Today is Marianne's Birthday!!!

Must share with you one of those "God Moments". I've already shared this with Marianne, but wanted to share with all anyway. The last week was one of joy and anxiety. Joy because Jimmy came from Atlanta to visit. We had a really good visit with dinner at Rafferty's with the Laura, Roy and the Kids and then our lunch on Wednesday. Anxiety because Ron was so sick with a fever and body aches that have lasted nearly 8 days (yesterday, I think the fever finally was gone.). He's never sick and so when he is I get anxious. Ron is on the mend and all seems well today. Enough explanation!

SO, this morning after Mass, Joe, a dear gentleman who is an "institution" at St. John's, came to me and asked where my youngest daughter was. I told him Marianne's not here as often because she has moved to INDY. He simply said, "You know, I miss her." Then we hugged. He had no way of knowing how truly wonderful that gift was to me. It made me fully aware, and allowed me to recognize in this humble man that God holds us all...in our joy, anxiety, and others of this Holy Family we have in the name of Jesus Christ!! And on her birthday, too!!! What a gift.

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Thanks be to God!!!!

The Evolution of the Our Father.

Wow!!! When I was working on my presentation for those in RCIA Inquiry Wednesday evening I found this "treasure" in the Catholic Source Book regarding the earliest English translations of the Bible to date. The book does comparisons of the "Our Father" and it is really interesting to see it evolve. My how we have grown. Just had to share it with you...(If you double click on the page it will enlarge it so you can read it.)

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Thanks be to God!!!

Saints Among Us.

I was visiting Sr. Julie's blog this a.m. She was sharing her reflections on her reading of the life of St. Teresa of Avila. It is interesting how their lives were no different than mine. There was a time when I was in third or fourth grade that I had these grand ideas about martyrdom, but that is all the were...ideas. I never quite took any step to seek out the reality. Here is an excerpt of Sr. Julie's entry.

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"In Chapter 1 Teresa writes of her childhood. She tells of a time when she was 7 and her brother was 11. After having read the lives of the saints, they decided that martyrdom was the quickest and easiest way to get to heaven.

We settled to go together to the country of the Moors, begging our way for the love of God, that we might be there beheaded; and our Lord, I believe, had given us courage enough, even at so tender an age, if we could have found the means to proceed; but our greatest difficulty seemed to be our father and mother.

The footnotes indicate that the two children set out on their journey but shortly after leaving they were met by one of their uncles who brought them back to their mother. Teresa herself says that she really wasn’t motivated by love of God but by the thought of quickly getting to heaven to enjoy the wonderful things she had read about!"

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I remember, and often reflect on, the lives of saints. In my family, when an example of strength, truth, or an example of obedience was called for my father always guided us through a brief history of the said example. St. Catherine of Sienna and St. Francis of Assisi were often guides to me. As a child, as now, I am in awe at the Spirit and how He could change the most turbulent, seemingly sinful life into one of grace and love. I fear that since Vatican II the examples of the saints as a treasure for growth in our lives and our children have been lost to Spiderman, Superman, et. al. Mom would read books to us before bed at night about the saints, with an occasional “Winnie the Pooh”. Then came television and things seemed to change in the things the family did together. I fear my children suffered as outside influences guided us and other families in other pursuits. A real tragedy. And that I truly regret.

What I do not regret is that family is still important to my children. And because we are family, I can be sure that theirs will, in many ways, reflect the work of God and our Savior in them. I see this everyday in every way!!!

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Thanks be to God!

District Band Contest...

Waiting for the Memorial Band to perform, Neil, Ainsley and Lindsey did some art work of their own.

Much to my chagrin, my attempt at taking movies of the Memorial High School's performance at the District Band Contest Saturday was not very good. I had never used my digital camera to take extensive movies before and so did not set it up very well. There is another chance, though for me to redeem myself as the band did advance to regional competition in INDY in two weeks. In the meantime I will see if I can perfect the skill and maybe get better pictures to share with you.

We had a great time at any rate. We took Ainsley and Lindsey with us and they were a joy. They seemed to really enjoy all the band performances and Ainsley even gave a "YaHoo!" after Memorial completed its competition.

A funny aside of the afternoon came when Ainsley was standing next to me watching another of the bands perform when she broke into song herself. She had heard the song early that day before we came to pick them up for the trip...she was singing, "Bye, bye Miss American Pie, drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry..." Her rendition was really very good, even if it was out of context from the band performing. She was singing it again as we left Wendy's after dinner. She said, "This is my favorite song today." Was so glad we got to share in it.

OH!! When I told the girls we needed to be still for a few minutes while I read the map so we wouldn't get lost. Lindsey said, "You mean like Grandpa did on the way to MT?" Laugh!!!!! Oh my goodness. Didn't think they would remember that but I guess Grandpa now has a legacy, at least two of his grandchildren will never forget.

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Thanks Be To God!!!

Women Who Influenced Who I Am

"The Lady from Dublin"
Sketched by Wiliam Breault, S.J.

Though I can give most of the credit for this to my mother, The Aunts, and Pat, for who I am. I realized that I have overlooked a few who had a relevant impact on my life. I have not reflected of late on the religious women who also shaped who I am. It has only come to mind when I read a response on Catherine McAuley, who founded the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin on Sister Julie's blog.

My life has been visited by women in the religious life through the Sisters of St. Joseph, who taught me in 1st and 2nd grade at St. Mary's School. Then, the Sisters of Loretto for my religious education there after. But the greatest impact has come from two communities. The Sisters of Providence, in the person Sr. Dorothy Rasche whose ministry has been to the poor and those in prison. She has been a model of perseverance and quiet listening with a touch of gentle persistence.

The other community is the Sisters of Mercy. For three years of my life they taught, nurtured, and gave example to me. The school of nursing was place where the purpose, first of all, was to teach the students to care for the sick and dying. But in that education, you became immersed in the work of Christ. No one says to you "You are doing Christ's work." It is understood. Compassion, sensitivity, and love are the focus of the education. The skill could be learned. But for many of us the others had to be acquired. The innate value of human life was stressed above all. "God made us, we have value."

And so it is that I'd would personally like to thank Sr. Julie. Because of her Blog "A Nun's Life" (see The Blarney Corner) that I have been called to reflect on the wealth I have gained by these women who have touched my life.

I must also share with you a short story about how I came to find the book about Catherine McAuley's life. While on retreat at St. Meinrad last February I went into a small library on our floor and found the book The Lady from Dublin by William Breault, S.J. Knowing I could not have time to read it there I was able to find it on, yes, Amazon.com. It's a short biography of her life and sthe trip the author takes in Dublin tracing her history. His sketches are also grand. Let me know if you wish to borrow it. Catherine was a grand lady.

Share, if you would, stories of women who have had an impact on your life as you grew and matured.

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For all the Ladies in my life I say,
Thanks be to God!!!