Eye exam tomorrow

Tomorrow, as Pat Gohn has predicted, I will be going to Harvard University Medical Schools, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary for an exam. I will let you know how it goes.
 I had a beautiful Memorial Day with friends, crowning Our Lady, and attending Mass for the Feast of the Visitation.
I feel those prayers, keep them coming.

I need your prayers

My opthamologist says I need to remove a mole behind my right eye. Right away.
It might be cancer. It looks like a melanoma.

I am offering up any suffering I have to go through for the success of my book, which is nearly ready to go to press. "A Special Mother is Born".

Please join me in asking Servant of God Dr Jerome Lejeune for his heavenly intercession for my healing.
Read about his love for children with Down syndrome in my article here.

Let us pray
God who created man in Your image and intended him to share Your Glory, we thank Your for having granted to Your Church the gift of Professor Jerome Lejeune, a distinguished Servant of Life.

He knew how to place his immense inteligence and deep faith at the service of the defense of human life, especially unborn life, always seeking to treat and to cure. A passionate witness to  truth and charity, he knew how to reconcile faith and reason in the sight of today's world. 
By his intercession, and according to Your will, we ask You to grant us the graces we implore, hoping that he will soon become one of Your saints.
Amen.

Join US in a Family Walk for Life

Sun June 6. 1- 4 P.M

We are anxiously waiting on the approval or rejection of our lease for of an empty building in the Diocese of Norwich for our first Ave Maria Maternity Home. Please pray for the success of our lease, as it makes its way to church authorities. Although valuable time is going by and we are not able to work on the physical building, everyone is anxious to get going with the kitchen and bath renovations.

The need for this Home is so great; it would quickly be filled by 10 homeless pregnant women who are presently living on the street and under bridges in Eastern Connecticut. Raising the money for the salaries of employees of our home is an important function for which we need your help. As we have stated many times before, required licensing of the State of Connecticut and must have one year’s salaries in the bank. Visit us on our Website www.avemariahome/info.

Please join us on June 6, 2010 at St Joseph Church basement, Willimantic for a Walk for Life.

It is a joint fundraiser for Birthright and Ave Maria Home. Walk for women in Crisis- JOIN US in the Joy of Life… Walk for Life! Our goal is 100 walkers for Life.

An equal amount of proceeds will go to the Ave Maria Home or you may make your pledges or check for

Ave Maria Home. The Walk-A-Thon will take place from 1-4 pm at St. Joseph's Church in Willimantic. The walk will be 1-5 miles long depending on desire and ability. The event will include entertainment, refreshments and opportunities to rest throughout the route. We are looking for people to sponsor walkers, work the rest stops, help with refreshments, and participate as walkers. We are requesting participants to complete a pledge form and collect donations from sponsors, which should be brought to the walk-a-thon. However, please do not let the lack of sponsors or donations discourage anyone from participating. We invite anyone to join us in the walk to demonstrate their support for Life. Call Debbie at 860-456-2491 or Sheila Taylor at 860-429-3283.

If you have any questions or would like more information please do not hesitate to contact us at (860)456-9495. Thank you in advance for your support! We look forward to having you join us in this fun-filled event.

The Ave Maria election of new officers and board of Directors was held on May 2010. We have added three outstanding individuals to our Board of Directors: Dr. Lorraine Hartnett, Ellen Bianchini and Kristen Bothur.

Our 2010 slate of officers is Darlene Wagner, Chairman- Leticia Velasquez, Co Chairman; Claudia Cantani, Treasurer; Sheila Taylor, Secretary. Congratulations to all! We thank all our board members in the past for their time and energy. If you are ready to dedicate your time in Christ-filled mission of help for pregnant women in crisis, you might consider joining our board of directors. Please contact any Board member or call Darlene Wagner 860-456-3165 or Sheila Taylor, Secretary. Address for email contact is avemariainc@sbcglobal.net or send to Ave Maria Home,

Box 166,122 Valley St.,
 Willimantic CT. 06226.

God Bless,

Sincerely For Life, Darlene Wagner,
 Ave Maria Home


Pledge forms, Posters, Newsletter files are included

Please Join Us in a Family Walk for Life
St Joseph Church, 99 Jackson Street, Willimantic, 06226
Sunday June 6, 1-4 P.M

St Joseph Church, Willimantic, CT

Why I moved to Connecticut

We had become isolated from like minded Catholics on Long Island, when my friends fled south en masse. We needed a Catholic community. Since September 2008, we have been living in Eastern CT, close to the Friary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Griswold, attending Holy Mass at St Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Baltic, with the famlies of these wonderful wholesome Catholic teens  (See Derek in the 11 on my own documentary in my previous post).
Now my beautiful daughter Gabbi (see the BIG smile on her face?) is being courted by Derek, who turns 18  in June, two days after she turns 17 (Do I hear, "You are 16, going on 17"?). Next to Derek is Sarah, and his sister Courtney, Gabbi's two best friends. We were celebrating the college graduation of Chris and John Duda, other members of our community, who had a massive party capped by a sing along around the campfire. What a wonderful evening it was.
In two weeks, we all will be camping in a state park singing and praying the rosary around the campfire, with about 300 other Catholic campers, for the annual Catholic camp-ar-ee.
How blessed we are to live here!

11 on my own documentary

A sneak peek into my book

If I am not blogging much these days, its because I am treasure-hunting. I am contacting Catholic authors who happen to be special mothers and asking them to contribute to my book "A Special Mother is Born". Maybe you know someone who is gifted in writing, and has a story to add to the book. Maybe it's you!
Contact me in the comments below.

Here is my latest find, a rare jewel of a poem from one of those living saints you see in church, infinitely patient, with eyes that see heaven while she extends her hand to steady her son's shoulders. Her name is Mary von Schlegell. Mary is in her eighties, and is caring for her son Tony, in his forties, at home. Tony has Down syndrome and since he was born before the educational advances which our children enjoy today, the only word he has ever spoken is “Mama”.



Tony


As you my child are the limitation

So are you the sweetest consolation of my life

And imitation of our Lord.



Clearer than all in my heart,

Your hands marked with the strange line

Raise, raise my compassion

Cling around my heart.



Oh beautiful calm face

So small, so quiet beside me,

You have kept me from destruction,

Oh how can we ever fathom



The strange economy of a loving God;

Why does our trust so often fail

With salvation springing even here along our path?

A positive use of advertising

Aren't you sick of commercials urging you to buy products to make you thinner, your eyes more beautiful or your house more fragrant?
Here is an advertising campaign that not only brightens lives, but may actually save some.Two agencies—Pedone Advertising in New York, and York & Chapel in Milford, Conn.—conducted the "My Great Story" ad campaign for the National Down Syndrome Society.

 By telling the inspiring stories of successful self advocates with Down syndrome, these two advertisers have discovered that is in givng that we receive; by putting a human face on those who have been stigmatized, marginalized and marked for destruction before birth, these advertising agencies have been transformed. Those of us raising such wonderful children experience this every day; still it's wonderful to watch the experience unfold, especially in Madison Avenue types.
They speak of this experience here; in Advertising Age.

Spend some time with a self-advocate, and you'll feel a change coming over you. People with Down syndrome are funny. They fall in love. They have jobs and careers. Talk to them for a bit, and you'll see they have day-to-day problems, dreams and things they don't like to do. In fact, they are just like me and you.


Oh, and one other thing: Some of them have great stories.

Novena for Penecost

In his homily today, Fr Tito said that as all the beauty and art in the world is made with only the seven colors in the rainbow, all the spiritual good in the world is done with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Join me in praying for those gifts to be infused into the work I am finishing, my book "A Special Mother is Born".
Here is the entire  novena from EWTN. Here are the prayers for each day.
Here is the prayer for the First Day.

FIRST DAY (Friday, 6th Week of Easter)
Holy Spirit! Lord of Light! From Your clear celestial height, Your pure beaming radiance give!



The Holy Spirit
Only one thing is important -- eternal salvation. Only one thing, therefore, is to be feared--sin· Sin is the result of ignorance, weakness, and indifference The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Strength, and of Love. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will, and inflames the heart with love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily, for "The Spirit helpeth our infirmity. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asketh for us."


Let us pray,
Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Spirit, and hast given us forgiveness all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us your sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.


Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.


Act of Consecration, Prayer for the Seven Gifts
(below)


ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice, and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light, and listen to Your voice, and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You, by Your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace, O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere, "Speak Lord for Your servant heareth."
Amen.

To be recited daily during the Novena

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit of Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciples and animate me in all things with Your Spirit.
Amen.

(To be recited daily during the Novena)

Happy Mother's Day, special moms!

After a long time gathering stories of Catholic moms of special needs children, I will finally publish my book "A Special Mother is Born" this summer with WestBow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers.

I dedicate it the book to the Mother of Mothers, Our Lady, and to all you mothers out there who are unsung saints, caring for ill and disabled children with love and patience which far surpass my own.

Happy Mother's Day.

KIDS at the March for Life 2010

Here is a link to my  latest inteview on "The Face of Pro-life" television show.
I discussed my experience in Washington DC as an advocate for children with Down synrome, as co-founder of KIDS (Keep Infants with Down Syndrome).

May is the month of Mary

This is the month of Mary and we are celebrating the Blessed Mother by; saying a daily rosary (trying to make it a habit that sticks), building a Mary garden here at our new home, and attending a delightful concert of Marian hymns called "Songs of Mary" at the Cathedral of St Patrick in Norwich.

It was performed cooperatively with the cathedral choir and the Schola of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church. Latin motets by de Victoria, ancient chant, favorites from "The Sound of Music"(the beautiful Latin hymns Preludium and Alleluia which  the nuns sing in the beginning of the film).

It was sublime, Christina slept soundly on my lap, and I enjoyed the music while contemplating the magnificent gothic cathedral, and meditating on Our Lady and special needs children.

I will be reviewing their upcoming CD, Heart of God, to be released May 20.

I came to you late

I am reviewing my friend Kristin Luscia's book "11 On My Own" and it reminded me of one of my favorite quotes.

"I came to You late, O Beauty so ancient and new. I came to love You late. You were within me and I was outside where I rushed about wildly searching for You like some monster loose in Your beautiful world. You were with me but I was not with You. You called me, You shouted to me, You wrapped me in Your Splendour, You broke past my deafness, You bathed me in Your Light, You sent my blindness reeling. You gave out such a delightful fragrance and I drew it in and came breathing hard after You. I tasted, and it made me hunger and thirst; You touched me, and I burned to know Your Peace."



St. Augustine of Hippo

Time for Dr Ray again

I haven't mentioned that I now live with five, count 'em five teenagers in my house. How did that happen? Well, it all starts with my sister in law, seventeen year old Milagros who was languishing in her brother's place on Long Island. A year ago, she and her older brother Manuel, age 20, immigrated to the US. We had been waiting for them for years, as their mother sponsored them. She was not learning English, not going to school or Mass, or making friends, just watching TV and eating. Miserable. Utterly miserable.
As a mother and an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher of 20 years, I couldn't stand the thought of a young girl wasting her life like this, while living within the chaotic household of a brother whose 'domestic partnership' was spinning out of control (don't get me started).
So we moved her up to Connecticut, and she attended the Academy of the Holy Family with Gabbi. Then we saw the same syndrome with her brother, who failed his ESL class due to his 30 year old brother's terrible example. He had failed that class twice, first when I taught it to him in 2002 and AGAIN in 2009. Enough is enough, I decided, and brought him up after Christmas. Both Manuel and Milagros realized that they wanted good jobs which required education, and that their brother Jose was not going anywhere because of his lazy attitude towards learning. Now they attend weekly Mass, youth group, ESL classes, Manuel has a good paying job, and both are timidly attempting to be part of our bilingual family. We are nearing successful integration.
So now, I had Gabbi, age 16, Milagros, 17, Bella 12, Manuel, 20 and one January day when I was hoarse from Scarlet fever, a friend who has an 18 year old daughter who was not doing well in school, asked if she could board with us and attend the Academy as well. I said yes. Now Elena, age 18 completes my collection of teenagers. Add a petulant 8 year old Christina and you have yourself a challenge to discipline. What was I thinking you say? I don't know, sometimes I say 'yes' too quickly however, this time I was right because the grace of daily Mass is carrying me through this.
It has had it's ups and downs, yet, sparing  you the lurid details, I will merely say that I have had to be more rigid in this boarding school atmosphere, by establishing myself as queen of the castle, better known as "She who maketh the rules and enforceth them. Or else."  But I needed some help  drawing the line on teenage 'tudes.

Enter my saviour, Dr Ray Guarendi, whose 10 kids include five teens with backgrounds which make the most experienced mother shudder. I figured he'd have the answers and yesterday, on a long drive, to Isabella's doctor,  we were listening to his CD at Lighthouse Media, with our sides hurting from laughter.

 His main point is that we need to take the reins from the so called experts who told us we are 'parenting neanderthals' because we believe in things like right and  wrong, And want our children to be virtuous, God seeking, self sacrificing adults. We have to make rules and ENFORCE THEM. Over and over and over and over. ...till their little hormone-addled brains get it. I'm boss, they're not. Period.
And they better give me R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
So, tonight,  when Bella decided she could get away with yelling at me for my 'behavior', she landed a 200 word essay on why that was wrong. She did it, and I think felt unexpectedly proud of the result. . 'It was wrong to yell at Mom, it hurt her feelings, it was disrespectful, it broke the Fourth Commandment. Jesus didn't like it, because it is mean, the Blessed Mother didn't like it because it was disrespectful, St Therese didn't like it. . . all the way to God the father, who was watching and wasn't pleased. "
It took half the Litany of Saints to reach 200 words! Sound familiar, Dr Ray fans?
She was copying Dr Guarendi's description of one of his son's essays. A wise-apple move, to be sure,  BUT it got her attention and reminded her of something important. The Lord and His saints DO care about how she treats her mother, AND that I am not the meanest mother in the world; Mrs Guarendi must be a real ogre!
As my mother used to scream at the top of her lungs when things got out of hand in the Crafa house, "you don't have to like me, but YOU MUST RESPECT ME". 
Thank God I DID learn to respect Mom, follow the rules she set, no matter how silly it seemed to have table manners when you were sitting accross from your wrestling little brothers. Now I understand the value in raising disciplined young adults, who can accommplish their dreams in this world, and meet their loved ones in the next. Speaking of loved ones in the hereafter,
Good for you, Mom. Thanks for the intercession.

New article in Four County Catholic on Hatian relief efforts

I am proud of the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church, who have always been involved in Haitian relief efforts, long before the current earthquake. Each year, at St Joseph School, the members of a medical relief group in Haiti would show slideshows of their work and encourage the children to raise money and send cans of food to Haitians.
But since the earthquake, they have doubled their efforts as I write in my recent article in my diocesan newspaper, Four County Catholic. Look for the article on page 14.

Growth Charts are being developed for our chlidren

This has always been a pet peeve of mine; when Christina saw a pediatrician for a checkup, her height always put her at the lowest percentage for growth rate for children her age. "Why don't they make growth charts for children with Trisomy 21?" I would complain to the pediatrician, who would shrug in response. (It turns out that there were old charts, but few physicians knew of them.

It bothered me that our children were "off the chart". If felt as if the medical profession had washed their hands of them once pre-natal diganosis was put in place, as if they were saying to those of us who had our children despite dire warnings from obstetricians and pressure to have amnio, and then abortions, "look, lady, we gave you a way out of having this baby, and you refused, so now YOU deal with the kid".

I know I'm not paranoid, because, until the Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus teamed up with parent advocates, the National Institute of Health did not even have a plan to pursue research related to Down syndrome. It was considered merely a matter of prevention (ie "Search and Destroy"). Not only do we have a research plan now, but we have a research budget. And now, brilliant researchers like Dr William Mobley at Stanford, and Dr Roger Reeves at Johns Hopkins, have come up with therapies to possibly mitigate the cognitive and memory delays within the next decade. There may even be benefits for those typcial people who have cancerous tumors. Something about that extra 21st chromosome starves cancerous tumors, thus Trisomy 21 'sufferers' rarely get them.
It's great to see people like Christina becoming more accepted into society. They are now "on the charts".
And new approaches to treating the symptoms of Trisomy are being discussed.

"If we can better understand the growth patterns and the rates of other illnesses that co-occur with Down syndrome, researchers may be better able to plan treatment and design preventive health programs," added Zemel. "The CDC has recognized updated growth charts as an important tool for people providing health care to children with Down syndrome." In its grant guidelines, the CDC states that new growth charts produced from the study will be broadly distributed free of charge.

Read the entire article here.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nutrition-researchers-to-develop-new-growth-charts-for-children-with-down-syndrome-91903509.html

Just because its springtime: "Annie's Song"

Yesterday was Jackie Robinson Day

The 63rd anniversary of the breaking of the color barrier in baseball in 1947 was celebrated at Yankee Stadium yesterday, when all players wore number 57 in honor of Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. His memory is honored in this wonderful family film, released today called
The Perfect Game.
This wonderful film with an all star cast has the most positive portrayal of a priest I've seen in 40 years.

Catholics must see this film which tells the inspiring story of how the Mexican Little League team, the Monterrey Industrials swept the 1957 World Series in Williamsport, PA, thanks to the mentorship of their parish priest.
 Cheech Marin does an outstanding job as Padre Esteban, you HAVE to see that to believe it!

With the internet, you never know where you will end up

I have a self indulgent habit; from time to time I Google myself. I want to know where what I write online is going Here are some recent surprises.
My review of "The Kite Runner" was used in The Manila Bulletin as the basis for a discussion on the Sacreament of Confession, according to St Jose Maria Escriva. Awesome.

KIDS was featured in this wonderful article about the 90% abortion rate of babies with Down syndrome.
Again, a pleasant surprise.

My article in the National Catholic Register on the Legacy of Dr Jerome Lejeune was quoted by Michelle in her excellent and holy Unborn Word of the Day. I left a comment at the time, but I had forgotten about it, and to see it there was a renewed thrill.

And.. . saving the best for last; my review of "Mother Teresa's Secret Fire" by Fr Joseph Langford, MC is on the website of the Missionaries of Charity.

When I get discouraged about how little money freelance writing has brought me, I look at the ways my writing has been used, and remember that using my gifts for God's glory is a higher purpose.

The daily news from school

In her backpack, Christina's teacher sends home a daily report, to tell me if Christina ate, worked, played well with her friends, finished her work and generally cooperated at school. I often hear about her being physical with other students, pulling hair, etc, but sometimes, there are good surprises.
Her teacher wrote,
"A boy in her class chose to be her partner for music, because he said, 'Christina is, like, learning stuff":
I am still smiling from that one.

Important research findings

The way Down syndrome is understood has undergone a radical paradigm shift, according to researchers, and this will open up five new therapies for the cognitive delays which accompany it.

The researchers also showed that manually manipulating pieces of RNA that regulate the protein could increase protein levels in both human cell lines and mouse brains. In fact, an experimental drug that acts on those RNA segments returned this protein to normal levels in mice that model the syndrome.

We could be on the brink of a drug which treats Down syndrome, and, God willing, lowering the negativity which accompanies a pre-natal diagnosis Down syndrome. While many parents of a child with Down syndrome resent any treatment which is aimed at 'changing' our children, I maintain that anything which helps more children come into this world is a blessing.
 If its proven safe, I would be open to Christina receiving such treatment. I have advocated long and hard for research funds to bring us breakthroughs like this. This is good news. Servant of God, Dr Jerome Lejeune must be praying for his fellow scientists.
Read the entire article here.

"Last in this world, first in the next"

Sherry Tyree, a writer from the St Louis Dispatch is not afraid to tell the truth about Down syndrome. About how many babies are aborted after 'genetic testing' and about how they are appreciated somewhere. The Catholic Chuch.
You can tell she is a decent person by the reason she left her OB;

A few years back, for a variety of reasons, I left my ob/gyn. The parking was difficult, the doctor was perennially late, but primarily I quit because to the left of her office door was a long hall and a portal above which hung a large sign, “GENETIC TESTING”. In my mind it might as well have read “ABANDON HOPE ALL YE WHO ENTER HERE”.

That is an apt description of many an OB office, where, after a pre-natal test reveals an anomaly. Then the pressure begins. The negative list of possible complications, without a mention of the special gifts these children bring, the threats about what a child like this will do to their famlies.Abondon hope, indeed.

That is why the voice of the Catholic Church is a light in this world for people with Down syndrome. We look beyond the obvious, the disease, and see the spirtitual richness. As Jesus says, "unless you become as little children you shall not enter the Kingdom of God". What a blessing it must be to never lose the simple heart of a child, a heart which loves unconditionally, without complications, and with gusto. That's why certain cultures consider those with Down syndrome to be angels in disguise. Let those who have the eyes of faith see, and help uncover the blinders from those who would judge our beautiful children "life unworthy of life".

Read Sheryy's inspiring article here

Good Friday; The anniversary of our salvation

Here is a link to the Divine Mercy novena which begins on  Good Friday and ends on Divine Mercy Sunday.
We are attending the Triduum Masses as a family, with houseguests, so we drive a caravan to church .
 I am enjoying singing in the church choir. It adds so much to the meaning of Holy Week to sing; Pange Lingua, Missa del Angelis, Mass of the Blessed Sacrament, Ave Verum (Mozart), Panis Angelicus, Ubi Caritas, O Sacrum Convivium, O Sacred Head Surrounded, Palestrina's The Strife is O'er, and Jesus Christ is Risen Today.
Preparing this ethereal music has been a blessing, I haven't been in such a great choir since high school when we sang the Mozart Requiem and the Bach B Minor Mass. Thank you Lord for the beauty of the Mass augmented by 2000 years of musical  masterpieces.

The Passion of the Christ and me; a love story

The Lent the Passion came out in theatres was a deeply spiritual one for me, because of the film, I saw it repeatedly and each time, I struggled with the urge to genuflect in the theatre aisle. It was a time when I connected with Jesus deeply, so deeply that the only time I can say that I am closer is when I am in His Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Each time the film would begin, I would whisper, “I am here with you, Jesus”.


I would pray for those in the theatre seeing it for the first time. When it came out on DVD, I showed it to as many adults and teens as I could, and consider it a staple of our family’s Lent.

I have seen VERY FEW violent films, in fact I think most of the violent films I have seen are directed by Gibson, and I refused to see “Apocalyto” since I was bitterly disappointed that Mel was taking all the money he made from the Passion and NOT making a pre-quel while Jim Caviezel was still young enough to play Christ. What a waste! SO much good came from The Passion that there was a book and film made about it.

The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal even had a petition to influence Mel to make a film of St Francis, to no avail.

My pastor was so moved by The Passion that he was worried. Being Irish, he said, “God is preparing us for a blow”. Didn’t the priestly scandal follow on the heels of this masterpiece of devotion?

Woman with Down syndrome runs art business in Florida

Her mother refused to institutionalize her. She put her in a school where she flourished, and now, with her mom and grandparents, Cinnaomon, a 38 year old woman with Down syndrome is running her own notecard and print business in the Florida Keys.
Visit her website;
\ http://cinnamonsfloridakeysart.com/about-cinnamon.htm

Prayer Wall of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Are you holding a jar full of Lenten Alms? Want a suggestion of where they could do great good?
You could donate the money to help pregnant homeless women of Good Counsel Homes in the South Bronx and help create a prayer wall with Our Lady of Guadalupe's image on the side of their home in the Bronx.
Peter O'Malley a volunteer at Good Counsel says,

We invite you to participate with your prayers and gifts in the placing of the image Our Lady of Guadalupe on the exterior wall of Good Counsel’s home in the South Bronx, NY for the benefit of homeless expectant mothers choosing life for their unborn children.

Read more about it on their blog:
http://olgmural.org/

Good film for Palm Sunday

If your family has already seen The Passion of the Christ, and would like to share a good family film on Christian virtue in action, I recommend "Amish Grace" which will air on Lifetime TV Sunday at 8PM.EST.

Read my review of the film at Faith and Family Live.

New Our Lady of America Shrine Blog

   Pam Jackson has begun a new blog to promote the Shrine of Our     Lady of America in Rome City, IN

Our Lady of America is the only approved apparition in the United States. On the blog, she showcases her beautiful homemade rosaries.
Check it it out here.
Fr Andrew Apostoli told me that Our Lady promised that if her statue was installed in the National Basiclica of the Immaculate Conception, that it would be a center of grace like Lourdes. Pray for the bishops to do the will of Our Lady.

Today is World Down Syndrome Day

Because our children have 3 of the 21st chromosome, we celebrate their uniqueness today, appropriately on the first day of spring. Because they are as unique and beautiful as spring flowers.

Sadly, we must remember that 90% of our precious babies never see the light of day. Christina Dunigan has a great post on this called An Acceptable Level of Collateral Damage.

Let's compare the War on Terror, then, to the War on Down Syndrome, which kills three genetically standard babies for every "enemy" (baby with Down syndrome) successfully eliminated. For every 100 of the "enemy" killed, we are killing 300 "civilians" -- non-targeted "normal" babies. That's at least 13 times the "collateral damage" rate of combat bombing missions.

Now we can join in prayer that the health care bill which further threatens their lives is defeated on this day.

Servant of God, Dr Jerome Lejeune, pray for us.

Christina's 8th birthday

She came home from school on Friday wearing a birthday crown, carrying a backpack full of little gifts from her teachers; bookmarks and stickers. She knew that it was her birthday, so when Grandpa came up from Long Island and we busily scrubbed the house and cooked, her anticipation grew.
At Mass, Christina wore a hot pink "I'm the Birthday Girl" button which she proudly pointed out to everyone, as she sat with uncharacteristic patience in the pew.  After a special blessing from Fr Tito, fifty of our closest friends followed us home and the party began. Lasagna and salad, garlic bread and Coke, we celebrated eight years of joy which Christina has brought into our lives.

Soon it was time for the birthday cake, and she put on her crown and beamed as fifty voices sang "Happy Birthday". We broke open the pinata, opened her gifts and waved goodbye to the guests. The birthday girl took a nap to get ready for Youth Group while the teens in the dining room played a boisterous game of Pictionary.

Before Youth Group, I watched Fr Groeschel's Live Show on EWTN where Chris Bell was celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Good Counsel Homes. I tuned in just as he was sharing the statistic that 90% of unborn babies with Down syndrome are aborted, and reflected that if the world were made of loving people like those adults he knows with Down syndrome, it would be a wonderful place. I called in to thank him for his kind comments, and wish him a Happy Anniversay. Good Counsel Homes has helped over 5,600 homeless pregnant women since it began as an act of love 25 years ago. Our group, running the Ave Maria Home hope to open our home this year, once we raise the $200,000 necessary to gain state permission to open. We are working on a website to promote the Ave Maria Home, I'll be linking to it when it is ready.

After the show, we attended the Youth Group, where once again, Christina was the belle of the ball, with over 100 teens singing "Happy Birthday" to her. She had a wonderful birthday, thanks to all the love of our wonderful Catholic community here in Connecticut.

My reviews of The 13th Day quoted in Ignatius Press catalogue

I was excited to see the enticing array of films in the new Ignatius Press catalogue, but I was more thrilled to see my review of "The 13th Day" quoted with that of Steve Greydanus and Daria Stockey. "Catholics need a wake-up call on what it means to be the Church Militant. In the face of a darkening world landscape, "The 13th Day" is just that" says the quote on page10.
I was even more amazed when I read the other quote from my review on the Ignatius Press website page for "The 13th Day". My heart beat faster when I saw those whose quotes were chosen.
I was quoted with Fr Andrew Apostoli, CFR, the Official Fatima Shrine and Most Rev Vincent Nichols the Archbishop of Westminster, UK. Such august company!
"Directors Ian and Dominic Higgins, accomplished more than a pious revival of a fond moment in Catholic history, they re-cast familiar images of a story whose relevance has grown with time."
– Leticia Velasquez, Hartford Catholic Examiner
(read full review - also on Catholic Media Review)
This is a great honor for me as a writer to have my work quoted by such a fine publisher and in such respected company. I consider it part of my calling as a writer to help interpret books and film for busy Catholics who are wading their way through the filth of the culture of death. I will be interviewing a cast member of "The Blind Side" next week,  and publishing my review in "US Catholic".
This publicity has inspired me to catch up on the dozen or so book reviews I have to write, so please understand if this blog quiets down. ..

I am a Columnist at Amazing Columnists

My first bilingual column is up "The Midnight Arrival of Our Lady of Guadalupe".

Catholic Schools Day in Hartford

I was sent with Isabella, and another student and teacher to represent St Joseph's School at Catholic Schools Day in Hartford. We were there to protect state subsidies to Catholic schools such as bus transportation (in CT only the town you live in provides a bus, in NY you were bussed within a 15 mile range) and funds for school nurses. There is also a bill to allow businesses tax credits if they contribute to a scholarship program for children in poor areas to attend Catholic schools. This would include several towns where students at St Joseph live.
Rep Chris Coutu is not intimidated by being a minority Republican, and enthusiastically promoted this bill among his colleagues while we were there. He attended a meeting in Norwich where the imminent closing of 102 year old St Joseph School was discussed. With Superintendent Shine and Asst. Supt. Sr Barbara Gould, (see photo) we discussed the closing of many area Catholic schools and the negative impact it has had on the community. One aspect we stressed was the economic burden ($15K annualy) to educate the Catholic school students who enter public schools.

Catholic schools, especially faithful schools like St Joseph, are a boon to the community, and it's time they were given a break. A tax break with no strings attached.
I will keep you posted here on the progress of this bill.
Thank you Rep Coutu for supporting Catholic shools in CT

March madness

Spring is in the air; 60 degrees today. We were all irresistably drawn outdoors this afternoon. Even the cats ventured outdoors to get their fur ruffled in the breeze. . .
We played softball on the front lawn, went exploring the stream with three labradors, and got muddy water shaken ALL over us; now what did we expect?!
We enjoyed the clamour of Candian geese flying back from the South in V-formation overhead, spotted  our first Robin, a white crocus and budding wild Pussywillows in the stream. . .s unbathed and exercised, yelled and listened to the wind in the trees, breathed deeply of warm,  fresh air and gratefully stretched our legs.

Can all this joy be allowed in Lent?

Easter is coming. . . it is Sunday, which is not part of Lent and it seems like the Lord is just getting us ready to rejoice in the Resurrection, like the choir rehearing the music for the Triduum, a priceless preview of glories to come. But there's more. . .

After all, St Patrick and St Joseph have feast days in Lent.

Our Lady celebrates her Annunciation this month, 

We must be allowed outbursts of joy even in the midst of penitence almsgiving, and fasting.

On "Tweeting Abortion"

I have been struggling with commenting on this story since it is so raw; a woman, very broken by life, who calls herself an 'anti-theist', has been tweeting her abortion. I can't bring myself to read the tweets or see the YouTube video, but I have read Jill Stanek's take and am happy to share with you Mary Hasson's view from Phases of Womanhood. Her compassion and faith shine through some of the harsh commentary which surround this tragic event.

Angie desperately wants to silence the whisper of God in her own heart. But unlike the clamor of condemnation from some harsh pro-lifers, God’s whisper is a message of His love, steadfastness, and forgiveness. And it’s a whisper so powerful that it can open even the hardest heart. Ironically, Angie’s inability to still the whisper gives us hope—hope that she’ll take the armor of hurt off her own heart and hear the God who loves her.

Mary reminds pro-lifers who call themselves Christians, that though the act of abortion is awful, the soul is nonetheless precious in His sight. May we offer our Lenten prayers and mortifications for Angie and women like her.