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Wednesday 8 January 2014

EEK!

http://www.newwaysministry.org/gfp.html

Going around twitter this morning

Hey, America Is Worse than EU

http://newsfeed.time.com/2014/01/08/high-class-dining-colorado-restaurant-introduces-weed-and-food-pairing-menu/

Just A Dumb Ex-Yummy Mummy!

There are several members of my family who do not like me. One reason is that they are all atheists or Dems, and I am a real Catholic. But, the second reason I just discovered yesterday. How stupid I have been!

I had curtains like these-in a bedroom-.....and brass on the wall....
They thought that I should not have been a stay-at-home mom! Well, given that my son has been away from mummy for a three and a half-years, it sure took these opposing views a long time to surface; one of the reasons for their antipathies.

The only women who are worthwhile, in their books, are those who work and have kids, and still work.


As if stay-at-home moms do not "work".....multitasking geniuses-that is what we really are!


They do not believe in "stay-at-home" moms.

Well, the prejudice is seen as part of the conservative Catholic mode of lifestyle, which they hate. And, of course, they are against home schooling. Apparently, I live by "ideologies".

In other words, I do not fit the mold of the Thoroughly Modern Millie. A stay-at-home mom for eight years, and then one who only worked part-time, mostly in order to home school, has no value.


The women these people admire are career women, who either have one or two kids or none. One told me that I had no right to have my son, as kids are a luxury. Imagine, no Supertradson!

Supertradson is in the seminary. But, that is not an acceptable to those who have no life in the spirit. He, apparently, should be an engineer, or a brain surgeon, or a Dem CEO.

I applaud all stay-at-home moms! God bless you and keep you from all radical criticisms of those who honestly do not value you. I do. God does.

Here is a "thumbs-up" for all Yummy Mummys!


And now, for something completely different

http://www.breitbart.com/InstaBlog/2014/01/08/Alleged-Bank-Robbery-Foiled-When-Teller-Can-t-Read-Holdup-Note?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

He should have typed it out on his computer....

Another interesting article



http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/penny-starr/dod-reviewing-its-equal-opportunity-training-after-anti-christian-materials

Catholics?

http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CatholicEducationDaily/DetailsPage/tabid/102/ArticleID/2847/Basketball-Game-Becomes-Homosexual-Celebration-at-Jesuit-Univ-of-San-Francisco.aspx

WHAT? Numbers Games, IMO

http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CatholicEducationDaily/DetailsPage/tabid/102/ArticleID/2844/British-Kids-Baptized-to-Gain-Entrance-to-Crowded-Catholic-Schools.aspx

And, what happened to the promise to raise the child in the domestic church at home? Or the checking to see if the parents are practicing Catholics? Or the weeks of catechetical prep for youth? Or the knowledge that the parents will be active in the local parish?

This is all wrong...numbers games.

Be Grateful for The Freedoms You Still Have

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/01/08/the-10-absolute-worst-places-in-the-world-to-be-a-christian/

An Important Read for European Readers

http://www.tradingfloor.com/posts/broader-relevance-ayn-rand-society-710110757

"Arrogance in the extreme frequently manifests itself against deviating views of Europe such as those displayed by even a meek David Cameron. This organisation is failing big time, and its only response is to gather ever more power in the hands of Bruxelles, clearly against the will of the populations of Europe that are beginning to see that in fact, the euro may be the practical equivalent of Project X in Atlas Shrugged.
In France, we now have a President that by his own admission, hates the rich. So much so that he is trying to circumvent his own constitution to introduce punitive taxes on them, although illegal. And it is so much so that he drives relentlessly forward with proposals for a financial transaction tax that has been shot down by pretty much every historical experience and most economists as a massive own goal, damaging the very countries that deploy it."
Important article by an expert, who sums up many of the ideas on this blog for the past three years, in an excellent and succinct way-the arrogance and hatred of leaders who will create an emotional situation to gain power and the soon coming totalitarianism in the EU

Broke Big Brother will destroy freedoms, my dear readers in Europe. Wake up and smell the coffee, as we use to say, please.


Caption Game Today?

http://media1.sulia.com/static/user_images/4/2014-01-07/6d23190c-dfb5-4fa7-996c-5eb5f3eb3213.jpg

The Next Step

I am beginning

to work on a real novel which will not be on the blog. It is just percolating in my brain. Pray for me, as it would be nice to be able to sell something.

Pax vobiscum...

The Hour Glass Part Twenty-Four

The young priest stood on the porch looking up at the brown and black mountains to the south. He had completed his visits the day before and was resting, at least part of the day, on this Feast. He stretched, and turned to look the great eastern sky, beyond the sands and scrub-land, when Mother General approached him. Five days had passed since her miraculous healing, which, if nothing else, converted the dubious agnostic doctor, who now decided to come to daily Mass whenever he could. Mother General had another surprise for the young priest. She had had a "vision".

She stood next to the young priest, who was young enough to be her great-grandson. She had explained to him that the night of her healing, she had seen this, as if an old 3-D movie was projected onto to her bedroom wall.

"The skies were bright blue, as in the times before the nuclear blast. Birds flew over the mountains-many different types of birds, eagles, hawks, sparrows, song birds, all singing a strange morning chorus, which I have never heard in the West, but only in the Midwest and East years and years ago."

Her old blue eyes sparkled, as if she was describing the meeting of a long-lost love. "Then, I saw my little community and the monks from the old monastery up north, all in white and walking slowly towards the mountains, which suddenly shone gold and orange, almost as if they were on fire."

She stopped and folded her hands like she was praying. "Then, I saw a chariot, gigantic, silver, white, pulled by white horses, more beautiful than any horses on my father's ranch when I was growing up. The charioteer's robes shone so bright that at first, I did not know Who He was. Then, I saw His Face. It was my Bridegroom, dressed for battle. His strong and firm Face looked forward, past the birds, past the nuns and monks, to me. Then, He took His sword and made a movement as if cutting something. I felt a great heat go through my body, and I felt as if I was lifted off the bed. Then, I noticed The Lord was wearing a crown of gold and jewels. I heard thunder and saw lightning, but it was not lightning, but angels, in bright, different colors of light, with swords in their hands. Each of these lightning angels went in different directions, some north, some south, some east, some west. Then, I saw The Lord put His sword back in its scabbard. He reached out and took my hand and pulled me up. That is when I stood up, not knowing whether I was in a dream or not, whether I was alive or dead."

"Then, I heard His Voice, deep, calm, but strong. 'The next time I come, it will be in battle. You are chosen to see this.'"

Mother General stopped again. "I am so old. Do you think He meant the Second Coming, Father?"

Antonio waited to share his answer. They both looked at the sun rising above the land. "No, I do not think so. I think Christ means we are chosen to shed our blood for Him. The battle will be between some good and some evil. But, when that time is I do not know. Be at peace. We shall be ready."

He paused. "All we have is the time now, like the Hour Glass without the sand-the present moment."

Mother General answered softly, "Yes, I am ready. Now, I must "ready" my dear nuns."  The bell for Lauds rang at dawn, and the two walked slowly into the chapel. It was the Feast of the Annunciation and the nuns began the chant.

Missus est Gabriel Angelus ad Mariam Virginem desponsatam Ioseph. 

Antonio followed the Diurnal with the nuns. He loved the sweet voices and the new peace he shared.

The hymn for the day washed over Antonio like a soft shower of gold. He knew that the darkness of the past had faded into a light, a great light which would now, until his death, accompany him on his way.

Vitam præsta puram,
iter para tutum,
ut videntes Jesum
semper collætemur.


Sit laus Deo Patri,
Summo Christus decus,
Spiritui Sancto,
Tribus honor unus. Amen.

The End

copyright 2014




The Hour Glass Part Twenty-Three

St. Michael's was even more beautiful in the snow. Samuel had not been here for some time and the glory of the day took his breath away. The two Serles skipped ahead like very young men, which they were, and ran up to the Abbey Church doors. This "little corner of England which is forever France, irreclaimably French" as Ronald Knox had called it, sat like a crown of jewels on a cushion of white. Samuel was not by any stretch an "aesthete", but this abbey and grounds had always moved him, bringing him into an experience which led directly to Christ and His Mother.

Mass was just beginning, the Tridentine form, and the Abbot looked up briefly and nodded at his guests.

Samuel walked briskly to the sacristy, vested and was at the side of the sanctuary in minutes. Mark and John sat in the row behind the monks, looking the world like English Gentlemen in from a brisk walk. They laid their new walking sticks on the floor. 

Missals lay in the pews and the two, who were trained in the Mass, left them there. They had not seen books for years. There entire seminary training had been provided by memory from Columcille and Samuel. John wondered if the National Catholic Library still existed intact. Mark prayed for Columcille, Samuel and all seven of the resident monks.

The Abbot intoned the Epistle and then the Gospel. The Feast was the Annunciation. Samuel thought of all the Catholic congregations in the world, some free, some not free, some in gorgeous abbeys like this one, some in small cottages, some outside under trees, or under mountains, all celebrating the great day of the Incarnation. At every minute of every day, the Eucharist was being consecrated in some part of the world. He also mourned for those who could not attend Mass and who would hold this day sacred in their thoughts, prayers, longings.

When the Abbot intoned the Credo, Samuel's heart sang the words of his deepest beliefs. Et incarnátus est de Spíritu Sancto ex María Vírgine, et homo factus est. From all time, God had seen the Long Walk of the four clerics, the death of Columcille, the horror of the persecutions, the Church in hiding, the worldwide hatred of this day, this Woman, this God-Man, Who came to die for all.

Samuel let his heart sing and the grief stricken love for his lost friend died and rose again in a great joy. The entire Abbey glowed with the renewal of the earth. Samuel, for the first time in years, felt like he had come home. There was only this minute, only this time, only the present in which to worship God for Whom all time was one and whole. Like a clear hourglass stopped, without sand, thought Samuel. this Mass held the Timeless Sacrifice, the Body and Blood of Christ, the sign of God's presence and present among humans. To be totally present to this God was the joyous expectation of all the faithful.

To be continued.....


The Hour Glass Part Twenty-Two

Antonio woke to the sound of torrential rains. The Chinese territory which had been Arizona was only one of five states where it now rained. All the others experienced precipitation in the form of snow. This rain was like a monsoon, but cold.  The nuns were in the chapel saying Nocturns which Antonio preferred to say in his mental breviary. The nuns sang their own creations for melodies and the sound of the young voices could be heard upstairs. Antonio would join them for Lauds and then Mass immediately after. Breakfast followed.

The nuns kept the old Monastic Diurnal which was not Antonio's memorized breviary. But, Antonio loved hearing the Latin chant, albeit sung with Gregorian Chant variations a la this Benedictine order.

The sound of the rain on the roof grew louder. Winds beat against the windows. Antonio wondered whether this was "natural" storm or one brought on by the long winter coming from The Wilderness. Before he had a chance to think more about the climate, Antonio heard a soft knock at the door. It was one of the novices. "Mother has fallen and she may be seriously hurt. Please, Father, come down and help."

Antonio grabbed his black bag and rushed downstairs. The Mother had fallen down the stairs to the kitchen. She was in terrible pain and could not move her legs. She could speak. Her wimple was slightly askew. her

"Father, it is my back. I think I have broken it." She winced in pain. "Are there any doctors close by?" Antonio addressed the Novice Mistress. "Yes, just beyond the end of the road, about a mile away. Should I go?"

"Yes, and be careful in this weather." The Novice Mistress left throwing a raincoat and grabbing an umbrella from the communal rack.

Antonio told the nuns not to move Mother but to cover her with blanket to keep warm. Then, he told all but one to go into the chapel and say the rosary for Mother General, who was passing in and out of consciousness.

The minutes grew to an hour and the young nun had not returned. Antonio was not sure whether he should go after her or send another nun to meet her. The rain almost hid the road. Perhaps there was flooding.

Antonio decided to go himself. "Stay here, I need to find Mother Ebba."

He threw on a raincoat from the same rack, grabbed an umbrella and was about to rush out the door when Carl's car appeared in front of the house. Mother Ebba was with him and another man.

They came in and the doctor knelt my Mother General. He quickly determined her back was broken. "Can two of you bring a mattress down? We shall move her into her room but carry her on the mattress."

This was done. The doctor had no pain killers. He could see that the nun was in terrible pain. "She must not be moved. I cannot take her to the hospital as it is in the hands of the Chinese. I shall do what I can."

Carl stayed by the door, waiting. He kept staring at Antonio, who could feel the man's eyes on his back.

The doctor came downstairs and spoke briefly to Antonio. "Father, I am not a Catholic, but if there are prayers for the dying, I suggest you say those. And, pray for a miracle."

As he was leaving, the doctor promised to come back tomorrow with some drugs. He did not have those now. And, if there were flash floods, he would not be able to come.

Antonio went up stairs with his black bag. He approached Mother's small single bed in her plain, convent-like room. "Mother, do you want the Last Rites, just in case?" Mother looked up and smiled. "Yes. I deserve this, don't I?"

"God does not punish like this, Mother." Antonio gave Mother the Last Rites and she passed out again. He left the room when two nuns came in and sat beside Mother.

The rain continued to drench the desert area. And, flooding occurred just outside the house, with water coming up to the top step of the long wooden porch.

The Novice Mistress was second in command and took over the running of the monastery. The calm practice of the discipline of the day focused the women on God and the Rule.

Antonio had planned to visit a few families of couples and some elderly people, but the rain and flooding prevented him from these ministries. He decided to take turns watching Mother so that the two nuns could follow their normal day.

The day passed into night and the two nuns took over again for Antonio. But, in the middle of the night, someone knocked at his door. It was the Novice Mistress. "Father, you must come, now."

Antonio, shocked that Mother General was not making it through the night, brought his bag and walked quickly down the hallway to Mother General's room. But, what he saw was not what he expected. As he approached the room, he saw that all the nuns were crowded at the door of Mother General's room. They let him pass. What he saw was unbelievable. Mother General was standing at the end of the bed. Her face glowed with happiness and a deep peace descended on the nuns and Antonio. Mother General held out her hand to Antonio. "Look, look. I am healed. I am whole and it was The Lord. Praise His Mercy and His Goodness."

Antonio and all the nuns knelt down. The rains subsided. The wind vanished. Then, as if by an inner command, they all began to sing the Gregorian Chant Te Deum. Mother General, who looked years younger than before the accident, knelt of the floor with them.

Sanctum quoque Paraclitum Spiritum.
Tu Rex gloriae, Christe.
Tu Patris sempiternus es Filius.
Tu ad liberandum suscepturus hominem,
non horruisti Virginis uterum.
Tu, devicto mortis aculeo,
aperuisti credentibus regna caelorum.
Tu ad dexteram Dei sedes, in gloria Patris.
Iudex crederis esse venturus.
Te ergo quaesumus, tuis famulis subveni:
quos pretioso sanguine redemisti.
Aeterna fac cum sanctis tuis in gloria numerari



To be continued....