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What every homeschooling parent wants to hear…

by Filed Under: College, Homeschooling, Rose, Rose GFG

…Ave Maria and congratulations!  We are pleased to notify you that you have been accepted as a studeRose - college acceptance-001nt of (desired college).

Rose has been accepted to a wonderful Catholic college!  We are all offering prayers of thanksgiving for this very special blessing.  Our Lady of Bethlehem, pray for us!

Our homeschooling unofficially started when when Rose was first born and it went into full throttle when she was 6/7 years old, in third grade.  It’s been slightly over eleven years of “official” homeschooling for us.  Our goal has always been to give Glory to God, foster family relations, and provide a sound education (according to God’s plan for us).  Dad and I have always encouraged further education but were persistent that college is NOT the only way to go.  The emphasize has always been on following God’s call.

Yet more has He done for you! He bestowed on you the inestimable benefit of a thoroughly good training. Under the parental roof the inexhaustible love of a tender mother, the wholesome severity of a judicious father, worked together, with the blessing of God, to educate you wisely and well. Perhaps you have also been fortunate enough to finish your studies in some excellent Catholic academy or college. Thus has God given proof of His special love and care for you. Be grateful to Him, love and serve Him!  
~ Fr. Lasance, Catholic Girls’ Guide

As a family, we discerned some options for Rose as she focused on wrapping up her homeschool years.  It was determined that it would be necessary to complete a college application to keep her options open as we continued our discernment.  She did just that.

The discernment continues with another viable option to consider. DEO GRATIAS!!  We now pray for further direction and His providence as Rose seeks God’s will.

We will make the announcement of the Catholic college once Rose formally accepts or declines the acceptance. 

~~~

May Rose be a true follower of CHRIST, always.

IMG_7660 v2JOYfilledfamily v2

“True followers of Christ were meant to be at odds with the world: The pure of heart will be laughed at by the Freudians; the meek will be scorned by the Marxists; the humble will be walked on by the go-getters; the liberal Sadducees will call them reactionaries; the reactionary Pharisees will call them liberals.”

~ Archbishop Fulton Sheen

{pretty, happy, funny, real} Rosa Mystica Girls’ Society

by Filed Under: {phfr}, RMGS, RMGS 2012-13

Rosa Mystica Girls’ Society (RMGS) is a society of young girls, ages nine through thirteen from St. Stephen the First Martyr Catholic Church. Under the Patronage of Our Lady of the Mystical Rose, the girls meet once a month on First Saturday for: Mass, Spiritual talk, teatime, and skills/activities.

~~~

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~ 

Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

{PRETTY}RMGS group photo with aprons 12.1.12 sewing WM

Forty girls joining together every month to grow in faith, virtue, and service, through hospitality, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

The girls completed their aprons by the end of the third sewing session.

{HAPPY}

RMGS CHRISTKINDL

Thirty-three girls exchanging their Christkindls,

{FUNNY}

Fr. B with the french horn

Thirty-two girls and several moms enjoying some impromptu entertainment – Fr. B. getting down with the French Horn.

You can a watch a video here (at the bottom of the post).

{REAL}

RMGS Fall Bake Sale 2012 logo

I’m attempting to plan another bake sale – St. Valentine’s Bake Sale.  I’m feeling a bit optimist since the bake sale will be seven days before my due date. 

The bake sales help us fund our projects for the year, provide an opportunity for the girls to serve our parish community, and the girls get to showcase their baking talents.

~~~

Our Lady of the Mystical Rose ~ Pray for us!

A Gem for Mothers

by Filed Under: Book Review, Meditation, Motherhood, Rule of Life

Perfection is accomplishing the will of God in a constant and generous fashion. That person, then, is perfect who does at every instant what God wishes. Ask her at any moment what she is doing, and she will always respond: “That which God wishes.”

~ Monsignor P. Lejeun, Counsels of Perfection for CHRISTIAN MOTHERS

~~~

I wanted to re-share this gem since I am re-reading it this New Year.  I recommend this book to all mothers.  It is packed with precise direction and meditations that seem to be a personal prescription for all my needs.CPCM

Counsels of Perfection for CHRISTIAN MOTHERS is written by Monsignor P. Lejeun.  It is out of print but can be found online as a PDF.  An audio version is also available.

  • Counsels of Perfection for CHRISTIAN MOTHERS PDF 
  • Counsels of Perfection for CHRISTIAN MOTHERS MP3 – scroll down the page
    • COUNSELS OF PERFECTION FOR CHRISTIAN MOTHERS.  Father P. Lejuene explains in very practical ways what real Christian Perfection is.  He goes through the various Spiritual Exercises and explains how to derive the most benefit from them.  He addresses his book to Christian Mothers, but it is very beneficial to all.  Imprimatur 1913.  Three Tapes read by MH.  

 

I am diligently working on refining my Rule of Life.

Every woman, whatever her lot in life, and whatever her obligations, ought to have a rule of life. Of course, the rule of a religious will be less open to modification, and will entail greater precision and severity than yours. Nevertheless, you must have a rule, otherwise your life will be squandered in a thousand follies and futilities.

~Counsels of Perfection for CHRISTIAN MOTHERS

Below are my two objectives that I am currently working on, taken from the Counsels of Perfection for Christian Mothers.

  • I shall draw up for myself a rule of life, adapted to my state, comprising only a few articles, and capable of being applied to the diverse circumstance of my life. I shall ask myself every evening if I have observed this rule in all its essentials.
  • I shall be faithful to the following rule which, so to speak, multiplies time, and permits even the busiest person to find time for everything.

    • The rule is this: I shall never put off what I can do now.

~~~

“My God, what will happen to me today, I do not know; but I do know that nothing will happen to me which Thou hast not foreseen and ordained for my greater good.  I accept, then, Thy thrice holy will; I submit myself to it, and desire to delight in it despite all the revolts of my reason, and the repugnances of my nature.”

~ Monsignor P. Lejeun encourages all to recite this morning prayer of Mme. Elizabeth, daughter of a king, and sister of Louis XVI.

~~~

You can find more, here.

RMGS ~ Hospitality & Piety ~ Social

by Filed Under: Christkindl, Piety, RMGS, RMGS 2012-13

Rosa Mystica Girls’ Society met for our fifth meeting of the 2012-13 Session on the second Sat. of the month, January 12, 2012. There were thirty-three girls in attendance, not bad for a rescheduled meeting.  RMGS Christkindl Exchange JOYfilledfamily

The meeting served as a break between skills (sewing and cooking).  The girls met to exchange their Christkindls and have a social.  Each family brought a dish to share.

Lesson:

Father B was teaching the Confirmation class and could not join us for his regular lessons. Father did grace us with his presence during his break and for closing, Angelus.  

We briefed the girls on the virtue of piety. 

Piety infuses an intrinsic love for God and devotion to those who are consecrated to God.  It is an active love of God which men turn away from evil, do good and endure suffering.

Piety is one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.  The others are:wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, and fear of the Lord. 

We compared the nature of Mary and Eve to better demonstrate the ultimate example of piety. We also addressed false piety.

The Creator has so firmed the heart of women that it is specially dispColors of Piety Card RMGS JOYfilledfamilyosed to piety, but if your piety is to be real and true, you must have a right understanding of false piety, so that you may avoid it carefully. 

~Fr. Lasance Catholic Girls’ Guide

Lastly, we reviewed the Colors of Piety – according to Fr. Lasance.

The girls were then led in a brief overview of table manners and conversation.  The goal was to set the stage for a enjoyable social that glorified God.

Social:

 food Social

The social began with grace.  Each table was invited to the food table for a modest first time serving.  The girls were instructed to return to their tables and wait to eat until all the girls at their table were seated.  It was quite lovely to see all the girls take pride in applying their manners and hospitality amongst each other.

The Chirstkindl exchange was to take place once the girls had adequate time conversing and eating. 

Fr. B initiated a Christkindl for Rosa Mystica Girls’ Society.  We adapted our version of the Christkindl, using the Trapp Family model. 

Our Chirstkindl took the form of a prayer exchange with a small gift exchange after Christ’s Birth.  You can take a look at our handout, here.  Our handout included a prayer for friends, to be used in the case that the girls needed some guidance.

Each girl was given a name of a fellow RMGS member, in secrecy.  

The person whose name one has drawn is now in one’s special care. From this day until Christmas, one has to pray for her as often as one can. One has to provide at least one prayer every single day–without ever being found out.

All were beyond excited to reveal their Christkindl and exchange their gift.

The girls were called up by groups.  Then their Christkindl was called up, one at a time to give them adequate time to become acquainted with one another and give thanks. 

group 4

gift exchange

 

Handouts:

AGENDA – Hospitality ~ Piety ~ Social ~ JAN

Hospitality:

Manners:

  • Table Manners & Conversation – based on Little Women Hospitality
  • Table Manners for the Home – by James Stenson
  • How to Set & Clear a Table – based on Little Women Hospitality
  • Diagram of Formal Table Setting – Little Women Hospitality

Manners:

Wrap-up:

We reviewed the handouts that the helpers placed in each binder and encouraged the girls to grow in piety.

The meeting closed with the Angelus, led by Father.

~~~

There was a spread of food left out that was shared amongst those that helped with some aspect of RMGS. 

THANK YOU to all those that brought a dish and those that contributed your time.  I realize that we all tend to have a full plate – I appreciate your willingness to look beyond your plate and offer your assistance.  I pray that all of our efforts bring Glory to God.

Once again, a special thanks goes out to the A family who set-up on Friday and helped with the meeting. In addition, clean-up was taken care of by several moms and girls. Your support makes our role as leaders that much easier. Thank you and may the good Lord reward you for your sacrifice and service. ALL FOR!

~~~

Our Lady of the Mystical Rose, pray for us!

 

 

Mediation on the Feast of the Holy Family, JMJ

by Filed Under: 01 January Saints, Holy Family 1 Comment

Feast of the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

“Divine Intimacy” by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD

~ Feast of the Holy Family, II Class – First Sunday After The Epiphany Within the Octave – Sun. 13 January ~

On this day for the last time in the cycle of the liturgical year, the Church invites us to contemplate the mystery of Jesus’ humble, hidden life. A feeling of close intimacy and tenderness characterizesholy-family1 this Feast and is expressed in the liturgy of the day. It is good for us to recall the little home at Nazareth and the humble life of those who lived there. In it, Jesus learned Joseph’s humble trade, and grew in age, and was happy sharing the work of a carpenter: ‘Let the sweat,” He seemed to say, ‘trickle over My limbs before they are drenched with the torrent of My Blood, and the pain of this labor shall go to atone for the sins of men!’ Let us enter the little house; in the presence of such humility, which conceals Jesus’ infinite Majesty, let us repeat the words of the sacred text: “Thou art indeed a hidden King, O God the Savior, King of Israel.”

Today’s liturgy particularly emphasizes one typical aspect of the humble life of this hidden God: obedience. “Although He was the Son of God . . . He learned to obey; He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death.” From Bethlehem to Calvary obedience was His companion. The Gospel stresses this obedience of Jesus at Nazareth in words which carry for all time the strength of their first utterance, “He was subject to them.” Let us ask ourselves with St. Bernard, “Who obeyed? Whom did He obey?” The saint replies, “God obeyed man! Yes, the God to whom the angels are subject . . . Was subject to Mary, and not only to Mary, but also to Joseph. For God to obey a woman is humility without parallel. . . Learn then, man to obey; learn, O earth, to be submissive. God subjected Himself to men; and do you, desiring to rule others, place yourself above your Creator?”

“Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Jesus, who was so humble and submissive, did not hesitate to make this reply to Mary when she gently questioned Him about having remained behind in the Temple without her or Joseph’s knowledge, while they in anguish had been seeking Him for three days.

These are the first words of Jesus which we find recorded in the Gospel. He spoke them in order to declare His mission and to affirm the primacy of the rights of God. When hardly an adolescent, Jesus taught us that God and the things of God must always come first. He must hold the first place in our lives, and we must obey Him regardless of all other considerations, even if it means sacrificing the rights of nature and of blood. Yielding to relatives and friends is no longer a virtue—and may even be sinful—if it leads us away from the will of God or hinders its fulfillment.

Giving precedence to the rights of God does not imply that we neglect our duties toward our neighbor. Today’s Feast calls our attention to these obligations and especially to those concerning our family, natural or religious, inviting us to follow the example of the Holy Family of Nazareth. To this end, the Epistle shows us the virtues we should practice: “Clothe yourself. . . with mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, and patience, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another.”

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