Catholic

"A Verse, A Prayer" Rosary Meditations: Joyful Mysteries

October 03, 2021

 



Blessings all! 

This month of October is the Month of the Holy Rosary, and so I thought it was appropriate that my first faith-based post in months should be dedicated to this devotion. 

As much as I love the Rosary, it does feel quite...trite at times. Rote, even. And that is something that is not *supposed* to happen. I mean, I have heard the meditative aspects of the Rosary described in many ways (most recently, being like a photo album sitting on Mother Mary's lap, which I find quite beautiful), but have never really *gotten* it. I've tried Rosary books with meditations and it only works for a few seconds before my mind is off again into La-La-Land (and not the musical either). 

So I've started this project in which to find little bite-sized meditations to consume before each prayer. What inspired this project was a practice that my brother would sometimes do for the Fourth Sorrowful Mystery and announce the first 10 Stations of the Cross before each Hail Mary. I found that it was super helpful to keep me focused. As many of the mysteries are based on Scripture, I decided to try one line or two lines of Scripture per Hail Mary. 

In this post, I'll be giving "a verse, a prayer" meditations for the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. By far, these were the easiest set of mysteries, as the Bible verses lined up one right after the other and they were already in a nice narrative format. 

All Bible quotations are taken directly from the Douay-Rheims version of the Bible. I should also add a disclaimer that the verses were chosen and curated by me (a single laywoman with no formal theological training). This does not have any official Imprimatur but is simply intended for private devotion only.  


First Mystery: The Annunciation

Our Father. 

"And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth." (Luke 1:26). Hail Mary. 

"To a virgin espoused to a man who name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary." (Luke 1:27). Hail Mary. 

"And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." (Luke 1:28). Hail Mary. 

"Who having heard, was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be." (Luke 1:29). Hail Mary. 

"And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God." (Luke 1:30). Hail Mary. 

"Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus." (Luke 1:31). Hail Mary. 

"And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?" (Luke 1:34). Hail Mary. 

"And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35). Hail Mary. 

"And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to the thy word." (Luke 1:38). Hail Mary. 

"And the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us..." (John 1:14). Hail Mary. 

Glory Be 

Fatima Prayer


"The Annunciation" by Sandro Botticelli


Second Mystery: The Visitation of Our Lady to her cousin Elizabeth

Our Father

"And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she has also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren." (Luke 1:36). Hail Mary. 

"And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda." (Luke 1:39). Hail Mary. 

"And she entered into the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth." (Luke 1:40). Hail Mary. 

"And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost." (Luke 1:41). Hail Mary. 

"And she cried out with a loud voice and said: Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." (Luke 1:42). Hail Mary. 

"And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43). Hail Mary. 

"For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy." (Luke 1:44). Hail Mary. 

"And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. (Luke 1:46-47). Hail Mary. 

"Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations will call me blessed." (Luke 1:48). Hail Mary. 

"And Mary abode with her about three months. And she returned to her own house." (Luke 1: 56). Hail Mary. 


Glory Be. 

Fatima Prayer.



"La Visitation" by Phillipe de Champaigne


Third Mystery: The Nativity of Our Lord

Our Father

"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem: because he was was of the house and family of David. To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child." (Luke 2:4-5). Hail Mary. 

"And it came to pass that when they were there, her days were accomplished that she should be delivered." (Luke 2:6). Hail Mary. 

"And she brought forth her first-born son and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger: because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7). Hail Mary. 

"And there were in the same country shepherds watching and keeping their night watches over their flock." (Luke 2:8). Hail Mary. 

"And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them and the brightness of God shone round them: and they feared with a great fear. (Luke 2:9). Hail Mary. 

"And the angel said to them: Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people. (Luke 2:10). Hail Mary. 

"For, this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David." (Luke 2:11). Hail Mary. 

"And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger." (Luke 2:12). Hail Mary. 

"And they came with haste: and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manager. (Luke 2:16). Hail Mary. 

"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told to them. (Luke 2:20). Hail Mary. 

Glory Be

Fatima Prayer


"The Nativity" by Antoniazzo Romano


Fourth Mystery: The Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple

Our Father

"And after eight days were accomplished, that the child should be circumcised, his name was called Jesus, which was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb." (Luke 2:21). Hail Mary. 

"And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they carried him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord." (Luke 2:22). Hail Mary. 

"As it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord." (Luke 2:23). Hail Mary. 

"And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon: and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel." (Luke 2:25). Hail Mary. 

"And when his parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him according to the custom of the law, he also took him into his arms and blessed God." (Luke 2:27-28). Hail Mary. 

"Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace, because my eyes have seen thy salvation." (Luke 2:29-30). Hail Mary. 

"And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him." (Luke 2:33). Hail Mary. 

"And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be contradicted." (Luke 2:34). Hail Mary. 

"And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed." (Luke 2:35). Hail Mary. 

"And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their city Nazareth." (Luke 2:39). Hail Mary. 

Glory Be. 

Fatima Prayer.


"The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple" by Giovanni Bellini


Fifth Mystery: The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple

Our Father

"And when he was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast." (Luke 2:42). Hail Mary. 

"And having fulfilled the days when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and his parents knew it not." (Luke 2:43). Hail Mary. 

"And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey and sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance." (Luke 2:44). Hail Mary. 

"And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him." (Luke 2:45). Hail Mary. 

"And it came to pass that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing the and asking them questions." (Luke 2:46). Hail Mary. 

"And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers." (Luke 2:47). Hail Mary. 

"And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? Behold they father and I have sought thee sorrowing." (Luke 2:48). Hail Mary.  

"And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? Did you know I must be about my father's business?" (Luke 2:49). Hail Mary. 

"And they understood not the word that he spoke unto them." (Luke 2:50). Hail Mary. 

"And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them." (Luke 2:51). Hail Mary. 

Glory Be

Fatima Prayer


"Jesus au milieu de docteurs" by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres 


And that finishes the Joyful Mysteries! I hope to publish the Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries soon!  

Old-fashionably yours, 

Catherine

Catholic

The Rough Road to Tradition (My Journey to the Catholic Church)

August 15, 2020





Hey everyone!

So today (August 15) is an extremely special day. Not just because it is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. But this year marks the 10th anniversary of my First Communion! 

In posts past, I have promised to tell the full story of my conversion/reversion/reception into the Catholic Faith (see, even ten years later, I still can't describe what it actually is....). And I cannot find any other time more be-fitting than right now to do so. 

Disclaimer of Charity: I'm going to be talking bluntly about Protestantism, the Episcopalian church and the Norvus Ordo rite of the Catholic Church. I affirm that the Norvus Ordo is a legitimate rite and can be done reverently and it is not my intention to cause division. Nor do I intend any hard feelings towards any of my Protestant friends, all of whom I love dearly and pray for. Also beware, there is a lot of pain and angst in the following post. 

I suppose I shall start at the beginning, then! 

My parents met in college and got married a year into their graduate studies. At the time, my father was a Norvus Ordo Catholic and my mother was an Episcopalian. As such, they were required to have a dispensation by the Church in order to marry. You see, the Catholic Church rather frowns on mixed marriages, and as my story will show, there are very good reasons for this. 

They were granted the dispensation and were married in a joint marriage ceremony in the Episcopalian church that my mother attended - I believe the actual marriage vows and a nuptial blessing were given by the Catholic priest while the rest of the ceremony was in the Episcopalian liturgy. In Catholic eyes, this is a rather....unusual procedure. Normally, there would be a Nuptial Mass in a Catholic Church, which then confers many graces to the couple and strengthens them in their marriage. While my parent's marriage has been declared valid by the Church, I believe that the full benefits of the sacrament were not obtained. 

I was born nearly two years later, and my parents both agreed that I needed to be baptized. The question was, which church? 
I was told that the decision was for me (and my subsequent siblings) were to be baptized into the Catholic Church. My parents recognized that being baptized in a Protestant rite created a potential impediment to conversion later. And indeed, it would have been - Catholics have a certain form for baptism and if all the conditions are not met, then the baptism is invalid. Since baptism can only be adminstered once, it creates a whole theological scrutiny that, in my parents eyes, could very easily be avoided. I learned later that part of the conditions of a dispensation for mixed marriage include baptizing and raising the children Catholic as well. 

Anyway, I was baptized in a Norvus Ordo baptism ceremony when I was about 5 months old. It is rather unusual for the baptism ceremony to be so delayed, but my father was finishing his graduate studies at the time. 

As a little girl, I remember my father coming to Episcopal services a couple of times, and my mother to Catholic services. But that soon stopped as my father was beginning to re-engage with his Faith. 

What emerged was a compromise, and the beginning of what seemed like a "spiritual divorce". My siblings and I would go the Norvus Ordo Catholic Mass the one week, and the Episcopalian liturgy the next week. Back and forth, we were shunted. In the Episcopal church, we were in Sunday School and learned about stories in the Bible. I remember only one Catholic 'kids session', and I remember very little of it. In the Norvus Ordo parishes, there is very little opportunity for catechesis for children - a fact that I heartily wish to be remedied as soon as possible. 

This pattern continued this way for several years. And then when I was around the age of six or seven, I was exposed to my first Traditional Latin Mass. 
I hated it. 
You see, Norvus Ordo Masses were very easy for me to understand. It was upbeat, it was rather fun. I still remember taking the Gifts up occasionally. 
In the Latin Mass, I couldn't understand what was going on, and I was bored. And a bored Catherine was a very dangerous thing. 
The second reason why is that I always equated the Traditional Latin Mass with my paternal grandfather. He and I had a very rocky relationship for many many years. He was a hard man in those days, stubborn too. 
Every time we would visit my grandparents and it was my week to go with Dad to church, there was a battle royale. My stubborn temper put up a good fight, though Daddy made me go anyway. 

Fast forward now to when I was about 11. 

My father had been watching my local NO parish really go left-field for several years. What I mean by that was having goofy music, and a lot more liturgical abuses (making up prayers, possible heresy being taught, etc.). My mother remembers him coming home mad as a hornet every single week. 
Then my father saw an announcement in his church bulletin about a Latin Mass up in a major city an hour away. The Fraternity of St Peter had just been welcomed to the Diocese, and they had been given use of the Cathedral's wedding chapel. He was unsure for a couple of months, but strangely, my mother encouraged him to to try it. 

He went by himself for a few weeks before he started taking my brother and I. 
I....still hated it. Remember, I was still dealing with all those unresolved issues from earlier years. Back then, our current parish didn't exist - it was just a small group of people that started attending Mass regularly every week. 

My father began to make friends and soon was engaging much more in his Faith. It was then he began to take on my long-neglected catechesis, starting with the Baltimore Catechism. 
I'm sorry to say that young Miss Catherine was not a very good student for him. In order to make me to engage, Daddy made me read the questions aloud and then he would read the answers. This was NOT how Catherine wished to be taught. Especially when she was in her pre-teens and about to enter the period known in my family as The Two Years from Hell (which in reality was more like four, but who's counting!).
Take in mind, I was still attending the Episcopal services and the Sunday school twice a month. And in my early teens, it was a bit more involved. I became part of a bell choir, which I loved, and.....I even served on the Episcopal altar as a torch-bearer! 

This last action is a source of regret to me now. Had I really realized what I was doing was an extremely heretical action, I would never have done it. To his credit, my father threw a hairy canary and made me stop doing it after a few times. My rebellious teenage self really resented him then, but now that I know the mystical understanding behind altar serving and how it is a preparation for the priesthood.....I get it now. 

So now at the age of 13, we're at odds. My father knew he was playing a dangerous game - my sentiments were lying with my mother's church at this point. So he made one last ditch effort to save my soul. 

He gave me another Catechism to read. It was My Catholic Faith, a large book meant for adults. And, more importantly, he left me alone to read it. 

Now at this point, I'm in middle school. I love to study - I was an academic by passion, even if I hated tests and grammar. And so....this book suited me a lot. 

Suddenly, things clicked! I suddenly had something to DO during Mass, rather than just sit there. I learned, truly, who God was, and all about the Church and the doctrines and dogmas. I even picked up the Baltimore Catechism again with a clearer understanding. In fact, I became known by this habit of reading my catechism during the Homilies and Canon of the Mass. I never approached the altar rail except for Ash Wednesday and Palm Sunday and even then it felt weird. 

Now begins a really tumultuous time for my soul. Because with my studies, I was beginning to understand about heresy. I was beginning to understand why certain beliefs could not be true. I did indeed struggle with the traditional belief of "no salvation outside the Catholic Church" for several months. 

But, to highlight just how much influence that this studying had....there was one instance in my mother's Sunday School that we played Bible Baseball. It was a game in which the teachers asked questions and if we answered them right, we'd move onto a base (it was on paper, not in reality); it was my favorite game. One question asked what did St. Paul write or something along those lines. I shocked my teacher by saying the Catholic term - Epistles - instead of the more modern term Letters. It's stuck in my mind even to this day. 

Not too long afterwards, (I'm not sure what prompted it exactly anymore, probably to compare notes more than anything,) I started asking about the doctrines of the Episcopal church from my mother. At the time, she didn't have a copy of the 39 Articles, so I had to be contented with pamphlets and talking to the priests of that church. 

But then....someone started to use Her influence. 

I had become aware of Our Blessed Mother during a homily by my grandfather's priest, the good Monseigneur Moss (may he rest in peace). I don't remember the context of what he said, but I remember him pointing to a statue of Our Lady of Fatima that he kept near the pulpit and saying.....

"Her." 

Again, I don't remember the context. It was probably it was something along the lines of Her intercessory role and mediatrix of all graces, etc. But that action sent a shock wave of recognition to my soul. There was my Mother and She was to be respected and loved. 

From there, the relationship began to be personal. My father had also given me some Miraculous Medals around that time, all of which I still have. I never had any trouble believing in Mary, or Her role, or how the Church treated Her. I began to pick up the Rosary - my father was now saying it in the car with us and taught us how to say it. 

By now, I'm 14, and seriously considering entering the Catholic Church. I started off by announcing to my parents that I wished to go to the Catholic Church three weeks out of the four. I had been going to Latin Mass now for nearly 4 years and my attitude towards it was changing drastically. I was also given the grace to recognize Jesus in the Eucharist and His Presence. I was already veiling - I remember when I got my first veil when I was about 12, but don't remember when exactly I started wearing it. All I know is that I was seeing the good example of the women around me and wished to imitate them. 

But still, there were some doctrinal issues to work through. I remember having a few sessions in Father's office talking about some of them. 

Then, one day, I was forced to go to an Episcopalian service when I was visiting my maternal grandparents. I don't remember exactly why, I think my grandfather couldn't pick me up for Mass for some reason. 
One thing stuck out though. In one of the prayers that the Episcopalian priest said, he called Mary the God-bearer. 
Now, I know now that a Protestant service acknowledging Mary at all is a rare thing. But for some reason, this title given to Our Lady made me mad. 

I felt that Our Lady was disrespected. And maybe She was, maybe She wasn't. But whatever the case, I was fed up with Episcopalians right then and there. Besides the horrible catechesis I received from them, and not giving me good answers to my questions, they disrespect my Mother Mary too? Oh boy, that was the proverbial last straw! 

I made the decision soon after to start going to the Catholic Church exclusively. I remember my last day at the Episcopal church pretty vividly still. We played bible baseball during Sunday School, and everyone cried when I told them I was leaving them for good. It was the last time I would wear pants at a church service. I had begun my journey to modesty, and had made myself a rule that I would only wear skirts to Mass, following the example of the women there once again. 

From there, I began to be formally catechized by my future Confirmation sponsor, so I could pass the tests required before First Holy Communion. 

Little did I know that one of the worst times of my conversion was about to take place. 

My mother had become aware that I was leaning Catholic and it caused a slight rift between us. My father was also starting to slowly introduce Catholic practices, including Friday abstinence, into the home. There was a lot of pain, a lot of angst, and a lot of self-doubt. I considered whether I would apostatize after I received the Sacraments if I discovered that I didn't like being a Catholic. I actually delayed fully committing to the Catholic Church twice - I'm sure that I caused my poor priest a lot of pain and worry because of it. 

But something else came into my life. And that was the Junior Sodality. 

It had been formed the January of my 15th year and I became involved with it pretty soon afterwards. This provided to be a Godsend. Not only did I make friends (and consider them the sisters I never had), but I deepened my relationship with Our Lady. 
My biggest struggle at that time was the fact that my mother couldn't be there for me spiritually. She couldn't come to my First Communion and because she was Protestant, I couldn't really follow her example in the spiritual sense. What saved me though, was a bunch of church ladies that took me under their wings, and a couple of them became almost like second mothers to me. 

Now, we're at the time when I was about ready for First Sacraments. I had passed the tests which had been required, and now it was time to set a date. 

Father told me that the first date that it could be done was August 15. I knew that was a feast of Our Lady and so I jumped at it. And while I had initially demurred getting Confirmation so soon, Father ended up scheduling me to have Confirmation a month later. It was September 12, which turns out is a minor feast of Our Lady as well! (So yeah, couple that with the fact that I was baptized in May....and later when I graduated college on May 13....and had my first ever date three years to the date after that....yeah, no, there's no coincidence here. Not at all. I'm already planning on my future wedding to be on October 11, which is the feast of the Motherhood of Mary) 

I remember being really mad that I couldn't wear a fully white dress for my First Communion. My mother was making me one, but it couldn't be finished in time, though it could be ready for my Confirmation. So, I ended wearing a white sleeveless dress with blue flowers all over it, and a light blue bolero. In the end, it was much more befitting - blue for Our Lady and white for purity! 

On the morning of August 15, I made my First Confession before Mass began. I was given a pass to go ahead of everyone else, it was weird. 
What was also weird was seeing my paternal grandmother enter into the church with my grandfather. My grandmother had stopped going to Mass years ago and I had never seen her attend Mass. It sent chills. 

I was the only First Communicant that day, and so there was of course the usual fuss along with it (annoucements, etc.). Mass went on, and then came the fateful moment. 

Satan, however, made one more last ditch to stop me. Throughout this whole journey, I had been experiencing spiritual attacks, mostly in the guise of doubts and fears. 

This attack was much worse. I was scared, not gonna lie. I could hear Satan whispering nasty stuff. 

I stepped out of the pew and approached the middle of the altar rail, while Father was giving the servers Communion. I kept my eyes to the floor to and prayed for strength. 

Then my eye caught the white hem of a surplice and the gold fringe of Father's vestment approaching and I knew it was time. 

I shut my eyes and stuck out my tongue. 
(ahem, I should explain that in the Latin Mass, we receive Jesus on our tongues, not in our hands. The reasons why would take up an entire post, so I'll leave that explanation for later). 

For one awful second as Father was saying the "Corpus Domini" I sensed an agonized devilish scream of terror. 

Then Jesus came to me. 

And my soul experienced the most overwhelming sense of peace. A peace that never has been repeated ever since. 

From there, I knew there was no going back. I was to be His for life. And only through the Church could I receive Him. 

I wish I could say that my spiritual troubles were over after this. But that would be a lie. There was a very dangerous period soon afterwards in which I developed vices of impurity, pride, and anger. It took me years to break them and some of them I'm still breaking to this day. 

But I know that my salvation has been given to me in baptism, and my salvation is being attained through my prayers, works and reception of the sacraments, and my salvation will be attained when I pass through purgatory to the gates of Heaven. Thank the Lord that my life has been preserved thus far so that I may have the chance to save my soul before I die! 

I have learned much about my soul in these past 10 years. I've learned that I'm not invincible, that I'm not as strong in my faith as I should be. I know that I have much work to do on myself before I can ever achieve any level of sainthood. 

But even steeped in the worst sins....I knew I could never leave Jesus or His Church. Even if the Church's leaders betrayed her principles, I could never leave it. 

When I said my personal Fiat, I meant it. May God give me the strength to keep that Fiat until I die, and may my Mother help me to keep that resolution! 

Old-fashionably yours, 

Catherine

Catholic

Catholic Liturgy Tag!

July 20, 2020








View the Linkup HERE

Hey everyone! 

So, I'm super excited to participate in this blog party! I won't be giving a huge introduction today because this first post is a very very large tag and I don't want to keep you. So lets' get started! 


Personal/Family 

How did you get your name? Is there a special story?

 My real first name is not a saint name, but a favorite of my parents. Megan is my "baptismal" name, which also doubles as my middle name. Catherine is my confirmation name, for St. Catherine Laboure.


Who are your patron saint(s)?

St. Catherine Laboure, and St. Michael are my main two :)


Does your family do any devotions together?

Considering my family is mostly Catholic with a few Protestant members, 'together' is a relative term. Daily, we Catholics do the Rosary together, and all of us do Night Prayers together. Occasionally, we do the Divine Mercy chaplet, a novena or three, and other things.


Have you or anyone in your family dressed up as a saint? What was the best costume?

Yes, I have. I dressed up once as a Benedictine saint (at least that's what the habit was. It was super pretty and I wish I had a picture of it somewhere).

Have you been to the Easter Vigil? What is your favorite part? What about your favorite line of the Exultet?

YESSSSSSS. My favorite part is when the Pascal Candle leads into the church with the Lumen Christi antiphon.
(and I love all of the Exultet, obviously)


How many sacraments have you received? Are there any good stories about them?

I've received....four sacraments (Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Confession and Confirmation). Ehh, unless you count my conversion story, not really.

What are your family traditions around...
Advent and Christmas?

Advent calendar, and Midnight Mass.

Lent, Holy Week and Easter?

Not really?

Godfamilies/confirmation sponsors?

Nope!


What is your...
Favorite hymn?

Sicut Cervus by Palestrina.

Favorite saint quote?

"Pray, Hope and Don't Worry" by Padre Pio.

Favorite Bible verse?



Favorite sacrament?

Matrimony! I just went to my first Nuptial Mass the other day and it's so beautiful!

Favorite work of Catholic Fiction?

Paint Everything Blue by Lena Donellan. A tearjerker for sure, but it's SO GOOD.


Favorite work of Catholic nonfiction?

Modern Saints, Vol. 1 and Vol II by Ann Ball.


Favorite feast day(s)?

August 15, Feast of the Assumption. First Communion anniversary!


Favorite Marian Devotion?

Our Lady of Fatima and Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Among others.


Favorite funny Catholic story?

Sooo, Lia and I went to a Fatima conference a few years ago, and there was this priest that was leading the Glorious Mysteries of the rosary.

We had reached the 4th mystery - the Assumption of Mary - and the priest was giving a little mediation at the beginning.

The one line that will stick in my mind forever was "There's no trace of the Blessed Virgin on earth...not even Her baby teeth."

*cue mental record scratch*

Immediately, Lia, her sister and I just all looked at each other like....


It just struck us so WEIRDLY, and we were all struggling not to laugh. It was great.


Parish 

What order (or otherwise) runs your parish?

We're run by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), which is a Traditional confraternity of priests. Originally founded in Switzerland, they have a strong foothold in North America, especially in the United States. The US seminary is in Denton, NE.

What makes that order special?

They're an off-shoot of the Priestly Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), so they have a strong reverence for tradition. But they are in full communion with Rome, which settles a lot of scruples. I've noticed that the FSSP, at least when it comes to these controversial topics in the Church, is not vocally bashing the reforms. Instead, they concentrate on what should be done - virtue building, reverence, and other things like that. As much as I disagree very much with many of the reforms done by Vatican II, the constant battle does fatigue a person.


Tell us about your priests!

We have two priests at our parish.

Fr. E is our main chaplain, and he has been a priest for 8 years. He's cautious, hospitable, and is very highly competitive in sports events (really!). He's originally from Indiana and got three brothers who are in seminary right now. Has the unique talent of being sarcastic with a complete straight face. Also, he says Mass really fast, which is great for when you have other obligations on Sunday but terrible when you're trying to set up for a picnic afterwards.

Fr. K is our assistant chaplain, and he's been a priest for 1 year. He's got a detail-orientated mind, is enthusiastic, and also loves sports. He's originally from New Jersey. Is musically talented - has played Mozart's Ave Maria on the violin for a Mass. Has the makings of an excellent priest.


What is your favorite funny priest story?

After St. Joseph's Mass 2019, Fr. E. approached the pulpit to make an announcement about the St Joseph Table downstairs. Our choir director hadn't started his postlude yet - he was a little distracted congratulating his Children Choir members who sung for the Mass.

Fr. E was able to squeeze out "Excussss....." before the blasting notes of Widor's Toccata burst forth from the organ.
Father gave one contemptuous look (as the rest of us are struggling not to laugh) and then went to the back to waylay people and send them down to the basement.

For the record, when ribbed about it, our choir director was horrified and immediately apologized profusely.


Do you do any volunteering with your parish?

Oh yes! I actually do a lot (#OGtyrannyoftheinvolved)

Currently, I am secretary to the Young Adults Group (which is a huge blast), a member of the Immaculate Heart Sodality (which doesn't do that much, to my sorrow), and an unofficial member of the Picnic Committee (which, for some reason, is completely separate from the Hospitality Group).

I used to be a member of the church choir (which alas, I had to leave due to job concerns), and a member of the Junior Sodality.


What kind of music does your parish tend to do?

Being a traditional parish, we go for more of the classics, leaning towards English and French pieces. We do a lot of Anglican-style hymns, like "Oh God of Loveliness".

And of course, we have CHANT. And polyphony. Lots of polyphony. Palestrina, Victoria, etc.


What is the best homily you've ever heard at your parish?

Oh boy, there are too many to name!


What makes your parish special?

Our parish (community, actually) is made up of people that come from all over the Diocese, with all different backgrounds. We started from scratch about 15 years ago when the FSSP was invited in, and since then, it's been a sort of home base for traditional Catholicism in the diocese. We've hosted the TFP, a traditonal Carmelite ordination, and it's now big enough that we're on track to becoming a quasi-parish!


Does your parish have any special traditions?

We do try to have at least one picnic a year. I'm blanking on other traditions though.


Does your parish or order have any "rites within rites" (i.e. Dominicans have the Dominican rite)?

My home parish does not. Though, I do go to a Carmelite convent for Mass right now and sometimes there is a Traditional Carmelite Rite Mass said.


Diocese
Does your diocese have any quirks?

Apparently our bishop has a Stump the Bishop contest for Theology on Tap?? I just found out about this a couple of months ago and I really like the idea! 


How many bishops have you had in your lifetime?

I know of three bishops, the first of which welcomed the FSSP to my diocese. Though, if we are to be strictly accurate, there was one more bishop in my lifetime before that one.

Have you ever met any of them?

I have greeted two of them, yes. The second one went a little better than the first, LOL.

Rite
What rite are you a part of?

Traditional Rite, 1962.

What makes that rite different/special?

Umm, I call it the rite that kinda straddles the tradition of antiquity but allows some of the innovations of the modern age. For example, some of the prayers were truncated and the rubrics were simplified...if I have my history correct. As I have not gone to a pre-1955 Mass, it's difficult for me to explain.

But, this rite draws many people to tradition, and it's the most common Traditional Rite that is around.

What is your favorite part of that rite?

The extra blessings that are in that rite. They use the old exorcisms on holy water and other objects, which are proving to be much more powerful than the New Rite exorcisms.

I tag:

Any of my Catholic followers!


Old-fashionably yours,

Catherine

Catholic

Saints I Have a Personal Connection To (and Other Favorites)

March 11, 2020





Hey y'all,

When I converted to the Catholic Church, I discovered many many friends. And I don't mean just the friends that I interact with on this Earth. I mean the heavenly friends, the saints.

I mean, why not make friends of those in heaven? If we ask for friends to pray for us while we're here on Earth, how much more would heavenly prayers be?

Out of all the thousands of saints that I've learned about, I've found many that have parallels to my own life. And for this Faith post, I'd like to highlight those saints :)



St. Megan (St. Margaret Ward) - Megan is my baptismal name. Megan is the Welsh form of Margaret, and so while any St. Margaret would be correct (and believe me, there are a lot of them!) the name St. Megan is often attributed to St. Margaret Ward who was an English martyr.

St. Timothy - Being born on his feast day, I guess you could call him my "natal patron saint". St. Timothy is also the patron saint of stomach problems, and since adolescence, I've had my fair share of those.

St. Catherine Laboure - My confirmation patron saint, and the namesake that I took for my pen name. When I first converted, I had a huge devotion to the Miraculous Medal, and to St. Catherine. I credit both of them (and Our Lady and Our Lord) for helping along my conversion process. I do feel a special affinity to St. Catherine personally, as she is also a country woman.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton - She is hugely special for me, ever since I found out that she was an Episcopalian convert. I've been to her National Shrine in Emmittsburg before and will be making a trip again there soon. I've since placed the conversions of my mother and brother into her hands.

St. Philomena - Patron saint of the Junior Sodality of Our Lady of Good Success, of which I was inducted as a member when I was 15. Not much is known about her, but it is proven by other saints that she is a powerful intercessor in Heaven!

St. Michael the Archangel - I would be remiss if I did not mention my family's patron saint! I invoke St. Michael a lot for spiritual warfare concerns, and I hope to name a son for him :).

St. Raphael the Archangel - I knew about St. Raphael's intercession for single people, but he is also interceded for healing, traveling and other causes that I've been struggling with. I have a holy water font with his image on it.

St. Thomas More - The whole Tudor period is fascinating to me, but St. Thomas More is one of my favorite saints from that period. His balance of being in the world and not of it, is something to emulate. It may or may not have to do with the movie....

St. Bernadette Soubirous - Yet another saint I was introduced to by a movie! I love stories of visionaries as well, and that whole story of Lourdes is so powerful :)

St. Mary Magdalene - As someone who struggles with impurity and melancholy, I look to her as an example of repentance. I hope to dedicate The White Rose, my debut novel, to her intercession.

St. Joan of Arc - Being of a militant spirit, I am hugely drawn to St. Joan of Arc. I'm not fond of the cross-dressing aspect of her life, but she is such a fascinating study of fortitude and confidence that I hope to emulate.

St. Kateri Tekakwitha - She stuck out to me when I first learned of her, because I am actually have a small claim of descendency from the Mowhawk tribe. Being that my Protestant grandparents have heavy Native connections due to their business, there are often arguments as to which native customs to engage with, as many are laced with naturalism and paganism - both of which I cannot support. I'm encouraged by St. Kateri's example who rejected those beliefs and prayed for the conversion of her people.

St. Catherine of Siena - If I had not chosen St. Catherine Laboure, this woman would have been the other choice for my Confirmation namesake. I have placed her in patronage of a small writers group that I've created through NaNo. Her example, especially in her apologetic works, really inspires me in learning how to heal divisions while sticking to orthodoxy. An example that should be employed today too....

St. Padre Pio - I'm fascinated by mystic priests in general, but I really like Padre Pio because of his stance on purity and modesty. He also has the best philosophy - "pray, work and don't worry"! I had the priviledge of venerating a glove of his during a retreat one year.


Those are my "main" saints, though there is a giant list of others. I've been reading more and more about the saints this Lent, due to my daily reading of Butler's Lives of the Saints. It's one of my favorite spiritual readings. 

What "heavenly friends" do you know and invoke? Chat with me in the comments below!

Old-fashionably yours,

Catherine



Catholic

The Gateway is Not the Entirety of the Castle

February 12, 2020



A blessed day to you!

For this month's Faith-related post, I wish to address a certain common-held debate amongst Christians, one that revolves around Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

Before I delve into this rather controversial topic, I wish to give a disclaimer. I must admit with due humility that I borrowed some of the ideas presented (especially in the latter part of the post) from a certain Deacon's apologetics class that I was privileged to attend in the fall of 2018, and I have borrowed others from a lay theologian, whom I give credit later on. I am not a theologian, and am only an amateur apologist of my Faith. I am willing to engage in civil debate, and if I find myself later to be in error, I will post a correction as soon as possible. 

To begin rather bluntly, the Bible is not the all-comprehensive guide to theological truths. It's an overview or gateway, most certainly. The key events of our salvation are all there.

But is it...everything?

Let's put it this way. If we poor humans can devote entire books to just one person, detailing various portions of their lives with meticulous detail and still miss something, that God is going to relegate His Life and teachings to just....one big book?

I think not.

I'm going to approach this not from a theological apologist's point of view. I'm certainly not qualified for that, as I pointed out before.

But I am going to approach it from a historian's point of view.

As a historian, I was not taught to take sources at face value, simply because I don't know if there are errors, or holes that would put the authenticity into doubt. The solution was to look to corroborate with other sources to match up details.

For example, when I'm looking at records for genealogy, I'm looking for certain things that repeat. Birth dates are the most common of these - if the dates match, that's a good chance that it's the same person. I'll also look for a similar group of people - siblings on a census for instance.

If I used just one set of records, like the Federal Census for example, it would give me a lot of relevant information. Names, relations, location.

But I wouldn't know when they were born exactly, when they died exactly, and other little details that give context to their lives. Because the Census is just a snapshot in time. I need other records (birth, church, military, occupation, residence) to completely round out the person's life and study them in more detail. 

Now let's take Our Lord. The Bible reveals with great detail the key elements of Our Lord's life. But we are still missing intimate details. Such as, Our Lord's own birthday for instance.

The Bible doesn't reveal exactly when Our Lord was born. But, it does reveal it indirectly.....by another person's birth: St. John the Baptist.

The Bible reveals that Zachary, St. John's father, was a high priest and it details that he was serving in the temple at a certain point in time, in which the Angel Gabriel came to him. Thanks to the meticulous records left behind by Jewish recorders, we actually know the months in which he served in the temple in the Jewish calendar. It's then a simple thing of using logic to figure in ancient travel times to figure out when St. John was conceived, and then it's a simple 9 month addition to figure out when St. John was born. Since Our Lord was conceived when John was six months in the womb, it would stand to reason that Our Lord would be born 6 months later. From there, it's a simple conversion from the Jewish calendar to the Gregorian, and voila!

And to make it even better, we can even access historic climate information to give an idea of what the weather was even like! (Fun fact: did you know Palestine is on the same latitude as Texas? Which means that they get similar weather to Texas, which means that winter is not that cold there??)

(Now before I go any further, I need to cite that the information about Our Lord's birthday was paraphased from a video on this very subject by Dr. Taylor Marshall, a lay theologian. I'll link the video HERE.)

The Church, like a curious child, is never satisfied with an unanswered question. She will hunt for the truth, no matter what it takes. The Church is never random, either. There is always a reason behind every little truth, every little ceremony, even down to the tiniest details.

Just because something wasn't written down, doesn't mean that it didn't happen. That it isn't important to remember. That it didn't have an influence on later events. 

If your life had to be reconstructed from what writings you left behind, would it give an accurate picture of yourself? I know mine would not. It would have to be filled in, probably by other people around me giving oral testimony.

I will admit that oral histories and traditions can be problematic. They can be more prone to error, simply because it is a living memory, and not concrete like writing is.

But I could argue the same problems exist for writing, especially when it comes to translations. The Greek translation and the Hebrew translations of Scriptural books give so much more linguistic context that it puts our English Bibles to shame.

What I'm trying to get at, in this rather convulted rigamarole that you're scrolling through, is that nothing, not even Scripture, is worth anything if it is not put into context.

A fact that is actually pointed out...in the Bible itself.

And Philip running thither, head him read the prophet Isaias. And he said: Thinkest thou that thou understandest what thou readest? 
Who said: And how can I, unless some man shew me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 
And the place of the scripture which was reading was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter: and like a lamb without voice before his shearer so openeth he not his mouth. 
In humility his judgement was taken away. His generation who shall declare for his life shall be taken from the earth? 
And the eunuch answering Philip, said: I beseech thee, of whom doth the prophet speak this? Of himself, or of some other man?
Then Philip, opening his mouth and beginning at this scripture, preached unto him Jesus. 

(Acts 8:30-35, DRV. Emphasis added)

In this Biblical account, the eunuch was introduced to the Sacred Mysteries by Scripture. Therefore, Scripture cannot be discounted as a "gateway" to learning about God, and it has it's rightful place as a teaching tool. Indeed, all the key truths of our Faith are derived from Holy Scripture as I've said before.

But, the eunuch was struggling to grasp the crux of the hidden message that was presented in Scripture. He had no way of decoding it himself. This is why God sent Philip, a living breathing recepticle of the Faith, to teach him.

You have to remember at this time, there was no New Testament - that wasn't compiled for another 100 years. Everything HAD to be handed down orally, from Jesus Himself, to his Apostles, to their Disciples, to their families, to their children, and thus it continued throughout the generations. Some, like St. Matthew and St. John wrote first hand accounts, as early as the year 69 AD. Others, like St. Paul, wrote second hand exhortations, which came from the Apostolic teachings that he had received from St. Peter.

You may be able to teach yourself many things from a book, but it is never as good as when you learn from a person.

This is why I will never believe in Sola Scriptura.

Because Our Lord never used a Bible to found the Church.

He used living, breathing Apostles.

And don'tcha think that Jesus would have used the best tools available to spread His Church?

Old-fashionably yours,

Catherine

Catholic

Covering My Head: My Reflections on 1 Corinthians 11

June 20, 2019





A blessed day to you, dear reader!

I warn you ahead of time, that this post is quite lengthy and is most likely to stir up controversy. However, it is a topic that is well worth talking about, especially with the recent resurgence in veiling among young Catholic women.

One of the practices that drew me into the traditional rite, was the veiling of women. Even before I officially converted into the Catholic Church, I had decided to take up veiling after seeing the examples of women around me. It wasn't until after I converted that I began to study the reasons behind head covering.

Women have always worn some sort of head covering in every culture and religion. In fact, until around the 20th century, women wouldn't have been caught dead without something on their heads.

Wearing something on the head can be very practical. For one, it keeps the hair much cleaner - keeping the bugs, dirt, and dust away. For another, it protects the tender scalp on the head from sunburning (yes, that is a thing. I've had it happen. It hurts). But is there a spiritual reason why we should cover our heads?

The interpretations of 1 Corinthians 11:5 have been many and varied. Some take the letter of the law and cover their heads all the time. Some view it as the hair being the only covering that they need. Some only cover their head in religious ceremonies. Some wear it as a sign of submission - to their husband or to God.

What is the true practice?

The Catholic Church has made it very clear through tradition (and St. Paul) that women should be veiled when in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, or in the church sanctuary.

There are many spiritual reasons why this is. One is the tradition that sacred objects in the Catholic Church are veiled (the Tabernacle, the Chalice, the Altar, etc.), and the fact that the women also veil reveals their sacred status in the Church. A second reason is that as Catholic women, we imitate The Blessed Virgin Mary, who always covered her hair. Another reason is that the veil is an outer sign of humility and submission to the Lord.

However, for veiling outside of church, it reverts to the custom of the people. From my understanding, it is acceptable to uncover the head for the husband, as it is revealing the beauty of the woman (St. Paul does command that wives make themselves beautiful for their husbands!). As far as I can find, there is no real definitive stance from the Church's perspective on veiling all the time, leaving me to conclude that it is a pious practice that women may take up on their own accord as they wish.



How much should the hair be covered (in church or out)?

Some cultures say all. Some (such as Anabaptist and Quaker sects) cover the bulk of the hair, which is piled into a bun and covered by a cap. Others say that the head should be covered, but the hair that covers the back can be left uncovered.

The general consensus (for there are no set guidelines, unlike modesty in dress) for Catholic women is that at least the "crown" of the head should be covered during Mass. The "crown" is the top portion of the head, where a hat would normally sit. This leaves women considerable freedom of styles of "headcovering" to choose from.

Outside of Mass, it is up to the woman's own convictions and the local custom. For us American women who have no current local custom for a head-covering, we can cover as much or as little as we please. However, when we travel (especially in the Middle East) we should check the local custom to avoid harassment. Remember, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do." (but exercise caution - see below)



What should we use to veil? 

For Mass, we can veil our heads with a variety of coverings.

We can go with the traditional lace mantilla.




We can use a large scarf.




We can use a pretty hat.





We can use a lace cap. 





There used to be a tradition in which unmarried women would wear white mantillas and married women would wear black. Some girls would also assume the black veil after they received Confirmation. Now, it is a case of personal preference - especially now that colored veils have gained popularity.

Should we want to cover our heads outside of Mass, we can use a variety of cloth veils, bandanas, headscarves, headbands, and hats.



Some Examples:










The only note of caution is that we should avoid imitating another religious sect's style of headcovering (hijabs, Jews, etc.) or have a veil tied in the same way as a nun's. The reason is that we don't want to deceive others to think that we are what we are not.

Headcoverings, in a more direct way than modest clothing does, is also rather conspicious, so be wary of being ostentatious or standing out - as this is counterproductive to modesty! 


What I Will Do to Veil:

I will always veil for any Mass. It doesn't matter if I'm attending a Norvus Ordo Mass or a Solemn Pontifical Mass in the Extraordinary Form. The veil goes on my head because HE is there in all of His Glory, which is being manifested on the altar and my "glory" (which is my hair) is nothing in comparison. The veil also, in a small way, deflects some of the distractions and helps me concentrate a little better.

I have several different veils: 3 white lace veils, 1 black fabric "veil", 1 black lace veil, and 1 bright purple scarf. During most of the year, I'll wear one of my white lace veils, keeping to the old tradition. I'll wear a black veil for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and I'll wear my purple scarf during Advent and Lent - simply to match the liturgical season.

I'm one of those women who prefers to have most of the hair to be covered, taking the Blessed Virgin's example in this matter. Wide headbands don't cut it for me, although they can help cover the "crown" section of my head in case my veil slips (my purple headscarf tends to do that. A lot. Drives me nuts). I typically go for more of the scarf style of veil, which covers pretty much all of my hair, all the way down to my waist.

Outside of Mass, I typically won't cover my head. I'll sometimes wear bandanas on my head when I'm in a domestic kind of mood. I'll wear my sweatshirt hoods frequently. When I was a historical reenactor up in New England, I wore a cotton cap and sunbonnet while I worked. The cap I didn't mind as much as the sunbonnet....the lack of visibility really got annoying after a while. I did also wear a headband when I worked at the dairy to help keep my hair cleaner.

However, for some religious things out of Mass, I'll cover my head. I'll sometimes cover my head during the family Rosary. I used to also cover my head when I read Holy Scripture. For that, I'll use an old piece of blue fabric with painted flowers - which, in my youth, was meant as a beach wrap. Sometimes, I'll also cover my head as an act of penance during Lent.

I have toyed with the idea of veiling all the time, but have decided at this point not to pursue it. Maybe once I'm out on my own, or if I ever work on a farm again, I shall give it more consideration. I don't feel it to be necessary at this point in my life either.

And thus I conclude for now. I must be off, there is much to be done today!

Old-fashionably yours,

Catherine



P.S. For anyone who is curious and wishes to learn more, I have included the following links:

Veils by Lily. This is probably the most comprehensive of all the FAQs regarding veiling.
Unam Sanctam Catholicam. This page explains a lot of the scriptural meanings of veiling.
"Why Do Women Cover Their Heads in Church?", The Remnant. This particular article by John Salza is a very in-depth analysis of some of the passages from 1 Corinthians.
Fish Eaters. This article explains the traditions of veiling.
One Peter Five. Written by a contemporary woman in everyday laymen's english, it demolishes some of the liberal misconceptions.
Sensus Fidelium has a few video sermons on the subject, two of which are HERE and HERE.

Catholic

The Catholic Tag

March 25, 2019





Happy Feast of the Annunciation! Can you believe it is now 9 months exactly to Christmas?

So, quite a few months ago, I snitched this really long, but really cool tag from Sarah @ Life of a Homeschooler. You can view the original post HERE.

This was one of those tags where I couldn't pass it up. I mean, it's a tag about my Faith! I know I don't talk enough about my Faith on this blog and it's an omission that I feel rather keenly. Though I do have an outlet in Maidens for Mary, so if you wish to see more of my Faith posts, check that out!

So without any more ceremony, let us begin! 


1. What is your rite?

Latin Rite, Extraordinary Form. Otherwise known as the Traditional Latin Mass or the Tridentine Mass. It's one of the oldest rites in the Catholic Church and has been relatively unchanged for 1000 years.

As a child, I did go to the Ordinary Form, which is also called the Norvus Ordo (New Order) or English Mass. I also went for short periods during some summer jobs and while traveling.

To be quite honest, I very much prefer the Latin. You have to experience it several times in order to understand it's complexity, but the reverence and beauty of the TLM to me is a more fitting liturgical act of worship towards God. The Ordinary Form is so watered down that it's an almost mindless. No wonder so many young people are flocking to tradition!


2. Cradle/Convert/Revert

Oh dear, this is where it gets complicated.

You see, I was baptized Catholic. But, my parents are in a mixed marriage - my mother is Episcopalian/Anglican and my father is Catholic. As a child, I was raised in both faiths. Which kinda disqualifies me from being a "cradle Catholic" in spite of my early baptism, since I wasn't receiving sacraments.

After several years of study of the faith, I slowly converted (some would say reverted) to the Catholic Faith, receiving my first Confession, Communion, and Confirmation when I was 15. So I always say that I'm a convert or a revert, rather than a cradle Catholic.


Year Baptized: 

The year in which I was born, which was in the mid 90s.


Year Received First Communion:

The year in which I was 15. I know, I'm being super vague. But, as of right now, I'm in obedience to my parents for keeping my exact age a secret.


Confirmation Saint:

St. Catherine Laboure. I was very devoted to St. Catherine Laboure and the Miraculous Medal when I was converting to the Faith, so I took her name when I received Confirmation. And, it just so happens that my Sodality medal is the Miraculous Medal.





Name of Current Parish:

Mater Dei.


Parish Groups you belong to: 

Young Adults Group - which, after a long absence is back meeting again (Deo Gratias!).

Mixed Choir - we have a mixed choir/schola and I've been a member for a year. I quite love it.

I'm also a member of the Immaculate Heart Women's Sodality, which after years of hiatus is back meeting again! 

I've been toying with also joining the Meal Train and with the idea of starting some kind of a sewing group at church, as there are several young women that want to learn those skills :). I've also had a hankering to be an advisor for the Junior Sodality, which recently reformed in our parish.


Prayers You Say Everyday: 

4 Morning Offerings, Litany of Humility, Resolution to Follow Christ, Acts of Adoration, Faith, Hope and Charity, St. Thomas Prayer for Purity, 3 Hail Marys', Evening Rosary, Litany of the Most Precious Blood, Act of Contrition, Prayers for a Happy Death, Commendation to the Sacred Heart....and I think I'm missing a few aspirations in there....


I also say a prayer for my future spouse, a vocation discernment prayer (for career purposes) and the Angelus on a somewhat regular basis.



Religious Items You Travel With: 

White lace Chapel Veil (both in purse and in glove compartment)
Rosary (both in purse and glove compartment)
Miraculous Medal (sometimes two, in jewelry box)
Catholic Girls Guide by Fr. Lasance (this has been doubling as a devotion book during Mass because I lost my missal a few years ago and have never replaced it.....) 
An old Brown Scapular for the shower/pool (so I don't ruin the one I wear all the time)
A string with a relic, a Miraculous Medal, a St. Gabriel medal and a St. Benedict medal. I call it my sacramental chain, LOL. 

Sometimes, I'll also carry a spiritual reading book too. But those are the items that I travel with regularly. 


Do you go to Adoration?

Frankly, I don't. There isn't an Adoration chapel near enough to me that I know of, and it's not something that the Catholic members of my family do on a regular basis. So unless it's at the church I go to Mass at, I rarely go at all.


Last Time You Went to Confession?

March 12, during a retreat we had at church. I try to go once a month, unless I get into trouble, LOL.


Color of your favorite rosary?

Light pink. It's a rosary with Our Lady of Fatima that I received on my First Communion from my Junior Sodality.

Close favorites are a light blue one that my dad gave me, and a red one that Lia's family gave me.




Convert that helped your faith?

My dear friend Annalaura, who converted from atheism (or was it agnosticism?) a few years after I converted and has been a great encouragement in my vocation discernment and journey towards sanctification. Not to mention, traditional femininity.


Cradle Catholic that helped your faith?

My confirmation sponsor, who instructed me in my Faith for several months before I was received into the church. 


Weirdest thing about being Catholic?

I guess the weirdest thing about being Catholic is being part of the oldest counter-cultural movement in the world.


Personal Examples:
I celebrate Christmas through Dec. 25-Feb 2 instead of Nov-Dec like most people.
I wear skirts because the Church has taught me much about feminine dignity, which no one recognizes now.

I mean, the Church has been opposed to worldly fashions and ideas for over 2000 years and it has survived in spite of them! In the eyes of the world....what could be more weirder?


Best Thing about being Catholic? 

Having a mother in the Blessed Virgin Mary. In fact, it was this distinction that drew me to the Catholic Faith, because in no other Christian sect is Her pious example or unique role as mediator/intercessor even acknowledged, never mind honored.

We Catholics take very seriously Our Lord's words on the Cross to St. John, "Son, behold thy Mother". St. John, who is only distantly related to Our Lord, represented all of us. The Apostles certainly knew and respected her very much, and loved her as their own Mother.

After all, what other creature has a God willingly bound Himself in obedience to (other than St. Joseph)? What other creature could perfectly follow His Will? It is only befitting that She, humbly immaculate human being, should have an exalted role in Heaven and be a mother to all Christians.




Your Patron Saints? 

St. Michael, patron of my family
St. Megan (Margaret Ward), my baptismal patron saint
St. Catherine Laboure, my confirmation patron saint

St. Isadore the Farmer or St. Northburga, since I do have an agriculture degree
St. Philomena, patron of the Junior Sodality I was involved with as a girl
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, patron of the cause of my mother and brother's conversion


Favorite Saints?

St. Augustine, St. Monica, St. Joan of Arc, St. Thomas More, St. Bernadette Soubirous, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Thersea of Avila, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Cecilia, St. Jacinta Marto, St. Padre Pio, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. Gianna Molla, St. Dominic Savio, St. Maria Goretti, St. Catherine of Siena, Pope St. Pius X, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Damien of Molokai, St. John Fisher, St. John Vianney......among various others.


Favorite Parable?

I love all of the Parables, so it was really hard to pick a favorite. 

Being of an agricultural bent, I found the Parable of the Sower (Wheat and Cockle) and the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard to be my favorites out of all of them.

Though I must admit, the Parable of the Wicked Steward has always fascinated me too....



Favorite Psalm?

Psalms 30 and 22 are my two favorite Psalms.

Psalm 30 resonated a lot with me when I first read it. Hope is a difficult thing to keep alive when going through spiritual trouble. The verses, "Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a house of refuge to save me. For thou art my strength and my refuge; and for they name's sake thou wilt lead me and nourish me." have been almost a constant prayer for me.  
 
I should note that the numbering system is slightly different in the Douay Rheims Bible. Our Psalm 22 is called Psalm 23 in most Protestant Bibles. I can only imagine that my Psalm 30 is known as Psalm 31. I'm not sure which Psalm the Protestant reformers split up to create this numbering system, but it is worth noting so none of my Protestant friends are confused.


Favorite Religious Order?

Oh gracious, there are so many that I like.

The one that I like the most is the Sisters of Charity founded by St. Vincent de Paul. In the strict sense of the word, they are not a religious order...but in practicality, they are. I like them because they are an active order (rather than comtemplative), which suits my active personality much more. And it is the order of 2 of my patron saints.

I do also like the Benedictines, and the Carmelites. While many favorite saints of mine are Carmelites, I do like the Benedictine philosophy of "ora et labora" much better.



Favorite Catholic singer/band

Clamavi De Profundis!

Though, it's tough to beat such groups like the Benedictines of Mary at Ephesus....


Favorite Spiritual Author?

Joan Carroll Cruz takes this title, without a doubt. Her works on incorrupt saints (The Incorruptibles)  and Eucharistic miracles are among my favorite spiritual books to read. 

The Incorruptibles: A Study of Incorruption in the Bodies of Various Saints and Beati
Goodreads

Favorite Prayer?

Either the Memorore (a prayer of petition to the Blessed Virgin) or the prayer to St. Michael. Or the Angelus, which commemorates the Incarnation of Christ. I can't really decide.....


Favorite Marian Devotion?

It's a tie between the Rosary and the Seven Sorrows. I do tend to lean towards the Seven Sorrows more, since I'm a little more engaged (it's very easy to slip off into a reverie when I'm praying the Rosary....).


Favorite Pope?

Frankly, I believe this honor goes to St. Pius X. I must admit that my studies of the Popes has been rather limited, but I do remember reading his biography and being really impressed by his fortitude and how he opened up the Eucharist to children. 


Favorite Biblical Character?

St. Mary Magdalen. She gives me a lot of hope that I can also overcome my sins and become a great saint. She is also the inspiration for one of my book characters (Magda from The White Rose :) )


Favorite Catholic Movie?


A Man for all Seasons.

I have this obsession for English Tudor history, especially the time of the break with Rome. My guess is that it is quite a bit to do with my mother's Anglican/Episcopalian roots. And as I may have mentioned, St. Thomas More is one of my favorite saints.


Favorite Catholic Song?  

Sicut Cervus, written by Palestrina is probably one of the most beautiful polyphonic pieces that I've ever sung. It's based off of Psalm 42. 




Favorite Encyclical?

"On Rural Life" written by Pope Pius XII

I have several excerpts of it in a page on this blog. It really resonates with me, because it really cements my own positions on agriculture, the value of humility, toil and stewardship, as well as what duties a farmer holds in a society at large.


Favorite Marian Hymn

Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above!




Favorite book written by a saint?

I would have to say The Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales. Everything else that I've read is either not written by a Saint or I found difficult to read.


Favorite Catholic meme?




I do actually have this reaction on occasion - but even more so when I see religious in their traditional habits :)


For fellow Traddies, I recommend looking up Speck the Altar Boy comics. They center around a very sassy altar boy who defends the Traditional Mass in a very Chestertonian style. Very entertaining.


Favorite Liturgical Season

Easter!

Mainly because of all the Alleluias and the Vidi Aquam chant - which I love more than the Asperges that we normally sing the rest of the year.

You see, before every High Mass, we have an antiphon that is chanted while the priest sprinkles holy water on the congregation. The Asperges is derived from Psalm 50 and the Vidi Aquam is derived from a verse in Ezechiel. Both antiphons talk relate to the action (the sprinkling of water), but the Vidi Aquam is more solemn and pretty in my opinion.




Favorite Feast Day: 

August 15, The Assumption of Mary

Many non-Catholics are not going to be familiar with this particular feast day, so I will explain it here:

Our Lady lived for a few decades after the Resurrection, ministering to Her Son's Apostles and living in the nearby city of Ephesus. After 3 days of death, the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary was reunited with her body, and both body and soul were "assumed" into heaven by the power of God. You see, She couldn't ascend into heaven, since that power was reserved for God himself. This fact was discovered by the Apostles, who came, in similar fashion to the holy women to Jesus's tomb, to anoint the body of Our Lady....and found it missing.

It was on this feast day I received First Communion, and was probably the happiest day of my life.


Favorite Part of Mass?

Holy Communion. Besides receiving my Lord and Savior under the appearance of bread, I love all the communion hymns that I've sung so far which includes Jesu Rex Admirabilis, Ave Maris Stella, Pange Lingua, etc.



Favorite Sacred Hymn?

It is most definitely Pange Lingua. It's a beautiful hymn composed by St. Thomas Aquinas. I'll link a video here:





Favorite Gospel?

The Gospel of Luke is my favorite out of the four Gospels. There are many interpersonal stories and miracles that are documented there (including a lot of medical miracles, which fascinate me the most for some reason). It's also the Gospel in which the Blessed Virgin Mary is most present.


Favorite Martyr?

St. Miguel Pro, who was a priest during the Mexican Revolution. He is most famous for uttering "Viva Christo Rey!" ("Long Live Christ the King!) before being shot by a firing squad, but the rest of his story is also fascinating.


Favorite approved title of Our Lady?

Our Lady of Good Success

This title is connected to a vision to a nun named Mother Mariana of Jesus Torres in Quito, Ecuador. In this vision from the late 1400s, it was prophesied that in the 19th and 20th centuries, Masonry and impurity will abound and various Sacraments will be attacked, including Holy Eucharist, Holy Orders, Matrimony and Extreme Unction. It's a really chilling prophecy, but not one without hope. There are a lot more miraculous incidents in regard to this vision. You can read more HERE.

My Junior Sodality took this title of Our Lady as it's main patroness, which is where I learned first about this vision.

My second favorite title is Our Lady of Fatima. Appearing in 1917 to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, Our Lady prophesied that if Russia (and Russia alone) was not consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, not only would a second world war break out but Russia would spread many errors into the world. In addition to this prophecy, Our Lady also called for increased reparation in the form of prayer and penance. My family is very devoted to this title of Our Lady and my father and brother will participate in the First Saturday devotion, which is associated with Our Lady of Fatima.


Favorite Bible Translation?

The Douay-Rheims version. It's the closest English translation we have to the Latin Vulgate, which is derived from the ancient tongues of Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic.


Religious Life or Married? 

I firmly believed that God has called me to the married state since I was 15. So unless God throws a 2-by-4 kind of incident that proves me otherwise, I'm looking to marry and raise several children for the Faith.




Homeschooling or Catholic School?

I've been "homeschooled" pretty much my entire life, so I see the benefits and the drawbacks of it. On one hand, I have total control over what my children learn, but at the same time, they could be too sheltered and not be able to be soldiers of Christ. Homeschooling also takes much time, and I'm not a natural teacher.

Tragically, many "Catholic" schools have departed from tradition and solid teaching to chase after scandal and poor formation. There are a few Traditionalist academies, but these are few and far between.

So, despite the drawbacks, I believe I shall pursue homeschooling until a better alternative is found.


G.K. Chesterton or C.S. Lewis?

I haven't read much of Lewis's non-fiction works, but I believe my answer would still be Chesterton, without a doubt. His essays are delightfully sarcastic, but they drive the point home nicely.


St. Peter or St. Paul? 

St. Paul. His conversion always fascinated me, especially around the time of my own conversion. He is much more eloquent than St. Peter is too (sorry St. Peter....).


St. Thomas Aquinas or St. Augustine? 

I'll be honest, even though I have St. Augustine listed as one of my favorite saints, I much prefer St. Thomas's approach to teaching. I tried slogging through some of Augustine's writings, namely his Confessions, and found them too convoluted to get much out of.



And now, I shall tag.....

Nicole Dust @ Legend of a Writer
Anna @ Starlit Sea
Ceci @ Ceci Creates

and anyone of my other Catholic acquaintances that haven't done this tag!


Your turn! Do you prefer St. Peter or St. Paul? What religious articles do you travel with? What is your favorite parable? Any burning questions about Catholics that you'd like to learn the answer to? Chat with me in the comments!

Old-fashionably yours,

Catherine

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