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Monday, July 31, 2017

Day Two


This novena is prayed by our community (Dominicans of St. Cecilia)
as we approach the feast of St. Dominic. We invite you to pray with us,
asking the intercession of St. Dominic on behalf of the needs of the
world and for your own personal intentions.  (Success for the General
Chapter of the Xaverian Missionaries and for Christine to be healed.)

Second Day: Humility

Your attitude must be that of Christ: Though he was in the form of God, he did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at. Rather, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men. He was known to be of human estate, and it was thus that he humbled himself, obediently accepting even death, death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-8)
DOCTOR VERITATIS                      DOCTOR OF TRUTH
Humility is the foundation of perfection, and in St. Dominic it was deep and strong. So clear was his knowledge of the great majesty of God and his own nothingness that he lived always in holy fear and self-distrust. Though most innocent, he considered himself to be a sinner, unworthy of the least grace. Constantly he prostrated himself before God, praying for long periods of time.
Before entering a town to preach, he used to kneel down on the road, begging God not to punish the people for his sins but to make his labor fruitful. When passing an altar or crucifix he would bow profoundly, in token of his nothingness. Praise and honor he detested, and three times refused the bishopric. At the General Chapter he said to his brethren, “I deserve to be deposed from my office, for I am negligent and relaxed.” When asked where he would be buried, “Under the feet of my brethren,” the saint responded.
The saints, though great in virtue, look upon themselves as worthless, because they see themselves in the light of God, and knowing him they know themselves. “Our righteousness,” St. Dominic would say, “when compared to the righteousness of God, is mere uncleanness.”
Learn of me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29)
Pray for us, blessed father, St. Dominic, That we may be made worthy of the prom­ises of Christ.
Let us pray, O Holy Father St. Dominic, true lover of humility, the greater you appeared in the sight of men, the more you humbled yourself before God. Be to us a loving guide, that, following in your footsteps we may be enabled to withstand all the snares of the enemy, and spending our lives in earnest prayer, self-denial and humility, we may, at the hour of death, be received with you into heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

August 8th is the Feast of St. Dominic.  Start praying a novena to Saint Dominic, today.  I'm using the one from the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia.

We look to St. Dominic, great Light of the Church
 and Doctor of Truth, and to the saints of the Order, 
that we may be of use to the souls of others.
 (Basic Constitutions)
This novena is prayed by our community (Dominicans of St. Cecilia)
as we approach the feast of St. Dominic. We invite you to pray with us,
asking the intercession of St. Dominic on behalf of the needs of the
world and for your own personal intentions.  (Success for the General
Chapter of the Xaverian Missionaries and for Christine to be healed.)

First Day: The Force of Good Example

He shone in his days as the morning star, in the midst of a cloud,
and as the moon at the full; and as the sun, when it shines, so did
he shine in the temple of God. (Sirach 50:6,7)
LUMEN ECCLESIAE                      LIGHT OF THE CHURCH
St. Dominic was born in Spain in 1170. With the dawn of reason his
whole soul turned to God. His childhood was most pious and his youth
angelic in purity. In the University of Palencia he was the model student.
 At twenty five he became a canon regular at Osma, and with the
religious habit he put on the Lord Jesus and strove in all things to
imitate Him. His time was divided into prayer, study of Scripture, and
com­munity duties. Silence and retirement were his delight; works of
penance and tears of contrition his meat and drink. Going in 1205 to
France, he spent many years in every kind of labor for the conversion
of the Albigensian heretics. Like Jesus Christ he passed the day in
apostolic work, the night in prayer. His penance was extreme, but to
others he was gentle, sweet, and kind. Many were converted by his
miracles, many by the example of his holy life. Six times he jour­neyed
to Rome, once to Spain, once to Paris, walking barefoot, praying or
singing on the road; preaching in the towns and villages, spending the
nights in contemplation. He founded in 1215 the Order of Friars
Preachers for the conversion of souls. He was a man of truly apostolic
heart, a column of the Faith, a trumpet of the Gospel, the light of Christ
to men. He died at Bologna in 1221.
Pray for us, blessed father, St. Dominic, That we may be made worthy
of the prom­ises of Christ.
Let us pray, O most enlightened teacher of divine truth, Holy Father St.
Dominic, who taught what was profitable for salvation and made
yourself all things to all men, that you might win all to Christ; help us to
close our ears and hearts to all false doctrine and whatever may be
harmful to our souls and to open them joyfully to the truths of Holy
Church. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.


Father Savarimuthu

Father Savarimuthu was at St. Anthony's, Sunday.  He spoke at all the Masses on behalf of his Diocese of Tiruchirappalli, India.  He began his appeal with a joke:

A man loved to play lotto.  Every day, he bought a lottery ticket.  He searched the daily newspapers to see if his numbers came up.  Sometimes he thought he had a system down.  Then he played birthdates.
    His wife would occasionally indulge, also.  One day, the lotto ticket she bought won--a million dollars.  Of course, she was ecstatic.  However, knowing how obsessed her husband was with lotto, she worried.  She was afraid he would have a heart attack when she told him the good news.
    She went to her parish priest.  She told him her concern.  Father said that he would try to help her.
    So the priest casually dropped by their house.  The man and Father chatted.  The subject of lotto came up.  The priest nonchalantly asked, "What would you do if you won a million dollars playing lotto?"  The man said, "Actually, I've thought about this, a lot.  I'd pay up my mortgage and my bills.  And Father, I'd give half to the Church."
    The priest, immediately, had a heart attack.

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Malasadas Sunday


Saint Anthony's had the most beautiful hydrangeas in front of the altar.  Look at the different colors.  During the months of July-September, St. Anthony's sanctuary is decorated with parishioners' beautiful hydrangeas.  The people cut them from their garden and bring them in water to the church basement for arranging.  Aren't they beautiful?  Isn't this a beautiful gesture for the parishioners to do?

Hydrangeas grow beautifully on Cape Cod.  I used to have beautiful hydrangeas, too.  Last year, someone stole them.  Yes, someone dug up the entire plants.  All that was left were holes.

Today, was special at St. Anthony's in East Falmouth.  It was Malasadas Sunday!  Malasadas is a sweet fried dough that Portuguese people make.  Most of the people at St. Anthony's are Cape Verdean.  The Council of Catholic Women was making and selling malasadas for their scholarship fund.  I bought four.  Two for me and two for hubby.  They were delicious with coffee for breakfast.

Friday, July 28, 2017

A Rose By Any Other Name

(CNS/Paul Haring)
A rose is still a rose, no matter what you call it.  This is what came to my mind when I read this article, China tells mainland media how to refer to retired Hong Kong bishop: HONG KONG (CNS) -- Chinese propaganda chiefs have ordered mainland journalists not to describe outspoken Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun as the Bishop Emeritus.  They have been told to call him "former bishop."  He's still a cardinal.

Silly?  The devil's in the details.

The Entire Town Excommunicated!

In the thirteenth century, the town of Trasmoz, Spain, had over 10,000 inhabitants.  Overshadowing the village was Trasmoz castle.  The castle was a den of thieves.  Well, a den of scoundrels, anyway,  Rumors said they were counterfeiters.  Also rumored were smugglers.  Things got so bad that the Archbishop excommunicated the entire place.  That excommunication has never been lifted.  Read the story here. Now only 62 people live there.
Juanje 2712 | CC

Heartwarming

Martha Bosquez | Facebook


What a heart warming story!  A little girl eating in a restaurant, saw a group of policemen come in to eat.  She went over to their table and just asked them if she could pray for them.  Cute!




Thursday, July 27, 2017

Every Poem Must Be About God

In writing class, Gail said that an English teacher once said, "Every good poem is about God."

Alice, immediately piped up, "I don't know about that."

Surprisingly, everybody could see what the English teacher was saying.  God is transcendent.  So should a poem be. It should lift us up.  A poem can be about something boring, a mundane thing, etc., but the poet's language expression should bring you to see more than something boring or mundane.

life / hills and valleys

fence posts / tall straight towers of strength

spider / charism of a spinner

Do I need to elaborate more?

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

James and James

James the Greater

This morning's Gospel was Matt. 20: 20-28.  Here we see the sons of Zebedee, James and John, pester Jesus about giving them seats next to him: one on the right and one on the left.
James the Less


The story goes on.  Jesus gently scolds them (the other apostles are angry) for their chutzpah. He tells them that they'd have to undergo all the trials and tribulations He will be going through.  In other words, "No."

That story isn't what caught my attention.  I was wondering if this James is the one sometimes referred to as the "brother" of the Lord.  So I came home and googled.

There are two James in Jesus' life.  There is James the son of Zebedee, also called James the Greater, probably because he was older than the other James.  James the Less was Jesus' cousin.  That's why the Less is sometimes called the brother of the Lord.

James the Less is also called James the Just because of his just manner of handling people entrusted to him when he was Bishop of Jerusalem.  James the Greater is the one that Santiago de Compostela is named after.  He is the patron saint of Spain.

Both were apostles.

By the way, James and John were the sons of Zebedee.  What was their mother's name?

Mrs. Zebedee

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Problems

I saw a poster today that read "It's not the problem that's the problem.  It's your attitude towards the problem."

I'm saving that one.  I'll hang it up to my other favorite poster, "If you think you can and you think you can't, you're both right."

Attitude!

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Nefarious Accusations


If you're not a follower of These Stone Walls, you should be.  Father Gordon MacRae has been unjustly imprisoned for over twenty years because he refused to lie and say he committed a sexual crime.  How's that for miscarriage of justice?

While in prison, Father MacRae blogs.  It's not easy.  He uses an old fashioned, broken down typewriter.  He sends his articles to a friend who then posts them on the blog, These Stone Walls.

Recently, Father MacRae has been recognized by The site, Today’s Martyrs Resources for Understanding Current Christian Witness and Martyrdom.  They published a short list commending “organizations engaged in original reporting, evangelical witness, political advocacy, refugee services and other activities, led by people who have experienced some degree of persecution firsthand.”  

This is not a Catholic organization.  Rather it is Evangelical.  Yes, 
the persecution and suppression of fundamental rights for priests  come not from a Catholic human rights forum, but from an Evangelical Christian one.

Kudos to Father MacRae.  Father won the recognition for calling to attention the media frenzy in Guam over Archbishop Anthony Apuron for apparent finance and property misappropriations.  Mud slinging has ensued.  Accusations of sexual abuse cause people to panic.  Even when judged innocent, some mud has stuck.  

Father MacRae relates the Guam headlines to Australia's Cardinal George Pell's situation.  Criminal charges have been levied against the Cardinal from forty years ago.  How does one go about proving innocence from forty years ago?  Why an accusation now?  

I'll tell you why.  Cardinal Pell was in charge of Vatican financial reform.  

Let that sink in.

Archbishop Anthony Apuron, now Cardinal Pell, are in the line of mud slinging.

Follow the money.




Monday, July 17, 2017

Expressive Proclamation

Lectio:                                                                                               


Romans 8: 26-27
Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit Himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the One who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because He intercedes for the holy ones
according to God's will.

Studium

Paul is writing to the Romans after the Resurrection and Pentecost.  He is telling the people that the Spirit is still living within them.  In spite of human weakness, the Spirit will help--according to God's will.  Remember that it is God's will that we will be saved.  The Holy Spirit will help us.  Note that Paul uses the word intercede twice.

Meditatio

My charismatic friends will slip into speaking in tongues - glossolalia.  They consider it a manifestation of the Holy Spirit.  I can not judge.  I do not speak in tongues or ever have.  But I have been given words to say that surprised me.  I have written things that surprised me.  I consider these occasions the work of the Holy Spirit.  Also, there were times when words just didn't come when I needed them.  It is all according to God's will.

Oratio

Lord, come to my aid when I am explaining You.  Please send the Holy Spirit to give me the necessary words to penetrate the hearts and minds of Your people.  Help me to pray unceasingly.

Contemplatio

Holy Spirit be with me.

Sunday, July 16, 2017

Purple Shamrocks


This picture depicts a plant I received last year.  I don't remember the occasion.  There were no flowers on it, just the large purple triangular leaves.  They were pretty.  I remember thinking that the purple leaves were flowers.  The plastic tag on the plant called them shamrocks.  Huh?  In the first place, it was purple, not green.  Plus, the plant was not shaped like a shamrock.  The leaves were more like triangles.  But then again, shamrocks are sort of triangular shaped.

Anyway, the plant lasted awhile but one by one the stem shriveled and the leaf or flower drooped and fell over.  Every stem eventually did that.  Soon all that was left was soil.  I was busy so I just put the flower pot outside on my porch until I could get to it in the spring.

I never did get to it.  It sat next to other plants that I put out as the weather warmed.  I forgot about it. I water these plants with a hose, so everything gets wet in that area, including a pot of soil.

One day I noticed that the purple leaves had come up.  Again!  What a pleasant surprise! And if I were more efficient, that pot of soil would have been tossed out.

Today, I pulled the pot out and look at the flowers!  Surprise!

God is so good to us.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Why Belong to the Lay Fraternities of Saint Dominic?

Hope of Bethany Pro-Chapter

Why be a Lay Dominican when I can become a Lay Cistercian, Secular Franciscan, Carmelite, or a Benedictine Oblate?[1]  Even Alcoholics Anonymous offers a Spiritual AA.

The answer is certainly personal, but the definitive response would be because of the spirituality and charism to which each individual has been called in their vocation.  Think of the Lay Dominicans that have been called to martyrdom:

                St. TÔMA Nguyen Van De- one of the Vietnamese martyrs, died in 1839
                St. Marina of Omura-burned alive in 1634 in Nagasaki, Japan
                St. Gaspar Koteda-beheaded in 1601

Think of the many more Lay Dominican catechists, prison volunteers, chaplains and lay ministers of the Eucharist, who proclaim in word and deed the message of the Gospel, with no acknowledgment nor gratitude.

Who would do this thankless work bringing salvation to the masses, especially with no or little success?  Would a member of Alcoholics Anonymous be willing to be martyred?  Maybe the lay members of some of the religious orders would, but their approach would differ from that of the Lay Dominican.

When a man or woman is called to be a member of the Lay Fraternities of Saint Dominic, they would have been attracted by a community of fraternity.  And this community is extended to a bigger regional area, even to their nation.  It’s even bigger than the national community.  It is international.  It is belonging to a religious order that dates back more than 800 years, founded by Saint Dominic.

This religious order, officially named the Order of Preachers, looks upon all its members as one family.[2] The Dominicans have a long history of accomplishments.  They serve God in many extraordinary ways.  They are constantly learning.  It has been said that Lay Dominicans have a newspaper in one hand and a Bible in the other.  They interpret the newspaper with a biblical scholarship lens.  Lay Dominicans are out in the world and are very conscious of what is secular influenced, and are critical in their reading.

It takes at least five years of study before a Lay Dominican can make their final solemn promises.  By that time, they know that they will never know everything.  Hence, Lay Dominicans constantly have “on-going” formation.  Reading is their favorite past time.  They love to learn.

However, before study, Lay Dominicans pray.  Prayer is so important that Saint Dominic established a convent of contemplative nuns before the friars.  The nuns prayed for the success of Saint Dominic’s mission.  Lay Dominicans follow a daily prayer schedule and take time for contemplation.  Contemplation, Saint Thomas Aquinas said, is preparation for sharing our fruits.

Sharing the fruits of contemplation, drive Lay Dominicans towards an apostolate.  All Dominicans are called to spread the Good News.  Jesus Himself commands His disciples to go out and preach the good news.[3] Whatever work each Dominican engages in, whether individually, or as a chapter, is considered an apostolate of preaching.  Due to the Lay Dominican’s prayer and study, they are driven to action.

The Lay Fraternities of Saint Dominic have a special vocation.  Their spirituality gives them the ability to reach people and places that priests and other religious cannot reach.  The Lay Dominicans especially are called to go out and preach like Saint Dominic did to the Albigensian innkeeper.

Certainly one can serve God as a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, or a Lay Carmelite, Franciscan, etc., but the Lay Dominican has a specific call to a vocation of love of the Truth.  This love stirs the Lay Fraternities of Saint Dominic to pray for understanding the Truth.  This Truth drives the Fraternities to preach the Truth in all situations. Serving God as a Lay Dominican is a life centered in saving souls and thereby saving their own.

Thanks for the contributions of Mr. Michael Murphy, O.P., Mrs. Virginia Wacker, O.P., Mrs. Ann Devine, O.P., Mrs. Irene Gifford, O.P.



[1] Augustinians—www.augustinian.org
Benedictines—
www.osb.org
Carmelites—
www.carmelnet.org 
Dominicans—http://www.fraternitiesop.com/        
Franciscans—
www.nafra-sfo.org
Marists—
www.maristlaity.org
Mercedarians—
www.orderofmercy.org
Minims—
www.minimi.it
Norbertines—
www.premontre.org
Servites—
www.servite.org
Trinitarians—
www.trinitarianhistory.org
Posted in Lay Witness ArchiveNovember/December 2004 by Michael Wick.
[2] All members of the Order of Preachers, whether a priest, cooperative brother, student brother, apostolic sister, nun, or laity, may add the suffix, O.P., to their name.
[3] Mark 16: 15

Friday, July 14, 2017

More Book Suggestions From the Rejections

Trinity College Library

 Here are my book club's rejections.  "Rejections" is an unfortunate word choice here because these books certainly are not less interesting.  There were many reasons why they weren't chosen: maybe we had too much history, too many had already read it, the book was too difficult for our public library to get for us, etc..  There are many, many reasons.  Here's the list.  I've already read seven of them and plan to read the others, as time allows.  If you're interested, here's the "chosen" list."

St. Mary’s Book Club   
Summer Suggestions - from June 2017

                What Alice Forgot                                                                          by Liane Mariaty
                        A woman suffers from a head injury and her experience with amnesia.
                Zoo Keeper’s Wife                                                                           by Diane Ackerman
                                Based on a true story of a couple who sheltered Jews in a Warsaw zoo.
                Orphan Train                                                                                    by Cristina Baker Kline
                                Friendships of an Irish orphan sent to the Midwest.
                A Man Called Ove                                                                            by Fredrik Backmann
An older man’s relationships with his neighbors after the loss of his wife
                Saints for All Occasions                                                                  by J. Courtney Sullivan
                        Two Irish sisters start new lives in the US but take separate paths.
                The Forgetting Time                                                                     by Sharon Guskin
                                Single mom’s 4 yr old might be the reincarnated spirit of a murdered child.
                The Boston Girl                                            by Anita Diamant (author of Red Tent)               
                                Young Jewish girl grows up in Boston in the early 20th century.
                My Heart Will Triumph                                                                                by Mirjana Soldo
                                Autobiography of one of the visionaries of Medjugorje
                A Way to God : Thomas Merton’s Creation Spirituality Journey                                                                                                                                                                                 by Matthew Fox
                                Life of Thomas Merton, Catholic monk
                White Smoke                                                                                     by Andrew Greeley
                                Story of papal election
                Catherine of Siena                                                                          by Sigrid Undset
                                Biography of Catherine of Siena, also wrote Kristin Lavransdatter
                The Orphan Master’s Son                                         by Adam Johnson
                        Propaganda, identity, and power in North Korea, winner of 2013 Pulitzer Prize
                The Name Sake                                                                                             by Jhumap Lahiri
                                Boy born in late 60’s in Indian moves to America         

Some Things You Don't Do

You don't spit in the wind.  these
You don't tug on Superman's cape.
and You don't try to pressure the pope.
“That cardinals, who should be the closest collaborators of the pope, are trying to force him and put pressure on him to give a public response to their publicised letter is absolutely inconvenient behaviour,”...

These cardinals, known as the Dubia, have crossed line.  You don't make a big public stink after the fact.  Discussion and debate was before Amoris Laetitia.  Surveys were taken before the synod.  The debate was at the synod.

Of course, debate and discussion always go on, but to make it public after the document is done, is not done.  And to demand that the pope responds to such rude behavior is too crude to even be considered.

 

I was prompted to add my two cents, after reading the article, in the Tablet, by Sarah MacDonald

"CARDINAL SCHÖNBORN REJECTS CARDINAL MÜLLER'S CRITICISM THAT HIS HANDLING OF AMORIS LAETITIA DEBATE IS 'NOT CONVINCING'"

Thursday, July 13, 2017

The Power of God?

If I Might Interject: Do You Really Believe in the Power of God?: The Promise and the Authority was from Christ, Our Lord.  On social media, one of the more vocal opinions is the one claiming the Church the pope and/or Vatican II are leading us to hell, or some other dire prediction.  Then Jesus didn't mean what He said in Matt 16: 18-19, Matt 18: 17-18, Luke 10: 16, and Matt 28 : 18-20.  I guess the social media pundits are more Catholic than the pope and dare to tell Jesus that they thought He was kidding.  Don't they believe in the Holy Spirit?



Read the article on the blog If I Might Interject.  Veritas!

My Scripture Sharing Group

My Scripture Sharing Group is overloaded with testosterone.  By that, I mean that when Mary doesn't come, like last time, I'm the only female.  And let me tell you, the feminine point of view is needed.  Otherwise, those guys would only see their side of the story.

Those guys actually thought that Elisha and the hospitable woman in 2 Kings 4:8-16 were doing hanky panky.  That thought NEVER entered my mind.

I also remember that when John 8: 1-11, was discussed, the guys said the adulteress was naked.  How else would they know she was committing adultery?  Again, that thought NEVER entered my mind.  The verses don't say that, but those guys envisioned the same picture.

Actually, that's the reason why I love this group.  I see different interpretations that would never enter my mind when reading alone.  By reading and reflecting with faithful people, we all benefit from each other's wisdom.  And isn't the Bible the story of God's relationship with His people--male and female?

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Laughing Alone


In Writers' Group today, a few didn't have anything to offer.  They didn't write anything, but they came for the socialization.  One said that we changed her attitude--we made her laugh, and she needed that.  This topic led to a discussion of laughter.

Laughing is important.  Someone made note that comedians seem to live longer than most people.  It certainly is good for one's health.  There are laughing groups where people go there to laugh.  Most of the attendees are people who are ill or recovering from illness.

The woman who teaches the laughing class came to TOPS once to do a program.  What I remember about the class is how hard it was to force myself to laugh.  Eventually, the whole concept struck me as so ridiculous, that I did laugh, for real.

This discussion also brought to mind an occasion when my friends saw a funny movie without me.  They insisted that I go see the movie.  So we went to one of those cinema setups that house 4+ movies at once.  Everyone went to see a movie in one theater and I went alone to see the recommended movie, in another.  I sat by myself. It was funny.  But every time I laughed I quickly looked around to see if anyone saw me laughing.

Why?

I don't know.  I just felt awkward laughing by myself.  It was so strange--both laughing alone and being embarrassed to laugh alone.

Monday, July 10, 2017

Validity of Matter for Eucharist


Vatican asks bishops to ensure validity of matter for Eucharist: VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Bishops should look at ways to help verify and guarantee the validity and worthiness of the bread and wine used for the celebration of the Eucharist, the Vatican said in a recent interview.

This article from the Pilot is about checking the ingredients:

 "The bread used in the celebration of the most holy eucharistic sacrifice must be unleavened, purely of wheat, and recently made so that there is no danger of decomposition.

-- Wine used in the celebration of the eucharistic "must be natural, from the fruit of the grape, pure and incorrupt, not mixed with other substances," well conserved and have not soured.


There are few exceptions and with stipulations. Read the article for the specifics.

Monday

Monday Mornings is a novel by Sanjay Gupta.  To me, it was a beach read.  I read it this summer and it is a good, easy read.  If the author sounds familiar, maybe you've seen him on TV.  Sanjay Gupta is a doctor on CNN as the chief medical correspondent and a special correspondent for CBS news and 60 Minutes.  Now you'll know him as a good novelist.

Monday Mornings refers to the conference the doctors at Chelsea General every Monday morning.   There the doctors discuss any mistakes that had happened.  No one wanted to be on the hot seat but it definitely was a learning experience.

The novel is mainly about the personal and professional lives of five doctors.  You will like them all and become emotionally involved.  That's the beauty of the story.  You're in it.  You'll care about the characters.  You'll enjoy this read.

ISBN: 0446583855 (ISBN13: 9780446583855)

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Monday-Mornings-Novel-Sanjay-Gupta/dp/0446583847/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1499691855&sr=1-1&keywords=monday+mornings+sanjay+gupta

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/monday-mornings-sanjay-gupta/1102267279?ean=9780446583848

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13176500-monday-mornings




Friday, July 7, 2017

Wild Bird in the House?


There's a post script to yesterday's tale of woe.  We were in and out of the house so often that doors were left open, specifically the door connecting the garage to the house.  And the garage doors were left open.  Well--a bird flew in the house. It almost hit hubby in the head. He just opened another door and it immediately flew right out.

Did you know that wild birds in the house were portends of death?

This morning all hell broke loose.  My daughter's father-in-law died.  She telephoned me early to ask me to come over to babysit because he died.  She had to go get her husband and tell him that his father died.  Everyone was very upset.  She turned to her own father and said, "I love you, Daddy."  That brought tears to everyone's' eyes.

We remembered that bird from last night.  I never put stock in that old wives' tale if a bird flew into your house through an opened door or window, death was not far behind.

Well?

Well, God uses many opportunities to touch base with us.


Thursday, July 6, 2017

A Hard Lesson

Hubby and I were stuck at home all day long. I needed to go to the bank.  I needed to pick up a prescription at the drug store.  And I needed to go teach my RCIA class, which I've been absent from for a month!  All went out the window!  My car battery was dead.  Hubby tried charging it.  We started around 9:00 AM and it's now past 7:00 PM.  He kept going outside to try starting the car--no luck.  This picture is showing one cable attached to the red node.  The other cable is just attached to the car front to be grounded - that's all it needs.

My adult children don't live far.  The one with no kids said she'd be over to help jump start or leave us her car and she and her hubby can use one car.  BUT!  She had "spin" class first, then she'll come to help.  Hubby wasn't home from work yet, because he had a softball game.

My other daughter has two children and she works.  In fact, she wouldn't be finished work until 6:00 PM and then she has to drive home.  Her husband is at the kids' hockey practice.

Forget my son.  He lives too far away.

Everyone was momentarily too busy. We just had to wait.

Well, we definitely will have to buy a new battery.  What size and what kind?  We looked at the battery to read markings. We couldn't find anything.  In fact, what we thought was the battery was only a cover.  And this was under it.
What the hell is this?



Is this some new kind of computer battery?  We better look up and read the manual.  First, we had to find it.  Fortunately, it was in the first place we looked--the glove compartment. And what to our wondering eyes appeared?


"Your vehicle's battery is located in the trunk." huh? 

Yes, that's right.  The first sentence on the page was the revelation.  
Who knew?

So, we opened the trunk.  We took out all the beach chairs, bicycle pump, rope, snow brushes, etc.  Then we lifted out the bottom and saw our spare tire.  And there beside the spare tire was...you guessed it...the battery.  



Live and learn.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

It's an Exciting Time to be an Evangelist


It's an exciting time to be an evangelist, convocation delegates told: ORLANDO, Fla. (CNS) -- There's a convention of Catholic leaders in Orlando, Florida.

This summer, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will be convening an unprecedented gathering of key leaders from dioceses and Catholic organizations from all across the country in order to assess the challenges and opportunities of our time, particularly in the context of the Church in the United States. This has been an ongoing initiative of the Bishops' Working Group on the Life and Dignity of the Human Person. The gathering will assemble Catholic leaders for a strategic conversation, under the leadership of the bishops, on forming missionary disciples to animate the Church and to engage the culture

At first, the statistics depressed everybody.  Church membership is declining.  But Bishop Robert Barron changed the tune.  He told the audience that it's an exciting time to be an evangelist.  It's an opportunity.  The people are really ignorant of the beauty, never mind the Truth, of the Catholic Church.  It's time to engage -- evangelize.

Following Bishop Barron, was Patrick Lencioni, an author and management consultant.  He said to follow a business model.  I immediately thought of my real estate broker training.  Some things I could use to evangelize.  I remember I was told to be a joiner.  I was to belong to a lot of clubs to network.  That would work and does.  I've brought people to prayer group from my cribbage group.  Of course, they were going to church anyway, but it shows how networking works.  There was also what we called "farming."  Actually, that's what the Jehovah Witness do, and the Mormons.  I used to go door to door and just ask if people were interested in selling their house.  When they said "no," I handed them a business card for when they were ready to sell.  And I kept in touch with them.  That method of "farming" never worked.  But I remember we were told that we'd get 100 "no's" before we got a "yes."  That goes to show you that you shouldn't get discouraged, just keep at it.  Persistence and perseverance were the keys to success in salesmanship and I can see where that would hold true in evangelisation.

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...