Our Lenten resolutions are bearing fruit already

Today we began our Lenten routine two days early; as a family, we're planning on daily Mass and rosary, no sweets (except Sundays of course) and exercise every single day to help me overcome my diabetes and back spasms. A tough routine, but we trust that God's grace will help.
 We're following Coach Danny Abramowitz's (from EWTN's "Crossing the Goal" show )advice of giving God 30/30 minutes each, of prayer and workout each day.
We plan to offer up the sacrifice this will cause for priests and conversion and today at Mass we saw the first fruits of our resolution. We attended our  Monday night Miraculous Medal Novena Mass.
And a small miracle occurred in our family
Christina, with Down syndrome,  has had difficulty accepting the Host since her First Holy Communion last summer, she is not used to the papery texture and has given it back to me before,in my hand twice, where I quickly consumed it,  causing me to despair of her ever receiving, but tonight, she indicated that she was ready to receive, and since daily Masses are smaller, we had the time to explain to our patient pastor that she was ready for her third communion. She took the Host and consumed it completely, went back to the pew beaming,  for prayer and promptly requested a party! Christina had a chocolate chip cookie and tea party in honor of her Third Holy Communion.
Deo Gratias!
I hope and pray that the habit of Daily Mass will create a lifelong taste, both spiritual and physical in my daughter for the Bread of Life. Please pray with me that it does for all our children.

When saying "no" hurts

This Sunday, I found myself in the heartbreaking situation of bringing someone to Mass who wanted to receive communion and couldn't. Only this time, it wasn't a strayed adult living in sin, but an innocent 7 year old boy who has never been baptized. He asked to join us at Mass though his parents, our house guests, were not going, and sat dutifully at his grandmother's side, quiet as a cricket though he could see very little in the packed church besides the traditional architecture of the 100 year old building and the lifelike Stations of the Cross.
Maybe it was the solemn beauty of the Mass which held his attention. I can remember similar scenes from my childhood, seeing nothing but the backs of well-dressed people, yet the the traditional smells and bells of the Mass told me that this is a holy place. When the crowd parted for communion, I could spy the fresco of St Joseph and the child Jesus at the carpenter's bench next to the altar. It spoke volumes about fatherly love. The organ playing the hymns which shook the floor with awesome tremors told me that God was mighty. I loved going to Mass in such a beautiful church, and moved to this parish far from our home so that my daughters could experience the same reverence for the unspeakable power of the mystery of the Body and Blood of Jesus on the altar.

Perhaps he felt this love of God in the Mass, and that is why the little guy changed his mind on the communion line behind my daughter, and moved his arms from the crossed "I do not receive, just bless me"position we taught him, to the folded hands of a communicant. My sister-in-law pointed this out to me, and I make a beeline to join him in line and explain to Father that we only wanted a blessing for him.
It broke my heart to do that, this little boy is not at fault; it was his grandparents who failed to baptize his mother, who had no desire to give him any instruction in the faith. It is a sad legacy which is played out more and more in our Church. This young child's father has abandoned him and his mother is living with a boyfriend who gave her another son. No one in his home attends Mass, though his little brother was baptized last January, his parents expressed no interest in taking him to classes for Baptism. I watched as he looked on as his brother's Baptism with more than a little envy. It broke my heart.
After Mass, I brought the little boy up to the statue of St Joseph and the Child Jesus after Mass, and reminded him that he and Jesus both had foster fathers named Joseph, and he smiled. I joined him in prayer for his mother to sign him up for catechism classes. We lit a candle together, and he left the church happy for a few minutes in the playground as a reward for good behavior.

I hope that his mother will take my suggestion to heart and sign him up for catechism classes. I know that the example of this innocent child seeking the grace of God could to bring his whole family into a state of grace. This will be on my list of prayer intentions.
Please join me as we pray for all children who wonder who Jesus is and if God hears them when they pray. May their families take the time to teach them about the love of God.

Corpus Christi Procession in Chicago

Holy Thursday

This is my favorite evening of the year. Really, even better than Christmas. It's SO holy and no one has found a way to commercialize Holy Thursday. There are no gifts to buy, or relatives to visit. It's just a beautiful Mass followed by a solemn procession with "Pange Lingua" which stirs me to my toes, and then I get time alone with Jesus at the Altar of Repose. I love to follow the custom of visiting three different churches to be with Jesus on the commemoration of His night in prison before the Crucifixion, but I couldn't bring myself to leave St Mary's.
Tonight He drew me close. I can only describe it as a burning inside my heart, and a reluctance to leave.
Subjects for prayer kept popping into my head, and I ended up praying for all of my extended family, especially those who are away from the sacraments, for my recently deceased cousin Phil, for my work projects, my money problems, my houseguests, my prayer life, my job as a mother to each one of my children, my job as a wife, my happiness at what Jesus has accomplished in my life since I moved to CT, my plans to do more for Him in the future, my failure to lose weight, my success at making this a holier Lent, my plans to finish moving into my home, my book reviews (I ususally write them in front of Jesus, I just type them later) my gratitude for my parents' health, my hopes for Christina to begin to speak more clearly, my love of my family, my love for Jesus, my desire to let Him take over more and more of me. To give Him all my life, my will, my talents. My atttempts to overcome my pride. His attempts to help me overcome my pride. How I was honored to share in some of His sufferings this Lent. How I am grateful that after only 7 months in CT, I know nearly everyone at Mass. How I'm going to go to adoration on a regular basis, since I'm unemployed again, and I need the prayer time. How I'm applying for a job which I feel Jesus calling me to do. How I am amazed at all He's accomplished in my life.
No wonder I was there nearly 2 hours!
Now I understand why the saints loved adoration, it's like sitting in the sun, you radiate His light when you leave.
Thank you, Jesus for the gift of Your Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist. Thank you Jesus for the gift of the priesthood which brings You to us.
Here is a live image of the Holy Eucharist in the monstrance. Here is a link from Catholic Culture for Holy Thursday.

Rosary Rally

On Friday both St Joseph and the Academy of the Holy Family participated in a Rosary Rally downtown Baltic. We walked the streets praying the Joyful Mysteries, and Fr Ignatius, FI told us that when we pray the rosary, we are holding Mary's hand, and she will lead us to Jesus.

The procession led us to St Mary's Church, where Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament awaited us.

To Jesus through Mary.

Ave Maria!

Franciscan Friars in New Bedford celebrate an anniversay

Not two hours away from my beloved Friary in Griswold, CT, is the Chapel of Our Lady in New Bedford, MA, which belongs to Friars of the same order.
"The Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate will celebrate the sixth anniversary of Perpetual Adoration at Our Lady's Chapel with a seven-hour Eucharistic Adoration Prayer Vigil beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday. The prayers will be offered for priests and religious."
Read entire story at South Coast Today.
HT Spirit Daily

Jesus is seen through innocent eyes

A couple of days ago, I posted on Causa Nostrae Laetitiae about Jean Vanier of L'Arche Communities address to the International Eucharistic Congress. It gave me a chance to share some of my favorite stories of Christina recognizing Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Now, I am finding inspiring stories around the blogosphere about these holy innocents and their extraordinary devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist. Ecclesia Domestica has one, Through Jimmy's Eyes, and Loving Sophia has another, "Every Good and Perfect Gift".

I can't help but feel that Our Lord is teaching us something here. . ."and a little child shall lead them".

The day you never forget

I have been teaching First Holy Communion classes for a decade. My class is given in both English and Spanish, for though most of my students read English, I want them to pray with their immigrant parents. Sometimes the students themselves are immigrants, like Maria from Argentina, who had just lost her mother, and moved to the USA to live with her brother the day before her First Communion. She had mature grasp of the Faith, and the purest of hearts; she was truly ready to receive Our Lord. When she arrived late to the First Communion Mass, I held my breath, thinking she wouldn't make it. But she arrived, radiant though nervous. A triumph after tragedy.
This class was large, and I was so impressed by their enthusiasm at being able to receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I had them write letters to Him, which I bound in a booklet and had brought up in the offertory procession. Here are some excerpts, with the names changed.

"Dear Jesus,
I do good stuff because You are inside me and I am happy about that. I hope You love me, because I love You a lot.
by Carlos"

"Dear Jesus,
I'm happy I'm going to receive my first communion on Saturday, and I want You to be the center of my life.
Love, Gilda"

"I love you Jesus,
I did my confession, I am really happy because I did my confession, and I have to do my first communion.
Love, Marina"

"Dear Jesus, I'm happy to do first communion and I want to talk to you.
Love, Patricia"

"Dear Jesus,
Thank goodness I'm in God Class to learn about God, I love my first communion, I love my dress a lot, white is a pretty color! I love you very much, Jesus!
Sincerely,
Hope"

"Dear Jesus,
I am happy to do my first communion and letting you help my mom getting better so she won't be so sick any more.
Love,
Pedro"


"Dear Jesus,
Thank you for this opportunity to receive my First Holy Communion. I am willing to open up my arms and soul to you. I want to get closer to you.
I love you!
Marta"

What took me by surprise was how absolutely radiant the children were after their first confession last week. They each looked like they were carrying a happy secret, they were absolutely brimming with joy. They were so surprised at how good it felt to confess, and so elated from the grace of the sacrament that I was afraid that First Communion the following Saturday might be a letdown.

But how can you outdo the generousity of Our Lord?
There was a moment during the First Communion Mass when I had the feeling that Heaven was open and spilling some of it's glory down upon the altar.
Now, of course, I had explained to the children, that all the angels and saints are with us at Holy Mass, that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, but this time during the Sanctus, I could nearly see it with my eyes, and feel it in my heart. This overflowing of Heavenly rejoicing at the sight of those 17 pure souls about to receive Our Lord for the first time, which for a brief moment was revealed to me, was worth the two years of preparation.

It's a moment which I want to relive over and over again until I see it in it's fullness.

It always surprises me

. . .which posts of mine will appear in unexpected places.

Imagine this game of ring-around-the-rosy ending up in the Chicago Sun-Times? I never would have guessed.

I'm glad they liked the post. It compares the innocent joy of children to that joy we feel after receiving the Holy Eucharist.

Worldwide Children's Holy Hour

Tomorrow, EWTN will broadcast live from the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception a Worldwide Children's Holy Hour. Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City will lead this Holy Hour, which has the special blessing of Pope Benedict, and will be broadcast to 40 Countries around the world.Join in prayer tomorrow, First Friday, and the eve of the 90th Anniversary of the Miracle of the Sun in Fatima.
And bring the children!

Our Challenged Children at Mass

The editor of my diocesan newspaper, while discussing reverence at Mass in this column, shows an extraordinary amount of understanding that, in some cases, the children who are disruptive, have special needs, and that loving tolerance is called for. Bravo, Rick Hinshaw!
I was on my way home from my parents' home this evening, and had no time to drop the girls at home in time to make it to adoration, so I reluctantly brought Christina inside the Church, leaving her under Bella and Gabbi's care, while I entered the separate adoration chapel.

A few minutes later, remembering her past experiences of recognizing Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and knowing that adoration was about to end, I brought all three girls into the chapel. Within 5 minutes, Christina was becoming disruptive, but the leader of the Holy Hour, a saintly man, let me know that it was OK. The period of silent adoration had been anything but silent, thanks to Christina's pointing our the light, Jesus, and her sisters to those in the chapel. Finally, she decided to run up to the Monstrance, and, unwilling to risk what she might do next, I scooped her up, and sent Gabbi out of the chapel with her.
As we left for the evening, the dear gentleman said smiling tenderly, "is this the little baby you used to bring to adoration in her car seat?"
What a loving way for him to show his appreciation of my attempt to bring my special little daughter to the feet of Jesus!

Moments when Heaven Touches Earth

Many of you have read A Special Mother is Born, my article about how Our Lord spoke to my heart to prepare me for giving birth to Christina. I am constantly amazed at the richness of His grace, lifting us up when day to day life overwhelms us, and we struggle to pray with confidence.Recently, I was blessed with another moment of grace. We were at the Holy Hour of Youth 2000 with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, held outside Kellenberg High School, in a tent.Christina was very restless, and we were keeping her outside the tent so she wouldn't disturb the reverence at the Holy Hour, which had been going on for hours. As Fr. Juniper passed our row, holding Jesus in the Monstrance, we were invited to 'touch the hem of His garment', which he explained was the Humeral Veil.
I took the end of the Veil, and wrapped around Christina's kicking leg, and she instantly calmed down, looked up at the Monstrance and whispered, "Jesus". My heart soared, because I am reassured that she continues to recognize Jesus in his Body and Blood. Only five years old, hardly verbal, yet her faith surpasses that of many Catholic adults who don't have her gift of simple innocence. Fr. McCartney once told me that he thinks that people with Down syndrome feel sorry for us, as we don't understand things as clearly they do. The important things, like where Jesus is, and that He loves us.
I'm beginning to see what he meant.

Corpus Christi Procession

Fr. Roy Tvrdik of the Monfort Fathers, at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island, led the Corpus Christi Procession. For most of the First Holy Communion children who participated, it was their first procession, followed by their first Benediction. Thanks, Fr. Roy.

On Eucharistic Adoration

"Each time a priest repeats the Eucharistic sacrifice," he added, "he lends his voice, hands and heart to Christ, Who wished to remain with us and to be the pulsating heart of the Church. But even after the celebration of the divine mysteries, the Lord Jesus remains alive in the tabernacle and, for this reason, a special form of praise of Him is Eucharistic adoration." Outside Mass, this practice "prolongs and intensifies the events of the liturgical celebration, and makes it possible to welcome Christ truly and profoundly."

Pope Benedict XVI

Feast of Corpus Christi

O Salutaris Hostia
O Salutaris Hostia
Quae caeli pandis ostium:
Bella premunt hostilia,
Da robur, fer auxilium.



Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria,
Qui vitam sine termino
Nobis donet in patria.
Amen.

First Holy Communions

In May, there are children celebrating their First Holy Communion all around us. During a recent trip to Manhattan, we visted the church, St. Agnes where Gabriela Maria received First Holy Communion in a Tridentine High Mass six years ago. It was heavenly. Here she is in the same pew.

This is the church of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.

Eucharistic Adoration is the Cornerstone of my Spiritual Life

Intentional Disciples has started a discussion on Eucharistic Adoration experiences. It's a growing trend which gives me tremendous hope in the future of the Church. Here's my love story between myself and Jesus in the Monstrance.

Eucharistic Adoration is the cornerstone of my faith life, besides the Holy Mass. I first attended in my twenties as part of a 40 hours prayer campaign for my parish, and I was struck by my feeling of closeness to Jesus. When my husband was courting me, he told me he was going to introduce me to his "best friend"; I was awestruck when he took me to visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. I knew then that he was a keeper!

During the first year of our marriage, we lived near a Perpetual Adoration chapel. Every argument we had as newlyweds, found us going there, one by one, and finding reconciliation.

When, six months after our wedding, I was unemployed; I had no insurance and my husband's job was seasonal, ending each winter, I was delighted to find myself pregnant. I ran to Adoration to say "Thank you and help!" The next day I found a job with insurance which completely covered the birth of our first child.

Once, at forty hours adoration, I saw a young woman, who has Down Syndrome, lying prostrate before the Monstrance. "How many mothers would give their right arm for a daughter like that, Down Syndrome or not?!" I thought.

Within four years, I was a mother like that with a daughter with Down Syndrome. I took her to Adoration as a baby in her car seat, but, as a roving toddler she came less frequently. One day in Advent, I took a chance and brought her into the adoration chapel.She waved enthusiastically at the Monstrance saying, "Hi Jesus!" and I patted myself on the back for teaching her about the Real Presence. Until, when we were leaving, and she again waved, and said,"Bye Jesus!" As if she saw Him standing there. That was an awesome moment, to realize that Christina and Jesus had a relationship independent of her mother. Thanks to Adoration, one of the greatest blessings of my life!