Feast of St. Monica

I didn't realize that today on the traditional Roman Catholic calendar it is the feast day of St. Monica.  There isn't a traditional latin mass near me. I need to get better about watching the calendar. I have an app on my IPOD that shows both calendars, the Norvus Ordo and the Traditional.

St. Monica was a Christian given in  marriage to a pagan, Patricius and the lived in North Africa. He had a violent temper. St. Monica's mother in law lived with them, also and would cause problems for Monica. Patricius criticized his wife because of her Christian faith but as time went on he was converted and baptized before his death because of what he saw in Monica.

Monica had  three children, two boys and a girl. Augustine, the most famous, was 17 when his father died. He began to follow a heresy that brought much distress to Monica. One night, though,  Monica had a vision that assured her Augustine would return to the faith. She stayed very close to her son, praying and fasting for him.

At 29, Augustine decided to go to Rome to teach rhetoric. Monica was determined to go along. One night he tricked his mother by telling her  he was going to the dock to speak to a friend. Instead, he set sail for Rome. Extremely hurt  after his trick she still followed him. She followed him to Rome but found out only that he had gone on to Milan.

In Milan, Augustine was influenced by the bishop, St. Ambrose.  He gave much instruction to Augustine. Monica would follow the bishop's advice, also.

She continued her prayers for Augustine and  Easter, 387, St. Ambrose baptized Augustine. There were others of his friends baptized at the same time. After that they would get together and they would study scripture and have many discussions about our beautiful faith.

 Monica knew her life was near the end. She told Augustine, “Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now left for me to do or why I am still here, all my hopes in this world being now fulfilled.” Her prayers were answered.  She became ill shortly after and suffered much for nine days before her death.


I just love her. I love the fact that she never gave up on her son. She never stopped praying for him. She was just not willing to accept his being lost. She is such an example not to give up.

Pope Pius XII - Saved hundreds of thousands

Pope Piux XII                                    

I just watched this today. I  have heard people in discussing the Catholic church's role during the time of the holocaust put down the Catholic church, especially they put down Pope Pius XII.  I used to believe some of the lies, also. Little by little I am learning the truth.

This video definitely debunks the theory that the Catholic church did nothing. It isn't just a video of talks but it shows concrete evidence with documents and statements.  Worth watching.  I would love it if a wonderful Catholic would make a movie about his life. There is a documentary I have yet to watch called, A Hand of Peace.

Instructions from Rome regarding Liturgical Abuses

I love going to Mass on Sunday. I am a revert now for about four years. I was away for a long time. I had very little catechesis when I was younger. I don't blame any one person or the Church for that. I played a part in it, also. I was not a good student in school. I was more interested in socializing. So after returning I went through the Baltimore Catechism with my son, several times. We still go through it from time to time and I post things on the refrigerator frequently to help him, myself and my husband all to remember what Mass is, what the teachings of the Catholic church are and what we need to do to be faithful to Holy Mother Church. Little by little I am learning just what is the Catholic church, it's history and what truths are there but unfortunately I am learning that I am not the only one who doesn't know the teachings of the Church, what Mass is and what the teachings are. I do believe in my book reviews you will find the three books we used for catechism. I loved them.

Recently, I stumbled across this document which was helpful to me, so I thought I would post it. I am surprised at what things are actually liturgical abuses. It was comprised:  from the offices of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, Rome, on the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, 25 March 2004  Francis Card. ArinzePrefect    Domenico Sorrentino Archbishop Secretary.


 I thought I would include the link here :  http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html


I am not one to interpret everything or understand everything, as I am learning. Just thought it would be good to read or skim through or just keep for reference.

Poorly-formed Catholics biggest obstacle to New Evangelization - EWTN, and News from the Vatican

I heard about a couple of  stories this morning on the Theresa Tomea show while driving in my car listening to the radio, so I thought when I got home I would look them up and post them. 

The first one I found interesting from EWTN regarding poorly catechized Catholics being one of the biggest obstacles to the New Evangelization. I couldn't agree more. I myself, as a revert, was a very poorly catechized Catholic. It would be way too embarrassing to even tell what I knew,or thought I knew about the Church prior to my return. I hope and pray that our world is learning from the mistake of the past and is changing this attitude of not teaching the catechism. I remember after I returned to the Church and my son needed to go through the RCIA, what one of the sisters there said when asked by someone else, "when are we going to learn the catechism?"  She told the class we no longer teach the catechism. My son turned to me as if we were going to stop and quietly told him we still do. I know there is more to passing your faith on to your children than just the catechism and I am always in prayer for my son and husband's salvation.

So anyhow, here is a link to that article.


http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/World.php?id=5057



Now the second article is a newsworthy event. One maybe you have heard before, I haven't.
It appears there have been some computer hackers attacking the Vatican.  I don't understand all there is about hacking computers and exactly what they did. It looks as if it happened twice. Once during World Youth Day and then again March 7th but like the article stresses, look at the reasons for their hacking and wanting to bring down the Vatican website.

According to an entry on the “Anonymous” Italy blog site, the attack was in response to the “doctrines, liturgies and the absurd and anachronistic precepts” that the Church spreads worldwide, citing the sexual abuse of children, and various historical and other alleged misdeeds. The hackers also objected to the Catholic stance against abortion and contraceptives.

I pray those people, and it looks like there were thousands, come to know and undestand the Catholic church is a place of love and forgiveness through Our Lord.

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/tim-drake/vatican-attacked

Father Z - "Nancy Pelosi: ‘I am going to stick with fellow Catholics’ in Pres. Obama’s war on Catholics. Wherein Fr. Z rants.

I really didn't intend for my  blog to get caught up in politics but I did want it to be a place to grow spiritually and it seems like there are times when the two need spoken of together, especially when a government has declared a war on religion. Mostly it seems like this battle is against the Catholic church of which I am a member.

I was looking for an  article I had read not too long ago on Father Z's page when I came across this one and thought I would repost it.


http://wdtprs.com/blog/2012/02/nancy-pelosi-%e2%80%98i-am-going-to-stick-with-fellow-catholics%e2%80%99-in-pres-obamas-war-on-catholics-wherein-fr-z-rants/


Please pray for our government to make the right decisions, for our Catholic church to stand strong and for Nancy Pelosi to change her heart and turn away from whatever is driving her in the direction she is going.

Constitution not Considered in HHS Mandate

I thought I would post a couple of links I caught this morning in regards to HHS Mandate. According to Kathy Hochul, who is a congresswoman who represents the 26th District of New York, the Constitution is not being looked at, or considered in the HHS Mandate. As you see in the two videos people are very upset and speaking out. My prayer is she will not be re-elected into office and I hope more people speak out about this injustice to religious freedoms.

http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/157318/37/Congresswoman-Hochul-Booed


http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/157318/37/Congresswoman-Hochul-Booed

Sign the Petition to Stop the Government from Removing Our Religious Freedom!

What would you call a kid in a school yard who forces another to pick up something dangerous and give it to someone else. The one receiving has the choice not to take it but the first kid is being forced to pick up the item and give it to someone, even though he has asked not to have to do this.  I call the person doing the forcing a bully. This really has nothing to do with school yard bullies. 

https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/%21/petition/rescind-hhs-dept-mandate-requiring-catholic-employers-provide-contraceptivesabortifacients-their/lBxr7SdP

We need to pray.

We need to pray for her and for so many people who don't know the faith. Even myself, I know I need to study the faith more. I have recently started a Bible reading/Catholic Catechism reading everyday. I hope it helps me know and be able to explain the faith better but I know she got the answer wrong.

One thing I did noticed in the video is Tom Brokaw knew the answer.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

2270 - Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life.⁷²

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.⁷³My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth.⁷⁴

Pray for the Freedom of the Catholic Church

St. Michael, the archangel, defend us in battle. Be out protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray and do thou O Prince of the heavenly by the power of God, cast in to hell Satan and all evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.






“I am honestly horrified that the nation I have always loved has come to this hateful and radical step in religious intolerance,” said Bishop Jenky. 


It appears the Catholic Church has repeatedly asked the Obama administration to allow Catholics to maintain their objection to issues they find evil.  Contraceptives, sterilization and abortion are evil. We have always held that belief as a church and always will. So many people think if they do this or that they can get the Catholic Church to change it's stand on issues. It's not going to happen.  These are issues that are evil and evil doesn't change and become good just because time changes and people have more technology and dress different and drive cars and watch people on television that tell us their opinions of what is good.


President Obama and Kathy Sebelius have given us a year to get used to violating our consciences.  In other words, we will give you a year and then we expect you to sin against God, our way.  This reminds me of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the Old Testament. They were instructed by King Nebuchadnezzar to bow down to his false god whenever they heard certain music playing. Of course, they would not do it. The punishment, the fiery furnace. The king was so angry they wouldn't obey, he ordered them to be thrown into the fiery furnace.  Personally, I think I would be horrified. 


"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer thee in this matter. If it be'so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. " Daniel 3:16
I pray I can be that strong.


Well, they survived. Not a part of them was hurt. As a matter of fact, witnesses said they could see four men walking around in the fiery furnace.


I feel Obama and Sebelius and all in Washington who encourage this HHS mandate are asking the same of us. Bow down to our gods. Our gods of money and power. They are asking us to forsake our God and follow their ways. Well, just as God was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo, so He will be with us.  He promised he would never leave us not forsake us.

http://www.stophhs.com/

What's So Bad about Planned Parenthood

With all the controversy regarding Susan G. Komen and Planned Parenthood I thought I would add a couple of thoughts.  I was actually very thrilled when Susan G. Komen broke with Planned Parenthood the other day just to find today they were back together.  They say truth is stranger than fiction.

Of course, there is always the abortion issue around Planned Parenthood, that is the biggest, but there are just so many other issues. To me everything Planned Parenthood stands for goes against true womanhood, true femininity.  Young girls are encouraged to lie to their parents, they are encouraged to give up their precious possession that should be saved for their future husband not just given out to someone who will only be around for a short time. Someone who doesn't love them.

Planned Parenthood's encouragement of contraceptives is  horrible. They certainly do nothing to encourage young girls to care about themselves and protect themselves from hurt and pain.  Pain they will receive by giving in to sex at a young age without being married. Experiences that will leave huge gaps in their hearts.

Planned Parenthood hides the truth about contraceptives and contraceptives are drugs. I think we forget that. They are drugs and they have side effects and they are not good.

Side Effects of Oral Contraceptives: A Few Dry Facts
http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/989944?access_key=key-11niz4yk6ygwl3iyjpe0

I fill in part time in a neurologists doctor's office. We deal mostly with stroke patients. I am amazed every single day at the young girls and young women who come in post stroke.  Young girls no longer able to walk or speak. Add cigarettes to birth control pills and you have dynamite but you don't hear about that. No, they would stop the money flow.

Another lie Planned Parenthood throws out is that it offers breast cancer screening. The only thing they do is a  breast exam, the same as women should be doing on themselves at home. One that any doctor could do. If you watch the video below you will see how many mammograms Planned Parenthood offers.  NONE.

Read the link below from Chastity.com. You will find Planned Parenthood is a multimillion dollar company. Making it's money off of young women. Not too mention all the money they make off of innocent little babies never given a chance to live.

What a horrible organization.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/planned-parenthood-got-3496-million-tax-dollars-performed-324008-abortions-paid-its

http://chastity.com/chastity-qa/birth-control/abortion/whats-so-bad-about-planne

Politics and the Catholic Voter's Guide

With elections and campaigning going on here in America, there is a lot to think about. Who is the true conservative?  What are the  issues?  Who can beat Obama?  Who will win?  Many things.  Decisions. It is almost like the old game show:   Will the Real ____Please Stand Up.  In this case it is:  Will the Real Conservative Please Stand Up.

I have in my mind who I think would be a good candidate as probably most everyone, though there are some who are probably still undecided. Part of me is afraid to support or wholeheartedly back one person because I know that person is human and I know that person will get into the White House and make mistakes. I have been disappointed in the past. I need to remember this person is applying for a job. The American people are the employers looking for an employee and just like any business once you hire someone they will not be perfect.  They may do a great job but they will make mistakes and fall short of your desires and their desires and even their goals. No one knows the future and no one knows what the next president will have to face. What is the next crisis or issue America is to face? We do not know.

Since most of the candidates are stating that they are prolife and the true conservative I know I am going to need to pray about it but I am also going to try to follow what the Catholic Church has put out for us to help us decide. The Catholic Voters Guide.

Granted there are a lot of issues out there that are not covered in the Catholic Voter's Guide. Ieleive we also need to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church and see where the Church stands on issues such as: war, death penalty, illegal aliens and more and then chose the candidate who lines up with the Church's teachings. I don't feel there are any candidates who line up completely. The voter's guide addresses these issues also. It instructs us to first remember the non-negotiables :  abortion, euthenasia, stem-cell research, human cloning and homosexual marriage. Then after that line up the other issues with the church.


Our world needs prayer and we all need to pray to ensure we choose the right person to be in the White House at the right time.

.

.

http://www.caaction.com/pdf/Voters-Guide-Catholic-English-1.pdf

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!!

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."

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.

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!!

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

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.

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.

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.