aeternus

One might accuse Mother’s of being too “harsh” sometimes.  With all the discipline that falls under our domain as educators of our children in their formative years it is easy to criticize her as the one who “always dampens the fun” or “chills the spirit”.  

Mother’s are no censors of fun mind you, we only admonish in love and to teach but when we say “eat your peas or you can not have desert” it seems we are always the bad guys! Now, I am really hopeful that I will not always appear the “bad guy” and dare I imagine that one day they will thank me for loving them so much!  But as I see it, Mothers (and Father’s) will be held accountable for the “deposit of faith” they try to instill in their charges as they rear them in life to deploy them into the world as good little independent souls ready to make their own way to eternity.  

This, I think, was also the philosophy of Blanche.  Mother of Louis, she was devoted to his upbringing and wished him to become a man of upright moral character.  Apparently she used to say to him quite often during his formative years, ”I love you my dear son, as much as a mother can love her child; but I would rather see you dead at my feet than that you should commit a mortal sin.” Now, could we say Blanche was trying to “spoil the fun” of her son or “dampen his spirit”?!  And before you answer, you may also want to know that Blanche was the Queen of France and Louis became Louis IX a King and even more importantly a SAINT!

I wish Blanche had written a book for us.  And maybe St. Monica too.  Surely they would be helpful to us all.  But I suppose we will just have to mutter through and prayerfully try to do the best we can as mothers.  We must just remember to call upon these good ladies in heaven as often as we need them.  Surely they will help us!

So for St. Louis, Missouri it is not just a feast day but a Solemnity to  our City’s Patron.  I’m not sure the local media will mention it but surely we have reason to celebrate him today.  I was truly thankful today at mass (at a new church for me since I am getting into a new routine with my son going to a new school this year… more on this later) this morning.  When I bowed down before receiving the Eucharist, I noticed an inscription on the floor at the altar.  I had only a glance at it but it said something quite like “this church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and St. Louis, King of France.”  I was happily surprised and thankful for that brief encounter with the Saint’s memory and felt thankful to him for his inspiration.  

For more on St. Louis, I would direct you to a great article at EWTN’s website.  It starts out this way: “In Louis IX of France were united the qualities of a just and upright sovereign, a fearless warrior, and a saint. This crusading king was a living embodiment of the Christianity of the time: he lived for the welfare of his subjects and the glory of God….”

Also, if you have not ever read the letter that St. Louis wrote to one of his own 11 children, please read it here below.  Maybe you would like to print it out for a special “Father” in your life as I am sure it would be an inspirational and perhaps motivational bit of writing for them in their role as spiritual educator.  Its a long letter (a little bit edited) with some “kingly” stuff in it but I am sure you will agree how beautiful and wonderful it is and how he taught much in the same manner his Mother taught him!

“Dear son, since I desire with all my heart that you be  well instructed in all things, it is in my thought to give  you some advice by this writing. For I have heard you  say, several times, that you remember my words better  than those of any one else. 


Therefore, dear son, the first thing I advise is that  you fix your whole heart upon God, and love Him with all your strength, for without this no one can be saved or be of any worth.  

You should, with all your strength, shun everything which you believe to be displeasing to Him. And you ought especially to be resolved not to commit mortal sin, no matter what may happen, and you should permit all your limbs to be hewn off, and suffer every manner of torment, rather than fall knowingly into mortal sin. 


If our Lord send you any adversity, whether illness or other thing, you should receive it in good patience, and  thank Him for it, and be grateful for it, for you ought to believe that He will cause everything to turn out for your good ; and likewise you should think that you have well 
merited it, and more also, should He will it, because you 
have loved Him but little, and served Him but little, and 
have done many things contrary to His will. 


If our Lord send you any prosperity, either health 
of body or other thing, you ought to thank Him humbly 
for it, and you ought to be careful that you are not the 
worse for it, either through pride or anything else, for 
it is a very great sin to fight against our Lord with His 
gifts. 


Dear son, I advise you that you accustom yourself 
to frequent confession, and that you choose always, as 
your confessors, men who are upright and sufficiently 
learned, and who can teach you what you should do and 
what you should avoid. You should so carry yourself 
that your confessors and other friends may dare confidently 
to reprove you and show you your faults. 


Dear son, I advise you that you listen willingly and 
devoutly to the services of Holy Church, and, when you 
are in church, avoid frivolity and trifling, and do not 
look here and there ; but pray to God with lips and heart 
alike, while entertaining sweet thoughts about Him, and 
especially at the mass, when the body and blood of our 
Lord Jesus Christ are consecrated, and for a little time 
before. 


Dear son, have a tender and pitiful heart for the 
poor, and for all those whom you believe to be in misery 
of heart or body, and, according to your ability, comfort 
and aid them with some alms. 


Maintain the good customs of your realm, and put 
down the bad ones. Do not oppress your people and do not burden them with tolls or failles, except under very 
great necessity. 


If you have any unrest of heart, of such a nature 
that it may be told, tell it to your confessor, or to some 
upright man who can keep your secret ; you will be able 
to carry more easily the thought of your heart. 


See to it that those of your household are upright 
and loyal, and remember the Scripture, which says: ” 
Elige viros timentes Deum in quibus sit justicia et qui 
oderint avariciam ; ” that is to say. “Love those who 
serve God and who render strict justice and hate covet- 
ousness ; ” and you will profit, and will govern your kingdom 
well. 


Dear son, see to it that all your associates are upright, 
whether clerics or laymen, and have frequent good 
converse with them ; and flee the society of the bad. And 
listen willingly to the word of God, both in open and in 
secret ; and purchase freely prayers and pardons. 


Love all good, and hate all evil, in whomsoever it 
may be. 


Let no one be so bold as to say, in your presence, 
words which attract and lead to sin, and do not permit 
words of detraction to be spoken of another behind his 
back. 


Suffer it not that any ill be spoken of God or His 
saints in your presence, without taking prompt vengeance. 
But if the offender be a clerk or so great a person that 
you ought not to try him, report the matter to him who is 
entitled to judge it. 


Dear son, give thanks to God often for all the good 
things He has done for you, so that you may be worthy to receive more, in such a manner that if it please the 
Lord that you come to the burden and honor of governing 
the kingdom, you may be worthy to receive the sacred 
unction wherewith the kings of France are consecrated. 


Dear son, if you come to the throne, strive to have 
that which befits a king, that is to say, that in justice and 
rectitude you hold yourself steadfast and loyal toward 
your subjects and your vassals, without turning either to 
the right or to the left, but always straight, whatever may 
happen. And if a poor man have a quarrel with a rich 
man, sustain the poor rather than the rich, until the truth 
is made clear, and when you know the truth, do justice to 
them. 


Love your brothers, and always wish their well- 
being and their good advancement, and also be to them 
in the place of a father, to instruct them in all good. But 
be watchful lest, for the love which you bear to one, you 
turn aside from right doing, and do to the others that 
which is not meet. 


Dear son, I advise you to bestow the benefices of 
Holy Church which you have to give, upon good persons, 
of good and clean life, and that you bestow, them with the 
high counsel of upright men. And I am of the opinion 
that it is preferable to give them to those who hold nothing 
of Holy Church, rather than to others. For, if you 
inquire diligently, you will find enough of those who have 
nothing who will use wisely that entrusted to them.

In conclusion, dear son, I give you all the blessings 
which a good and tender father can give to a son, and I 
pray our Lord Jesus Christ, by His mercy, by the 
prayers and merits of His blessed Mother, the Virgin 
Mary, and of angels and archangels and of all the saints, 
to guard and protect you from doing anything contrary 
to His will, and to give you grace to do it always,so that He may be honored and served by you. And 
this may He do to me as to you, by His great bounty, so 
that after this mortal life we may be able to be together 
with Him in the eternal life, and see Him, love Him, and 
praise Him without end. Amen. And glory, honor, and 
praise be to Him who is one God with the Father and the 
Holy Spirit ; without beginning and without end. 

Amen.”

You can read more of the letter here: From Saint Louis’ Advice to His Son, in Medieval Civilization, trans. and eds. Dana Munro and George Clarke Sellery (New York: The Century Company, 1910), pp. 366 -75.

Photographs are from the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis after yesterday’s mass.

When the phone rang after 9:30 last evening I was hoping that is was not bad news.  I always feel it must be bad news if it rings anytime after 8 p.m. because most of the people I know already know I am “early to sleep and early to rise”!  Also, most know that I have a “phone-a-phobia” and as a fact do not like using that particular communication device except in necessity.  But I digress…

The call actually came from a friend of mine who wanted to invite me to mass in the morning at a parish well across town — St. George’s in Afton.  That wonderful invitation was hardly the “bad news” I had premonitioned to myself when the phone rang!

The Holy Mass, offered on this most beautiful feast day of Our Blessed Mother, Queen of Heaven, was to be given in special regard to a new religious community who has come to St. Louis and will establish themselves under the name of The Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel’s Hope.  The Daughter will be a contemplative and active community with a teaching and evangelistic focus. The community has as its foundress familiar Catholic teaching personality and Evangelist, Rosalind Moss. 

Rosalind, known well for her work with EWTN and “Catholic Answers Live” is a convert to Catholicism. She came to St. Louis this summer at the invitation of our wonderful Archbishop Raymond Burke.  (Now since the Archbishop is now “Emeritus” and the faithful of the Archdiocese are now awaiting a new Archbishop the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Isreal’s Hope will have to await formal inauguration for their community, which would come once a new archbishop is appointed. However, its all in Gods time and in His most loving Hands!)  

There is an obvious support for the new community as the 8 a.m. mass filled most of the giant and beautiful church of St. George (where the new community will make as their home).  The a cappella hymns of Immaculate Mary and Sing of Mary were sung so joyously by all it was hard to hold back the tears!  Throughout the mass I just kept remembering the quotation from this morning’s office of readings (and which I posted about earlier today) that through the holiness of Mary our Queen and “with divine assistance she has redirected these waters and made them into streams of peace and pools of grace.”  What a beautiful meditation, “Streams of peace and pools of grace” — these holy waters were certainly invisibly flowing during this holy mass!

The name Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel’s Hope reflects Rosalind’s religious heritage. She was raised Jewish and later, as an adult, embraced “Jesus as the Messiah of the Jewish people”.  Rosalind initially joined an evangelical Protestant church but over time came to know and love not only Christ but convert to His Holy Catholic Church in the mid-1990s. 

At today’s Holy Mass Rosalind and two other women who seek to form the community, were clothed in Postulant’s habits as they will now make a retreat to learn about living in religious community from an already established religious community in the South of the U.S.

Rosalind reports that she received about 300 inquiries from interested women who are interested in her community but plans to start with a membership of about a dozen. 
For more information on the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel’s Hope, call the community’s convent at (314) 352-LOVE (5683) or e-mail Rosalind Moss at rosalindmoss@gmail.com.

One final comment which is interesting and unique to her order is the lack of an age limit for entrance.

“I’ll take anyone from 18 to 118, as long as they can keep the rules,” Moss said.

My dear Novena Secretary has once again come to my rescue to remind me of the Novena which starts today to Our Lady of Czestochowa. I took the photo above when she and I visited the Black Madonna Shrine here a couple of summers ago. I am sure it would be a wonderful time to visit the National Shrine in Doylestown, Pennsylvania and I am just sorry I was not able to make a visit there last month when I was visiting my family.

According to tradition, it is believed that Saint Luke the Evangelist is the original artist of this painting in which Mary is depicted holding the Christ Child. This sacred picture, enshrined and venerated at the renowned Marian Shrine in Poland, was brought from Jerusalem through Constantinople and was bestowed to the Princess of Ruthenia. It was brought to Poland in 1382 through the efforts of Ladislaus of Opole who discovered it in a castle at Belz. To ensure its protection, he invited the Monks of Saint Paul the first Hermit from Hungary to come to Poland to be the guardians of the Picture.

Now, there are several different Novena Prayers to Our Lady of Czestochowa which I found online and you can use. Click here for one and click here for the Pauline Father’s Novena Prayer (they maintain the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Pennsylvania. There is a nice collection of prayers here and a history on the Black Madonna.

Novena Prayer

Under your bejeweled mantle, I seek refuge Most Holy Immaculate Virgin and Mother. How sweet it is for me to venerate you under the title of Our Lady of Czestochowa and Queen of Jasna Gora.

We fly to your patronage, O Holy Mother of God; despise not these our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin.

My most holy Mother, I behold the graces that you have already obtained for me, and the ingratitude that I have shown toward you. The thankless soul is no longer worthy of blessings, but not even on this account will I lose confidence in your mercy. O my mighty advocate have pity on me and obtain, I beseech you, this favor for me if it be for the glory of your Divine Son and the good of my soul.

(Pause and name the favor sought)

Speak for me, Queen of Jasna Gora. Your Son will do whatsoever you shall ask of Him. I beg you, take me under your protection and this is enough for me, to be one of your ever faithful servants. Amen.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired
with this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of Virgins my mother; to you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful; O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions; but in your clemency hear and answer me. Amen

O Mother of the Divine Infant in your arms, through your sacred image in Czestochowa you remind us of the constant presence of your Son and of your own motherly solicitude as a source of strength and courage in our daily trails, difficulties and labors.

we praise you and we love you.

O Queen whose image bears the scars of enemy attacks, you are to us a sign of hope, unity and victory,

we praise you and we love you.

O Virgin Helper, you aid us in ovecoming all evil and weakness,

we praise you and we love you.

When we are oppressed by doubts and temptations against faith,

be our help and our protection.

When we feel lonely, abandoned, and threatened,

be our help and protection.

When we are in danger of yielding to our evil habits and sins,

be our help and protection.

That you may strengthen us in faith and obatin for us the power to renew our lives in the spirit of God’s commandments and the Gospels of Christ,

we beseech you, O Lady of Jasna Gora, our Mother.

That you may continue to reign in our lives, on the personal, family , social and national levels.

we beseech you, O Lady of Jasna Gora, Our Mother

That you may obtain for us from your Son the special grace that we implore in this novena.

we beseech you, O Lady of Jasna Gora, our Mother.

O Almighty and merciful God, You gave the Polish Nation a wondrous help and defense in the most holy Virgin Mary and you honored her sacred image at Jasna Gora with remarkable veneration of the faithful. Grant in your mercy that under her protection, we may struggle confidently throughout our lives and, at the moment of death be victorious over our enemy.

We ask this grace in the name of Jesus, your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen

Matko, ja kocham Cię
(Mother I love you!)

A wonderful woman, who is a true and loving Secular Carmelite sent me this beautiful poem which I would like to share today. I am sure Our Lady was watching over her in a special way yesterday on her feast day…

Soon I’ll hear that sweet harmony,
Soon I’ll go to beautiful heaven to see you.
You who came to smile at me in the morning of my life,
Come smile at me again, Mother …
It’s evening now! ….
I no longer fear the splendor of your supreme glory.
With you I’ve suffered, and now I want
To sing on your lap, Mary, why I love you,
And to go on saying that I am your child !…..

Happy Feast Day!

I pray today many souls will be open to the invitation of protection and maternal love promised by Our Lady of Mt. Carmel to those who wear her garment of grace, the most holy scapular!

A quick note:

Last evening, at the novena, I was so fortunate and so completely blessed to receive a new scapular from some new friends. I have a special devotion to St. Terese of the Andes and met a wonderful married couple from Chile. We spoke at length about what a great feast happens in their county during the feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (July 16) and St. Teresa of the Andes (July 13). They said it is a National Holiday! WOW! They brought me a special scapular from Chile and on it is a photograph of dear St. Teresa of the Andes. Oh, I will treasure this gift. THANK YOU!!! You can see a celebratory video of her life here. I think it is called “Vivo solo para dios” which I believe is “live for God alone!” and it is from the Carmelite Missionaries (Carmelitas Misioneras) in Chile.

The photo above was taken last evening at the Novena. Here is a wonderful poem I found to celebrate the day…

BY this blest badge we wear, O holy Mother!
This token of thy love,
Look down on us with eyes of tenderest pity
From thy bright home above —

Thou who didst tread the Via Dolorosa
Through sorrow’s bitterest gloom,
Thou who didst stand beside the Cross in anguish,
Didst mourn beside the tomb;

Thou whose pure heart wast torn with grief whose
tortures
No mortal tongue may tell,
When died thy Son, our merciful Redeemer,
For those he loved so well.

Then, when our sins thy loving heart were breaking,
He gave us unto thee,
That thou our Mother and our Mediatrix
For evermore should be.

And thou hast proved a loving Mother to us,
Blessed Queen of love and light,
Who hast bestowed upon us this most glorious
Badge of the Carmelite —

Gift of thy love unto that chosen servant
Whose heart, wiih love aflame,
Sought daily with undying zeal to honor
Thy pure and holy name.

A boon he craved, a gift from thee, dear Mother
A token from thy hand,
Whose power would fan the flame of praise and
worship
To splendor clear and grand.

And thou didst hear his prayer — this badge thy
answer.
What rapturous surprise
Flooded his soul when from the opened heavens,
To glad his loving eyes,

Thou earnest to earth, the Infant Saviour bearing
Upon thy spotless breast,
And to thy sainted servant gave this armor
And shield for souls oppressed.

Mount Carmel’s caves, within whose shadows lonely
God’s priests and prophets prayed,
Thrilled to the music which uncounted angels
Singing around thee made.

And thence for evermore sweet strains of comfort,
Thy words of promise, flow —
Words which have fallen with a balm of healing
On many a wound of woe.

O dear, dear Mother ! through each passing moment
Look from thy home above,
And shield from tempting wiles the thousands
wearing
This livery of thy love.

Pray for thy children found in every station,
Peasant or prince or peer,
Merchant or soldier, or the rugged sailor
Whose stout heart knows no fear.

But oh ! all blessings choicest still and rarest
Flow round their hearts to-day
Who for Christ’s sake leave home and friends and
kindred,
To tread the ” narrow way ” ;

Whose every aim in life is consecrated
To God, and God alone ;
Whose prayers, a grand, perpetual adoration,
Like incense seek his throne.

Win them, sweet Mother, faith’s celestial guerdon,
To each give strengthening grace,
And let the influence of their lives heroic
Be felt in every place.

–By Marcella Agnes Fitzgerald
Poems, Published 1886 by The Catholic Publication Society, New York

I was a little worried, only a little mind you, when that first big thunderstorm hit at around 5p.m. or so. I decided quickly not to think too much about it and that rain or shine, the first night of the Annual Outdoor Novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel would be wonderful. So, despite a second quick shower at about 7:45 when everyone was filing out of the chapel and onto the monastery grounds for Holy Mass, the night was splendid. In fact, you can see from the glorious image above that the Lord was present in all His beauty. For when the shower passed, His light was upon us.

Bishop Robert Herman, who is now our Archdiocese Administrator now that Archbishop Burke is going to Rome, came to celebrate the Eucharist for us. As is per usual, his homily was just wonderful. He is a charismatic speaker and you can here is homily from the OCDS website here. You will enjoy listening him speak about the importance of the Contemplative Life in today’s world. His passion and humor are to be thoroughly enjoyed!

I will try to post more later…

As it was my husband’s birthday yesterday, I had to accommodate his birthday desire. This meant I had to get myself excited to do the exact opposite of what I wanted to do — spend the day at St. Joe’s State Park. Now, if you were from St. Louis and reading this you would already know what this means. But for the rest of the world, let me explain why spending the day at a Park has its down side…

St. Joe’s State Park was created on the site of an old lead strip mining site. It encompasses about 2000 acres of soft sand-like material called “tailings” which I imagine the sands of Tahiti to look and feel like. This material is created as some sort of mining by-product and is really quite lovely. So, if you don’t think too much about the possibility of lead contained in the sand then you are alright. There are many little lakes on the Park Property which are good for swimming and lots of little mountains (hills really but since we are in Missouri we shall call them mountains) and good amounts of natural beauty contained in the woods and fields. I imagined seeing hawks soaring, but I think they were actually Turkey Buzzards (YEACH!)

So, you may say, “Gee, despite the possible lead poisoning, it seems like a delicious place to spend the day with your family”. But, dear reader, that is only because I have not yet gotten to the good part…

The most important part of St. Joe’s State Park is that it has been transformed into one of the nations most exciting places to go and ride your motor-cross motorcycles and atvs. In a frenzy of motoring excitement you can ride around through the forests and over the sand dunes till your little heart can take no more excitement or your body gives out from pure exhaustion.

So, the answer is to your inquisitive stare, “Yes, my husband is a “motor-head” and NO, this anomaly did not present itself until we had been married many, many years! It started off with just a fancy for Formula One racing but when his father (who is 80 years old) gave him his old 1970s Yamaha motorcycle, well, - that was that… He was in full fledge-motor-bliss! Now, that same Father (mind you he is 80 years old as I said) is tooling around South Carolina in his latest fast back street bike and pal-ing around with a group of MUCH younger enthusiasts. Why did I not see this coming earlier in my life?  I don’t know.  What do I expect for my future?  I don’t know but please PRAY FOR ME!”

Anyway, back to the main story…

My husband gets this “fancy to ride” quite often and usually I can let him go off with our son and have fun alone. I jump at the opportunity to plead too much housework to go along on the adventure. This usually works though the boys seem greatly disappointed I do not wish to take part in their fun. What are they thinking? Alas, yesterday I could not get out of the birthday motoring, I just had to go along.

The day started with thunderstorms while I was at early mass. This did not deter our motor boys. We drove out of town and passed through several other short storms, but kept going nonetheless. As the boys unpacked their cycles it began to rain again. I stayed in the car thinking it would pass as they rode off into the sand dunes. When our little one wanted to go over to the lake and look for frogs and turtles I decided the rain had stopped enough to chance it. I took a copy of a new book on St. Therese and a couple of towels, my lawn chair and headed off. As I sat down in my chair, the rain started again.

“Oh Therese,” I said in sadness and woe at being trapped at this park of motorcycle madness, “only you can make this rain stop so your book will not get wet and I can try to enjoy this day!”

As I said this exclamatory prayer it INSTANTLY stopped raining. I’m not kiding. I mean - instantly stopped raining. And, it did not rain for the rest of the day! I was able to read with Therese and I was inspired by her words. As I read, my daughter caught little fish in her net and put them in her bucket. She fed them bits of her sandwich (what lucky fish) and I thought of dear Therese catching fish with her father and taking them to Carmel to give to the sister’s to eat. It was good, very good.

So, should I not be surprised that in giving up my day and my will to travel along with my husband’s crazy birthday wish that goodness and mercy would not be shown to me? What a great grace to know that God is so kind and merciful that He would help me in my struggle to be kind to my husband (even when I would rather scrub the kitchen floor with a toothbrush than sit in a park filled with the sound of two-stroke motors and un-muffled engines blaring in my ears!). God knows we are distracted by the world. He knows that we can not even spend even one day quietly in a bit of His glorious and naturally created beauty without hearing the interruptions of manmade noise and confusion. But, oh, if we just seek God, He will seek us.

So I found Him yesterday, with the help of dear Therese, and I love Him for showing Himself to me… Thank you Father.

I thought I would post a couple of photos from our 4th of July Adventure and tell our little story…

We enjoyed a humble bar-b-que with a family who are some old neighbors and fellow parishoners. They are very anti-cultural in America in that they use their car quite sparingly. Biking is the favored mode of transportation. (For those who do not live in the U.S. you don’t know how shocking this is!) In any case, we brought along our bikes (they lent me one of their extras since I don’t have one). After our big meal of hamburgers we convoyed downtown through the mayhem of Festivalers toward the Riverfront. Before starting out I earnestly begged our Guardian Angels to stick to us like glue and keep trouble from us. (I especially asked for protection for my daughter for this was going to be her biggest and most challenging biking effort to date!)

Of course the children insisted on getting as close to the Gateway Arch as possible so we really had to crawl our way through the crowds. I really don’t enjoy crowds so this was a difficult experience, however, I try very hard not to be the one who ruins the fun. So onward and Eastward we navigated until we were near the Arch grounds. It was our little group along with nearly a 100,000 or so others who were vying for the best fireworks viewing position. I did not want to panic, but there were just TOO many other bodies in too little space. In a moment of clear and prayerful thinking (and because I wanted to get a good photo) I suggested we move South a bit and go over toward the Old Cathedral of St. Louis. Everyone agreed to this and we crossed a few more little streets and VOILA - Sanctuary! I don’t know why, but we ended up being the only ones there! There was nobody around (well, maybe there were 12 others or so) and it was safe and very peaceful just 100 yards away from the roaring crowds! As usual, I just need to TRUST more for Our most merciful Lord always shows me the path!

The fireworks were fun and the children just had a wonderful time together. I’m sure they will always remember this year biking down through the crowds and finding repose outside God’s house. For my daughter this was a big ride and she kept up with everyone just fine. As we peddled home we were getting a bit tired going uphill when we drove past a dark area and looked down a pathway. There shining brightly was a shrine to Our Lady at St. Raymond’s Marionite Cathedral. We peddled down the path and said a few Ave’s to our Mother and admired the lovely mosaic to St. Charbel a Lebanese hermit. Pope John Paul II canonized him in 1977 and said: “a new eminent member of monastic sanctity is enriching, by his example and his intercession, the entire Christian people. May he make us understand, in a world largely fascinated by wealth and comfort, the paramount value of poverty, penance and asceticism, to liberate the soul in its ascent to God…”

(In the mosaic pictured here below there are two other saints, but I admit to not knowing exactly who they are.)
Anyway, what a blessing this night turned out to be. What is an ordinary life event becomes a special one filled with little graces and blessings. He is everywhere if we look for Him. God is good indeed!

As a p.s. to the story… We met another nice young family last evening and they invited us to a day of Gaelic festivities this afternoon. I have never watched Hurling before, but I gotta admit that if I was 20 years younger I’d be out running around with my stick wacking that ball. It is the perfect mix of Field Hockey, Baseball and Soccer which were my three favorite sports back in my young and athletic days. What an exciting game! Miss Veritas (if you are reading) do ya’ want ta play?!

The Marian Catechists have put out a call for a Spiritual Bouquet to be prayed for His Excellency Archbishop Raymond L. Burke. Today, June 30 is his 60th birthday and Sunday was his 33rd anniversary of the holy priesthood.

As most people already know, our dear Archbishop is on his way to the Vatican to be the new prefect of the Apostolic Signature, the Church’s supreme court. We taped a television press conference with him the other evening to show the children. It is amazing to me that so many people have been so hostile towards this most humble man and servant of Our Dear Lord . Perhaps they see only his exterior which is strong. But, to look at him with the eyes of the heart, one nearly crumbles with admiration of this holy soul! When he spoke to the press about his new appointment he spoke clearly. However, when asked about leaving St. Louis this dear man actually had to pause he was so choked up. He could then hardly speak because he was so overcome with tears of sadness (which were obviously due to love of the Archdiocese). Oh, how I hope he knows how much we love him here!

My poor little ones were saddened when they saw their dear Archbishop. Young mister looks up to him with such admiration and is very happy for him to be going to Rome. He is taking this news like a good stalwart young man, though I know he is torn between happiness and sadness. He can ‘t help but feel sad he won’t be able to serve mass for him any more. Young Miss was not so tough… she cried. Her words were, “I am so sad”. I said, “That is o.k. you can tell him your sad when you see him at mass”. She said, “No Mommy, if I tell him I’m sad and cry then he’ll be sad and cry and that would not be Christian.” Bless her!

Back to business…

The spiritual bouquet to be offered is specific. The Marian Catechists asks to pray the Chaplet of the Holy Face. This chaplet is a powerful prayer for the triumph of the Church and the downfall of Her enemies. Archbishop Burke has a strong devotion to dear St. Therese of Lisieux and of course we know her religious name was “Sister Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face”. Therese wrote many prayers to express her devotion to the Holy Face. Her poems and prayers helped spread the devotion. She wrote the words “Make me resemble you, Jesus!” on a small card and attached a stamp of the Holy Face to it. She pinned the prayer in a small container over her heart, since at that time the Holy Face Medal did not exist. In August 1895, in her “Canticle to the Holy Face” she wrote:

“Jesus, Your ineffable Image is the star which guides my steps. Ah, You know, Your sweet Face is for me Heaven on earth. My love discovers the charms of Your Face adorned with tears. I smile through my own tears when I contemplate Your sorrows.”

The Chaplet of the Holy Face

For the Triumph of the Church and downfall of Her Enemies

Make the Sign of the Cross, and say:

God, come to my assistance,
Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Next, say 33 times:
Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered;
let those who hate Him flee before His Holy Face.

At the end, say 3 times:
Glory be to the Father…
________________

The formula that we are using for the Chaplet of the Holy Face is a variation of the original chaplet. If you would like to know more about the Holy Face Devotion, visit the websire: www.holyface.org

I don’t know what I was thinking, I guess I just wasn’t!

Last night when we arrived to Mount Grace for the Novena to the Sacred Heart I did not realize it was the last night! Maybe I was just deeply hoping the novena would continue throughout the whole entire summer, maybe I was in denial, maybe I was just stupid. However, when the organ sounded the entrance hymn of Come Holy Ghost and I turned around to see the Archbishop ready to process into the chapel, I knew the jig was up. The end was here. And I had a very sad private moment and a pang in my heart at the beginning of the mass. Oh, I wish I could communicate how much I love this annual novena! And, by the way, my children do to. I think my husband will even miss going tonight!

The mass was as usual, lovely. The highlight of the evening was after mass when Archbishop Burke blessed the Pink Sister’s new outdoor statue of St. Joseph. They have renovated a side garden next to the front of the chapel to make a swirling meditative path for walking and the most lovely statue of a 30ish St. Joseph with a 2 year old Jesus on his lap. Jesus is looking up and praying to His Heavenly Father. It really is a beautiful statue to be sure.

Now, I would like to mention here that it seems I am quite “attached” to this novena. And that would probably be a good and easy assessment to make of me. I am a poor soul and I suppose I rely greatly on this chapel, these beautiful nuns and this most beautiful novena to the Sacred Heart. Who could not be inspired by their continual adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, day and night, for the good of souls! Deo Gratias! It should raise your hearts to heaven!

However, as I am studying St. John of the Cross’s Ascent of Mount Carmel I must analyze myself a bit…

Saint John of the Cross discusses in detail all forms of misplaced attachment throughout his book. In Chapter 43 of Book III he discusses “the large variety of ceremonies that many people use as another motivating means for prayer.” He also in the previous chapter talks about the “three different kinds of places, I find, by which God usually moves the will.” To be sure, I am motivated by both this chapel and the novena itself and if I did not know St. John of the Cross better, I might think that he is cautioning me and making me think I am too attached to this novena. We know that we all must endeavor to quell attachments (for the good of our souls) however, I also take to heart the goodness of devotion as John says, “God alone knows why he chooses one place in which to receive praise more than another. What we should know is that he does all for our own benefit and so he may hear our prayers in these places - or anywhere we beseech him with integral faith”

I will post some photos now, but I am already missing my very cold pink lemonade and vanilla chocolate chip cookies (which the Sister’s most kindly share with us after every mass!) I don’t know how I’ll get to sleep tonight without them!

The following prayer is prayed each night at the Pink Sister’s Novena in honor of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus…

Sacred Heart of Jesus, you revealed to St. Margaret Mary your desire to reign over Christian families. To fulfill this desire, we today proclaim your complete dominion over our family. From now on we wish to live your life, to cultivate in our home those virtues which bring us your peace, and avoid that worldliness which you have condemned. You will rule over our minds by simple faith and over our hearts by a love kept aflame by frequent Communion.

Divine Heart of Jesus, be pleased to preside over our family, to bless all we do, to dispel our troubles, sanctify our joys, lighten our sufferings. If one of us should ever offend you by sin, remind us, merciful Jesus, of your goodness and mercy to the penitent sinner. And when the hour of separation strikes, when death brings its grief into our midst, those of us who go and those of us who stay will be submissive to what you have decreed. Then it will be our consolation to remember that the day will come when our entire family, reunited in heaven, will be able to sing forever of your glory and mercy.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the glorious patriarch, St. Joseph, present to you this our Consecration and keep us ever mindful of it all the days of our life. All glory to the Sacred Heat of Jesus, our King and our Father!

Photo above was taken during Prayer before the Noontime mass on Friday.

Today begins my favorite 9 days of the year. The annual novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at Mount Grace with the Pink Sisters here in St. Louis. I took this photo after mass (we went to the noon time celebration today) and I thought it would be good to share.

Happy Feast to all, may the Sacred Heart of Jesus reign in your hearts!

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist and yesterday it was celebrated with great joy at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. The day started with heavy rain and severe storms, but cleared in time for mass and the outdoor procession. Our Archbishop carried the monstrance throughout the neighborhood stopping at 3 outdoor altars for benediction services before ended up back inside the Cathedral for a final Benediction of the Eucharist. As the crowd processed (my estimate is there were 350 to 450 people) hymns were sung and litanies were prayed. I would LOVE to write about every moment of this most beautiful service, but as I said, we had severe storms in St. Louis yesterday and now we are busy trying to dry out our basement which was flooded with about 1/2 foot of water in the night time! (yeach!) In any case, I wanted to share some photos - which will tell the story much better than I could anyway!

Oh Mary, we crown you with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May.

Bring flowers of the rarest, bring flowers of the fairest
From garden and woodland and hillside and vale;
Our full hearts are swelling, our glad voices telling
The praise of the loveliest Rose of the vale.

Oh Mary, we crown you with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May.

Our voices ascending, in harmony blending,
Oh, thus may our hearts turn, dear Mother, to you.
Oh, thus shall we prove you how truly we love you;
How dark without Mary life’s journey would be.

Oh Mary, we crown you with blossoms today,
Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May.

We had a wonderful outdoor May Crowning and mass at the children’s school this morning. The sun was brilliant and the Holy Spirit was joyfully blowing through the tall trees. What a favorite day is May 1 when we celebrate our dear St. Joseph and honor his beautiful spouse, our Blessed Mother, throughout the whole moth!

Today, of course, I can not fail to mention how much trust dear Saint Teresa of Avila put in Saint Joseph. I have a many a friend too who places such trust in him. What a wonderful choice of a soul to call upon when you are in need.
Here is what Teresa says:

“I took for my patron and lord the glorious St. Joseph, and recommended myself earnestly to him. I saw clearly that both out of this my present trouble, and out of others of greater importance, relating to my honour and the loss of my soul, this my father and lord delivered me, and rendered me greater services than I knew how to ask for. I cannot call to mind that I have ever asked him at any time for anything which he has not granted; and I am filled with amazement when I consider the great favours which God hath given me through this blessed Saint; the dangers from which he hath delivered me, both of body and of soul. To other Saints, our Lord seems to have given grace to succour men in some special necessity; but to this glorious Saint, I know by experience, to help us in all: and our Lord would have us understand that as He was Himself subject to him upon earth—for St. Joseph having the title of father, and being His guardian, could command Him—so now in heaven He performs all his petitions. I have asked others to recommend themselves to St. Joseph, and they too know this by experience; and there are many who are now of late devout to him, having had experience of this truth.

Would that I could persuade all men to be devout to this glorious Saint; for I know by long experience what blessings he can obtain for us from God. I have never known any one who was really devout to him, and who honoured him by particular services, who did not visibly grow more and more in virtue; for he helps in a special way those souls who commend themselves to him. It is now some years since I have always on his feast asked him for something, and I always have it. If the petition be in any way amiss, he directs it aright for my greater good…

Those who give themselves to prayer should in a special manner have always a devotion to St. Joseph; for I know not how any man can think of the Queen of the angels, during the time that she suffered so much with the Infant Jesus, without giving thanks to St. Joseph for the services he rendered them then. He who cannot find any one to teach him how to pray, let him take this glorious Saint for his master, and he will not wander out of the way.” [St. Teresa of Avila, the book of her Life Chapter VI]

– photo of Our Lady in the front grotto of school (a.k.a. “the bowel”) 

My daughter is the girl who does not run with the crowd. At 7 years old she is not fascinated with “Hanna Montana” and could care less about “American Girl” or “fashion” or the “Disney Channel” like the rest of her little friends. Of course, this makes me very happy.

When this little one gets home from school her most favorite thing to do in the world is go out front in our yard to play on her big tree swing. She will be there for hours entertaining herself by admiring nature and singing to it. And when I say sing, I really mean sing. She does NOT stop. I am thankful that we live on a hidden little Lane with zero traffic. If not, she would obviously have become the city curiosity by now!

In any case, she is just lovely in her little solitudes of song. I love to be making dinner in the late afternoon while being entertained by her musical performance. I look out the window while cutting up some vegetables and smile at her and her little companion - our dog Obi (she’s a Jedi dog you know!).

In short, this is a genuine little girl. Not a wannabe teen and not a distracted child who’s every over scheduled moment in life is booked from now until death. One might imagine that this girl who spends quite a bit of time in her own imaginary world among the trees and squirrels would be one to not partake in the social activity of school, but by thinking that you would be incorrect. As content as she is, it must be some sort of attraction to the other girls for they flock to her like bees to honey and she is a glad to be with their company as she is to be alone in her own solitude.

So this is the girl we are talking about who was preparing for her First Communion last week. She is a girl with a couple of ants in her pants when it comes to mass (age seven and some figets are inevitable) but she comes with a understanding of the mass which is quite beautiful. As we studied the catechism together over the past few months (the old St. Joseph’s edition of the Baltimore Catechism is wonderful!) she began to see things in a new way. She already has a great fondness for Saint Therese of Lisieux and I caught her reading her “St. Therese Autobigoraphical comic book” many times lately. I was happy to see that Therese too was playing a part in our little girl’s preparation.

To be honest, I try to never pester our little girl or try to get her to talk about spiritual things but rather like to wait for the thoughts and occasions to come from her. Casually, over time, as I was trying to prepare her for the Eucharist, there were these amazing little moments which were like the white fluffy happiness of a dandelion seed floating through the air in a gentle breeze. This child would speak beautiful little whisperings from her young lips and from her soul which would float around in the air to land square between the muscles of a mother’s heart. Every word of these musings was filled with the Holy Spirit and how I would have to hold back tears sometimes at the beauty of her words. In these moments I was sure that our dear Lord was shedding these tears in joy for me!

As the “big day” was approaching, there was much occasioning in the classroom at school in preparation for the Eucharist. The children were quite practiced in processing into the chapel (at snail pace) and they had had a “taste” of some wine and a bit of bread and had even drawn a life size banner representing the Last Supper which was attached over the doorway of the chapel. Our little girl drew St. Andrew at the Last Supper and gave him lots of freckles because another little boy she admires has such a face! At home we had been ready for First Communion in our hearts a little more quickly than we had managed to collect the proper First Communion “attire” of a dress, veil, gloves, shoes, etc. There was a little rush at the end, but all was quite well. It seemed all would continue to be well when she came home from school crying one day.

“They won’t let us wear gloves or a veil Mommy!!!”

I tried not to show my dismay, but I was upset too. I could not imagine why a Catholic School would not want their beautiful little girls to wear veils? Is it so outdated a custom? Are we suppose to throw away our heritage so quickly? Will these girls grow up and be married without veils too? Did our Holy Mother not wear a veil 24/7? Is humility of a women so defunct a modern action?

I tried to lie low for a few days hoping the situation would resolve itself so I would not have to go into school and make a fuss with the faculty. Then the next day she came home to say:

“Mommy, they want us to receive Jesus in our hands and not on our lips! I don’t want to have my first communion at school, I want to do it at Carmel with the Sisters and Saint Therese!”

This was just too much for me. I could not stand to see her so distraught. She would not find consolation in my words so I marched her and myself up the hill to Carmel for a pow wow with the Extern Sister who is our friend.

Words of wisdom flew from dear Sister’s mouth as she made it clear and precise to our girl that she must offer these things (the veil, gloves, communion in hand, ect.) to Jesus as a sacrifice. Sister expertly explained to this Innocent that He knew what she wished and how she loved Him. Sister beautifully navigated this little one’s troubled thoughts and worries and disarmed each of her fears and sadnesses. In a final aplomb she said, “you must go and take your First Communion with Jesus with your schoolmates on Saturday afternoon and do it just the way your teachers want. Then on Sunday morning you wake up early and put your dress back on, this time with your veil and gloves and come up to Carmel with your Mommy and Daddy and have a Second Communion with Jesus here with the Sisters and St. Therese”

I was astounded by the goodness of dear Sister. She was wonderful. Our little girl was so very happy and her soul was filled with happiness. Our plan was set, all worries were gone and nothing was to be done but anticipate the happiness to come. The Carmelite wisdom of “suffering in silence” was pure beauty.

So the big day was almost here, but first we had to get to sleep that night! Getting to sleep seemed to be a bit of a trial. Our dear girl was just so excited that she had the greatest of trouble falling asleep. I usually sit with her after her prayers until she drifts off, but this night was a little more difficult. She would have her eyes closed and just about to fade off when the eyes would pop back open to say something more to me. This happened a half dozen times before I was certain she would finally be at peace. Her breathing became bigger, and her little hand grasped mine in reflex before her eyes popped back open again. I think she was asleep, or at least not quite awake, when she muttered the most profound little sentence to me. I want to so much share this little speech of hers, but I have locked its beauty away in my heart to be kept in a safe place for eternity. I will say that these words were truly, truly beautiful with an understanding of the Eucharist which could only come from the purest soul of a child.

It was a lucky thing my Mother came to visit us from Pennsylvania for she was so very good in helping iron out any wrinkles which may have accumulated on the communion dress and made sure her shoes were shiny and bright. When we started to leave the house our little girl asked if she could just take her veil in the car with us. Of course I said. When we got to the school chapel a photographer was there taking pictures. Upon seeing this we agreed that she could be photographed with her veil on and so my husband dutifully ran out to the car to retrieve it. When we placed it on her head our girl looked so beautiful and her happy smile filled the room. She seemed to beam so brightly that I could not dare ask her to take the veil off (so much for suffering in a Carmelite silence!) I looked across the room to see the School Principal and walked over to her. I said as nicely as I possibly could, “please, you would not ask her to take off her veil, she is so happy in it”. The Principal aghast replied, “Oh no, I am not the veil police. Of course she can wear it. Is there some reason she should not! She looks beautiful in it!”

Now, I ask you, dear reader, is there some reason I should not have trusted all along that heaven would not intercede on the part of a young soul who it loves so very much! Shame on any doubt I may have had!

I will not say too much more about the ceremony. It was beautiful. The children processed into chapel with grace and reverence (at their practiced great and amazing snail’s pace) and I am sure they were an inspiration to all in attendance. At the proper time of the mass the Eucharist was given to these handsome young souls and the Holy Spirit was swiftly flying throughout this holy persuasion.

When mass was over we gathered for a few pictures as we took our time to leave the chapel. I don’t think any of us wanted for the occasion to be over and our dear girl only complained that the mass seemed to last only 5 minutes. As we were finished and perhaps some of the last left in the building, we started to walk down the hallway of the school towards the statue of Mater Admirabilis (our school’s most favorite Mother and a model for the religious of the Sacred Heart of our school) for one more photograph. There were no other people in the hallway but our family when a small little call came from beyond for our dear girl. It was the Principal calling her name. She drew close to our girl and presented her with a wrist corsage of white roses.

O.K. now, WHOA! Did I just say white roses?!!

Mother and daughter (in front of Our Lady mind you) stop dead in their tracks with open mouths of wonderful joy and an amazing look of knowing passes between the both of us. I ask you again, dear reader, is there some reason I should not have trusted that our dear Saint Therese would not be with us on this day?!! As our dear Therese has said ” I wish to pass my Heaven in doing good on earth,” and also “After my death I will let fall a shower of roses.”

I do hope gentle reader, that you have had a chill of holy hope run through your veins learning about yet another little miracle sent down to earth from above!

As this is perhaps my LONGEST blog entry ever, I feel I had better wrap it up. The story ends with a “Second Communion” early Sunday morning at the Carmelite chapel. Our dear Carmelite sister’s were so gracious and good to our girl. Perhaps they could not contain their happiness at seeing this little one in her white dress and veil sitting up the front of the chapel chaperoned by her family and our super hero Extern Sister. There were a couple of smiles and perhaps a few little winks and waves between the Sister’s choir stalls and our dear little girl. The Sister’s mentioned our girl in the Petitions of the Mass and prayed for ALL those young souls who would be meeting Jesus for the first time in the Eucharist this Easter-springtime.

I am so thankful to these wonderful Carmelites who live a life of seclusion interceding to our God on behalf of the world. They give up their every desire to unite themselves completely to Christ their Bridegroom. Their prayers and self-mortification no doubt steadies the hand of Divine Justice and this selfless homage of their own souls goes unnoticed and un-thanked by millions and millions of other souls. From my heart I thank them for everything they do. God reward their goodness and kindess.

Praise be Jesus Christ, Now and Forever!