Renew Your Faith- Celebrate Holy Week: Part III- Holy Saturday

So, here we are. Lent has ended; today is Holy Saturday.

Way back on Ash Wednesday, we talked about how the purpose of our Lenten sacrifices and practices is to be a better person on Easter Sunday than we were on Ash Wednesday.

So, how'd you do? 

Well, if you are like most of us, not so great some days, better others.

Today is a quiet day liturgically. And it should be in our homes, too. Oh, there's the pre-work for the big Easter meal, last minute stuffers for the baskets, maybe a local Easter egg hunt. But if you get caught up in the bustle you are missing out on the significance of the day.

The tabernacles of the world are empty.
There are no grand Easter candles in their ornate holders.
The red sanctuary lamp is dark.
Even the holy water fonts are dry.

That first Holy Saturday was a day of confusion and profound sadness for the followers of Jesus Christ. And these physical signs are reminders of that. They spent the day recounting how they had failed as disciples. How they betrayed their teacher. How they had abandoned him when he needed them most.

Imagine how awful they felt. It shouldn't be difficult, because we do it all the time, don't we?

We fail as disciples when we can't answer basic questions about our faith. We betray Jesus Christ when we refuse to stand up for the most vulnerable among us. We abandon Christ when we refuse to worship - in the way he asks us to- the one who has given us the life we squander. And we fail miserably when we do not stand up for the teachings of the Lord, by which we have the opportunity to lead others to Christ.

We fail as disciples. Every. Single. Day.

Tonight, in churches around the world, Catholics will gather in darkness and light a fire. And they will ponder again the reason Jesus Christ had to come into this world- and the reason he had to die...because of the sins of each one of us, personally and individually. It is a staggering weight, knowing not only did Jesus Christ die for me- he died because of me.

But we have the advantage of hindsight, hindsight allows us to look forward with hope. We know the rest of the story.

Just as on Christmas Eve, the light spreads through the darkened church as the Light of the World is born- so, too, will our church's glow in the candlelight tonight as we listen to the story of our salvation and as we await the joyous news that the Lord has conquered sin and death by rising from the dead. We will witness people commit their lives to Jesus Christ- renewing our own faith. We will ring every bell in every church and proclaim to the world: Jesus Christ is risen today!

Sure, it's fun to get all dressed up on Easter morning...but the Easter Vigil Mass is the most glorious of the entire year. Don't miss it! In case you missed it, HERE are some great Holy Saturday ideas to put Christ into Easter.

May your Holy Saturday be fruitful and blessed... and your Easter be joyous!

Renew Your Faith- Experience Holy Week: Part II- Good Friday

Nothing I write here can ever come close to helping any of us understand the true magnitude of what Jesus Christ did for us on that first Good Friday so many years ago.

But I can tell you this: When Jesus hung on the cross, his life draining from his body...he thought of you.

Let that sink in for a minute.

He was crucified for your sins.

Are you Pontius Pilate?

I used to believe Pilate got a bad rap. He was interested in Jesus, seemed to understand Jesus was somehow....special.

Pilate sought the truth.
Pilate wanted to release Jesus, and stated he found the Lord guilty of no crime deserving death.

Give Pilate a break!

But look again at what Pilate did- or, rather- failed to do. 

Pilate knew the truth- he knew Jesus was guilty of nothing.

And Pilate did nothing to save him.

Now, laying aside for the moment our 20/20 hindsight and knowledge of the scriptures, and that everything unfolded exactly as it was meant to be....think about that.

Pilate knew the truth, and did nothing to stop the evil.

How often do you do that? More often than you think.

"I don't believe in abortion, but I can't make decisions for other people."
"What's true for you isn't necessaritly true for me."
"Well, she's an adult. I can't say anything about what she does."
"It's OK, I'm mature enough to not let this get out of hand."
"What difference does it make if gays marry? I don't agree with it, but it doesn't affect me."
"God understands if I use artificial contraception."

Pilate was a moral relativist, and - thanks to what Pope Benedict XVI called "the dictatorship of relativism"- so is most of society. We've evolved to a place where objective truth no longer exists, everything is relative.

Well, that's a lie. And we all know who the Father of Lies is.

So- next time you find yourself failing to stand up for the truth against the crowd who thinks loud lies become truths, remember....you have company.

Pontius Pilate.

Awesome Things to Do with Kids on Holy Saturday!!

For those of you who don't know me, I have a BIG family. My husband of nearly 28 years and I have 7 (SEVEN) children, the oldest of whom turns 24 next week.

No. No multiples.

Yes. Every one of them was planned....by God. But that is another story for another day.

My point here is that the Easter Vigil Mass was not a part of our family until 1996, when my husband came into the church. We belonged to St Charles at the time, and the RCIA was run by the formidable Sr Mary Johnene Wellman, of happy memory.  (you can read about her HERE )  At the Easter Vigil Mass in 1996, at least 25...yes 25... people entered the Church. That's a lot of baptizing and Confirming. So there I was- 6 months pregnant with child #6, and five children ages 6 and younger....and Daddy on the opposite side of the church. It was not a fun evening for me, especially with Moose (18 months old) thoroughly enjoying dropping the hymnals flat...because he learned they make the most noise that way.

After that, we stuck to Easter Sunday Mass, followed by our special family holiday breakfast and an Easter Egg hunt in the yard (or the family room if it was too cold). It was 2005 (I believe) before we tried again- and that was a Mass that will go down in our family history. We STILL laugh about it... but again- the story will wait.

Naturally, we color Easter eggs on Holy Saturday- at one point ELEVEN DOZEN of them. Good thing I have LOTS of hard-boiled egg recipes!!!  For the record, I have no problem with the Easter Bunny- he is a fun part of growing up, like Santa and the Tooth Fairy. As long as our children know the real reason for the holiday, a fun guy dropping off candy won't doing any harm!

Today I want to give you lead time to plan an AMAZING Holy Saturday with your children- whatever their ages. During those years between Vigil Masses, we developed a set of traditions that we still continue- so we must be doing something right. My purpose was to have the children thinking less about the Easter Bunny than they were about- to borrow a phrase from the Passover ritual- why this night is different than all others.

The Blessing of the First Food of Easter. 

When Deacon Mike was at St Charles, he did this blessing, and for a couple years, we had a priest join us for these traditions ( he blessed our food then). When I worked for St John, I arranged for the blessing. Alas, it is one of those beautiful little "t" traditions that has gone kaplooie in Lima, OH. Thankfully, it is a blessing you can do at home, and without clergy. :-)

The Blessing of the First Food is an Eastern European tradition, stemming from what is called the Great Fast of Lent. During Lent, the people did not eat...get ready.... : meat, dairy, sugar or eggs. Yeah. And you thought going meatless one day a week was rough? Fruits and veggies- and not much else. So, eating those foods on Easter morning literally was a BREAK-FAST. The blessing was not only in thanksgiving, and asking to strengthen bodies through them, but to avoid illness from the shock to the system.

The woman of the home would make a special bread, called a babka or paska, it was very rich ( my recipe uses a dozen egg yolks!) Here's last years...

The babka would go into a basket lined with a special, hand-embroidered linen used ONLY  for the First Food Blessing. Also in the basket: butter, fresh eggs, cheese, meat, a candle, and...the PSANKY ( the amazing Ukranian Easter Eggs). Nowadays, you will also find children bringing their Easter Baskets (with candy) for the blessing, too.

THIS LINK will take you to a simple blessing you can use at home. Look at it ahead of time and mark the scripture passages. ALSO::::::: DO NOT MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS over people or objects if you are not ordained!!!! That is a HUGE no-no, and one many Extraordinary ministers make. That is a priestly blessing- even DEACONS cannot bless by making the sign of the cross over people/objects.  The proper action is to hold your hand over the item/person, then you make the Sign of the Cross on your own person as usual.

THE FAMILY EASTER CANDLE

This is a cool and meaningful project. We did it at St John on Holy Saturday morning ( before the basket blessing) and some St Rose families even joined us.  You need:

A 3" (minimum) diameter pillar candle- preferable white or ivory, at least 6 inches tall
Whole cloves
Sharpie Markers
Scissors
rubber cement
Clip Art of Easter- related pictures:   Victory Lamb, Pelican, Cross, Lillies,  Noah's Ark, etc.  Also phrases such as "He is Risen!," and bible verses. You can find scrapbooking stickers that are appropriate, as well as scrap book paper with ornate crosses at Hobby Lobby.

With the Sharpie, make a cross, then add the numerals for the year and the alpha and omega. like this:

 The cross there is one we cut out from scrapbook paper, but you can draw yours.

Next, GROWNUPS ONLY-- Use the tip of your scissors to start small holes at each point of the cross, and one in the middle. Small holes- you will then insert a whole clove into each hole. These represent the incense. You'll want to dip the clove stem into rubber cement to help it stick.

Now decorate the candle however you like. You can see the one above is a little more simple than this one:

Sadly, neither of these photos shows a pelican, my favorite symbol. Legend has it that the pelican, if unable to find food for her young, will pierce her breast and feed them her blood. GET IT??????

The candle goes in the basket for the blessing of the food.

But THIS is the neat part!!!!!    Whenever you attend Easter Mass ( even the vigil)... light the candle for the first time from the Easter Candle at church. Catch the servers after mass, and they can help you with this one.

Then, light it every family meal throughout Easter season- all the way to Pentecost.....just like we do at church. And just like at church, the candle represents the presence of Christ- the Light of the World- in a special way. Ours stays on the table all year long.

After Pentecost, light it at special times...birthdays...anniversaries...holidays...a special guest at your table...report card day (yes, really!)....or even, just because.   During the liturgical year, the candle is lit for weddings, funerals, 1st Eucharist , Confirmation, ordination....for the really special days.

Start the Family Easter Candle tradition, and believe me- it will be special! And- as a special bonus- your children have leaned something about their faith.

Easter Story Cookies

HERE is the link for the recipe. It is self explanatory. ( This is where I use the egg white from the dozen eggs in the babka!)
Be sure you pre-mark the scriptures...and pre-measure the ingredients. It saves lots of time.

Again- my youngest is FOURTEEN and the kids still ask every year..."Are we making Easter Story Cookies?"

I have also had priests ask me if we were going to make them...and could we bring a couple to church?


So, I hope you have enjoyed reading about some of the Alderman family Holy Saturday traditions...and I really hope you will try at least one of them and that it helps your family experience the joy of Easter in a special way! While you're at it- share the link to this page so your friends can try something new with their children!

Renew Your Faith- Experience Holy Week, Part I: Holy Thursday

In our family, birthdays are never "one" day. Rather, they tend to stretch over two or more days for various reasons: work schedules, out-of-town children, and/or the general busy-ness of 21st century life. Just this weekend, we celebrated GG's 94th birthday on Saturday...and Sunday. You just can't get too much of a good thing.

Our Catholic faith gives us a good example of this. Christmas lasts for three weeks (or longer, depending on the way the days fall). The first Sunday after Christmas is the feast of the Holy Family. The second Sunday after Christmas is the Epiphany, and the third Sunday after Christmas is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, formally ending the Christmas Season. Advent- the four Sundays prior to Christmas - are not part of Christmas, despite what society tells us with all the decor appearing around the middle of October. (Click HERE for my blog post about Advent!)

Our celebration of Easter is the same way. Despite all the bunnies and eggs and pastel-colored Peeps surrounding us in retail outlets, we are not in the Easter season, it is still Lent. And today begins the end of our Lenten season: the Triduum. Latin for "three days," it marks our remembrance of Jesus Christ's passion and death...leading up to his glorious Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

The final week of Lent is a time for the most amazing liturgical celebrations of the entire year ( at least they should be!). Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, ( if you are lucky, you'll get a Tenebrae service) Holy Saturday....all leading up to the holiest season for Christians: Easter. And- since it is so holy- we can't have Easter be just ONE day, or one week. Nope. We get FIFTY days of Easter!!! But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Log on to your local parish's web page. If the parish staff is worth their salt, they should have the homepage-(not the link for the bulletin, the actual HOME PAGE) updated with all the Holy Week Liturgies. The Facebook page and Twitter should be sending out the info every day this week. 

This is what you have to look forward to!

Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord's Supper.... Probably my favorite Mass of the entire year, because it celebrates the institution of not ONE, but TWO sacraments. That in itself is pretty cool. One of the most moving parts of the Mass is when the priest removes his chasuble and stole and washes the feet of twelve MEN ( YES, only MEN are supposed to take part in this. The ritual specifies VIROS, which is Latin for "men"). If you see women and children up there, it is because the person who made the phone calls deliberately overlooks the sign value of the 12 being men, or simply does not know any better. Anymore, it's probably a little of both- that and the ridiculous press for so-called inclusivity. But the fact is: Jesus washed the feet of twelve MEN, and in doing so instituted the sacramental priesthood by demonstrating the servant nature of the priesthood.

By the way- if you are a man and get a phone call asking you to be one of those twelve, the proper answer is, "I would be honored. Thank you for asking me." NOT, "Oh, I could never do that!"  Remember- Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet!

As an aside, Pope Francis going to the juvenile prison for the Holy Thursday Mass is so beautiful. His servant heart will be denounced by many.... we are already hearing it.... and others will use his compassion and humility to pass judgment on the Church as a whole and the papacy in particular.... but keep watching him. I have a feeling Pope Francis will set our hearts on fire!

The second sacrament whose institution we celebrate on Holy Thursday is the Eucharist. In this Mass, we recall the first Mass. Imagine, shortly after the multiplication of the loaves and fish, shortly after the Bread of Life discourse in  John 6... being present as Jesus Christ reaches 18 hours into the future and makes clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that the bread and wine become his Body and Blood. It happens at every Mass, and Holy Thursday, we celebrate it in a special way. After Communion should be a Eucharistic procession, taking the remaining hosts to an altar of repose outside the sanctuary. The altar is then stripped of all linens and all plants/flowers should be removed from the sanctuary. Adoration at the altar of repose for at least part of the night should be available. The tabernacle doors are left open to show that it is empty.

Why is it empty?

As a stark reminder of the events that have now been set in place... the last Supper is over. Jesus has gone out to pray- and will soon be arrested- and worse. 

So... open a new window and go to your parish website ( unless your parish actually sent out Holy Week info, ours didn't this year :-(   )   and get that schedule for the rest of Holy Week.

And BOOKMARK this blog or sign up below for updates for the rest of Holy Week and into the East Season!

Enter into the Paschal Mystery, experience the events of this Triduum in a way new to you. 

Spy Wednesday

From the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 26: 14-16
The one of the twelve- called Judas Iscariot- went to the chef priests and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him to you?" They paid him 30 pieces of silver and from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.


Today is Spy Wednesday, traditionally the day in which Judas met with the chief priecst and set in motion the events of the Triduum (Latin for "three days" and meaning Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday).

The thirty pieces of silver represented the bounty for a wanted man- and the price of a man's life (for example, the accidental killing of another's slave) .

This is, of course, the first of many betrayals of the Lord during his Passion. First Judas. Then Peter. Then the rest of the disciples (with the exception of John) finally betray him by abandoning him.

But "WE" would never do that, would we?  We know who Christ is- we would never betray him!

We do. Every day.

We betray Christ when we allow people to speak falsehoods about his Church.
We betray Christ when -with full knowledge and consent- we break any of the Commandments (which is a mortal sin, despite one one RCIA director believes)
We betray Christ when we fail to speak up when we see others participating in objectively sinful behavior.
We betray Christ when we fail to stand up for the rights of the most helpless among us.
We betray Christ when anything in this world becomes more important to us than Jesus Christ and his desire for us to be in heaven with him.

You can find a good examination of conscience here. Look it over and get to Confession.

Remember- Judas did not repent and died. Peter repented and lived. And Peter, our first Pope, is proof that the Lord writes straight with crooked lines.

Band of Brothers

Jesus Christ Lives in Key West- A Palm Sunday Lesson

     Jesus Christ lives in Key West, Florida. Really- I know because I met him there. 

     In 2006, our entire family- all nine of us- drove to Key West for a week’s vacation right after Thanksgiving. We stayed at a property across the street from the beach and the master suite had an ocean view. It was amazing. 

     Since we had the luxury of children old enough to stay by themselves (this is a real treat for us!), Tim and I decided to have a grown-ups’ night. We ordered a movie for the offspring and pizza for their bellies and headed to downtown Key West. We dined at Margaritaville (of course), where Tim ordered the Cheeseburger in Paradise (of course). When his plate arrived, the ketchup was in reach, but Tim had to go looking for…. Yep. His lost shaker of salt. It was two tables over. We looked at each other and laughed.

     After dinner, we took a stroll. We passed a lady who was selling items she had made from palm fronds: hats, mats, stuff like that. She was very nicely dressed and sitting in one of those nice canvas folding chairs you bring to watch your kids play soccer. I admired her wares and we continued walking.

     Ahead and to our tight was an old man. He was white (just so you can draw the picture) and had salt and pepper dreadlocks. Yes. Dreadlocks on a white guy. He sat on a small campstool and wore dirty, ripped jeans and a ratty shirt. From a distance you could tell- he was not clean. He was the kind of person you knew before you got anywhere close to him—he smelled. Badly. The kind of person you don’t make eye contact with as you pass. So I cast my eyes downward as we got close.

     Then I saw it.

     Sitting on the ground in front of him was a glass coke bottle- the smaller kind that we used to get from vending machines…and in it was a rose made from a palm branch!

I fell on my knees in front of him, a sheet spread there showing his woven-palm wares, I looked in those eyes which only moments before I was determined to avoid at all costs, and asked: “How did you make that?”

     He smiled- his eyes were the most amazing shade of blue, like the most beautiful blue sky you could imagine. Before I saw them, I would have guessed that they would be clouded with cataracts, or glassy from medication- or alcohol. But they were crystal clear. And oh, so blue.

     “Would you like me to show you?”

     “Yes! Please!” And so he took me through, step by step. I told him how I liked showing my religious ed students how to make things with the Palm Sunday palms, but I wasn’t very good at it. I had directions for fancy crosses, fish and even a rose, but I could never figure out the rose from the drawings.

     “Are you going to remember how to do this on Palm Sunday?”

     “Yes. I learn best by watching. I’ll remember.” I memorized every movement of his weathered hands, took a mental picture of each step. When he finished, he handed it to me with a smile. I set it down and folded a cross from a palm that was nearby. As I handed it to him I said, “This is the only thing I know how to make without directions in front of me.” 

     We stood up and I gave him a hug and thanked him for sharing how to make the rose. My husband had been standing with a young man (who was dressed very nicely in khakis and a polo) who seemed to be there with the old man. Tim threw a few dollars in a hat that was sitting there.

     Tim and I walked away. We started crossing the street and I felt a tug on my arm. It was the old man. He looked into my soul- that’s the only way I can describe it- and told me, “Always remember- every person you meet, you could be meeting Jesus Christ.” I nodded my head and said, “I promise, I’ll remember.”

     And I always have. 

      The encounter stayed with me. Several weeks later I was with a priest friend and asked him, "Have you ever met someone and then later realize you had met Christ?" He stopped what he was doing, "Tell me what happened."

     The following Palm Sunday, I had everything ready for the children (pre-K through 8). Palms, photocopies of instructions. We talked about Palm Sunday and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, surrounded by throngs of people hailing him as their King and Savior…the same people who just a few days later would call for his death. And I told them the story of the old man in Key West. How he had shown me how to make the palm roses---and what he had said to me.

    But I was having trouble with the rose. I was getting very frustrated, nearly to the point of tears. I recall saying something like, “I promised him. I promised him I would remember.” I felt as if I would be letting him down if I couldn’t do it. Caleb Good (8^th grade) stood by me and encouraged me-“ You can do it, take your time- you’ll remember.” Eventually, I did- and every year since, there have been as many roses as crosses on Palm Sunday around here. The palm rose the old man made me is on my night stand. Joey is really good at the roses- and makes a neat rose/ cross combination. He's a popular guy on Palm Sunday!

     So, you see? This really is a Palm Sunday story. The lesson is exactly what the old man told me- and every Palm Sunday it is renewed in my heart.  “Always remember- every person you meet, you could be meeting Jesus Christ.” 

     Even in Key West.

St Joseph, Pray for Us!!

 

Today is the Feast of St Joseph, earthly father of Jesus Christ. A special shout-out to my son, Joseph, on his name day!!   We don't know much about Joseph from scripture- or so it seems. We have no record of any words attributed to Joseph- yet he speaks volumes.

We know from scripture that Joseph was a righteous man. Enoch – Noah – Abraham – Isaac – Jacob - Moses – David – Daniel – Job – Joseph of Arimathea – Zechariah and Elizabeth. All were called righteous- and Joseph among them.

Catholics see Joseph as patron of fathers ( in all their incarnations- bio, step, foster-and ordained). He is the guardian of families, as he was the Holy Family. He is patron of a good and holy death ( how blessed he was to have Mary AND Jesus attending to his death!)

"Christ has assigned as a duty to every man, the dignity of every woman." These words of Blessed Pope John Paul II in November of 1982 sum up our first knowledge of Joseph. Unwilling to have Mary disgraced after her announcement that she was pregnant, he planned to quietly divorce her. Who could blame him? Why would he marry a woman expecting a child who was not his? And then- THEN- we see the righteousness: Joseph has a dream telling him everything is kosher-- take care of Mary and her child, for her child is the son of God.

How many men would believe such a dream? Joseph had to have been familiar with the Lord to have readily accepted such a message- and carried it out. His obedience to those dream messages also protected Mary and Jesus when Herod came looking for the Child.

As Jesus grew, Joseph would have taught him carpentry. No- that isn't in scripture- but it is logical. Joseph was a carpenter, so his son would be, too. Imagine the two of them in the workshop!

Kimberly Hahn spoke at a Steubenville Women's Conference I attended some years ago. She related, "Can you imagine life in the home in Nazareth? Imagine if something went wrong. Couldn't have been Jesus. Couldn't have been Mary. Poor Joseph!"  She was putting a little too much into impeccability, but it makes for a cute story- and image of the family table.

Our Protestant friends will often argue that Mary had other children, that she was not ever-Virgin. She and Joseph were married, and it would be natural, normal and right for them to have a traditional marital relationship. To them, I pose the following:

We know Joseph was righteous.(Matthew 1:19) We know Mary was the spouse of the Holy Spirit, and through that relationship, Jesus Christ- Son of God, Son of Mary- came into the world. Do you really, honestly and truly believe that a man who knows that this woman has given birth to the Son of God...is going to be concerned with having sex with her?    Some traditions have Mary and Joseph in a marriage of convenience- set up for her care as a consecrated virgin, and not for the establishment of a family. We can see this possibility in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, verses 26 and following. Gabriel comes to the betrothed Mary and tells her she will have a son. If Mary had anticipated having children her reaction would have been one of joy, something like, "Gee, won't Joseph be excited to have a son!" Instead,  look at Luke 1:34, "How can this be since I have no relations with a man?" Mary was not under Joseph's roof yet, but she would be- and Gabriel gave no time frame- just that she would have a son. He then goes on to explain how the child will be conceived upon her consent, and that he will be the Son of God.

We know Joseph was a devout Jew. He brought the Child and his Mother to the temple for the prescribed rituals. Their custom was to go to Jerusalem for the Passover. 

We can be fairly certain that Joseph died before Jesus began his public ministry, since Mary was invited to the Wedding at Cana- but no mention of Joseph is made. In Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3 Jesus is called the carpenter- or the carpenter's son- and is called the son of Mary...Joseph is not mentioned.  Can you imagine being Joseph, and being attended to by Jesus and Mary for your death? I saw a book a few years ago that did just that- imagined the time of Joseph's dying- and had Jesus telling Joseph the part he played in salvation history...and the part Jesus would himself play. Would there be anything to fear, anything on this earth to hold on to...with Mary and Jesus guiding your passing from this earth?     So we see Joseph as the Patron of a happy- and provided for- death.

When my father-in-law, Charles, was in his final illness, he lived with our family. He was Presbyterian, but I had asked him if I could call a priest when time came- for me more than for him. He chuckled and said it would be fine. I had pinned to his pillow three medals: The Divine Mercy, the Miraculous Medal, and a St Joseph medal. I had separate reasons for each, but in hindsight I saw- the entire Holy Family was watching over this man I loved so dearly, the silent head of and provider for his clan, my husband's role model for what it really means to be a man. My prayers- corresponding to the medals- were: that he not die in pain, that we all be together with him when he died, and that- above all- he did not die alone. And all three prayers were answered.

Who do we see in Joseph, Father of Jesus?

A righteous man.

The leader and protector and breadwinner of his family.

A man who knows God's message when he hears it- and obeys.

The model of all fathers- and father figures.

St. Joseph, guardian of the Child Jesus and his Blessed Mother, guide and protect all fathers...fill them with your spirit of righteousness and obedience to the Lord....help them to be strong role models of real masculinity for their sons and daughters. Amen.

Time on their hands...

from ConservativeGuy facebook page

OK- I posted this to the wrong blog :-)   But if you haven't yet- check out POPE CULTURE, our other blog- for great MEME's relater to our Catholic faith!!! 

Jesus Took the Hit for Me

 

Sorry the image is a little large ofr the top of the page- but it is important for you to be able to see the details!

This is the rosary I made for our daughter, Debbie, for her Confirmation. She picked all the 'ingredients,' Momma put it together. The crucifix is called The Tree of Life, and- as she will learn when she reads this post- it is the one I wore around my neck at the time. That was the crucifix she wanted, and money was tight right then, so it was the logical solution.

A few years later, she got her driver's license on the Feast of the Assumption, and the rosary took its place on the rear-view mirror. (For the record, she does pray the rosary, it's not simply an accessory in her car.) True to the pattern for her older brother and sister- a pattern I am grateful has NOT continued- one month to the day after she got that license, she had her first accident.

A fender-bender? No. She missed a turn on a country road, slid on loose gravel a flew her Chrysler Concorde into a ditch nose first, bending the car in half. Oh. did I mention this was also on her dad's birthday?  We got to the scene and found Debbie- none the worse for the experience, save faint abrasions on her arms- evidence she had both hands on the wheel when the airbag blew. ( When her older sister had a fender-bender, triggering the airbags, she ended up with a fat lip and black eyes...in addition to the airbag marks on her arms)

The next day, she was gathering her belongings form the vehicle. The rosary that had been around the rearview mirror had ended up in the back seat. A few beads broke, one or two completely shattered- you can see them in the drop portion- or at least where they were. And the sterling silver crucifix twisted from the impact. ( Note- however, Mom's workmanship held up through the ordeal ;-) )

I offered to fix it up for her, good as new.

She declined. "Jesus took the hit for me."

As we enter this final week of Lent before Holy Week, make an extra effort to take up the sacrifices and prayers you committed to on Ash Wednesday. Enter Holy Week with a heart on fire for God, and whenever life seems to get too tough, when your sins seem insurmountable-remember:

Jesus took the hit for you. 

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Indulge Me ( Part ONE)- The Indulgence for the Papal Blessing of Pope Francis

This is the first of a THREE part series on indulgences. It was only supposed to be TWO, and I started writing them some time ago, but yesterday's election of Pope Francis presented an opportunity to make it a teachable moment!
  
Here in PART ONE, I will describe the current process for obtaining an indulgence.
In PART TWO, you will learn what an indulgence really is, read about the logic behind indulgences, and how they truly are part of God's mercy toward us.
In PART THREE, I will discuss the history of indulgences and how they have evolved over the years. And I'm betting most of you take away new knowledge about them!
First, please take the time to READ our new Holy Fathers first words to us...


Pope Francis: his first words

"Brothers and sisters good evening.

You all know that the duty of the Conclave was to give a bishop to Rome. It seems that my brother Cardinals have come almost to the ends of the earth to get him… but here we are. I thank you for the welcome that has come from the diocesan community of Rome.

First of all I would say a prayer pray for our Bishop Emeritus Benedict XVI.. Let us all pray together for him, that the Lord bless him and Our Lady protect him.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory to the Father…

And now let us begin this journey, the Bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust. Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world that there might be a great sense of brotherhood. My hope is that this journey of the Church that we begin today, together with help of my Cardinal Vicar, be fruitful for the evangelization of this beautiful city.

And now I would like to give the blessing, but first I want to ask you a favour. Before the bishop blesses the people I ask that you would pray to the Lord to bless me – the prayer of the people for their Bishop. Let us say this prayer – your prayer for me – in silence.

[The Protodeacon announced that all those who received the blessing, either in person or by radio, television or by the new means of communication receive the plenary indulgence in the form established by the Church. He prayed that Almighty God protect and guard the Pope so that he may lead the Church for many years to come, and that he would grant peace to the Church throughout the world.]

[Immediately afterwards Pope Francis gave his first blessing Urbi et Orbi – To the City and to the World.]

I will now give my blessing to you and to the whole world, to all men and women of good will.

Brothers and sisters, I am leaving you. Thank you for your welcome. Pray for me and I will be with you again soon.
We will see one another soon.

Tomorrow I want to go to pray the Madonna, that she may protect Rome.

Good night and sleep well!"
**************************
I think I'm going to like this guy. A lot.
So- back to that speech- note the part I have highlighted. There is a PLENARY INDULGENCE connected to that blessing!!!! So if you saw it- in just about any way you might have seen it- you are eligible for the indulgence!!

***********
So- how do you GET an indulgence? You must be a Catholic in a state of grace ( see #3) at least by the time you have completed the indulgence.

Indulgences are connected to an EVENT or an action. My initial reason for this series was to explain the indulgence connected to the Year of Faith. As we can see, the Urbi et Orbi Blessing ( to the city and to the world) is an indulgenced event.  Other indulgenced events include being present at: a First Eucharist, an Ordination, time spent in adoration, a visit to a cemetery, your parish's titular feast, reading scripture, praying the Stations of the Cross ( special props if you do it in Jerusalem :-) )  This list is NOT complete- you can google Enchiridion (en-keer-ID-ee-on) of Indulgences for a more exhaustive treatment. Be sure you look at a list dated 1999 or later.

During the Pauline Year, indulgenced events included attending Mass at a parish named for St. Paul. During the Jubilee year, Bishops selected locations within their Dioceses as "pilgrimage" sights. In the diocese of Toledo, Bishop Blair designated the Shrine at Carey. The Feast of St Peter and Paul (June 29) is indulgenced. And it's my wedding anniversary! In the month of November, all indulgences are on behalf of the dead (you can apply them to a specific person or let the Lord decide).


Within a reasonable amount of time ( generally a week or so before and after the indulgenced event), complete the following:

1.You must participate in the event to obtain the indulgence, and you MUST have the intention of obtaining the indulgence. You can't sin by accident, and consequently- you can't get an indulgence by accident either!
2. Receive Holy Eucharist.
3. Make a sacramental Confession. (This brings you into the required state of grace)
4. Pray for the Intentions of the Holy Father. ( these change monthly and are available HERE )
5. (This is the tough one!) Have a complete detachment from all sin- even venial sin.

You may obtain ONE plenary (complete) indulgence per day, and it may be applied to yourself or offered for the dead, but NOT to another living person. 

If you do not successfully complete the plenary indulgence, you still get a partial indulgence. More on those terms in PART TWO.    <===click here

 

Indulge Me ( Part TWO).... What Indulgences REALLY are, and Why YOU Should Get One!

In Part ONE, we learned how to obtain an indulgence. There is absolutely NOTHING that we can do to make up to the Lord for our sins, all of which offend him greatly. Nothing. That is why Jesus had to die on the cross. It was our only hope. God is merciful, but he is also just, and justice demands that we offer some sort of action to show our sorrow for having offended God. That is what an indulgence does: it is a series of actions that in no way makes up for our offenses, yet our merciful Lord accepts them as our humble apology and promise to do better. Through indulgences, the Lord offers us a way to remove the stain of sin from our souls because only that which is pure and clean and holy may enter heaven...and very few people have ever died that ready to walk through the pearly gates. The graces and mercy we receive through indulgences are not based on our own merits or works, but solely on the infinite merits of  Jesus Christ.

Indulgences show us the mercy of God in relation to the justice of God.

Indulgences have changed over the years, as we will see in Part THREE. 
For now, let's look at how indulgences WORK.

Indulgences are defined as "the remission of the temporal punishment due for sins that have already been sacramentally forgiven." There's a lot in that sentence....

Imagine  you have stolen something. You are arrested and tried. Let's even say you plead guilty and are truly sorry for the crime. OK, no biggie. The justice system just lets you go. You ARE sorry, after all. That is how it works, right?

Of course not. Even if you plead guilty, you still have a sentence for the crime, a just punishment. Let's say it was a small item, and they give you 6 months in jail.

Serve your time, and it is all behind you, right?

Wrong. You have paid for your crime, but you still have a record. Every time you fill out a job application, you need to put you have been convicted of theft. Your past still follows you, it stains you, so to speak.

That is what sin does to our souls. Sin stains us. When we go to confession, the Lord forgives our sins (Christ after all, paid the punishment- "did the time"- on the cross for all of our sins- even the ones we never confess)- they are washed away...but the stain of sin remains on our souls.

Returning to our example, let's say you fulfill the terms of your post-release, report to your parole officer, do community service and become a fine and upstanding citizen. You can petition the court, show them what you have done, say you have learned your lesson. If they agree, they will seal- or perhaps even expunge- your record. Then you no longer need to put anything about it on job applications- it is as good as gone.

THAT is what an indulgence does! It wipes clean your record. ... Remember purgatory from earlier posts? Purgatory is where we remain until we are purged from any stain of sins for which we have already been forgiven we have when we die. Remember- purgatory is for those who are saved. Indulgences help us cleanse our sins here, in this life. And the really cool part about them? We can gain indulgences for the deceased! The Communion of Saints in action! We cannot, however, obtain indulgences for other living people. They are for ourselves or for the deceased.

Returning to the two types of indulgences, a plenary indulgence is "complete," a removal of all punishment due for sins which have already been sacramentally forgiven. If you don't get the plenary when it is available, you still get a partial.

Indulgences have changed over the years, so let's back up and take a look at the history of indulgences in part THREE.<====click here

Indulge Me ( Part THREE)- The Checkered History of Indulgences

Indulgences get a bad rap, and - considering how they have been abused in the past- perhaps rightly so.

But they are different now- these are not your Grandma's indulgences!

If you are old enough... say- over 50- you may remember rattling off things like:

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" - 3 years!
"Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, have mercy on us." 20 days!
...or even making the Sign of the Cross. A week!

These- and other prayers- are indulgenced, as we discussed in Part ONE. Many a Catholic school student used prayers like these to "take time off purgatory" between classes... and that is the problem.

You see- in the past, indulgenced prayers would have times listed after them. Is was often misunderstood what those times meant.
Three years, 20 days, two weeks- those were not "time off of purgatory," because there is no time in purgatory. Or Heaven, Or Hell for that matter. They all exist outside of time!

So what did the times mean?

They were the equivalent of the old-fashioned sackcloth-and-ashes penances! Say a certain prayer, and it was the same as doing two weeks in sackcloth and ashes on the steps of the church begging alms for the poor!

So, why the change? My guess is one of two things happened:
1. The church steps got too full of sackcloth-clad penitents.
2. Confessions dropped off because people didn't want to do public penance.

Pope Urban II offered a plenary indulgence to the Crusaders who had made a sacramental confession. Makes sense- these guys were risking their lives in defense of the Holy Land.


Pope Leo X offered indulgences to raise money to rebuild St Peter's Basilica. One man working for him took this and ran with it, making outlandish promises to donors in order bring in more money. Throughout the centuries, many unscrupulous men bought and sold indulgences. I won't deny any of that. It is history. The Church is holy, the people with in her? No always.

No wonder Martin Luther was upset. He was right. It was wrong. But the Church was not wrong, the actions by people within the Church and acting in the name of the Church (with or without permission) were wrong. While Luther did not deny the Pope’s right to grant pardons for penance imposed by the Church, he made it clear that preachers who claimed indulgences absolved buyers from all punishments and granted them salvation were in error. (Thesis 21) Yep. He was right.

Have indulgences been abused? Yes.
Have indulgences been sold? Yes.
Has the Church's teaching on indulgences changed? NO.

By the mid 1500's, the Pope had forbidden any connection between money and indulgences. This was after some years of phasing it out. Over the next 400 years, the means for obtaining indulgences evolved, but never again has included money. The buying or selling of holy objects is called SIMONY, and it is a sin. And -the really important point here- the definition of an indulgence has remained the same: the full or partial remission of the temporal punishment due for sins which have already been sacramentally forgiven.  The Church has the authority to set the conditions for indulgences by virtue of the authority given to her by the Lord, and by virtue of the infinite merits of Jesus Christ.

Paul VI removed the whole idea of 'time' attachments to indulgences in the late 1960's. He favored focus on the spiritual goods (faith and penitential acts) of the practice of indulgences and wanted to stop people from being so hung up on the concept of time. At that point, indulgences became either plenary (full) or partial. Faith and penance are necessary for both the remission of the eternal punishment due for sin and for the temporal punishment due for sin. In Indulgentiarum doctrina Pope Paul VI wrote: "Indulgences cannot be gained without a sincere conversion of outlook and unity with God".(article 11)

One incredibly important plenary indulgence is the one given by a priest to an actively dying person. It is called the Apostolic Blessing and it is the reason it is so important to call a priest for a dying Catholic. If a priest is not available, the blessing is automatically extended to they dying person who has established a fruitful prayer life. God can do that.

Over the years since Paul VI's changes, the indulgenced acts have evolved. What has not changed is that indulgences are supplements to the Christian life. They do not replace a conversion of heart and a life of prayer and penance and charity. We are human; we fail. Every day. God's righteous justice is tempered by his mercy, for which we must show gratitude. In conjunction with regular, sacramental confession, indulgences aid us is showing contrition before the Lord and a sincere desire to conform our lives to his will.

That can never be a bad thing!

:-)

HABEMUS PAPAM FRANCISCUM

It's Pi Day, Pi Day....What does that have to do with GOD?

If you have never heard it, THIS will take you a really great song about PI :-) ( safe for work)

Yes, friends, today is PI DAY.... 3.14. In two years it will be really fun, we get two more digits!

A few years ago, Pi Day fell on a Sunday, so I asked the PREP (Sunday School, Religious Education) students to help me figure out  how God is like PI.... and how God is like PIE. Naturally, we had PIE for snack that day while we brainstormed. The younger students didn't understand Pi, but they did PIE. So everyone joined in the fun.

Here are a few of their observations...

God is like PIE...he is always good.
God is like PI... he goes on forever.
God is like PIE...he is sweet.
God is like PI...he is part of the cricle of life ( how awesome is THAT??)

They had other answers, those are the ones I recall off the top of my head.
The point I made to the students was that math- as much as some will grow to hate it as they move into the complicated stuff- has always been proof to me that there is a God- and Pi is the icing on the cake.

You see, I am a scientist by nature. I was a chemistry major first time around in college. Unlike some people who educate themselves out of belief in God, the more I learned, the more I saw God at work...planting Easter eggs for those who bother to recognize them.

Pi... a number that never ends and never repeats itself, and is completely wrapped up in the geometry of  circles- which themselves represent eternity (as in wedding rings). Circular geometry is utterly fascinating! The circumference of a circle is ALWAYS Pi times twice the radius. Always. The area of a circle is always Pi
time the radius squared. Always.

Fibonacci numbers (0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21...)- each number in the sequence is the sum of the two numbers before it. Fibonacci numbers are found throughout nature, you can learn more about them HERE . You can have fun with Fibonacci numbers and Pascal's triangle, too....

And here is another fun observation....
1² + 1² = 1x2
1² + 1² + 2² = 2x3
1² + 1² + 2² + 3² = 3x5
1² + 1² + 2² + 3² + 5² = 5x8
1² + 1² + 2² + 3² + 5² + 8² = 8x13

Do you see the pattern? How cool is that??? The formula is : 1² + 1² + 2² + 3² + ... + F(n)² = F(n)F(n+1)
and it is true for ANY n from 1 upwards.

Avogadro's number. Around here, we jokingly call it avocado's number...which inevitably leads to a discussion about guacamole ( we have a weird collective humor....). 6.02x 10^23 ( I don't know how to type exponents here!). That is the number of atoms in one mole of a substance, and that mole will weigh in grams the atomic weight of that substance. One mole of carbon 12 weighs 12 grams. That's why stoichiometry is so much fun!

The Golden Ratio? You see it everywhere and don't even realize it. That rectangle that just looks.... right?  Probably has Golden Ratio proportions. Architects often use it when designing buildings. Cool stuff.

Look at the basic building blocks of matter: atomic and sub-atomic particles. They are all the same. Put them together the right way and you get hydrogen or helium or gold or YOU.

Move the earth a little closer- or farther- from the sun...and life ceases to exist. 

The higher you get in mathematics and science, the more you can see--- none of this is an accident. It's nothing short of God sending out a 'ping' just to see if you are paying attention. To believe anything else is simply arrogant.

When I was a child, I remember watching "Cosmos" with Carl Sagan (an atheist- just saying). His whole approach was geared toward making us realize how small and insignificant the earth is in the grand scheme of the universe...and we as humans even less so.

Somehow, I missed that feeling as I studied math and science, my wonder and awe saw something different.

When God created it all- from the first minute particle onward...he knew I was going to be a part of his wonderful creation.

And when Jesus Christ hung on the cross, he did it for me.

I am not less than insignificant in the infinite universe. I am a wonderful and unique child of God, desired and planned for by HIM from all eternity....

...and so are you. Don't ever forget that!

Catholic Social Justice- Part One ( and HABEMUS PAPAM!!!)

One of my pet peeves is the misrepresentation of Catholic Social Justice Teaching. Mostly because people either completely misunderstand Church teaching on the matter or they intentionally distort the truth and cherry-pick quotations to suit their purposes.

This is the first of a series of posts about this wonderful body of teachings given to us by the lord through his Church. It will not be an exhaustive treatment; I hope, rather, to break the larger concept into bite-size pieces and present them so that those of you who take the time to read will (hopefully) learn something new or gain a fresh perspective.

What IS social justice teaching?

Catholic social justice teaching refers to a collection of principles that guide a person in making decisions about their behavior in the world-specifically, behavior toward others and especially those less fortunate. It is an example of development of doctrine: the teachings have always been true, but they have not always been put to paper or formally taught as a single body.

Rerum Novarum (by Pope Leo XIII in 1891) and Quadragesimo Ano ( by Pius Xi in1931) are often cited as examples of early formal social justice teaching. In truth, social justice teaching goes back to Christ- and even reaches into the Old Testament. Social justice teachings remind us to be grateful for the blessings we have from the Lord, and to not be greedy about what we have.

Old Testament social justice directives include:
Deuteronomy 15- Loans to other Israelites must be interest free, and in the end of the seven year (sabbatical) cycle, those free loans are to be forgiven. The Israelites were called upon to help their countrymen who needed it- and to always be mindful of the debt that owe to the Lord, who provided the abundance they had to be able to share with those in need.  

Levitucus 23:22- When harvesting a field, you must leave some of the crop behind for gleaners. This allows the poor to work for their share of the grain, rather than begging for it...preserving their dignity. Remember, too-this gleaning was key in the story of Ruth...who becasme an ancestor of Jesus Christ.

I could go on and on. I won't right now, because there is much to say over the series.

In conclusion- I first celebrate and offer a prayer for Pope Francis I, who was elected only 2 hours ago. I had planned this series on social justice for some time and his election tells me the nudging came from the Holy Spirit!

Lord, strengthen your servant Francis I. Fill him with your Holy Spirit, that he may faithfully fill the shoes of the Fisherman and guide the world closer to Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Family- the Garden of Vocations

He's such a goof.
This is Saturday- night entertainment in our home. Two of our children have completely left the nest: the oldest (a daughter) is a nurse in Texas and our middle child ( 2nd oldest son) is in the U.S.Air Force, stationed in Alaska. Spring breaks overlapped for offspring numbers 2, 3 and 5- so I thought it would be fun to put together a care package for their brother, complete with home-made cookies. Everyone added something to the bowl- even GG- so we could say we ALL made them for Steven. We moms get silly ideas like that.

As I waited for the timer, I looked up and saw Joey (child #6, youngest son), with my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook  before him like the Roman Missal, raising a pizzelle as if he were elevating a host. A few minutes later, he added the collar made from an Aldi's receipt, and I snapped this picture.

It reminded me of Ash Wednesday a few years ago. Joey (then in maybe 2nd or 3rd grade) and I both had the flu and were snuggled up in my bed, content to be miserable together. At one point I mentioned something about being sad to miss Ash Wednesday Mass because it is one I always enjoy. When the rest of the kids got home from school, Joey disappeared for a while. When he returned- siblings in tow- they put together an Ash Wednesday Mass for me. They all had their liturgical assignments and brought the necessary vessels into my room. Joey was the priest (wearing my royal-purple nightshirt). My silver Paul Revere bowl functioned as a ciboria/paten. Glass salad cruets for the water/ Capri Sun. A white bath robe for the server. Linen napkins and tablecloth for the card-table altar. An old Worship hymnal for the Missal.  Apparently there was quite a conversation about an appropriate vessel to use as a chalice, since GLASS/ CRYSTAL is expressly forbidden by the rubrics for Mass (even though one parish continues to use them). Naturally, they had the traditional play-Mass smashed bread hosts.

We had music, readings, a homily (albeit brief), the consecration. Even ashes. Emily was very excited to be the server. They did a good job re-creating the experience.

It wasn't their first time playing Mass. They did it a lot when my our oldest were younger. Steven was always the priest (his insistence). One of my favorite times they played Mass was when we were at our summer home in South Carolina. The little boy who lived next door was over to play- and they included him. He had no idea what was going on, but he played along.

Here I am going to see who really reads theses posts, just because I am curious... I get 30+ views on each one, but rarely are there comments... so check in below. Are you really reading this? :-) Humor me!

As an only child in a marginally Catholic family, I didn't get to play Mass, although I understand it has long been a spontaneous staple of play-time in homes with enough children to pull it off. Watching my children re-create the Mass at home over the years has made me realize a few things.

First- the children do pay attention during Mass. Of course, it helps that we sat in the front row to keep them from being distracted. This is the #1 mistake parents make when taking children to Mass- they sit in the back. When you are all of 3 feet tall, that means the only thing you can see is the tushes of the people in front of you. Not a very interesting way to spend an hour! As our children became old enough to serve at the altar and in other liturgical ministries, they jumped right in because they were intimately familiar with the rituals. Two priests told me they liked having my children serve for them because they knew when something was missing- and would go ahead and fix it without being told. That's pretty cool. Of course, there was also the advantage of getting an entire serving team with ONE phone call.

Second- children do not waste time "playing" meaningless games. Play is a child's work. It how they learn. What do children play? School. Doctor. House. Hot Wheels. Through their play, they are internalizing significant ideas about life. The doctor will always tell the child that the shot might hurt a little- but it will keep them from getting sick. They realize their teachers want them to grow and learn. They see that moms and dads work hard to make a home for their children. And Mass? They see how many people work together to help us all worship the Lord in the highest way possible: the holy sacrifice of the Mass.

Third- children get to try on the liturgical ministries. Would I like to read at Mass? Am I brave enough to cantor or sing in the choir? Would I like to be an altar server? What would it be like to be a priest? We don't ask that question enough of our young men, you know.  About 15 years ago, I did ask a teen if he had ever considered the priesthood. He said he was discerning; he was ordained four years ago. Another young man I asked explored religious life and is now a chaplain. About eight years ago I told one of my 7th graders I wanted the seat next to his mom when he is ordained. Still waiting on that one :-)

When we ask young men if they have considered the priesthood, we are planting an important seed. We should also ask young women about religious life. It is the duty of every Christian to plant those seeds- in our own children, in our grandchildren, in our children's friends, in every young person we have the opportunity to influence. It is never wasted- the thought will return to them, and if they are wise, they will spend time discerning God's will in their lives. The Lord will speak to them and lead them. Just because we think we see something in a young man to lead us to ask the question of him doesn't mean that is his call. But we can never disregard the fact that when we see a guy and think, "He'd make a good priest," that perhaps the Holy Spirit has planted the thought within us- and needs us to plant the seed in that young man.

The family truly is the garden for vocations. And in any garden, we plant the seeds- the Lord decides how they will grow. Married life, religious life, single life- or the priesthood- all are vocations. Our children watch how we live the faith, how it is a part- or not a part- of the decisions we make, the way we behave, our attitudes about Holy Days and Mass attendance in general,  and our attitudes toward the Church and how she hands on the faith as the Lord has established.

If we prattle on about this thing or that being wrong with the Church, if we consistently miss Mass in direct opposition to what God has asked of us, if we don't show any regard for fasting and abstinence....or if we tacitly approve what is objectively wrong (or sinful) by simply saying nothing... we are sowing weeds in the garden. Those weeds can strangling the gentle shoot of a vocation to the priesthood by bad-mouthing celibacy or the all-male priesthood. They strangle vocations by saying women join the convent because they can't find husbands. They strangle vocations by encouraging unchastity and artificial contraception- and artificial CONCEPTION- thus denying God's primacy over our lives and raising smaller families where children hesitate to pursue God's call...because their parents want grandchildren or need someone to carry on the family name.

Will Steven or Joey one day put the Roman collar around their necks? Time will tell. More than anything, I hope my children each actively and prayerfully discern what the Lord is calling them to do with their lives, because thenI know they will be happy.

Plant good seed in the garden of vocations, as much as you can. Nurture those young plants, feed them well with the Eucharist and be sure they have plenty of time in the light of the Lord's presence. Above all, don't plant weeds!