Mass of Dedication

I confess--I've been singing more than I've been writing. But it's all so wonderful. Last week we've been practicing for the Mass of Dedication of St. Clare of Assisi in the church building itself. These past three years we've been watching it take shape on our walks but to be inside this magnificent space set apart to worship our Lord Jesus... oh my! I've not come down from heaven from the Dedication Mass. The entire liturgy is packed with meaning. Truly, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is a meeting of heaven and earth. Everything we have is a gift from Above and given that we're made in His Image we can exercise our creative gifts and offer the best to Him. Here I offer just a few pictures.

The narthex has this gorgeous piece showing the important events in the life of St. Clare of Assisi and a mosaic (made locally) of her motto. The Altar, stained glass windows, Stations of the Cross, and many more items like statues come from the Sisters of St. Francis in Pittsburg. I loved practicing (and it is all a prayer) in this space--great acoustics--and so proud of Michael chanting with the small group of professionals. To God, all the glory! 

We didn't want to leave the church after Mass but there was a lovely reception afterwards at Bishop England High School, across the street. The bells were ringing! Just imagine how beautiful it is going to be for the kids to pray here, instead of the gym. All this beauty points to our Almighty God. The liturgy itself teaches the tenets of our faith. It was a beautiful night walking home. Deo gratias!!! 

    

So fun to see St. Clare of Assisi in this journal here: New Gothic Revival Church in the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina ~ Liturgical Arts Journal

Letting Go, Moving on

Our priest gave a wonderful homily for Ascension. The Risen Christ was with the Apostles for 40 days and He prepared them to receive the Holy Spirit. We, too, shouldn't feel abandoned by God. He is with us! Here in the Church, in the Eucharist, and in the Holy Spirit. 
This Sunday, he preached on letting go. We have a tendency to stay in our old habits and old ways. My life for the past two decades has been dictated by the needs of my family. No longer can I use them as an excuse for procrastinating and not writing the stories God has placed upon my heart. Our younger child is moving on...we wouldn't be here without the help and prayers of faithful family and friends and teachers. Thank you, one and all.

 

 

 

 

 

We love you so much Dagny and are so very proud of you! I can't wait to see what God accomplishes in your life. I want you to always remember that true happiness will lie in surrendering to His Holy will. I let go of you a couple of years ago and into the hands of our Blessed Mother and now I especially ask her most chaste spouse, St. Joseph, to guard and protect you from all evil. God bless you in this next chapter of your life! For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart. ~ Jeremiah 29:11-13

 

Senior Celebrations

Our cats are having a blast with the graduation cap and gown! They love hiding in it and pouncing upon each other. Endless entertainment! They're also enjoying batting about the Ave Maria balloons! An old era coming to an end, a new one beginning. 



Here is Dagny receiving an award for the visual arts. It comes with a monetary prize! How lovely for her to be able to buy some art supplies to take down to Ave Maria. Yesterday we had the Baccalaureate Mass at Blessed Sacrament. We are so grateful for the Catholic education our children have been able to receive. Because of all the things to know and keep, this faith is the one true thing that will inform everything else. May all these kids grow in faith and virtue! God bless them all and their teachers.   

 

 

Growing, Growing, Gone

Here's Max having a last cuddle with Jules. Time seems to both dilate and constrict in relation to the kids. They are growing up so fast, we only have adults in the household now. And Max is already gone to DC for his internship at the Dept. of Education. I'll be very interested in what he learns there because I've spent quite a bit of time overseeing and supplementing our kids' education and coming to the conclusion that home-schooling might be superior than even Catholic schools. 


And here's my darling girl--18 now--I'd forgotten she always had a thing for coloring until this birthday card arrived from my dear friend Colleen (why yes, the Colleen in Bound is modeled after her and another friend!) I was so happy Max was here to celebrate her birthday and Mother's Day, too. We had trick candles for her birthday but she did manage to blow them all out after much smoke and sparkles and laughter! 

And here are the girls, all dressed up for prom. So lovely!

Gloria Purvis and Catholic Radio

I've heard Gloria Purvis on Catholic Radio many times, so was delighted to discover she was presenting for a fundraiser to bring a low-powered FM station to Bishop England, her alma mater.

Gloria spoke about her own spiritual journey, how the weekly Mass brought unity. She was aware of this as a little third-grader. She recalled a time, when as a 12-year-old she was involved in a food fight. Sister Carmelita was very unhappy with the behavior of the kids, even though they had cleaned up the mess, and made every child involved in the food fight admit their guilt in the classroom. Then instead of teaching religion she brought the kids to Adoration at the Cathedral's lower chapel. There, Gloria had a mystical experience--she felt consumed by a Holy Fire. It did not burn and it did not hurt. Later that day, when Sister spoke about preparation for confirmation, Gloria said she wanted to become Catholic. The sister told her she needed to get permission from her parents. Well, Gloria, went home and *told* her parents she was going to be Catholic. Her parents were very supportive but made sure she understood that she was to live her life as a Catholic by hearing Holy Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of obligation, praying the rosary, fasting on Fridays. It was actually her Baptist grandmother who taught Gloria all the Catholic devotions. Gloria's mother was Methodist, very involved in her church. One can imagine her pain and sorrow over not having Gloria with her. But she never complained and helped Gloria to practice her Catholic faith. Eventually all Gloria's sisters converted to Catholicism as well, but her parents remained Protestant.

Morning Prayer by Andre-Henri Dargelas

Gloria believed everything the Catholic Church taught. But once, while reciting the Creed, she heard an interior voice saying: Are you lying? I am the Giver of Life, yet you do not defend the most innocent life. This made Gloria hungry for what the Church teaches about marriage and sexuality. She read the papal documents such as Casti Connubii and Humane Vitae and began to appreciate God's plan for the human race.


I love that we are hearing the account of creation in Genesis right now at Daily Mass. I love catching it on EWTN every morning. Let us make man in *our* image! Male and female He created them. Gloria reminded us that they are to become one flesh and bear fruit. The family is the icon of the Holy Trinity. Sex is holy! We have to rediscover this truth. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court has redefined marriage, framing it as unjust discrimination but its language obscures the truth. The Civil Rights movement was about equal treatment for blacks and whites. The states had, in the past, added the non-essential element of race to prevent inter-racial marriage, and it was rightly struck down (Loving v. Virginia). However, with the recent redefinition of marriage, the courts have removed an essential part of marriage, that it is only between one man and one woman. To say that two men can marry and two women can marry strips the meaning of marriage--which in all cultures is for the begetting and raising of children--the reason for marriage. The family is the cornerstone of society and as goes the family, so does society.

It's not easy! We are fallen and we fail to love properly. That is why we have broken marriages. Even Moses recognized it and allowed for divorce, but Jesus reminds us: from the beginning it was not so. Jesus restores marriage. Christian marriage is free, faithful, fruitful, and forever. We must uphold this ideal.

Gloria spoke about the tremendous pressures placed on women to be like men. But denying our feminine nature isn't liberation; it's bondage. Instead of supporting women because they are the bearers of babies, employers would prefer they contracept and if it fails, abort the child. From a young age, a girl begins to see her body as inherently flawed because motherhood is no longer considered honorable. Fertility is treated like a disease. An enemy. And the child is pitted against the mother and father. The family is clearly under attack. It is the icon of the Holy Trinity and Satan hates it so he tries to stamp it out. Now more and more people do not know whether they are male or female. Even children are given hormones for gender dysphoria. This is child abuse.   

Gloria encouraged us to speak the truth, no matter what the cost. She left the corporate world to devote herself to the pro-life cause. Imagine her sorrow at not being able to have children. She prayed. She prayed for the desire to go away. But the Lord wanted her to carry it. It was 15 years of pain she offered up. She was sorely tempted to use artificial methods to achieve pregnancy. Didn't the Lord say to be fruitful and multiply? But the ends never justify the means. She went to Lourdes with her family. A year later--her little miracle was born! She said Mary is a real mama--when you take a dip in the waters of Lourdes, there's no need to do laundry.

Gloria shared many more stories. Her father was in the audience. He must be so proud of his little girl grown up and building the Kingdom of God! And her mother? A saint in heaven! God bless them.                  

Back to School

Ready. Set. Go! My girl is ready to conquer this last year of high school. I think she might even have enough AP credits to skip a year of college. We'll see. 

And this school year, I will learn about marketing. I have a good handle on writing, I'm learning about publishing, but marketing feels like a mystery to me. To this end, a very busy writer-mama-of-six and I had a chat over several cups of tea about BOUND: my first interview! I enjoyed it so very much and especially the surprise. Please see:

http://faithehough.blogspot.com/2018/08/kitchen-table-chat-with-vijaya-bodach.html

Another friend sent me a list of places to reach out to for interviews. If they are as fun to do as with Faith, I'm game. If not, I'll learn to have fun. I am so very blessed to have friends who push me. 

What new things are you planning to learn this school semester? I have a feeling I'll keep to a "school" schedule even after Dagny flies the nest.

Happy Fall Y'All and Happy 100th Anniversary of Fatima

It might be the season of spiders and pumpkins, but I am totally smitten with these Halloween kittens. It's taken them a long time to own us but now they demand to be petted (or else there's a love bite). It's such a comfort to have a cat in bed with me again. They still are terrified of new people and run away when they hear the dog bark, but discovering they are safe.
 


 

See how they help us? Whether it's cooking or writing or painting, they want to be a part of it. Dagny has been painting the drama sets for Sleepy Hollow with her friend.

 

 



I thought that perhaps our garden was finished--these were the last of the peppers I picked but Michael planted some lettuce and it's been so good to cut some to go with our supper every night. Ah, simple pleasures.



We still go to the beach in the evenings, but it's a bit chilly to go swimming. Not like this beach down in Florida. I have a feeling Max is having too good a time down at Ave Maria. 

 

 

Today is another Friday the 13th to celebrate! Another 100th anniversary! The first I wrote about here. A reminder to pray, pray, pray without ceasing for continual conversion. Oh Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.