Our Lady of Fatima Visions and Message

On May 13-October 13, 1917 the Blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd children, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta, six times in Fatima, Portugal.  To read about the Message of Fatima she gave to the children and the world, click on this link to the Vatican website on these apparitions.   

   
Both of my parents and my grandmothers have often prayed the Rosary and turned to Mary, the Mother of God, to ask for her prayers and intercession.  Devotion to the Blessed Mother has been a tradition in our family since long before I was born.  

   
The two prayers that I prayed daily in hopes to bring about Kevin's return to the Catholic faith in which he was raised were the Rosary and "The Prayer to Mary for the Conversion of a Loved One," a prayer which I first came across in this amazing book.

   
Kevin gave me a beautiful pink crystal Rosary even before he returned to the faith, because I’d asked for one.  I once said another Rosary wouldn’t mean as much, though I now have another one that means a great deal to me.  The Rosary case I have is still the one my mom gave me years ago, and the Rosary I keep with me all the time belonged to my dad.  He used it a lot during his life, so I’m very grateful to carry on the tradition of the Catholic faith and devotion to the Blessed Mother by using it regularly to pray for family, friends, and all who are suffering in mind, body, and spirit.
   
Here is the trailer from the original film The 13^th Day: The True Story of Fatima is a beautiful portrayal of the events including and surrounding these apparitions:

      

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 21)

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Best Baby Shower Ever! Last Saturday we threw a baby shower for a woman from Kenya who is going to have a baby boy in the next couple of weeks.  She has no family in this country, has had quite a few struggles during her unexpected pregnancy, but she has a very strong faith in the Lord, a group of friends who have rallied around her, and many prayer warriors to lift her up.    The Holy Spirit was present in very powerful ways that day for all present to witness!  Her story reminds me of one of my all-time favorite songs by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, “So You Would Know.” 

     Our prayers that the mother and her son would indeed feel God’s love and plans to give them hope and a future were answered in awesome ways!  Thank You, Lord Jesus!

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Continued Computer Conflicts: We’ve been without a computer (that works) at home for over a week now.  I have lots of reading and writing to catch up on, but I’m still waiting for it to be fixed. 

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Total Consecration: When I was 19, I made my first Preparation for Consecration, and I can honestly say that was a major turning point in my faith journey and in my life.  Yesterday, Kevin and I began doing the 33 day preparation for consecration to Jesus through Mary.  I never thought we’d be doing this together.  Praying this book of powerful prayers, the Rosary, and the Prayer to Mary for the Conversion of a Loved One are three of the main ways the Holy Spirit inspired me to intercede for Kevin’s mind, body, and soul when he’d fallen away from the Church and the Sacraments.  If you'd like to make your consecration or learn more about this proven method to bring you closer to Christ, check out www.myconsecration.org.    

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Post-purchase jitters: After much heated debate, prayerful discernment, and hours of research and discussion, my husband is going to pick up the motorcycle I finally agreed he could purchase.  I'm doing my best not to flip out that I've agreed to a purchase I fear will harm our marriage and may result in serious injury.  I'm hoping in this case to have my fears that I'll be fighting a losing battle with a motorcycle for my husband's time and attention are proven absolutely unfounded.  Please join me in those prayers.  Thanks.   

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Dad on my mind: Yesterday, actually a number of times this week, I've had my dad on my mind and heart, and therefore in my prayers.  I've been wearing a pair of his warm-up pants, one of his well-worn old T-shirts, and his fave Notre Dame sweatshirt when lounging around the house.  A friend came over yesterday to help me get our place organized, and I discovered a card from my dad in the process.  Our dear brother in Christ mentioned he was going to go to the gym to lift weights, which definitely made me think of my dad, since exercise was very high up on his list of priorities.  I recalled that the first time in 11 years that I arranged to spend time alone with my dad, we went to Arby's for lunch, then he took me to American Family Fitness to guide me in a work-out.  He took such pleasure in introducing me to the many friends he'd made there as his oldest daughter.  I was very grateful they'd become like a second family to him.   

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Costumes Galore: As I've related elsewhere, my youngest sister had quite an affinity for costumes when she was little.  She had a number of Disney princess dresses in addition to a pretty wide selection of dance costumes my mom's best friend purchased wholesale at a nearby company.  I'm thoroughly amused that the little princess insisted on going everywhere in costume for a few years of her life, now that I'm no longer a teenager worried what others will think.  It's actually kind of funny that she still has a closet full of costumes that she wore in countless dance recitals and performances over the years.  Her attire for performances more recently hasn't been nearly as fairytale, princess, or diva-like as in years past, but she still has a closet full of costumes at home, which seems quite fitting for a baby born on Halloween while my other sister and I were out trick-or-treating.  Love you lots, miss you much, Theresa!  

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Kenya hear me now: What a tremendous blessing it was this past weekend to be surrounded by so many amazing women and men of faith from Kenya!  Madrine,a dear friend of ours who moved here from Kenya with her two children when I was in high school, shared some wonderful stories about God's Providence and the miracles He's worked in her life, in part, through some of the others present.  This powerful prayer warrior had many of us in tears when she called down the Holy Spirit on those of us gathered that day.  Lord, please continue to bless Madrine and her unwavering devotion to do Your Will and glorify You.  Amen.

Another Woman to Walk Alongside Her

When I walked up, they were praying the second decade of the Joyful Mysteries, The Visitation, when the Blessed Virgin Mary filled with grace goes and helps her elderly relative Elizabeth, who is also pregnant.  My mom informed me that when they’d begun the decade she had prayed that each woman who is faced with an unexpected pregnancy would have another woman come alongside her on the journey.  She said it was fitting that I’d shown up when I did, as the role of companion and moral support is one I’ve been playing for a first-time mother facing an unplanned pregnancy over the past several months. 

     
A friend who knows I’m involved in 40 Days for Life asked if he could give my contact info to his brother’s girlfriend’s best friend who was pregnant.  I said that would be fine and since last spring have been in touch with this mother who is due this month.  My mom, husband, and I are throwing her a baby shower this weekend so she can meet the many people here who have been praying for and supporting her from out-of-town.  
     
I’m not sure why God led her to me, someone who has lots of experience with children of all ages, but who doesn’t have any children herself and who doesn’t know as much about pre-natal care as lots of others.  My sister Mary works with mothers and babies and is much more qualified in this area than I am.  Mary did give me some good advice to pass along, as well as some important resources, but this is not my area of expertise.

The mother’s courage and faith in facing the unknown have inspired me quite a bit.  Without any family in the country, after having lost her job, and about to go into her senior year of college, she found out she’d become pregnant.           

God has always had an interesting sense of timing.  He saw fit to have the Holy Spirit overshadow a virgin by the name of Mary who was betrothed but not yet living with Joseph so as to make her the Mother of the Savior of the World.  Not only that, but He also granted the gift of fertility to Elizabeth and Zechariah in their old age when they had long since believed they would live in the shame of remaining barren in a culture where being childless was frowned upon for many reasons. 
      
John the Baptist, who’s conception is quite a surprise, will serve as a prophet to announce the coming of another holy child, Jesus Christ, who God knew from the beginning of time, but whose parents were also a bit astonished by the timing and circumstances of His conception.
     
Both mothers faced pregnancies that were certainly unexpected.  They didn’t understand how or why they had been blessed with a baby in the womb when such a miracle seemed impossible for either one of them, their present circumstances taken into account.  Joseph and Zechariah were a bit confused, but God put them in their places. 
     
What a blessing of camaraderie for these two first-time mothers to rejoice together and spend time in each other’s company, ministering to one another. 

I don’t imagine it would have been very easy for Mary to stick around her hometown when she was first found with child, and I have a feeling the local mom’s group might not have welcomed Elizabeth into the fray after shunning her for so many years.  The Lord saw fit to bring these two women together in order to glorify Him and comfort each other.

Lord, in Your infinite wisdom and perfect plan for our lives, guide us to accept Your timing and Your will regardless of the circumstances.  Please open our hearts and our eyes to those around us who could use a friend to walk alongside them on the journey.  Amen.

Quality Time With and Without Power

    Though the effects of Hurricane Irene have been obvious up and down the Eastern coast and hundreds of miles inland, Kevin and I had a nice Saturday.  We were able to get some chores and cleaning done early in the day.  We tuned in for a number of hours to The Weather Channel, which really is one of Kevin’s favorite channels to watch, and saw several different weather maps, patterns, warnings, alerts, evacuations, practical suggestions, recommendations, and predictions while we still had electricity and cable. 

     Actually it was long after my mom and a number of other people in our area had lost power that Kevin cooked us cheeseburgers and we watched one of our all-time favorite classic musicals: Singin’ in the Rain.  Ironically enough, we made it through dinner and the movie had just ended when we lost power and it stayed out.  It flickered on and off a number of times throughout the evening, but before then had always come back on and stayed on for a while longer. 

     I talked to my mom, and she was reading a good book.  My sister Theresa was allowed to come home a bit early from work.  I checked in with my sister Mary and her husband Jordan, and she texted me that they were fine, had no power, but were playing Boggle and she was winning. 

     Once it was lights out/candles on Kevin and I seized a good opportunity to make-out during the dark and stormy night.  Eventually we lit some candles and played a game of Scrabble by candlelight and flashlight.  I came away from the game with two observations: 1.) my husband looks particularly handsome in candlelight and 2.) he’s still a worthy opponent for me at Scrabble.

     We talked for a bit, prayed the Rosary together lying in bed, then soon turned in for the night.  Lord, thank You for the blessings You have bestowed upon us today.  Please be with those who have been or will be in harm’s way.  Lead us all to be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, so that we are there for our neighbors in need.  Amen.

Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly

I must say that I’m impressed with Rediscover Catholicism by Matthew Kelly. There are some books about Catholics coming back to the faith that give just a taste of the richness within the Church. Others tend to focus on a few aspects of the Catholic faith or treat one particular subject in depth. This book is a great one to give to those who are wondering about Catholicism, those who have fallen away from the Church of their youth, those who would like to learn the Truth about the pillars of the faith, as well as devout Catholics interested in growing closer to the Lord.

     
I’ve read and reviewed a number of Matthew Kelly’s books, CDs, and DVDs. As with his other works, his strong, straightforward messages are ones basically every person on the planet could benefit from hearing. He provides practical suggestions for how people can become the best-version-of-themselves, which he explains means living out God’s will and becoming all He has created you to be.

     
Rediscover Catholicism is a wonderful tool to help people of all ages and degrees of education (in terms of the faith and otherwise) to be inspired to live out the call to holiness which God extends to each of us.

     
The repetition and re-emphasis of important points help drive home the bold, yet basic messages Kelly has about why, how, where, and when each of us can become the best version of ourselves.

     
As I’ve previously mentioned, the one and only qualm I have about the book is that there are some grammatical errors and typos that are distracting for an English major like me. I’d certainly be more than happy to read and be one of the copy editors for Matthew Kelly’s next manuscript. I enjoy reading his work quite a bit and would indeed be interested in helping his next book become the best-version-of-itself before it goes on the bookstore shelf.

     
You can purchase the Rediscovering Catholicism here.
      
I wrote this review of Rediscover Catholicism for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.   Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases. I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

Recovering Faith: Stories of Catholics Who Came Home

I absolutely love the wide variety of circumstances, ministries, and people involved in helping each of the lapsed Catholics  in Recovering Faith: Stories of Catholics Who Came Home back to the Church of their youth.  I’ve always been interested in the stories of reverts and converts because of my husband’s return to the faith after many years of being away from the Sacraments and any form of organized religion.  One clear similarity connects the conversion stories of each of these individuals with those throughout the Bible and history: the power of the Lord through the inspiration and promptings of the Holy Spirit to draw us back to Him, no matter how far or how often we stray from Him.

     
These eighteen well-known people have vastly different life experiences, educational backgrounds, career pursuits, and even childhood upbringings in the faith, yet each one of them was led by the Holy Spirit back to the Roman Catholic Church.  Some made their way back slowly when those around them inspired them to take another look at Scripture, grow closer to Christ, and/or revisit the practice of prayer and spending time with the Lord.  Others’ conversion experiences seemed to happen at a very specific time, place, and were significant enough to make them turn their lives completely around.
     
Another identifiable strand throughout these stories is a growing hunger in each of these people for the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.  Each found that as they became more open to the Holy Spirit working in and through them that their desire to receive and spend time in front of the Eucharist grew ever stronger.  With some, a relationship with Mary, the Mother of God, and praying the Rosary were instrumental in bringing them back to the Church.

     
The call to become involved in the pro-life ministry as part of their return to the Catholic faith is another strong tie among many of these individuals.  I enjoyed reading more about the makers of Bella, a fantastic pro-life film that came together truly by the grace of God.  I was also interested in learning more about Janet Morana, executive director of Priests for Life and cofounder of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, because I have been involved in the pro-life movement for a number of years, have been really impressed with the work of Priests for Life and this spring was deeply moved by two women who came to our Spring 40 Days for Life campaign from Silent No More in order to share their testimonies.  I ended up e-mailing Janet Morana after the experience and thanking her for beginning such a powerful ministry to help women and men heal from the after-effects of abortion and guide others to choose life.    

     
I found this book very well-written, easy-to-follow, and a great tool for those who have fallen away from the Church and all who minister to them.  Numerous sidebars with explanations of some fundamentals of the faith, various ministries available to help people coming back into the church, and some main Church teachings are scattered throughout the book.  There’s a quick reference of these sidebars in the back, and at the end of each chapter, there are website links to check out about the person who experienced the conversion and the ministries in which they’re ahead of and/or involved in. 

     
I highly recommend this book and a great deal of prayer for all who are hoping to bring family, friends, and loved ones back to the Catholic faith.

     
This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on Recovering Faith: Stories of Catholics Who Came Home. They are also a great source for a Catechism of the Catholic Church or a Catholic Bible.

The Blessings of Divine Mercy

Divine Mercy Sunday, which is celebrated the second Sunday of Easter, this year on May 1, has an even richer significance as today also marks the beatification of Pope John Paul II. St. Maria Faustina Kowalska of Poland was canonized by Pope John Paul II, who established the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday.
   
St. Faustina received from Jesus the message of Divine Mercy which He asked her to share with the world. In addition to the prayers of The Chaplet of Divine Mercy, St. Faustina was shown an image that she was instructed to have painted of the Blood and Water flowing out from Christ’s side and the words, “Jesus, I trust in You” underneath. The many messages she received from the Lord about His Divine Mercy, His love for us, and desire that sinners turn back to Him are included in The Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in my Soul.
    
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is a very powerful prayer said on ordinary Rosary beads. The first and second times I ever heard this prayer sung were incredibly moving prayer sessions you can read about here.
    
Back in October of 2008 when I served on my first Cursillo team, I explained The Divine Mercy message and we sang the prayer on the weekend. In August of last year, I served on a Christ Renews His Parish Women’s retreat team and again had the privilege of introducing to the team and candidates The Divine Mercy Chaplet through song.
    
One time when I met with a friend from VCU and her roommate to pray at the 40 Days for Life vigil this Spring, I suggested that we sing The Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Only one of the women had ever heard it sung before, but they both agreed to try it if I’d lead. Standing on the corner singing the Chaplet with two strong women of faith was a very powerful experience. Interestingly enough, this friend has a well-worn copy of The Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in my Soul which she refers to daily.
    
Last year, our dear brother in Christ’s birthday happened to fall on Divine Mercy Sunday. In order to celebrate his birthday and the feast, he had a Divine Mercy party. Family and friends were invited to meet at his parents’ house to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy together. It was a very special occasion and a great way to promote this devotion among loved ones.
    
To observe Divine Mercy Sunday today, I met up our brother John and one of the high school students he’s sponsoring for Confirmation, and we sang the Chaplet of Divine Mercy in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at our parish, then we prayed the Stations of the Cross together.
    
I am grateful for the Lord's Divine Mercy, for the many women and men in my life who have shown me the love and mercy of God. Thank you for being vessels for the Lord!

Road of Hope

The first time I remember reading about this remarkable man was in a book called A Priest Forever: Nine Signs of Renewal and Hope by Alfred McBride, O. PREAM. I still find it astonishing how this priest lived a life of such profound faith, real hope, and genuine joy in the midst of tremendous suffering. A brother in Christ I had loaned the book to was equally inspired by the mention of this man’s dedication to the Eucharist and Christ, so he got a copy of the DVD entitled Road of Hope: The Spiritual Journey of Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan.
    
My husband and I watched the documentary last evening and are still letting the magnitude of grace, perseverance, holiness, joy, and hope Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan exuded settle in. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for him to be locked in a prison camp in Vietnam for thirteen years, nine of which he spent in solitary confinement.  For days, weeks, sometimes months, he lived in complete darkness. The only personal possession he had when taken to the prison was a Rosary.     

He had prayed that if there was no more work that he could do for the Church that the Lord make his sacrifice complete by taking his life while he was in prison, but that if there was more work he could do to glorify God through serving the Church then he wanted to live long enough to do whatever that would be. At one point his tuberculosis had gotten so bad, they were going to do surgery to remove the largely infected area in one of his lungs. He was on the table prepped for surgery, when everything was stopped so another x-ray could be taken. This x-ray showed that his lungs were both perfectly fine. Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan attributed his miraculous healing to the intercession of the Blessed Mother.
    
God had much more to do in and through this man to bring others closer to Him, to shepherd Christ’s flock, and be an inspiration to Catholics all over the world. His life journey is well-documented. The DVD includes interviews with Cardinal Nguyen Van Thuan, his sister, footage of his parents, clips of him when he worked at the Vatican, and it chronicles some of the most challenging periods of suffering in his life.
    
He modeled the true love and forgiveness of Christ, thereby converting many. I wouldn’t recommend showing such graphic images of suffering and poverty to children, however, teens and adults will definitely be given a clear picture of what it means to say yes to God no matter what. I don’t see how you could fail to be spellbound by this man’s unfailing commitment to living joyfully and hopefully for God in the face of unimaginable suffering.
    
You can purchase this DVD here.
    
I wrote this review of Road of Hope for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.  Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.  I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

The 13th Day: The True Story of Fatima

The 13th Day: The True Story of Fatima is a beautiful, very moving rendition of Our Lady’s appearance to the three shepherd children Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta in Fatima, Portugal. Mary appeared to them on the 13th day of each month from May to October 1917. Breathtaking countryside shots, a well-selected, very talented cast, and a captivating plot based on the true story of the Marian apparitions in Fatima make this an exceptional work. The courage and faith of these children’s witnesses in the face of so many adults who vehemently refuted what the three saw and experienced are portrayed exceptionally well in this film.
   
Though it’d been years since I’d read any books about the Fatima apparitions, much of what I’d read, heard, and gleaned from a variety of sources came back to me when watching this film. Plus, the dramatization of the story really drove home the incredible faith and grace these three children were given to stand firm and hold on to the Truth even when it meant they were abducted from their homes, thrown into prison, and threatened with death because they had the audacity to remain faithful to the Lord and Mary’s message.
    
The powerful intercession of Mary and her role as Mediatrix are clearly defined in this movie. State-of-the-art digital special effects are used to create the images described by the children, mainly in the memoirs of the oldest child Lucia Santos, and by the thousands of eye witnesses present on October 13, 1917 when the promised Miracle of the Sun occurred.
    
Even those who have read a number of books written on the Fatima apparitions and studied the prophetic messages that the Blessed Mother gave to these poor peasants I believe will enjoy and be pleased with how the story, setting, and people come across onscreen.
    
I highly recommend this film as being quite inspirational. It reminds us of God’s faithfulness, Mary’s power and tenderness, as well as Christ’s love in the midst of a culture of death, the experience of personal physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering, and the ongoing challenge of living out and proclaiming the Truth when challenged from all sides to stop doing so.
    
You can purchase this DVD here.
    
I wrote this review of The 13th Day for the Tiber River Blogger Review program.  Tiber River is the first Catholic book review site, started in 2000 to help you make informed decisions about Catholic book purchases.  I receive free product samples as compensation for writing reviews for Tiber River.

Another Rosary Wouldn't Mean As Much

Long before Kevin returned to the faith, I asked for a Rosary—I believe it was on my wish-list for my birthday. I was very surprised and touched when Kevin presented me with a pink Rosary. Even though he knew what it was, he didn’t know the significance of it as a spiritual aid for praying one of the most powerful groups of prayers in the world.
   
I was hopeful knowing he’d walked into a religious goods store and carefully selected a Rosary for me even if he still didn’t understand why I went to Mass at least once a week and prayed so often. He certainly didn’t know that I would use the very Rosary he gave me countless times over the years while praying for his conversion and return to the Catholic faith in which he was raised. I know it has been through Our Blessed Mother’s intercession that Kevin has not only returned to the Church, but has also become actively involved in a variety of ministries.
   
The other night after Kevin and I had both had a rough day, I asked him to pray with me in the Eucharist chapel at our church. He did. We sat praying silently for a few minutes before Kevin suggested we pray the Rosary together.
   
This was one of the few times, if not the very first time, Kevin’s been the one to suggest we pray the Rosary together. We’ve prayed it many times as a couple and in group, but I’m almost always the one to suggest it.
   
He pulled out the plastic Rosary he always keeps in his pocket and I dug my pouch out of my purse, got from it the Rosary box, a gift from my Mom with the Madonna and Infant Jesus on the front, and pulled out the pink Rosary Kevin had given me years before. I felt grateful he’s come so far in his spiritual journey.
   
We had one slight problem; my Rosary had somehow gotten tangled and knotted in the past 24-48 hours since I’d last used it and put it back in the box. I tried without success to undo the knots for a few minutes. Kevin pointed to the plastic Rosary someone had left in the book holder in front of my seat and suggested I just use that one instead, but I shook my head and kept working. Then he offered to help, and I shook my head again determined to get the knots out myself.
   
I obviously needed more of a lesson in humility, because I could not for the life of me get those stupid knots out. I had to laugh. I was already feeling really stressed out and had come in the chapel to calm down and pray, and now my Rosary was knotted. I mean really!
   
I finally handed the tangled beads over to Kevin to work on. He struggled for a few more minutes with it before suggesting for a third time that I just use the brown plastic one directly in front of me, but I really wanted to use the one from him, so God love him (and He does), he kept at it and eventually got it untangled and unknotted.
   
I linked my arm through his and scooted a little closer to him, and we finally prayed the Rosary. Later I realized the irony of God granting a prayer request I’d prayed for years ago in the midst of current trying times filled with new urgent prayer requests.
   
Lord, thank You for answering our prayers in the ways and in the time You know are best. Your thoughts are definitely not tangled, knotted, and twisted as ours can be at times. Please help us turn to You, be still, and really listen. Amen.