My Guardian Dear

Happy Feast of Guardian Angels. 

We know each of us has a guardian angel. But how often do we ask for his help? 

The first time I realized my guardian angel was my best hope was when I was scheduled to teach three workshops at a Christian writing conference several hours away by car. I woke up with a horrible migraine and cried as I wondered how I would manage the drive. I did not want to be unprofessional and cancel at the last minute. I cried because there is an element of shame in being chronically ill—I suffer from migraine headaches that can debilitate me for nearly half the days in a month—and I did not want to admit how weak I was. So, I prayed to my angel to bring me safely there and back. 

I still don’t know how I made the long drive. I put on my Rosary CD, and then listened to the Gospel of John, thinking how beautiful it would be to have Jesus upon my heart if I were to die. Not that I wanted to die. My children were still young. My husband would miss me. And I was loving my writing life even more since we had converted to Catholicism. I wanted everybody to have what I had—Jesus! 

And boom! The revelation hit me—my guardian angel isn’t here just to protect me from bodily harm but to make sure I get to Heaven. Heaven! That’s the goal. 

God loves us so much He appoints an angel from the moment of our conception to guard and protect us from all dangers, and to guide us to our eternal home. This awareness, which I’ve had since I was a small child, still astounds me. As a child, I had complete trust in God’s protection. But the problem of suffering, so present in my life, was difficult to reconcile with belief in an omnipotent God. So, at age twelve I lost my faith, and ended my invocations to my guardian angel. But, without my knowledge, my angel was still guiding me. 

I am very thankful to my angel for protecting me from death during my twenties because had I died then, my intellect so clouded by sin, I might have rejected God’s mercy and gone to Hell. It is by the grace of God, and the patience and long-suffering of my guardian angel, that I’ve been able to hear His promptings and return to God, and when my plans derail, to pray “not my will but Thine.” 

I am also returning to that childhood state of complete trust and surrender. If I am anxious about anything, I ask my angel to take care of the situation. I call upon the guardian angels of my children when I’m at the brink of losing my patience. I also call upon the angels of the people to whom I want to be a faithful witness. What a comfort it is to draw upon heavenly assistance. 

Guardian angels carry our prayers and offerings to the throne of God; they come to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with us, and if we are unable to attend, as it was for many during the pandemic, we can ask our angel to go in our place to praise and adore our blessed Lord. These heavenly creatures are a gift to us. Let us always remember they are watching over us and want us to reach Heaven! Cultivate a relationship with your angel. They are God’s gift to each of us. 

Dear angel! Ever at my side. 

How loving must thou be 

To leave thy home in Heaven 

to guard a guilty wretch like me. 

~ Fr. Frederick William Faber (AD 1814-1863)

This article was published in Shalom Tidings Sept. 2022 issue: https://shalomtidings.org/my-guardian-dear/

After a Long Hiatus

 I've been home for two months now and getting ready to go on another trip. Lots to catch up on. While I was gone, my review of He Leadeth Me: An Extraordinary Testament of Faith by Fr. Walter Ciszek was published in the Advent-Christmas 2022 issue of The Star, our parish newsletter (reproduced below). And I turned in my Apologia essay, Falling, for The Lamp. I was hoping it'd be published in the Easter issue but they did one better and it's in the Lenten issue that's dedicated to Pope Benedict XVI. May he rest in heavenly peace! I can't wait for my own copy.

And it just arrived in today's mail, so lookie!!!

Prayer, Podcast and Presents

The Nativity, St. Barnabas, Bromborough

Beginning today, St. Andrew the Apostle's Feast Day, we can recite this prayer 15 times daily for special intentions. Advent is a wonderful time of waiting and watching and praying for miracles.

 

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
 in which the Son of God was born
 of the most pure Virgin Mary,
 at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God,

 to hear my prayers and grant my desires,

through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ,

and of His blessed Mother. Amen.

I was invited to join a podcast of the Lamplighters. Rob Wyllie had a wonderful article, God's Toys, in The Lamp Magazine about The Velveteen Rabbit and it was lovely joining him and the editors of The Lamp, Matthew Walther and Nic Rowan, for a discussion on both old and new children's literature. I only wish it could've been in person.

This weekend, the Daniel Island News, which hosted the monthly author series this year is hosting a holiday book sale with over 25 authors participating. I'm so happy we'll all be together because I missed every other lecture this year due to choir practice. Besides, books make the best presents!

An Excerpt of BOUND in Sword & Spade

It is always gratifying when someone you admire appreciates your work. So when Jason Craig, editor of Sword & Spade and author of Leaving Boyhood Behind: Reclaiming Catholic Brotherhood asked if he could publish an excerpt from BOUND, I was delighted to say yes. S&S is focused on issues that men and families face with ideas and solutions from a Catholic perspective. This issue of S&S was devoted to the historic decision of the US Supreme Court to reverse Roe v Wade--to give thanks to God and to remember that we still have to fight at the state level for the most vulnerable in our society. The date of this reversal was profound for Catholics because it was the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Font of Love) and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, who leaped with joy in his mother's womb at the sound of Mary's greeting. Such a beautiful sign from God to bring us hope. Life is winning!

But the story that touched my heart the most was from Jason himself, "Thank you for not killing me," words spoken by his 13-year-old niece at her mother's (his sister's) wedding. Not every child is born in ideal circumstances, but they treasure their life. I've seen my share of bedraggled children in India and not one of them wanted to die. Ever. They begged for food or money. They wanted to live. Yet we would think them better off dead. Jason's essay recounts his shock at learning that his pro-life mother made an appointment at a Planned Parenthood clinic to discuss what their "choices" might be.  

The excerpt he chose to publish was the chapter when Rebecca takes Joy to an abortion clinic. If you read closely, you will see how language is used to hide the truth of what is actually happening. I am so proud to be in the pages of Sword & Spade. 

Antidote to Hurricanes: A Psalm and Shalom

With hurricanes causing much havoc, I bring to you a most beautiful rendition of Psalm 91 (a promise of God's protection) by Harpa Dei: https://youtu.be/sQNJs89E6x8 There are more here: Psalm 91: Fifteen musical versions – Art & Theology (artandtheology.org). I loved the Josquin adaption for 24 voices. We are praying for all in the path of Hurricane Ian. Nature is both so beautiful and devastating. I love satellite pictures. By the way, this young man with Dagny is Ian and she had so very much wanted to have a "hurrication" to visit him but her wiser nature prevailed. We've been teasing her about surviving Ian :) She's a good sport.

I had a piece on Guardian Angels published in the Sept. issue of Shalom Tidings. Always invoke your angel in times of distress. Aren't we blessed that God has appointed an angel to guide us? The more you listen to him, the more he prompts. Tomorrow is the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel--we pray to him daily for his protection. I like to begin my day with a Glory Be to the Holy Trinity in honor of my guardian angel for keeping me safe. I love waking up with Jules beside me; she has the softest fur on her pretty belly. Here she is covering her face with her paws...instead of helping me type. 

June Joys and May Memories

I can't believe it's already June...I feel as if I'm in a whirlwind with so many things happening in the world, from the war in Ukraine to the draft leaked from the Supreme Court regarding Roe v Wade to the spate of shootings. It's as if the demons are unleashed. My response to all of this is to retreat into prayer: Thy Kingdom come, O Lord, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Only God can save us; alas, we've forgotten Him, His commandments. Instead, we worship power, prestige, pleasures. Yet, God showers so many graces upon us, continually calling us to turn toward Him. Here's Max in the Holy Land at the place where our Lord preached the Sermon on the Mount. So beautiful. We are praying for Max to enter deeper into the mysteries of our faith, and for peace in the Middle East. He sent us a picture of this Jerusalem cat too :)

June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and we've been celebrating lots, beginning with Ascension Thursday and Pentecost, with several more feasts on the way. I love living a liturgical life, the days marked by fasts and feasts. We're in the Octave of Pentecost. I love these feast days so much because the reality of the Holy Spirit within us is so present. He's imbued in all creation but He comes to us in a special way, to consecrate us in the Truth, and the more attention we pay to Him, the more He makes Himself and His Holy Will known to us. The Christian story astounds me--God comes down from Heaven as a poor and defenseless Baby to save us from our sins. And as if it's not enough that He suffers and dies for us, He stays with us in a real, physical manner in the consecrated Bread and Wine, and gives us the Holy Spirit as our Advocate. He does this all for me and for you! Is it any wonder that we fall down in Adoration?   

But before I get to June, I must post some pictures from May. With Dagny at home, Michael and I decided to take the train up to DC to spend a weekend with Max. It was lovely to have some one-on-one time with him, doing some sight-seeing, visiting his favorite places, and friends too. What a treat it was to have really good Chinese food! Sunday we went to Mass at St. Rita in Alexandria (it was the closest parish to where we were staying that offered the traditional Latin Mass) and it happened to be her feast day (May 22nd) so there was a High Mass. The church was packed with young families and many babies made a joyful sound with the choir. They sang Gregorian chant propers and a mix of Missa de Angelis and Byrd Mass for Three Voices. It was lovely. Later, we visited the Second Story warehouse! Max and I both bought only the books we could carry :) Best of all, when we arrived at his home, we got to see his article on Stella Maris in print in the Easter issue of the Lamp! 

Soon after we returned home, Dagny took a week-long trip to Texas for her best friends' wedding. I really love how these kids prepare themselves for marriage--what a gift to bestow upon your beloved. I highly recommend Three to Get Married by Ap. Fulton Sheen.  

I'm spending as much time as I can with my kiddos--they grow up too quickly. Reading lots too. Reviews forthcoming.  

The Lamp, Lenten Feasts, and Admiration

We've had such a beautiful time with our church family for Laetare Sunday and the Feast of St. Joseph. We've entered Passiontide but as our pastor reminds us, Lent is 40 days but Eastertide is 50.  Might I suggest Ten Easter Eggs for the little ones in your family? I'm so delighted it's still in print. I wonder if total sales have exceeded 100,000. They were close to 90,000 in 2019 and I've not received a statement since.

Below is Michael's cousin--there's definitely a family resemblance though Michael cannot grow such an impressive beard (his brother can). I can't wait to see Max et. al. during Easter break and have a celebratory reading of his letter to the editor published in its entirety in The Lamp. I might be asking him for advice on publishing in Catholic magazines next. So proud of him. And he's so proud of his father, looking very cool posing next to his Alfa Romeo. Ah, those were the days of fast cars and our guardian angels working overtime. Deo gratias! 

It's definitely spring here with pollen everywhere. I took this picture from the porch where I was hanging out the wash and looking in to see Jules cuddling up to Michael. Such a sweetie. 

And today--Happy Feast of the Annunciation and the Feast of the Good Thief Dismas! Legend tells us that Good Friday occurred on Mar. 25th and I love its circularity (I wrote about it when it did happen in 2016) and this is what Ap. Fulton Sheen said about St. Dismas in Life of Christ: 

“A dying man asked a dying man for eternal life; a man without possessions asked a poor man for a Kingdom; a thief at the door of death asked to die like a thief and steal Paradise. One would have thought a saint would have been the first soul purchased over the counter of Calvary by the red coins of Redemption, but in the Divine plan it was a thief who was the escort of the King of kings into Paradise. If Our Lord had come merely as a teacher, the thief would never have asked for forgiveness. But since the thief's request touched the reason of His coming to earth, namely, to save souls, the thief heard the immediate answer: 'I promise thee, this day thou shalt be With Me in Paradise' (Luke 23:43) It was the thief's last prayer, perhaps even his first. He knocked once, sought once, asked once, dared everything, and found everything. When even the disciples were doubting and only one was present at the Cross, the thief owned and acknowledged Him as Saviour.”

Writing an Outline

I encourage writers to get their foot into the door via the query letter. Some publishers require you submit an outline with it and I often get requests to see how I write them. I originally wrote one for Lady Mary but couldn't share the finished pieces so I'm posting the one I wrote for A Shot in the Arm because it's short and it illustrates the point well. This turned into a sidebar (~400 words) for the main article on The Science of Smallpox. You can read both articles here. Note that my bibliography is solid. I know some editors look at it first to see if the sources the writer plans to consult are good.

Outlining works for me because the jumbled images that come to my mind can be organized where I can see them. They often suggests a story and now I can see if all the elements are in a logical order. Note that my outline is a combination of sentences as well as short phrases. Many people balk at writing outlines. Fear not. You can write a rough draft and create an outline from it. Happy reading, writing and outlining.

A SHOT IN THE ARM – HOW VACCINES WORK 

1.      Introduction

·         Ouch!  Shots hurt.  But they prevent you from getting sick.

·         Teach body how to fight germs

2.      B cells

·         Trillions of B cells

·         Each B cell recognizes a bit of something that is NOT part of yourself

·         Specificity – germs match up with their B cells

·         B cell becomes active – clones itself and makes antibodies

·         Antibodies bind germ and destroy them

3.      Time frame of infection

·         Germs multiply fast – 1 can turn into a million in a few hours

·         B cells take about 1-2 weeks to catch up in antibody production

·         Height of battle – you start feeling better

4.      After the infection

·         Body is the same except that it knows how to fight against germ

·         Memory B cells – sometimes they live for your entire life

·         Basis of vaccination – vaccines contain dead/weakened germs without making you sick

·         Armed and ready to fight

·         Time frame of second infection – less than a week and you probably won’t even feel sick

5.      Edward Jenner

·         Cowpox protects against smallpox

     ·         Vaccines – magic bullets

References: 

1.      Helena Curtis.  1983.  Biology (Fourth Edition).  Worth Publishers.

2.      Bernard D. Davis et. al.  1980.  Microbiology (Third Edition).  Harper & Row Publishers.

3.      Edward Jenner.  1938.   Scientific papers: physiology, medicine, surgery and geology.  Harvard Classics Vol. 38.  P. F. Collier & Son, edited by Charles W. Eliot.

4.      Paul deKruif.  1926.  Microbe Hunters.  Harcourt Brace & Co.

5.      Louise E. Robbins.  2001.  Louis Pasteur and the Hidden World of Microbes.  Oxford University Press.

6.      Ivan Roitt et. al.  1985.  Immunology.  C.V. Mosby Co. 

The Lamp: a new literary magazine

The inaugural print issue of The Lamp: a Catholic Journal of Literature, Science, the Fine Arts, etc.  has been a great delight. Max told me about them about a year ago and I read a few free articles. I love that he bought a subscription for all of us to enjoy. The articles are all well written, witty, and I had to look up a few things as well, like what in the heck is Feuilleton and without even knowing I figured it out--tidbits. It had a bedtime story for children called The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids. I wonder how many parents read such stories to their kids. Everything is so nice nowadays.

The magazine has an elegant look with just the two tones and spot art. My three favorite pieces: JD Vance's conversion story for the truth of it, Urban Hannon's article on How to be a Radical--by going to the root of things, and Matthew Walther's Kale-Flavored Smoke, a review of Jules Verne's Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. I laughed so hard it made me want to pick it up again. It's great to see another Catholic literary magazine. Dappled Things is the other I know of.

And lookie, the second issue, Assumption 2020 arrived. Note the pretty blue. And Max just told us that his first academic paper has been published here: https://www.athwart.org/the-sound-of-revolution/  I'm so proud of him. Maybe he'll write something for the Lamp. Deo gratias!