Our Lady of Bethlehem

Pure Joy

June 29, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Beach, GFG, Joy, Our Lady of Bethlehem, Pilgrimage, Pilgrimage to OLB 2012, Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Bethlehem, Summer

Our Lady of Bethlehem (Post) Pilgrimage

Day 3: Sunday, May 27, 2012 – Pebble Beach

Father gave a beautiful homily to the pilgrims on Pentecost Sunday. He spoke about how our recent pilgrimage served several purposes. He emphasized a pilgrimage’s primary purpose—to better equip us for our true pilgrimage, our journey to our heavenly home.

Our post pilgrimage gathering was a beautiful glimpse into the beauty that awaits if we are graced to make it home—pure JOY.

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Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

~Hebrews 10:19-25

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{pretty, happy, funny, real}

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

In His JOY,

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

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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.

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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

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{pretty, happy, funny, real}

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

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

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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.

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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.+++

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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!

Our Lady of Bethlehem Novena

May 18, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Novena, Our Lady of Bethlehem, Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Bethlehem 1 Comment

We are starting a novena to Our Lady of Bethlehem in preparation for a spiritual and physical journey that we will be embarking on. The novena starts on Thursday, May 17th and ends on Friday May 25th . Please keep my family and our fellow pilgrims in your prayers.

The pilgrimage will be made for the following intentions:

To make Our Lady of Bethlehem known and Loved

In reparation for the offenses committed against the sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary

For Conversion of our own hearts, our families, Town, State, Country, the World

To pray for the Consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart

Personal reparation and private intentions of family, friends and bloggers (whom have asked for prayers)

You are invited to join the novena to Our Lady of Bethlehem.

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Prayer to Our Lady of Bethlehem

Dear Lady of Bethlehem, Virgin most pure, Mother of our Savior, may the memory of the cold on the night Thy Divine Child was born bring Thy powerful intercession to bear upon the world’s coldness towards the Babe of Bethlehem. Send down into the hearts of all people some warmth of the flames of love that Thy Immaculate Heart gives forth.

Do Thou who suffered such great loneliness when Thy Son was taken from Thee, look with pity upon the void in the hearts of those who know and love Him not. Bring Him to them and with Him His Angels and Saints that they too may be our intimate friends. Do Thou who journeyed wearily to Bethlehem look down with mercy upon humankind trudging along the way of evil, lost and confused. Do Thou guide us to the path of Thy Son and the habitation He had prepared for us.

Look down with compassion upon us, as we commend to Thy maternal care the needs of Holy Mother Church, our beloved Country, our families. We all place all at Thy blessed feet. Through Thy powerful intercession may God grant to us and to the whole frightened world the grace of mutual understanding and the sacred Peace of Bethlehem.

Do Thou also regard with favor our beloved Father Junipero Serra, who brought Thy image to this land and whose remains rest in peace in Thy sanctuary. May he who in life held Thee in such great honor and who first made Thy Son known on these shores, be found worthy to have his name entered on the list of those whom the Church calls Saints.

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.

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OUR LADY OF BETHLEHEM

This series was written by Marian T. Horvat, Ph.D… It his the author’s hope that this series of articles will encourage more Catholics to come in greater numbers to visit her and pay her homage, raising a clamor to the careless religious authorities that she should be given a place of greater prominence.

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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. Whatever our more particular purposes, leaving behind what is comfortable to us and visiting a strange place is a way to get out of a "spiritual rut" and step outside our normal routines which can sometimes keep us distracted or focused on the wrong things — or perhaps focused too much on otherwise good things. When made with the right attitude, pilgrimage is a way to "lose" our lives for His sake.

Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Bethlehem – Day 2

July 27, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Our Lady of Bethlehem, Pilgrimage, Pilgrimage to Our Lady of Bethlehem

Day 2: Salinas to Marina– 15 miles

On the second day of Pilgrimage, the patron saint was St. Maria Goretti and the sub-theme was The Gospel of Life, a Gift for Man.*

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Day 2: Salinas to Marina

Our Lady*dove*consolations*early morning*community meals*city streets*country*fields* peace*fellowship*dust*breeze*mist* novena to the Holy Ghost*reflection*song*rosary*honks*waves*solitude*mortification* beach*tents*litany*scripture*sweet smells*vast beauty*reparation*witness*hope*JOY

*The theme for Chartres 2011 was “The Gospel of Life.” Each day of Pilgrimage had a sub-theme and a Patron Saint. I adopted Chartres theme and Patron Saints for our OLB Pilgrimage.

E

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

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