him?

•Do you want justice against this man’s crimes?

Emphasis added.



_____________________



The Death of Osama Bin Laden and the Christian Response

Padre Pio once said, ‘without the Grace of God, all I know how to do is to sin and sin again.’ The Epistle of St. Jude tells us, ‘The archangel Michael, when he argued with the devil in a dispute over the body of Moses, did not venture to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him but said, “May the Lord rebuke you”.’ Jesus personally has told us, ‘”You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.’

How do your emotions and my emotions concerning the death of Osama Bin Laden stack up against the teachings of this Christ who we claim to be our leader and savior?

I do not speak of the question of whether or not he should be killed; by any standard of Just War Theory, his death saved lives. The question of the morality of his killing is not – repeat NOT – what I am talking about. He was killed to save lives, and I have every confidence his death achieved that.

Are you angry at this man? You have every right to be angry. There is such a thing as just anger. Do you believe he deserved justice? He deserved justice.

But now that he is dead, how does our reaction to this man’s death stack up against the teachings of this Christ who we claim to be our leader and savior? His actions were evil – there is no question about this. But are not the words of Padre Pio not also true? ‘Without the Grace of God, all I know how to do is to sin and sin again.’ There but the grace of God go you and I. His actions make us angry – and rightfully so, but as the Epistle of Jude tells us, the very holy St. Michael feared to curse out Satan – Satan who is more evil even the actions of this man bin Laden.
St. Michael feared to pronounce a reviling judgment on Satan. And if there was ever a human in our lifetime whom would fit my category of enemy, it is this man who ordered 19 other men to slam planes into buildings. But the words of Jesus tell us, ‘I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.’

I am sure most of us are not going lose too much sleep over the death of a man who was the cause of so much trouble – I know I will not. Yet at the same time, how does our reaction to this man’s death stack up against our Christian calling? Can we even say a quick prayer asking God for mercy or a last second conversion? Remember what I said yesterday, the call of being a Christian is absolutely incomprehensible to the world.

You know, one of the first homilies I ever preached here was on forgiveness, and I never ever received so much angry mail and e-mail in my life – no other homily has compared… and the anger was on forgiveness. I know I choose an extreme example, but Jesus’ example included the extremes. The level of anger I saw tells me I need to keep preaching about anger and forgiveness and how we treat our enemies until we all get it. This is a core teaching of our Faith.

Do you have a just anger at bin Laden? You should. Did you want justice against this man’s crimes? That is okay. Justice and mercy are – repeat are – compatible.

Jesus said, ‘I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.’ How does your reaction and my reaction towards this criminal stand up against the call of our Christianity? And I do not ask this question only for the sake of Osama Bin Laden; if you and I have non-Christian attitudes towards him, might we have them to a greater or lesser degree towards our neighbor?



_________________
We have edited the text slightly for ease of readability.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Mary, Our Mother

Not too long ago, someone made a comment that since Mary was sinless it would be hard to look to her as a role model for women. I find that hard to understand because if I am going to look to someone as an example of how to live right as a woman, I am going to look to someone who did things right.


As a woman and a mother these are some of the reasons I look to Mary as a model woman ; one she was a woman who obeyed the Lord and went visiting a family member in need. Women can learn from her to be selfless and care for others. There are many people in the world needing care and friendship. Families should help each other out more. Today families are so far apart many hardly see each other anymore.




She followed the laws of her faith when taking Jesus to the temple. We could all learn to be obedient to God, our faith and the ways of the Church.



She followed her husband to where he was led so they could protect their son. In this world mothers have alot of worries and concerns about their children. She and Joseph ran for their lives to keep their son from being killed. Moms run many ways today to protect the lives and souls of their children. Mary can be the example to us that we should be protecting and caring for our children from the evils of this world and listening to God's guidance as we do.



Another way I look to Mary is how she instructed the servers at the wedding of Cana tolook to Jesus and that can remind us to do the same thing. Even at her apparitions she instructs us as our mother to look to Jesus, to turn back to God. She, also, stood by his side when he was suffering and dying. When my son and husband are going through struggles in life I am reminded by her example to pray and stand by them and encourage them. I ask her to pray for us to help us to get through and I look to her.



For a mom there are so many worries and anxieties we go through for our children and our husbands, the best person I could ever think to learn from would be Mary because of her total trust in God.



Yes, she was full of grace. She did have something special given to her that no other woman ever had. She was the most blessed woman ever and she will always be the best woman ever to look to for example. It is because of her sinlessness that makes her the best example. She lived for God. Something we all should do. She did it right.



Her life was not an easy one and neither is ours but by following her example women can learn how to trust and obey and raise their families and love our husbands and live for God.



She is our Mother and she would love for you to come to her, also. I know of people, including myself, that have found the problems in their lives turn around by praying the rosary every day. She has brought many answers to prayers for me. Call upon her as your mother also and see what happens. I'm sure you will be glad you did.

__________________

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Quote on kids

I am reading a book right now called Good Discipline, Great Teens by Dr. Ray Guarendi. It is very good. I love the humor he adds to the book. It makes life seem a little more joyful.

He had a really good quote in the book. I just thought I would share.

There's a saying that tries to capture the essance of raising kids:  from birth to age six you teach them, from six to twelve you guide them, from 12 to 18 you pray for them. Dr. Ray Guarendi

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Holy Saturday Past and Present

I was thinking this morning that today is the last day of my fast. Well, what a wimp I can be. You see this Lent I have read and listened to a couple of talks on what Lent used to be like. It wasn't about just giving up chocolate (which I do give up and have missed greatly this Lent) or Dr. Pepper (I missed that, too) but the early Christians really gave up alot. I heard that not only did they give up meat on Fridays, but milk, eggs, cheese, all the dairy products and much more. They would mostly eat bread and grains on Fridays.


In the New Advent Encyclopedia Holy Saturday was also a day of great fasting. Read below about Holy Saturday:

In the primitive Church Holy Saturday was known as Great, or Grand, Saturday, Holy Saturday, the Angelic Night, the Vigil of Easter, etc. It is no longer, like Maundy Thursday, a day of joy, but one of joy and sadness intermingled; it is the close of the season of Lent and penance, and the beginning of paschal time, which is one of rejoicing.
By a noteworthy exception, in the early Church this was the only Saturday on which fasting was permitted (Constit. Apost., VII, 23), and the fast was one of special severity. Dating from the time of St. Irenaeus, an absolute fast from every kind of food was observed for the forty hours preceding the feast of Easter, and although the moment assigned for breaking the fast at dawn on Sunday varied according to time and country, the abstinence from food on Holy Saturday was general.
The night of the vigil of Easter has undergone a strange displacement. During the first six or seven centuries, ceremonies were in progress throughout the entire night, so that the Alleluia coincided with the day and moment of the Resurrection. In the eighth century these same ceremonies were held on Saturday afternoon and, by a singular anachronism, were later on conducted on Saturday morning, thus the time for carrying out the solemnity was advanced almost a whole day. Thanks to this change, special services were now assigned to Holy Saturday whereas, beforehand, it had had none until the late hour of the vigil.
This vigil opened with the blessing of the new fire, the lighting of lamps and candles and of the paschal candle, ceremonies that have lost much of their symbolism by being anticipated and advanced from twilight to broad daylight. St. Cyril of Jerusalem spoke of this night that was as bright as day, and Constantine the Great added unprecedented splendour to its brilliancy by a profusion of lamps and enormous torches, so that not only basilicas, but private houses, streets, and public squares were resplendent with the light that was symbolic of the Risen Christ. The assembled faithful gave themselves up to common prayer, the singing of psalms and hymns, and the reading of the Scriptures commentated by the bishop or priests. The vigil of Easter was especially devoted to the baptism of catechumens who, in the more important churches, were very numerous. On the Holy Saturday following the deposition of St. John Chrysostom from the See of Constantinople, there were 3000 catechumens in this church alone. Such numbers were, of course, only encountered in large cities; nevertheless, as Holy Saturday and the vigil of Pentecost were the only days on which baptism was administered, even in smaller churches there was always a goodly number of catechumens. This meeting of people in the darkness of the night often occasioned abuses which the clergy felt powerless to prevent by active supervision unless by so anticipating the ceremonies that all of them could take place in daylight. Rabanus Maurus, an ecclesiastical writer of the ninth century (De cleric. Instit., II, 28), gives a detailed account of the ceremony of Holy Saturday. The congregation remained silent in the church awaiting the dawn of the Resurrection, joining at intervals in psalmody and chant and listening to the reading of the lessons. These rites were identical with those in the primitive Church and were solemnized at the same hours, as the faithful throughout the world had not yet consented to anticipate the Easter vigil and it was only during the Middle Ages that uniformity on this point was established.



This is from an ancient homily for Holy Saturday:


Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and @#!*% trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in @#!*% . Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.


May you have a blessed Holy Saturday.

Technology and bullying

When I was a freshman in high school back in the 1970's I was bullied and teased. It was a very hurtful time. I look back on that time and there were probably a handful of people involved in the teasing. I can think back on all the feelings I went through at that time and the thoughts that went through my head. This was with a handful of people teasing me.
I can't imagine what it must be like today. Kids and teens are bullied and teased on the internet, Facebook, cell phones and other gadgets. Not just for a handful of kids to make fun of them but for hundreds and even thousands sometimes. How aweful. I hate to use an old phrase here but I am going to. "What is this world coming to?"  What will it be like in the future for these kids as technology progresses and parents are not able to keep up with the technology and won't have a clue what is going on with their teenagers. This is very frightening for me because I have a teenage son and I am trying very hard to stay on top of the technology but I can only do that with God's help. Technology changes all the time. It is progressing at such a fast pace.
I have posted a similar topic before asking parents to monitor their kids on Facebook and internet. I know it is not easy but we have to at least try.
I don't even want to sound like I know what parenting is all about because I don't. I lean on the good Lord and hope and pray for my family every day. This is just my little reminder to watch and pray.
Here is a story I read on another blog that prompted me to write this post.


The Facebook Generation...

Two recent stories suggest that a disturbing practice has found acceptance among teens and young adults: broadcasting the sexual misbehavior of their peers, especially girls, on a massive scale within hours. Photos preferred.

Is it just gossip, gone digital? “Mean Girls,” with a sexual twist?
I don’t think so.
Some commentators too easily dump these incidents into the overflowing bucket of cyber-bullying or dismiss them as teen-age drama, writ large. But these episodes deserve a second look.
A few months back, a Washington state eighth-grader named Margarite “sexted” a nude, frontal photo of herself to her new sort-of-boyfriend. Within weeks, their fledgling relationship died.
The photo lived on.
The boy sent it to another girl who captioned the photo, “Ho Alert!” and added instructions: “If you think this girl is a @#!*% , then text this to all your friends.” The photo instantly ricocheted, via text, from one social circle to another. Within hours, students from four different schools had ogled the sexter’s naked body and passed the photo on. The eighth grade girl was devastated.
The second situation occurred in the upscale suburbs of New York City. Someone created rankings of 100 allegedly sexually adventurous girls and boys from the surrounding school districts and circulated the lists using Blackberry Messenger.
One teenager (who claims he was not the original creator of the lists) quickly created a Facebook page called the “Westchester SMUT List” (“SMUT” meant “ @#!*% ,” thinly disguised to evade Facebook restrictions), and posted only the girls’ rankings (including full names and descriptions of sexual activity).
Within hours, thousands of people saw the list. Over 7,000 of them “liked” the Facebook page that trashed the girls’ reputations. And with one click, each of those viewers magnified the damage, publicizing the page instantly to his or her Facebook friends.
The sexual behavior of the 8th-grader and of the SMUT 100 (to the extent the reports are true) reads like an MTV script. And that’s certainly a huge problem.
Read the rest here:   http://wordsfromcana.wordpress.com/


How horrible for those girls. My heart goes out to them. At the end of the story the blogger ask a very good question. What are we going to do about this.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Holy Thursday: Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Lord, have mercy. (Lord, have mercy.)
Christ, have mercy. (Christ, have mercy.)
Lord, have mercy. (Lord, have mercy.)
Christ, hear us. (Christ, hear us.)
Christ, graciously hear us. (Christ, graciously hear us.)
God the Father of Heaven, (have mercy on us.)
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, (have mercy on us.)
God, the Holy Spirit, (have mercy on us.)
Holy Trinity, One God, (have mercy on us.)
Blood of Christ, only-begotten Son of the eternal Father, (save us)
Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God, (save us)
Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament, (save us)
Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in Agony, (save us)
Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging, (save us)
Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns, (save us)
Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross, (save us)
Blood of Christ, price of our salvation, (save us)
Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness, (save us)
Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls, (save us)
Blood of Christ, stream of mercy, (save us)
Blood of Christ, victor over demons, (save us)
Blood of Christ, courage of Martyrs, (save us)
Blood of Christ, strength of Confessors, (save us)
Blood of Christ, bringing forth Virgins, (save us)
Blood of Christ, help of those in peril, (save us)
Blood of Christ, relief of the burdened, (save us)
Blood of Christ, solace in sorrow, (save us)
Blood of Christ, hope of the penitent, (save us)
Blood of Christ, consolation of the dying, (save us)
Blood of Christ, peace and tenderness of hearts, (save us)
Blood of Christ, pledge of eternal life, (save us)
Blood of Christ, freeing souls from purgatory, (save us)
Blood of Christ, most worthy of all glory and honor, (save us)
Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, (spare us, O Lord.)
Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, (graciously hear us, O Lord.)
Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, (have mercy on us, O Lord.)
Thou hast redeemed us, O Lord, in Thy Blood. (And made us, for our God, a kingdom.)
Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, Thou hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world and willed to be appeased by his blood. Grant, we beg of Thee, that we may worthily adore this price of our salvation and through its power be safeguarded from the evils of the present life so that we may rejoice in its fruits forever in heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord. (Amen.)

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Litany for Japan







A form of prayer, consisting of a series of petitions or biddings which are sung or said by a priest, deacon, or leader, and to which the people make fixed responses.
Litanies have a definite structure: first the invocation of the persons of the Trinity, then the petitions corresponding to a distinctive theme, followed by three invocations of the Lamb of God, and closing with a short prayer that summarizes the petitions made.
Since the Second Vatican Council, theses litanies have been formally indulgenced, i.e., a partial indulgence for every recitation: the Holy Name, the Sacred Heart, the Precious Blood, the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, and the saints. Other litanies, approved for use by the faithful but not thus indulgenced, number over a hundred.
In the Eastern Rites, litanies are an outstanding feature of the Eucharistic liturgy, and in the Ambrosian Rite are sung every Sunday during Lent in place of the Gloria. (Etym. Latin litania; from Greek litanei_, prayer, entreaty, supplication.)   Catholic Reference.net





Our Lady of Akita, pray for us.

St. Peter Baptist, martyr and patron of Japan, pray for us.
St. Francis Xavier, patron of Japan, pray for us.
St. Paul Miki, martyr, pray for us.
St. Anthony Dainan, martyr, pray for us.
St. Anthony Ishida, martyr, pray for us.
St. Francis Nagasaki, martyr, pray for us.
St. Francis of St. Bonaventure, martyr, pray for us.
St. Gabriel Jusuke, martyr, pray for us.
St. Gaius Francis, martyr, pray for us.
St. James Kisai, martyr, pray for us.
St. Joachim Sakachibara, martyr, pray for us.
St. John Kokumbuku, martyr, pray for us.
St. John Soan de Goto, martyr, pray for us.
St. Leonard Kimura, martyr, pray for us.
St. Leo Tanaka, martyr, pray for us.
St. Louis Ibachi, martyr, pray for us.
St. Louise of Omura, martyr, pray for us.
St. Matthias of Meako, martyr, pray for us.
St. Michael Kozaki, martyr, pray for us.
St. Paul Aybara, martyr, pray for us.
St. Peter Shukeshiko, martyr, pray for us.
St. Romanus Aybara, martyr, pray for us.
St. Thomas Danki, martyr, pray for us.
St. Thomas Kozaki, martyr, pray for us.
St. Vincent Kaun, martyr, pray for us.
Holy Martyrs of Japan, pray for us.

God our Father,
you guide everything in wisdom and love.
Accept the prayers we offer for the nation of Japan;
by the wisdom of their leaders and integrity of their citizens,
may their suffering be lessened,
may harmony and justice be restored
and may there be lasting prosperity and peace.
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

Monday, March 21, 2011

What's in a Song?

 A Carrie Underwood song says,

"Right now he's probably slow dancing
With a bleached-blond tramp
And she's probably getting frisky
Right now, he's probably buying
Her some fruity little drink
'Cause she can't shoot whiskey
Right now, he's probably up behind her
With a pool stick
Showing her how to shoot a combo
And he don't know
I dug my key into the side
Of his pretty little souped-up 4 wheel drive
Carved my name into his leather seat
I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights
Slashed a hole in all 4 tires
And maybe next time he'll think before he cheats"


I guess today I am just kind of blowing off some steam but I have heard this song many times and it has a catchy little tune but when you think of the words they don't really make sense. Keeping in mind that this is a song that people are loving all over the place.

But, according to the words there is a woman who is upset because someone she is apparently in relationship with is cheating on her so she goes out destroys his vehicle. Not only that she carves her name into the seat cushions. I'm sorry but isn't that like a bank robber handing over the note to the bank teller and signing it with his name or a kidnapper sending a ransom note and adding his name and address to the letter. She carves her name, leaving no doubt who did the crime.

I mean she is the one who is going to have alot of time to think. Think about her actions of destruction of property when she is caught. This is song is speaking of revenge. Something God says we are not to take. It, also, demonstrates a total disrespect for property that belongs to someone else and it is a crime.

Granted it is just a song but songs have words, words have meaning and if we say them over and over again they can become part of us. I'm hoping this song does not influence anyone to follow it's example.


And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.
Holy Father prays for the victims of the terrible earthquake and tsunami.


BY SARA ANGLE (CNS)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Saying he, too, was horrified by the images of the
death and destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Pope
Benedict XVI asked people to join him in praying for the victims. “May the
bereaved and injured be comforted and may the rescue workers be strengthened
in their efforts to assist the courageous Japanese people,” the Pope said
in English March 13 after reciting the Angelus prayer with visitors in St.
Peter’s Square. Government officials estimated that perhaps 10,000 people
lost their lives after the earthquake March 11 and the tsunami it triggered.
Speaking in Italian after the Angelus, the Pope said, “The images of the
tragic earthquake and the consequent tsunami in Japan have left us deeply
horrified. “I want to renew my spiritual closeness to that country’s
dear people, who with dignity and courage are dealing with the consequences
of the calamity. I pray for the victims and their families and for all who
are suffering because of these terrible events. I encourage all those who,
with laudable speed, are working to bring help. Let us remain united in
prayer.” Bishop Marcellino Daiji Tani of Saitama, one of the dioceses hit
hardest by the disaster, told the Catholic missionary news agency Fides that
the catastrophe is a reminder that “life is in the hands of God and that
life is a gift from God.” He described the tragedy as a challenge for
Christians during Lent “to practice and witness to the commandment of love
and brotherly love.” However, he also told Fides, “Of particular concern
to us is the situation of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima. But we must
take courage, with the help of the Holy Spirit.” Two reactors at the
Fukushima plant were hit by explosions and another was losing its cooling
system. Japanese officials were playing down the health risks posed by the
emergency at the plant, but they did order evacuations for hundreds of
thousands of people. In a message March 13 to members of the Orthodox
Church, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople said the Japanese
tragedy demonstrates the threat posed by nuclear power plants, and it calls
for serious reflection. “With all due respect to the science and
technology of nuclear energy and for the sake of the survival of the human
race, we counter-propose the safer green forms of energy,” the patriarch
said. The Orthodox patriarch, who is a leading proponent of a Christian
environmental theology, said in his message, “Our Creator granted us the
gifts of the sun, wind, water and ocean, all of which may safely and
sufficiently provide energy. Therefore we ask: Why do we persist in adopting
such dangerous sources of energy?” Meanwhile, Father Daisuke Narui, the
director of Caritas Japan told Fides, “This painful event may be an
opportunity to spread the values of the Gospel, that is, the fraternity of
all men and women, the building of common good, the recognition that every
person has the dignity of a child of God and is important in the eyes of
God. “If with our work and our witness we can communicate that, then from
this evil will come good.”

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/prayers-for-japan/
 
I found this at National Catholic Register. We all need to pray for the people in Japan and not forget that such a thing could happen anywhere, including here.  I know I can't even begin to understand all that they are going through. The pain, the fear and the heartache must be horrendous. The people in Japan are our brothers and sisters in Christ and need our prayers and our help.
 
And also as we become concerned about all that is happening with the nuclear reactors we must keep in mind that the earth is a gift to us from God and we must be good stewards. So maybe in our prayers we can also ask God to show us the way to more healthier, greener ways of energy. I never thought too much about that before, but have come to realize that the way we are stewards of this earth has affects on others, even those who come after us. Maybe as individuals we can do our small little things to care more for the gift God has given, the world around us, because that world is meant to be a gift to all.
 
 I hope and pray God will show us new and safer ways of energy and continue to pray for the people that have been affected by the nuclear radiation.
 
Saint Francis, patron saint of the environment, pray for us.

Friday, March 11, 2011

40 Days for Life Reminder

Just a reminder Ash Wednesday started 40 Days for Life. Here's the link.
http://40daysforlife.com/getinvolved.cfm

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Facebook Etiquette

“a kind mouth multiplies friends, and gracious lips prompt friendly greetings. Let your acquaintances be many, but one in a thousand your confidant…” Sirach 6:5-6




Okay, so here is a story. Names are changed to protect all.  A young teen, named Mac, who is involved in several activities couldn't make it one night.  Mac isn't in charge but is one of the leaders. I don't necessarily want to say what this activity was but it wasn't sports. It was an extracurricular educational activity for boys.
Well, there are about 40 boys in this group and they recently have started communicating on Facebook.
We all know how popular Facebook is getting and it seems to be the way people are communicating these days.
So, he posts on Facebook that he won't be there. No big deal, but one boy , "Joe" seems to take it personal or something know one really knows for sure but he responded to the message. Now understand that he didn't respond just to Mac who couldn't make it but he responded so all could see. His message was, "you lazy bleep (he didn't use bleep) you better have told the leaders you aren't going to be there."  Mac did tell the leaders and did have someone covering for him. His reason for not being able to be there was a series of tests he was taking the next day and his need for study was greater than his need for the activity. Unfortunately, he didn't explain himself. He just said he couldn't make it.
The reply message from "Joe" was sent late at night so no one saw it until the next day. Mac didn't know he had got this reply. It was the mom who saw the reply because she frequently checks her sons Facebook page to keep up on who he is socializing with and what he is saying.  Needless to say she was upset that someone was saying her child was lazy because he was not attending this extracurricular activity and she was upset the message was sent to everyone and this teen was using foul language.  The mother decided she had better clarify in the message why her son was not able to be there because he did not say why. He had just said he wouldn't be there and to do your best with the meeting they were having. Keep in mind there would be several adult leaders attending this meeting and the teen missing wouldn't be that big of a deal.
Well, this story is getting long but Mac's mother called another mom because she was upset and wanted to talk. The other mom, also, had a son in this group and she saw the message and thought the reply had been in bad taste, also.
Mac's mom finally emailed the adult leaders, who had seen the reply and they were okay with him not being there. The mother had decided to take up the issue of language at one of the meetings.
Later that day when Mac had come home he was upset and bothered by the reply. Who wouldn't be?
So, the reason I am telling this story is this. Did Joe's mom see what he had posted? He is under 18, has two parents and still needs guidance. I am not even trying to say one parent is better than the other or that I have any heads up on parenting because I don't.  Parenting is one of the hardest jobs I have ever done in my life.
I heard someone say one time after being asked what he would do different in parenting because his daughter was a prodigal child. He said he would be quiet and not have bragged so much about what a great parent he was. So, that is not my intention here. I am just one mom trying to do my best and making mistakes along the way, also, but picking myself back up with God's help.
My intention in this post is a plea. A plea from one mom to other moms. Please, please check and see what your children are putting on Facebook. This is only one story. I could tell others. I try hard to be vigilant about what my child puts on Facebook and probably other moms could come to me and say to me, "do you know what your son said on Facebook?" That scares me. I pray all the time over this. I cry out to God and the Saints for guidance for me and my family in this internet world we live in. It is so awesome to know God is always there to guide us through the trials in life.
I ask, would we allow our teens free to roam the world physically, going to all kinds of seedy places. No, but it happens on the internet these days and the most popular right now is Facebook. What will it be next?
The thing about Facebook is it gives courage to people. It allows them to say things to people they wouldn't say to their face but what teens and others seem to forget is what goes on the internet stays on the internet. It is there.  I have seen teens posting on Facebook about sex, drugs and personal issues, such as arguing with another person on Facebook for all to see.
When I was pregnant with my son someone told me how important it was for a mom to be with their child when going through the teen years not just when the child is an infant, though that is important too.
I just have to repeat this again and stress it so much.
Please moms and dads check what your kids are doing on the internet, especially right now on Facebook.
This not only bothers me from the perspective of fear of what my son will read but, also it saddens me that these teens are left alone in the Facebook world to say and do whatever they please. Do you know that you can have your child's status posts sent to your cell phone so you can always see what they are posting on their page. This doesn't work I don't think when they post on other peoples pages but it helps.
You should  always know your teens password to Facebook and check it frequently.
Facebook isn't a right.  It is a privilege and a responsibility. A responsibility as God's children to be good stewards of what he gives us and this internet world isn't a bad thing. It's how it is being used. And by the way who is paying for that internet service anyhow that allows them to be on Facebook?  That puts the responsibility in our laps.

Please, please moms and dads do your best to monitor your child's Facebook page and I will do my best, too.

Do you know what your child just posted on Facebook? I'll check mine too.

Blessed Mother, pray for us.


By the way, here's a great video to help express my point. Show it to your kids.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Making a House a Home

How many times have we heard men say they don't care about frills and fluffs and curtains and rugs and knick knacks in the making of a home. If they were to live somewhere on their own they wouldn't care about such stuff. So, if that is the case then why do women, not all probably, but most I would imagine care about those things? Why do men build and buy houses for women to decorate and make into a home. How many times have you heard the saying, "this house needs a woman's touch." Probably not too much anymore but it used to be quite a popular phrase.
My husband is concerned about the stucture of a home. Is everything working? How about the plumbing, the furnace, and the other things that are needed to keep the house working. My husband makes our home a sound and solid house by making sure everything is in working order, and  I am ever so grateful.
 I, on the other hand,  like to make sure everything is in it's proper place and in order. I like to make sure it is kept clean. Oh, don't get me wrong there are times when this house gets pretty messy, but I can't stand it for very long.  I get very caught up in not just the house being clean but also, the arrangement of furniture and yes knick knacks and such things as are the curtains hanging right. Are the beds made and do the bedspreads match the curtains and is everything set just right so nothing is in the way when you walk in the door of a room or hopefully the counters aren't cluttered if I want to set something down? Is the laundry done? The floor swept and vacuumed and so on.
Alot of these things that women find themselves caring for is just making the house a home, decorating, making it comfortable. When we don't care about those things life is hard on everyone. I am talking here to women that are homemakers. If a woman works fulltime outside the home (being a fulltime homemaker is a job too) then life is different. There is much more of a sharing of these chores. On occasion I will work several days in a row at the hospital and after I am done I continually ask myself, "how do women who work fulltime keep up their home? Their husbands have to help," but that is a different subject for another time.

My son and I were watching The Swiss Family Robinson the other day and I got a kick out of this scene. Here is a family marooned on what they think is a deserted island. No one is going to be seeing their home. The wife is alone with three boys and a husband and she wants a home so they build her one. At first it is not very sound. It is unsafe, so she is upset and they then build her a much safer, sturdier home. Watch.



Don't you love it. The men made the home sound and sturdy and she gives it the woman's touch. I find it funny where she notices the curtains that the men put up. She says they don't belong there. When my husband and I were first married and we were moving in, we bought some groceries and our cupboards were totally empty and he put something in one of the cupboards. I don't remember what it was but I said to him, "that doesn't go there." It was funny to both of us because there wasn't anything in any of the cupboards but in my mind I already knew where everything would go. I automatically was making a home.


In a home economics book, The Mode dated 1935, I found the following:
"Each home is individual and must be so treated in order to express the personality of the occupants. As every object in a room is useful, it must be so placed that it will be convenient and comfortable for the user.
To illustrate, lamps should be placed near chairs to be useful in reading and working. Arrange a room so that from the entrance it appears inviting; ... Arrange furniture in a room so that it is perfectly balanced as this gives a restful effect."

It also said this:

"After you arrange or rearrange the furnishing in a room, stand and view it critically from different positions in the room. Judge its appearances by thinking of such questions:

1. Does the room express homelikeness and hospitality?
2. Does the room serve its purpose?
3. Do the furnishings harmonize with the near-by rooms?
4. Is there a feeling of rest? Does the room naturally express the art principles of design?
5. Is the arrangement of the furniture correct, convenient and comfortable?
6. Are the curtains hung correctly?
7. Are the pictures arranged and hung right?
8. Are there just enough accessories or does the room appear cluttered?

Isn't that what we want in our homes a feeling of restfulness and peace. We want our families to be comfortable at home so that they don't want to leave in the morning and are grateful to be home at night. That takes cleaning and arranging and decorating. Things we wives and mothers as homemakers can provide for our families.

Dear Lord help us to educate our family for your glory.

"Since parents have conferred life on their children, they have a most solemn obligation to educate their offspring. Hence, parents must be acknowledged as the first and foremost educators of their children. Their role as educators is so decisive that scarcely anything can compensate for their failure in it. For it devolves on parents to create a family atmosphere so animated with love and reverence for God and others that a well-rounded personal and social development will be fostered among children. Hence, the family is the first school of those social virtues which every society needs."--Gravissimum Educationis (one of the documents of the Second Vatican Council)

Helping and Loving Our Neighbor

Corporal works of Mercy
Feed the hungry

Give drink to the thirsty

Clothe the naked

Shelter the homeless

Visit the sick

Visit the imprisoned

Bury the dead



The Spiritual Works of Mercy
Admonish the sinner

Instruct the ignorant

Counsel the doubtful

Comfort the sorrowful
Bear wrongs patiently

Forgive all injuries

Pray for the living and the dead


Good Samaritain