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Sunday, November 30, 2014

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Thanksgiving

Unfortunately, I'm not my chipper self.  Since my surgery, November 17th, I've been in a funk.  I'm not bouncing back like I expected.  I feel like I'm wallowing in self-pity.  Hence, I had a hard time posting this week.  I couldn't think of anything to write about.  Nothing was happening to write about.  Who wants to join my pity party?

However, I am still linking up to my weekly link up at This And That And The Other Thing Blog, where my fellow bloggers go, every Sunday.  Life goes on and I don't want it to pass me by.  So I'll limp along.

Monday -- Brother Tonto cartoon.

Tuesday -- Praying for peace in Ferguson, MO.

Wednesday -- Goodness attracts.

Thursday -- ...and if you want to know, my family just charged in eating.

Friday -- Reminiscing about Alice's Restaurant

Saturday -- Brother Tonto, again.

Happy Advent!

Friday, November 28, 2014

Blast from the Past


Me, on the steps to Alice's Restaurant
I subscribe to MassMoments. This is a daily email which will give you a highlight of something interesting that happened in Massachusetts' history.

Today's blast from the past gave me a fond memory.  Today is the day Arlo Guthrie, the folk singer, was arrested for littering, in Stockbridge, MA.  He had spent Thanksgiving at friends'--Alice's Restaurant.  The day after Thanksgiving, Alice asked Arlo to take the trash to the town dump.  He did, or would have, if it had been opened.  It was locked up.  So to get rid of the trash, he threw it down the hill.  Consequently, the reason for Arlo's arrest--littering.

Arlo turned this sad tale into a long, funny song.  It goes on and on and on--20 minutes.  The funny part is because Arlo was arrested, he wasn't fit to serve in the army, so he was never drafted to go fight in the Vietnam War, which he protested against, anyway.

I blogged about this before, here.  I've been to Alice's Restaurant when I was on vacation in the Berkshires.  The place still exists and is an interfaith social services center, with an emphasis on raising funds for Huntington's Disease, which Arlo's dad, Woody Guthrie had.

Lyrics to Alice's Restaurant http://www.lyricsfreak.com/a/arlo+guthrie/alices+restaurant_20518619.html 

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Happy Eucharistia!

Pilgrim Monument in P'town

I want to thank God on this secular feast of Thanksgiving for the food my loved ones will eat today.  Most of all I want to thank God for the gift of the Mass, where we participate in the eternal thanksgiving.

Do you think my family will know what I'm talking about, if I use the above as the blessing before our meal?

Do you think they'll charge in and start eating before I even say the grace?




God bless everyone, anyway.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Je ne sais Croix

Handsome faces aren't the only attractive attribute people can have.  There's also personality.  But there's also something else.  Je ne sais croix.

I am blessed to know a few women and maybe a man or two, who don't have attractive faces.  One man even is physically repulsive due, to his state of obesity.  They're also quiet, even shy.  Yet, I think they're beautiful.

How can this be?

They must emanate something.  They seem content--even more than content, happy.  They're happy with whom they are.  More than that, they're happy about the world around them.  I'm pretty sure that they think I'm beautiful, too!

How did they acquire this elusive, indefinable, state of being?

I think they're in love.  That's the only thing that explains it.  Yet, some of these people have been married for years!  One is even a priest.  So whom would be the object of their love?

Who created love?  Who created them--or everyone, for that matter?  Who wants us to know and love Him?

Do you think they're in love with God?  

Thomas Aquinas says  pulchra dicuntur quae visa placent.   My understanding of this phrase is, things that give us pleasure are beautiful.  The philosopher, Jacques Maritain translates it as beautiful things give us pleasure,  id quod visum placet.    But it is explained much more proficiently by David Clayton on his blog,  The Way of Beauty.  Prof. Clayton teaches at Thomas More College, in New Hampshire.

What I'm trying to get at, is I believe these beautiful people are so in love with God, that God has rubbed off on them.  That's what I'm seeing, God in them.  Aquinas also tells us that beauty is made up of due proportion, integrity, and clarity.  When I see a person's good life, (due proportion), I am drawn by its attractiveness, and then I see Love (God) in them, (integrity), and the person they love, (God), and to Him whom their lives are ordered, (clarity).

Are you crazy yet?

Here is my point:  living a good life by obeying God's commandments, the beatitudes, and the corporal works of mercy, in order to get as close to God as possible, really does bring one to union with the living God.  And this emanates like sunshine inside that person.  Fortunately, I am Catholic, and when I live the good life liturgically, I can feel His grace.  I must continually strive to feel more and more of His Love.  The closer I come, the more beautiful I am.  Better still, the more beautiful are you.



Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Archbishop Carlson Begs His People

Last August police officer killed a teenager in Ferguson, Missouri.  The people of the city of Ferguson reacted with an eruption of violence.  They had had enough!  The majority of the people in Ferguson are black and have been unfairly treated by authorities in law, schools, business, churches, etc., all their lives.  So when an eighteen-year-old, unarmed black man, Michael Brown, was killed by a white police officer, Darren Wilson, that was the last straw.

The violence is an eruption of pent-up anger at their feelings of powerlessness.  Last night, the jury decided not to indict police officer Darren Wilson.  The people of Ferguson expected this.  To them, it's an unfair decision, but typical of a system predetermined to keep black people down.

The Archbishop of St. Louis, Robert Carlson pleaded with the people to direct their frustrated anger and disappointment in other ways, rather than violence.  Here is his plea.




"Whatever you do, do not lash out with violence at your brothers and sisters. Do not seek to destroy or divide. Instead, we must come together as a community through prayer, mutual understanding, and forgiveness if we are to obtain peace. Rather than fuel the fires of hatred and division, we should strive for peace in our own hearts and share it with those around us. Violence does not lead to peace; they are opposing forces and cannot co-exist." 

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Sunday Snippets -- A Catholic Carnival


This week has been terrible.  I've been waiting for Sunday Snippets -- A Catholic Carnival, to vent.

Monday --  I didn't post because I was in the hospital having surgery.  You don't want to know (women's stuff)

Tuesday -- I came home hurting.

Wednesday -- What is that statue doing?

Thursday -- Advertising

Friday -- I did a lot of praying today.  My doctor says I'm not healing, as I should.  I have another appointment Monday.

Saturday -- It's a crock!

I need prayers.  I am a bit better.  I can see the light, but I want to get to it now!  Meanwhile, I entertain myself surfing the net.  Why don't you surf on over to the blog, This That And The Other Thing, where I'll be posting, and read how my fellow bloggers' weeks went.

The Bidding War


My friend was visiting the weekend.  We planned to do many things.  One of them was to go to a charity auction for Bethany House Ministries.  Before the bidding began, we walked through looking at all the stuff.  I spotted this--this--this, vase?  I don't know what to call it.  It's a container.  Maybe it was some kind of canister without a top.

I didn't care what it was.  I wanted it.

I coveted it.

Why?

It called me by name.  Yes, it had my name written in huge, bold, black, capital letters--F A I T H.

That's my name.  It is meant to be mine!  Anybody can see that.

I couldn't wait for the bidding to begin.  Who'd want that?  I'm not even sure what it is.  What use could it be?  What would anyone use it for?

Finally, the object came up for bid.

The auctioneer called it a large vase that could be use for any number of things.  "Can I hear a dollar?

I guess someone behind me signalled because I didn't hear anything.  So I bid a dollar fifty.

"Do I hear two dollars?"   And he got it.  I bid again.  And again it was bid up.

I had made up my mind that I couldn't possibly bid over $ 5 because it wasn't worth it.  But when $ 5 came, it wasn't my bid, so I just went up another dollar.

Now, I told myself that I wouldn't go over $ 10.  After all, what excuse would I use to tell hubby I spent $10 on something so useless, just because my name is on it.

But I didn't stop.  The bidding went on.  It was some idiot behind me.  I couldn't tell who was bidding.  Who would want it!

I heard, "Can I have twenty dollars," and I jumped out of my seat, "YES!"

Do you think that was the end?  NO, it wasn't.  That jerk behind me went to twenty-one.

I didn't have any more money.  All I had with me was a twenty.  I couldn't believe it.  If I knew where my friend was, I would have borrowed the money and bid more, but I couldn't find her.

The realization that I lost, slowly sank in.  The rest of the auction was a blur.  I didn't care anymore.  I found my friend and we volunteered to be runners for the remainder of the auction.  I wanted to stay to the end, to see who, and find out why, anyone would want something that was no good.  What did they plan to do with it?

Exhausted, and grouchy, we helped people pack up their property.  My F A I T H container was still on the table.  No one had picked it up.  We went over to see what number was on it.  Then my friend picked it up and handed it to me, and said, "If you had kept your mouth shut I could have had this for a dollar."









Friday, November 21, 2014

LOL Over My LOH Story

No, LOH is not an internet acronym. It's not Net Lingo.  It used as the abbreviation for Liturgy of the Hours.  What's that?  It's a book of prayers to be prayed at certain hours of the day.  Before the ecumenical council of Vatican II, it was only read by priests.  Nowadays, anybody can pray it.  Next to the Mass, it is the most effective prayer the church has.  So much so, it is also called the Divine Office.

Just think, if you pray the readings at the prescribed times, you are praying with the world, because they are praying too.  Since the time zones change around the world, then all day and all night, people are praying to God.  Awesome!

I also figure, if you pray it whenever you can, you still are praying with others all around the world.  For example, today I was too busy.  (I'm having medical issues.)  So tonight, now that everything has calmed down, I'm going to take my LOH, and end the day praying all the readings and prayers that I should have prayed, during the day.

This picture is my LOH.  It's my personal prayer book, so I write in it and highlight what I want.  The yellow highlights are references to what will happen.  The pink highlights are imperative statements.  The blue are narrative.

There are also two different kinds of LOH.  There's a one volume that is perfectly fine.  Then there's a four volume LOH that includes extra readings.  I have a funny story about that.

I bought my first LOH in a second-hand store.  On the inside cover was the name of a priest.  I thought that the priest must have died and somehow his prayer book ended up in this thrift store.  I would pray for that priest, from time to time, whenever I used his prayer book.

One day, I went to a Thanksgiving Mass and it was announced that the Mass would be celebrated by Father ________--the priest whose book I was using!  I went up to him, after Mass, and told him.  I thought he was dead, and I was praying for his soul for a couple of years.  He said thank you, but he obviously was alive and well.  He had donated his LOH to the store because he had bought the four-volume LOH.
LOL!


Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Statues

One of the catechumenates in RCIA makes me laugh.  He absolutely no knowledge of religion whatsoever.  He was scared of the priest at his first Mass.  Now, he looking at statues and wants to know how we know who is who.

One of the statues is this one.  He wondered what they were looking at?  The fancy stitching?  A spot of dirt?  A bug?

This is a statue of doubting Thomas.  The apostle Thomas doubted that Jesus had risen.  Thomas didn't believe the reports of others.  So when Jesus met Thomas, He told him to put his finger in His side. This is the scene that's depicted.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Tempus Fugit


Where to begin?  My surgery is over and time will heal.  Meanwhile, my body isn't eliminating her wastes.  That also will happen in time.  But I'm not looking forward to it.

The pain killers make me nauseous and dizzy, so I try not to take them, although the instructions say my body will adjust.  But they're narcotics; do I want to adjust?

Lord, have mercy.  

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Sunday Snippets -- A Catholic Carnival

Today, I'm asking for prayers for myself.  I'm scheduled for surgery tomorrow.  (Women's issues)  I plan on staying overnight, so I won't be posting tomorrow, Monday.  Instead, why don't you click on over to the blog This And That And The Other Thing blog, to see what my blogger friends have written, this past week.
This is what I did this week:

Monday  --  Pray for Sin


Tuesday --  Sister Miriam's poem

Wednesday -- Correctional Recovery Advocacy

Thursday  --  A catechumenate's first Mass

Friday  --  Did you know that fish bilocate?

Saturday --  The pessimist and the optimist 

Don't forget to pray for me and the surgeon.  If all goes well, I'll be back in a couple of days if it is God's will.


Saturday, November 15, 2014

Attitude

Once again, while waiting for swimming lessons to be over, I found myself staring at the poster that said

If you think you can,
and you think you can't,
you're both right.

I love it and it has encouraged me, many times.  So I loved it when I came upon this story.

Many years ago, a large American shoe company sent two salesmen to different parts of the Australian outback to see if they could drum up some business among the Aborigines.  Some time later, the company received the first telegram:

No business here...natives don't wear shoes.

Immediately after, the second salesman sent his telegram.

Great opportunity here...natives don't wear shoes.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Life Lessons


It was a serious discussion.  But I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.  We were talking about end of life issues.  I had a comical image in my mind.  The presenter suggested that we include the family in the discussion of dying.  I included the pets. Children should be included.

The presenter suggested that when a pet dies the children should be told and involved.  There is a commercial on television that shows the family goldfish floating on top of the water, obviously dead.  But the child hasn't seen it yet.  So the father quickly runs to the pet store and finds a goldfish lookalike, buys it, and hurriedly drives back home to swap the live fish for the dead fish.

The presenter said the family missed the opportunity to introduce the child to an important fact of life--death.  Children find out about it sooner or later.  It would be better for the child to learn about death from his parents before a loved one dies.  The demise of the goldfish would have been a good teachable moment.

Of course, I agree.  I wholeheartedly agree.  However, what happened in my family when the goldfish died, was a real lesson in life.

Picture this.  We parents find the goldfish belly up in the goldfish tank.  We had more than one fish in the tank.  The kid can't count all the fish, especially when they swim around.  He'll never know he died.  The fish won't be missed.  So we flushed the dead fish down the toilet bowl.

So we thought.     Busted.

Then we had to do some fast thinking to explain how the fish got from the fish tank into the toilet bowl.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Catholic Aerobics



I asked Daniel how he liked his first Mass.  He said he didn't know.  "It was so strange."  Daniel is in my RCIA class.  He may not get baptized; he's religion shopping.

The strangest thing, according to Daniel, was the different body positions.  Up, down, kneel, genuflect, shake hands, get in line for communion, bow, bless oneself--so much; how do Catholics know what to do, when?  Everyone in the small group agreed with him.  That's the first thing everyone noticed.

I explained what I could.  Most of these gestures are for respect.  We dip our fingers in the holy water and bless ourselves as we enter the church because we are reminding ourselves of our baptism.  Then we may genuflect on the right knee to show our respect for God, Who is living in the tabernacle.  In the pew, we kneel to pray and sit and wait for Mass to begin.

Mass begins with the ministers processing up the aisle to the sanctuary.  We stand as they process by our of respect.  We sit when the procession is done.  We sit to listen to readings, except for the Gospel, which we stand to hear, out of respect.  Then we sit to listen to the homily.

Then we reach into our pockets for the collection.

Again we kneel for a longer time as the priest consecrates the bread and wine.  We then walk up to receive the consecrated Body and Blood of Jesus.

We're just about finished as we finish our personal prayers of thanksgiving while kneeling.  We bless ourselves and stand while the priest recesses out.

So it's mostly respect and common sense that determines what posture to take.  Besides, if you follow along in the missal, the directions tell you what to do.

What surprised me was that Daniel and some of the others said they were a little frightened.  The procession scared them.  They wondered what the heck had they gotten themselves into.  I think it was just too foreign to them.  I pointed out that a bride processes down the aisle.  And when you graduate?  They agreed; they just weren't expecting it.

Pray for these RCIA candidates, please, especially Daniel.  

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

CRA

Tonight, I was talking to an ex-con who told me he owes his life to CRA.  CRA is Correctional Recovery Advocacy.  It was this treatment program that transformed his life.  Before the program, people always thought of him as a loser and he believed them.  He was a loser.  But in CRA, he learned that he didn't have to let his past define him.  What people thought about him, was something he couldn't control.  It shouldn't matter to him because he knew better than them, that he was different than what people thought.

Once he made up his mind to be the best version of himself, he was really on his way.  He wanted to be the best he could be.  He started joining different groups to better himself.  One of these new initiatives was Cursillo--and he was on his way.

Meeting Jesus was a Damascene experience.  Someone loved him for himself.  God loved him, always, even when he was a loser.  God created him and he was made good.



Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Archangels are Formidable

This morning I picked up a Christmas present.  The nuns had left Sister Miriam Pollard's book of poetry out for the taking, as gifts.  I've been enjoying reading it.

The first one I read was San Marco.  I chose that because I have a son named Mark.  The title, however, is not about St. Mark, the person, but the Dominican friary, San Marco, in Florence, Italy.  The artist, Fra Angelico resided there and painted murals on the wall.  Nowadays, however, I think the priory with the paintings is a little museum.  The friars have moved on.

The imagery in the poem made me smile and even left me with an audible chuckle.  Sister Miriam is quite adept in her descriptive verse.  I lived the experience through Sister's verse.  She is writing about this painting of the angel Gabriel announcing that she has been chosen to be the Mother of God.

San Marco by Sister Miriam Pollard, ocso

Customarily,
the friar studies at his table.
He also prays there.

His cell is small.
The other room, the painted room,
is not real.

He is accustomed to it:
The angel, looking like a feathered rainbow,
bows to a woman still as glass.
How gracefully she has returned the bow,
bending her body to the exigencies
of a redemptive invitation.

There, in the structured courtliness of Luke,
a pastel narrative
invites of the cell's inhabitant
a consonant response.

The friar isn't sure.
He asks himself
what is the question here?
Who is the answer?

He reads his book,
uncomfortable with Nazareth at his elbow.

 But Nazareth, after all,
is eaten every night by darkness.

He isn't sure what happens then.  Some nights--
well, through some nights he sleeps.
That is all,
all one would expect of night.

But sometimes, he thinks,
darkness has a way of disengaging from his wall
that bright-winged threat.

And as they slowly circle one another--
he and this other--in a formless solitude,
he feels his own throat harrowed
by indeterminate and soundless cries.

He leaps to wrestle then with--
with what, he does not know.

Dawn is not quite a resolution.
Blessings are often obscure.
Light again repaints
a softly garmented angelic presence on the wall.

The friar is not fooled.
He spits a feather from his mouth,
sloughs off a sweaty tunic, takes a dry one,
and limps a little to the door.


Monday, November 10, 2014

I'm in Awe of Sinisa

Last May when the bishop came to confirmation, a seminarian accompanied him.  His name was Sinisa Ubiparipovic.  That's why I remember him.  His name is unique.  Sinisa rhymes with awe.

I saw him at Mass today.  An expression on a young man's face drew my attention.  He was doing some serious praying.  I had to pull myself away from his look of rapture.  And I found myself praying for his faith and devotion.

Afterwards, I went over to him and said "You look familiar."  I was just making that up because I wanted some excuse to talk to him.

When we introduced ourselves, we both immediately remembered each other, from confirmation.  And for the same reason--our names.

Sinisa told me that he will be ordained this May.  He invited me to his ordination and first Mass.  I've got to remember him in my prayers, and I'm asking you, too, to pray for him.  He's going to make a fine priest.  http://www.vocationsboston.org/seminarian-questionare/sinisa-ubiparipovic


Saturday, November 8, 2014

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival


Hello, and welcome to Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival. We are a group of Catholic bloggers who gather weekly to share our best posts with each other. To participate, go to your blog and create a post titled Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival. In it, discuss and link to your posts for the week--whether they deal with theology, Catholic living or cute Catholic kids, or whatever.  Then go to This and That And The Other Thing Blog and link up.  I'm looking forward to read what you and everybody else has been up to.  As for me: 

Monday -- Moses' Horns

Tuesday -- My granddaughter's mixed metaphors

Wednesday -- A prayer for the newly elected

Thursday -- Lesson plan on the creed.

Friday -- What makes for a perfect marriage

Saturday -- Teaching




Person to Person


Teaching in small groups is much more comfortable than larger classes.  Last month, we taught the Mass to the entire church.  It seemed to me that everyone stared at me with hostile expressions.  They didn't want to be there.  They spaced out.  They couldn't wait for it to be over.

This month we divided the people up.  There are four of us formation leaders.  So the group was small, at least smaller than last month.  Because the group was smaller, the interaction was exponentially better.  I even got questions!

And I'm not even mentioning the material.  I had one lady in the group that knew more than I do, about other religions.  She was very helpful.  There was a grandmother in the group who told us "how it was."  Her experience was interesting.  One couple said that last month they went home and looked around and decided to make their home more Catholic!  Hooray!!!!

Oh.  My lesson was on the Nicene Creed.  The last section, "I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.  I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come."  proved to elicit the most discussion.

I was asked why Protestants say this when they don't believe in Catholicism.  I explained that catholic meant universal.  But I couldn't explain why they say they believe in apostolic succession, when their church was formed by someone in a later century than the apostles.

One more thing.  This smaller group appreciated my sense of humor.  Unlike the group last month, this group laughed at my jokes.


Friday, November 7, 2014

Perfect like my Heavenly Father

Internet users recently expressed their views on the perfect relationship. The USCCB and For Your Marriage saw it as an opportunity to enter into the online conversation in a meaningful way. The meme below is how we answered the question, "Is there such a thing as a perfect relationship?" Share, pin or tweet to get the word out.


Thursday, November 6, 2014

The Creed Through Grace


This weekend I'm doing a faith formation lesson on the Creed.  Today, in the Office of Readings for Thursday in the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time, I was blessed by coming upon a catechetical instruction by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, on the Creed.  Coincidence?  Shall we call it Godincidence?

So for the present be content to listen to the simple words of the creed and to memorize them; at some suitable time you can find the proof of each article in the Scriptures.  This summary of the faith was not composed at man's whim;...  That is why, my brothers, you must consider and preserve the traditions you are now receiving.  Inscribe them across your heart.

How many times have I not understood an article of faith, then later on find something in the Bible that helped me understand.  Sometimes, a speaker will enlighten me with further understanding.  Even praying has helped me discern, especially faith itself.  How else do you explain that at one time I didn't believe in transubstantiation, then I did believe?  What happened?  How come?  I really don't know.  All I can say is I didn't believe at one time, but now I do.  I believe with my whole heart.  I believe everything the Creed says.

That's called by the grace of God.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Franciscan Blessing for our Newly Elected

An Irish Franciscan Blessing

May God bless you with discomfort,At easy answers, half-truths,
And superficial relationships
So that you may live
Deep within your heart.

May God bless you with angerAt injustice, oppression,
And exploitation of people,
So that you may work for
Justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears,To shed for those who suffer pain,
Rejection, hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand
To comfort them and
To turn their pain to joy

And may God bless youWith enough foolishness
To believe that you can
Make a difference in the world,
So that you can do
What others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness
To all our children and the poor.
Amen

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

In a Couple of While



My granddaughter cracks me up.   "In a couple of while." is one of my granddaughter's favorite expressions.  Obviously, it's a mixed metaphor, mixing "in a couple of minutes," with "in a while."

Here's some more:

"Live and let sleep," combining "live and let be," with "let sleeping dogs lie."

"Lying down with dogs makes trouble,"  comes from "lie down with dogs, and you'll get fleas."

"Don't rock the ship, " really is "don't rock the boat."

The expressions may be mixed up, but not their meanings.  You get the idea.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Moses' Horns

This is Michelangelo's famous statue of Moses.  Why do you think Moses has horns?

I think it's strange that Michelangelo's himself never explained it.  History has recorded other stories and words from him.  Didn't anyone ask him, "Why the horns?"

Some explanations have been:

Horns at that time weren't associated with Satan.  Hence, Moses was a sheep of God.

How about this is Moses' expression when he came down from the mountain and saw the people worshipping idols.

The most common reason is that the horns represent rays of light.  How would an artist depict that?

Then some say, Moses' description was mistranslated.  The word light was confused with horn.  Moses head had rays of light, not horns.

I guess we'll never know.  What do you think?

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival


Today's the day, we bloggers unite on R'Ann's blog, This and That and The Other Thing.  We talk about something (today it's our favorite saint) and put our blog in R'Ann post, so we can read and catch up on what we bloggers did this previous week.

I think everybody must know by now, that my favorite saint, my hero, is Blessed M. Jean-Joseph Lataste, o.p.  I've written enough about him, his spirituality, and I was very blessed to have attended his beatification ceremony.  Deo Gratias.  I try to model my life after his.

http://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2010/06/lataste-spirituality.html 
http://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilgrimage-day-one.html
http://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilgrimage-day-two.htmlhttp://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilgrimage-day-three.htmlhttp://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilgrimage-day-four.htmlhttp://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilgrimage-day-day-five.htmlhttp://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilgrimage-day-six.htmlhttp://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilgrimage-day-seven.htmlhttp://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilgrimage-day-eight.htmlhttp://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilgrimage-day-nine.htmlhttp://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilgrimage-day-ten.htmlhttp://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilgrimage-day-eleven.htmlhttp://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/pilgrilmage-day-twelve.htmlhttp://theonetruefaith-faith.blogspot.com/2012/06/home-day-thirteen.html

Now do you believe how much I love Pere Lataste?  As for my week, here goes:

Monday--Another Prayer Group Tale

Tuesday--Gloria!

Wednesday--Hubby and I went to Battleship Cove, Fall River, MA

Thursday--Following Jesus

Friday--Post about Robert Oscar Lopez.

Saturday--Fairy Tales

If you click on over to This And That And The Other Things, you'll find some more interesting reading.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Aesop Reinterpreted


A very hungry fox saw some bunches of grapes hanging from an arbor.  He tried and tried to reach them, but couldn't.  Going away, he said to himself, "Oh, they were sour, anyway."

Moral: People who can't get something they were after decide that they don't really want it.

This fable is from Aesop's "The Fox and the Grapes".  In my experience, however, people pretend they really didn't want it.

Black Masking Indians

 The church, St. Augustine, is the oldest Black Catholic parish in the United States, located in Treme, Louisianna.  Tremé is the oldest Afr...