Making the rounds on FB...

Michaelmas! September 29th

The prayer to St. Michael was one of the first I ever learned.  After the Catholic child's standards -- the Lord's Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be --  I think it came neck-and-neck with the Guardian Angel prayer for me.  It's one of my favorite prayers and, even for one that's so common and every-day in the Catholic repertoire, I don't take it for granted. For one thing, the protection gained through St. Michael is needed now more than ever in this crazy world, but also because the prayer itself has personal meaning. 

Because he wasn't typically given to "emote" at prayer, I always noticed, even as a small child, with what particular conviction and ardor my Dad pronounced the words to St. Michael at the end of the rosary.  I believe it comforted and strengthened our father of seven, a Navy man, to rely on God's General.  When I say the prayer, I still hear it in my Dad's voice, with his precise pronunciation, and I remember my Dad in his days of strength and vigor. I thank St. Michael for bouying my Dad through the years of his long life, and ask for his protection over him in his waning years.

And I thank St. Michael for having been near, even when he was probably the farthest thing from my mind.  I'm sure he and my Guardian Angel saved me from some scrapes in my naive college days -- and (thank you, God) conspired with some other heavenly friends of mine to steer me in the direction of my future husband.  Then, when Dan converted to the Faith in the early years of our marriage, it seemed right and natural  that he would gravitate toward the great Archangel, as well.  Later, when the children came, all the little boys took to his devotion like it was the most natural thing in the world.  Have you noticed how all little boys want to be St. Michael for All Saints' Day?   But we have particularly recommended our daughters to his care.   We chose him as the special patron of our first little girl, Michelle -- and as Shell grows older and the world gets scarier, I'm more and more glad to have him standing above her, sword drawn when necessary.  You know if you have St. Michael on your side, you're taken care of.  Add the Blessed Mother and the game. is. over.

On this day that celebrates and remembers the great Champion of Heaven, I pray that all our family and friends, all our Religious benefactors, all those whose eyes happen upon the words printed here are well protected by the patronage of today's saint -- always.  Through the shadowed worries of the future and the definite danger of today, may St. Michael guard and defend us all from the snares of the devil.

The Story of the St. Michael Prayer

One day, after celebrating Mass, the aged Pope Leo XIII (See of Peter, 1878-1903) was in conference with the Cardinals when suddenly he sank to the floor in a deep swoon. Physicians who hastened to his side could find no trace of his pulse and feared that he had expired. However, after a short interval the Holy Father regained consciousness and exclaimed with great emotion: "Oh, what a horrible picture I have been permitted to see!"

He had been shown a vision of evil spirits who had been released from Hell and their efforts to destroy the Church. But in the midst of the horror the archangel St. Michael appeared and cast Satan and his legions into the abyss of hell. Soon afterwards Pope Leo XIII composed the following prayer to Saint Michael, which is the original version:

(From Tradition in Action)

The Real St.  Michael Prayer -- The Whole Thing

O Glorious Prince of the heavenly host, St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in the battle and in the terrible warfare that we are waging against the principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the evil spirits. Come to the aid of man, whom Almighty God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of Satan.

“Fight this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, ancient serpent, who is called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order to blot out the name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay and cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity, and of every vice and iniquity.

“These most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness the Church, the spouse of the immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where the See of Holy Peter and the Chair of Truth has been set up as the light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been struck, the sheep may be.

“Arise then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has God entrusted the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they may quickly find mercy in the sight of the Lord; and vanquishing the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations. Amen.
V. Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers.

R. The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered the root of David.
V. Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.
R. As we have hoped in Thee.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray.
O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy Name, and as supplicants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of Mary, ever Virgin Immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious St. Michael the Archangel, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and all the other unclean spirits who wander about the world for the injury of the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen.”
(From the Roman Raccolta, July 23, 1898, supplement approved July 31, 1902)

(The shorter, more famililar version here.)


Coloring Pages for the Day
(Click and Print)

A highly detailed one:

 A more simple one:

* Check out the beautiful, refreshingly manly depictions of St. Michael at David Meyers' blog!
* A basic site dedicated to the Feast of St. Michael
 
* And a more detailed site for the feast day with more Catholic customs.
 
* What they're doing over at Catholic Cuisine to celebrate.
 
* Previous post with pics and another coloring page.
 
* The Feast Day over at Gaudeamus.
 
*  Happy Nameday to all the Michelles and Michaels out there!
 
Especially this one:

Our Birthday Boy Today

Dominic Alan was born on September 28th, 1993, our fifth son in a row.  His was such a loooong, difficult labor (not typical for me)  that we were especially glad to welcome him into the world.  He was a soft, pudgy little guy (8lbs, 5oz or so), with brilliant blue eyes, fine blonde hair and the fattest, cutest little marshmallow feet you ever saw.  He was a beautiful little boy.  He looked like a doll.  In fact, by the time he was two years old he looked almost exactly like this doll:

And he had the most adorable Mickey Mouse smile.

 

But, he was a handful.  Stubborn, willful, and woefully full of energy, our little Dominic never slept in past 7 a.m. and never took a nap if he could help it.  In desperate need of a break from the little sweetie, we'd put him in his crib every day with high hopes of a respite -- and every day he'd amaze us with his creative use of energy. He could make mischief anywhere; being trapped in a crib never stopped him. Pulling the sheets off the crib and throwing the toys out was amateur hour for this kid.  He wasn't quite six months old when he figured out he could spend his quiet time peeling the wallpaper off the wall.  So, of course we moved his crib away from the wall.  But then he'd stand in his crib and rock it, walking it across the bedroom floor -- back to the wall where he could continue with his peeling project. When he figured how to climb out, it was almost a relief to just give up on the nap idea altogether. 

And then he turned two -- a poster child for "Terrible Twos" if there ever was one.  Life frustrated this child with three big brothers who just wanted to be in control of something.  Anything.   He wanted to make his own rules and control his own destiny -- which was a  practical impossibility considering how far down in the pecking order he was.  But he tried anyway.  The little guy just about drove us over the edge -- and it seemed we drove him nuts, too.  Good thing God has the wisdom to make our little ones so durned cute, because Dominic was one of those children we might have thrown out with the bathwater...  And he might have been glad to be thrown out. God bless his little boy heart.

But then, after a few relatively calm years of sticks and stones and puppy dog bones, (ominous music here) there came the teen years....  We've observed with our children that the manner and temperament of a two-year-old usually predict what he or she will be like as a teenager.  Our mild two-year-olds have been mild-mannered teens.  But, oh my goodness, those less-than-mild children...  That unbridled, not-yet-improved character with all its fire and passion very often reemerges when the teen hormones show up, it seems.  And so it was with Dominic.  Oh my word, he was a challenge! 

But, God is good -- and no doubt He knew, even when we may have doubted it at times, that this highly intelligent, high energy, hard-headed young man could be tamed.  And so he was.  By the grace of God, we found ourselves in a parish here on the Western Slope exactly when Dominic most needed the influence of two very special Religious who were here at the time: the pastor of our church, Fr. Anaya and the principal of our school, his teacher, Sr. Mary Agnes (now Reverend Mother).  The two of them, challenged Dominic to be his best in a way that I never could -- and Dominic rose to the challenge.  Under Father's strict tutelage, he became a crack altar server; and with Sister's patience and encouragement he rose to the top of his class.  The authority of the Church made a huge impression on this boy and he thrived on the competition of the classroom situation.  He was a different person at home, too -- calm, self assured, and always positive.  It seemed he'd finally found and come to terms with his place in the pecking order.  

 And he told me one day where this place was.

After a particularly trying time learning the finer points of serving at the altar, I asked him why he kept at it -- and he said, "Because on the altar is where I can be closest to God."

And I guess that's where he wants to be always.

How could a mother improve on that goal?

We love our "Brother Brother" so very much.  

And I'm very humbled and happy to have borne him into the world to give him back to his Heavenly Mother and Father.  

Happy, Happy Birthday, Brother Pius Maria!

To celebrate the day, here are a few more pictures I hadn't printed yet from his initiation into the Novitiate:



White, in liturgical use, symbolizes purity, and is used in the Masses of Our Lady and Our Lord (except of the Passion), and the angels, among others.  It's the color of the hooded tunic and long scapular that he was presented as a Novice.



Our old friend, Br. Anthony ties the girdle during the ceremony.  The white girdle -- a rope sash -- symbolizes chastity.  The hood of this habit, like the Benedictines', began as a practical means for keeping warm in winter and shading the sun in summer.  It's also handy for preventing distraction when raised to shield peripheral vision.  It's never worn on the head during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

After the ceremony, awesome Fr. Gregory gave Br. Pius some practical tips on the best way to attach the rosary that he wears to use and honor Our Blessed Mother, most especially because his is a Marian Seminary.



And last but not least.  This picture. Because I love it.
See that smile?  His Momma misses it.



Gold in Them Thar Hills



A favorite fall haunt, Ironton ghost town.



Silverton, CO, elevation  9,318 ft.



Nina's gonna shoot me for printing this, but I think it's perty cute -- and doesn't
she look pleased with her meal?  Like the cat who got the canary. :)



And some pretty darn good barbecue, too.



An Apple a Day

 Repost from September, '07:
Tomorrow, September 26th, is the birthday of Johnny Appleseed!

Born John Chapman in Leominster, Massachusettes in 1774, Johnny Appleseed is one of the American legends, that unlike Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill, was a real, live human being. And the fact is that what we imagine of his personna is perhaps a humble understanding instead of an exaggeration!

This was an amazing man! He started out on his westward journey in 1801, heading west across the Ohio territory with the express purpose, just as the story goes, of planting orchards. With his packet of seeds and a pack on his back, and, as some legends go, barefoot and with a pot on his head, John Chapman set out to bring to the pioneers of the west the goodness and health of this wonderful fruit.

It's often imagined that individual trees were actually planted by Johhny Appleseed, but, in truth, his aim was more particularly to provide the seeds to the western settlers, as their faithful tending would be needed to bring the seeds to seedlings and the seedlings to bearing trees. He had also planted nurseries of his own in Northwestern Ohio. The caretakers he left in charge sold the apple trees on shares and Johnny would return every couple of years to retrieve his profit and check on his trees. Though he was not interested in being a millionaire, and if he were, his bad bookkeeping would have prevented it anyway, the small amount of money he made kept him afloat.

John Chapman was the first to see the need to introduce these trees to the west. Did you know that it was a requirement in America at the time of westward expansion that homestead claims have an orchard? The apple tree isn't native to this country and had only come to the American eastern coast from Europe with the first settlers. The pioneers didn't have seed catalogues from which to order, of course. So, it was a mission of far-seeing charity that motivated Johnny.

It appears from early accounts of his life, that John Chapman was a welcome visitor wherever his westward wanderings brought him. Though he was quite an eccentric ~ a vegetarian who, more often than not, dressed in rags ~ he was known for being a gentle spirit, as well as a generous one, and apparently had more than one brush with heroism. He is known to have been an intermediary between settlers and Indians, solving various disputes. One story goes that during the war of 1812, when Johnny was in Mansfield,Ohio, the murder of a local merchant gave rise to fears of an iminent Indian uprising. Johnny, with all the walking he had done, seemed to have developed the swiftness and stamina of a marathon athlete, as he volunteered to run to the nearest town, Mount Vernon, to get help. This was a 26 mile run!

Johnny planted his first orchard near Licking Creek (Yeah, that's really the name!), Ohio, and I haven't been able to find if there are actually any more of his orchards or original trees in existence. If anyone knows of any, please let me know!


But you can get a graft from original Johhny Appleseed stock at raintree nursery. How cool would that be?


To celebrate the day, I think we'll go up the street to the farmstand and get some of the apples grown up the hill from us ("Honey Delicious"----SCRUMPTIOUS!), and make some baked apples, using Clarice's recipe over at Storybook Woods.

I think we may try Dawn's apple stencil idea at By Sun and Candlelight. The Littles may even be able to manage this one and a good time and a mess will be had by all (I say this with a smile on my face, really!).

I hunted around and found a fun, educational 'puter game called Bad Apple for the children to play as a treat. And maybe we'll go outside and see if we can find any apples on our 100% organic (read: "full of worms") apple tree to eat or make into applesauce.


It's good to be homeschooling again, so I'm spurred to do all this fun stuff! (*Lisa in 2011 -- misses doing all these things with all her children around her...)


Happy Johnny Appleseed Day, everyone!

Here is a sweet and simple little prayer to end with -- attributed to the original Mr. Appleseed.

Oh, the Lord is good to me,

And so I thank the Lord

For giving me the things I need

The sun, and the rain, and the apple seed.

The Lord is good to me.

(Is there a candy bar holiday coming up??)

Dedicating Days

One of the things I love about our faith is that nothing is left to be forgotten.  In the whole world of petititions, prayers, and devotions -- and there are literally millions -- you'd think it'd be easier than not for a sincere-but-struggling soul to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume.  Like a housewife with so many chores to do and so many children to worry about that in a paralysis of indecision, she sits down to surf the web instead of picking out that first job to do. (ahem. Not like I'd know about that...)

 But, never fear!  The Church, in two thousand years of wisdom and practicality has provided a starting point for the indecisive; within the ever-living calendar of tradition, which provides us with the log of the saints and the rythm of the Liturgical year, we also have laid out for us a special devotion for each day of the week. If nothing else, these can serve as a starting point for our days. 

 Most Cathoics know about Mary's Saturdays and it's instinctual to devote our Fridays to Christ's Passion and our Sundays to the Resurrection, but did you know that Tuesdays are set aside for the angels and Wednesdays belong to St. Joseph?   Here's the entire list:

Sunday
Resurrection & the Holy and Undivided Trinity
Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary

Monday

The Holy Ghost & the Souls in Purgatory

Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary

Tuesday
The Holy Angels
 (Tuesdays are also the day for honoring the Holy Face
 and, unofficially, honoring St. Anthony of Padua
and A special Novena to St. Martha is also made on
 9 consecutive Tuesdays or on all Tuesdays )
Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary

Wednesday

St. Joseph
(Catholics can make a special devotion to St. Joseph
 by going to Mass on the first Wednesdays of 9
 consecutive months and offering their Communions
in his honor and for the salvation of the dying)
Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary

Thursday
The Blessed Sacrament, Priests
(This is the day for a "Holy Hour," spent in adoration
 of the Blessed Sacrament as an aspect
 of devotion to the Sacred Heart)
Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary

Friday
Christ's Passion and His Sacred Heart
("First Fridays Devotion" in honor of the
 Sacred Heart)

Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary

Saturday
The Blessed Virgin and her Immaculate Heart
("First Saturday Devotions" in honor of
the Immaculate Heart)
Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary



* Today, then is dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament and to our priests!  We can never be too grateful for our representatives of Christ here on earth, and never too solicitous for them in our pleas to Heaven.  Here are a few beautiful prayers for the help and protection of all priests.


St. Thérèse's Prayers for Priests


St. Therese was devoted in her prayer for priests.

1. 0 Holy Father, may the torrents of love flowing from the sacred wounds of your divine Son bring forth priests like unto the beloved disciple John who stood at the foot of the cross; priests, who as a pledge of your own most tender love will lovingly give your divine Son to the souls of men.

May your priests be faithful guardians of your Church, as John was of Mary, whom he received into his house. Taught by this loving Mother who suffered so much on Calvary, may they display a mother's care and thoughtfulness towards your children. May they teach souls to enter into close union with you through Mary who, as the Gate of Heaven, is specially the guardian of the treasures of your divine Heart.

Give us priests who are on fire, and who are true children of Mary, priests who will give Jesus to souls with the same tenderness and care with which Mary carried the Little Child of Bethlehem.

Mother of sorrows and of love, out of compassion for your beloved Son, open in our hearts deep wells of love, so that we may console Him and give Him a generation of priests formed in your school and having all the tender thoughtfulness of your own spotless love.'


2.
O Jesus,
I pray for your faithful and fervent priests;
for your unfaithful and tepid priests;

for your priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields.
for your tempted priests;
for your lonely and desolate priests;
For your young priests;
for your dying priests;
for the souls of your priests in Purgatory.
But above all, I recommend to you the priests dearest to me:
the priest who baptized me;
the priests who absolved me from my sins;
the priests at whose Masses I assisted and who gave me Your Body and Blood in Holy Communion;
the priests who taught and instructed me;
all the priests to whom I am indebted in any other way
(especially …).
O Jesus, keep them all close to your heart,
and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity.

3.
O Jesus, eternal Priest,
keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart,

where none may touch them.
Keep unstained their anointed hands,
which daily touch Your Sacred Body.
Keep unsullied their lips,
daily purpled with your Precious Blood.
Keep pure and unearthly their hearts,
sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood.
Let Your holy love surround them and
shield them from the world’s contagion.
Bless their labors with abundant fruit and
may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation
here and in heaven their beautiful and everlasting crown. Amen.


THURSDAY CONSECRATION PRAYER

O my Beloved Jesus,

I give and consecrate to Thee this Thursday and all the Thursdays of my life, in praise of the adorable Mystery of Thy Body and Blood, and in thanksgiving for that of the Priesthood.
Moved by Thy Holy Spirit, and full of confidence in the help of Thy Most Holy Mother, the Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests, I resolve to live each Thursday for the rest of my days here below in adoration and in reparation for priests and, especially, for those who do not adore Thee, for those who are most wounded in their souls, and for those who are exposed to the attacks of the powers of darkness. I want to remain before Thy Eucharistic Face for them and in their place; I want to draw near, in their name, to Thy open Heart, ever-flowing with the Blood and the Water that purify, heal, and sanctify all souls, but, first of all, those of Thy priests.

Let each Thursday find me close to the Sacrament of Thy Body and Blood, in adoration and reparation for the sake of all Thy priests. Make me an entirely Eucharistic soul, according to the desires of Thy Sacred Heart and the designs of Thy merciful goodness upon my life. I desire nothing else. I want to love Thee more each day; I want to be the faithful adorer of Thy Eucharistic Face and the consoling friend of Thy Sacred Heart hidden in the tabernacles of the world, where it beats, wounded by love, forgotten, forsaken, and waiting for the adoration and for the love of even one priest.

Amen.

Wordless

Simple Woman Monday, September 19th

Outside my window… The sun has just come up and is picking out the millions of dewdrops on the hayfield out my east window. Sparkly. The last couple of early mornings, I've let out our little foofoo dog, Brigid, then looked out later to see that she'd joined Noey-dog and the two cats sitting perfectly still at the edge of the hayfield, gazing east.  I declare, but do you think they're watching the sunrise? (I've got to get a picture of this.)

I am hearing... Glenn Beck on the radio (Anyone out there get GBTV?)  -- and William's even more interesting narrative, as he carries both sides of a conversation with Gabe.   I always lay the boys' clothes out the night before on the book case in their bedroom, but, being crazy little boys, they bring everything out to the living room to dress every morning which is why I'm privy to this conversation about: whether you should put your shirt or pants on first:; how do you get buttons to match up right; why top buttons and sleeves are so hard to fasten.

I am thinking… that top buttons and sleeves really are hard to fasten and it's good that Mommy's here to help with that.

I am thankful for… the chance to button sleeves for my little guys because they'll be little for such a short time. It was just yesterday that I was buttoning sleeves and hooking on ties for their big brothers!


 One of my favorite things…  Sunday afternoon hikes in the mountains.

 Dan and I drove up to the top of Grand Mesa yesterday and found a wonderful hike around a lake with an island in the middle of it. It was a beautiful, crisp September day and gorgeous surroundings!  As you must have guessed, I brought my camera -- the good one, too (My Nikon 7000 that my dear husband got me us for our anniversary in May), and took tons of pictures.  Then got home and realized that there was no memory card in the camera.  Head-smacking moment, yes.   ~sigh~  I guess all the pretty scenery will have to stay stored on my own personal memory card. Until I can get back up there, anyway.

From the kitchen… Dried apples, apple pie, apple fritters, baked apples....  apples, raw, juicy, crispy, sweet.

Golden Delish, picked up at a farm stand
near Cedaredge, CO.

I am wearing... a  long denim A-line skirt, white tee, navy blue blouse, pony tail and blue earrings.



I am going… to get my hair cut next week because, now that my hair has grown ponytail-length, all I ever do is wear ponytails.  And my husband informs me that he really doesn't care, mind you, but he does like to see my hair down.  (Who knew?) 

I am reading… Just finished my latest Amelia Peabody book, the 7th in the series, The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog.  But I have to choose my timing carefully when I read these books, because once I dive into one, nothing else gets done until I emerge on the other side. I have Mr. Knightly's Diary on my bedside table waiting to be read -- but I'm afraid I'll have the same problem if I dip into that one, only, instead of Egyptian adventures, I'll be lolling about Edwardian England.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Finally, really, really have to get out to the barn to bring in our bins of sweaters and cold weather clothes.  The mornings are getting pretty nippy!  And while we're out there, hopefully, we'll get the autumn decorations out!  Less fun, but more practical, I need to clean out my kitchen cabinets and drawers.

Some picture thoughts I 'm sharing...

Right now, this moment:


Theresa reading over her music.
Very much a Theresa thing to be
doing.



Anna drinking the
gallon of milk in the
bottom of her bow.





I considered putting the more dignified photo of William here,
but decided that would have been disingeuous.  This is the
real William.  He is a nut.



Cathy, having one of her pumpkin
muffins for breakfast.  Best recipe ever
and low fat, too.