Sunday, April 27, 2014

The Catholic Church Has Two New Saints

The Canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II
As a Catholic and, having seen Pope John Paul II in person 
in Chicago in October of 1979, 
I was excited to experience 
the canonization of him and Pope John XXIII, 
albeit via TV.
My 19 year-old daughter, 
a close teacher friend from St. Lawrence Elementary School 
and I rode the train to Chicago 
to be part of the sea of people congregated in Grant Park. 



Pope John Paul II greeted 
the worshipers in several different languages. 
There upon he celebrated the Mass 
with more than 350 bishops from North America.  
I think that I surely was not the only person there 
who felt the sensation of goose bumps developing on one’s skin. 
I felt the same phenomenon 
when Pope Francis declared the canonization 
of these two beloved popes.



Pope Francis greeting
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

one of three petitions
for the canonization
of Popes John XXIII
and John Paul II



relics of the new saints

The majority of the photos I am sharing here
 are the result of my snapping pictures 
from the live feed from St. Peter’s Square.  
Two were scanned from my Commemorative Album.
The banner photo is my own taken in our parish rectory entrance.


Monday, April 21, 2014

Mondays with Mary: Easter Vigil

The dark prior to
the Light of our risen Christ,
Mary’s faithful Son.


Hallelujah,
He is risen! 


sharing
with Hettienne's


Friday, April 18, 2014

Good Friday 2014

Good Friday
Passion of our Lord
for our sins
1. the Passion of our Lord...
(The Liturgy Readings can be found here.)
our Lord stripped of His clothes,
the altar stripped of its cloths

Solemn Intercessory Prayers


2. Veneration of the Cross:
"Behold the wood of the Cross,
on which hung the salvation of the world."
R "Come, let us adore."



3. no Mass celebrated
 Holy Communion received
from that left from Holy Thursday
now...the tabernacle- empty 



shared with Rebecca's
Haiku My Heart

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Holy Thursday 2014

Holy Thursday Post
April 17, 2014


Holy Mary, I beg of you to assist me 
in avoiding the act of adding 
to the wounds of your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.  
Guide my hands to do God’s work.  
Direct my thoughts to bring glory 
to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.   
Help me to see Christ in the faces of whomever I meet, 
whether at my own door, at church, 
or in the check-out lines or in traffic.  
Keep my mind ever aware of the gifts 
for which God has provided me 
and to give thanks at all times.  
Help me to enter into this Triduum
Mass of the Last Supper,


Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion 
and Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord-  
with sincerity and deep love in my heart, 
true piety and faithful attention 
to all that occurs at your Son’s altar.  
I ask all of this by your intercession 
to Your Son, Christ our Lord.
Amen.


Saturday, April 12, 2014

Shadow Shot Sunday 2: In Church


Holy Week preview
statues covered in purple
the waiting color




feast of Palm Sunday
Christ's triumphant entering
 into Jerusalem


sharing with
hostess Rose
at
and with Gattina
at 
Lunch Break

Friday, April 11, 2014

My Random 5: April 11

1. My 3-year-old great-granddaughter is taking ballet lessons.  
God bless the young women who teach dance to children who are this young.
Myah's momma took this picture.

2. Two of my granddaughters called me this week to tell me they miss me.  
What heart-warming sounds for this grandmother’s ears.

 Granddaughter's sister took this picture.

I snapped this photo 
while granddaughter was working 
in the pharmacy.

3. Thursday, my soul was bolstered when I went to confession face-to-face. 
I had concerns that needed being addressed and our pastor, 
like all good priests I presume, is an exceptional listener.  
He also gave me suggestions to help me improve my prayer time.

4. What a pleasure it was to be outside yesterday 
without having to don a coat!

5. I look forward to Holy Week and the Easter Triduum. 
 Holy Thursday at St. Francis helps me feel a oneness 
with Christ and His Apostles by having my feet washed by another.  
In turn, each person washes another person’s feet after theirs are washed. 
It’s both humbling and fulfilling. 
In addition, each person brings a towel 
to be used for wiping one's feet and then left 
to be given to a charity.

sharing with
Nancy Claeys'

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Streams 'N Stirrings: Lenten Poetry

Streams 'N Stirrings: Lenten Poetry: Poem: "For Lent" by Monica Lavia What are you giving up for Lent? Adam asked of Eve. Well, Eve said. I am thinking I should give...

Friday, April 4, 2014

My Random 5 for April 4

1. I was privileged to have been in a jam-packed Emens Auditorium
 yesterday afternoon to listen to the compelling story of Eva Mozes Kor.  
She is not only a Holocaust survivor, 
but she and her twin sister Miriam survived 
the inhuman experiments done on twins by Josef Mengele, 
known as “The Angel of Death.”  
When my two friends and I arrived at the lecture hall, 
there were curtains drawn across the half closest to the stage, 
and the balcony was closed.  
As the time drew nearer to our viewing
the documentary film "Forgiving Dr. Mengele", 
we noticed that the curtains were drawn back esposing the back half, 
and the balcony seats were being filled.  
Ball State University’s Jewish Studies Program and Emen’s staff 
were not prepared for so many of us 
wanting to hear Eva’s story.  
The film documents time and again that the Holocaust did happen. 
And this story should be told again and again 
so that those who dare to revise this part of our history 
will have no audience.  
Thanks are owed to the innumerable people and organizations 
who funded this program.   
We Muncie citizens are fortunate to have Ball State 
and all the town’s people who make events like this one happen.  
Eva Mozes Kor has her own Holocaust museum in Terre Haute, Indiana.  
Detailed information can be found at this link.



2. Our Bible Study facilitator and her husband 
traveled to Rome this past week.  
She brought back for each of us ladies 
a choice of religious medals.  
How generous of her and her husband!  
I chose a John Paul II medal.   



3. Spring in Muncie, Indiana, 
seems to have taken its own spring break…
away from here.  
However, April Showers are in full swing.  
We have had so much rain that there are flood warnings.

4. My book club friends and I are now reading an oldie, but goodie- 
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan.  
I am having a good time rereading it
because it has been many years since I first read it. 


5. Our parish has a new and faster way 
of connecting with us parishioners via www.flocknote.com  
It came in handy early this evening- 
I received a text reminding me of The Stations of the Cross.  
The booklet our parish is currently using 
is from our Mother Mary’s point of view.  
One of our women parishioners read Mary's words,
increasing the heartfelt meaning of the words,
penetrating my soul.


Even though Nancy 
is taking a well-needed
spring break,
I am still posting
my random 5.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Streams 'N Stirrings: A Lenten Poem

Streams 'N Stirrings: A Lenten Poem:     A Clean Heart Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.  – Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean ...

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Happy Birthday, Momma

Happy Birthday, Momma
April 1, 2014

Happy Birthday, Momma!
I am sending you a Spiritual Bouquet
to celebrate your everlasting love that 
you showed Charlie and me
throughout our childhood years 
and into our adulthood.
You were always there 
for whatever tribulations 
we encountered, 
and you were certainly there 
for all our milestones.
No matter how many years have passed, 
there are times I wish that 
just one more time I could hear your laughter,
like when you blitzed Charles playing gin!
Are the two of you now playing cards?
I hope so.
Momma,
here are your birthday cards:
Our Blessed Mother is
holding the rosary made with the roses
from Father Keane's funeral.





Happy birthday from all of us!
I love you,
Norma Ruth



sharing with Hettienne's
Mondays with Mary