Canonization of Louis and Zelie Martin - and Italian priest Fr. Vincent Grossi and Sister Mary of the Immaculate Conception

From the Manchester, NH, Diocese:

Today [October 18, 2015], Pope Francis will canonize, Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux. They are the first married couple who were not martyrs to be canonized. Their faithful and lifelong witness to being Christian was rooted in relying on God's grace and engaging in the works of mercy.  http://www.catholicnh.org/faith/features/canonization-louis-zelie-martin/

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As seen in the image above, Louis and Zelie had several other children, many of whom were called to the religious life. To learn more, go to:

Pope officially paves the way for Saint Therese's parents to be canonized

                                         

Pope canonizes first married couple in modern times

Pope Francis: Four new saints point to humility - not worldly power

image - http://www.catholicnh.org/faith/features/canonization-louis-zelie-martin/

Living Vicariously As A Nun Through Young Catholic Women Seeking to Become Nuns Themselves

Since my conversion back to Catholicism in 1997, I've had times when I've wondered if I would have been a nun if my circumstances fostered me toward such a vocation. It's not like it was a totally foreign idea in my family. Two of my maternal grandmother's sisters were nuns. See:

My great grandparents with their two daughters,
Srs. Maria and Clara.

My French Canadian great grandparents had fifteen children:

My great grandparents with 14 of their 15 children.

I am not sure which ones are Maria and Clara, but they are in there, budding toward their religious vocations. My heart pines to talk with them as a young girl, to possibly receive encouragement to at least consider the religious life.

Despite the fact that my adult grandparents (step grandfather) could not receive Communion because my grandmother was previously married but never sought out a Decree of Nullity, they went to church every Saturday to the 4pm Mass. They sat in one of the back pews each time. They also prayed the Rosary. I don't condone their living in sin, but I do admire their continuing to live out their Catholic lives to the extent they were allowed to. In our generation, people simply leave the Church altogether in these circumstances.

My mother and father's generation was where the practicing of the Catholic faith broke down even further in our French Canadian lineage. Along with alcoholism and contraception, my parents' marriage fell apart.  My mother insisted that we go to Mass every Sunday, but she never came with us. And of course, like so many other families, once we were confirmed, we stopped Mass altogether.

With my conversion back to the Faith, I wondered what my vocation was and is.  I was divorced, annulled, with two older children. There are convents that take people like me, but I never felt the inclination to pursue it seriously.

Instead, I live the life vicariously through other nuns and sisters like these folks:

A small group of Catholic women
working toward launching a new
community of women religious.

Five young women aspire to be nuns and begin new community in Buffalo (click on this link)

Eager to begin new community in Buffalo

Please read about them, about their devotion and their courage. We need more men and women like them. God Bless. +

bottom image - http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/five-young-women-aspire-to-be-nuns-and-begin-new-community-in-buffalo-20150524

To Be or To Do? That Is The Question

As I have journeyed into my Catholic existence, my journey with the saints has given me a deeper appreciation for being rather than doing.   I have come to realize that I have been over focused on what I do, and not focused enough on who I am.  In the end, I think who we are and what we stand up for is more important than any engineering project we could ever accomplish. 

So when I recently came across the information below, I was dismayed, but not surprised. The hyper focus on doing and accomplishing and readying, rather than on being and letting things unfold and preparing for the Holy Spirit's inspirations, is rampant in our world these days.  Quantity has superseded quality.

My ideas to balance out the focus on doing are shown in red.

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For Parents
Parent Action Plan: 12th Grade
Parents: From college applications to high school graduation, this is going to be a busy year for you and your 12th-grader. Are you ready?
[Being:  Have you prayed and meditated together to determine God's will for all of you?]

Parent Action Plan: 10th Grade
Parents: Tenth grade is a great time to decide on college “must-haves” and explore career ideas. Find out how to help your child.
[Being:  Think about your vocation.  What is God calling you to?]

Parent Action Plan: Middle School
Parents: Find out how to help your middle school student develop the right work and study habits to prepare for high school and college.
Being:  Find out how to help your middle school student develop these habits while learning the moral underpinnings to them and finding out how to discern God's will for them.  One can study ad nauseum, but if one has not learned right from wrong, or has not learned that God loves them, they will not be able to make the right difference to mankind.]

Parent Action Plan: 11th Grade
Parents: Are you ready to help your 11th-grader search for colleges, get ready for college admission tests and research financial aid?
[Being:  Are you ready to help your 11th-grader know why college will help them get to heaven?  Are you ready to help your 11th-grader learn and work with the short-sightedness of most of the colleges administrative paradigm?]

Parent Action Plan: 9th Grade
Parents: Find out how you can help your 9th-grader adjest to high school and begin to think about college.
[Being:  Find out how you can help your 9th-grader understand and appreciate the different phases of life.  Find out how you can help your 9th-grader understand and appreciate the responsibility and freedom and enjoyment that comes with high school and the teenage years.]
 - https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/for-parents

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Our secular world is far too focused on the doing in life.  We really need to teach and appreciate more of the being, so ultimately, we can have a healthy balance between the two realms.

St. Joseph, pray for us.  Help us to maintain a healthy balance between achievement and simple existence.


image - http://janinedanielsblog.wordpress.com/

Benedictine Hospitality - St. Benedict Abbey, Still River, MA

On Columbus Day this year, October 10, 2011, the monks of St. Benedict Abbey of Still River, MA, hosted a  picnic for their extended family and friends.  I was blessed to attend. It was a reunion of sorts, with many of us reconnecting for the first time in awhile.

The pictures say more than I ever could, so enjoy.  I took them all!

Friends of the Abbey enjoying the view

Fr. Anthony barbecues with two friends of the Abbey

Welcome sign

Marek with two of his sons

Virginia & Friends

One of the many families who came

                               

Hayride

Hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans and more

Abbot  Xavier with a friend of the Abbey







Susan with her children

The infamous tractor

More action at the food buffet

Football & pumpkin rolling

                   

Fr. Marc brings over the ice cream

Friends enjoying the outdoors

   

Hayride

      
         

Brother Andre Marie from
St. Benedict Center
in Richmond, NH

                                                                                          Fr. James takes a break

Stations of the Cross

St. Anthony

Jesus

   

The Breezeway

Friend, Brother Ambrose, Brother Matthew, Brother Joseph Marie

                                                                                   
                                                                                                    Our Lady                                                    

 
images - personal files

Consecration to Jesus Through Mary

It took me some time to understand this concept of going to Jesus through Mary, and now I have a good enough understanding that my curiosity has arisen about St. Louis de Montfort's Total Consecration to Jesus Through Our Lady.

"It was through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus

came into the world, and it is also through her that he

must reign in the world." - Saint Louis

Several of my friends have taken the conseccration and they do the exercises every year to go along with it, but I have been shy, resistant, not ready, overwhelmed with it all, as well as embarassed about not even looking into it.  I think I still am overwhelmed, but there is a little seed that seems to be sprouting, to get me to at least read about it, and think that one day I might actually make this consecration.

I say that and then I take a peak at the prayers required, and once again, I am not so sure I will ever get to it.  Nonetheless, I am going to tiptoe ahead and research the exercises, and more importantly, the theology involved.

...Thirty-three days of preparation - each year!  Yikes!  Do I have the stamina and interest/calling to do this?  Not right now, but I'll keep reading.

Theology of Total Consecration to Mary

I just found another web site that helped me to understand why I might be skiddish.

First, read "True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin," written by St. Louis de Montfort

himself and decide for certain whether to consecrate yourself to Jesus through

Mary. Read carefully, and don't take this lightly; consecrating oneself

has the character of a vow. - http://www.fisheaters.com/totalconsecrationmontfort.html

Thank you.  That makes perfect sense now.  Vows are serious undertakings.  One can't just jump into them, so I'll continue to pace myself, and keep you posted as I go.



image - http://maureenandbillhayes.libsyn.com/

NPR/WBUR 90.9 Airs Another Show On Women Priests

On June 28, 2011, I wrote an entry entitled, NPR & Women "Priests" - Will They Cover The Other Side Too?  I wrote about an article on the NPR web site, and its associated talk show, in which the presentation was so clearly one-sided, i.e. women should be allowed to be priests in the Roman Catholic Church.  I wrote to NPR to do another show presenting the Church's side, as I am sure many others did too.

We may have been heard, although the first show was on Anything Goes and the second was on On Point.

When I drove home tonight, I happened to catch another radio show on this topic.  This time, NPR/WBUR/On Point had a more balanced presentation of views.  At least there was a Catholic theologian on the panel of speakers.  Pia was her name and she did a good job explaining the teachings of the Church with respect to the non-ordaining of women as priests. 

Having said that, NPR/WBUR/On Point still have some improvements to make.  The panelists in favor of ordaining women priests outnumbered Pia, 2 to 1.  They were the Catholic Maryknoll priest and the "ordained female priest" from Roman Catholic Women Priests, never mind the preference given to callers in accord with them.  There was also an overriding presumption that women can be ordained.  Nonetheless, it's progress in my mind and I have to give NPR/WBUR/On Point credit.

Personally, I get rattled when I listen to a show like this.  I can see how easy it would be for people to "hop on the bandwagon", on the wrong bandwagon, that is.

To listen to it, click here
To see the associated article, Ordaining Female Catholic Priests, and photos, click here

For my view on the subject, go here

Kathleen


image - http://thedivaloungenyc.com/