The Rosary is the most amazingly versatile prayer ever. Yesterday I prayed the Glorious mysteries twice, once on my own after Reconciliation and once with the congregation before Mass, so this lovely morning I did not wish to repeat the same set of Mysteries yet again. So I chose the Luminous Mysteries and made my focus on each those Sacraments and sacramentals reflected in them and how grateful I am that the Sacraments were given to us through the Church. Baptism of the Lord I cannot pray this mystery without thinking about how odd it used to seem that Jesus, … Continue reading
Tag Archives: prayer
Who among Catholics is not familiar with this beautiful devotion? Who has not prayed at least some small part of it? If you prefer the traditional 15 mysteries, pray them! If you love the inclusion of the Luminous Mysteries, bring them in and do them! What is important, is to pray. The Rosary is for me a deeply meaningful meditation on the Gospels. So I follow the schema of Saint John Paul the Great and pray the Glorious Mysteries on Sundays and Wednesdays, the Joyful Mysteries on Mondays and Saturdays, the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesdays and Fridays, and the Luminous … Continue reading
Magnificat is a monthly magazine of daily devotionals for Catholics published Yonkers, NY. The issue I have in my hand is the April issue with a special supplement included for Holy Week. My first impression is positive, the paper cool and smooth in my hand, the pages easy to flip, the text easy on the eyes, and the size just right to keep handy. There is a richness to the material that feeds the soul. The cover art is lovely and a commentary on that art is found near the back of each issue. A brief greeting from the editor … Continue reading
I am on the side of our Holy Father even if his imprecision of speech makes me uncomfortable. He is the Pope, and on faith and morals cannot err. Himself has said that he holds to all of Church teaching– so every word he says must be understood against the backdrop of total orthodoxy– even if the press and the enemies of the Church (inside and out) refuse to see it that way. A darling person, whose blog ( A Woman’s Place… ) I love to read, has also been troubled by this; I feel for her, she too loves … Continue reading
Several friends were discussing the the changes in our education system which even the parochial schools are embracing. We discussed a book assigned to middle school children written in first person from the perspective of a pedophile and everyone felt that it was not appropriate reading material for a child who is barely entering puberty. They were wondering what the agenda was that caused the writers of this program to select a book about sexual deviancy for children who do not yet have their own healthy sexuality set solidly. We agreed that the pornographic sex education was just wrong and … Continue reading
Over at Lay Catholics: National Association of American Lay Catholics is a marvelous posting of a prayer by St. Augustine. As Catholic lay persons it is imperative that we include our country and our leaders in our daily prayers; we are to be salt and light in the world and as such, it is important that we be realistic about the communal nature of sin and the importance of communal repentance. Just as we ask the prayers of the Saints for our intentions, expecting that their holiness will be an aid to us, so too we must realize that our … Continue reading
Silent Retreats are a means of stepping away from the usual business of life and focus hard on God. As always, what I got out of my silent retreat is not what I expected to get out of my silent retreat. God always has plans that differ from what I expect even when I don’t think I expect anything in particular. The retreat I participated in was held at Featherock Conference Center in Schulenburg Texas. As ALWAYS, the facility was spotlessly clean and well appointed inside, the grounds immaculately presented and beautiful, the food excellent, and the program well designed. … Continue reading
The greatest weakness interfering with me sticking perfectly to my diet is stress. One humdinger of a crazy day followed by passing a candy machine on campus and there I go, falling into temptation. I went a full MONTH without a single glitch or binge. A month of eating on my diet, feeling really really good, and losing a lovely bunch of pounds. Then in one fell swoop, I ate two chocolate bars. In one sitting like a greedy little glutton, I scarfed down those two chocolate goodies. I didn’t even eat them slow enough to enjoy them. This may … Continue reading
Prayer and a stiff dose of medicine to calm my anxieties worked in tandem to get me through my second attempt at a closed MRI. Being a rather fat woman, it felt snug. Yesterday’s attempt resulted in shaking, tears, and panic. Not at all pleasant and rather embarrassing. Today I daydreamed, enjoyed the uninterrupted time to think in peace, said a relaxed 33 prayer rope (Chotki) like my Orthodox buddy Maria uses, and a decade of a rosary, counted out on my fingers. I spent time thinking about such theological truths as the reality of the Holy Trinity along with … Continue reading
I love the pristine hopefulness of a new year. A New year has so many possibilities, so much potential and a whole 12 months of adventure in it. I shall make plans and enter into the New Year eagerly and energetically. How will it turn out? Will the New Year be a disaster, or success, or something in between? I resolve to cling tightly to my personal goals. I plan to adhere to my healthy eating plan, geared to my issues with blood sugar, and my need to lose weight. How? I will combat the feelings of deprivation by pampering … Continue reading