Prayers for Cathy of Alex

I am offline Wednesday. I will be too busy praying for Cathy of Alex and her special intention. I hope you will join me.

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Slander, calumny, detraction...

... oh my.

The wonderful company that I work for is hiring someone new.

Yesterday someone I know came to apply for the job. I do NOT like him.

I have been writing my first impressions of applicants on their resumes (ie; multiple facial piercings yet pleasant, or young and perky, etc.)

This particular candidate bothered me so much that I had a closed door meeting with our business manager and told her that I had serious personal and professional misgivings about him. She said I have never spoken unkindly about anyone so she was taking my advice seriously.
So when does my personal Ick Meter turn into slander? I mean - I had to give a couple of examples why this guy makes my skin crawl.

He did list that he was on medical leave for a time and that the company he worked for at that time not be called for references (uh...that's a red flag right there!) I know it was for depression (he and his wife are very vocal about his issues when you meet them in a social situation) but I didn't really get into that with the business manager. I don't think depression is a reason not to hire someone.

Anyway, I am glad he is not being considered but I hope I didn't cross the lines into sin. Can anybody speak to that? I could bring it up at confession but at the same time I am NOT sorry he is out of the running. Honestly, if they had hired him I would have quit.

And in my mind there is a difference between working with someone you don't really like and someone who makes your skin crawl. The first example might be someone that the Lord needs you to learn a lesson from. The second...I don't know.

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Birthday Wishes

Happy 24th Birthday to my Baby Boy!

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From the Padre Pio movie

You can watch the whole movie on youtube.

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Fr. Groeschel needs your prayers

Father Groeschel 2 weeks before having a small stroke.

Father Benedict Groeschel, whose whole life has been spent preaching the Gospel, suffered a minor stroke in mid-March, leaving him with some speech difficulties.

Father Benedict made the news public on his regular Sunday evening talk show March 29 on the Eternal Word Television Network, “Sunday Night Life with Father Benedict Groeschel.”

Appearing before a life audience, the 75-year-old Franciscan Friar of the Renewal noted that he had missed the show the previous Sunday because he had suffered a stroke overnight March 20-21. Another member of his community, Father Andrew Apostoli, also well-known to EWTN viewers, substituted for him.

Father Benedict’s speech was obviously impaired as he revealed the news, and he misspoke Father Andrew’s name as Father Augustine.

He also confused a recent story in the news when he said that the University of Notre Dame was receiving an award from President Obama.

But Father Benedict said that his speech difficulties improve as he continues to talk, and, in fact, by the time the one-hour program was over, he was speaking much more normally. He even poked fun at himself for getting Father Andrew’s name wrong: “I’ll never live that down.”

His guest on the program was author Immaculée Ilibagiza, whose book “Left to Tell” described her experience during the mid-1990s tribal conflict in Rwanda that left 800,000 people dead. Although the subject of the interview was her new book, “Our Lady of Kibeho,” and the Vatican’s approval of the apparition, Father Benedict and callers to the program also discussed Ilibagiza’s survival of the atrocities in Rwanda and the role her faith played in it.

As if to drive home the need for faith and hope during such times, Father Benedict near the end of the program repeated the news that he had suffered a stroke. He said he decided to go ahead with his program so that viewers who may be suffering in some way won’t give up.

Father Groeschel also announced that he was beginning a new series on the network.

Barackedygook courtesy of Larry D

My buddy Larry D has added a new word to the North American lexicon: barackedygook.

Check out what it means HERE!

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No offense to those who Twitter....

From my friend Maria C. in the UK...

The following was in her parish bulletin this weekend.

Two friends were walking through the desert. At one point of the journey, they had an argument and one friend slapped the other round the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but, without saying anything, wrote in the sand, "Today my friend slapped me round the face."

They kept walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to go for a swim. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and began to drown, but his friend saved him. After he had recovered, he wrote on a stone, "Today my friend saved my life."

The one who had first slapped and later saved his friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now you write on a stone. Why?" The friend replied, "When someone hurts us we should write it down in the sand where the winds of forgiveness can blow it away. But when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.

The Chaplet - Sing or Speak?

I will be leading the Divine Mercy Novena starting Good Friday.

I cannot carry a tune in a bucket.

In previous years I believe we have always sung the Chaplet.

I prefer the sung version but do not wish to impose my tuneless warble on fellow parishioners.

Maybe I should film myself singing and you can vote....

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Lay Formation

From our diocesan Lay Formation brochure...

"Being Catholic has less to do with what you know and more to do with the kind of person you chose to become."

Discuss....

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When parents do foolish things...

I was talking to a friend of my son's today. She lives with her boyfriend in a house owned by his parents who are fellow parishioners. Mama is begging them to marry, asking if they will come to Mass, etc. and they refuse.Does anyone else see a disconnect here???!

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Heh...me and my big mouth....

In an earlier post I mentioned that I was taking on the responsibility of spreading the message of Divine Mercy. Well, as of this morning I am now leading the Novena from Good Friday to Saturday April 18. The lady that usually does this is away until May and nobody else has expressed any interest in leading it.

Lord, have mercy on me! I cannot sing and the Chaplet sounds so beautiful when it's sung. I will have a Polish couple helping me - I am so grateful for them!

Just sign me,
taking a leap of faith - JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU!!!

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Pray for Fr. T, please.

When I was considering attending the Divine Mercy conference in the Bronx several weeks ago I prayed to God that if He would clear the way for me to go that I would spread the message of Divine Mercy when I returned.

When I came back from New York I dug out some pamphlets in a box and I sent them with MJ's Mass card to 2 friends who could not attend the funeral.

I gave MJ's sister a Divine Mercy holy card that I received at the conference. (She is an agnostic and the other sister is a devout JW.)

Lately Father's homilies have had a different quality about them. One day he spoke about the mercy and love of Jesus that flowed from His side like blood and water at the Crucifixion. My eyes nearly bugged out of my head!

Tonight at Mass Father mentioned that he was speaking to someone who had been reading some kind of prophecies that were scaring her. He told her that she shouldn't read them, that Jesus was merciful, and please find something else to read! I was stunned - I had a letter in my purse for him requesting that he delve a little deeper into the Divine Mercy devotion in time for April 19. I included an article by Cardinal Arinze (who I know he admires) on the readings of Divine Mercy Sunday and a pamphet with a short biography on St. Faustina.

Pray that he will open his heart more and more to this beautiful and life-giving devotion.

I also reminded him this is not some devotion for little old ladies but one promoted by Pope John Paul the Great, Cardinal Arinze and our friend Fr. Groeschel - hardly a shrinking violet in the bunch!!!!

Oh - and the nuns at the Cathedral disapprove of St. Faustina and her message of mercy and of OBEDIENCE to her superiors. That alone tells me this is a good and orthodox devotion!!! Oh and the nuns don't like Adoration either. *sigh* Pray for them.

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Why start on Good Friday?

Why does the Divine Mercy Novena start on Good Friday and wind up on the day before Divine Mercy Sunday? Don't novenas usually conclude ON the feast day?

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Scapular Bumper Stickers

The Brown Scapular: Don't Get Dressed Without It
The Brown Scapular: Just Wear It
The Brown Scapular: Catholic Underwear
The Brown Scapular: You Bet Your Eternal Life!
The Brown Scapular: You're Better off Dead
The Brown Scapular: Plenty of Time to Itch in Heaven
The Brown Scapular: Put Stock in Simon Stock
The Brown Scapular: It's a Shirt. It's a Shield.
The Brown Scapular: Cool Catholics Wear Wool
The Brown Scapular: Carmel Coating

From CatholiCity

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Annunciation

Happy Feast Day!

I was pondering how the Divine Mercy fits in with this day and immediately I thought about the level of trust Mary had - "may it be done to be me according to your word." That is trust!

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The 12 Ecological Mysteries of the Rose Bush

My good buddy Cathy gave me an idea. She was feeling cranky and warned us not to pray the Rosary of the Ecological Mysteries during Lent (or ever, in fact!) I thought it would be fun to come up with just what those mysteries might be....have at her folks! I will start...

First Joyful Mystery of Ecology - the trees are alive and need your hugs!

Hail Tree, full of fruit, the spirit of the wood nymphs are in you, blessed are you among Mother Earth Gaia and blessed is the fruit of your boughs. Holy huggable tree, please don't be chopped down to be made into toilet paper.

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First Sorrowful Mystery of Ecology - the bad people fly in airplanes spewing noxious fumes into the atmosphere (never mind that we all flew to Brazil to see Bono and Sting and left a big a** carbon a**print in the sky even though our attendance at the Save the Rainforest, Save the World offset the a**print.)

Hail Oxygen, giver of breath, stay pure and far from the bad people who claim to save the world but smoke cigarettes, among other grasses and leaves. Holy cow man, how will we fly to the next conference if we actually follow our own advice?

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First Glorious Mystery of Ecology - the animals are created and they are our friends and we will see them in heaven and they are our equals, no scratch that - they are superior to us.

Hail Chimpanzee! precursor to the human race, you are almost as smart as us. Blessed are you among animals because you look like us - or is it the othe way around? - and yet we will trap you and train you to amuse us - wait! - where's PETA when we need them?!

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OK, folks - we have at 12 more mysteries to unravel!

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Well, this day just slipped away and still no real post. Mabye tomorrow. In the meantime please pray for Fr. Groeschel who is ill. It's probably just exhaustion or a bad cold or simply old age but pray anyway.

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I'm still alive!

Posting a few tidbits in the next couple hours.

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Happy St. Joseph's Feast Day!

Almost too late but Happy St. Joseph's Feast Day!
Never mind the Hamantaschen in the back of the
box - enjoy the Zeppole
in honour of Canada's patron saint!

Fashion notes: Cathy - Fr. Pavone was dressed in slimming black with a crisp white collar! As for Fr. Groeschel - he doesn't have any hair to dye! Well, unless you counted his beard!

More this weekend - still a bit off kilter after MJ's passing.

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FINALLY!

I've been offline since Sunday - had lots of viruses that necessitated life saving surgery at the IT shop. But I'm baaaaaaaaaack!

I missed you all!

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Prayers needed

In a previous post I mentioned that MJ died. She went to my parish. She died suddenly in her sleep a few days ago. She was only in her 40s and left behind a husband and 3 children. Her husband is an Evangelical and we did not think he would let her have a Catholic funeral but he is going to allow it. God bless him!

We are trying to raise some funds to help with funeral expenses as this family is not financially stable - your prayers to help with that would be appreciated.

This is a very sad end for someone who had a very, very hard life. I pray she has found peace and I do appreciate your prayers so that we can help pay for her funeral. God bless you.

My trip to the Bronx for the Divine Mercy conference

I would love to fill you all in on my trip but MJ's sudden death has put a damper on the excitement. I will post a few things that happened though:

I met and spoke with Fr. Groeschel and he autographed a book for me.

I met and spoke with Fr. Pavone and invited him to speak at our parish.

My trip was perfect from start to finish - flights on time, short lineups, no problems at customs, saw everyone I wanted to see. Every moment was a blessing. In a day or two I will write more.

Here are a couple photos:

Fr. Pavone. I am crazy about him!

Linda and Louise. Linda "adopted" me and in typical brash
"Noo Yawk" fashion made sure I met Fr. Groeschel!

Br. Nicholas helps Fr. Groeschel. Fr. Kaz, MIC in the background.

Br. Nicholas (what a sweetie!), Fr. Groeschel and
Dr. Robert Stackpole in the background.

Was the trip worth it? It was the trip of a lifetime!!!!
Lent a desert? Perhaps, but I found the oasis of living water!

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Lord, have mercy

May 2008 - Finally received into Holy Mother Church.

March 2009 - May you rest in Peace,
the Peace you could not find on earth.

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I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!

I'm back!

I had fun and I have lots of news!

Also, some sad news (not about my family but about a parishioner.)

Back after supper.....


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One more sleep!

One more sleep until I leave for Noo Yawk!

I will try to post a bit tonight but then I don't expect to be on until at least March 10.

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Photo of my eldest son

I rarely post about Son #1 because he is very quiet (and I don't like his GF!) but he just sent me this from a dinner he went to on the weekend. He is a non-commissioned officer in Army Cadets.
Isn't he handsome in his mess kit?!

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Can't forgive yourself? Read this!

How Can We Learn To Forgive Ourselves?

By Dr. Robert Stackpole, STD (Jan 29, 2009)
This column was originally posted on July 25, 2007.

I received a letter recently that was very short, but also expressed profound sadness:

I am 72, and while I am trying to live in the present moment, I am having a great deal of difficulty forgiving myself for past transgressions. Is there a Divine Mercy source that might be helpful to me?

I am tempted to respond to this tender and sensitive person, thusly: "Not only is there a Divine Mercy source that can help you, but only The Divine Mercy can help you. And He definitely will!

The lady who wrote this letter is not alone. Many of us are morally and spiritually frustrated with ourselves. Perhaps we are not making as much progress as we had hoped in overcoming some of our besetting sins. Others of us, looking back on our lives, see so many compromises, so many ways we let others down and let ourselves down.

The past can't be erased. Moreover, our past performance does not give us much hope that we shall do much better in the future. And many of us have committed horrible sins, the memory of which continue to haunts us. We may think, "What a loser I am; what a disappointment I am. And if I am such a disappointment to myself, how much more so to our Lord Jesus! Can He really forgive me for all this? Can He really ever say to me those words in the gospel that He promised He would say to those who enter heaven: 'Well done, good and faithful servant' (Mt 24:21)?"

First point: if that is how you feel, then welcome to the human race. The fact is, according to God's standard of perfect human goodness, except for Jesus Himself, and she who was full of grace, His mother Mary, all of us are losers, all of us fall short, all of us are a big disappointment and are unworthy of forgiveness. Everyone. Anyone who thinks otherwise is lying to himself (see I Jn 1:8).

Second point: our Lord does not love us because we are good; rather, we can be good because He first loves us (I Jn 4:19). His love is a free gift: just because He made us, and bought us with His own blood on the Cross.

We don't have to try to earn His love. All we need to do is receive it and let Him love us more and more. As Fr. George Kosicki, a great Divine Mercy evangelist, likes to say, the rays on the image of The Divine Mercy are always pouring out toward us. We don't have to do anything to make that happen. There is no "on/off" button for the rays on the Image — they are always on! In a section of her Diary entitled "Conversation of the Merciful God with a Sinful Soul," Jesus said to St. Faustina:

Be not afraid of your Savior, O sinful soul. I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you are unable to lift yourself to Me. Child, do not run away from your Father; be willing to talk openly with your God of mercy who wants to speak words of pardon and lavish his graces on you. How dear your soul is to Me! I have inscribed your name upon my hand; you are engraved as a deep wound in My Heart. ...

My mercy is greater than your sins and those of the entire world. Who can measure the extent of My goodness? For you I descended from heaven to earth; for you I allowed myself to be nailed to the cross; for you I let my Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come then, with trust to draw graces from this fountain. I never reject a contrite heart. Your misery has disappeared in the depths of My Mercy. Do not argue with Me about your wretchedness. You will give me pleasure if you hand over to me all your troubles and griefs. I shall heap upon you treasures of My grace (Diary, 1485).

If we have a Savior who loves us that much: who made us, who cancelled our debt of sin with His own blood on the Cross, who says we are "engraved" deeply in His Heart right now, who promises that He "never" rejects a contrite heart (and we must be contrite if our sentiments are like those of the "first point," above!), and if He tells us that we even rejoice His Heart now and give Him "pleasure" when we entrust to Him all our doubts and all our miseries — if all that is true (and it certainly is, because the Bible says so, and the Catholic Church says so), then what reason can we possibly cling to for doubting that Jesus forgives us?

After all, Jesus has a lot tougher cases than us to deal with! After all, we are contrite for our sins and have gone to confession. Think of the vast multitudes that grieve His Heart that are not sorry in the least for their sins and their betrayal of His love. He loves these souls, too, and yet they are marching blindly to perdition!

So if Jesus — the Son of God, the Good Shepherd, the Savior of the world — can forgive us, what reason can we possibly give for not forgiving ourselves? All such reasons vanish away. His mercy is an infinite "ocean" (Diary, 718). Our finite little sins are barely a drop compared to that ocean. By His love, He plunges contrite souls into that ocean of mercy and washes every stain of sin away.

Of course, our memories can still trouble us. We shudder sometimes when we think of the sins we have committed. Sometimes it seems as if our memory is poisoned and needs healing. It's true. That is an after-effect of sin. So entrust that to Him, too, every day. Ask Him to heal your memories on your road to heaven. And He will. Sometimes He will do so all at once; sometimes slowly and gradually. Just resolve that every time you remember those past sins that make you wince — those sins that have already been dealt with in confession — you will entrust the sad memories of those sins to His healing mercy.

Sometimes we think, "But look at all the upset and misery that my sins caused other people, and most of this I can never set right." That's right. Most of it we can never set right ourselves. But HE can, and He will if we ask Him. "In everything God works for good with those who love Him" (Rom 8:28). Even if we do not see how He brings all things around to serve His plan, we can trust that He will accomplish it.

We will not always feel forgiven. Remember that our feelings can depend on many factors other than spiritual ones. For example, our health or our level of fatigue or stress. As North Americans, we put a great deal of emphasis on feelings (probably too much), and therefore, if we don't "feel" forgiven, we tend to wonder whether we really are.

But where does the Bible say that God only forgives those who feel forgiven? And did you ever hear a priest in the confessional say: "And I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, just so long as you feel forgiven"?

Of course not! Jesus Christ's forgiveness is a free gift and a fact; it's not a feeling. If you have trouble feeling forgiven, here is a remedy that may help. First, take very good care of your health and get plenty of rest. Second, don't think about your own feelings. Just think about Jesus' feelings about you. In Diary entries 1487 and 1489, we can read Jesus' feelings about each of us:

What joy fills My Heart when you return to Me. Because you are weak, I take you in My arms and carry you to the home of My Father. ... In a soul that lives on my love alone, I reign as in heaven. I watch over it day and night. In it I find my happiness.

I will be seeing Dr. Stackpole at the DM Conference on Saturday. If I get a chance to, I will be thanking him personally for this article.

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Where is Jackie???

Jackie, of Catholic Mom of 10 Revisited, hasn't updated her blog in 3 weeks. I clicked on her link and it says the blog has been removed. I know Jackie suffers from bi-polar - does ANYONE know how she is or what is happening???

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Hippie Death Watch

I love Gem and here's why.

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