Ten Marks of a Catholic School

http://linenonthehedgerow.blogspot.com/2011/12/ten-marks-of-catholic-school.html

Pope Benedict on Mary

http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/pope-in-her-sinless-perfection-mary-is-a-great-sign-of-hope?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NCRegisterDailyBlog+National+Catholic+Register#When:2011-12-8

Busy Week!

St. Nicholas stops by our homes tomorrow (12/6) morning!

Holy Day of Obligation--Thursday (12/8). If you've never had an opportunity to attend the Children's Masses, this is a great day to do so. Seton is at 9 am; St. Andrew at 11:30 am.

And don't forget to light the pink candle on Sunday (12/11) for the third week of Advent.

A Great After-Communion Prayer!

Composed eight hundred years ago by Saint Thomas Aquinas, what follows is one of the most popular prayers ever for after receiving Communion, and is worth memorizing.

"Lord, Father all-powerful and ever-living God, I thank you, for even though I am a sinner, your unprofitable servant, not because of my worth but in the kindness of your mercy, you have fed me with the precious Body and Blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that this Holy Communion may not bring me condemnation and punishment but forgiveness and salvation. May it be a helmet of faith and a shield of good will. May it purify me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions. May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience, and growth in the power to do good. May it be my strong defense against all my enemies, visible and invisible, and the perfect calming of all my evil impulses, bodily and spiritual. May it unite me more closely to you, the one true God, and lead me safely through death to everlasting happiness with you. And I pray that you will lead me, a sinner, to the banquet where you, with your Son and Holy Spirit, are true and perfect light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end, and perfect happiness to your saints. Amen."

Catholicism

The following link provides an overview of a new series on our Faith that begins next Wednesday (11/16/11) on EWTN:

http://www.ewtn.com/series/shows/catholicism/index.asp

Reawaken to the Magnificance of the Mass

Change is coming on November 27th to the Catholic Mass! Click on the youtube video below to learn more!

http://olgcparish.net/

Six Practical Means to Overcome Sins and Faults of the Tounge

Posted by Carmelite Sisters • October 26, 2011

Dear Sister,

There is a lot of noise around me – constantly. So much chatter. It seems to me that conversations in general are getting more superficial. I’m reminded of the title of one Shakespeare’s plays. It seems to fit what I am trying to say – Much Ado about Nothing. What are your thoughts?

Dear Friend,

Ah! Much Ado About Nothing. Well said!

I hear a longing in your question – a longing for something deeper, restorative and spiritual. To fulfill this longing, we must all try, even though it is not so easy in today’s culture, to re-discover the healing power of silence. As Ecclesiastes says, “There is a time a time to be silent, and a time to speak.”

Each one of my Carmelite Sisters, including myself, is required to make an eight-day silent retreat yearly. When we first entered Carmel, silence was difficult for us. It was new. Many of us spend our first eight-day retreat simply meditating with growing astonishment that anyone could even keep quiet for eight full days, and how were we ever going to get through it? Of course, throughout the years, we have all come to love it.

There are two kinds of silence – exterior and interior silence. Each complements the other. Each makes the other possible. Both bring you closer to God. We learn to keep still and quiet so that we may pray. It doesn’t take long to realize that the external silence, once achieved, reveals all those interior noises that converge within our minds. The Carmelite way is a way of profound prayer and we all find out soon enough that our interior thoughts can be very noisy. I’ve heard from people who had tried the hermit way of life, and left it because the silence uncovered so much of their interior noise. As they put it, it uncovered too much.

During one eight-day silent retreat, the retreat master, who happened to be Father Thomas Dubay, SM, spoke about the opposite of silence. He concentrated on speech, on WHAT we CHOOSE to say and WHEN we choose to say it.

I still have my notes from that memorable eight-day retreat. Each point was an eye-opener for me. You may find this helpful in your quest. So, here are my notes from conferences given by Father Dubay, who divided the topic into two sections:

1. Obvious Sins of the Tongue
2. Unrealized Faults of Speech

Obvious Sins of the Tongue – “In a multitude of words, sin is not lacking” (Proverbs 10:19).

• Detraction - speaking about another persons’ faults (faults that are true) without a good reason (Sirach 21).
• Calumny - which is speaking about a persons’ faults (faults that are not true).
• Bickering - speaking nasty or biting remarks
• Nagging - the constant complaining, scolding or urging about a fault even if it is true; to find fault constantly (Proverbs 21:9).
• Ego-centrism - constantly referring to what I did, what I said, etc. Constantly talking about ME
• Breaking confidences - for there are natural secrets that should not be spread; people have a right to their reputation (Proverbs 11:13)
• Dominating a conversation to prove a point - and most of the time we are unaware we are doing this.
• Salacious talks/jokes - which has to do with speaking impurely (Ephesians 5:3-4).

Unrealized Faults of Speech

• Talking can be a big waste of time - when the talking is empty and gossipy (Matt. 12:36)
• Neglecting the spiritual in our speaking with others - which is the main business of our lives (Ps. 25:15; Eph. 1: Col. 3:12; Eph. 5:18-20)
• Dissipation and draining of our psychic energies - leaving us fatigued, distracted, and unable to do our tasks at hand
• Bad example - to our family, friends, co-workers, but especially to our children
• Excessive comfort-seeking through words - which includes talking over and over again about one’s hurts
• Excusing ourselves - when we should not
• Vain discussions - when our time could be better spent (2 Tim. 2:16-17)
• Meddling in others’ affairs (2 Thess. 3:11-12)

How to Overcome Sins of the Tongue

1. Daily prayer.
2. Frequent Confession and Holy Communion.
3. Pray for the grace to recognize all of the sins of the tongue -- some are obvious, some are subtle.
4. Pray for the grace to keep silent during discussion of a bad situation.
5. Pray for the grace to keep silent during discussion of another person.
6. Just keep silent.

RULE: NEVER pass on derogatory or uncomplimentary information about anyone, unless the Word of God has given you the specific authority and responsibility to do so, and the person you are informing likewise has responsibility in the situation and a need to know the information.

Of course, the reason we have times of silence is so that we may turn our conversation toward God. The silence we are speaking of is a prayerful, expectant waiting silence. Our world has too much noise in it today, and if we are really honest, each one of us could probably say that our hearts do also. When we do speak, let us be more attentive to what we say, why we are saying it, and how it affects others.

Thank you for your question and until next time,

Sister Laus Gloriae, O.C.D.

---

LOF October Roundtable Date Change

The Seton Campus Mass is Wednesday (Oct 19) instead of Thursday this week, so we will meet at 10 am on Wednesday in the Seton Chapel.

Forty Days for Life Campaign

Bishop Binzer to Begin 40 Days for Life Fall Campaign Greater Cincinnati Again Participates in Nationwide Effort

September 16, 2011 - Greater Cincinnati will again unite with cities nationwide for the fall 40 Days for Life campaign, September 28-November 6, to pray for a Culture of Life and end to abortion. Archdiocese of Cincinnati Bishop Joseph Binzer will begin the campaign Wednesday, September 28th, 7pm at Planned Parenthood's abortion headquarters in Cincinnati, 2314 Auburn Ave., with prayers for God's blessing on all vigil participants throughout the world and His guidance for their efforts. The prayer vigils will be held in two locations this year. First, in front of Planned Parenthood's abortion headquarters, 2314 Auburn Ave., Cincinnati. Second, at the Women's Med Center abortion facility, 11250 Lebanon Rd., Sharonville, OH 45241. Candlelight vigils will be conducted at Planned Parenthood every Friday evening, 7-8 p.m. Organizations, churches, and individuals are already on board, but many more are needed. For more information, contact the Greater Cincinnati campaign leader, Mary Clark ( cincinnatidays40@live.com, 513/791-4039) or sign-up at www.40daysforlife.com/Cincinnati. Contact Mary Jo Suer for Sharonville vigil specifics (maryjos1@fuse.net 513/755-1193) or sign-up at www.40daysforlife.com/Sharonville.

Changes . . .

http://www.faithandfamilylive.com/features/old_words_new_missal

Oh, I Like This One!

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/religion-faith082411/religion-faith082411/

The New Roman Missal

Here is a great video to share with your children about the changes in the Roman Missal that will be implemented later this year:

http://vimeo.com/25418061

How To Pray A Holy Hour

Happy summer! Following is a great plan for spending a holy hour. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton has Eucharistic Adoration from 9 am Friday to 8 am Saturday each week, and St. Andrew has Adoration the first Wednesday of each month from 8 am to Noon. If you have spent time with Jesus in Adoration, you know the benefits. If you don't, try it! Following is a suggestion for how to spend that hour with our Lord from Faith & Family magazine.

All you need is a tabernacle with a lit sanctuary lamp, a Bible (or Magnificat ), and a Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (available online or through Amazon or any Catholic bookseller).

Three Rules
1. Be attentive: Don't rattle prayers or silently review stresses. Be silent exteriorly and interiorly.
2. Be alert: It's not a reading hour — readings should be brief intervals to jump-start your prayer.
3. Be awake: Sit, stand, or kneel respectfully.

Minute by Minute
00-:05 (5 Minutes)
Pray to the Holy Spirit to help you (perhaps the "Come Holy Spirit" in the Compendium's prayers section).
Make acts of faith, hope and charity. Tell God how much and why you believe in him, trust in him and love him. Or meditatively use the Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity in the Compendium's prayers section.
Ask for more faith, hope and charity.

05-:15 (10 minutes)
Adore God (imagine sitting with Christ)
Pray: "Oh my God, I adore your divine greatness from the depths of my littleness, you are so great, and I am so small." or "Glory Be ..." Repeat as long as necessary.
Or use the Te Deum (in the Compendium prayers)
Or read Scripture (try John 1:1-18; Colossians 1:15-20; Philippians 2:6-11)

15-:25 (10 minutes)
Contrition (imagine embracing Christ on the cross)
Pray: "Oh my Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner."
Examine your conscience using 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Colossians 3:5-10, or any examination of conscience.
Or pray one of the Penitential Psalms: 6, 32, 38, 51, 102

25-:40 (15 minutes)
Meditate.
Pray: The Rosary or the Stations of the Cross.
Or read the Gospel of the day in your Magnificat, or a brief passage from Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.
Or meditate on a doctrine in the compendium (Perhaps: Sun., Resurrection; Mon., Incarnation; Tues., Mercy/confession; Wed., Holy Spirit; Thurs, Eucharist; Fri., Passion; Sat., Mary).
Or meditate on one of the Formulas of Christian Doctrine (or one of the prayers) in the Compendium.

40-:50 (10 minutes)
Give Thanks
Pray: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his mercy endures forever."
Thank him for (be specific): food, shelter, clothing, health, family, friends, coworkers, your job, car, material things, and most of all your spiritual gifts -- faith, hope, love, this time of prayer, the Catholic faith, and the "apostles" who reached you.
Thank God for answers to prayer and favorable circumstances. Thank him for crosses. Thank him for creating you and caring so much for you.

50-:55 (5 minutes)
Pray: "Our Father ..."
Ask him for: the Church, the pope's intentions, for those who are suffering, for priests and bishops, for religious, for vocations, for your country, your family, for what you need most in the spiritual life.
Pray for peace and the protection of the institution of the family.
Pray for those who have asked for prayers.

55-1:00 (5 minutes)
Make a resolution to act on a light of the Holy Spirit you received. Be specific and concrete.
Ask the Blessed Mother to help you, perhaps with Marian prayers from the Compendium.

Novena to the Holy Spirit

Join us each day from June 2 (Feast of the Ascension) through June 11 (Pentecost is June 12) and pray this prayer to the Holy Spirit.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth. Let us pray: O God, who has taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit; Grant that by the gift of this same Spirit, we may truly be wise and ever rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Exciting Opportunity

Parents in the Archdiocese have a unique opportunity to let our leaders know what we value in Catholic education. See the following link for information:

http://www.catholiccincinnati.org/education/lighting_the_way

Don't You Love May?

This Friday, May 13, is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. May crowning at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church following the 8:00 am Mass.

And for those of you looking to create a Mary garden, here are some plant suggestions from Rita Heikenfeld:

• Angelica – stands for St. Michael the archangel and angels – blooms on his feastday.
• Cilantro – the seed of this plant, Coriander, is sometimes mentioned as the manna of the Bible.
• Cornflower: Mary’s crown
• Costmary – I love this herb – it’s called the Bible herb because folks used to put a leaf in their Bible to keep them awake during long sermons. It has a balsam like aroma.
• Day Lillies – These are edible but most lilies represent our Lady for her purity and chastity. White Lilies especially. And Angel Gabriel is often shown holding a lily.
• Flax – it has beautiful blue flowers and the linen from the shroud of Turin is supposed to have been made from the stem of this flower.
• Forget Me Nots – These remind us of Mary’s eyes. They’re a beautiful blue.
• Forget-me-not: Eyes of Mary (beautiful blue)
• Garlic, leeks & onions – not fragrant is a sweet sense, but all mentioned in the Bible.
• Impatiens – A Mother’s love
• Larkspur: Mary’s tears
• Marigold – I like Calendula, an edible member of this family and one I use in my homemade spa products. “Mary’s Gold” equates itself also with sunflowers and common marigolds.
• Mary’s Bedstraw – it’s a low growing perennial that looks like what might have been put in the manger. My statue of Mary stands on the bedstraw.
• Mint, Fennel and Dill – all tithing herbs but great in cooking
• Mint: A variety of Spearmint is called Mary’s mint.
• Morning Glory: Our Lady’s mantle
• Oregano/Hyssop –Moses told the Israelites to dip a branch of hyssop in lamb’s blood to mark their door posts.
• Pansies – These are called Our Lady’s Delight.
• Poppy: Christ’s blood
• Rosemary – supposedly this herb was named Rosemary because Mary tossed her blue cloak over the bush and the flowers turned blue. This is a piney tasting herb full of antioxidants.
• Roses – another edible flower for the Mary Garden. It becomes a nice background bush.
• Snapdragon – another edible flower which is called infant Jesus’ shoes
• Strawberries: Designated as the fruit of Mary
• Sweet Allysum: Flower of the Cross
• Thyme – this herb grew wild in the hills of Jerusalem and the area. Some folks use this as a bed for the manger.
• Violets
• Zinnia: Virgin

The Divine Mercy Devotion

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/index.htm

A Legacy of Hope

The Apostolate for Family Consecration is offering a free DVD about Pope John Paul II:

http://familyland.org/Home.aspx

Live Coverage - Beatification of Pope John Paul II

EWTN will have live coverage on Sunday, May 1, from St. Peter's Square as Pope Benedict XVI presides over the beatification of Pope John Paul II. Beatification is the last major step before possible sainthood. Visit www.ewtn.com for more information or to watch coverage live online.

Faith in Christ vs. Faith in Churchmen

From Archbishop Nolan of New York.

http://blog.archny.org/?p=1144

Fr. Barron Comments on God, the Tsunami, and the Problem of Evil

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx8ZMkWL8hw

Dear Doomed Christians,

http://www.ncregister.com/blog/dear-doomed-christian?utm_source=NCRegister.com&utm_

Living Our Faith Roundtable

This Thursday, March 17
Seton Chapel, 10 am (following School Liturgy)

Way of the Cross

Every Friday during Lent:

St. Andrew Parish - 7:00 pm
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish - 7:30 pm (Confessions after)

Ash Wednesday, March 9 and Good Friday, April 22 are days of abstinence from meat and also days of fast, that is, limited to a single full meal.

The other Fridays of the season of Lent are days of abstinence from meat. The law of abstinence binds all Catholics 14 years and older. The law of fasting binds all Catholics from their 18th birthday until their 59th birthday.

Couple of Things

If you subscribe to the Magnificat, check out "Preparing for the New Roman Missal, Third Edition: Why Is There a Revised Edition?" in the March issue (Page 5.)

Thanks to JoAnne for a great Lenten meditation suggestion--On The Passion of Christ According to the Four Evangelists, by Thomas A. Kempis (author of The True Imitation of Christ.) It is very powerful and consists of 33 short reflections. I'm thinking one a day (excluding Sundays) beginning Ash Wednesday will take me up to the Friday before Palm Sunday. I purchased my copy at The Catholic Peddler on Mt. Carmel Tobasco Road (all merchandise is 35 percent off, except stationery, and they have a great selection of Catholic items.) Check with The Catholic Shop to see if Dan has copies or you can purchase through amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=on+the+passion+of+christ&x=0&y=0

Have a great week--here's hoping you (unlike me) are not at home with a sick child this rainy morning!

JL

What Is Sin?

It is very rare that I find something useful in the Catholic Telegraph, but I did this morning. This article about sin is timely--our little ones are getting ready for First Reconciliation and Lent is right around the corner:

http://www.thecatholictelegraph.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1989:the-catholic-moment-i-did-it-but-its-not-my-fault&catid=5:columns&Itemid=6

Our Catholic Faith

Here are some thoughts from another of my favorite priests about Sola Scriptura.

http://clevelandpriest.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-never-said-you-stole-money.html

The Baptism of Our Lord (January 9, 2011)

The following link will take you to a great homily by Fr. John Riccardo (Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Plymouth MI) about the promises we made when we presented our children for baptism in the Catholic Church:

http://frjohnriccardo.libsyn.com/january-9-2011-the-feast-of-the-baptism-of-the-lord

You can also read this homily at Our Lady of Good Counsel's website:

http://olgcparish.net/frjohn.php

Click on "Fr. John's Podcasts" then "Fr. John's Most Recent Homily."

Monthly Rosary

Next Thursday, January 20, immediately following the Seton Campus school liturgy. We will meet in the Seton Chapel at approximately 10 am.