Happy Feast of St. Augustine of Hippo

"Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace." ~ St. Augustine of Hippo. 

I love this saint so very much because he converted in middle age, like we did. I marvel at how much he accomplished in his second half of his life! Oh, that we could attain the heights of sanctity as he did. Oh, that we could redeem lost time. And luckily, St. Teresa de Avila, wrote a prayer just for that. How blessed are we to have examples of these great saints:

O my God! Source of all mercy! I acknowledge Your sovereign power. While recalling the wasted years that are past, I believe that You, Lord, can in an instant turn this loss to gain. Miserable as I am, yet I firmly believe that You can do all things. Please restore to me the time lost, giving me Your grace, both now and in the future, that I may appear before You in "wedding garments." Amen. 

Writing with Migraines

I'm so pleased to share some thoughts with you on my friend Carolyn's substack: Writing with Migraines - by Carolyn B Fraiser (substack.com) or her WordPress Acct. Writing with Migraines – CAROLYN BENNETT FRAISER (carolynbfraiser.com). I think it may be a beginning of a book :)

The Texas trip was hard on my head...but I'm recovering. Reading, writing, making music, and beach time are all part of my therapy. 

Wedding Anniversary

Michael and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary with a renewal of our vows in our beloved Stella Maris. I cried again saying those vows. I believe the next 30 years will be even better with Christ at the center of our marriage. Our pastor bestowed many blessings upon us. So much grace! God poured it out on us even while we didn't acknowledge Him, believe in Him, or give Him thanks. I am filled with awe at His generosity at what He's accomplishing in our lives. Ah, He will bring to perfection what He has started! Deo gratias!!!

We celebrated at Dunleavy's pub afterwards with our witnesses. 

Yesterday, we went out to celebrate at Lost Isle on John's Island. Lovely ambience and wonderful food! We take most of our meals on the porch so it was great to be seated outdoors in the shade, smelling the wood smoked meat as it was being prepared, and enjoying a cooling spray from the fan. Much like home, without dishes to wash :)  

I love that our anniversary falls on the Feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe and the Vigil of Assumption of Mary. Both speak powerfully to the married life and its sanctification. Michael and I are reading Preparation for Death: Consideration of Eternal Truths by St. Alphonsus Ligouri and such rich meditations on leading a good Christian life so that we may be assured of a happy death. Our Lord, by his horrible death, has opened the doors of heaven for those who love Him. I will forever be grateful that our Lord never stopped chasing us and brought us to Himself.  Now we pray for the final perseverance so that we're never ever separated from Him. On this Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, we can never assume that we'll go to heaven but pray for the grace.

Adoration Chapel

It was so lovely to pray in the Adoration Chapel, which is behind the main Altar of St. Clare of Assisi. The stained glass windows are beautiful--we have St. Joseph, St. Francis, St. Elizabeth with child St. John the Baptist; St. Anne with the child Mary; King David and St. Peter. And up above, there's the pelican, a symbol of Christ, who gives His own self as food.

Despite the torrential rain from Debby, our first 40 hours of prayer in preparation for the Feast of St. Clare of Assisi, in the chapel was able to proceed as planned. She loved Jesus in the Eucharist so I know she's praying along with us to have Perpetual Adoration! Deo gratias! 

 

 

A Road Trip and a Reunion

Michael and I made a wonderful road trip to Texas for a family reunion in July and we also made a pilgrimage to several shrines along the way. We prayed and talked and listened to several audiobooks, all available on Formed: The Lighthouse by Michael O'Brien was my favorite, followed by The Sabbatical, also by O'Brien. We also enjoyed Sohrab Ahmari's journey to the Catholic faith in his memoir From Fire, by Water. We listened to the first few chapters of A Priest is Not His Own by Ap. Fulton Sheen. It's so good I had to buy a hard copy, which I will enjoy reading and re-reading.   

First stop was the Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament. It was so lovely to make a Holy Hour there, hear Mass with the angelic singing of the cloistered nuns, and spend time in this beautiful area. If we ever had to leave our home, this is the place I'd want to be. Since we're not allowed to take pictures in the shrine, I was grateful that they had a photobook with some commentary for purchase in the gift shop.  

Near this shrine was another monastery, St. Bernard Abbey, where the public is free to wander the Ave Maria Grotto, or Little Jerusalem, original miniatures built by Brother Joseph Zoettl (1878-1961). I was completely enchanted and I am amazed that he'd never seen any of the beautiful shrines that he built so perfectly in miniature. You'll notice broken glass, bottle caps, shells, marbles, and other discarded items. Given my travelling days are numbered, it was such a delight to see these wonders, along with a friendly kitty :)

The family reunion was so special. My sister and sister-in-law cooked all the delicious Indian food. The cousins planned games and outings. This is the first time they were all together at the same time. How I wish our family weren't so scattered all over the US but I'm grateful for all the letters, the time we do have together, and for transportation--the very thing that has separated families. A double-edged sword for sure. My father understands. It was his 96th birthday but wasn't able to travel for the festivities. Still we all sang to him on the phone, in harmony! We missed our mom--how proud she'd be of her growing family. Today is my eldest brother's birthday who died as a child. Oh, how I long for heaven!!! Heaven!!!

We were lucky to get out of Texas with the first bands of hurricane Beryl slowing our drive. We spent a couple of nights in New Orleans and heard Sunday Mass at St. Patrick's church, which was being renovated. Just beautiful!   

The Museum of WWII is a must. Such an important piece of our history--we can never forget the crimes against humanity and the sacrifices so many made to protect the innocent. I feel it most urgently, esp. as our current administration has taken us to the brink of WWIII. Only God can save us now. I especially enjoyed reading the little-known stories of the men and women who served. And always, I learn something new--the history of the Merchant Marines. 

We visited a couple more shrines. Our pastor had introduced me to Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos several years ago. He's known for his many miracles, so I was grateful to have this opportunity to pray at his shrine. It's right next to St. Mary's Assumption Church and what a beautiful and peaceful place of worship. Our last shrine to visit was that of Our Lady of Prompt Succor. If you need help quickly, she's the one to invoke! 

This was such a wonderful trip, being strengthened in faith and family, and our friendship with the saints. I think about all the people who made sacrifices to build these beautiful churches. What a gift it is to us. And always, I was fascinated by the clouds. They are such a reminder of God's presence, His watch over us, His infinite love for us. May you always feel secure in His Love and Mercy.