The Word Made Flesh

It was a weekend full of inspiration for writers at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, NY where the first annual LI Catholic Writer's Conference was held.
 I met old friends Lisa Mladinich, founder of LI Catholic Writers,  Alice Gunther, MacBeth Derham, Mary Ellen Barrett, Catherine Cammarata,Michele Merrinan Berg,  and Dawn Eskew. I was able to renew my friendship with award winning children's author Josephine Nobisso of Gingerbread House Books (read my review of Take it to the Queen), and Among Women podcaster and Faith and Family contributor Pat Gohn, whose presentation encouraging writers to use social networking lit a fire under the audience, many of whom have connected with me since then. Pat has had me on her Among Women podcast twice and has been a mentor and cheerleader for me in my writing career. She garnered quite a few more mentorees with her dynamic presentation.
I was honored to finally meet  Elizabeth Scalia, that insightful columnist  known widely as The Anchoress over at First Things, and Celeste Behe of Faith and Family. I had the pleasure of listening to Michael Behe describe his book "Darwin's Black Box" at a CHAPLET Conference,  now I know where his inspiration comes from! Nice to meet such seasoned professionals in person.
New to the blogging scene, but certainly a rising star is Dr Gerard Nadal, PhD whose blog Coming Home has made him both friends and enemies by his courageous defense of human life. I had the honor of introducing him to Theresa Bonapartis, the directer of Lumina post abortion ministries affiliated with the Sisters of Life.
Catholic Writer's Guild president Ann Lewis made it all the way from Ohio, and we had time for a chat about the Catholic Arts and Letters Award, on whose committee I serve. She gave the CALA award to Long Island Catholic editor Rick Hinshaw, the keynote speaker. Monsignor Fink gave an oustanding homily a the Mass with extensive references to Tolkien's Ring Trilogy, reminding us that our writing contributes to the music of God's creation, and will be heard in heaven.
Many thanks to Peggy Clores, Alice Gunther and Lisa Mladinich whose tireless dedication made this conference possible, take a bow ladies!
Here is the Diocese of Brooklyn's net TV coverage of the conference in it's Currents program.
Read Pat Gohn's post at Among Women.

Among all these celebrated writers, I must mention Gabriela, my lovely seventeen year old whose essay My Sister is Special which won first place in the Diocesan Respect Life Essay Contest has been reprinted more times than I can count. First the Spanish diocesan paper Fe Feurza Y Vida translated it, then editor Marta Moscosa suggested a youth column be started in the Long Island Catholic. As soon as he took over as editor, Rick Hinshaw was on the case, asking Gabbi permission to reprint her essay as the first piece in Youth Voice. Rick remembered that, and he greeted Gabbi when she came to the conference. TLIC reported Lena Pennino who reported on Gabbi's winning the Respect Life over five years ago, asked Gabbi if she remembered her. An impact far beyond her years, I am so proud of my celebrated young writer.

Korean figure skater is a proud new Catholic

And she's not afraid to show it; makes a sign of the Cross during each performance, and explains the meaning of her rosary ring to reporters. May God bless her for her stellar example to youth!

Catholics in Korea were overjoyed to see Stella Kim Yu-na make the sign of the cross during her performance at the Olympic figure skating competition on Feb. 23.

The 19-year-old went on to make a new world record and became South Korea’s first Olympic figure skating champion, winning numerous fans.

Read the entire story here.

Maddie Curtis is on American Idol!

Last year I met Barbara Curtis author and mom of 12 who blogs at Mommy Life as we were awarded the American Life League Pro-life Blog awards. She was so warm and real, and we held hands excitedly as we awaited our trophies. It was an honor for me to be considered on the same level as this accomplished lady who has just reverted to the Catholic faith. She is often in the media as a outstanding pro-life witness, but the other day, I was thrilled when. .
Isabella burst into the room to tell me about an American Idol acceptee named Maddie who has 4 brothers with Down syndrome, I KNEW it was Barb's daughter. What a gorgeous voice, on a lovely young lady who simply radiates love in the home scenes shot with her brothers. And she auditioned with the song "Hallelujah".
Her faith simply radiated through her powerful performance. I just loved the reunion she had with two of her brothers and mom outside the audition. Her description of her brothers with Down syndrome says it all, "they see the world in color; we need more to see the world that way."

I wish Maddie Godspeed, I'll be watching, and voting!
Thank you for raising the profile of famlies who love their children with Down syndrome, sweetheart! You are a winner just as you are.,
Watch her story and inspiring audition here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XwbmGDgH60

How radically Catholic are you?

Michael Voris challenges Catholics to live their faith like they mean it on his Vortex program on Catholic TV.

Here's how radical a Catholic I think I am:

1. I have just moved from my home of 46 years in response to a call from God to live in CT where promising opportunities to evangelize with my writing are opening up, and there are good Catholic schools for my girls. I stopped homeschooling after 10 years and enrolled them in school to work full time. For free.

2. Three years ago, I began writing as He asked, and, writing for the Church for little money when you are a wife and the mother of three young women is a sacrifice.

3. People have been avoiding me for years in order not to hear my Catholic pro-life ideas, and I never met a pro-life protest I didn't join. (We keep our own signs in a closet ready for the next protest rally.) I am on Obama's "crazy pro-lifer" list for sure.

4. Financial sacrifice is becoming easier for me, God seems to be asking more and more lately. . so, though I am far from a martyr for the Faith, I can say, my life is on the road to becoming radically Catholic. God has carried me every step of the way, by His grace, making the journey sweeter than I could have imagined.
HOWEVER
Please don't ask me to give up my simple yet spacious new home in the woods, Lord, I am willing to invite my young sister-in-law to share it with us. OK. My in-laws too.

No wonder my family thinks I'm nuts! But they love me anyway.

Barbara Curtis

Here's an article in the Christian Post about fellow Catholic and mother of not one but four children with Down syndrome, Barbara Curtis who writes at Mommy Life.
"After the adoption of their first child with Down syndrome, Barbara and Tripp received a phone call from a man who explained that his wife was pregnant with a Down syndrome baby. She had agreed not to abort the child if she could find a family willing to adopt the child. In an interview with Marriage Partnership magazine, Barbara and Tripp said, “God has extended such grace to us, how can we not extend grace to a child who needs a home?”
What a wonderful example of a Christian home, to open their family to other special needs babies.

Do you wear a veil?

Adoro te Devote has a thoughtful post on wearing veils in church.
I have a veil in my purse, and wear it to Latin Masses, but when I try to wear it on regular Novus Ordo Masses, my girls get embarrassed, so I refrain, even though I'd prefer to wear it. I love the sense of modesty and respect which the veil carries with it.

Quite the opposite from Adoro, however, I must admit one of the less than noble reasons I want to veil my hair is that it's not as pretty as it used to be, and the veil covers it.

"TG" New magazine for young Catholic women

I review "TG" magazine on Catholic Media Review. If you're looking for a healthy alternative to teenager or immoral woman's magazines, this is it!Give it a try for yourself of a young woman you love.

Morning Star Camp 2008

The beautiful camp videos are out for Isabella's two weeks at Morning Star Camp in Washington, NH. You can access week one here and week two here. The sisters certainly made some unforgettable childhood memories, all centered around the Holy Eucharist and Monfort Style Marian devotion. I especially love the second slide show with the candlelight procession for the Feast of the Assumption.
Morning Star Camp is run by the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary at the St. Benedict Center in Still River, MA.

A Happy Memory of my Bilingual First Holy Communion Class

Since Christina was sick for her birthday, the children of my First Communion Class helped her open her Elmo pinata.

I will miss their enthusiasm for life and for the faith; they made their First Holy Communion last night.

I'll be sharing some lovely photos soon and some of their reflections upon receiving Our Lord for the first time ever.

My home will seem very empty this Monday evening. It will be one of the first Mondays they won't be there for the past two years.

What a privelege it has been to lead these innocent children to the altar!

My family on Public Radio

Here is what I shared about what being a Catholic means to me.

Nearer my God to Thee

A dear friend and fellow blogger, Dennis, who blogged at In God's Image on Long Island
died yesterday.
I am saddened by this loss to the Catholic community, but know, more than anyone I knew, how Dennis was constantly aware of our eternal destiny. We last spoke as we stood together in the freezing rain in front of Planned Parenthood on the last day of 40 Days for life in October. He was so pleased to serve the unborn, it was his first clinic vigil. He was one of the founders of Defenders of the Faith, a Long Island group which was formed to counter Voice of the Faithful. He defended Holy Mother Church in all he did, and will be sorely missed.
I am consoled that he attended the Latin High Mass my daughter sang at last Sunday. I could see the peace and joy it brought him as he prayed. It was the last time I'll see him this side of eternity. Goodbye my friend. See you in Heaven.
Here is a prayer written by a mutual friend of ours.

“O God of grace and glory, we remember before you this day our brother Dennis.
We thank you for giving him to us, his family and friends,
to know and to love as a companion on our earthly pilgrimage.
In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn.
Give us faith to see in death the gate of eternal life,
so that in quiet confidence we may continue our course on earth,
until, by your call, we are reunited with those who have gone before;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding,
deal graciously with Nancy and the family in their grief.
Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss,
but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.”
Eternal rest grant to him, O Lord and may perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of the faithful departed, by the mercy of God,
rest in peace.
Amen

New Media Campaign to Call Catholics Home

2008
Catholics Come Home
There’s a new advertising campaign originating out of Phoenix called Catholics Come Home. Using slick commercials and a high-tech web site, the campaign seeks to goad the conscience of lapsed Catholics to re-discover (or discover for the first time) why their Catholic faith is important to their lives, their families, and their eternity.
They have three commercials at the moment: “Epic 120”, which is a two-minute tour through the impact the Catholic Church has had on history and still does today; “Movie” which reminds us that after our lives end we will review our lives (like a movie) and will get to evaluate what we have done; and “Mix”, which shows individual Catholics explaining how they left the Church, why they came back, and what a difference it’s made.
These are high-quality productions, as good as anything out thereThe local Phoenix Catholic newspaper, The Catholic Sun, did a story on the start of the campaign in that diocese recently. They say the average Phoenix household will see the commercials 13 times between now and Easter.
And if it’s successful—and they have the money for it—they’ll expand into other dioceses. Looks promising. I know where my Lenten almsgiving is going.

Catholic Blog Awards

A big thank you to my readers who nominate all three of my blogs for the Catholic Blog Awards. Cause of Our Joy, Causa Nostrae Laetitiae, and my latest blog, Catholic Media Review. I appreciate this recognition of my attempts to share my faith, and my love my family.

Time to rejoice in being a Catholic

The Anchoress has a beautiful video of my favorite Latin hymn, Adoro Te Devote sung in a monastery in the morning. It makes you so thankful to God that God made you a Catholic!

Catholic Illustrator's Guild

The Catholic Illustrator's Guild website has some lovely illustrations from Catholics.

Mommy Life author is becoming a Catholic!

One of my writer role models, Barbara Curtis, mother of twelve, including three boys with Down syndrome (two adopted) prolific author, speaker, and blogger at Mommy Life is coming home to Rome!
Go on over to Mommy Life, and give her a big Catholic mom welcome! Read about her journey from left-coast hippie, to evangelical mega-mom, to Roman Catholic. What a joyful event this is!

Vote for American Papist

Thomas Peters of American Papist, is one of the finalists for a blogger scholarship. You can vote for him here. Go on over till October 28, and show your support for a fine Catholic blogger, the only religious blogger in the finalists.

It's time for our youth to get busy writing!

One of the few disadvantages of homeschooling, is that our childrens' work is not given public acclaim. Unless, of course, their mom has a blog. My local diocesan paper, The Long Island Catholic is calling for essays on the daily life and faith experiences of high school, college students, and young adults. Here is the post.
I am excited about this, because when Catholic youth are given a voice, we can see that they take their faith quite seriously and the results are inspirational. Our bishop has had a number of youth rallies, (see my posts on Proud 2B Catholic and Youth 2000) focusing on the Eucharist, confession, vocations, fellowship, and solid Catholic teaching. At last week's rally at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island, I reperesented 40 Days for Life . Mine and other pro-life programs received wide attention from the young people there. Particularly gratifying was their enthusiastic response to Fr. Roderick Ermantingers' video about the conversion of Eduardo Verastegui, which is a great story in itself, and his participation in the film Bella.
Faith and Family magazine also has a youth essay contest, whose instructions are here, it's for 6-8th graders, and the deadline is Oct 15. The theme is "Caught Being Good".
The March for Life will be posting the rules for the 2008 essay, poetry and artwork contest on their website here.
I hope that this will help motivate your young writers. Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ, once head of Ignatius Press, and now at Ave Maria Univesity, once told a large crowd of families, gathered in support of bringing EWTN to Long Island that, "homeschooling will bring about the salvation of the Catholic Church in America". Since Gabbi was just a toddler at the time, I thought this was a bit overstated. The more I know of the fine young Cathoilc young men and women who are going off to college; their personal example of holiness, and their articulate defense of the Faith, the more I come to believe that Fr. Fessio was right.

Where was I this weekend?

Go over to Causa Nostrae Laetitiae to read about the most amazing weekend I have just returned from. That's why I haven't been writing.

Announcing the Catholic Down Syndrome Society

I have created the Catholic Down Syndrome Society to provide a support group for Catholic parents who are raising children with Down syndrome.
Here is our official blog.

If you are interested in membership, please email me at leticia77@optonline.net