St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)

At sixteen, Catherine received a vision in which she was mystically married to Christ. She was a counselor to popes and heads of state. She is a Doctor of the Church.


"Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without this goal in mind."
St. Catherine of Siena

St. Mark the Evangelist

I have three sons and a daughter. My sweetest little son, now 4 years old, a golden haired, chubby little elfish child....is named Mark. Happy feast day to him. He is a wonderful blessings in our lives!


St. Mark the Evangelist (1st century)

Mark was the author of the earliest Gospel. He travelled with St. Paul and his cousin St. Barnabas through Cyprus, and with St. Peter to Rome. He founded the Church in Alexandria and was the bishop of the city for about twenty years.

Women of Faith, Women of Hope, Women of Love

"....Woman's soul is....fashioned to be a shelter in which other souls may unfold. Both spiritual companionship and spiritual motherliness are not limited to the physical spouse and mother relationships, but they extend to all people with whom woman comes into contact."

"Woman naturally seeks to embrace that which is living, personal and whole. To cherish, guard, protect, nourish and advance growth is her natural, maternal yearning."

Saint Edith Stein

Grace-Filled Memories

Ten years ago,(twelve now as I'm revising and reprinting this): a small group of eight mothers met one evening at our church, beginning what would become our Catholic mom's homeschool support group. We named it for St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, and our parish priest presented and blessed us with a beautiful statue of Mother Seton placed in our meeting room.

That first evening, and for many evenings thereafter, Kimberly Hahn led us in a "Proverbs 31 Woman" study, via audio cassette tapes. We were brought together by the common thread of Catholic homeschooling, and grew together beginning that evening in our God-given roles as women: wives, mothers, friends, learning to embrace more fully authentic femininity.

In more recent years we embarked on further enrichment which included a wonderful series of sessions utilizing the Johnnette Benkovic devotional book: Grace-Filled Moments. It is specifically written for women. It is doctrinally sound, challenging and spiritually directive. I highly recommend it for any Catholic woman for individual study and meditation, and Catholic women's groups of all varieties; it works for both individual and group situations. It would make a beautiful and treasured gift for a Catholic woman in your life.

This week we examine a small sampling of what it is God asks of woman. Follow along as the quotes from the various saints, religious and authors will speak for themselves. God bless you.

Poetry Friday Return

The Prisoner
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning


I count the dismal time by months and years
Since last I felt the green sward under foot,
And the great breath of all things summer -
Met mine upon my lips. Now earth appears
As strange to me as dreams of distant spheres
Or thoughts of Heaven we weep at. Nature's lute
Sounds on, behind this door so closely shut,
A strange wild music to the prisoner's ears,
Dilated by the distance, till the brain
Grows dim with fancies which it feels too
While ever, with a visionary pain,
Past the precluded senses, sweep and Rhine
Streams, forests, glades, and many a golden train
Of sunlit hills transfigured to Divine.


Let us remember, one of the Corporal Works of Mercy is to "comfort the imprisoned."

St. Bernadette of Lourdes (1844-1879)

Over five months after her first Communion, Bernadette had 19 visions of the Virgin Mary. She joined a community of religious sisters, who often mistreated her because she was sick. Her body is incorrupt to this day.

“Nothing is anything more to me; everything is nothing to me, but Jesus: neither things nor persons, neither ideas nor emotions, neither honor nor sufferings. Jesus is for me honor, delight, heart and soul.”

– St. Bernadette of Lourdes

Life in Christ: Catechism #2218

The fourth commandment reminds grown children of their responsibilities toward their parents. As much as they can, they must give them material and moral support in old age and in times of illness, loneliness, or distress. Jesus recalls this duty of gratitude.

Happy Glorious Easter to All!

Victimae Paschali Laudes

May you praise the Paschal Victim, immolated for Christians.
The Lamb redeemed the sheep: Christ, the innocent one,
has reconciled sinners to the Father.
A wonderful duel to behold, as death and life struggle:
The Prince of life dead, now reigns alive.
Tell us, Mary Magdalen, what did you see in the way?
I saw the sepulchre of the living Christ,
and I saw the glory of the Resurrected one:
The Angelic witnesses, the winding cloth, and His garments.
The risen Christ is my hope: He will go before His own into Galilee.
We know Christ to have risen truly from the dead:
And thou, victorious King, have mercy on us.
Amen. Alleluia.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL WITH HIS ABUNDANT GRACES THIS EASTER SEASON!
IN CHRIST,
DENISE

What an awesome video and endorsement for our Catholic heritage and faith; Catholics Come Home. I think this should air each evening during the national news!

Palm Sunday '08

"....and they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments on it; and he sat upon it. And many spread their garments on the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed cried out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!" Mark 10:7-10

What a difference a week can bring

Last I blogged we were in the midst of a terrible downpour of snow. An incredible snowstorm, it was! Awesome, powerful and beautiful all at the same time. It's hard to believe that was last Thursday into Friday and Saturday, while this Thursday my blog weather pixie reads: 57.2 degrees. Ah, indeed it does. It was a beautiful and hopeful day. Lots of sunshine. On this day, our oldest son enjoyed doing his dissection labs for biology with another homeschooler; they have more ahead, but it will be after Easter. We are also registering for the ACT, we are looking at colleges, we are entering formal driver's ed courses,(we have had our permit for quite some time) and we are looking for part-time employment. Of course, this is not "we", this is just our oldest son, but indeed it feels like "we"! I guess they grow up and I guess mom *really* feels like a guidance counselor and teacher and mom...and well, I accepted this role, didn't I? I will admit, I am very tired right now and this all seems very overwhelming. Lots of prayers and deep felt thoughts and feelings over raising this family and the responsibilities that go with it. It has given me much to think about for Lent. During one Lenten confession, a fine priest gave me these words of wisdom from the Desert Fathers: "Lord, as you will and as you know, ..have mercy on me", for those times that I can not make sense of things, or really know or see the road ahead and get weary of steering. Thank you Father Tom. I repeat that mantra several times a day. I am learning more and more to let go and trust God that He is doing the right things with us, with this family and through our vocations.

So, Easter season ahead is very welcome. Very welcome.

God bless you all this beautiful season!

P.S. I just noticed that my Avon calendar in the kitchen says for the month of March: "The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at time."
Thank goodness!

Winter Storm Watch

Yes, it's a snow storm of the century here. Wow, so much snow and at this moment freezing rain, and more snow to come. Our neighborhood grocery store is just down the street and across US Route 30, but it's not safe to pull the van out and attempt it. My poor husband is out working in this! I don't know how he does it, but boy our prayers are going up for him today. So, we stay inside and wonder what else will be canceled for this weekend.

The birds are still out and about -- they seemed to have appeared last week during the 40-degree spell we had. Amazing little creatures.

Lenten Litany

R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.


We adore you, O Christ, when we do not get our own way, R.

We adore you, O Christ, in the midst of day-to-day aggravations, frustrations, and annoyances, R.

We adore you, O Christ, when we live deprived of recognition or gratitude, R.

We adore you, O Christ, when dealing with others who exalt themselves and demean us, R.

We adore you, O Christ, in the face of worry, anxiety and fear, R.

We adore you, O Christ, when we forgive others and show them mercy, especially when it hurts, R.

(taken from Magnificat, March 2008)

More litany to follow another time.

Lenten Reflection

"In our prayer to-day, we can ask ourselves: Do I dedicate sufficient time to my religious formation, or do I allow myself to become absorbed by the other things that fill each day? Do I have a plan for reading, reviewed in spiritual guidance, which will help me make progress in doctrinal formation according to my age and background? Am I faithful to the Magisterium of the Church, knowing that there I find the light of truth rather than the contradictory opinions I often come across in matters of faith, social teaching, etc? Do I try to get to know the teachings of the Popes and to make them known? Do I respect them with piety and docility? Do I frequently rectify my intention, offering up all my actions to God, taking into account our tendency to seek applause, recognition and praise for what we do? Am I constantly aware that this is often where the deformation of one's conscience begins?

We need light and clarity, both for ourselves and for those around us. This is our big responsibility. The Christian has been placed by God as a lamp to light up, for others the way towards God. We ought to educate ourselves to face the rush of people who are going to press upon us with a specific and urgent question: 'Well then, what must I do?' [Escriva, Furrow, 221] Children, relatives, colleagues, friends, they all look to our behaviour and we have the responsibility of leading them to God. And so that the blind person's guide is not himself also blind [Matt15:14], it is not enough to have second-hand knowledge or mere hearsay. To lead our friends and relatives to God, a vague and superficial knowledge of the route is not enough; we need to have walked it ourselves........."

(from Lenten volume of: In Conversation with God)