6.8.12 – Sparkles arranged a day of cherry picking at her Nino & Nina’s ranch.
Go Ducks!
The 2012 swim season is officially here. The girls had their first swim meet on June 7. They will continue to swim daily for the remainder of June.
A Way of Holiness
They made their family an authentic domestic Church, open to life, prayer, witness of the Gospel, the social apostolate, solidarity with the poor, and friendship. ~ Cardinal Jose Martins
~~~
Our Lady of Bethlehem Pilgrimage
Day 2: Saturday, May 26, 2012
Bl. Luigi & Maria are among the few examples of beatification of a married couple in the history of the Church.
Blessed Luigi and Maria Beltrami Quattrocchi were our patrons for Saturday, in keeping with the theme of Chartes.
Day two started with an early rise. The weather was overcast and sprinkling. Papi was bundled up in the stroller and Dragonfly was packed nicely on Dad’s back.
Papi didn’t opted to walk once he spotted a nice walking stick.
Dad, Sparkles, and Dragonfly
Rose carried the pilgrimage banner for the first stretch of Day 2. 
Sparkles needed to get warm more than she needed to rest her feet. It was a blessing to have such charitable youth on our journey.
The pilgrims making it to their first break point. Day 2 consisted mostly of back roads, surrounded by agriculture.
“Fulfilling their conjugal and family role by virtue of this sacrament, spouses are penetrated with the spirit of Christ and their whole life is permeated by faith, hope, and charity; thus they increasingly further their own perfection and their mutual sanctification, and together they render glory to God”
~Gaudium et spes, n. 48
Dad and Papi enjoying some down time.
Mom and Dragonfly staying warm in the pilgrim van. I was put on driving duty for the day.
The pilgrims continued their journey, after lunch. I took back 2 of my littles and others who needed to reprieve from the terrain.
Dad, Rose, and Dragonfly continued for eight miles. Dragonfly took his nap on CD’s head shoulders and had to be transferred back to his bed stroller.
The pilgrims returned to camp where moms were tending to little ones and prepping dinner.
We took an impromptu visit to the beach.
Papi had a wonderful time playing dodge the wave. He became so drenched and cold that he began to turn blue. I had to strip his clothes and cover him in my jacket.
~Letter to Families, n. 2
Dad was back at camp. Rose, dripping wet and all, helped him set up our tent.
Help was enlisted.
Papi pleaded for a hot bath but settled for a warm shower.
Prayer, song, warmth, snacks, and fellowship.
Good night!
The boys had our tent to themselves before we managed to squeeze seven bodies in a four person tent. The physical closeness that we experienced was a beautiful reminder of our desire to remain spiritually close with one another and Our Lord.
~~~
{pretty, happy, funny, real}
~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~
Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
St. Anne ~ Responsibility ~ Mum
SAINT ANNE
Mother of the Blessed Virgin MaryOld ~ Feast Day – July 26
Anne and Joachim, her husband, were both of the royal house of David. They served God continually in prayer and good works, but were looked down upon by the Jews because they were childless. At length God gave them a daughter, who was to become the mother of His own divine son. Because St. Anne devoted herself ceaselessly to educating her child in innocence and sanctity, she is patron of all Christian mothers. St. Paul says that it is by a holy exercise of their parenthood that parents are to be saved (Col. 3:18-21).
~~~
I will meet on June 20 for the last Little Flowers meeting of the year. It has become a tradition to hold a day retreat for the last meeting of the year. We start the day with our normal meeting agenda. Then we break for Mass. We have lunch and then move onto the “retreat.” The retreat is time for faithfilled crafts, activities, and social time. Last year we were blessed to be joined by Father and two seminarians (who were ordained on 5.19).
This year’s retreat will start with a meeting on St. Anne & Responsibility. The second half of the day will be the official retreat — America for Mary, our Blessed Mother.
~~~
Handouts:
- St. Anne – Responsibility Divider Sheet
- Responsibility Activity Sheet
- St. Anne & Joachim Bio for Kids ~ Holy Spirit Interactive
- Responsibility Memory Verse ~ select landscape from printer options
- St. Anne Coloring Page ~ Waltzing Matilda
- Mum Coloring Page
Resources:
- St. Anne Bio ~ EWTN
- Prayer to St. Anne ~ EWTN
- Titles of St. Anne ~ Catholic Tradition
- St. Anne’s Family Album ~ Waltzing Matilda
- St. Anne & Responsibility Memory Page ~ Shower of Roses
- Mum Cupcakes ~ Catholic Cuisine
- Little Flowers Link Up ~ Shower of Roses
~~~
***UPDATE***
The Little Flowers completed a Spiritual Bouquet for Father L, in thanksgiving for his devoted care to the LF over the years.
click here for a printable spiritual bouquet sheet that can be used for children to draw a picture on and complete the sentence, I will offer for you and your intentions…
~~~
You, my dear child, have a very difficult and responsible task — you have to preserve your inno- cence; therefore go to your mother, to Mary, the sweet Mother of God. Dangers threaten, and hellish foes pursue you ; therefore fly to your Mother and cling fast to her protecting hand.
~ Fr. Lasance Catholic Girls Guide
Viva Cristo Rey!
¡Viva Cristo Rey! ¡Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe!
"Long live Christ the King! Long live the Virgin of Guadalupe!"
~~~
This post was inspiried by my family’s recent viewing of the film, For Greater Glory.
~~~
The Cristero War is a chapter in Mexico’s history in the 1920s, when thousands of Catholics answered this crucial question [of religious freedom] at the cost of their very lives. President Plutarco Calles launched a direct attack on the Catholic Church using articles from Mexico’s Constitution, which created this uprising and counter-revolution against the Mexican government during that time. The original rebellion was set off by the persecution of Roman Catholics and a ban on their public religious practices.
~~~
My Jesus Mercy! My sins are more numerous than the drop
s of blood that Thou did shed for me. I do not deserve to belong to the army that defends the rights of Thy Church and that fights for her. I desire never to sin again so that my life might be an offering pleasing to Thy eyes. Wash away my iniquities and cleanse me of my sins. By Thy Holy Cross, by my Holy Mother of Guadalupe, pardon me.
Since I do not know how to make penance for my sins, I desire to receive death as a chastisement merited by them. I do not wish to fight, live or die except for Thee and for Thy Church. Blessed Mother of Guadalupe, be at my side in the agony of this poor sinner. Grant that my last shout on earth and my first canticle in Heaven should be Viva Cristo Rey! Amen~ Prayer said by the Cristeros of Jalisco at the end of the Rosary
~~~
~~~
A list of priests and laymen who have been beatified and canonized from this persecution in Mexico.
St. Agustín Caloca-St. Atilano Cruz Alvarado-St. Cristobal Magallanes-St. David Galván Bermudes-St. David Roldán Lara-St. David Uribe Velasco-St. Jenaro Sánchez Delgadillo-St. Jesús Méndez Montoya-St. José Isabel Flores Varela-St. José Maria Robles Hurtado (Priest)*-St. Jóven Salvador Lara Puente-St. Julio Álvarez Mendoza-St. Justino Orona Madrigal-St. Luis Batiz Sáinz (Priest)*-St. Manuel Morales-St. Margarito Flores García-St. Mateo Correa Magallanes (Priest)*-St. Miguel De La Mora (Priest)*-St. Pedro de Jesús Maldonado Lucero (Priest)*-St. Pedro Esqueda Ramírez-St. Rodrigo Aguilar Alemán (Priest)*-St. Román Adame Rosales-St. Sabas Reyes Salazar-St. Tranquilino Ubiarco-St. Toribio Romo González-Blessed Anacleto González Flores-Blessed Andrés Solá Molist (Priest)*-Blessed Ángel Darío Acosta Zurita (Priest)-Blessed Ezequiel Huerta Gutiérrez-Blessed Jorge Vargas González-Blessed José Sánchez del Río-Blessed José Trinidad Rangel Montaño (Priest) *-Blessed Leonardo Pérez Larios*-Blessed Luis Magaña Servín-Blessed Luis Padilla Gómez-Blessed Miguel Gómez Loza-Blessed Mateo Elías del Socorro Nieves (Priest)-Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro Juárez (Priest)-Blessed Ramón Vargas González-Blessed Salvador Huerta Gutiérrez-* Indicates member of Knights of Columbus
~~~
Resources
- For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristeros – EWTN 30 min video
- A Prayer of the Cristeros of Jalisco
- Cristeros – Soliders of Christ – 15 min video with subtitles
- 1927-1929 La Cristiada – 12 min video excerpted from 1910-1929: Revolution and its Culture
- The Cristeros – Part I – The Spaniards Land in Mexico
- The Cristeros – Part II – Long Live the Virgin of Guadalupe!
- The Cristeros – Part III – Hildalgo Raises the Standard of Revolt
- Viva Cristo Rey! The Cristeros Versus the Mexican Revolution
- Encyclicals of Pope Pius XI
- Cristero War – general info page from gen. sources
- The Cristero War: the Story Behind the Cover Up – Article with insight from historian
- Bl. Jose Sanchez del Rio Site – this site is in Spanish but there are many great visuals
Activities for Kids
- Bl. Miguel Pro Paper Doll – Paper Dali
- Blessed Miguel Pro Linky Fiesta – Paper Dali share links, printables, and activities
- Bl. Miguel Pro Saint Folder – My Little Flower
~~~
Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. ~ 1 Corinthians 16:13
Be Courageous!
~~~
Our Lady of Bethlehem Pilgrimage
Day 1: Friday, May 25, 2012
Dad and I were convicted that the entire family would participate in this year’s pilgrimage, the Second Annual Pentecost Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Bethlehem. We prepared for this pilgrimage for almost a year. The entire family was ready to walk for Our Lord, with the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
We carried many private intentions on pilgrimage but we all shared the intention of strengthening our family virtue.
Alongside what the Church says, the testimony and commitment of the Christian family – your concrete testimony – is very important, especially when you affirm the inviolability of human life from conception until natural death, the singular and irreplaceable value of the family founded upon matrimony and the need for legislation which supports families in the task of giving birth to children and education them. Dear families, be courageous!
~Pope Benedict XVI, National day of Croation Catholic Families (June 5, 2011)
Once again, we united our pilgrimage with the Chartes Pentecost pilgrimage. My family adopted the Chartes theme.
~~~
St. Joseph was our patron for the first day. A day that started at 3am with an early wake-up call to prep breakfast for the pilgrims and hit the road for a 2.5 hr drive.
The day started with Mass at the mission prior to the 15 mile walk from Mission San Juan Bautista to Salinas.
Mass was celebrated by a newly ordained priest, Dad’s friend. He and Fr. M traveled over 2.5 hours. The chorister members in attendance sung for the Mass under Fr. M’s direction.
We embarked on the first leg of the pilgrimage at 10:30AM.
Fr. M and Fr. M joined us for the first 7 miles, along with newly ordained Fr. M’s visiting family.
There were about 34 pilgrims (including kids) on the first day.
The youngest pilgrim was Dragonfly, at 2 years old.
The first half of the first day’s walk was a grueling hike in the hills.
prayer and song
fun
snacks
confession
7 miles. break for fellowship and food.
family
It is customary for those who attend the priest’s Ordination and/or first Mass to kiss the palms of his hands which have been consecrated by holy oils.
Dad continued on with the three girls for the additional 8 miles. I took the boys back to camp to give them a break while I helped with dinner and setting up camp.
+++All for the Sacred and Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, all through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, all in union with St. Joseph.+++
~~~
Our Lady of Bethlehem, pray for us now, pray for us in every need, and be Thou with us at the hour of our death. Amen.
~~~
{pretty, happy, funny, real}
~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~
Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!
nine
sparkles turned 9 on may 18. she was certain to follow tradition, a birthday date night with mom and dad.
we left in the early afternoon to embark on her birthday plans.
sparkles planned a day of shopping, museum, dinning out, and celebration at home with her siblings.
dad and i took sparkles shopping. she selected a sniff-n-smell t-shirt, flip flops, headband and used her birthday gift card for more goodies.
we spent over an hour at the local science museum. it was the best deal in town. admission was only $4 since dad and I received the teacher’s discount. we had the museum all to ourselves for only $4!!
sparkles selected her regular birthday dinner, mexican food. this is the third time that she has selected to dine out at this restaurant for her birthday. it’s not her fav but she is one for tradition.
she selected her favortie sweet treat – apple pie. she desired to bring a whole pie back home to share with everyone else, only after she stopped once more to pick up gifts party favors for her siblings.
sparkles chose a pirate set for papi, sword for dragonfly, princess set for her and sweetie, and soft sock for her big sis.
papa and nana surprised sparkles with a basketball hoop.
may the good Lord bless our sparkle who brings your joy to all. may you continue to fuel her permanent smile and giving heart. may you be her everything, always!
two
Dragonfly turned two!
His birthday buddy, Sparkles decorated the house with signs and balloons.
It was a low key celebration in the home since many of us were sick.
~~~
San Giorgio & Pier Giorgio Frassati ~ orate pro nobis
First Holy Communion
Can anyone receive Jesus into his heart and not die? ~ Blessed Imelda
Sweetie received her First Holy Communion on Saturday, May 12, 2012. It was a sweet consolation for Sweetie to receive our Lord on the feast day of Bl. Imelda Lambertini, patron of First Communicants.
Lord Jesus Christ, you received into heaven Blessed Imelda who loved you in the Eucharistic banquet. By her prayers may we learn to approach your holy table with that same fervent love and so fulfill our longing to be with you, who live and reign with the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
~General Calendar of the Order of Preachers
~~~
PRE COMMUNION
We started formation in the home and Sweetie received formal preparation from Fr. L.
FHC Practice
First Confession – Fr. S
We moved forward with the physical details once Sweetie completed her FHC test from Fr. S.
We had initially decided to let Sweetie wear a dress from her sisters’ collection. However, Grandma & Grandpa wouldn’t have it. They contributed to Sweeties dress fund.
I found four dress and was able to narrow it down to two options. I brought them home for Sweetie to try on. She chose the simplest dress with the less “poofy” veil with the headband, of course. In typical Sweetie fashion, she changed her mind the following day. She opted to wear Rose’s Jessica McClintock flower girl’s dress with the overlay that Great Grandma Helen made for Rose’s FHC. Her veil was left unchanged.
~~~
BEFORE MASS
We managed to leave the house at the right time. We said a rosary on the way to church for the intentions of Sweetie and all the First Holy Communicants.
We had plenty of time to spare before Father collected the children. Sweetie made a visit to Jesus.
She returned outside to greet her guests and visit with her friends.
Here is Sweetie with her fellow Little Flowers. There were a total of 12 LF receiving FHC.
This is Sweetie with her dear friend.
We managed to get our family pics before Mass. Hopefully someone, out there, has a decent pic of us. If not, this will have to do.
We were filled with joy for the blessed gift that Sweetie was about to receive for the first time.
The children began to line up to process into Mass.
The MC organized the First Holy Communicants.
~~~
MASS
AFTER MASS
The children re-entered the church after Mass for their enrollment in the Brown Scapular.
O God, Who hast honored the Order of Carmel with the special title of Thy most Blessed Mother Mary, ever Virgin: mercifully grant, that we who celebrate her memory this day with solemn office, may be shielded by her protection and deserve to come to everlasting joys: Who livest and reignest. ~ Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal
~~~
CELEBRATION
Sweetie was blessed to have wonderful turnout of family to join her for FHC – Auntie, Uncle, Teo, T, Lea, Grandma, Uncle R, Auntie S, Uncle E, Ari, Aunt Y, Nino & Nina and three of her Godsisters. Sadly, Papa and Nana could not be physically present. Papa was in the Respiratory ICU. They were both missed but Sweetie understood that they were with her in prayer.
Sweetie with her Nino & Nina (Godparents).
We were sure not to miss a photo opp with any one of our blessed priests. We did, however, miss the presence of Fr. D. He is no longer able to travel long distances.
Sweetie received her FHC instruction and First Holy Communion from Fr. L.
Fr. M is our Pastor. Fr. S administered Sweetie’s First Confession.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There were 36 First Communicants.
DEO GRATIAS
~~~
Linked to First Communion JOY – Party
My Beloved Jesus,
On This Joyous Day,
I Have Been Given
The Opportunity To
Receive In Communion,
Your Body, Your Blood,
Your Spirit And
Your Supreme Divinity:
May I Prove Worthy And
Appreciative Of This Most
Scared Gift Bestowed.
Homemade Mayo v2
I’ve yet to perfect my homemade mayo. I was recently introduced to a simple mayo making technique. I gave it a try.
It was super easy and a definite improvement from my last batch. Still, more practice is needed.
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