Claiming My Grandmotherhood, ProLife Style

When my son and his wife recently announced they are with child, I claimed my first-time grandmotherhood. So exciting! 

"But wait--that won't happen until after the baby is born."  Not so. 

1) Would we deny that Jesus's life on earth began at the Annunciation, when 

Angel Gabriel announced to Jesus's mother, Mary, that she was with child?  No. 

                                                            

2) Would we deny science's discovery and pictures of the sperm 

and egg uniting to initiate a new human being?  No.

                                                     

We therefore cannot deny that the life of every human being begins at the moment of conception. By His conception, that moment is consecrated for all of us. Science confirms it on the natural level.

I hereby hold to my claim: I am a first-time grandmother! 

+ St. Gerard, please pray for my pregnant daughter-in-law and our new baby! +

Source - Let There Be Life

Images 
- https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/prague-czech-republic-fresco-annunciation-church-kostel-svat%C3%A9ho-cyrila-metodeje-petr-maixner-october-134890726.jpg
- https://resize.hswstatic.com/w_907/gif/sperm-egg.jpg  

Edits

07/24/2020 - added "my pregnant daughter-in-law and" to St. Gerard prayers

Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine Trip Report

Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe

My trip was wonderful!

    


The Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City looks quite modern, and unbeknownst to me, there are several other churches and chapels, all open and active, on the same property. Juan Diego's tilma, or cloak, in which he placed the roses to convince the local bishop that she asked for a shrine at Tepeyac Hill, resides in the Minor Basilica.

Read more details of the story of the Patroness of the Americas and Mexico, and the Patroness of the Unborn, here. Be sure to scroll down once you're there.


                      Other churches on the site. The ones in the middle on the hill are at Tepeyac Hill.
                               

It is very common to see crucifixes in Mexico with a bloody Jesus.
                                                                               On the right - one of many murals in Mexico City.
             

                   Eastern-looking Church, but it's not.        Depiction of Juan Diego w/his roses in his tilma.
                          


VISITING:
If you go to the Shrine, I'd recommend taking a commercial tour on one day so you can get the lay of the land. My fellow tour mates had to keep calling me so the tour could move on to the next section. I just wanted to rest in prayer at each stop - which is why I went back the next day on my own. Then I could take it in in a prayerful manner. It was wonderful.


Click here to view the video. If Facebook prompts you to create an account, you don't have to. Just click on "No Thanks" (or whatever version they use that day) at the very bottom and you'll be taken to it.


Many Blessings,
Kathleen + 

Spreading the Word

I thought it was a good time to let more people know about my book-to-be, so I created a Facebook page for it. Here are some excerpts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unraveling My Father's Suicide

In this captivating & hope-filled story, Kathleen intimately discusses her struggles & eventual acceptance of her father's suicide. Release Date = Q1 2015.

                                                                
Profile Photo: My father with five of us six children. My younger brother was not born yet.
I am in the stroller.

Cover Photo:  Mary with Jesus at the foot of the Cross, i.e., La Pietà (1498–1499). The original is a Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti.  It resides in St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City. The statue shown here is in the Mausoleum where my father is reposed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Click here to see the page in its entirety.

Of course, I would like it if you Liked the page and followed its progression from here to publication and beyond.  :)  More importantly, I would like it if you became more aware of the whole problem of suicide, in your neighborhood (there is probably someone), and throughout the world.  Here is one reason:

image - http://overnightwalk.blogspot.com/2012/09/where-money-goes.html

My Mother Unexpectedly Passed Away Today: Initial Reflections

My mother unexpectedly passed away today.  Please keep her in your prayers.  Yvette Laplante.
I will miss her dearly.  I am still grappling with all the feelings and thoughts that are coming to the surface. 

Our Lady of Sorrows

     "What?  Mom died?  She can't have died.  She was supposed to be here for another ten years, at least.  75 is too young to die."

     "Mom, you can't be gone.  I want to hug you one more time.  I want to tell you I love you... Oh my gosh, did I tell you I love you at Thanksgiving?"

     "I guess that leaves the rest of us, us six children and seven grandchildren.  Well, Mom, I'm not ready to be in charge.  I want you here, with us.  What could God have possibly been thinking?"

I know I'm being a bit selfish, but I can't seem to be anything but selfish right now.  It's too painful.  It hurts too much.  I just want my mother back.

     "Mom, I am so glad you got to retire and enjoy your life in an unstressed manner.  You of all people deserved that.  It was such a grace to see you happy and relaxed.  Thanks for giving that to me, and more importantly, thanks for giving it to yourself."

     "You were supposed to be with us to celebrate Christmas, remember?  We're doing a Yankee Swap."

My mother was a lapsed Catholic.  It is with the virtue of hope that I pray for the salvation of her soul.  I hope you will pray for her too.


"Our Lady of Sorrows, as you wept for your Son Jesus on the Cross, please weep for my mother so that your tears transform her Judgment Day into one of Heaven.  Please be with her as she travels from this world to the next."


In JMJ+,
Kathleen

... I love you, Mom.

 

images - http://puffin.creighton.edu/jesuit/andre/images/t_sorrows.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_krNaopljEIoh0Ab9hg1DQbnk3jjBbgWh1ZZACpbN4j2u6Zb8b4WU_qlzKbb5m5AyGuTzAbI-Q4jhNMq0xqyoTBCeLFWjwzXodGUhOQM8LC79Qzu6JS8hN_Rngz6pXP33prYSYTpoiB2-/s72-c/moms.jpg

Christmas Greetings on the Feast of the Nativity

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

Merry Christmas to all!

This year has been filled with gifts and graces from the Holy Trinity.  I am blessed with two sons who continue to show me they love me in numerous ways.  I am also blessed with several friends from each of the groups I do things with.  There is a lot going on in my heart.

May you and yours receive the peace of Christ in your hearts, and may your Christmas be holy!

Kathleen



image - Source unknown

In Celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All

The Blessed Sacrament, Excerpt
Frederick W. Faber, d.1863/Johann S. Bach, d.1750


Had I but Mary's sinless heart
With which to love Thee, dearest King,
Oh, with what ever fervent praise,
Thy goodness, Jesus, would I sing!
(Refrain)
Sweet Sacrament, we Thee adore!
Oh, make us love Thee more and more.









image - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2637434/posts

Our Lady of Guadalupe at St. Benedict Abbey in Still River, MA

The monks at St. Benedict Abbey in Still River, MA, have a devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe.  One of them, Brother Joseph Maria, built a chapel named after her.  It is about 0.6 mile from the main house, down a hill and up on a knoll in the woods.  He built it during midday breaks when the other brothers were taking naps.  I believe one of the stones used to form one of the walls, is from the Tepeyac desert, which is outside Mexico City and is where Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego back in 1531.

The chapel on the knoll in Still River, MA is a beautiful site to behold.  Every year on the vigil of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, i.e., December 11, the brothers and members of their extended community make a pilgrimage there.  Everyone assembles in front of the main house after dinner, and they either walk down the hill, or they take a hay ride to get there.  Those who walk go past candles placed along the path to lighten it up.  They also trudge through mud if it is or has been raining.  Either way, boots are recommended.

Either way, everyone gets a taste of an earthy pilgrimage like those made to Lourdes, Fatima, or Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico.  The walk back up the hill adds a challenging dimension to the trek.  It can be deeply spiritual.

In line with Benedictine hopsitality, the brothers serve home made brownies and hot chocolate.

The pilgrimage will be held again this year, on Sunday evening, December 11, 2011, 7:30pm. 
Please come.  If you want more information, feel free to contact me.

“Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ,
for He is going to say,
'I came as a guest, and you received Me' (Matt. 25:35).
And to all let due honor be shown,
especially to the domestics of the faith and to pilgrims." (Rule of Saint Benedict 53:1)


image - http://www.marypages.com/GuadalupeEng1.htm

Have You Heard About The Upcoming 40 Days For Life?

A Previous 40 Days for Life Campaign


The 40 Days for Life effort already has a record breaking number of participants for their next campaign, September 28 to November 6.  There are still more people and locations to sign up for this peaceful fasting and prayer effort for an end to all abortion.
For a list of participating locations, click here

If you can't participate on-site with a group, consider fasting and praying privately at home.  Our Lady will love you as much.

40 Days for Life announces largest international pro-life campaign ‘in history’

image - http://www.40daysforlife.com/location.cfm

Simple Way To Test & Improve Your Catholic Knowledge

I do not recall how I stumbled upon these links, but I am glad I did.  They are a series of simple multiple choice quizzes on different aspects of the Catholic Church.  Enjoy!


1) Test your knowledge of the words of the Ave Maria in Latin

2) Catholic Social Teaching

3) Church History

4) Lent

5) 10 Questions on the Old Testament

images - http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/groundwater/gquiz.htm

First Marian Apparition Approved In The US On The Feast Of Mary's Immaculate Conception!

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We Catholics are doubly blessed today.  First, we celebrate the Feast of Mary's Immaculate Conception.  This is the day Mary, not Jesus, was conceived by the loving embrace of her father, St. Joachim, and her mother, St. Ann.  Not only was she conceived, but she was conceived without sin, i.e. immaculately. 

She is the only creature upon whom God bestowed this standing.  She is also the only creature whose Fiat, "Be it done unto me according to Thy Word", primed the opening of the gates of heaven for our salvation. 

In the Eastern Catholic Church, this Feast is celebrated on December 9.

Second, we have exciting news in the United States.  For the first time in our country, an apparition of Mary has been formally approved.  There were actually three of them and they occurred in the Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin, where Our Lady appeared in 1859 on three occasions to a young Belgian immigrant named Adele Brise.  Bishop David Ricken announced his formal approval today with moral certainty. 


The incident is captured well in the article, Worthy of Belief. 
This blog entry also shines some light on the importance of this event. 
Click here to read the formal decree by the Bishop.
Click here to read some Basic Information About Apparitions.  I found this to be particularly edifying.

"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray

for us who have recourse to thee."

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images -  http://ellampson.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/joachim-and-anna-on-marriage/
http://deaconjohn1987.blogspot.com/2010/09/wisconsin-diocese-to-investigate-1859.html

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