Stay Calm and Mother On!

Our daughter was recently thrust into being a stay-at-home, homeschooling mama overnight. It was a dream that she had had ever since she married and instantly become pregnant. Since her unemployment happened rather suddenly, however, she didn’t have time to prepare herself for the changes this new lifestyle would entail. Like me, she tends to be rather pedantic and structured (aka OCD). The feelings she is having now, of being overloaded and overburdened, are new to her in this particular context. Although she is a model employee, wonderful mother (kids ages 5 and 3), and structured working woman the turned tables have her rather flustered.

A recent conversation she had with me, brought to mind other instances when we women and mothers tend to be too hard on ourselves and perhaps set ourselves up for an untenable agenda.

• Marriage – when we first marry, we have expectations but no real experience. Of course, we have whatever example has been given to us by our parents and other couples with whom we interact. We also have the fairy tale and Hollywood brand of ideas. While it’s easy to expect ourselves to fall perfectly into marital bliss, the reality can be quite – ahem – challenging instead.

• Cooking – we base much of our enjoyment of life around food: eating out, cookouts, parties, receptions, and such. It’s quite satisfying to share good food, good company and some leisure time. Eating takes no large effort – in fact, it usually takes effort not to eat too much! When the time comes to prepare these meals for ourselves or others, however, it’s not quite that simple. Unless you’re a culinary genius, it takes some experience, burned dishes, and frustrated tears to make a worthy chef.

• Parenting – when we observe others, we see a limited portion of their day. That mother, with her 6 darlings following her like baby ducks in formation, may have gone through quite the struggle to get them into shipshape – or she might just be gifted with children of even temperament (at least at that moment). Try not to compare and just mother on. You never know who is looking at your brood admiringly as well – and if not, maybe they just don’t know how to have fun like your bunch does!

• Homeschooling - unlike formal schooling, educating your children at home is not comprised of a curriculum forged together by a school board, teachers, text books, and government induced schedule. Your time, effort, and experience will be as individual as your family is. First time teaching mothers tend to compare themselves and their children to others. Is my child learning at the right pace. Am I being too structured - too lax? Will my children have a good life considering this decision? Slow down, read your children to find their tolerance/learning pace. Enjoy what you're doing and so will they. Remember, you are the teacher and the mother - you set out the rules and agenda.

• House and Home – my parents built their dream house shortly after I married. I never had the chance to call it home, but instead remembered the rambling Victorian with the wraparound porch of my childhood. My tastes leaned more toward the Swiss Chalet style of their new home, however, and I pined to have a house like that instead of the little farm house my new husband and I called home. I didn't give one thought to the years of overtime my dad worked or the frugality my German mother practiced, I was in the there and now. Looking back, from the balcony of my own Swiss Chalet style home, I can see with perfect 20-20 hindsight that this too, takes time and effort.

• Faith Life -our most important pursuit, faith life is prone to comparisons as well. What we often fail to realize is that we are all at different points of the journey. Our life experiences, motivation, and effort tend to make our faith life an extremely personal and unique experience. Also to be considered is how well we are tuned in to the call from God. Let Him help you decide where to go and when in your faith journey.

In our fast paced times, Facebook and other social media tends to give us a voyeur’s glimpse into the lives of many others – yet what we see is still only what they choose to share. Conversely, if you only show that perfect snapshot of that perfect moment, when you and your children are frozen in time doing exactly what you had envisioned – well, that’s what they’ll see and expect of themselves. Never mind that it took three days, umpteen tries, tears, shrieks and a dozen retakes. Much like the school years gone by, we all tend to think that we are the only ones experiencing angst. Later, when it’s of little use, is usually when we find the revelation of a secret crush or the admiration of those perfect seeming peers.

So what to take from these thoughts? The bottom line from where I stand - as a fifty something woman, wife, mother, homeschool teacher and Catholic - is that we are often too hard on ourselves because of the notions we have about others. Instead of making comparisons with only a tiny fragment of pure data, why not go for ‘personal best’. Relish the learning curve, the journey, the experiences…that way you’re only worrying about your own reality. Simply challenge yourself to be the best you, you can be! Love your husband into growing old together. Feast on each meal in the company of those you love, however it comes out of the oven. Make your house a home – no matter how humble. And most of all, love those little blessings from God – tears, tantrums, sloppy kisses and all. Stay calm, Mama, and mother on!

Lenten Photo Challenge - Day #9 Family

The awesome Catholic Sistas (CS) blog has an innovative new project for Lent. We are challenged to come up with an Instagram photo each day, using a list of topics of their choosing. Then we are invited to post them on their Facebook fan page. It's up to us to find inspiration for the photo in our own lives.

Today, February 21, 2013, the topic is 'FAMILY'

When I think of family I experience the warm feeling of belonging I get from the large, extended family to which I belong. Our parents, both only children, gave us the gift of family by growing us into a close knit family of 6 siblings. Now that the siblings are grown, we have oodles of cousins to socialize with. My grandchildren are fortunate that their parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are always ready for yet another family get together. Here, is a small group of of cousins at a birthday party we recently celebrated.

For your ease of participation, I have posted the CS list of topics below (click to enlarge):

Happy Instagram posting!

The Bells and Smells of Mass – Why Our Senses Matter When We Worship

We are "fearfully and wonderfully" made by God and His crafting of us is undeniably intricate. Our five senses give us a plethora of experiences with which to enjoy all of His creation. Our immediate surroundings provide much in the way of sensory pleasure – to the point that we often take them for granted. Similarly, our senses can also propel us back in time, where we are able experience past pleasures anew. Take a favorite song, for instance. A few musical notes and we are transported back in time – to our first love, senior prom, or a delightful vacation. We also relate to the memories evoked by the smell of a freshly baked apple pie or a favorite recipe – like Mom used to make. Even realtors have been known to employ this tendency to lure prospective buyers into a feeling of having ‘come home’.

In the same vein courting, celebrating special occasions or getting married, finds us taking great pains to entertain our senses . And what potential boss would we impress if we appeared for an interview in tattered jeans and a stained tee shirt? Would a suitor give us a second glance if we had unkempt hair and bad breath? Meanwhile we powder, lotion, and dress our babies in adorable outfits in an effort to enhance the velvet touch of their skin,  intoxicating scent, and cherub's form.

In the same vein courting, celebrating special occasions or getting married, finds us taking great pains to entertain our senses . And what potential boss would we impress if we appeared for an interview in tattered jeans and a stained tee shirt? Would a suitor give us a second glance if we had unkempt hair and bad breath? Meanwhile we powder, lotion, and dress our babies in adorable outfits in an effort to enhance the velvet touch of their skin,  intoxicating scent, and cherub's form.

As sensory creatures, the gift of our senses helps us experience the fullness of God’s creation. Therefore, our senses also come into play in our worship of God. We have at our disposal, many ways that we can both compliment our understanding of our ancient Liturgy and to show honor to God.

• The architectural beauty of our churches illustrates that we have entered a sacred place. The formality of the edifice and the orderly ranks of pews speak to a certain structure and discipline.

• Ornate statuary and the Stations of the Cross call to mind the faithful lives of saints, the virtues of the Blessed Mother, and the God Man, Jesus - who came to take away the sins of the world. And we see the crucifix as a poignant reminder of the ultimate price paid for our sins – both past and future.

• The various colors of the priestly vestments give us a clue as to the season and the tone of our worship. White, red, green, violet, black, rose and gold all denote differing liturgical seasons, purposes or intents.

• The Rubrics or General Instruction for the Roman Missal (GIRM) are a written manual that thoroughly choreographs postures, words, and actions during Holy Mass. In addition,  the Roman Missal itself provides the details of the words and actions of the celebrant (priest) during Mass by allowing him to simply ‘say the black, do the red’, as Fr. Zuhlsdorf of blogdom fame is fond of asserting.

• The hymns, composed and chosen, illustrate what we believe, that we should do our best to raise our voices in His glory, and that we are there to sing His praises - not our own. If it becomes a concert or a prideful show of talent, we diminish this God-given gift that we are offering back to Him in song. It becomes about us and not about true worship. Our Holy Father, Benedict XVI has written some enlightening words concerning the Liturgy and Sacred Music in his book, The Spirit of the Liturgy.

• Although they are an option (according to the priest’s preference), when they are used the bells at Mass gloriously appeal to our ears as a signal that something very special is happening. They announce that we should be still and turn our rapt attention to the greatest sacrifice ever made – Jesus giving His life for our sins and Himself to us as food. That we are once again at the foot of the cross – with Him!

• Used frequently in the Latin Mass or during special times in the Novus Ordo, incense tickles our noses and captures our attention, both through smell and sight. As the smoke rises, our minds are drawn to the prayers ascending to Heaven in praise, petition, penitence and worship.

• The clothing with which we choose to cover ourselves speaks to our recognition of appearing before our King, the Lord of Lords. As in the parable about the wedding garment, dressing for the occasion speaks to the reverence we feel, the homage we pay, and the respect that is demanded by merely existing in His presence. Veiling is also an optional, special acknowledgement of a woman's humility and the gift of femininity. These efforts are not about finery but about putting our best foot forward to the best of our ability.

These and other manifestations of our senses are of greater importance in our worship than we sometimes acknowledge. Yet we have been given a perfect example, both in scripture and Tradition. Reverence for the House of His Father, certainly mattered to Jesus. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that,

“Jesus went up to the Temple as the privileged place of encounter with God” because “for him, the Temple was the dwelling of his Father, a house of prayer”.  When he saw the lack of decorum shown by the sellers and money changers, “he was angered that its outer court had become a place of commerce”. As He drove the merchants out He said, "You shall not make my Father's house a house of trade”. We are further told that his apostles retained their reverence for the Temple even after the Resurrection.

Of all of our actions in life, prayer and pleasing God our Creator should stand above any other pursuit. How much more important than any other quest is our approach to the sacrificial altar? What are our actions saying when we take the glory and worship of our God in vain? Do we present ourselves grudgingly or carelessly for that brief hour each week? Or are our efforts fitting and pure? Perhaps we could become more aware and make some improvements during Lent. How will we show our respect and honor for Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? Will we inspire a new outward sign of reverence that will carry over past Easter? Do you see any actions in particular that speak to you in relation to the dignity given to our Sacrificial Lord? Share your thoughts and experiences with us so that we may learn from one another.

Of course, good example, also gives a ripple effect to those around us. Once the ripple covers our own little pond, it moves on to other ponds, rivers, and lakes. Good behavior, as well as bad, has been known to be contagious! Why, you might ask, are all of these things so darned important? The answer? Obedience, humility and most importantly R-E-S-P-E-C-T. For more insight, it might be helpful to read this most informative post, Save the Liturgy, Save the World, by Fr. Zuhlsdorf for an explanation much better than my own. God bless and Catholic on!

• The post The Bells and Smells of Mass – Why Our Senses Matter When We Worship appeared first onCatholic Sistas.

Lenten Photo Challenge - Day #8 Gift

The awesome Catholic Sistas (CS) blog has an innovative new project for Lent. We are challenged to come up with an Instagram photo each day, using a list of topics of their choosing. Then we are invited to post them on their Facebook fan page. It's up to us to find inspiration for the photo in our own lives.

I thought that this would be a great way for me to find some much needed structure for this blog of mine. As a contributor to CS, I seem to be able to adhere to a schedule, yet here on my own blog, I tend to procrastinate. One of the obstacles I come up against is the need to pen a post that has lots of substance and weight. Perhaps if I commit to a more brief style, I'll overcome both my wordy inclinations and the length of time between posts. So here's my thought. I'll briefly blog about their topic and share the Instagram that I have been inspired to submit each day.

Today, February 20, 2013, the topic is 'GIFT'

When I think of the word gift, my attention is immediately drawn to children. The Bible frequently tells us that children are a treasure, a gift, and a reward.

For your ease of participation, I have posted the CS list of topics below (click to enlarge):

Happy Instagram posting!

Spiritual Dryness Brings New Life - Father Knows Best

In a perfect world (we think), we would have all of our heart's truest wishes. This would make our lives complete and fulfilled. The groanings of our earthly vessels hold out for such secularly minded hopes and dreams even as God our Father reminds us that it is not so. With perfect wisdom and love, Our Heavenly Father knows best. Just as a mother eagle must push her nestlings out of the comfort she has built for them - in order for them to fly - so too, does God give us constant nudging into spiritual maturity. Were we to live in the worldly perfection we so wrongly desire, we would not find our need for God. This is His spiritual gift of love for us - for without sacrifice there is not love. 

As the Bible tells us, "unless the seed falls to the ground and dies, there will not be life'. 

The dark night of the soul was experienced by many who are saints today. Saint John of the Cross comes to mind. Because in the dryness of spiritual darkness, lies God. When our earthly vessels are emptiest, we reach out to Him for love the most. For without sacrifice there is no love. If our lives were always perfect we would not find our need for God. Only with imperfection are we driven to the perfection of God. In His perfect plan, God did intend us to live in difficulty. He said, "take up your cross and follow Me". 

However, even as we are willing to suffer some mortification, of our own choosing, when God chooses it we are often not quite so willing. Yet the bitter gifts of God develop our spiritual gifts. We are admonished to die to self. He does not rob a soul of peace – he gives the opportunity for purification.  In order to gain true happiness and our own perfection, we must intensify our love of God. We must accept the sacrifices he lays on our hearts. Our sufferings and trials must be looked upon as a gift of God – only then will we truly love. And when we truly love, we will become more perfect children of God.

This Lent, let me allow God to work within me - through His perfect Will. Let me accept my trials and sufferings with Grace so that I might find a more perfect love of God! 

*This post was inspired by thoughts by Venerable Fulton Sheen.

Soul-Searching Valentine’s Day – Mourning Motherhood

I am in mourning. No, no one close to me has died, there has been no divorce – no loss of home or means of income. My loss relates to my vocation as a mother. The fervor – no need – for children resonates differently with the individual woman. Some seem not to feel the call at all while others experience an almost physical pull for nurturing little minds and souls and bodies. I am one of the later.

Motherhood came young for me. After having experienced a tragically unplanned pregnancy at almost 15 years of age, I found myself the oldest of a household of younger children. My child was adopted by my parents and he grew up as my brother. My early years revolved around pretending to teach and the reality of diapers and mashed bananas. When I married my high school sweetheart at age 17, we still periodically hijacked a sibling or two to feed this hunger. Our first child was born when I was a twenty year old senior in college. Three years later we were blessed with a daughter. I joke about how our next child was on ‘backorder’ because it took us eight years to conceive our youngest.

During all of this time, however, the need for babies in my life was fed in one way or another – whether by siblings or children of my own. The craziness of living far from the nearest Catholic school (commuting for athletic and gifted children is not for the faint of heart), gave me a distraction as my little brood grew up. When I was 30, my mother’s diagnosis with ovarian cancer, crept into my own reality when genetic counselors urgently suggested an oophorectomy for me. The resulting lack of hope for the large family I had dreamed of made for some tearful nights (and days). But I had my three children and the hope of nieces and nephews to console me.

As our children grew, we were blessed to be gifted with quite a few grandchildren (seven under the age of 9 to date). At one point, five of them lived on either side of us and were here to be nurtured, taught and loved each and every weekday. Nana’s Day School was vibrant with laughter, sloppy kisses, and tight squeezes! At another point, two of them moved in, along with their father, during a particularly contentious divorce. When they moved to their own home again, we simply moved back into regular visits. During that period this ‘empty nest’ (ha, ha) resonated with laughter, tumbling play fights, and loving.

As time went on the day to day activity settled into a more ‘normal’ routine. One family moved an hour away. Yet they continued to travel the two, 2-hour round trips – at least once per week, just to keep the connection alive. Happily fulfilled, this ‘stay-at-home’ Nana had at least two little ones four days per week, with visits and sleepovers to balance out the routine. Then came a drastic change. One of the mommies became a stay at home mom rather suddenly. This was the brood that came to Nana’s Day School three days per week (I was actually homeschooling them by then). Poof! The stay-at-home Nana had lost her bearings. Relegated down to a once per week house filled with little feet, demands for hugs, lap time and snuggles was a drastic step. For 48 years she had had her hands on children most every day. Now, as quickly as a death, that time was over.

I had been wondering at my stormy moods as of late and then, this morning – Eureka – I finally saw the cause with painful clarity!

I have raised these little ones from the beginning of their little lives – even to the point of having been present at two of their births. Foolishly, even as I fervently dreamed of the joy of being a stay-at-home mother for our daughter, I failed to realize what that would mean for me. I certainly can’t begrudge her the happiness that is in her future, yet the humanly frail side of me mourns my own loss just the same. Hopefully some equilibrium will eventually be found but, as of now, I have been set free against my will. I find myself once again yearning for a multitude of children even while a relish in the wonder of having raised so many more than the three gifted to us by God through our marriage. These little people, 7 little souls for which I am honored to be godmother, will always remain in our lives – the how of it has been changed but the reality has not. As I go through the mourning of my newfound position of an empty-nester, I must turn my heart toward the gift that they were and will continue to be. I have found a personal, deep respect for those who find themselves unwillingly childless. My pain cannot compare with theirs in intensity but yet I will pray more deeply for their loss. I also see the story of Moses in an entirely new light – I have relinquished the day to day care of these children and will have to seek out my new role. Lord help me to look to this new beginning of my life with a joy filled with You and a heart for giving what I can, when it is needed.

*One of our little treasures turns 5 today – Valentine’s Day! Much love to you, Simon, from Nana and Papa.

The post, Soul-Searching Valentine's Day - Mourning Motherhood, was first published by the Catholic Sistas blog.

EGG-straordinary Lenten Rosary Project for your Family

The post, EGG-straordinary Lenten Rosary Project for your Family, was first published on the Catholic Sistas blog in 2012. It came to my attention today, that the link was broken so I am reprinting it here for Lent 2013. Enjoy!

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I've been reflecting on Lent for the past week and how I am going to observe this time of penance, alms giving, and prayer. My thoughts then brought to mind the little souls with whom we are entrusted as parents, grandparents, and God-parents. Since my babies are all so young (2 - 6) I thought it would be best to help them in the 'doing' and 'praying' categories. The resulting project reinforces/teaches all of the prayers of the Rosary (most know the Sign of the Cross, Our Father and Hail Mary). This can be a transitional addition to their customary nighttime prayers - reciting a decade of the Rosary, while concentrating on a particular mystery each night.

This simple, inexpensive and effective craft combines reciting a nightly decade of the Rosary with some good actions and creativity thrown in for good measure:

Lenten Rosary Project Materials List:

• Plastic Easter Eggs (1 larger egg for the Our Father and 10 smaller eggs for the Hail Mary)

• Colorful curling ribbon or pipe cleaners 

• Paper and markers/crayons

• Tongue depressors or Popsicle sticks

• Glitter glue, puff paint, stickers or other embellishments

• Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Lenten Rosary Project construction:

• Thread pre-cut sections of pipe cleaner or small strips of ribbon through the holes on both ends of the small plastic Easter eggs, until you have a chain of 10.

• Tie a knot in the ribbon or bend a 'knot' into the pipe cleaner and hot glue inside each egg to secure.

• Add one larger Easter egg to your chain for the Our Father to complete the decade.

• For the cross, shorten one of the tongue depressors and then form into a cross shape. Secure with hot glue and embellish with a sticker, if desired.

Lenten Rosary Project instructions:

Say one decade of the Rosary each evening using your Easter Egg Rosary and add your offerings (good deeds, petitions, or coins) for that day. This is a good time to discuss behavior, sharing and giving.

• Chose a petition, good dead, or prayer for each member of the family and write/draw on a piece of paper.

• You could also have your little ones earn pennies to share with the poor.

• Place these papers or coins inside a plastic Easter egg.

• On the weekend you may choose to draw or color pictures depicting the mysteries you have prayed during the week and make a booklet to go along with your newly completed Rosary.

At the end of a 5 day week you will have said all five of the respective mysteries and by the end of 4 full weeks you will have said all 4 sets of mysteries...and the COMPLETE Rosary. You should now have corresponding booklets with pictures of the all  20 mysteries.

You may now move on to coloring pages of the Stations of the Cross as your activity. Continue to use the Rosary you have made for praying a decade every evening as a family, as is now your practice. Last year, 3-year old Simon and 1-year old Rachel  learned all of their rosary prayers this way. The family developed a nightly rosary 'habit'.

On the evening before Easter Sunday, parents may wish to fill each egg with a treat or surprise and then hide the eggs for the traditional Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday. Or you could keep them intact and still fill with treats. Your kids will have had a chance to count down the 40 days and reap a reward for their patience and efforts, seeing a tangible result! Hopefully you will also have enhanced your family prayer habits. God bless you...and may we all have a fruitful Lent.

Let us all pray for one another!

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Here are some links to coloring pages for use with your Easter Egg Rosary Project:

Stations of the Cross coloring pages for all of the stations.

Stations of the Cross carousel - a great way to display the colored pages.

Lamb of God Lenten Calendar uses cotton balls on a cute lamb print-out.

Walk the Lenten Path  to countdown the days, put a sticker on each square every day.

Almsgiving Activity for Children During Lent fill this cross-shaped craft with coins.

Catholic Rosary coloring pages to print. Includes Luminous Mysteries and much more!

Catholic Rosary Diagram page to color.

Sign of the Cross diagram and coloring page.

Our Father - prayer coloring sheet.

Hail Mary - prayer coloring page.

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*Note: you could also do the above project using a paper chain much like those that are made during Advent to adorn your Christmas tree. Each 'link' in the chain could be a Hail Mary and a larger 'link' could be added for the Our Father. You could write on the slips of paper before creating the links.

Pope Benedict XVI to Step Down - The Signs Were There

The historic news of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI came as a surprise to laity and Church leaders alike; he will be only the 5th pope to do so, in the history of the Church founded by Jesus Himself. Faithful Catholics had reveled in the firm yet gentle reign of our German Shepherd as he worked diligently to reform the reform of the Church. The reversion back to a more accurate translation of Mass responses, prayers, and form was met with a tepid response by modernists but those of us who take pride in our ancient practices were heartened to have more solemnity and reverence reintroduced into the living sacrifice that is the Holy Mass. As a German myself, I felt a kinship with Papa Benedict and found myself smiling and nodding whenever he spoke or wrote about all things Catholic.

He was also a staunch protector of the unborn and reiterated time and again the supreme importance of the sanctity of life. As a pro-life advocate, I found myself frequently quoting a never ending supply of his pronouncements on the subject. The poor and forgotten were also consistently championed by him as were all people, regardless of religious affiliation. He worked tirelessly and traveled extensively with no regard for his personal safety or comfort but was greeted with joyful welcome wherever he went. I prayed, on a regular basis, that he would be with us for many years to come, as I saw the Church begin flourishing in renewal under his reign.

What we are seeing in retrospect, however, is that there had been clues to be found, pointing toward this unusual step he has taken. On April 29, 2009, few pundits or faithful took particular notice when Pope Benedict visited the tomb of Pope St. Celestine V in Aquila, Italy. Celestine was a rather obscure medieval Pope, whose reign began in 1294. As was the case with Josef Cardinal Ratizinger (aged 78 at the time of election), Fr. Pietro Angelerio was a devout and holy priest who was also reluctant to become Pope at an advanced age (he was 80). In fact, just a brief five months after his election, Pope Celestine V issued a formal decree that allowed popes to resign. Shortly afterward, he exercised that right.


We can now look back and remember that Pope Benedict XVI prayed and then left his palluim on top of Celestine’s tomb. The leaving of the symbol of his episcopal authority as Bishop of Rome appears to have had significance that was lost on the world at the time. Additionally, he went out of his way to visit and pray in the Cathedral of Sulmona fifteen months later. There reside the relics of the same St. Celestine V. It would be a stretch to attribute these actions as mere coincidence, given today’s news, since they point toward a spiritual journey leading to his decision to step aside. Considering Pope Benedict’s analytical style of thought and his thorough attention to detail gives these actions new meaning in light of the announcement made today. Although the obvious symbolism is not lost to us, we now see a deeper more profound intent come to light. Pope Benedict XVI was signalling his intention to resign and the minor rumors that had arisen a few months prior, bear more weight now that his decision has been announced.


On a very human level I feel bereft, as if some indispensable member of my family is moving far away.This pope, with his gentle yet firm hand, has been one to whom I could relate so well. Our German Shepherd’s words and writings resonated with me as if he were my own Opa (grandfather). I love him with a depth that surprises me and pray that the twilight of his years will be spent in the peace that comes from a job well done. He has served us well and his toil for the people of God will stand the test of time. Well done, good and faithful servant. You have given me the gift of a deeper faith and a stronger determination for serving the Church founded by Christ Himself. ‘And the gates of hell will not prevail against her!’. Vielen Dank und möge Gott Sie segnen*.

‎”After the three days of darkness, St. Peter and St. Paul, having come down from Heaven, will preach in the whole world and designate a new Pope. A great light will flash from their bodies and will settle upon the cardinal who is to become Pope. Christianity, then, will spread throughout the world. He is the Holy Pontiff, chosen by God to withstand the storm. At the end, he will have the gift of miracles, and his name shall be praised over the whole earth. Whole nations will come back to the Church and the face of the earth will be renewed. Russia, England, and China will come into the Church.” (Prophecy of Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (1769-1837 A.D.) who was Beatified by Pope Bendedict XV in 1920.)

*Many thanks and may God greatly bless you!

This post first appeared on the Catholic Sistas blog.

Tweet with Us at The March for Life in DC - #SistasMFL13

As you may know, I also write for a rapidly growing blog consisting of women from across our great nation. If you already follow the Catholic Sistas blog on Twitter, you've seen us working on some tweets for tomorrow's 40th annual March for Life. With the help of some local friends and Ink Slingers, we will be peppering our account between now and the end of the March tomorrow with various tweets and pics. We will also be posting a live tweet widget just for this event that you can follow on the home page of the website. You can easily follow the party by searching the hash tag #SistasMFL13 as well as including it in your own tweets. We look forward to seeing you over there! Let's make our voices heard for the voices too weak to defend themselves.

My daughter is also an Ink Slinger for Catholic Sistas and is reporting live from Washington DC. Stay tuned for more information as she provides it.

God bless the pilgrims on this crucial ministry!

My daughter and the Social Concerns director.

Crossing the Potomac on a snowy day.

Viewing pro-life exhibits.

The view from their hotel.

Use our Twitter hashtag for the March for Life in DC, 2013. #SistasMFL13 @Catholic_Sistas on Twitter

Hey Abortion Advocates, What do You Mean by Choice?

Oh, that’s right, you don’t like the word ‘choice’ anymore. So how do you plan to label your unconditional support for abortion? Is this new propaganda to relabel yourselves an attempt to muddy the waters so that we don’t know what to call you – to not ‘box you in’? Well, I've got news for you; you've never really been pro-choice anyway because the only choice you advocate is abortion. You run in alarm when a woman chooses birth and mothering or adoption. So your grand efforts to create an innocuous label for yourself has fallen flat and now, even you realize it’s just not very simple to create a favorable tag for yourselves. You've always advocated for one thing – killing a pre-born child in her mother’s womb. It’s really tough to put a favorable spin on that isn't it?

Whether you call us anti-abortion, pro-life or radical right wing extremists, it’s not difficult to know what we stand for. We respect the lives of all people – born and unborn. Our love extends to the pre-born baby, mother, father, siblings, grandparents, cousins, and friends of each and every human person. The love we feel is not limited to the perfect, healthy, holy, churched, saintly, modest, young or old – it encompasses them all. Where you have unconditional support for abortion; we stand for unconditional support and love.

In case you’re still here reading this post I’ll share some examples of our brand of love with you:

We love the  woman and her baby when she has been diagnosed with cancer while pregnant.

We love the baby who endangers the mother's life.

We love the baby who is a product of rape.

We love the baby with a serious diagnosis of ‘imperfection’.

We love the baby  mourned due to miscarriage.

We love the woman who aborted her baby.

We love the aged.

We also love you, abortion proponent. We pray for your conversion and change of heart daily and fervently. We long to embrace you and share the joy we feel in living out the admonition given to us all directly from Jesus which commands, ‘Love others as you love yourself’. His love is the most unconditional of all. Won't you join us in seeking that type of perfection?

This post first appeared on the Catholic Sistas blog on 1-21-2013

Become a Pro-Life Advocate - It Couldn't be Easier!

Abortion is a scourge on our nation; yet there are millions of faithful pro-life citizens across the land. Recent statistics have shown that, even after the reelection of the most rabidly pro-abortion president in history, our nation remains firmly in the corner of Life. In fact, the numbers of those who are pro-life are on the rise. Yet there is much frustration among the faithful. The recent mass carnageat an elementary school in Newtown, CT illustrates the duplicity exhibited by our government, when it comes to the value of Life. In an address concerning this horrific event, President Obama spoke these words.

“If there’s even one step we can take to save a child, then surely we have an obligation to try.

“Are we really prepared to say that we’re powerless in the face of such carnage, that the politics are too hard? Are we prepared to say that such violence visited on our children year after year after year is somehow the price of our freedom?”

The irony of Obama’s obtuse statement didn’t escape the millions of citizens who honor the sanctity of all Life – in fact it further fueled their frustration. Yet this is exactly what we are up against and why we must solidify our efforts. There are legions of us and together we can be the difference that swings our country back to a Culture of Life.

So why is it that so few people seem to be willing to fully commit to the issue? That is a question I ponder daily. Each new day finds me doing my best to focus on my Catholic faith and, by extension, furthering the pro-life movement. I’m quite bold about my positions on both counts and it would be difficult to mistake where I stand. Consequently there are also many like-minded people in my life – both locally and across the nation. Yet much pro-life advocacy support comes in private. I find that many people are still hesitant to take a strong public stand. Although I receive countless private messages of encouragement and agreement, I find that public support is somewhat timid.

pro-life activism 101

So what can be done?  

Go to the Catholic Sistas blog to find out how to easily make a Pro-Life difference!

Go to the Designs by Birgit fan page to see over 80 Pro-Life posters like the one above!

Source: catholicsistas.com via Birgit on Pinterest

Hobby Lobby - Crafting Religious Freedom

As a group of crafty Catholic women, joining Pinterest was a no-brainer for many of the Catholic Sistas Ink Slingers. As an Art Major, former Catholic school art teacher, homeschool mother, and now homeschool Nana this was certainly true for me.  Therefore, this past Advent and Christmas season brought me to Hobby Lobby more times than I can count. They have always had my respect as a Christian- owned business that closes on Sundays  “the day most widely recognized as a day of rest, in order to allow our employees and customers more time for worship and family”. So what’s not to like?

ObamaCare Enters In

Conversely, Hobby Lobby  hardly seems like a name that would appear in the same sentence with the HHS Mandate – yet here we are. It appears that the insidious HHS Mandate has encroached even into the world of Christian, crafty, self-made entrepreneurs.  At first glance, ObamaCare appeared to be a virtuous idea to some, even as others struggled with the strangle hold it would have on every citizen in the nation. That topic alone would garner a several part series for another day. The portion of ObamaCare that is more easily isolated and agreed upon is the portentous HHS Mandate, which will force – as of January 1, 2013 - businesses, organizations, and institutions to provide contraception, sterilization, and abortion inducing drugs to all of their employees – free of charge.

What about Freedom of Religion?

Read the rest of Hobby Lobby - Crafting Religious Freedom where it first appeared on Catholic Sistas.

Salvation Army: Bells for Abortion?

Ring-a-ling-a-ling goes the bell as stalwart souls stand in the cold, next to the familiar red kettle beseeching passersby to give alms every Advent. Looking into their faces you can see kindness and dedication to a cause in which they fervently believe. Their expression is joyful and they banter with anyone who is willing to donate to their cause – the Salvation Army (SA). Yet there is, as Paul Harvey would say, ‘the rest of the story’. Are we really free to sacrificially give and then go merrily on our way with a placated heart and soul? Not so fast!

As with any aspect of our Christian lives, it behooves us to become well catechized before we act. When we donate to a large organization it isn’t the same type of faithful giving as giving the man on the street corner your last $20 because he is hungry. That act is done out of faith – on an individual basis. Sure, you don’t know this man and he could take your gift and buy himself a bottle of cheap bourbon – but the onus is on him because you have given out of true charity and a clear conscience. When it comes to organizations, however, we have the ability – and duty – to delve a bit deeper into the mission and moral standing of the recipient. There are pertinent questions to be answered before a wholesale submission of a gift is given.

Click the link to read Salvation Army: Bells for Abortion? in its entirety.

See more pro-life graphics by Designs by Birgit by clicking here.

Advent – Don’t Rush! It’s not Christmas Yet!

It’s not Christmas!

A friend recently bemoaned her inability to ‘get into the Christmas spirit’. Her discomfiture was painfully evident and brought to mind the necessity of a properly observed Advent. We humans have been an impatient bunch from the very beginning – always looking for a shortcut. In fact, throughout the ages the virtue of patience has had a rough ride. Holy Scripture is filled with admonishments for patience thus demonstrating that we are not alone in our lack of it. I don’t think that lack of patience is ever more evident to me than when Christmas is hustled into the forefront all too soon. This year appears to have been the worst in memory. Even before all of the Halloween merchandise had been marked down for clearance, the Christmas décor and songs began. What a dizzying debacle it was! Ghosts, witches, Pilgrims and turkeys joined Santa and Christmas ornaments on store shelves – all at the same time.

Follow for the rest of Advent - Don't Rush! It's not Christmas Yet! 

Advent - a Time of Waiting Craft

Happy Advent!

A pet peeve of mine during the season of Advent (and before), is that the world we live in doesn't like to wait. Patience is not a virtue that gets a lot of notice. How then, are we to teach our little ones about the benefit of waiting? How can we demonstrate that sometimes the sweetness of the attained goal is intensified by preparation and patience?

This really home with me on a trip to a local department store. Here it was, barely October, and yet Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas were keeping company on the shelves! My resolve to make Advent relevant in the eyes of my family was solidified that day. So here we are, the first of December, and I'm hoping to share this simple little project to spread the word - it's not Christmas!


Let's resolve to sweeten this beautiful yet low key and penitent season. After all, good things come to those who wait!

This is one of those projects that has something for everyone. The adults have control of the overall look achieved - so those who tend to be OCD (ahem, me) can micro manage as much as we like. Even the youngest child can finger paint and older ones can help at their own level, so no one is excluded. So let's get started.

MATERIALS

Wooden clothes pins
Finger paints
Paint brushes
Small paper plates
Sharpies: black and silver
Glitter
Journey to Bethlehem picture
Nativity picture
Mod Podge - I used glossy
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Pipe cleaners in matching or accent colors

READY to CRAFT

Count out the required number of clothes pins and clip them to one of the paper plates, adjusting spacing as evenly as possible.

Using the silver Sharpie, color the gaps between the clothes pins - filling them in completely after marking the spaces. Next, use the black Sharpie to number the spaces.


Let the kids paint the clothes pins in your predetermined colors. We chose red, green, and yellow because they appeal to the younger set to which I am catering. With older kids I would have gone with white and yellow with silver and gold accents or perhaps the liturgical color of purple.

While allowing the clothes pins to dry you can begin to work on the art.

The artwork can be something that you have available or you can do what I did and Google 'Nativity' and 'Journey to Bethlehem' for suitable pictures. I went with a black and white print for the journey to drive home that Advent is a low key season.

Print out your art and trace a circle the size of the *inside* of your paper plate. Carefully cut out and glue to the bottom of the paper plates.

After the glue has dried, paint a top coat of Mod Podge over the entire picture(s) - all the way out to the edge of the paper plate.



I waited for the first coat to dry (just a few minutes) and then applied a second, heavier coat for added sheen.

While the second coat was still wet, I sprinkled glitter over the entire paper plate - picture, edge and all. Set aside and allow to dry.

Now comes the individualized part. Come up with a list of people or intentions for prayer. This is something that should be done as a family so that everyone can offer ideas. You will need as many petitions as you have clothes pins. Write them on one side of the clothes pins using the black Sharpie.

On the other side of the clothes pin, write an activity. It can be drinking cocoa, coloring a picture and mailing it to someone lonely, reserving pennies to give at Mass or any other meaningful or fun activity your family members can come up with.

When you have finished writing on both sides of the clothes pins you can add a top coat of Mod Podge and allow the kids to sprinkle glitter for an added sparkle. Now it's time for assembly.

NOW IT'S COMING TOGETHER

Gather all of your components and begin assembly.

Take a pipe cleaner and fold in half, then twist the ends to form a loop. This will become your hanger. Using hot glue attach to the top of one of the paper plates on the *inside*. Now place the paper plates together - pictures out - and run a bead of hot glue all around their circumference, joining them together. While the hot glue is still sticky, place a pipe cleaner into the glue to fill in the gap making sure that your hanging loop remains in the proper position.

ALL SET AND READY TO BEGIN THE COUNT DOWN

Each day you will pin a clothes pin onto the appropriate number. The person or petition written on it will become your prayer focus for that day. The activity on the other side is what you will do for that day's Advent observance. In this way you will not only count down until the long awaited feast of Christmas comes, but you will be actively participating in a meaningful observance of Advent.

Happy Advent - hope it's holy!