Advent Season

For Christians, Sunday, December 1st marks the beginning of the Advent season.  In simple terms, Advent means "coming," and the season is about our waiting for the 

most inexplicable and magnificent coming of all- into our hearts, our needy lives. 

 For my needs, I will be using the Magnificat Advent Companion plus a new (to me) Advent book called Sacred Space: for Advent and the Christmas Season 2013-2014.

The latter is by the Irish Jesuits and is published by Ave Maria Press.

What prompted me to buy Sacred Space was Father James Martin, SJ's book My Life with the Saints that we are studying in Women at the Well this year. 

No artist is credited for this art work . 

The date given is the last of the 15th century.

Just below is a site for those

desiring more information concerning Advent.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01165a.htm

Advent, Latin ad-venio, to come to

According to present (1907) usage, Advent is a period beginning with the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (Nov. 30) and embracing four Sundays.  The first Sunday may be as early as Nov. 27, and then Advent has 28 days, or as late as Dec. 3, giving the season only 21 days.

With Advent the ecclesiastical year begins in the Western churches.  During this time the faithful are admonished:

To prepare themselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord’s coming into the world as the incarnate God of love,

thus to make their souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace, and

thereby to make themselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death, and at the end of the world.

However you intend to observe Advent this year, 

I wish for you and me to come closer

 to Our Lord and Savior as a result of it.

I'm adding this beautiful image
to Rebecca's inspiring
A Virgin A Day

Mornings with Mary: St. Mary Aglow

St. Mary aglow,

the sun accents her glory

with fall's comeliness

recently, a friend asked me,

"don't you think St. Mary (the edifice, 

not the parish members)  is cold?"

note: St. Mary's stone interior
 has very dark wood on the upper walls,

and its ceilings are HIGH,

up in the nose bleed height.

I pondered only for a short while

and replied that when I first

came to this parish, I did think of the church

in that way, especially compared

to my former parish of St. Lawrence.

St. Lawrence 

but as I grew to know and love 

the members, 

the church's stone and dark wood
took on warmth.
I would say that one will
feel warmth in any group
if one becomes involved.

linking to
the luminous Rebecca
at
Mornings with Mary

Postcards from Paradise: The Burning of the Mortgage

Bishop Emeritus Higi, Father Pogue (present pastor)
and Father Bates

Father Bates, Father Goth (pastor of St. Lawrence) and Bishop Emeritus Higi

Father John, previous long-time pastor
of St. Francis, holds the church mortgage.
It has been satisfied five years
ahead of time.
Bishop Emeritus Higi was bishop then
and dedicated the church.

With great glee,
Father John sets
the mortgage afire.

linking to
the radiant Rebecca's
Postcards from Paradise

Postcards from Paradise: Massage Lesson

Having been recently certified to teach others
how to massage their infants,
Aunt Chrissie hones her technique
by teaching her niece Charley
how to massage her month old baby
Leannah.

could tiny baby
Leannah be cheering here?
answer, possibly!

lots more going on
besides a soothing massage,
boosting muscle strength...

Go here to view more benefits of
massaging babies.

more Postcards from Paradise

hosted by the gracious

Rebecca

Veterans Day

Veterans Day

Formerly called Armistice Day 

marked the end of the war to end all wars, 

World War I.  

This photo from History of Veterans Day

was taken two minutes 
before the armistice was to go in effect

 shows soldiers  from the 353rd Infantry

near a church in Stenay, Meuse in France.  

My mother's dad served three years in the 165th (Mine)
of the Company Coast Regiment
of Artillery Corps.

My information comes 
from his discharge papers.

Since I was born before

America entered into World War II,

I have faint memories of being aware
that three of my momma's
six brothers were overseas serving.

Uncle Raymond was in the Navy.

Uncle John also was in the Navy, 

but he was attached to the Marines

 as a corpsman.

Uncle John was only 17 when he enlisted.
Obviously, he did not tell his true age.

Uncle Roy was in the Army.

My grandmother must have done 
some heavy praying during those years,
what with three sons being 
put in harm's way.  I know that I would
in her position.

Because of her brothers, my momma 

fostered respect and love

for the veterans

by joining the VFW Auxiliary.

She served that as president

and many other offices.

linking to Vintage Weekly #85

Carpe Diem's Tan Renga Challenge Month #X

Atreyee’s "The Soul Drenched in Love"

the Soul drenched in love

seeks nothing- gives everything

finds Buddha within

(c) Atreyee

wandering, my spirit spreads its wings 

struggling to reach eternity

sharing with trepidation

to Carpe Diem's Haiku

An aside: like the butterfly emerging, 
I am taking a risk with writing tan rengas.
As a first grade teacher,
I knew the importance of making
my classroom safe so that students
would risk being wrong.
It's so much easier to teach a concept
than it is to practice it.

Our Parish's Loss and Heaven's Gain

Last night at St. Mary Church,
many parishioners gathered together
for a prayer service
and the recital of the Rosary
in honor of Father Keane.
He was unique,
intelligent, well-informed on current issues,
and he had a sense of humor
par excellence.
Men of the Knights of Columbus
took turns keeping vigil.

this image of some of the local
Knights of Columbus found here

Along with the Knights,
parishioners also took turns
keeping vigil
 through the night,lasting till 10:30 a.m.
and the funeral at 11:00 a.m.
Today our church was packed
to say our farewells and
convey our respect and love
for this wonderful priest.
 

  

Remembered Joy

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free! I follow the plan God laid for me. I saw His face, I heard His call, I took His hand and left it all... I could not stay another day, To love, to laugh, to work or play; Tasks left undone must stay that way. And if my parting has left a void, Then fill it with remembered joy. A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss... Ah yes, these things I, too, shall miss. My life's been full, I've savoured much: Good times, good friends, a loved-one's touch. Perhaps my time seemed all too brief— Don't shorten yours with undue grief. Be not burdened with tears of sorrow, Enjoy the sunshine of the morrow.

An Irish blessing found here.

Haiku My Heart: All Souls Day 2013

Today's All Souls Day,
Dia de los Muertos,
honoring the dead

No matter the name we use,
we remember our dearly loved dead
with prayer.Our three Catholic parishes,
St. Mary, St. Lawrence
and St. Francis,
came together for Mass
at Elm Ridge Funeral Home's
chapel to honor
and pray for all our beloved dead.

After Mass, we walked to the grave site
of St. Mary's much-loved former pastor,
Father William Grady.
Father Dudzinski, current pastor,
led us in prayer.

birthday bouquet
placed by my husband's sister
September 26, 2013

my husband's grave stone

Near Father Grady's place of repose
are the gravestones of two friends
of my husband and me.
In addition to their being friends,
I had the fortune to teach
two daughters and one son of the Greens;
and the three Schmaltz sons.
Both men were honorable examples
of outstanding Catholic husbands, fathers and friends.
Indeed their families and friends miss them.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, 
and let perpetual light shine upon them. 
May the souls of the faithful departed 
through the mercy of God rest in peace. 
Amen.

blessedly linked

to Rebecca's

Haiku My Heart

All Saints Day

Out in Blogland,

I have become familiar

with many talented writers

artists and photographers.

I don't quite experience jealousy,

rather it is admiration

for all the various ways others

bring their thoughts and gifts to

the ether of the internet.

One such site is Satya Robyn's

Writing Our Way Home

 Today is "Mindful Writing Day"

on her blog.  

Below is my offering I shared. 

St. Therese de Lisieux

All Saints Day

A day of holy obligation,

But that is not what brings me here

To my parish church;

It is love for God and my neighbors

That draws me to this place.

Then, the students’ sing,

Opening my heart

And I join in the gift they offer

To God.