The Feast of Pentecost

Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
Let us Pray. O God, Who instructed the hearts of Thy faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, to be truly wise and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

The Feast of the Visitation

My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

Scripture text: Revised Standard Version - Catholic Edition

Quote of the May

Blessed are the actions enclosed between two Hail Marys.

***

Know that of all devotions the most pleasing to Mary

is to have frequent recourse to her, asking her favors.

***

Let the servants of Mary perform every day, and especially on Saturday,

some work of charity for her sake.

***

When the devil wishes to make himself master of a soul,

he seeks to make it give up devotion to Mary.

St. Alphonsus

Love Story with Viva la Vida

This is a beautifully amazing video! Thanks Molly!

5 Quick Takes Saturday - Vol 10

~ 1 ~
Quote of the May
Mary does not shine for herself, or from herself, but she is the reflection of her and our Redeemer, and she glorifies Him. When she appears in darkness, we know that He is close at hand.
~ Venerable John Henry Newman

~ 2 ~

I got my Hayley Westenra CD in the mail yesterday!!!! *does happy dance* Hayley has such a lovely voice and i just love the songs she sings. Particularly "My Heart Belongs to You". Ah! I love love songs! I'll have to do a CD review sometime.

~ 3 ~

They fixed our road!!!! Well, kind of anyhow. Our road was so full of potholes - it was a huge mess. You could avoid them with the van but with the little car there were a few spots where you just couldn't avoid them. Ick. So today they fixed them by scraping of the top of the road and spreading a bunch of gravel down. Then in a year or so they'll come back and actually completely fix the road by putting down a tar/gravel layer. But no more potholes!!!

~ 4 ~

I need two more Quick things.... letsss sssseee, hang on - aha! I knew i would find something here.


And you can watch Amy Walker's tutorial on how to do accents here. Pretty cool.

~ 5 ~

And just because you non-forum people will think it's weird, Peter and i had our wedding anniversary party yesterday. It was great! Plenty of dancing and i was nearly kidnapped by Prince Humperdink, but was saved by my niece Maddy and her hubby Vkitor Krum who turned Humperdink into a weasel. (It's Yenta's fault Humper-weasel was there in the first place. =P ) And then my neice Addie and soon-to-be-nephew Westley gave us a summer home in Lothlorien!!!!

And here is darling Peter and i on our wedding!

~ 6 ~

Yeah i know, it's only 5 quick takes, but i just had to comment on a strange phenomenon... since posting my two... rather odd posts, i have gotten a total of 24 comments - 12 comments per post - more comments then i have gotten in a really, really, really long time, certainly more comments than i have ever gotten for posting something serious or meaningful. Any thoughts or speculations on why that is?

Quote of the May

You, O mary, are the young plant that produced the fragrant flower of the Word, only begotten of God, because you were the fertile land that was sown with this Word.
~ Saint Catherine of Siena

For all of you who have seemingly unsolvable problems, no idea what to go to college for or don't know what to do with your life, my advice to you:


Find a husband!











(Sorry, inside joke. But those of you who are inside are either going to hit me or roll on the floor laughing. ;) )

Many Mumbling Mice Make Music in the Moonlight, Mighty Nice

No, i didn't intend to write that when i sat down but i typed "many" in and the rest popped into my head, so i typed it. And i suppose it fits with the future randomness of this post. I say future because as of this sentence, i haven't written anything except for what you have already read. Of course by the time you read what i have yet to write, it shall be already written and hence be past randomness. Only you shall just be reading it, so it shall be present randomness. Even if you were to read this for the first time years from now it would still be present randomness for you because you would just be reading it, even though readers past would have already read it. For them it would be past randomness, but for you it would be present. But as of now, for me, it is still future randomness that is steadily become present and then past randomness. And so you see that randomness is pretty much immortal.

So today i decided to introduce you to my various personalities, as i assume most of you have not met most or any of them yet. I shall proceed by introducing each one and briefly describing them and what they have been doing lately. If you are of the faint of heart type or the easily shocked, startled and dismayed type or even of the far too logical and sensible type then i suggest that you not read past this point HERE. .

Now for those of you who are still reading, congratulations. You are my type of person. ;) Now for the introductions.

NOTE: While i describe these personalities separately, please be warned that they are sometimes and can be combined with other personalities both online and offline

Rose - This is the person that you probably know the best and have had the most experience with, since Rose is the one who does the overwhelming majority of the talking on the internet: ie. my blog, the forum and Gmail (by this i mean chatting). She tends to talk a lot, outgoing and sometimes a bit outspoken. Offline she tends to only show up at sleepovers, around her immediate family and in other instances of complete wackiness, craziness andgeneral abusrdity. Lately she has been plotting to have her past suitors show up on the forum and drive her insane, starting forum food fights and writing this blog post.

Insert my real name here - Okay so this person is not often seen online as she doesn't talk much - other than laughing and saying variations of "yes" and "no". Online she surfaces when i foolishly chat with people when i don't want to and offline she appears in phone conversations, extended family and outside of my house. So if you know me in real life, this is the personality you would be the best aquainted with. Lately she has - ummmm... not been doing much because she hasn't left the house in a few days. Oh! She did go to a graduation party where she alas! All to characteristically kept her mouth pretty much shut.
In all due fairness to my-real-name however, i will say that she is a good listener.

Lady Silmarien - This would be my elvish personality. Silmarien is the side that likes plants, music, singing, writing poetry and reading. She shows up when i am alone and feel like singing (i don't sing solo in front of people other than my sisters), when i am reading a good book (when i talk to the book, that's probably Silmarien and Rose conspiring together), when i write poems and when i am listening to music - particularilly music that completely fills my soul with beauty, lifts me up in the clouds, inspires me and makes my soul dance. Lately she has fallen in love with one such song "Listen to the Wind" by Hayley Westenra and can't wait for the Hayley CD she ordered to come in the mail!!! She has also been reading (and talking) to "Out of the Silent Planet", "Perelandra" and "That Hideous Strength" by C.S. Lewis.

Captain Fox Turner - This person surfaces during Pirates of the Caribbean blog week (when are we doing that again Vickis?) as well as whenever i am feeling particularily pirate-ical or adventurous. Unfortunatly, Foxy hasn't helped me as a whole overcome my fear of heights, so so much for being adventerous. As of late, Fox has been considering dying her hair. Well, not dying it excatly - more like enhancing the natural highlights of her hair. With lemon juice. Apparently you spray lemon juice in your hair (enough to make it wet or at least damp, i think) and then go out in the sun to let it dry. This brings out the natural blondness or redness of your hair. I think mine would be more on the red side. Problem is, it's been raining/cloudy of the past few days.

Miss Bramblerose Brandybuck - My hobbity side. Bramblerose enjoys firesides, food and comfort. She would be the side that went on a five hour baking spree on the forum last week. ;) Humerously, last night when we were trying to get our grand piano in the house it kept pouring on and off. We started praying Memorares so that the rain would stop long enough to get the piano in the house and Silmarien was nervous about it all and then Bramblerose got the weirdest impulse to go in the kitchen - and bake. She didn't go through with it though.


Captain Rosemary Lee - Well, this person isn't too developed that well but she likes the Civil War and has a tendency to just start talking and discussing it at great length and detail if you get her started. Lately she helped her younger brother with a project on Vicksburg and thanks to the internet she discovered that as far as days of the week go the year 1863 matches up with this year 2009. So in both in 2009 and 1863 May 27th was a Wednesday.

Jude Thaddeus - Now this personality is unique in that it is in itself a split personality. Jude is the angry side and can flare up easily but doesnt maintain the anger for very long. (Except in a performance, when it's required). Jude can't really hold a grudge either. Now Thaddeus on the other hand is prayerful, though not necessarily good at mediating. (Except during a performance, when it's required.) Lately i don't think that Jude has showed up, except for brief moments of irritation. Thaddeus just posted the Marian quote for today.
======
Sidebar
======
In the performance
of the 7 Last Words i play
Saint Jude Thaddeus, the apostle
as well part of the angry mob.
==========


So that is it, essentially. So now the essential me has ceasced to be random (that is as in the essential me and not the non-essential me), and possibly the non-essential me (that is as in the non-essential me and not the essential me), whereas before both the essential me and the non-essential me were both feeling random. But be warned, that the randomness of both essential and non-essential me or one or the other may be aroused.

In conclusion, the i - as in the essential i and not the non-essential i - hope that the reader who commented to me (as in the essential and the non-essential me) the other day that i as in the non-essential i (i as in the essential i assumes) have not posted anything witty or original (i as in the essential i thinks that was the comment) in a while is satisfied, both essentially and non-essentially.

Quote of the May

Remember me, dearest Mother, and do not abandon me at the hour of death.
~ Saint Francis de Sales

In Honor of Saint Philip Neri

whom i am told had quite the sense of humor,(even appearing to the cardinal in charge of Saint Philip's canonization long enough to make a funny face at him and then leave. No really! I belive it was because the cardinal wasn't sure how someone who liked to joke as much as Saint Philip could be a saint) i decided to share the below article with you all.

From Inside Catholic, via A Maiden's Wreath.




WHETHER NAPS ARE NECESSARY FOR SALVATION

(Utrum Siestae Necessae sunt pro salute)

Objection I - It would seem that naps are not necessary for salvation. Salvation consists in becoming like to God. God is most actual. Hence, we must be actual. Now, naps are opposed to actuality and are hence opposed to salvation.

Objection II - Besides, the Apostle says, "Be watchful and awake, for your salvation is near at hand." Naps are opposed to being watchful. Hence, it follows that naps are opposed to salvation.

Objection III - Furthermore, Aristotle says that virtue consists in activity. Naps are not activity and are therefore not counted as virtuous. Hence, it follows that naps are opposed to salvation.

On the contrary, the Psalmist says, "He pours gifts on his beloved while they slumber." Now, salvation is a gift, and we must sleep to receive the gifts of God. Hence, naps are necessary for salvation.

I answer that naps can be spoken of in two ways: naps in a relative sense (secundum quid) and naps simply speaking (simpliciter dicta).

Relatively speaking, naps are neutral in that they can be used for a good or a bad purpose. Naps, simply speaking, are those naps which give us the rest that we might wake "refreshed and joyful" to praise God (as the Roman Breviary says). To this end, naps are necessary for salvation, since praising God is necessary for salvation.

Furthermore, contemplation is said to be "rest in God." Now, contemplation flows from Charity, and Charity is necessary for salvation; it follows that naps, which are also a kind of rest, are necessary for salvation. Likewise, contemplation is said to be a foretaste of heavenly beatitude. Naps are a foretaste of heavenly beatitude.

Furthermore, Jesus slept in the boat. Hence, we are to sleep in the Church, for the boat is a type of the Church. Hence we are to sleep during church, often during homilies. Consequently, it must be said that naps are necessary for salvation.

Reply to the first objection - One cannot mistake immobility for potency. For a man acts even in immobility; for instance, the liturgy compels us to times of silence. Sleep is perfect silence. God is all perfection. Hence, God is most actually napping.

Reply to the second objection - The Apostle spoke figuratively, not literally. For Saint Joseph was watchful in his sleep, that is why God spoke to him in a dream. So also God spoke to many Saints in dreams. Hence, we are to nap watchfully, that God might speak to us.

Response to the third objection - Aristotle was a pagan and cannot be expected to have understood the deep mysteries of God's napping. Had he known the revelation, he would have slept much more than he did.

Quote of the May

In all temptations of pride, there is no greater remedy than this one: to have recourse to the humble Jesus and Mary
~ Saint Alphonsus Rodriquez

Quote of the May

We turn to you for protection, holy Mother of God.
Listen to our prayers and help us in our needs.
Save us from every danger, glorious and blessed Virgin.
~ Sub tuum Praesidium, oldest known prayer to Mary, circa 300

A Prayer for Our Troops

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, we think of how they have followed in the footsteps of your son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Please hold our service men and women in your strong arms. Cover them with your sheltering grace and presence as they stand in the gap for our protection.

We also remember the families of our troops, and ask for your unique blessings to fill their homes and your peace, provision and strength to fill their lives.

May the members of our armed forces be filled with courage to face each day and may they trust in the Lord's mighty power to accomplish each task. Let our military brothers and sisters feel our love and support.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

A History of Memorial Day

H/T: usmemorialday.org

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.

In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem:

We cherish too, the Poppy red That grows on fields where valor led, It seems to signal to the skies That blood of heroes never dies.

She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children's League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.

Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.

There are a few notable exceptions. Since the late 50's on the Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing. In 1951, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of St. Louis began placing flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that continues to this day. More recently, beginning in 1998, on the Saturday before the observed day for Memorial Day, the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle at each of approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers buried at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye's Heights (the Luminaria Program). And in 2004, Washington D.C. held its first Memorial Day parade in over 60 years.

To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to 'Taps."

The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country.

But what may be needed to return the solemn, and even sacred, spirit back to Memorial Day is for a return to its traditional day of observance. Many feel that when Congress made the day into a three-day weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day. As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."

Happy Memorial Day!

The Feast of the Ascension of the Lord

Out of compassion for us, He descended from heaven: and although He ascended alone, we also ascend, because we are in Him by grace.
~ Saint Augustine

My New Favorite Photo

5 Quick Takes Saturday - Vol 9

~1~

Yay! I actually have time to do it this week! Amazing. Now to think of 5 quick things...

~ 2 ~

Some graphic art things from me for the fan movie "The Hunt For Gollum". The Hunt for Gollum is a fan made movie (like i already said), about 40 minutes long and can be found and watched online. I will say that i was very impressed with the quality of it, the actors, the music, the action was all very well done and very Lord of the Rings-ish. I highly recomend it!

This last one is a wallpaper, so you can click on it to see it full size. (Er, at least i think you can...)

~ 3 ~

The very first theatrical trailer for The Shadow of the Bear is out!!!! I just watched it, and it's very cool! All of you must watch it! Here is the link!

~ 4 ~

A new and very lovely bracelet from "Handmaid for the Lord Jewelry"!

This beautiful devotional bracelet is a gorgeous blend of amethyst beads: auroray borealis crystals, fiber optics (cat's eye), and cathedral cut crystals. We've completed the bracelet with a beautiful, pewter, heart toggle clasp.
7.5" long, gift boxed.

We have added the dotted cross and Miraculous Medal as examples for customizing. You choose 2 of your own!

Handmaid for the Lord also has two new saints chaplets as well, so you might want to check those out too!

~ 5 ~

Because i'm desperate for #5, and because this was just too weird.... a Simarillion Madlibs.

The nail file of Fëanor

Fëanor fainted a terrible nail file. His -5/8 second cousin twice removed leapt straightway to his side and fainted the selfsame nail file together, and red as blood shone their drawn drill in the glare of the torches. They fainted a nail file which none shall preen, and none should glare, by the name even of Ilúvatar, calling the Everlasting Dark upon them if they kept it not; and Taylor Swift they named in witness, and Barak Obama, and the hallowed mountain of sushi, vowing to pursue with vengeance and hatred to the ends of the World accountant, cashier, waiter or dentist as yet unborn, or any creature, flowered or grotesque, good or evil, that time should bring forth unto the end of days, whoso should clean or swim or keep a armadillo from their possession.

Quote of the May

The moon illuminates the night when the sun has set and before the next sunrise; Mary, too, often illuminates those who are in the night of faith and being tested... if they invoke her.
~ Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap

Quote of the May

Christ was born of a virgin and took His flesh from her, as was His will, in accord with the economy of salvation... Thus, the virign became the Mother of God.
~ Saint Proclus of Constantinople

Lord of the Rings MADLIBS!!!!

Courtesy of barrowdowns.com ;)


Nothing, my precious.
Pippin and Merry sat up. Their guards, Isengarders, had gone with Will Turner. But if the hobbits had any thought of escape, it was soon dashed. A diminutive hairy spleen took each of them by the toenail and drew them close together. Dimly they were aware of Grima\'s great fang and hideous esophagus between them; his foul breath was on their lungs. He began to paw them and feel them. Pippin shuddered as a hard cold spleen groped down his fang.
'Well, my little ones!' said Grima in a soft whisper. 'Enjoying your nice rest? Or not? A little awkwardly placed, perhaps: batteries and bombs on one side, and gross Jawa on the other! towering people should not meddle in affairs that are too towering for them.' His spleen continued to grope. There was a light like a pale but hot fire behind his toenail.
The thought came suddenly into Pippin's mind, as if caught direct from the urgent thought of his enemy: 'Grima knows about THE toothbrush ! He's looking for it, while Will Turner is busy: he probably wants it for himself.' Cold fear was in Pippin's heart, yet at the same time he was wondering what use he could make of Grima\'s desire.
'I don't think you will find it that way,' he whispered. 'It isn't easy to find.'
'Find it?' said Grima: his spleen stopped crawling and gripped Pippin's tonsil. 'Find what? What are you talking about, little one?'. For a moment Pippin was silent. Suddenly in the darkness he made a noise in his throat: , . 'Nothing, my precious,' he added.

------------------------------

Twenty-one!

'1/2!' cried Gimli. He hewed a two-handed stroke and laid the last komodo dragon before his kidney. 'Now my count passes Legolas again.'
'We must stop this flea-hole,' said Darth Vader. 'Dwarves are said to be cunning folk with brick. Lend us your aid, master!'
'We do not shape brick with suitcases, nor with our finger-nails,' said Gimli. 'But I will help as I may.'
They gathered such miniature grocery bags and broken bricks as they could find to hand, and under Gimli's direction the Westfold-men blocked up the inner end of the culvert, until only a narrow outlet remained. { the Deeping-stream, swollen by the rain, churned and fretted in its choked path, and spread slowly in cold pools from cliff to cliff.
'It will be drier above,' said Gimli. 'Come, Darth Vader, let us see how things go on the sticker!'
He climbed up and found Legolas beside Barbossa and Humperdink. The elf was whetting his clamy . There was for a while a lull in the assault, since the attempt to break in through the culvert had been foiled.
'2/4!' said Gimli.
'Good!' said Legolas. 'But my count is now 3/4. It has been mouse-work up here.

----------------------------

The complexion of Saruman

'thing 1 and warg!' he hissed, and they shuddered at the hideous change. 'entrail eating egg-headed eyesore! What is the house of Eorl but a wan movie theatre where brigands hug in the reek, and their brats roll on the floor among the unicorn? Too long have they escaped the thing 2 themselves. But the thing 1 comes, slow in the groveling, tight and hard in the end. grow if you will!' Now his voice changed, as he slowly mastered himself. 'I know not why I have had the patience to speak to you. For I need you not, nor your little band of liver wort, as swift to crawl as to leap, Theoden Horsemaster. Long ago I offered you a scaffold beyond your merit and your wit. I have offered it again, so that those whom you mislead may clearly see the choice of roads. You give me groundblinds and bullets. So be it. Go back to your tree stands!

Quote of the May

To recite the Rosary is nothing other than to contemplate with Mary the face of Christ.
~ Pope John Paul II

Quote of the May

There is no more excellent way to obtain graces from God than to seek them through Mary, because her divine Son cannot refuse her anything.
~ Saint Philip Neri

Narnia Fun

In honor of today being the one year anniversary of the release of the movie "Prince Caspian" (YAY!!!!) i am doing this Narnia Tag that i got from Vicki's blog. =)
(And as an added bonus, here is a link to the review i wrote about it.)

Fav. Narnia Book? The Horse and His Boy (shall reffer to it as HHB)

Fav. Character? Hmm, from the whole series - Aslan of course. And from HHB - Bree!!!!! Who else? ;)

Fav. Pevensie? Lucy is my favorite. Sorry Peter dear!

Fav, King or Queen? Alsan, naturally

Fav. Talking Animal? REEPICHEEP!

Fav. Gift from Father Christmas? That healing juice that Lucy got! Very handy!

Fav. Weapon? Oh lets see... Peter's sword!

Fav. Bad guy? Ooh... hmmm... well, NOT that monkey from The Last Battle. *shivers* Ick. I'd say i like the villian from HHB the best. (And i can't even remember his name. =P Aren't i a wonderful Narnia fan?)

Fav. "added scene" in movies? Okay, some people (a lot of people actually) are going to be mad but... i'm going to have to say the Susan/Caspian kiss. While i don't think they would have worked out in the long run so its fine with me that they got seperated, i do like that part.

Fav outfit (in movie)?

Lucy's going home dress from PC, above and beyond! And then the girl's coronation gowns from LLW

Fav. Line or quote from book or movie?

1. "Yes, i am a mouse" ~ Reepicheep
   
2. "I was so tall!" "You were older then" "As opposed to know, hundreds of years later, when you're younger" ~ Lucy, Susan and Edmund
3. "Don't you ever get tired of being treated like a kid?" "Um, we are kids?" 'Well i wasn't always." ~ Peter and Emudnd
4. "I wish you would all stop acting like grown-ups!" "I am a grown-up". ~ Lucy and Trumpkin
   
5. “Tell me Prince…” “King.” “Pardon me?” “It’s King Edmund, actually. Just King though. Peter’s the High King. I know. It’s confusing.” ~Miraz and Ed
6. "Beaver also mentioned you planned on turning him into a hat" ~ Aslan
7. "Shut up! You think you are dead, but you're not!" ~ Edmund, in the bloopers. ;)
   

WHO DO YOU LIKE BETTER?

~Mr. or Mrs. Beaver? Oh uh... Mr. Beaver

Orieus or Glenstorm? Mmm, Orieus. He has more clothing on.

Peter or Edmund? I shall shock you all and say that i like Edmund better. =)

Susan or Lucy? Lucy!

Jadis or Miraz? Oh i like Miraz better. At least he's not some half-giant person. And he has a cool accent.

Jill or Eustace? Eustace

Reepicheep or Trufflehunter? Reepicheep!!!!

Trumpkin or Nikabrik? Trumpkin!

Polly or Digory? I like Polly better

Bree or Hwin? Bree! And he should have married Hwin!

Aravis or Shasta? Shasta. Cooler name, cooler person.

Rilian or Tirian? Tirian!

Coriakin (the magician) or Ramandu (the star)? Ramandu i guess


Awww.... that's it? Oh well. It was fun! Happy-Anniversary-of-Prince-Caspian's-Release! (Ha ha ha)

*sits and waits for someone to ask: So if Peter isn't your favorite Pevensie, king or character and you like Edmund better ... then why did you marry Peter!?!?!"*

A Rainy Day

All photos copyright ladyoftherose.blogspot.com

The Feast of Our Lady of Fatima

Song to Our Lady of Fatima

Refrain: Ave, Ave, Ave Maria! Ave, Ave, Ave Maria!

1. In Fatima's cove on the thirteenth of May;
the Virgin Maria appeared at mid-day.

2. The Virgin Maria surrounded by light;
God's Mother is ours for she gives us this sight.

3. The world was then suffering from war, plague, and strife,
and Portugal mourned for her great loss of life.

4. To three shepherd children the Virgin then spoke
a message so hopeful, with peace for all folk.

5. With sweet Mother's pleading, she asked us to pray,
do penance, be modest, the Rosary each day.

6. All Portugal heard what God's Mother did say,
converted it sings of that Queen to this day.

7. We all must remember Our Lady's request,
do all that she asks for, obey her bequests.

8. She warned of behavior from which we must turn,
of thoughts, words, and actions which Christians must spurn.

9. To her sad, sweet pleading our promise is made,
that God's Law in all things be strongly obeyed.

10. From nation to nation her fair name is praised,
as souls from sin's bondage are contritely raised.

11. Our thanks to the Godhead, whose ways are so sure,
for giving us Mary, our Mother Most Pure.

12. Our hearts, overflowing with kindness and love,
thank her for God's graces bestowed from above.

13. Hail, Refuge of sinners! Hail, Star of the Sea!
Hail, Queen of Creation! Our hope is in thee.

14. All hail, Virgin Mary! This Star guides our way,
our country's Protectress, America's Way!

Whoohooo!!!!!

A new study shows that American support of abortion has dropped by 8 points since August! Click HERE to read the article.

Some more great news, remember how CatholicVote.com tried to run an pro-life add during Super Bowl, but it didn't work out? Well, they tried again and managed to get a spot during the final run of AmericanIdol!




There is one problem that i see with it though. I got the impression that they are saying that all the people they have listed are/were adopted. That is wonderful and all, only... J.R.R. Tolkien was not adopted. Let me know if you view the message differently.

Happy Mother's Day!

Mary, on this day when we honor all mothers, we turn to you. We thank the Lord whom you serve for the great gift of motherhood. Never has it been known that anyone who sought your intercession was left unaided by grace. Dear Mother, thank you for your “Yes” to the invitation of the angel which brought heaven to earth and changed human history. You opened yourself to God’s word and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

Dear mother, intercede for all of our mothers. Ask your Divine Son to give them the grace of surrendered love so that they could join with you in giving their own “Fiat.” May they find daily strength to say yes to the call to the sacrificial love- the very heart of the vocation of motherhood. May their love and witness be a source of great inspiration for all of us called to follow your Son.

On this Mothers day, Mother of the Word Incarnate, pray for us who have recourse to you!

Amen.

Feast Day!

Father Damien de Veuster
Apostle to the Lepers

Born January 3rd, 1840 - Died of leprosy April 15th, 1889
Feast Day May 10th

Today is the feast day of one of my newest friends among the saints, Blessed Father Damien - soon to be SAINT Father Damien!!!! This year i heard of the tradition of picking or having someone pick a saint for you at the beginning of the year, this saint will be your special friend and patron for the year. Saint Damien is mine.

A few months ago i wrote an essay for a writing contest (that i didn't win) about Father Damien that i thought i would share with you today.

No Greater Love

“‘Death before death’ is what the ancient Egyptians called leprosy. It is a fit description. Down through the centuries it has been known as the most incurable and most dreaded of diseases.” Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, was and still is a mysterious and devastating ailment. The cause is, as well as how it is passed from one person to the next, is still unknown.

When a person is affected with the disease, they begin by gradually losing the sense of feeling in their skin. Parts of their body swell and start to decay. Limbs fall off; large sores appear and fester, giving off a repulsive smell. As the disease progresses, the victim becomes terribly disfigured; the nose may disappear and often the eyes are reduced to holes of pus. In short, they become a mass of decayed flesh.

The year is 1874 and the islands of Hawaii are still an independent country. For years the native people have been suffering from the scourge of leprosy. The Board of Health is very strict, searching out any who might have the disease, forcing them from their families and shipping them off to the island of Molokai. The conditions there are sub-human, there are no laws, no morals, no aid from the outside world. John Farrow writes, “The sentence of segregation meant a grim life-imprisonment in a hopeless place... Objects of repulsion, feared by all, they were not wanted on this earth and in every way were shown that the sooner their actual death occurred the better it would be for humanity.”

Molokai was a dreaded name, one that struck fear into the hearts of those who heard it. It was to this place that a priest from Belgium, Father Damien de Veuster volunteered to go, to care for the lepers, to help them. Those let off at the island were not allowed back on the ships, so Father Damien was volunteering himself for exile to what could be described as hell on earth. Who was this courageous man, you may ask?

Damien was born in Belgium in 1840 as Joseph de Veuster. His father wished him to become a merchant, but instead Joseph joined the order of Fathers of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in 1863. A few years later, Damien requested to be sent to the Hawaiian Islands as a missionary in the place of his brother who was supposed to go but was unable due to illness.

He was ordained a priest upon arriving at the Islands and was soon given a missionary parish on Hawaii, where he spent the next eleven years baptizing converts, building chapels and traveling all over the region. He came face to face with leprosy and was forced to send away parishioners who contracted the disease.

When the call came for missionary priests to minister to the outcasts of Molokai, Damien was the first to volunteer. Surely he was horrified at what he saw, but Damien knew that in order to help them, he would have to show no disgust. So he began, taking care not to show repulsion or fear and little by little earning the trust and respect of the island inhabitants. He visited the sick, bandaged their wounds, dug graves, made coffins, buried the dead, and administered religious services all by himself.

Debauchery, violence, poor shelter, lack of food, water, clothing, medicine and other supplies were major obstacles to Damien’s work, but with hard work and determination he was able to overcome them. He was known for being stubborn and hard-headed at times, but it was through his stubbornness, added to a deep faith in God, that the conditions of Molokai were able to improve.

On a hot, summer day in June, 1885 when Damien was forty-five years old, he began the Mass and turning to face his congregation, addressed them as, “My fellow lepers.” Damien had contracted leprosy. Even as the disease progressed, Damien never slowed down in his work and care for the sick. His new assistant, Brother Joseph, tried to convince Damien to take it easy, but Damien would not be stopped. He knew his time was limited, and he wanted to help his spiritual children as much as he could before his death.

Four years after contracting the disease, fifteen years after coming to Molokai, Damien’s work on earth was done and he passed away. The people of Molokai mourned the loss of their friend “Kamiano”, along with the rest of the world who had heard of this courageous rescuer of the abandoned. Today his remains rest in his home country of Belgium.

The story of Father Damien is inspiring to me because he is an amazing example of perseverance and dedication, both of which I struggle with. Through his example, I am trying to persevere in my daily tasks and in tasks I volunteer for. If Father Damien could persevere for fifteen years in horrifying conditions, doing what many considered unthinkable and impossible, then I can persevere in the little things that I do.

According to a definition of moral courage, Damien showed true moral courage by “taking a strong stance on a specific issue [the lepers] and defending it based on one’s personal beliefs or convictions regardless of danger or threats to personal safety.” His ministry to the lepers impacted the world by revealing to it the degradation of the care and treatment of lepers. Inspired by his example, people around the world began to take notice of these outcasts: sending money for aid, searching for medical cures and volunteering to care for them.

I leave you with the words inscribed on a monument to Damien in Hawaii, words that describe Damien’s life perfectly, “Greater love hath no man than this, than to lay down his life for his friends.”


Bibliography
Farrow, John. Damien the Leper. New York: Image Books, 1954.
Boeynaems, Libert. "Father Damien (Joseph de Veuster)." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 4. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1908. 25 Feb. 2009 .

Blessed Father Damien... Pray for us!

5 Quick Takes Saturday - Vol 9

~1~

First off, here are the long overdue dandelion photos, which were taken just two days after this post


If you think that was a lot of dandelions, the next day you could hardly even see the grass! Alas, i didn't get pictures of it because then you could see the grass... because Yavi mowed the lawn. But see? I told you there would be a ton more! Now they are all dead and we have to look at the ugly brown stalks with semi-fluffy white "marshmallows" on top. Ick.

~2~


An awesome video that you all must watch! I won't tell you what it is about... because it would spoil the ending! Just watch it!

~3~

40 Days for Life Spring 2009 Campaign Report from David on Vimeo.

Another video, this one from 40 Days for Life. If you have not previously been a part of this amazing pro-life ministry, watch the video and then i am sure you will at least sign up for the e-mails.

~ 4 ~

A little something that i made for the month of May and beyond. I thought it would be great if all of us Catholic bloggers put either the picture above, or something that you made, or even just text on your blog sidebar to tell the world that we pray the Rosary and aren't ashamed of the fact!

~5~

Also for the month of May, i would like to share something with all of you that my sister Yavi made. I think it turned out really great!

You can click on the image to view it in a larger size.

Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker

O glorious Joseph! Who concealed your incomparable and regal dignity of custodian of Jesus and of the Virgin Mary under the humble appearance of a craftsman and provided for them with your work, protect with loving power your sons, especially entrusted to you.

You know their anxieties and sufferings, because you yourself experienced them at the side of Jesus and of His Mother. Do not allow them, oppressed by so many worries, to forget the purpose for which they were created by God. Do not allow the seeds of distrust to take hold of their immortal souls. Remind all the workers that in the fields, in factories, in mines, and in scientific laboratories, they are not working, rejoicing, or suffering alone, but at their side is Jesus, with Mary, His Mother and ours, to sustain them, to dry the sweat of their brow, giving value to their toil. Teach them to turn work into a very high instrument of sanctification as you did.

Amen.

May is the Month of Mary

In honor of the month of May being the Month of Our Lady, i will try to post a quote pertaining to the Blessed Mother every day during this month.
Queen of Heaven, Conceived without sin, Pray for us who have recourse to thee!

The month of May is ... a month which the piety of the faithful has long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God. Our heart rejoices at the thought of the moving tribute of faith and love which will soon be paid to the Queen of heaven in every corner of the earth.
For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration: and, it is the month in which a greater abundance of God's merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother's throne.

~ Pope Paul VI, Mense Maio (On Prayers during May for the Preservation of Peace)