Our Godson's Baptism

"Baptism is the sacrament that gives our souls the new life of sanctifying grace by which we become Christians, children of God, and heirs of heaven." ~ My Catholic Faith

Loving God, Creator of all good things,

Thank you for the gift of life given to our godchild.

What a privilege it was for us to stand as witnesses for the Church

when our godchild was washed in baptismal waters.

Lord, help us to be faithful to you all the days of our lives.

As our godchild grows in age and faith,

enable us to be a good example for him

of how to live as a follower of Jesus.

Through our love and concern, in moments of joy and sorrow,

allow us to reveal your loving face, O God.

We pray this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Baptism Pictures

I DO have quite a few pictures to share from Ben's Baptism yesterday, thanks to our friend Marc, who so kindly agreed to use my camera... (Thank you Marc!!) However, I just couldn't get my computer to cooperate last night when I tried to upload them. Today I am busy working on my Aunt's bookkeeping (Will it EVER be caught up?!), so I won't be able to get to it quite yet... I promise to post them soon, but in the meantime head on over to Amy's and check out her pictures. ☺

Prayer to St. John Bosco

O glorious Saint John Bosco, who in order to lead young people to the feet of the divine Master and to mold them in the light of faith and Christian morality didst heroically sacrifice thyself to the very end of thy life and didst set up a proper religious Institute destined to endure and to bring to the farthest boundaries of the earth thy glorious work, obtain also for us from Our Lord a holy love for young people who are exposed to so many seductions in order that we may generously spend ourselves in supporting them against the snares of the devil, in keeping them safe from the dangers of the world, and in guiding them, pure and holy, in the path that leads to God. Amen.

(Our plans for today are pretty much the same as last year, though I just might add a batch of Bachelor Buttons or this Twinkie Tiramisu for dessert! Yum!!)

In Honor of St. Thomas Aquinas

A few pictures from Yesterday

I remembered that I had purchased a little packet of five Lindt Chocolate Angels after Christmas, on clearance... What a perfect treat in honor of the "Angelic Doctor!!"

A bit of reading and tea for me!

Yes, I am now have 4 different books that I am currently reading... To quote Karen Andreola, "The habit of grown-ups reading "living" books and retaining the power to digest them will be lost if we refuse to give a little time to Mother Culture. A wise woman--an admired mother and wife--when asked how, with her week physical health and many demands upon her time, she managed to read so much, said, "Besides the Bible, I always keep three books going that are just for me--a stiff book, a moderately easy book, and a novel, and I always take up the one I feel fit for." That is the secret: always have something "going" to grow by."

The girls baked star shaped sugar cookies since "the star, St. Thomas Aquinas' symbol, signifies the divine guidance given him in his work."

More cookies!
In addition to the stars, the girls also used a mini angel cookie cutter.



What do you think? Do they look more like angels or doves? Either way they work just fine since, in addition to being called the "Angelic Doctor," the dove is another symbol for St. Thomas Aquinas!

The boys loved coloring the "Comic Page" from A Year with God.

What a great addition to their notebooks.
I'll have to remember to pull these out more often!


Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas

Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you. Amen.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Lovin' our new books!

WoW ~ Week 3

It's Wednesday ALREADY?!? Ugh! I was doing great. I weighed on Saturday, and was down another couple pounds, but I totally blew it Saturday night eating pizza and the scale jumped up FOUR POUNDS! I didn't think it would make that much of a difference. Obviously it did, and I have been working since then to get it off. Thankfully, I can still report a loss for this week, but only 1 pound... I did a bit better with inches lost.

My Summary:

• Week Three Weight Loss/Gain: -1 pound
• Inches Loss/Gain: -3 inches
  
• Overall Results: -5.5 pounds and -5.5"
  

Last Week's Goals:

• Try and get 3 walks in at the track or at home (if the weather is bad) using Walk Away the Pounds Express. [I only walked twice.]
  
• Exercise daily using Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred DVD avoiding the squats and possibly "jumping rope" till my knee is better. [This didn't happen... Instead I did her crunches and upper body exercises, avoiding anything using my legs. I can feel a difference, and I am really bummed that I haven't been able to do this.]
  
• Resume tracking food and enter it into Spark People. [After the pizza, I dropped the ball on tracking... It really does help though!]
  
• Continue watching portion sizes and hopefully make better choices this week. [I was great about this, except for those 3 or 4 pieces of pizza.]
  
• Drink MORE water! [I am getting better! My boys have been helping with this, and have been bringing me glasses of water on occasion! I love them!]
  

This Week's Goals:

• Lose 2.5 pounds! Can I do it?
  

To see everyone's stats, or report your own, head on over to Regina's!

For St. Thomas Aquinas

Tomorrow, January 28th, marks the feast of one of the greatest Doctors of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas. It is also the date on which The Summa Theologica, written by St. Thomas, was originally published.

Before 1969, and in the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, his feast was (and is) observed on March 7th, the anniversary of his death.

In honor of his feast, we will be whipping up some star shaped cookies since "the star, St. Thomas Aquinas' symbol, signifies the divine guidance given him in his work." I just posted this along with a few other ideas for celebrating his feast over at Catholic Cuisine.

I also just copied the Cartoon Page about St. Thomas Aquinas from A Year With God for my children to color tomorrow, and then add to their liturgical notebooks, while I read them a brief story about St. Thomas Aquinas from the beautiful picture book More Saints: Lives & Illuminations.

I am really tempted to pull The Quiet Light: A Novel About Thomas Aquinas off my book shelf and sneak in a little reading for myself... I absolutely LOVE all of Louis de Wohl's books! In fact, I am going to sign off for the night, and do just that!

Before I go, I'll end with a quote and a prayer to St. Thomas that I jotted down last year on his feast:

"There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship."

~ St. Thomas Aquinas

God our Father, you made Thomas Aquinas known for his holiness and learning. Help us to grow in wisdom by his teaching, and in holiness by imitating his faith. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

St. Thomas Aquinas ~ Ora pro nobis!

My Daybook ~ January 26, 2009

FOR TODAY: January 26th, 2009

Outside my Window... the sun is starting to come out from behind the clouds.

I am thinking... about our 8th baby that is on the way! Our 8th Godchild, that is!! ;) He will be baptized on Friday!

I am thankful... that the Vit D prescription is really helping!! I am feeling so much better.

From the kitchen... there isn't much of anything. Thankfully hubby has been picking up some things these past couple weeks (or should I say months), but now I REALLY need to do a big shopping trip. (I put this off, since, with my hubby's schedule I have to take all 5 kiddos, plus it is quite a drive and turns into a half day ordeal... I just haven't had the time or energy!) Breakfast today was cold cereal, lunch will be PB&J's, and I think I will make taquitos for dinner. I will HAVE to shop tomorrow... Or maybe I should just give hubby another list?

From the school room... I am starting to wonder if we are ever going to finish the "simple" 10 Commandments Lapbook. Rascal started painting it and we realized our black paint (which he wanted to mix with some white to paint the cover to look like stone) had turned green... How does that happen? The girls had so much fun with our "Winter Fun" theme last week that we are continuing their study with a couple lapbooks on Snow and Winter. Right now Twinkle Toes is painting snowflakes with glitter and Chiquita is cutting and pasting things that are white!

I am creating...birthday party invitations for Rascal's "Golden" birthday in 2 weeks. I had asked hubby to see if he could find some in town the other day, and he didn't have any luck... So I'm trying to be creative. They are turning out cute!

I am going... to try and start making it to weekday Mass again. The kids and I use to go every morning until I was pregnant (and just too sick) with Snuggles, then gas cost WAY too much and we couldn't afford it. Now I am not pregnant and gas has come down, not to mention we have a wonderful new associate pastor, so I think I need to get back in the habit. I really miss it, and it was such a wonderful way to start the day.

I am wearing... black sweats, white tank, and a gray cable-knit hoodie. Yes, I do wear sweats at home sometimes, and for exercising, even though most people wonder if I even OWN pants! ;)

I am reading... I didn't have much time for reading last week, so I am still working on the same books as last week: Boys Should Be Boys: 7 Secrets to Raising Healthy Sons, Haystack Full of Needles, A Catholic Home Educator's Guide to Socialization, and Saints at the Dinner Table. I still haven't started The Domestic Church: Room by Room A Mother's Study Guide... (Amy this might be a good one for a Book Study?! What do you think?)

I am hoping... to finish the invitations today and get them to the post office tomorrow morning, along with a couple other things that need to get mailed.

I am hearing... the girls giggling as they paint snowflakes, Snuggles is playing with a few toys, and my boys are asking me questions about their English assignments.

Around the house... lots of laundry to catch up, as usual. I also plan to try and clean the bedrooms, it has been awhile and they are MESSY!

One of my favorite things...is spending time with friends!! We had so many visits this weekend. Our friend Marc came over Saturday night, Amy's family came over after Mass on Sunday, and then we went out for dinner last night to celebrate another friend's birthday! It was a busy weekend, but filled with great friends and fun!

A Few Plans For This Week...

• Mrs. K meets with Rascal and Twinkle Toes Monday-Wednesday.
• Try and make it to daily Mass a couple times -- probably Tues & Wed.
• A visit from some friends Wednesday Afternoon.
• Our wonderful new associate pastor (who was SUCH a huge blessing to me during my miscarriage) will be coming for dinner on Thursday.
  
• Friday morning will we be attending Mass and Benediction, followed by a Baptism and Reception!
• Saturday I'll be doing more bookkeeping, I am now up to August, so I am making progress!
• Mass again on Sunday... and I think that is it, so far!
  

A picture thought I am sharing:

The girls helping their little brother walk to the car after Mass

To see more Daybook's visit Peggy!

It's Official

The Holy Father has lifted the excommunications placed on the Bishops ordained by Lefebvre!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Decree of the Congregation for Bishops

CONGREGATIO PRO EPISCOPIS

By way of a letter of December 15, 2008 addressed to His Eminence Cardinal Dario Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, Mons. Bernard Fellay, also in the name of the other three Bishops consecrated on June 30, 1988, requested anew the removal of the latae sententiae excommunication formally declared with the Decree of the Prefect of this Congregation on July 1, 1988. In the aforementioned letter, Mons. Fellay affirms, among other things: "We are always firmly determined in our will to remain Catholic and to place all our efforts at the service of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the Roman Catholic Church. We accept its teachings with filial disposition. We believe firmly in the Primacy of Peter and in its prerogatives, and for this the current situation makes us suffer so much."

His Holiness Benedict XVI - paternally sensitive to the spiritual unease manifested by the interested party due to the sanction of excommunication and trusting in the effort expressed by them in the aforementioned letter of not sparing any effort to deepen the necessary discussions with the Authority of the Holy See in the still open matters, so as to achieve shortly a full and satisfactory solution of the problem posed in the origin - decided to reconsider the canonical situation of Bishops Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson, and Alfonso de Galarreta, arisen with their episcopal consecration.

With this act, it is desired to consolidate the reciprocal relations of confidence and to intensify and grant stability to the relationship of the Fraternity of Saint Pius X with this Apostolic See. This gift of peace, at the end of the Christmas celebrations, is also intended to be a sign to promote unity in the charity of the universal Church and to try to vanquish the scandal of division.

It is hoped that this step be followed by the prompt accomplishment of full communion with the Church of the entire Fraternity of Saint Pius X, thus testifying true fidelity and true recognition of the Magisterium and of the authority of the Pope with the proof of visible unity.

Based on the faculties expressly granted to me by the Holy Father Benedict XVI, in virtue of the present Decree, I remit from Bishops Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson, and Alfonso de Galarreta the censure of latae sententiae excommunication declared by this Congregation on July 1, 1988, while I declare deprived of any juridical effect, from the present date, the Decree emanated at that time.

Rome, from the Congregation for Bishops, January 21, 2009.

Card. Giovanni Battista Re
Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops

The Vatican has said that, "The Holy Father in this decision was inspired by the wish that full reconciliation and full communion can be achieved soon." Isn't this wonderful?!?! What a perfect end to a rather depressing week.

Let us continue to pray for unity of all Christians!!

UPDATE: Click here to read Bishop Fellay's Texts on the withdrawal of the Excommunications.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Fr. Z has posted a great explanation on exactly what this means. We need to just keep praying that it won't be long until the SSPX is reconciled with The Holy See.

Little Flowers Girls' Club ~ January Meeting

I can't tell you all just much my girls look forward to Little Flowers each month!! They are developing great little friendships with the other girls in our group and having a wonderful time.

Last night we had our January meeting. This month's theme was: St. Joan of Arc, the virtue of Obedience, the color white, and the Carnation. Here is an overview from our meeting:

Each month I have had coloring pages for the girls to color as we wait for everyone to arrive. Since this month's lesson focused on St. Joan of Arc, the girls colored a beautiful stained glass picture of her out of Fenestrae Fidei. While they were coloring, they listened to God's Hero on Horseback: The Story of St. Joan of Arc.

Once all the girls arrived we began our meeting with the prayer to St. Therese and the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love. We then continued with a review of last month's virtue and saint. As usual beads went into the jar for all the completed assignments... The jar is starting to fill up!

Next I introduced the virtue we will be working on this month, Obedience, and we read a short biography of the saint for this month, St. Joan of Arc.

After that I continued the lesson by asking the girls questions about Obedience. Like the last couple months, I once again used the book Chat's With God's Little Ones. This month I used the lesson on The Fourth Commandment. This book has been a life-saver and I have been thrilled with how great these little lessons are working for our meetings!!!

Following the lesson the girls began making their notebook pages for this month. I had a really hard time finding Carnation embellishments so I found a couple images online and printed them out in various sizes for the girls. They weren't quite as cute as the embellishments, but they worked just fine, and they were less expensive! =)



Here is my sample page for the girls. I included the Prayer for Obedience, along with a Bible quote suggested in the Craft Companion and memory verse for this month.

(You can print out my document and the carnations here.) 

I have been putting off coming up with the pages till the last minute, and my creativity has really been lacking lately. Nevertheless, the girls are always able to take what I give them and come up with the cutest creations to add to their books.

Here are their finished pages for this month:

The notebooks are all filling up very nicely and it is so neat to see the girls looking back through their various notebook and coloring pages.



Snack time was next. I have been thrilled that all the moms have been more than willing to help tie in the snack to each month's theme.

Since the flower for this month was the Carnation and the color was White, one of the girl's older sisters (who is ALSO a Little Flower!) made White Carnation cupcakes for us!!

Didn't they turn out cute?! The girls loved them!!

I had brought along a couple books about St. Joan but by the time the girls finished playing Saint Memory it was time to head home.

I'll end once again with the group photo for the month. We had 8 of our 11 girls in attendance! You may recognize some of the cute little faces from here, here, and here.

Saint Joan of Arc,
pray for us to be obedient.

Saint Therese, the Little Flower, pray for us!