Help a Sister Out

Okay. She's not really a Sister yet... but she will be in just 12 days. And no, I'm not talking about myself. I'm talking about another young woman, Meris, who is entering the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor, Michigan on August 28, the feast of St. Augustine, and the same day I enter with the CKs.

Okay, it's not one of my photos, but this is my photography blog and there
had to be a photo of the Dominican Sisters in this blog somewhere...
so I copied one from their website.

Anyway. Meris, like most women entering the convent, has to have her debt "taken care of" before she can enter. She has been working on it, but needs your help of prayers, spreading the word, and donations. I can't offer my financial help, but wanted to pass along her story to you in hopes you or someone you know could help her financially.

As of her post today she still needs 175 people to give $20 each or 35 people to give $100.

Learn more at her blog: Meris Wants to be a Nun

At the very least, stop right now and say a prayer for her and all those entering a community this fall who are trying to pay off the last of their debt. And praise the Lord for those who have helped so far.

In Christ through Mary.

Goodbye and The End

This isn't my very last post most likely, but it is close to it. You see... I have some news for you.

I have officially been accepted to enter the School Sisters of Christ the King on August 28. Yes, I am aspiring to be a religious, a sister, in this community. I've posted photos of them before yet avoided questions of whether I was primarily discerning with this community so I could tell family and good friends first. But now, as the date approaches, and I think of deleting my facebook, blog, twitter... I know I have to leave some reason for suddenly disappearing. And in addition I could really use your prayers. Please pray for me, that God's will may be done in my life, and for the community, that God blesses them abundantly with many vocations.

Formation recreation in April while I was visiting.

(Click photo for link to blog post "Visiting the Sisters")

Why this direction? Why this choice? Well, it really is all by God's grace and goodness that He has called me to be His bride, His love. There have been many small moments of grace and some larger moments, leading me to this point. And, praise the Lord, I am saying "yes" to His calling for my life. We are all called to holiness, but each of us, as unique human beings, are called to live in a different way, leading us to holiness and ultimately heaven. The next best step for me at this time, in my path to holiness and heaven, is to enter this wonderful community as a Postulant in just 13 days from now.

 An outing to Boys Town

An outing to Boys Town

 Walking the grounds.

Answers to the inevitable questions:
Yes, I am excited! God is so wonderful!
Yes, I am slightly nervous and overwhelmed. But God is all good and all powerful. Jesus, I trust in You!
Yes, I will be deleting my facebook and blog.
No, you cannot e-mail me.
Yes, you can write me. No, I cannot write back very much.
Yes, I will get to see my family.

Once again, I ask for your prayers, especially on this feast of the Assumption!

May Christ the King reign in your heart and the hearts of all those you meet this day!


In Christ through Mary.

Novena Prayer for World Youth Day

Join me in praying for all those at World Youth Day, especially those you know, over the next nine days, by saying the below prayer every day. I set this picture as my background so that when I start up my computer for the first time each day, I say it. Pick a time to say it and stick to it!

Miraculous Medal statue at the National Shrine
of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C.
(Click for larger image)

The prayer (in case you just want the text):

Novena of the Miraculous Medal

O Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Our Lord Jesus and our Mother, penetrated with the most lively confidence in your all-powerful and never-failing intercession, manifested so often through the Miraculous Medal, we your loving and trustful children implore you to obtain for us the graces and favors we ask during this novena, if they be beneficial to our immortal souls, and the souls for whom we pray.

*We pray for grace and blessings to be poured down upon World Youth Day, and all those attending, especially...
You know, O Mary, how often our souls have been the sanctuaries of your Son who hates iniquity. Obtain for us then a deep hatred of sin and that purity of heart which will attach us to God alone so that our every thought, word and deed may tend to His greater glory. Obtain for us also a spirit of prayer and self-denial that we may recover by penance what we have lost by sin and at length attain to that blessed abode where you are the Queen of angels and of men. Amen.

*This is the part I added especially for WYD.

I know World Youth Day 2008 was one amazing experience for me, especially to be so close to our Holy Father, Pope Benedict, and to see how universal the Universal Church truly is. But we must pray for those attending, for the enemy is not happy that these gatherings of youth occur and he will do everything he can to prevent conversion of hearts from occurring. But Christ, Our God and King, will reign! Our Mother, Our Queen, will help us. But we must pray, pray, pray!

Please, I beg you, join me. I've started today and will end August 21. You can start the day you read this and pray for nine days. You can say the prayer 20 times. I don't care. But please! Pray for the youth, the young adults, the youth ministers, the chaperones, the sisters, the religious, the priests, the bishops, and Our Holy Father!

In Christ through Mary.

Destination: Portland, Oregon - The Grotto

Located in the heart of Portland is the National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, or more commonly called The Grotto. It was recommended to us by numerous people before we left, and I am so glad we went on our first night in Portland. After not being able to get to daily mass that morning, it was wonderful to visit this place of such peace and prayer and to make a visit to chapel.

There are two levels to this beautiful sanctuary. The plaza level, accessible off Sandy Blvd. in the heart of Portland and not far from the airport, immerses you in the sanctuary after a short walk from the parking lot. The stone grotto, chapel, and counseling center is on this level. The upper level is 110 feet above the plaza is 62 acres and a piece of heaven. It holds two different chapels, numerous shrines and gardens, and a monastery, home of the Servite Friars.

The stone grotto in the heart of the plaza level.

Replica of the Pieta in the grotto.

Painting above the altar in the Chapel of Mary on the plaza level.

The tabernacle in the Chapel of Mary.

St. Jude Thaddeus statue in the upper garden level.

St. Joseph statue - also on the upper level.

Statue of Mary in front of the monastery

 

If you're ever in Portland, this is one stop that is a must! Make a visit to Our Lord in the chapel and take your time exploring and praying in this sanctuary in the middle of a noisy, busy city.

In Christ through Mary.

Visiting the Sisters

We had no classes on Wednesday, so I took the opportunity to go to Lincoln, Nebraska and spend some time with the School Sisters of Christ the King. I left Tuesday night, getting there just in time for evening prayer, benediction, and dinner. After dinner, I went for a walk with the novices and took my camera along.  the property behind them had a big fire, nearly reaching the Sister's property. The sisters were even mentioned in the Lincoln Star. The real story? The novices had gone to look out and see how close the fire was when John, their groundsman, came by in his truck. He offered the sisters to get in the bed of the truck and drive them back to see the fire. Apparently, someone saw them and told the paper.

 

From the Sister's back fence, a look off into the grass

that was spared and on into the burnt horizon.

The sisters look out over the fence during our walk of the grounds.

 

The sunsets behind the Villa Regina Motherhouse.

"I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!" -Luke 12:49

As I posted the pictures and added the comments, I couldn't help but think of this verse. It was on the back of our Totus Tuus shirts last year... How beautiful that image is--the entire earth, all people, all nations, all creation, ablaze with a deep love for Christ! Are you on fire? Have you let the flame of His love consume you and your heart this Lent?

In Christ through Mary.

Christ the King

Not much to say today, but just some photos from my weekend retreat. It was a great weekend getting to know some other wonderful women and, even better, a great time to pray, letting Our Lord love me and growing in my love for Him.

Roses in my room.

Christ the King statue.

The first station.

"He knocks at the door, he is close to us and thus true joy is close, which is stronger than all the sorrows in the world, and in our life." -Pope Benedict XVI

In Christ through Mary.

Whirlwind of Monuments and Memorials

Continuation of the March for Life Trip.

After arriving Saturday night, we headed to a nearby parish for dinner, praise and worship, performance painter, Eucharistic Adoration, and Confessions with others from the Archdiocese of Kansas City and even some others from Wichita and Tulsa. After the exhausting ride and a full night, we crashed in the hotel.

On Sunday morning, I started my touring day with taking the metro to the National Geographic Museum. They had a cool photo exhibit, including a series on the President and scenes you might not normally see published. It was very interesting and worth the extra ride on the metro in my opinion.

Then A and I hopped back on the metro and went to the Mall and saw a number of the monuments and memorials nearby.

The Light Meets the Dark Tour

Last night I had the amazing opportunity to go to Kansas City with a number of BC students to see Matt Maher, Addison Road, and Tenth Avenue North live in concert. Yes, we were the loud, obnoxious ones to the far left singing the fight song and screaming for Matt.

A Temple Built in the Name of the Lord

 Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis

Side Eucharistic Chapel

Over fall break, I was able to go visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. It is absolutely stunning! I only took my point and shoot into the Cathedral, so the pictures are not as good as they could be. But any pictures I take (or anyone for that matter), really cannot match up to the beauty, awe, and inspiration that comes from being there in person. The beautiful Cathedral Basilica reminded me of how much more glorious, mighty, beautiful, and awesome the Lord Our God is!

The Month of the Rosary - A Month for Life

October is a beautiful month, not only because the leaves are beginning to change, marking the start of my favorite season, and not only because it is the Month of the Rosary, but also a month dedicated to life--respecting life from conception to natural death.