the second candle is lit!

Happy 2nd Sunday of Advent!

First Sunday of Advent

It's the First Sunday of Advent, the start of the liturgical year for Catholics.  In today's world Advent seems to be completely crowded out by Christmas, which appears to start on Thanksgiving night in my neighborhood!

So this year my dear husband created an Advent wreath for our yard, and this morning I put out the first  candle.  PVC pipe, spray paint, rip-stop nylon, a coat hanger, and some stakes.

I wonder if anyone figured out what they were seeing this morning?  

Happy Advent!  May this be a special time of preparing for the Incarnation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for you and your loved ones.

Immaculate Conception novena starts 11/29

Novena Prayers for the Immaculate Conception

O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my holiness and salvation.

I pray first of all that you would make me worthy to call you my mother and your Son, Jesus, my Lord.

I pray that your prayers will bring me to imitate your holiness and submission to Jesus and the Divine Will.

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Now, Queen of Heaven, I beg you to beg my Savior to grant me these requests…

(Mention your intentions)

My holy Mother, I know that you were obedient to the will of God. In making this petition, I know that God’s will is more perfect than mine. So, grant that I may receive God’s grace with humility like you.

As my final request, I ask that you pray for me to increase in faith in our risen Lord; I ask that you pray for me to increase in hope in our risen Lord; I ask that you pray for me to increase in love for the risen Jesus!

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Find the Original Here: http://www.praymorenovenas.com/immaculate-conception-novena/#ixzz2DWXweFmR

Want to pray more?

Then go visit this wonderful site to get email reminders about novenas AND the novena prayers emailed to you!

PRAY MORE NOVENAS

You'll get email notifications about upcoming novenas, and each day of the novena you'll get the novena prayers for the day sent to your email.

Can't get much easier than that, can it?

By the way--today is the first day of the novena to St. Therese of Lisieux.  But don't worry if you haven't already signed up--you will find the novena prayers on the PRAY MORE NOVENAS website!

last night...

Last night DH and I were at the MBS Adoration Chapel for our weekly Holy Hour when 2 of our friends, Randy and Carmen entered the chapel. After a few minutes of prayer Randy asked DH and I if we would mind if he broke the holy silence in order to ask Carmen for her hand in marriage!

Naturally, we gave our consent. After all, God gave us tongues for speaking, and wisdom to know when to speak and when to stay silent. Last night was one of those times to speak...

She said yes, and so I would like to ask you to remember our friends Randy and Carmen as they begin to prepare themselves to receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.

Marian Consecration

Today I began my Marian Consecration, using Fr. Michael Gaitley's book 33 Days to Morning Glory.

Please keep me in your prayers as I make this journey!

MIssissippi poised to become abortion-free!

Please pray for the hospital administrators in Jackson!

Abortion will still be legal in

Mississippi next month. It’s just that women who live there

probably won’t be able to get one.

Read the story on Businessweek.com: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-06-22/mississippi-may-become-first-u-dot-s-dot-state-with-no-abortion-clinic

a DON'T MISS movie

My dear husband and I went to see the new movie 'For Greater Glory' this weekend. What a powerful experience--so often we think of saints and martyrs as people who lived 'back then' and maybe we forget that WE are all called to be saints, and may well be called to be martyrs.

This movie will remind you of that very important lesson. Based on the story of the Cristeros, the armed resistance to the Mexican religious-discrimination laws, the story follows the lives of a few of the Mexican saints canonized by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI. It is an intense movie--but then, war and religious-cleansing are intense subjects. I wouldn't recommend it for young children, but certainly high-school students should be allowed (heck, encouraged) to see it.

Who knows how long the movie will stay in the theater, so hurry up and see it this week!

Ash Wednesday

Have you gotten your ashes yet? I haven't, I'm joining my dear husband for Mass this evening. What are your plans for Lent? Are you planning on giving something up, adding to your devotional practices, or just pretending that nothing's going on?

I'd like to say that I'm going to go to Mass daily, but my schedule won't let that happen. What I am doing is making a visit to the Adoration chapel daily--not necessarily for an hour, but at least long enough to pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy. I'm reading Fr. Dwight Longenecker's book "The Gargoyle Code" and also the diary of St. Faustina. And weekly confession, which wasn't on the list this afternoon after I listened to Fr. Bill Casey's CD "The Sacrament of Penance" (Lighthouse Media).

And joining in the other great prayer of the Church--the Liturgy of the Hours. I'll be praying Night Prayer every night (you can find it online at e-Breviary).

As for the 'giving up' part of Lent--several years ago my (then) spiritual director explained to me that eating properly (for me--which is pretty restrictive) was a discipline, a sacrifice, a penance. I've yet to master that, so I am redoubling my efforts in that direction.

So come along and join me as this very important season in the liturgical year starts...

As always, you are all in my prayers.

Ron Paul or Rick Santorum: Whom Should Catholics Choose?

Some interesting points are raised by Tom Woods in this video.

Tom Woods on why Catholics should support Ron Paul

a very well thought-out and reasoned video. Long, but worth watching.

http://youtu.be/cu2xaEd2cmU

Coming soon....

Another example of the importance of proper translation

As many of you may already know, I attend Mass in the Extraordinary Form, otherwise known as the TLM--or the Mass of the Ages. Because of this the readings I hear are often different than those proclaimed at the Ordinary Form of the Mass (otherwise known as the New Mass or the Mass of Paul VI).

But I keep up with the readings for the Ordinary Form. And while I could write about the incorrect translation of the Epistle, I cannot possibly do it as well as this priest from the Archdiocese of Washington: A Thoroughly Watered Down Translation.

I hope you'll take the time to read it.

St Paul Novena

Tomorrow (January 17) I will joining with America Needs Fatima in a novena to St. Paul for this intention:

St. Paul, pray that America follows in your footsteps. Because our country needs to undergo a great conversion, one as great as the one St. Paul experienced! Novena Prayer O glorious St. Paul, after persecuting the Church you became, by God's grace, Her most zealous Apostle. To carry the knowledge of Jesus, our Divine Savior, to the uttermost parts of the earth. You joyfully endured prison, scourgings, stonings, and a shipwreck, as well as all manner of persecutions, culminating in the shedding of the last drop of your blood for Our Lord Jesus Christ. Obtain for us the grace to labor strenuously to bring the Faith to others and to accept any trials and tribulations that may come our way. Help us to be inspired by your Epistles and to partake of your indomitable love for Jesus, so that after we have finished our course we may join you in praising Him in heaven for all eternity. Amen. Will you join me?

Epiphany Proclamation

In long ago times, before calendars were common everyday items, it was difficult for the people to know when the moveable feasts of the Church would fall. So on Epiphany a proclamation would be read from the pulpit to let the congregation know the dates of those feasts for the upcoming year.

Did your parish proclaim the feasts of the Church yesterday? I attended Mass at a nearby parish and the young priest did. Here's the text in case your parish didn't have the proclamation yesterday:

Dear brothers and sisters,
the glory of the Lord has shone upon us,
and shall ever be manifest among us,
until the day of his return.

Through the rhythms of times and seasons
let us celebrate the mysteries of salvation.

Let us recall the year's culmination,
the Easter Triduum of the Lord:
his last supper, his crucifixion, his burial,
and his rising celebrated
between the evening of the Fifth day of April
and the evening of the Seventh day of April,
Easter Sunday being on the Eighth day of April.

Each Easter -- as on each Sunday --
the Holy Church makes present the great and saving deed
by which Christ has for ever conquered sin and death.
From Easter are reckoned all the days we keep holy.

Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent,
will occur on the Twenty-Second day of February.

The Ascension of the Lord will be commemorated on the Seventeenth day of May.

Pentecost, joyful conclusion of the season of Easter,
will be celebrated on the Twenty-Seventh day of May.

And, this year the First Sunday of Advent will be
on the Second day of December.

Likewise the pilgrim Church proclaims the passover of Christ
in the feasts of the holy Mother of God,
in the feasts of the Apostles and Saints,
and in the commemoration of the faithful departed.

To Jesus Christ, who was, who is, and who is to come,
Lord of time and history,
be endless praise, for ever and ever.

Amen.

And here's a video of a priest chanting the proclamation, just as the priest at St. George did last night: