Journeys of a Catholic Poster Girl

This weekend is Respect Life Sunday!

I hope that many parishes will work with this theme in their homilies and activities. 

And, since October (along with May) is particularly dedicated to the Rosary, be sure to say a decade (or the whole thing!) for the protection of life from conception to natural death throughout the world. 

This, from Fr. Z, made my jaw drop.
What are these people thinking?! Yikes!
I was quite amazed by this part:

Eighth Station: Jesus Speaks to the Women of Jerusalem
(Women and Education, Hunger, Poverty and Sustainable Population Growth)

Reflection:
Christ, you look with compassion on women: the birth-givers, the nurturers, and the comforters. May we commit to sustainable world population growth by bringing women out of poverty; by providing adequate nutrition, health care and education, and by honoring the lives of all women.

Point to Ponder:
Unsustainable population growth is a direct result of poverty, hunger and illiteracy, especially for women. Without food, economic security, and education, no amount of family planning programs will curb high birth rates.

This makes me very, very grateful for the traditional stations and benediction that my parish has during Lent.

So Lent is upon us. What are you doing?

Here’s my plan:

–Daily Bible reading (apart from the Magnificat). I have the CAtholic Women’s Devotional Bible, and I use their daily meditations.

–Lenten Reading plan: The Confessions; On The Passion of the Christ (Thomas a Kempis), and Lent and Easter with John Paul II (meditations and Lenten actions).

–Attend my parish’s Wednesday soup suppers (which are really yummy!) and Stations of the Cross (new this year–I’m excited!).

–Daily rosary (I hope I hope I hope)

–Attend at least one week day Mass per week

–Confession (at this point, it’s just getting there again. I’m not going to set a grand goal of once a week–yet. We’re working on it!)

–And the fast and abstinence requirements.

For a great Lenten primer, go here and download the guide to Lent. It is great!

(is it weird to like Lent? Because I think I do)

This, from Our Sunday Visitor, has a whole bunch of good Lenten resources, including a poster all about Lent you can download and print out.

The season is upon us, so here are some ideas from Fr.Z’s site.

Also, check out this for some great “old school” Catholic devotions year ’round.

I’ll be posting my “what I’m doing for Lent” piece in a few days.

Some ideas for tomorrow,courtesy of the Bonfire:

Our bishops have declared Jan. 22 a day of fasting and prayer for reparation of sins against human life. I hope everyone will join with this time of prayer and action, in whatever fashion you can, either by coming if you can, or joining a demonstration or prayer vigil somewhere, attending Mass, making sacrifices, and praying.

I don’t normally make resolutions (because I can never keep them, ha), but I found this at the Anchoress, and it seems like something worth incorporating into daily spiritual life. So maybe saying this (and trying to live it!) can be my resolution!

Daily Decalogue of Pope John XXIII

1. Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.
2. Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.
3. Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.
4. Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.
5. Only for today, I will devote ten minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.
6. Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.
7. Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and it my feelings are hurt, I will make sure no one notices.
8. Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.
9. Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.
10. Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for twelve hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.

Happy New year, everyone! I hope 2008 brings all of you peace and joy in Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Fr.Z

 O come, Desire of nations, bind,
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel. 

A Very Appropriate O Antiphon for the short days.

O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer,
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

Again, Fr. Z.

 O come, thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you O Israel.