On my sister Marty's - Martha's wedding day around 1973 with myself and my sister, Paula. We were all new Catholics and the wedding took place in our home parish of the Basilica of St Mary in downtown Minneaplis. We had just moved to Minneapolis in 1969, and Marty had met Steve in High School. I thought that this special picture was a good way to start today, as I am reading the amazing book about Mother Angelica's life written by Raymond Arroyo. I have been totally impressed with her vision being in line with the Truth of our Church - that which the Magisterium gives to us to follow on the path to eternal happiness. In the time that she was, and is being led by her spouse to accomplish all the seemingly impossible tasks that He asked of her... starting a convent in Birmingham, Alabama of all places, then starting their own peanut business to make ends meet, and with that money starting a printing business in which she printed and circulated hundreds of thousands of booklets... trying to help Catholics be Catholic in the true and real sense of the word... then into the idea of a Catholic television station! She started it in a garage, and now you all know how far EWTN has come!
I love this picture of my parents - dad was the deacon running Colman, SD parish at the time as administrator, putting up the simple but sweet handmade "Respect Life" sign that they had come across... In the book last night... I came to the part where the Pope JPII came to the US for the second time... It was a big deal for Mother Angelica and EWTN as they would cover it around the clock! He arrived in the US on September 10, 1987 and was here for 10 days... and he came face to face with liberal bishops that spoke out against the Church!
My wedding day in my dear Basilica... I see now how much I have to thank this forthwright woman, Mother Angelica, for without fear defending the True Church in the face of so much screwed up thinking! I do not think that we would be where we are today... with so many coming back in line with the wisdom of the Church, without the voice of Mother Angelica's EWTN. I had heard that she started EWTN singlehandedly, but she also personally made sure that nothing was allowed on there that would be against the Church! As she covered the Pope's visit, and these Bishops came forth with their personal misled agendas like birth control, abortion, women priests etc..."Mother Angelica was distressed by what she saw, and publically embarrassed. After all, it was her network broadcasting the public challange to the Pontiff's authority. Propagating dissent and planting doubt in the minds of her viewers were not what she bargained for. So whenever the opportunity presented itself, she offered her own brand of balance in the form of homey orthodox commentary."
Back to the gratitude I feel for this very determined and wise woman - Mother Angelica! Pat just reminded me that early in our marriage, when we did not have EWTN to watch on our small and minimal channel TV... we would travel over by Vesta to the farm home of an older couple to watch some of her presentations and then discuss it with the other couples that would gather there with us. There was also a family group called - Apostolate for Family Consecration... They made booklets that we followed and read and studied. WE were aware of the dissention within the Church, and I am not misled to think that it still exists, but we were protected and fed by this group, and the Truth that EWTN protected and shared with those, who got to see it in their homes!
Susan now little Sister Hallel in France after a rare snowfall the first winter she was there as a postulant in the winter of 2008-2009. The following August John, Nancy and I were in France to see her take the habit of the community and become little Sister Hallel! To me all of my children delight me in the fact that they have found the Truth! I thank God that the Catholic Studies department started at St Thomas... they had to break away from the liberal Theology department there and totally start afresh in line with the True Chruch... in time for my two girls - Maria and Susan - to become majors and to spend a year each in Rome living in the convent within walking distance to St Peters, that was given to St Thomas by a couple! They both came home, after that amazing experience, in love with Rome, the Church and wanting to consider religious life! What an amazing journey that has and continues to be for them and their loved ones - us! The joy on Susan/Hallel's face when Jesus is brought forth in the Word at mass, and how she is loved and embraced within her amazing community! We are forever changed, and our family has not gotten smaller, with her away from us in body, but it has expanded to include so many more, who have gone so deep into their love and service of their Savior! 
The snowsuit of fame appears again on the second one to wear it - Nancy! Both she and her cousin Shannon, who lived and farmed with us, and they were only 6 months apart in age, are expecting their first children at the same time! Shannon with twins - hence the plural! So many prayers for their safety and rejoicing at the gift of life! Thank you Lord! I need to go forward into the day ahead, but I was just so filled with gratitude to the wonderful and colorful vessel that Mother Angelica has been in her trusting and forceful way! She has held our Church together on the right path, and thanks to her the youth that I encounter from my kids on up to the new priests like Fr Craig, and Fr Paul, and Fr Kuchera, and the list goes on and on... So many priests and sisters that love the True Church! Our Church is getting stronger and stronger and I am so happy and excited and blessed! 
My dad with us three older girls many years after Marty's wedding....Jesus, thank you for allowing your Truth to dwell in our hearts... they burn with love for you and your Bride the Church! It comes to us so clearly and we are hurt by those that do not "see or understand" the Truth that will give us happiness and set us free from the bondage of sin and death! "Why?" we cry out to you! Show us how to make a difference, and to be loving and strong in the face of such falsehood and misguided thinking! May we be as a lamp on a lampstand for all to see! Jesus, we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia!
Bless-bless, Barb"In the Mass, we present ourselves totally to Him, and then receive ourselves back, transformed and consecrated, not as we were before in ourselves, but as we are in Christ, hidden and renewed...the whole event is one great act of transubstantiation, making both us and the elements holy. It is not that we claim to be holy in ourselves; but we have offered our unholiness, our sinfulness, and the Lord has accepted that offering and made it his own, uniting it with the mystery of his sacrificial death, in which death is destroyed, and with the mystery of his resurrection, the mystery of divine invincibility. The very unholiness and sinfulness that we offer is "transubstantianted" into holiness and righteousness of God." Fr Simon Tugwell, O.P.
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