“Scarlet running over on the silvers and the golds, breaking of the hatches up and bursting of the holds, thronging of the thousands up that labour under sea white for bliss and blind for sun and stunned for liberty. Vivat Hispania! Domino Gloria! Don John of Austria has set his people free!” - from Lepanto by G.K. Chesterton.

In war, whether it has lasted for a few years or recurs over centuries, one battle can be the turning point. October 7^th, 1571, the Battle of Lepanto, was a major turning point in the ongoing conflicts between Europe and the Ottoman Empire. The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary now falls on October 7^th, but was originally celebrated under the name Our Lady of Victory. The feast was declared soon after this battle, due to the Virgin’s intercession, as implored by Pope Pius V.

Prior to the Battle of Lepanto, confrontation between Europe and Islam had existed since the 7^th century, and increased with the emergence of the Ottoman Empire, a powerful and well organized state system, at the end of the 13^th century. The Ottoman Empire grew, and was able to conquer more countries, and even the once-impenetrable Constantinople. Over these centuries, Europe and England were largely focused on internal problems, such as the Hundred Years War, the Black Death, and the Protestant revolt and resulting schism. These problems and Europe’s preoccupation with them (and therefore somewhat halfhearted interest in the advances of the Ottoman Empire) left them open and vulnerable to attack. While individual countries and cities rose up to try to resist the Ottoman Empire when they arrived on their shores or at their walls, there was not a large, organized effort of all of Europe to match the scale of the ambitious Ottomans.

In the 1560s, the Ottomans began their assault on the Christian Mediterranean and quickly conquered most of the eastern islands. They threatened to next attack Venice and Rome, the result of which could have been the collapse of Christian Europe. Pope St. Pius V saw the impending danger and in 1570 called on the leaders of the West to unite against the force that was a threat to them all. But the request was in vain. Queen Elizabeth in England was too preoccupied with her rivalry with Spain, France was a sometime-ally of the Turks and was at the time under the reign of a sickly and instable Charles IX, and Phillip II of Spain was busy with his new American empire.

Phillip II did, however, respond to the papal summons by sending his half brother, Don Juan of Austria, and dozens of ships. With volunteers from Mediterranean countries, in 1571 Don Juan was able to gather together a fleet of about 208 ships – about 80 fewer than the Turkish fleet. The main contributors were the Papal States, Spain, Venice, and some other Italian states; these allies came to be known as the Holy League.

Before setting out, Giovanni Andrea, the Genoese admiral, had hung in his flagship a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which had been touched to the original image on Juan Diego’s cloak. Pope Pius V was also seeking Mary’s aid through the recitation of the rosary, and when the ships set out from Messina on Sept 16^th, all the men on board had rosaries, too.

Early on Sunday, October 7^th, 1571, the fleets of the Holy League and of the Ottoman Empire came within fighting distance of each other, somewhat south of the town of Lepanto. The Turkish ships outnumbered the Christians’ but the number of combatants was likely close to equal, about 30,000 each. The battle lasted for a good portion of the day and was bloody; it is said that the sea was red with blood for miles around by the end of the battle. The Holy League was victorious, but at a cost. 8,000 men were lost and even more injured; only about a dozen ships were lost. As for the Ottomans – around the same number died, but thousands more were captured. Fifty Ottoman ships were sunk and more than 100 more ships captured, and about 10,000 Christians that had been previously captured by the Turks, and working as slaves on the ships, were freed.

Back in Rome, Pope Pius V knew of the victory before a message could possibly have reached him by human means. During a meeting with his treasurer on October 7^th, the saintly pope suddenly rose up and gazed out the window, saying “This is not a moment for business; make haste to thank God, because our fleet this moment has won a victory over the Turks.” When the official news from the fleet reached Europe, there was much rejoicing, and Pope Pius V gave credit to the Virgin Mary by declaring October 7^th the Feast of Our Lady of Victory.

This battle would not be the end of the Ottoman Empire; it remained until 1923, though stagnating and then declining from around 1699 on, and especially throughout the 1800s. However, the victory of the Christian forces in the Battle of Lepanto was highly significant as a turning point in the Ottoman Empire’s strength, and advancement on Europe. Though the army would be rebuilt after this fall to the Holy League, the fact that the Ottomans were proven to no longer be undefeatable was significant. Not long after, an attempt on Vienna would result not only in another Ottoman defeat, but also the liberation of lands in Hungary and the Balkans that had been taken over by the Turks a few decades before. The Battle of Lepanto was the final major Turkish attack on the Mediterranean; the southern shores of Christendom would be safe and one of the two main pathways to conquering Europe was cut off.

- Adapted from Ten Dates Every Catholic Should Know by Diane Moczar.

You might also be interested in one of our other books about Lepanto and the primary figures involved.

A big thanks to friend and fellow podcaster Sean “The Duct Tape Guy” McGauhey for the following tip about a great upcoming St. Patrick’s Day celebration.  Sean shares:

With a name like Sean McGaughey and being a musician, it is no surprise that I was asked to play a few tunes at my parish’s St. Patrick’s Day social next week.  As I was rehearsing my set of favorite traditional Irish songs, I had an idea.   (Hey where did we go? Days when the rains came.  Down in a holler…”)   For fun, why not have a Catholic Musician’s Ceili  (ceidleigh?  coeli?) using both live streaming performances and spinning videos by Catholic musicians.  The music will not exactly be limited to celtic music because on St. Patrick’s Day, everybody is Irish.

From around 3-5 pm EST on March 17, head on over to catholicroundup.com . I’ll have a link there to my live stream.  I’m planning to play my St. Patrick’s day set live, and then put on my VJ hat, showing videos from some wonderful Cathoic artists.  There may also be live ustream performances by other Catholic musicians to be announced.  Join us live on March 17 at catholicroundup.com .  If you are a Catholic musician who would like to participate in the festivities by streaming a performance, or sending along some videos, drop me a line at catholicroundup@gmail.com.

If you’re single, or have a family member or friend who may be leading a single lifestyle, please share this article with them and refer them to CatholicMatch.com for additional resources.

“Valentine’s Day. It comes every year whether you like it or not.
It’s the day when your love life is put on display.”

So begins the official trailer for the newest film hitting the big screen this month.

While I have not seen the movie Valentine’s Day, the previews indicate the theme is probably as cliché as the topic. Many single people find the February 14th holiday disheartening, confusing, downright depressing, and in general “just blah” as one of my single friends aptly described it. Sometimes it feels like the only reason for the “hearts and flowers” holiday (besides the economic boost our society generates from the sale of overpriced cards, boxed chocolates, and red roses) is for the world to take notice of the fact that all the single folks aren’t romantically attached. What’s not to love about that, right?

As a single person, I felt very much the same about Valentine’s Day as the feelings I described above. Thus it surprised me how much my perspective has changed since meeting and marrying my husband, and observing the Valentine’s Day drama from the perspective of a married person. It has been somewhat startling to learn that single folks aren’t the only people who don’t get such a kick out of Romance Day.

I just got an email from a young married couple whom my husband and I were supposed to have a couple’s night out with this week. The other couple had to cancel due to their three-year-old son going through a tantrum stage and crying incessantly every night, the husband breaking his leg at work and needing down time, and the 11-month-old coming down with a high fever. Needless to say, this young couple has a lot more important topics on their plate than making arrangements for the perfect romantic Valentine’s evening out.

Then I talked to my sister-in-law, curious what her holiday plans would include. She and her husband are the homeschooling parents of five children. “One of the highlights of the day is Eric promised me he’d keep the kids quiet downstairs so I could take a nice long shower and take my time getting ready upstairs. That rarely happens without kiddie interruption and it’s such a gift!” she told me with a laugh.

My own sister has two children under age two. She said the best gift of love is when her husband watches the babies while she goes out for a 3-mile jog around the neighborhood all by herself. Her husband is happy with a bag of his favorite bite-sized chocolate bars wrapped in pink and red foil…“and we’ll get a babysitter so we can slip out for a quick dinner too.”

Reflecting on these and many other examples of how married friends spend Valentine’s Day (especially those with children), has made me realize that the people who make the biggest deal about Valentine’s Day usually aren’t married couples – which is ironic since they’re the ones most in love and with the most excuses to pull out all the romantic stops on February 14th.

While this struck me as odd and kind of disappointing at first (after all, as a single person I thought the grass was MUCH greener – well, redder and pinker and more chocolate and roses-filled — on the married side of Valentine’s Day), upon further reflection I’ve realized that these self-giving examples of married love are the type that most resemble the original Valentine of February 14th.

Who was Saint Valentine Anyway?

The simple answer: we don’t know a whole lot about him. The biography on Catholic Online mentions he was a priest in Rome, who cared for the martyr Christians under the persecution of Claudius II. When his ministry to Christians was discovered, he was arrested, badly beaten, and eventually beheaded, on February 14th in the late 3rd century.

The Catholic Encyclopedia lists at least three Saint Valentines. Interestingly, all three of them, died martyrs’ deaths. How the Saint Valentine who died on February 14th became the patron of love, affianced couples, and happy marriages, is shrouded in legend and mystery. And yet this martyr saint is frequently depicted with lovebirds, roses, and flowers surrounding him – as early as the late fifth century.

Love as Sacrifice

If you think about it, the fact that the real Saint Valentine was a martyr priest in the early years of Christianity is incredibly profound for single and married people alike, struggling to make sense out of Valentine’s Day.

How appropriate that the calendar day when love is most celebrated is focused, in a Catholic sense, on the true meaning of love – the radical kind – the kind that is so profoundly self-giving that it’s willing to lay itself down out of love for another.

St. Valentine exemplified the type of love that matters most. Not friendship love. Not familial love. Not even Eros love. Instead, it’s the love that mirrors the divine in its total outpouring for another. Agape love.

For some, this overflowing love looks like 5:00am feedings of your newborn baby. For others, it’s getting up for work when the alarm goes off the first time. Perhaps it’s working a second shift to help pay the extra family bills. For many couples, it’s rejoicing in the little pleasures of life, like a bouquet of roses or a box of chocolates that says “I Love You” while your kids run around the two of you in their sugar-rush from just finishing off said box of chocolates that was “yours.”

Single people and dating couples are not going to find this kind of radical love spelled out on a card in the Valentine’s aisle of your local Walgreen’s or Target. It’s not found in a night at the movies or a romantic steak dinner for two. You may find witnesses of it in your parish priest, in the lives of married couples you know, perhaps in your own parents, and certainly in the Catholic saint whose martyrdom is memorialized on February 14th.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day the Real Way

There’s no easy antidote to the Valentine’s Day blues if you are a single person – especially one who longs for the love of another. I cannot offer a solution to the prick in your heart as you pass by your local flower shop, a red and pink card aisle, a Godiva chocolate store, or Kay’s Jewelers, and witness the general hoopla. It’s a cross each single person must carry.

And yet, there might be something you can do to discipline your focus this month. Instead of allowing yourself to dwell on the Valentine’s commotion around you, perhaps make a commitment to do something for one person on February 14th that is putting selfless love into practice. Perhaps it’s babysitting so a married couple can steal away for an hour or two of precious alone time. Maybe it’s bringing a heart-shaped box of chocolates to an elderly person at Church on Sunday. Possibly you’ll invite a bunch of other single people over for a fun night of movie watching or game playing.

Going to see the new Valentine’s Day movie might give you a few laughs and perhaps a sense of commiseration with other singles who don’t appreciate February 14th. But if you choose instead to do something selfless for someone else, you will have prepared well for the authentic love your heart so deeply and ultimately desires.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, kindle the fire of your divine love within our hearts!

Saint Valentine, patron of love, young people, and happy marriages, pray for us and our future spouses!

Stephanie can be reached at stephanie@catholicmatch.com

I don’t blog because I think I have wisdom to share, or because I think readers particularly care what I have to say on a daily basis.  I blog to help record these little moments, to reflect on some of the things that happen in my family, or to ponder about what’s going on in the world around me.  My family teases me quite often about my terrible memory – ask me a date of someone’s birthday, where I went on my last vacation, or even what I had for dinner last night and I likely won’t remember.  Perhaps that’s because my mind is filled with so many ideas and words – I tend to live more and more in the moment with every passing year.  And since my moments are filled with so much joy on a regular basis, it’s a pretty spectacular existence.

Part of what has spurred this renewal of interest in personal blogging is my move into my new office this past weekend.  I should really call it a “half move”, since I have stuff stashed between three rooms at the moment.  I told myself I didn’t want to just dump everything into the new office, but rather take my time and use this as an opportunity to see how much “stuff” I really need in here.  My new office — Greg’s old one — has more natural light and a lovely window that looks out over our front yard.  I’m upstairs, where it’s warm and bright and I can see the UPS guy pulling up with deliveries.  I expect to like it in here – to be more organized and productive.

The photo above, taken with my iPhone, gives you a bit of an idea of the basic setup.  I’ll follow up with another as soon as I get some photos on the wall and it begins to look a bit more “lived in”.

So that’s the big news for today – boys back at school, house quiet (but still filled with Christmas cheer as I didn’t have the heart to take my tree down yet), and a new office to enjoy and to organize.  What’s happening in your life today?  What hopes do you have for this first week of the new year, and for the year that lies ahead of us?

Maria’s book is the gift every Catholic Mom should give herself this Christmas – warm, reflective and a resource you’ll want to revisit time and again every Advent and Christmas season.  Check out this great book and Maria’s other work at her website.

Maria, thank you for writing such a wonderful and greatly needed book!  Please introduce yourself and your family to our readers.

Hello, Lisa!  Thanks for your kind words.  By way of introduction, I have been married for 17 years and have two daughters, age 16 and 9.  In my professional life, I am a speaker, author and teacher.  I have served in church ministry for over 20 years in communications, adult spirituality, family life and retreat direction.  I love to find the hidden meaning in life and help others to see it, too!

Please share with our readers a bit about your book Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas – what makes this book different from other Christmas books?

Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas is a one-of-a-kind book because it combines timely, scripture-based reflections with journal pages to write a gratitude list, the day’s intention, and your to-do list.  I’ve found daily reflection books, and Christmas planning books, but this is the only one I’ve seen that combines the two.  I think this is important because God is at work in the details of our lives, so this format brings our prayer and practical lives together.  I wrote it for busy women, like me, who want to enjoy the Advent and Christmas seasons in the spiritual sense of it.  It’s so easy for us to get caught up in all the tasks of holiday preparations that we lose sight of the wonderful opportunities to grow closer to God that Advent and Christmas give us.  By taking quiet prayer time everyday, we’re tending to our most important relationship–with God–and bringing that peace and love into the tasks of our day.

I love the fact that you encourage readers to pause and reflect each day during this hectic season.  What are some practical pointers for prioritizing this daily quiet time when things feel so very busy?

This is a great question, because daily prayer can, unfortunately, become “one more thing to do.”  That’s one reason why the book’s reflections and journal pages are brief.  The reader need not feel that it’s a burden to do the daily prayer.  So, I invite readers to put prayer at the top of the day’s agenda.  In my experience, my days go so much more smoothly when I’ve taken time to pray in the morning.  Not that the circumstances are different, but my response to them is.  Seen through the eyes of faith, the events of the day are easier to manage and place in God’s hands.  On the other hand, some women prefer to use the book in the evening, or at bedtime as a way to reflect on the day and make plans for the next.  Either way, I think its the mindfulness of the prayertime that’s important.  Tend to that, and see what miracles unfold.

How can we, as families, reclaim some of the original intentions of the Advent and Christmas season?  What are some of your family’s favorite Advent and Christmas traditions?

To answer your second question first, we love to set up the creche and tell the Christmas story together as we place each figure in the manger.  Also, we light Advent candles each Sunday during the season, and our daughters get a special ornament each year.  We have a daily Advent calendar that creates the nativity scene with a new character added each day.  And, music, music, music!  We all have our favorite Christmas CDs, and my husband plays piano by ear, so he takes requests anytime.

In response to your first question, I encourage families to make the Advent and Christmas traditions a priority and not just add them to an already busy schedule.  For example, if decorating the tree is a family project, schedule the time to do it, don’t just try to squeeze it in and end up doing it at a time went people are tired or distracted.  The most important thing we can do to reclaim some of the original intentions of Advent and Christmas is to set our priorities and stick to them.  Most people I talk with value time with family during the holidays over anything else.  So, cut back on some of the activities and build in lots of time to hang out with your children.  The spontaneous moments often become the beloved memories.  And, get the kids involved as much as possible.  They love to make a contribution to the celebration. I know it can be hard for some moms to give up some control of the outcomes, but there will be some wonderful surprises and blessings when the energy and creativity of the children is brought to the task!

I know that you do quite a bit of speaking to groups and organizations.  What are some of your favorite speaking topics to share with others during Advent and Christmas?

My favorite topics are:  Advent—Wait, Watch, and Wonder; Mary—the First to Say “Yes!”, and: Finding Ourselves in the Christmas Story.  This year, I’ll also speak on Loving, Laughing and Longing: the Gifts of Christmas.

Taking a page from your wonderful book, how would you answer the question, “Today I am thankful for…”

The warm sunshine, even in the chilly air
Hot tea
My daughter’s silly sense of humor
Our home and food
The post office
The chance to connect with CatholicMom.com!

Thank you so much for your time and for this great book Maria!  Are there any additional thoughts or comments you’d like to share with our readers?

I pray all your readers will find peace in their hearts this Advent, and celebrate a wonderful Christmas with those they love.  Thank you, Lisa!

Order Prepare Your Heart for a Great Christmas and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase.

Deacon Tom focuses on love and shares an excerpt from his beautiful December column at CatholicMom.com.

Mary smiles at us from the mess of the manger in this week’s Mary Moment, shared by Sarah Reinhard.

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This episode of Catholic Moments is sponsored by CatholicMatch.com, the Leading Catholic Singles Community.  Share your feedback at 206-339-9272, comment here on the blog or email lisa@catholicmom.com.

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And now, bless the God of all,
who has done wondrous things on earth;
Who fosters people’s growth from their mother’s womb,
and fashions them according to his will!
May he grant you joy of heart
and may peace abide among you;
May his goodness toward us endure in Israel to deliver us in our days.

Certainly, our family’s life this year has been blessed beyond measure.  Last year, at Thanksgiving, my son Eric had just started a new school and was working on finding new friends in a new community.  Last year, at Thanksgiving, I had the huge task of writing an entire book looming over me.  Last year on Thanksgiving, I was recovering from surgery and awaiting the lab results that would send me into a months-long battle against non-invasive breast cancer.

It’s amazing to look back one year later and so tangibly see the hand of God in our lives.  Every day of every year, I feel so incredibly fortunate, but this one day of the year it feels right to simply sit and dwell for a few moments on the incredible magnitude of God’s bountiful goodness.  It truly is stunning.

I wanted to share with you a column I recently wrote for our diocesan newspaper.  It speaks to the place I know many people are in this year:

Giving Thanks in All Things

“Pray without ceasing.  In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18

For the past few weeks, I have been contemplating our family’s plans for Thanksgiving this year.  With my parents and siblings spread across the country and a husband who will be working a Thanksgiving Day shift in the Emergency Department, it’s likely we won’t be having the typical “Norman Rockwell” picture perfect feast this year.  There will be prayers, turkey, family, and – yes, likely football too – but this year’s holiday celebration will bend a few of our family traditions into new shapes, creating unique memories along the way.

Perhaps your life circumstances have you feeling less than thankful this year.  So many of us seem to be suffering these days.  The H1N1 virus threatens, as does a careening economy, water woes and an enduring unrest in the Middle East.  Many families across our valley will celebrate Thanksgiving just a bit differently this year.  Some will dine on provisions supplemented by our local Catholic Charities.  Others will bow heads in silent prayer remembering loved ones absent from the family table and serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.  A fireman will work on Thanksgiving, while his neighbor down the street may be out of work altogether this year.

Yet despite all of this, our nation will collectively pause on November 26 to give thanks.  Many Americans call Thanksgiving their favorite holiday since it evokes thoughts of family and fellowship and skips the materialism that has beset so many of our other celebrations.  We Catholics will embrace the day in prayer, thanking a loving God who hears and knows our needs even more deeply than we ourselves do.

As you gather with your loved ones this year, remember those words of Paul’s first epistle to the Thessalonians, that invitation to pray “without ceasing”.  He called upon them, and perhaps upon you and I as well, to offer thanks in all things, regardless of the circumstances.  When we pause to share those words of gratitude this year around our Thanksgiving tables, let us recall our Holy Father, our Bishop and our priests during this Year for Priests, offering appreciation for their level of commitment and for their “yes” to a life of service and vocation.  In a special way, let us pray thankfully for the elected leaders who labor on our behalf, asking God to grant them the courage and wisdom to do what is truly right.  Finally, let us especially remember one another, the Body of Christ, here in the Diocese of Fresno – each toddler, teen, parent and senior – lifting each other up in joy and true thanksgiving…in all circumstances.

May God truly bless you and your family today and always!

With love and gratitude,

Lisa

The Solemnity of Christ the King

Click on the links below to download each item

• Sunday’s Gospel
• Coloring Page
• Mass Worksheets – 7-10, 11-14
  
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• Word Search – Puzzle, Solution
• Crossword – Puzzle
  Solution: Across – 1.  King;  3.  voice;  Down – 1.  kingdom;  2.  Jews
  
• Lesson Plan

Extra activities:

• Advent at CatholicMom.com
• 2009 Printable Advent Chain
• Advent Wreath File Folder Game
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• Current CatholicMom.com Contests
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• Teaching Catholic Kids - Great Resources from Our Sunday Visitor
• To Teach – Great Resources from USCCB – Charity in Truth (Caritas In Veritate)

Pre-K Lesson Plans:

We will be providing weekly Pre-K lesson plans this year. These do not coincide with the Sunday Liturgy of the Word, but are specifically created for Catholic Pre-K learners.

• Advent
• Thank You God! (Terrific for Thanksgiving!)
• Joshua and Jericho
• Moses
• Joseph and His Wonderful Coat
• Prayer – I Can Talk to God
• Noah’s Ark
• Adam and Eve
• God Made Me and I’m Special
• Creation Day Seven – On the Seventh Day God Rested
• Creation Day Six – Animals on Land and Man
• Creation Day Five – Creatures in the Seas and Sky
• Creation Day Four – Sun, Moon and Stars
• Creation Day Three – Seas, Lands and Plants
• Creation Day Two – God Created the Sky
• Creation Day One – God Created Light

Religious Education Resource Articles:

• Timelines
• Story Sequencing Activities
• Assessing Student Progress
• Using Technology in Your Classroom
• How to Keep Disruptive Behavior Down to a Minimum
• Organize Your Materials
• Introductory Letter to Parents
• Lesson Planning
• Discipline in the Classroom
• Helping Hands Chart
• Special Needs Students – Information to Gather from Parents
• Preparing Your Religious Education Classroom

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Advent, Christmas Epiphany in the Domestic Church – Great activities to celebrate these important liturgical seasons with our families, students, and parishes.

St. Patrick Email Exchanges

From: Patrick [pat@heaven.org]
To: God [ourfather@heaven.org]
Cc: [allsaints@heaven.org]
Subject: March 17

Dear God,

My day, March 17th, is upon us once again, and
once again I have only one question: how did my
banishing all snakes from Ireland and, among
other things, enduring six years in captivity as
well as hearing the word of the Almighty, turn
into one night of binge drinking by people with
last names such as Lapano and Kowalski who
finish the evening projectile-vomiting green-
coloured lager? As I recall, when the day was
first discussed, we talked about a literary theme
(Ireland produces a lot of writers) or maybe an
environmental motif. What did I do to deserve
this?

P.
From: God [ourfather@heaven.org]
To: Patrick [pat@heaven.org]
Cc: [allsaints@heaven.org]
Subject: Re: March 17

Dear Patrick,

I hear you, but what can I say? It’s called “Free
Will.” If I made everyone do everything I wanted,
they would never learn how to do it themselves.
Re our initial discussions: I remind you that
when you chose March 17 (the date of your
departure from the mortal world), I said it
would be a hard one to pull off. The weather is
too unpredictable, for starters. Also, it comes a
little quick after Val’s day. Speaking of which, a bit
of innovation can go a long way. Val tapped into
that whole mass-production-of-paper thing, and
it worked out very well for him. As for Nick, he
goes out the entire night and gives presents to
every kid in the world. If I recall last March 17,
you were home watching the Lakers.

Best
G-Man

From: Paul [paul@heaven.org]
To: Patrick [pat@heaven.org]
Cc: God [ourfather@heaven.org] ; [allsaints@heaven.org]
Subject: Re: Re: March 17

Dear Pat,

If you are so unhappy, you are more than welcome to
join those of us who DO NOT have our own holidays,
on November 1, All Saints’ Day. Here’s what you have
to look forward to: rain, no kids happy about
us, no treats, no presents, a bunch of broken
pumpkins everywhere. Come by any time.

Best regards
Paul : (

From: Patrick [pat@heaven.org]
To: Paul [paul@heaven.org]; [allsaints@heaven.org]
Cc: God [ourfather@heaven.org]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: March 17

Paul and Company,

It’s not about who gets what. It’s about a religious
holiday that is now a drunken orgy. There’s a difference.
But what gets to me is I never really drank!!!

P.

From: Paul [paul@heaven.org]
To: Patrick [pat@heaven.org]
Cc: God [ourfather@heaven.org] ; [allsaints@heaven.org]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: March 17

Dear Pat,

Whatever.

Paul

From: God [ourfather@heaven.org]
To: Patrick [pat@heaven.org]; Paul [paul@heaven.org]
Cc: [allsaints@heaven.org]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: March 17
All right guys, this is getting out of hand . . .
Patrick, let me remind you that in Ireland some folks
still go to church and take the day pretty seriously, at
least as seriously as the Irish can take things. Also, show
me a person with a hangover and I will show you a person
who is penitent, and show me a penitent and I’ll show you
a person on his or her way to church. So, while numbers
on the actual day may be down, bums-in-pews-wise,
Thomas More in marketing tells me they are way up on
the 18th.

As for All Saints’ — as I have said before, this is a
marathon, not a sprint. You’ll each get your days.
Remember the Feast of St. Peter in Chains? I didn’t
think so but it was huge in the eighth century.
On a more jovial note, Bernie is having his usual St.
Pat’s shindig tomorrow. If you can make it, RSVP to
[shaw@purgatory.com].

G-Man
- Published March 2007

Andrew Clark is the author of Stand and Deliver: Inside Canadian Comedy

What It Means To Be Irish

1) You will never play professional basketball.
2) You swear very well.
3) At least one of your cousins is a fireman, cop, bar owner, funeral home owner or holds public office. And you have at least one aunt who is a nun, or uncle who’s a priest.
4) You think you sing very well.
5) You have no idea how to make a long story short!
6) There isn’t a big difference between you losing your temper or killing someone….
7) Much of your childhood meals were boiled.. Instant potatoes were a mortal sin!
You have never hit your head on a ceiling.
9) You spent a good portion of your childhood kneeling in prayer (Catholic guilt forever!).
10) You’re strangely poetic after a few beers.
11) You are, therefore, poetic a lot..
12) You will be punched for no good reason….a lot.
13) Some punches directed at you are from legacies of past generations.
14) Many of your sisters and/or cousins are named Mary, Catherine or Eileen and there is at least one member of your family with the full name of Mary Catherine Eileen.
15) Someone in your family is very generous. It is more than likely you.
16) You may not know the words, but that doesn’t stop you from singing.
17) You can’t wait for the other guy to stop talking before you start talking .
18) You’re not nearly as funny as you think you are but what you lack in talent, you make up for in frequency
19) There wasn’t a huge difference between your last Wake and our last keg party.
20) You are, or know someone, named Murph.
21) If you don’t know Murph then you know Mac… If you don’t know Murph or Mac then you know Sully. Then you probably know Sully McMurphy.
22) You are genetically incapable of keeping a secret.
23) You have Irish Alzheimer’s… You forget everything but the grudges!
24) ‘Irish Stew’ is a euphemism for ‘boiled leftovers.’
25) All of your losses are alcohol-related (loss of virginity, loss of driver’s license, loss of money, loss of job, loss of significant other, loss of teeth from punch…) but it never stops you from drinking.
26) Your skin’s ability to tan…. Not so much.
27) At this very moment, you have at least two relatives who are not speaking to each other (not fighting, mind you, just not speaking to each other).
28) Childhood remedies for the common cold often included whiskey.
29) There’s no leaving a family party without saying goodbye for at least 45 minutes.
30) You met your husband/wife/significant other/accountant/lawyer/landscaper/etc. In a bar.
31) Recognition of one’s own limitations is the highest form of intellect!

Video Link

One of Eric’s friends had planned a party, but when that fell through Greg and I were thrilled to open our house up to the kids and to let them get together here under our supervision.

A few things we would recommend:

1. Do agree to be the party house – Kids want to get together, and in my opinion I’d rather have them in my home than anywhere else! If there here, I know they are supervised, not drinking, safe and having fun.
2. Don’t let your kid invite the entire grade – Unless you are prepared for a major blowout, keep the guest list to a reasonable count.  You can decide for your family what the definition of “reasonable” is.  For us, we felt we could safely supervise 25 friends.
3. Do have a start and end time – Most of the kids showed up either early, or right on time.  We told them they needed to be picked up or leave by 1:00 AM and all but a few had parents pick them up by that time.
4. Do maintain a watchful presence – Give the kids some space, but let them know you’re in the vicinity.  I spent two hours in the kitchen baking cookies and brownies for them.  While they knew I was nearby, since I was busy it didn’t look like I was just hanging around for no reason.
5. Do keep the menu simple – Finger foods, clear liquids (obviously non-alcoholic) and lots of sweets seemed to be the most popular items.  A few weeks ago, we ordered pizzas for this same crowd and half of them went uneaten.  The big winner last night was the Artichoke Dip.
6. Do have activity options – We have ping pong, air hockey and pool tables at the ready for teen visitors.  But last night, they spent two hours playing Cranium Family Edition – a fun game that’s a mix of charades, pictionary, and some other classics.  They also enjoyed lighting off a few safe fireworks and hanging out around a bonfire, but there require definite adult supervision.

I can’t think of a better way to have celebrated the New Year than to gather with our kids and their buddies last night – sure, we have some clean up to do today, but hopefully the memories the kids made last night will last longer than the brownie stains on the carpet!

We’re serving sparkling cider, finger foods, a variety of chocolate and the following hot artichoke dip:

Warm Artichoke Dip

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (6.5 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
* 1 cup mayonnaise
* 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 clove garlic, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, mix together artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, Parmesan and garlic. Scoop the mixture into a medium baking dish.
3. Bake in the preheated oven 15 minutes, or until lightly brown on top.

Recipe Source

How do you plan to ring in the New Year?  Many of you may have already started (or even ended) your celebrations while we in California are just getting warmed up!  For an extra treat, listen to Father Roderick’s special New Year’s episode of the Daily Breakfast featuring some special interviews and a big announcement about the location of the next Catholic New Media Celebration.  I’m already working on packing my bags to attend!

I hope you and your family have a wonderful, memorable start to the New Year and a blessed holy day tomorrow as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God.

Merry Christmas 2008 with love and prayers from the Hendey Family!
Greg, Lisa, Eric and Adam

We wish you a happy and peace filled Christmas
and a wonderful 2009!
May God richly bless you and your family
Happy Birthday Jesus!

Source

When I was growing up, my mom always took such great care to lovingly decorate our home.  Some years, I feel the urge to decorate a bit more and other years less.  This year was a great year for decorating, as Adam was a big helper and we hosted Greg’s work party, which always inspires me to take some extra steps.

Here are a few photos of our home – I’d love to see yours too, so if you post a home tour on your blog, please drop a comment below with a link so I can come visiting.  I promise to bring a tray of cookies!

Part of our outside lighting.  If it stands still, Greg will hang a strand of Christmas lights on it!
We light up the whole neighborhood.

My favorite of our Nativity Scenes.

Our guest bathroom – I try to keep the boys out of here in December!

Our “Christmas Village” – We had fun setting out all of the pieces this year!

The stockings hung by our chimney, with care, and some of my collection of angels playing the violin

A few of our favorite Santas – can you tell musicians live in my house?

Our Christmas tree and an ever present guitar in the background!

Our Advent wreath – which is also a Nativity.  This is not a very good photo of it, but I love it!

The boys’ collection of Nutcrackers standing guard over the bookshelf!

My favorite part of our Christmas decorations – our outdoor Nativity.  You will note that I have FIVE Wise Men (including twins!) and no shepherds – this is fodder for an upcoming post, but if you see any shepherds, sheep, cows, camels or other related outdoor nativity personnel for sale in your neighborhood, please purchase them for me!!  I’ll send you a check!!  I’m not really in the market for any more wise men though…

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!!!

Dear Santa,

I’ve been a good mom all year. I’ve fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor’s office more than my own doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out — over several Christmases.

Since I had to write this letter with my son’s red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles; and who knows when I’ll find any more free time in the next 18 years, so now – -

*** Here are my Christmas wishes ***

* I’d like a pair of legs that don’t ache (-in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don’t hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

* I’d also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

* If you’re hauling big-ticket items this year, I’d like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn’t broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

* On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, ‘Yes,Mommy’ to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don’t fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

* I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting, “Don’t eat in the living room!” and “Take your hands off your brother!” because my voice seems to be just out of my children’s hearing range and can
only be heard by the dog.

* If it’s too late to find any of these products, I’d settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

* If you don’t mind, I could also use a few miracles to brighten the holiday season.

* Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.

* It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing, and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his red crayon back.

Have a safe trip Santa, and remember to leave your wet boots by the door, and come in and dry off, so you don’t catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table, but don’t eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours always with love and appreciation,

A Mom