The Rosary

The rosary is a beautiful meditative prayer on the life of Christ and how he won our salvation. In October, we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and dedicate the entire month to Mary under this title. This tradition began in 1571 when Pope Pius V decreed October 7 as a feast day to celebrate victory over the Turks in the Battle of Lepanto. In 1573, he began the Feast of the Holy Rosary, which was celebrated at those churches that had a Rosary Altar. This remained in place until Pope Clement XI extended the feast to the entire Church in 1716. Pope Pius X decided to have the Church celebrate the feast on October 7. This did not become a mandatory memorial though until 1969, after Vatican II.

The rosary was not, as legend tell us, given to St. Dominic by Mary. The first rosary appeared in the late Middle Ages as a substitute for lay monks and devout lay people who wished to pray the Divine Office but could read the psalms. Instead of the psalms, 150 Our Father’s were said. By the 12th century, people began substituting Hail Mary’s for the Our Father’s.

During the 13th century, Dominican friars, divided the rosary into 15 decades and then the three sets of mysteries; Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious. These mysteries, based in scripture, tell us the history of our salvation. In 1569 Pope Pius V approved the rosary in its’ current form. In 2002, Pope John Paul II, again drawing from scriptures, added the Luminous (light) mysteries.



Information taken from: http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/resources/rosdex.html

Happy Birthday!

Today is our son's 22nd birthday. I have no idea how he can be that old, but he is. We'll celebrate when he comes home next week. I think we are going shopping for a new knife as a birthday present. It's not a strange gift really, it's okay, he's a chef.

My Name

What Deanna Means

You are balanced, orderly, and organized. You like your ducks in a row. You are powerful and competent, especially in the workplace. People can see you as stubborn and headstrong. You definitely have a dominant personality. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals.

What's" Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

So, I typed in my name and go this rather accurate explanation. I think the dominant , type "A" personality and going overboard interpreting signals gets me into trouble.

A Time...

"There is an appointed time for everything,and a time for every thing under the heavens.A time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.A time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to tear down, and a time to build.A time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance.A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.A time to seek, and a time to lose;a time to keep, and a time to cast away.A time to rend, and a time to sew;a time to be silent, and a time to speak.A time to love, and a time to hate;a time of war, and a time of peace." Ecc 3:1-8

As I read these words I see there is no time to sleep. Okay, sarcasm is in poor taste when reading scripture. It's the lack of sleep talking.

I can't sleep because I seem to be in a not so nice time and wondering how long I will be in this time of weeping, losing, rending, and being silent? I want to heal, laugh, dance, seek, love and have peace.

One of my beliefs in life is that you are not done until you are dead. And if you are alive and think you are done, you are not growing. Well, I'm tired of growing. I remember a saying from high school, "God isn't finished with me yet." And I remember thinking that meant that at some point in my life, when I was a grown up, God would be done and the angst of life would be less and there would be joy and peace, not sadness and confusion. So, why is there still sadness and confusion?

I certainly try to live according to God's will. I pray for wisdom and a change of heart; to accept the bad with the good; to learn to submit to His will. Usually that works, but not always. Right now is a "not always" time. I had dreams that I have had to give up, like many of us, I am sure. But I can't seem to replace those dreams with now ones that stay viable for very long. Somewhere in scripture, it says that without vision people perish. That is precisely how I feel, I am perishing because of a lack of visions or dreams.

When I went on my retreat this summer I started to break free of this lack, but now I am slowly going backwards, actually not slowly, I am back there. Yesterday I went to adoration and was alone with Jesus. At night I lay in bed and pray for a release of this torment and that I wake up with wisdom on how to change. But nothing seems to be working.

Lord, when will this time change?

This That and the Other Thing: Catholic Carnival 191: The Word of God in the Life and Misson of the Church

This That and the Other Thing: Catholic Carnival 191: The Word of God in the Life and Misson of the Church

Ministry Booklet

After weeks of planning, reading, writing, and editing our new ministry booklet is done. We will pass it out this weekend at our Ministry Fair. The booklet took an estimated 120 hours to get to press. It was a team effort of the stewardship council and my husband. He copy edited everything except the Spanish pages. It is simply beautiful. Professional, easy to read, and includes information on all of our parish ministries along with a discernment tool so people can figure out what ministry is a good fit for them.
I hope the parish loves it! But more importantly, I hope they use it and get involved.

Rewards

For all of you out there who are mothers to young children and find teaching table manners an unending chore, you will be rewarded. My daughter was home last weekend from school and was telling us tales of the roommate. Last year she had no problems at all, this year, not so great. One problem is that the young lady in question has a lack of table manners. Talks with food in her mouth, chews with her mouth open, leaves dirty dishes in the dorm room. For years I thought my comments were falling on deaf ears, not so. She was listening! And now, faced with this situation understands why I was making comments so often.
My daughter actually said she was glad I had taught her proper table manners. Wow, it was a great day!

Fall

Apparently tomorrow is the first day of Fall. I had to check as living in South Florida it's easy to miss such events. As my husband and I were on an evening bike ride, we saw a house all decorated for Halloween, you know, the way you decorate your house for Christmas, only instead of red and green, it's orange and black. We both did a double take and he asked me if it was October already. Not October, but Fall. Well, I do have a fall wreath on my door, that will help me remember!

Flowers!

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

The Workers in the Vineyard, Matthew 20:1-16

Not many people really like this reading from Matthew's gospel. We complain, "It's not fair." But why isn't it fair? From the beginning the workers agreed on the pay. There was no discussion on what others would be paid, no hidden clause in the contract that said the workers could determine what others would be paid. So, really, it is fair in that the owner of the vineyard lived up to his part of the bargain.

We talked about this in our staff meeting as we always begin by reading the upcoming Sunday readings. God gives us a way to Him and no matter when we say "yes" we get to Him. God is not fair, he is just and full of mercy. Our responsibility is to accept his mercy and allow it to change us to be who we are called to become. We must also allow others to see God's mercy in us, so that they to can join us in the vineyard.

The Invisible Woman

I've seen this before in print, but this is even better. Take the time and really listen to this and know it's not all in vain, it's for HIM!

When Children are Happy, Mom is Happy!

When I was a child and my sister and brother and I would ask my mom what she wanted fro her birthday or Mother's day or Christmas, she would say one of tow things "for you all to get along" or "that you are all happy." She said the latter more as we got older and you know, she was right.
Today my pumpkin called and told me the exciting news that she was accepted to go to Australia for the next semester to study. She is going to Perth. I could hear her smiling over the phone and suddenly all the gloominess from my day was lifted, because another dream is coming true for my daughter.
I can't wait until I see her this weekend so I can tell her in person how happy, proud, and blessed I am to have her.

Catholic Carnival #189

Organ-ic Chemist is the host of this week's carnival and it is an interesting one. Lots of food for thought!
http://musical-chemist.blogspot.com/2008/09/catholic-carnival-189.html

In Another's Words...

I have been thinking about prayer frequently these days. It probably means I need to do more of it. In today's Magnificat's reflection this struck me:

Praying frequently, then, really means learning to live our whole lives with God, praying to him out of the very stuff of our lives...It is an exercise in faith, because it requires that we take seriously the fact that,in the Incarnation, God has penetrated all things.

Fr. Simon Tugwell, O.P.

In His Image

Christ Crucified

Jesus Himself

created in the Father's image

just as I am

Yet without sin.

Upon that cross, the Father's image, crucified for me.

On the cross,

love is poured out in the Father's image

and it is good, very good.

So the Father rests

in humanity, in me

Me, created in God's image,

but what do people see?

Catholic Carnival #188

http://snoringscholar.blogspot.com/2008/09/catholic-carnival-188-journey-of-faith.html

Prayer

Prayer is what enables us to follow Jesus. Following Jesus is challenging and radical, especially in the times in which we live. How can we do this without being mindful of what is going on in our lives and how God is acting in our lives? Prayer helps us focus what is essential.
When we focus on what is essential in our lives concerning time, then we will be able to make more time for prayer, study of scripture, and helping others. We find out that some things we do with our time serves no one and in some cases may be harmful. Prayer also reminds us that all we do can serve God, from cooking dinner to laundry, to letting someone in front of you on I-95. If we pray through our joys and sorrows, we will learn that God does answer.
To paraphrase Soren Kierkegaard , prayer does not change God, it changes me. Therefore, when we pray we want to change to become the persons Jesus calls to follow him and serve his Father. St. Ignatius Loyola has a beautiful prayer(see sidebar) that helps us understand that what we receive when we follow Jesus is all that we need.

6 Quirky Things about Me

So, my friend Jenn (The More the Murrayer)wants to know my quirks. Okay, here goes:
1. I eat my salad at the end of dinner when I am at home. At a restaurant I eat it when I am served.
2. I am Italian, but don't really like tomato sauce. It's okay sometimes and on pizza, I prefer my own, but in the end, I could do without it.
3. I like my bedroom to be completely dark for sleeping, so we keep the hurricane shutters closed on the sliding glass doors and on the window. I'm not sure if this is mine really or from my husband, but after all these years...what's the difference.
4. I never said "yes" when my husband asked me to marry to him, I nodded and took the ring. He asked after that, when I promised to respond, but I did the same thing!
5. I wear cotton clothing, including undergarments, with very few exceptions. What exceptions, my bathing suit, special occasion dresses, pantyhose only when absolutely necessary.
6. I can fall asleep faster, if I wake up in the middle of the night, if my husband puts his arm around me. Is that too personal, naw, we'll be married 25 years in 2 months. I'm glad he still puts his arm around me!
When I began this post, less than 10 minutes ago, I thought "6 quirky things, I am not quirky at all." I find I have to stop myself from saying more. Oh, my.

I don't have the nerve to tag anyone, but join in if you'd like.

The Rosary

The rosary is a beautiful meditative prayer on the life of Christ and how he won our salvation. In October, we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and dedicate the entire month to Mary under this title. This tradition began in 1571 when Pope Pius V decreed October 7 as a feast day to celebrate victory over the Turks in the Battle of Lepanto. In 1573, he began the Feast of the Holy Rosary, which was celebrated at those churches that had a Rosary Altar. This remained in place until Pope Clement XI extended the feast to the entire Church in 1716. Pope Pius X decided to have the Church celebrate the feast on October 7. This did not become a mandatory memorial though until 1969, after Vatican II.

The rosary was not, as legend tell us, given to St. Dominic by Mary. The first rosary appeared in the late Middle Ages as a substitute for lay monks and devout lay people who wished to pray the Divine Office but could read the psalms. Instead of the psalms, 150 Our Father’s were said. By the 12th century, people began substituting Hail Mary’s for the Our Father’s.

During the 13th century, Dominican friars, divided the rosary into 15 decades and then the three sets of mysteries; Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious. These mysteries, based in scripture, tell us the history of our salvation. In 1569 Pope Pius V approved the rosary in its’ current form. In 2002, Pope John Paul II, again drawing from scriptures, added the Luminous (light) mysteries.

Go and Make Disciples

I'm reading this document from the USCCB on Evangelization. It is very interesting and food for thought. I quote,


#12 Conversion is the change of our lives that comes about through the power of the Holy Spirit. All who accept the Gospel undergo change as we continually put on the mind of Christ be rejecting sin and becoming more faithful disciples in his Church. Unless we undergo conversion, we have not truly accepted the Gospel.


So, conversion is about changing our ways to become more like Christ. Our very lives change when we accept the Gospel and live it out. I think that maybe that is why some people don;t like to study scripture. It convicts them to change and no one really likes to change.


If you'd like to read the document, here's the link: