Getting ready for All Hallows Eve...

To kick things off, here is an excellent sampling of the best writing I have found in my many searches for all things authentically Catholic about All Hallow's Eve. Like me, you will probably want to go check out Ray Bradbury's fiction after you explore Fitzpatrick's comments on his blog. I like the idea of a modern writer who does not find himself mired down in the muck of modernism. The quote below, as well as the swell vintage postcard, can be found here at "Recta Ratio":

The celebration of the day is Celtic and Christian. It is the dying time of the year, with the harvest almost all in now, and even the green leaves of summer suddenly blazing into brilliant color and then dropping to the ground. The days are growing notably colder and shorter. It is the appropriate time to recall our dead, to think about, and to pray for the all the dead. The merry season of Christmas lies ahead. But, as the liturgical year winds down over the next 5 weeks, let us pause to recall death. It is the first of the Four Last Things, after all. --G. Thomas Fitzpatrick

The Holy Father's Prayer Intentions and new blog

Going over here to see a new blog. I copied the Holy Father's October intentions from Catholic Culture website. Go here for the liturgical overview for the month:

The Holy Father's Intentions for the Month of October 2009

General: That Sunday may be lived as the day on which Christians gather to celebrate the risen Lord, participating in the Eucharist.

Missionary: That the entire People of God, to whom Christ entrusted the mandate to go and preach the Gospel to every creature, may eagerly assume their own missionary responsibility and consider it the highest service they can offer humanity.

I'll take Shakespeare over Freud any day!

A couple of years ago, I watched the wonderful video series by Michael Wood called "In Search of Shakespeare." While some of the commentary reflects a very heterodox approach to Christianity, there is a pursuit of truth that is quite refreshing. So, anyway, I had watched this on the small screen of my laptop tucked away in the corner of our kitchen in Roswell. At the time, I had ordered, and was impatiently awaiting Joseph Pearce's book on Shakespeare. Back to the PBS series -- I was amazed to see a secular production also making the case for Shakespeare being not just an "ethnic Catholic" but one who was actively, if not secretly, involved in the "old faith". Last night, I watched the series again on our large-screen television. It was very moving.

This morning I have had some quiet time to pause and reflect on what it is to be a parent in these crazy times...what it is to be a crazy homeschooling parent in these lazy times....what it is for me to be such a "lazy daisy" in these hardworking times....

I love the LovetoLearn website and read this review with much interest. Turns out Freud was wrong about siblings! Big surprise!!! I need to drink some more coffee before I try to write more, or maybe I'll just throw all this out there as a challenge to myself and others to live a life full of common sense and right religion. It is not about being "right" the way moderns tend to think of it. It is about being right in the sense of being as good as we possibly can be. It is hard to be as good as we possibly can be without the priesthood and all seven sacraments of Mother Church. There is no getting around this. I am not "right" because I adhere to Mother Church. I adhere to the Magisterial teachings of the Church because I am acutely aware of how weak I am as a human being, and how generous God is in His Love for me. There are many errors of modernism, but the one that I have seen and experienced, time and time again in my own life, is the error that we humans are in charge of our destinies. The result of this error is always the worship of the State.

I could really go off on a tangent about modernism and think it a topic that is really brewing in this great country. If we --including me-- would stop watching and listening so much, and really engage our fellow man, then we would shake the trappings of modernism off and move forward as a truly courageous America, washed of its errors and tempatations. I do not think America has a chance as long as her Christians are divided.

Back down to earth, I am working on re-integrating art and music back into our curriculum. The hybrid school overall is just what the doctor ordered for this family. The competition is healthy and the schedule leaves lots of time for us to be together and learn together. I want to go over here to one of Elizabeth Foss's beautiful unit studies on music.

To close on a musical and hopeful note, one lesson I worked on with our young son this past Friday was a lovely story in his Abeka reader about the story behind the writing of "America the Beautiful," which as corn-ball as it sounds, is one of my favorite songs (If I get hit by a bus tomorrow, please play this at my funeral.). So, in the spirit of this song, may God truly mend our every flaw!

Quick movie log

If "you are what you watch," what does this "video salad" say about us?

This list is over the summer. We read more than we watch but, we do like our Netflix "Roku" boxes. The kids have been outside riding bikes and playing in the cul-de-sac. Once or twice a week, Dad and Mom "pop in" a video, usually something to do with WWII. Here is a quick list:

War of 1812, History Chan.
Tora, Tora, Tora -- that was fun, as kids and grandparents watched too
Midway
Patton -- My second favorite; I thought Patton should of pushed east and gone after Stalin.

Quo Vadis? -- This was, by far, my favorite...we know the early Christians were fed to lions and other cruel and hideous forms of "sport" in the Coliseum, but this movie really gives you a feeling for what it would have been like to approach such suffering with certain valor
Mark Twain, an A&E Biography
The Third Man, film noir evidently, started slow, but good ending, starring a very young Orson Welles
A Bridge Too Far

Girls' Weekend at Lake Chatuge, 9/5-6

America the Beautiful

Years ago, when I was very sick, I had the time and the inclination to read a good amount of Catholic prophecy. Many of the Church's canonized saints have, through various forms of private revelation, communicated directly with God as to His Will for themselves as "saints in the making," for the Church and the world. Recently, I am back reading and praying prophecy. I am marvelling at the stories I know-- like those blessed little children in Fatima, Portugal; and also I am discovering saints and events that I had never heard of before this summer. It is important to note that the principle meaning of prophecy is not to foretell the future, rather it is knowing God's Will.

As fallen humanity, we struggle mightily against the three enemies of the soul: the world, the flesh and the devil. Discerning God's will for our lives --much less for our country or our world-- demands heroic virtue. Some might posit that this virtue is unobtainable. Well, it is not something we get on our own, that is for sure. Only by God's grace may we obtain the grace and strength that we need to discern His Holy Will. Frustration, anxiety, bouts of ill temper -- these really should be part and parcel of the life of a saint. As a stay-at-home mom, it certainly is part of life in my family. We pray alot, we play alot, but we sure do struggle alot with our various human weaknesses and the external temptations that assail us from the world and the bad angels. I think I've gotten off the point. I wanted to post a link to the true story of Our Lady of America. Read it and pray. Read it and be amazed. Read it and live redeemed and help redeem this poor country of ours.

Would that we had no guile!

I had a few quiet moments to read the Gospel and to take a quick virtual tour of St. Bartholomew's church in Rome (via the Catholic Culture webpage). Our faith is so heartening! Which is a good thing because we are slam-0-rama over here with academics hitting us like the ocean waves. All the movement is fun and we are, overall, enjoying working hard. Our Catholic hybrid school is just what the doctor ordered for a good balance for our family.

Later today, I hope to get some photos off Facebook of the family party we hosted last Thurs as a belated bday celebration for my hubby.

Our Lady of the Word, pray for us!

This book is so moving and beautiful. I have not been on the internet much (except to order books for the kids and for me) as we have been so occupied lately. Tomorrow is our first day of St. John Bosco hybrid school. Getting everyone up and out the door in the morning all packed up with food, drinks, books and other supplies should be good. Our Lady of Kibeho, pray for us!

Expanding our hearts

After I read about St. Lydia over at Catholic Culture (click on last link below), I went over to the blog Catholic Fire and am amazed at such faith. Often we feel nearly helpless when it comes to increasing the theological virtues. We feel like we are trying so hard and have so little control. I know this is our weak humanity chaffing against the demands of authentic Love. Well, here are some links to lift us up: go over to Catholic Fire and know that -- whether you feel it or not -- the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus will strengthen Faith, Hope and Love within us. Pray for the Holy Father's intentions and review the liturgical season for the month of August.

To Jesus through Mary! Amen.

The prophetic writings of John Senior

I still want to learn Latin, and, truthfully, haven't gotten very far. This past week I finished The Death of Christian Culture by John Senior and plan to go back and re-read The Restoration of Christian Culture, which I bought and read first. Senior's writings kindle the fires of Love. Go to IHS Press and learn more.

We've often heard it said that "there is nothing ordinary about Ordinary Time". This summer 2009, I am finding this true in a particular way.

We are having blinds installed on all our windows, so I am signing off...

Lesson #1: we fear what we perceive will be difficult...

Last night my husband and I watched our 11 year old daughter have a meltdown. She was devastated. She was crying. She was inconsolable. What she said she was protesting she was not protesting; and, as I pointed out to my hubby --and he saw to be true -- she was deeply afraid of the unknown future. Yet, another time when "Lesson #1" kicked in -- and, it is our children who teach it to us, our children who act as the mirror reflecting our fallen humanity right before us.

I too fear the unknown. Unlike our daughter, lots of practice recognizing my fear has often helped me reject it, helped me to push onward with little to no protest. Of course, there are still times when I let it creep up on me, and, just like my tender-hearted, blue-eyed girl, I say one thing when I really mean another. I think fear works that way. We try hard to find an easier path. We work hard avoiding the job God has put before us. Some Bible translations quote our Savior's great exhortation as "Be not afraid." Recently, I heard what I thought a better translation, "Stop fearing."

At a recent three day women's retreat, by God's grace, I spent many hours in concentrated prayer. I was emotionally and physically very tired by Sunday. Then, like the brilliant, yet slowly evolving, sunrise, I awoke from my fatigue and saw a clear day. I wish I could say that I knew exactly what God wanted of me on the hour of everyday...that kind of clarity is not what I mean. What I did see clearly was that, like my young daughter, I fear what I perceive will be difficult. Prayer helps us take on God's perspective. He perceives life much differently than do we fallen humans. At the same time, He created us to love, and to love both naturally and supernaturally, so there must be some recourse to shrug off the terrible fears that so often cripple His will for our lives.

The recourse is His Sacred Body and Blood, His Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. I pray that I may bring this wonderful -- this truly awesome-- reality to more people before my earthly pilgrimmage is over. I pray that I might be more open to adoring Him, to just allowing myself to be quiet in His Presence. Lord, hear our prayer!

Born into Heaven in 1024

I'd like to read more about this holy King of Germany who is, among other things, the patron of the physically challenged.