JOYfilledfamily BLOG

Little Flowers Retreat ~ America for Mary, Our Blessed Mother

June 25, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Little Flowers, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patriotic, Retreat, Wreath III

This was the final meeting and retreat of my Little Flower leadership. The theme of the retreat was our country – America for Mary, Our Blessed Mother.

It was a blessed day spent with twenty-three Little Flowers, several moms, some sibling helpers, and a couple of Priests.

The day started at 9am with our regular LF format. Then we celebrated Mass, had lunch, and transitioned into our retreat. Below is a brief overview of our schedule for the day that I loosely followed.

9:00 – Arrival

9:10 – Attendance Roll, Prayer

9:15 – Recap Saints & Virtues for the Year

9:25 – Saint & Virtue Lesson – St. Anne & Responsibility

9:45 – Review Take-home Packet and update Binder

9:55 – Craft – Spiritual Bouquet

10:30 – Snack

10:45 – Outdoor Play – jump rope, parachute, tag, races, hula-hoop, and more.

11:45 – Clean-up and restroom break

12:00 – Depart for prayer time in Church

12:15 – Mass

1:00 – Lunch

1:30 – Craft Rotation – God Bless America windsock and Love of Country Handprint Flag T-Shirt

2:15 – Clean-up

2:20 – Out Door Activities – St. Joan of Arc Water Wars, Crown of Mary Relay, and Gracefilled bubbles

3:00 – Snack

3:15 – Free play

4:10 – Clean-up

4:15 – Cool Snack

4:25 – Rosary

4:40 – Pack-up

4:45 – Quiet Craft – Patriotic Jewelry with pipe cleaners and pony beads

4:55 – Snack

5:00 Depart

~~~

Little Flowers Retreat 2012

America for Mary, Our Blessed Mother

CRAFTS:

God Bless America Windsocks

windsock displayed at the Rectory

Love of Country Handprint Flag T-Shirt

OUTDOOR PLAY:

Crown of Mary Relay

St. Joan of Arc Water Wars

Gracefilled Bubbles & Free Play

Patriotic Popsicles, Rosary, Friends & Fellowship

CRAFT:

America for Mary Jewelry

~~~

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mystical Rose, make intercession for the Holy Church, protect the Sovereign Pontiff, help all those who invoke thee in their necessities, and since thou art the ever Virgin Mary, and Mother of the True God, obtain for us from thy most holy Son the grace of keeping our faith, of sweet hope in the midst of the bitterness of life, of burning charity, and the precious gift of final perseverance. Amen.

Missionary Family

June 14, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Our Lady of Bethlehem, Pilgrimage, Pilgrimage to OLB 2012, Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Bethlehem, St. Joan of Arc

You have before you the witness of so many families who point out the paths for growing in love: by maintaining a constant relationship with God and participating in the life of the Church, by cultivating dialogue, respecting the other’s point of view, by being ready for service and patient with the failings of others, by being able to forgive and to seek forgiveness, by overcoming with intelligence and humility any conflicts that may arise, by agreeing on principles of upbringing, and by being open to other families, attentive towards the poor, and responsible within civil society. These are all elements that build up the family. Live them with courage, and be sure that, insofar as you live your love for each other and for all with the help of God’s grace, you become a living Gospel, a true domestic Church (cf. Familiaris Consortio, 49).

~Pope Benedict XVI, 7th World Meeting of Families

~~~

Our Lady of Bethlehem Pilgrimage

Day 3: Sunday, May 27, 2012 – Marina to Carmel

St. Joan of Arc was our patron for Sunday, in keeping with the theme of Chartes. It was only fitting since St. Joan of Arc is Dad’s patron saint for the 2012 year.

The walk started on the busy city streets.

It was a bit nippy.

Papi was always finding treasure on the pilgrimage.

We walked along the beach.

And let me add a word to the children here: be sure that you always maintain a relationship of deep affection and attentive care for your parents, and see that your relationships with your brothers and sisters are opportunities to grow in love.

~Pope Benedict XVI, 7th World Meeting of Families

Beach break.

Arrived at the Mission around 4:00 PM.

We entered the mission grounds singing traditional hymns.

Veneration of Our Lady of Bethlehem.

E

We took a brief moment to explore the mission grounds…

have photo opps, and work on the pilgrimage workbooks before having to depart for Mass.

We were blessed to have Fr. L travel to celebrate Mass for us at a private residence in Pebble Beach.

Dear married couples, by means of a special gift of the Holy Spirit, Christ gives you a share in his spousal love, making you a sign of his faithful and all-embracing love for the Church. If you can receive this gift, renewing your “yes” each day by faith, with the strength that comes from the grace of the sacrament, then your family will grow in God’s love according to the model of the Holy Family of Nazareth. Dear families, pray often for the help of the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, that they may teach you to receive God’s love as they did. Your vocation is not easy to live, especially today, but the vocation to love is a wonderful thing, it is the only force that can truly transform the cosmos, the world.

~Pope Benedict XVI, 7th World Meeting of Families

~~~

{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~
Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

Sweet Pickins

June 12, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: GFG, Sparkles, Summer

6.8.12 – Sparkles arranged a day of cherry picking at her Nino & Nina’s ranch.

Go Ducks!

June 12, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: GFG, Summer, Swim

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

June 8, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Bl. Luigi and Maria Beltrami Quattrocchi, Pilgrimage, Pilgrimage to OLB 2012, Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Bethlehem

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.

The family is the first and the most important.

~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

June 4, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 07 July Saints, Little Flowers, Spiritual Bouquet, St. Anne, Wreath III

SAINT ANNE
Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Old ~ 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!

June 2, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Bl. Jose Sanchez del Rio, Bl. Miguel Pro, Catholic Movies, Cristeros

¡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.

~Ruben Quezada

~~~

My Jesus Mercy! My sins are more numerous than the drops 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
- Iniquis Afflictisque – On the Persecution in Mexico
- Acerba Animi – On the Persecution in Mexico
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!

June 2, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Our Lady of Bethlehem, Pilgrimage, Pilgrimage to OLB 2012, Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Bethlehem, Prayer, Prayer for Families

We might journey in a spirit of penance, fasting and giving alms along the way. We might do so joyously, in thanksgiving for blessings received, or in a spirit of supplication for blessings desired. Or we might do so simply to be blessed by being in the presence of holy relics or by walking on ground hallowed by Our Lord or the Saints.

~~~

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

first blessings

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

May 31, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Birthday, Sparkles

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!