Feast Day: St. Leo the Great

Today the Catholic Church celebrates a Pope and Saint -- a man who is just one of two given the appellation "great" (Servant of God John Paul II has been called "great" but it's not totally official yet!) -- the other being St. Pope Gregory the Great.




Anyway, St. Pope Leo the Great who reigned as Pope from 440 to 461 was a man who fought heresy, divisiveness within the Church, secular issues such as Attila the Hun at the Gates of Rome, and other issues of his day. He fought all these challenges with thoughtfulness and prayer and charity toward all. His writings have garned him a spot on the list of Doctors of the Church (only 33 Saints have been given this title -- a title given to those whose writings, prayers and speeches are judged by the Catholic Church to exhibit eminent learning, a high degree of sanctity, and proclamation by the Church).

One of the many things the St. Leo the Great wrote about was the need for understanding, mercy and charity in all relations ...

Among other aspects of human frailty belongs the fact that no boon of
well-being remains safe, since everyone ought to fear what anyone at all is
capable of falling into. All human beings, regardless of who they happen
to be, should come to terms with the fact that they have a mortal nature subject
to change -- and usually for the worse. In view of this shared condition,
let them have sympathy toward their own race.

This comment by St. Leo really struck me today, as we mark the seventh day since the election. I have been involved in such divisiveness, lack of charity and mercy toward anyone who didn't vote the way I think they should have voted.

But we're all children of God -- and ALL deserve charity.

Some of the burden of our current culture of death is on MY shoulders because I didn't persuade or pray enough for those who put economics before life because they don't know better. This is my shame. I will work harder over the next years to work toward a conversion of heart for those who don't understand the pro-life movement, a movement that asks that human rights be guaranteed from the moment of conception till the moment of natural death. I will work toward persuading those who don't understand rather than spend my time kvetching with those who believe as I believe.

St. Leo the Great, pray for us!

Elections 2008: Last word on the election ...

... and this one is from my godson/favorite nephew (as spotted on his Facebook account):

I am simultaneously frightened and (somewhat selfishly) elated at the prospects of persecution and martyrdom.

Now, let's start praying for a smooth transition, praying for a change of heart toward a culture of life and human rights for ALL humans, praying for our Country's safety, praying for an end to the divisiveness that, unfortunately, is one of the outcomes of this election.

Election 2008: waiting and eating ....

What else would you do tonight?

We did some investigation of elections and voting in the United States, discussing things like:

• the original framers of the Constitution said only white men aged 21 or older could vote
• than after the Civil War, black men could vote
• it wasn't until 1920 that women were allowed to vote
• during Vietnam, the age was lowered to 18; the powers that be figured if we could send a man off to war, we could let him vote first!

We also looked at things like voting being a privilege that not everyone avails themselves of; only 64% of eligible voters voted in the 2004 presidential election! That means 46% didn't bother [oops, my bad: that would be 36% didn't bother to vote!]

The tradition on election night is to make a fruit-cake like cake. This was because so often folks had to travel for at least a day to vote and the men needed food for the journey. Here's the modern version we made for tonight - an adapted version from the Culinary Institute's cake (the original had whiskey, of which we had none, so I substituted oj!):

Modern Election Day Cake

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup each of dried cranberries, golden raisins, blueberries (red, white and blue!)
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk
2-1/4 tsp dry active yeast (1 pkg)
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon each ground nutmeg and ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
3 eggs
1 cup confectioners' sugar

1. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar with the cold water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 3 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the dried fruit, sugar mixture, and orange juice; set aside.
3. In a another bowl, combine the warm water and milk. Stir in the yeast and 1 cup of whole-wheat flour. Sprinkle the remaining whole-wheat flour on top. Set aside for 30 minutes or until the yeast breaks through the surface of the flour.
4. Butter an 8-inch tube pan and dust it with flour, tapping out the excess.
5. In a bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, salt, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon; set aside.
6. Set a strainer over a bowl. Drain the fruit mixture; reserve the syrup for the glaze.
7. Beat the butter with the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar until light. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition.
8. Beat the yeast mixture into the batter followed by the flour and spice mixture. The batter will be stiff.
9. Stir in the drained fruit. Transfer the batter to the pan. Set in a warm place to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
10. Set the oven at 350 degrees.
11. Transfer the cake to the oven. Bake the cake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
12. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack.
13. For the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons of the syrup from the fruit. Stir until smooth; set aside.
14. When the cake is cool, lightly brush with the reserved syrup. Top with the glaze.

The cake was fabulous ... and the election is still up for grabs ...

It's going to be a long night -- at least we have cake ... and time to pray!

Election 2008: OK, this is my LAST political post ...

... for a while, anyway!

First, I have to say that the great blessing that has come out of the Election 2008 is that people who don't usually say anything (me included) have come out on one side or the other to explain why their candidate is the better of the two (or the lesser evil of the two). We have Bishops and Archbishops and Parish Priests speaking out for pro-life issue and explaining why this is not one-issue, but the only issue.

Now, for my two-bits before voting tomorrow.

I just don't get the Dems --

• they say they are the party of the people and feel my pain but yet all the politicians fly all over the world talking about how they're just like me and thee ... RIGHT!
• they say that they want to spread the wealth and then brag about the fact that they've set records on campaign contributions ... so much did they collect that they couldn't spend it! Why didn't they give some back ... or make sure that every dollar they received was a legitimate donation?
• they say that they want change ... but the Congress has been Dem for the last two terms and the Senate went Dem the last time around ... so if change is needed, maybe we need more Republicans?
• they say that they want to help everyone, but their platform basically addresses self-centered issues ... The right-to-life platform asks the mother to look beyond her own issues to the life of the baby; the Iraqui war asks the US to support freedom in the world; the Republicans' education agenda asks the people to look beyond the NEA and give the power back to the parents (who may not be able to match the funding of the NEA!)
• they don't want vouchers or choice for schooling (including home-education and actually, the more radical -- like Hillary Clinton -- want NO private, religiously-affiliated schools at'all!) but send their own children to private schools (and not just "any" private school, but actually to the creme de la creme!)

I will vote tomorrow -- I will vote with a Catholic conscience at work ... I will vote with a pro-life stance ... I will vote for more than just the future president ... I will vote for those candidates that try to support my freedoms but NOT at the cost of the public, or "common" good. I will vote for those candidates who are honest and don't try to create personas or past history but who tell it like it happend (pb & j sandwiches in Indonesia???????)

I don't vote straight party ticket ... the Republican party has some bad "eggs" just as the Democrats have some bad "eggs" -- I will vote for who will best serve my country and put my own feelings on the back burner.

But, never forget, that a country that willingly kills it's youth is a dying country; a country that doesn't see the good in EVERY human person -- whether elderly, crippled, handicapped or in utero -- is a country that will lead to despotism and anarachy.

Election 2008: 9-day Novena for Life from Oct 27 - Nov 4, 2008

We have but nine days till the election. Nine days to continue to fight the good fight ... to encourage all who are able to vote and to vote with clear minds and hearts ... to allow reason and rationality in their choice -- whoever that might be ... to pray that our country be blessed with a strong, life-loving president (no matter what race, creed, color or sex) who is an American first and whatever else second.

I love the following novena that Father Corapi has asked up to pray daily for the next nine days in addition to fasting or abstaining from something in reparation for our own sins and those of our country. This prayer takes some of the best elements of the Election Novena our family has been praying for the past 9 weeks:

That we may realize that while politics is not our salvation, That our response to God requires that we be politically active. That the Lord may awaken His people to know that they are not called to be a sect fleeing the world but rather a community of faith renewing the world. That we may realize that the hands lifted up to the Lord in prayer are the same hands that pull the lever in the voting booth; That the eyes eyes that read God’s Word are the same eyes that read the names on the ballot, And that we do not cease to be Christians when we enter the voting booth. That we may be awakened to a commitment to justice,To the sanctity of marriage and the family,To the dignity of each individual human life, And to the truth that human rights begin when human lives begin, and not one moment later.

Please pray this nine-day novena with us ... and many others ... for the safety and sanity of our Country as we go to the polls next Tuesday. This kind of novena truly works: it worked at Lepanto, in England during WW2 and it will work now ... but only if we avail ourselves of our God-given right to pray to Him!

For more information on this Rosary Novena, visit Father Corapi’s website . Here’s a link to his original invitation to pray this Novena:

Our Lady of Victory
Lord, have mercy on us, Christ, have mercy on us,
Christ, hear us,Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.

(The response for the following greetings is "Pray for us".)
Our Lady of Victory,
Victorious daughter of the Father,
Victorious Mother of the Son,
Victorious Spouse of the Holy Spirit,
Victorious servant of the Holy Trinity
Victorious in your Immaculate Conception,
Victorious in crushing the serpent’s head,
Victorious over all the children of Adam,
Victorious over all enemies,
Victorious in your response to the Angel Gabriel,
Victorious in your wedding to St. Joseph,
Victorious in the birth of Christ,
Victorious in the flight to Egypt,
Victorious in your exile,
Victorious in your home at Nazareth,
Victorious in finding Christ in the temple,
Victorious in the mission of your Son,
Victorious in His passion and death,
Victorious in His Resurrection and Ascension,
Victorious in the Coming of the Holy Spirit,
Victorious in your sorrows and joys,
Victorious in your glorious Assumption,
Victorious in the angels who remained faithful,
Victorious in the happiness of the saints,
Victorious in the message of the prophets,
Victorious in the testimony of the patriarchs,
Victorious in the zeal of the apostles,
Victorious in the witness of the evangelists,
Victorious in the wisdom of the doctors,
Victorious in the deeds of the confessors,
Victorious in the triumph of all holy women,
Victorious in the faithfulness of the martyrs,
Victorious in your power ful intercession,
Victorious under your many titles,
Victorious at the moment of death,

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Hear us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy, Lord.
Pray for us, blessed Lady of Victory.That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

The Novena Prayer
Our Lady of Victory, we have unshaken confidence in your influence with your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Humbly we ask your intercession for all of us associated under your title, Our Lady of Victory. We beg your powerful assistance also for our own personal needs.
That the Lord’s people may be awakened.
That we may realize that while politics is not our salvation,That our response to God requires that we be politically active.
That the Lord may awaken His people to know that they are not called to be a sect fleeing the world but rather a community of faith renewing the world.
That we may realize that the hands lifted up to the Lord in prayer are the same hands that pull the lever in the voting booth;
That the eyes eyes that read God’s Word are the same eyes that read the names on the ballot,
And that we do not cease to be Christians when we enter the voting booth.
That we may be awakened to a commitment to justice,
To the sanctity of marriage and the family,
To the dignity of each individual human life,
And to the truth that human rights begin when human lives begin, and not one moment later.
In your maternal kindness please ask Jesus to forgive all our sins and failings, and to secure His blessings for us and for all the works of charity dedicated to your name.
We implore you to obtain for us the grace of sharing Christ’s victory and yours, forever in the life that knows no ending.
May we join you there to praise forever the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, on God, for all the ages to come. Amen.

Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen)
Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope.To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To Thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.Turn, then, O most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us.And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of Thy womb, Jesus.O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary,Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God:That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help, and sought Thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To Thee I come; before Thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate! despise not my petitions, but in Thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

All this we ask of The Father in the name of Mary’s Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with Him and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Father Baker’s Prayer To Our Lady of Victory
Let us pray:O Victorious Lady! Thou who has ever such powerful influence with Thy Divine Son, in conquering the hardest of hearts, intercede for those for whom we pray, that their hearts being softened by the rays of Divine Grace, they may return to the unity of the true Faith, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

{HT: Stef at ...and these Thy gifts}

Election 2008: gotta hit it again!

OK, here's another YouTube video to watch:



Does anyone else see what I saw?

Mr. Obama completely divorced himself from the question "when does human life begin"?

OK, we went to a great parent philosophy "class" last night and I now can logically explain that human life MUST START at conception because when the 23 chromosomes from the female join with the 23 chromosomes from the male ... you can't get anything BUT the 46 chromosomes of a new human. This new human is NOT the female's property but a complete entity unto itself. The "substance" is human ... whether it's from two parents who are married or not ... it's still a HUMAN!

And the funny thing? The Catholic Church doesn't argue this. The philosophers (who were a mix of pagans, polytheists, agnostics, atheists and Christians) all agree that human life MUST start as soon as the egg is fertilized to make a NEW BEING... and these can ONLY make a HUMAN. The Catholic Church sees this as a given ... an obvious biological fact. What the Catholic Church argues about is that two parents should be in a legitimate marriage. The Catholic Church doesn't need to say that the baby created -- however he/she is created -- is a human with his/her own rights under natural law because that's a given. It's obvious and rational.

Killing a human ... no matter whether he/she is an elderly, sickly person ... or a middle-age coma victim ... or a baby ... or a zygote -- it doesn't matter! That person is still a human. And a human deserving of all rights and privileges extended to a human -- "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is how our Forefathers explained it!

And SHAME ON MR. OBAMA for his comment that if "my daughters make a mistake, they shouldn't be punished with a child" ... so Mr. Obama, was your mom punished with you? or your sister Maya? is a child truly a "PUNISHMENT"?

How can anyone come to a different conclusion ... unless they're NOT thinking rationally? And do we want a president who doesn't think rationally, even about something that is SO VERY OBVIOUS?

Scares me just a bit ...

HT: Elizabeth at In the Heart of My Home shared this one!

Election 2008: A non-typical view of the election

Now how come the national news media doesn't pick up on a video like this? (Careful, some of the language is a bit rough for younger ears, but he certainly makes some great points!)



This video really needs to be shown around, y'all!

Politics: Catholic Vote.com

Register to vote and then vote your conscience ....

Visit Catholicvote.com

Politics: McCain & Palin rally

OK, I'm getting really political lately on here, but I'd like both the Dems and Reps to understand that the old stereotypes don't work -- I'm neither a hurache wearing, no shaving feminist with John Lennon glasses Dem nor am I a balding, over-the-hill white guy smoking a cigar. I'm an educated white woman who sees the rationale in most of the Republican platform.

So, what will the kiddoes and I be doing on Wednesday, September 10th?

Joining Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin for a

Rally at Fairfax High School

Wanna join in?

Prayer: Nine-week Election Novena

It starts today!

Please pray with us the Nine-Week Election Novena prayer that the Priests for Life have created:

O God, we acknowledge you today as Lord,
Not only of individuals, but of nations and governments.

We thank you for the privilege
Of being able to organize ourselves politically
And of knowing that political loyalty
Does not have to mean disloyalty to you.

We thank you for your law,
Which our Founding Fathers acknowledged
And recognized as higher than any human law.

We thank you for the opportunity that this election year puts before us,
To exercise our solemn duty not only to vote,
But to influence countless others to vote,
And to vote correctly.

Lord, we pray that your people may be awakened.
Let them realize that while politics is not their salvation,
Their response to you requires that they be politically active.
Awaken your people to know that they are not called to be a sect fleeing the world
But rather a community of faith renewing the world.

Awaken them that the same hands lifted up to you in prayer
Are the hands that pull the lever in the voting booth;
That the same eyes that read your Word
Are the eyes that read the names on the ballot,
And that they do not cease to be Christians
When they enter the voting booth.

Awaken your people to a commitment to justice
To the sanctity of marriage and the family,
To the dignity of each individual human life,
And to the truth that human rights begin when human lives begin,
And not one moment later.

Lord, we rejoice today
That we are citizens of your kingdom.
May that make us all the more committed
To being faithful citizens on earth.We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen!

Politics: McCain & Palin -- what a ticket

I don't usually get political here, but the announcement yesterday is too good to miss.

We're quite excited around here... we are so proud of Senator McCain for naming Governor Palin as his running mate. What a wonderful example of pro-life, pro-woman, pro-family! Here's a GREAT POST by my 4real friend, Red Cardigan, that says much better what I would like to write.

Further, Palin is a great counterpart to McCain -- she's young and open to new ways of doing things and he's experienced and traditional; she's a working mom with a special needs child, children who accompany her to work (and who she introduced first in accepting the running mate status) and he's a family man with seven children who are not actively campaigning for him but who are very close to him; she is pro-life and wouldn't abort her downs syndrome baby while he gets a "zero" from Planned Parenthood (which seems like a great reason to vote for him .... after all, who would get a 100 from Planned Parenthood? Nero .... Caligula .... Hitler ... Stalin ...?)

This should be a very exciting election .... an election which will be historic not because of the sex, race, or creed of the candidates but because we all have a chance to realize that right-to-life, pro-life, etc are simply names for common sense -- it's wrong to kill for selfish, self-centered "choices" ...

Election 2008: Novena Starts September 1

Here's a wonderful idea for this election year (which I schneebed from my good friend, Mary M!).


Priests for Life -- a pro-life group led by one of my heroes, Fr. Frank Pavone -- have created a nine-week novena to pray each day from September 1st through November 4th (Election Day). Here is the prayer (but go ahead and click on the link so that you can commit to praying this wonderful pray):

O God, we acknowledge you today as Lord,

Not only of individuals, but of nations and governments.
We thank you for the privilege

Of being able to organize ourselves politically

And of knowing that political loyalty

Does not have to mean disloyalty to you.
We thank you for your law,

Which our Founding Fathers acknowledged

And recognized as higher than any human law.
We thank you for the opportunity that this election year puts before us,

To exercise our solemn duty not only to vote,

But to influence countless others to vote,

And to vote correctly.

Lord, we pray that your people may be awakened.

Let them realize that while politics is not their salvation,

Their response to you requires that they be politically active.

Awaken your people to know that they are not called to be a sect fleeing the world

But rather a community of faith renewing the world.
Awaken them that the same hands lifted up to you in prayer

Are the hands that pull the lever in the voting booth;

That the same eyes that read your Word

Are the eyes that read the names on the ballot,

And that they do not cease to be Christians

When they enter the voting booth.

Awaken your people to a commitment to justice

To the sanctity of marriage and the family,

To the dignity of each individual human life,

And to the truth that human rights begin when human lives begin,

And not one moment later.

Lord, we rejoice today

That we are citizens of your kingdom.

May that make us all the more committed

To being faithful citizens on earth.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

This will be such a contentious, difficult election -- the Presidential, state and local governemnts and issues being decided by the pull of a switch on November 4th. We will pray this novena as a family in the hopes that the Holy Spirit guides our hands as we vote on November 4th ... please join us!