2nd issue of Letters from a young Catholic - taking us deeper/How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news! - St Andrew-+JMJ+

Our sweet Magdalene Rose is now officially wearing glasses.  It seems that with her surgery at age 1 to make room for her brain to grow adding a font opening and reshaping her skull also affected her vision on one eye.  Glasses will help her correct that problem, and she looks mighty cute in her new pink glasses!  A strap around the back makes them more comfortable for her to wear and keep on.  

7 year old Evangeline Mary had her mom send me this pictures of her stuffed animals dressed as priests.  She knows what makes grandma smile!  LOVE our Catholic Faith shared in our domestic Church/family.  My heart wells up with JOY!  

One more of Maggie in pink!  It is more obvious in this picture of the difference in the strength of the lens on the right.  

Our entire family together a week ago on Thanksgiving day!  I even brought along a picture of Hallel, so that I would not have to cut and paste!  In the middle on the couch holding our youngest grandchild, Lucy Marie, on her first Thanksgiving at 10 months is granddaughter, Therese.  She recently shared her second Newsletter called Letters from a young Catholic .

Therese greeting Tommy on Thanksgiving - she is so wonderful with babies and the little ones.  She probably changed more diapers on the 3 younger siblings than her mom did!  Such a wonderful lover of LIFE!  

Now with Lucy, Big Dave, who is also 15 and Mary.

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The second edition of a wonderful sharing by Therese and her friends.  Young girls that have a wonderful deep faith and this 72 year old woman can sit at their feet and be fed, learn and grow deeper in my Catholic Faith!  

Therese with baby Lucy and the blanket that Therese made for her when she was a newborn.  There is a very special cross stitch family patch sewn in the corner of the blanket.  

I am sharing here the Editorial that Therese wrote explaining the reason behind this wonderful newsletter!  

Letter from the Editor 

Why the title, Letters from a Young Catholic? 

Dear Reader, I started this newsletter after listening to a Saints Alive episode about St. Maximilian Kolbe that mentioned his Immaculata newspaper. The story was inspiring. The priest’s goal of evangelizations through media was amazing. At one point, the Immaculata was more popular than some secular newspapers. I am someone who is trying to get better at figuring out the details before diving into things. So, one evening, I sat down with my dad and with a notebook in hand to figure out what articles I wanted, at least for the first editions. At one point, I asked my dad what the title of the newsletter should be. He said, “I would call it ‘Letters from a Young Catholic’ - as a reply to the book, Letters to a Young Catholic by George Weigel. You seem like you want to write about books, and culture, and art - from the Catholic perspective. His book is all about that - engaging the ‘sacramental imagination.” I considered all this and started to read Letters to a Young Catholic. While doing so, I began to to fall in love with the idea that we are not called to isolate ourselves from the world, but are meant to engage the world and find truth and beauty in it. Yes, the world is a broken and sinful place, but, at the same time, it is an extraordinarily beautiful place full of redemption and God’s love. We are called to see the world differently, to see Christ in it. What does that mean and how can we do this? St. John Chrysostom has some advice: “If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice.” We need to see Him in the people around us. Christ is the truth, and real beauty and redemption only come about by His love. We must see the world through the eyes of Christ, for Christ sees in each of us His image, the perfected one Himself. 

Christus regnat, Thérèse Librande 

Thérèse is a sophomore in high school who is often found babysitting, water coloring, or working on her many projects, one of which is this newsletter. She is the eldest of seven energetic siblings and a military kid who has lived in over ten states. She currently resides in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. 

Today is the feast of St Andrew, who went out and proclaimed the Gospel far and wide unto his death by crucifixion.  The first reading shared from Romans 10 speaking about how we are called to share with those that have not heard...

But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone to preach?
And how can people preach unless they are sent?
As it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!
But not everyone has heeded the good news;
for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?
Thus faith comes from what is heard,
and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
But I ask, did they not hear?
Certainly they did; for

Their voice has gone forth to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.  Romans 10

As I sit at the feet and learn from these young women of Faith ... the words from Romans speak of them - "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!" Yes!!!

My morning started in a special way yesterday with Muffins with Misses.  For the 5th-8th graders and the PreK all the ladies in their lives could come and share muffins before school.  I picked up 6th grader. Rose, and brought her with me to meet 4 year old Jude and his mom and other grandma.

11 year old Rose Again with 4H earrings and beef shirt at breakfast with Jude and grandma.

On the way to school Rose mentioned that she had worn the beef shirt that they got this summer at the County Fair for showing their beef animals.  "I think we are the only family in Holy Redeemer that show beef."  I think she is right!  Grandpa Pat was very happy to know that Rose wore her beef shirt to the Catholic School!  He had to share it with the other guys on the Southwest Cattlemen!   

Preschool grandson, 4 year old Jude, was so cute with his smile and his backpack at breakfast with his mom and her mom.

So wonderful to see John and Bobbi's kids now starting to attend Holy Redeemer as both of them were classmates from Kindergarten to 12th grade!  

Rose is 11 and in 6th grade, and Jude is 4 and will be in Kindergarten next year!  It was special to share breakast with them together.  

Cousins - we now have 3 of Ruth's kids and one of John's at HRS - Ruth has one to go and John has 2 more.  Birdie started her religion class and will be in PreK next year.

With Rose in the cafeteria - bright yellow!  

Jude with mom and grandma Lila.

Jude with the 2 grandmas

Grandma with 2 of the 4 that attend HRS - also Joy and Luke

Lila gifted me some liturgical incense!  Thank you!  

Prayers going up to God.

It is time for my Rosary - as mentioned in the newsletter by Rose Lang 

I interviewed my theology teacher, Mrs. Eileen Hester. She has a BA and master's degree in theology and is a third-order Carmelite. 

Q: Why is the Rosary so important? A: The Rosary is so important because the Son, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, became man through the Blessed Mother, Mary. The best way to return to the Son is through Mary. She gave us the Rosary as a means to be united to her and her son.

Wow!  That is a wonderful answer!  

Brother Victor writing about Servant of God Dorothy Day on the anniversary of her death  yesterday.  He makes you feel like you know her in a special way!  

Yes!

Advent is a few days away!  LOVE!  

At Andrew today!  

He was crucified on a X Cross as he was not worthy to be crucified as his Lord.

My dad today.  I picture him in heaven now in the LIGHT of the Lord's shining face! 

St Mother Theresa of Calcutta today - so true that we treat those the closest to us the worst, and they are the hardest to love without counting the cost.  Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 33 plus many Little Sisters and Little Brothers.  

Bother Victor sharing the LIGHT of Advent  - "we have found the Messiah."  Andrew

I need to get out my Advent wreath by Sunday - LOVE!  

My rosary is calling to me!  To Jesus through Mary!  

This is Truth!  Die to self so that we may love and serve without counting the cost.  

Danielle Rose 

Holy Now - Peter Mayer

 

Tom and I now, to the King and ALL!/ The Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lord of the Universe - snow and Advent ahead - +JMJ+

A few weeks ago Maria and Major Joseph realized that their plans to go to Wisconsin were not going to happen, and they were coming to Nancy's with all the family for Thanksgiving!  All of us together and only missing our nun!  Christmas Picture!  I even had the wits about me to bring along a picture of Hallel to truly make it complete with no adding later, which I have done in years gone by.  Yeah! 

Pat's wonderful sister, Ida, stopped by and was more than happy to accommodate our needs .  Thanks, Ida!  

The first try's had Hector sitting in the sun... Still they are probably the ones I prefer.  Pat and I have yet to decide.  I am so happy that it worked out and how most everyone cooperated.  Such a gift to me!  

One of the best with the sunbeam on Hector, yet his face is fine.  At the end of the day - Ruth and Paul went off for a 20th Anniversary get away.  Pat and I brought Tom and the two oldest home to the farm and Tom stayed with us.  Maria and Joseph stayed until yesterday when they left at about 9a to get home to Kansas ahead of the 8 inches of snow.  Nancy had 18 kids and 4 adults for the weekend following hosting the 33 for Thanksgiving feast!  Thanks, Nancy and Bill.  

Sunrise on Thanksgiving Day was stunning!  Telling the world that Our World is a beautiful creation of God and we should never stop thanking and praising Him!  

Such a glorious way to greet us as we are so excited to be together at Nancy and Bill's!  "I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me."  Psalm 50 from Thanksgiving Day!  

Arriving at Nancy's in Delano for brunch at 10a!  The Military girls gather around grandpa!  He is holding his Maggie!  

Bumpa with his arms full of Tom and Maggie - they are just 6 months apart!  

Ida arrives and is gifted 2 friendship bracelets that Bernadette made for her and her daughter, Julia.  

Blessing our food before we share a Thanksgiving Brunch.

So thankful and grateful for all that we are blessed with - most especially our Family sharing our Faith and Farm!  

Ida lives just 10 minutes away from Nancy, and is Pat's youngest sister.  She is the youngest of 10 children on  the farm, and was known to say to her wonderful mom..."Thanks for having 10 kids mom!"  

Gathered around sharing and catching up - it means so much to us to have Ida stop in to see - most especially Maria, who has not been close enough to come for thanksgiving for years!  They have lived on both coasts for 5 years!  

John and Bobbi arrive with Lucy, who is our youngest grandchild #23!  She is 10 months and Ida had not met her yet.

.

Such a sweet and happy girl she is!  They had just gone down to KCK to visit The Community of the Lamb, and "they passed her around, and all she did was smile for each little sister that held her."  John reported.

"She is so beautiful!"  

Maggie finds her "Tommy." 

Now Gina joins the group of the littles - Gina will be 2 on Dec 16th and join the other two at 2 years!  Tom had his birthday last week and he and Regina are just a month apart.

Bill and Nancy with his 28 pound turkey - it was heavenly!  Bill is famous in our family for his wonderful turkeys!  Years ago when they were first married living in Plymouth - they hosted Thanksgiving and my parents came.  They were blown away with how wonderful it was, and talked about it often.  

Actually the first time he made his turkey was while he was dating Nancy and John was battling brain cancer - he made it for us at the home Maria and Joseph owned and Nancy lived there too.  He made a huge impression on all of us at this very powerful time on our family.  Hallel was even here and was driving John to whole brain radiation that week in Rochester.  

Simon in charge of protecting the food before we had blessed our food and each shared something we were thankful for... that would have taken a long time with 33 - so this year we all said it at the same time!  

Blessing our food and saying what we are thankful for all at the same time!  

The littles at the picnic table

The 3 girls in 10 months - two are 7 and Joy will join them in March.  How we love our groups of cousin/friends!  

Jude joins the other 4 year olds - 3 boys in 6 weeks, who were all in the wombs of their mothers and went to France in 2018 when Hallel took her final vows!  "I promise unto death."  

The adults at the smaller table after the kids took the larger one...

All agreed that the turkey was wonderful and there was nothing left of the 28 pound turkey.  The carcus was cooked and a huge pot of turkey soup was made for the 22 to eat the next day.  

Sweet Lucy Marie celebrating her first Thanksgiving with all of her dad's family!  She had even been down to KCK to see her Aunt Hallel for the first time less than a week before!  LOVE her sweet smile and pink toes!  

Lucy and her Aunt Hallel a week ago - so sweet how she is holding onto her Lamb which signifies that she is a fully professed Bride of Christ - has taken her final vows!  

Dance party in the girls room...

3 years old Birdie Barbara joins the group of 3 boys that are all 4.  Ice cream, pumpkin pie and apple kuechen for dessert please!  

Sharing family time is their JOY!  

Playing in the tub for these two that are just a month apart.  Cozy and less crazy in the bubble tub.

Therese is such a baby lover with Lucy just before John and Bobbi and their 3 returned back to Marshall after a full day.

Therese with Lucy wrapped in the beautiful blanket she made for her when she was born almost a year ago.  

Military kids saying goodbye to Uncle John.  He and family were just down on base a week ago.  I think they are ready to just stay home for a while now.  

Nancy shared some pictures of the cousins playing - 4 farm kids her 6 kids and 7 military kids = 18 kids!  

The 3 six to seven year old group and 11 year old Rose Again!  

Two of the 4 year olds - George and Hector.  Jude went home with mom and dad to Marshall.

Working on art for grandma...

7 year old Josephine with baby Jesus!  LOVE!  

6 year old Joy Jean with Mary and Jesus.  LOVE so much!  

4 year old Hector with Our Lady and goggles - LOVELY!  

Mega pot of Turkey soup for the tribe of 22 that stayed for the weekend in Delano.

Nancy and Bill and family 7 years ago in KCK at Lumen Christi/LIGHT of Christ Monastery.  They lived just 20 minutes away in Shawnee, KC for 4 years!  

Preparing for mass 7 years ago in their light filled Monastery - the LIGHT of Christ!  

Praying for Fr Denny with 7 Sisters on Friday.  Tom went to the farm so grandma could go and pray at the foot of the Cross with Our Lady of Guadalupe.  I love to go up to her and get this angle of Truth.

When Pat gets home I get a break - otherwise Tom is constantly wanting grandma to be by him and "play" with him. 

So true!  I feel peace and JOY and LOVE when I have my hour with Jesus on Friday for Fr Denny and in the middle of the night/the first hour of Monday!  

Tom helping grandma wash his blankets.

Into the dryer they go...

He waited patiently for them to dry.

Tooth brushing time.

Big brother, Simon, stops in and so does the neighbor cat, Riley.  Riley was a cat that Simon raised when they lived in this house about 7 years ago.

Ruth's bookends - 19 year old Simon and his Godson, 2 year old Thomas Robert.  Love this!  Simon had a big weekend helping his grandpa Pat on the farm!  Thank you, Simon, we sure appreciate all that you so willingly do to help out!  

Riley hit the jackpot on getting lots of snuggles.

Tom wasn't too sure to check out the first snow.  He probably has next to no memory of it as he was only 12 months a year ago.  

The snow in Fort Leavenworth, KS this morning from Major Joseph.  

Shared mass with 3 farm kids and John's family - The Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Lord of the Universe and the final Sunday of Ordinary time - in a week we will have the first Sunday of Advent.  

¹⁵ I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.

¹⁶ The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy, shepherding them rightly.  Ezekiel 34 gives us tremendous hope for the Advent Season that lies ahead of us.  

Two our youngest grandkids - 2 year old Tom and 10 month old Lucy- they have Regina between them.  I predict that they will be friends cousins for life!  Tom is surrounded by girls!  2 older and 2 younger!  

One more for good measure.

17 year old Mary sharing blue eyes with her youngest cousin, Lucy.  Their hair and complexion are similar too.  23 grandkids over 18 years!  My prayer is that they will always be close and appreciate the gift of LIFE and All the Catholic Church teaches and gives us to live by!  

A quick check of the farm before we go home after mass.  

Tom sees the "moos".

Farmboy Tom

King of the Universe!  He loves ALL of us!  May we die to self so that we may serve without counting the cost - ³⁴ Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,

³⁶ naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’

³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?

³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?

³⁹ When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’

⁴⁰ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.’  Matthew 25

Jesus, we trust in you.  Bless-bless, Barbara and the 33 plus many Little Sisters and Little Brothers.

  Solemnity of

Our Lord Jesus Christ, 
King of the Universe

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King celebrates the all-embracing authority of Christ as King and Lord of the cosmos.  It is celebrated on the final Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Sunday before Advent. "O Lord our God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power" (Rev 4:11).

“The Lord will sit on His royal throne for ever; 
the Lord will bless His people in peace.” - Psalm 29: 10b,11b

Sacristy ~ Basilica of St Mary's ~ Minneapolis, Minnesota ~ USA

 

 “O king of Glory, though You hide Your beauty,

yet the eye of my soul rends the veil." - St. Faustina

 

 

"There He is:

King of Kings and Lord of Lords,

hidden in the bread.

To this extreme

has He humbled Himself
for love of you." 
St Josemaria Escriva

 

Excerpt: Quas Primas, Encyclical of Pope Pius XI

 

Promulgated on December 11, 1925, Quas Primas introduced the Feast of Christ the King. The encyclical summarizes both the Old Testament and the New Testament teaching on the kingship of Christ. Invoking an earlier encyclical Annum Sacrum of Pope Leo XIII, Pius XI connotes that the kingdom of Christ embraces the whole mankind. He connected the denial of Christ as king to the rise of secularism. At the time of Quas Primas, secularism was on the rise, and many Christians, even Catholics, were doubting Christ’s authority, as well as the Church’s, and even doubting Christ’s very existence.  

Hail King Jesus, King of Peace!

20. If the kingdom of Christ, then, receives, as it should, all nations under its way, there seems no reason why we should despair of seeing that peace which the King of Peace came to bring on earth -- he who came to reconcile all things, who came not to be ministered unto but to minister, who, though Lord of all, gave himself to us as a model of humility, and with his principal law united the precept of charity; who said also: "My yoke is sweet and my burden light." Oh, what happiness would be ours if all men, individuals, families, and nations, would but let themselves be governed by Christ!  "Then at length," to use the words addressed by our predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, twenty-five years ago to the bishops of the Universal Church, "then at length will many evils be cured; then will the law regain its former authority; peace with all its blessings be restored. Men will sheathe their swords and lay down their arms when all freely acknowledge and obey the authority of Christ, and every tongue confesses that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father."
21. That these blessings may be abundant and lasting in Christian society, it is necessary that the kingship of our Savior should be as widely as possible recognized and understood, and to the end nothing would serve better than the institution of a special feast in honor of the Kingship of Christ. For people are instructed in the truths of faith, and brought to appreciate the inner joys of religion far more effectually by the annual celebration of our sacred mysteries than by any official pronouncement of the teaching of the Church. Such pronouncements usually reach only a few and the more learned among the faithful; feasts reach them all; the former speak but once, the latter speak every year -- in fact, forever. The church's teaching affects the mind primarily; her feasts affect both mind and heart, and have a salutary effect upon the whole of man's nature. Man is composed of body and soul, and he needs these external festivities so that the sacred rites, in all their beauty and variety, may stimulate him to drink more deeply of the fountain of God's teaching, that he may make it a part of himself, and use it with profit for his spiritual life.

 

To Jesus Christ, our Sov'reign King,
Who is the world's salvation,
All praise and homage do we bring,

And thanks and adoration.

 

Refrain:

Christ Jesus Victor, Christ Jesus Ruler!

Christ Jesus, Lord and Redeemer!

 

 

The way to 'enter' into God's Kingdom does not permit

shortcuts; rather, every person must freely welcome

the truth of the love of God. He is Love and Truth

and both love and truth never impose themselves:

they knock at the door of the heart and mind and,

wherever they may enter, they bring peace and joy.

This is God's way of reigning; this is His project

of salvation, a 'mystery' in the biblical sense of the word,

which is a plan that is revealed little by little

throughout history."- Pope Benedict XVI
________________

Let us pray together today - and every day...

 

"While nations insult the beloved name

of our Redeemer by suppressing all mention of it

in their conferences and parliaments,

we must all the more loudly proclaim
His kingly dignity and power,

(and) all the more universally affirm His rights. ...

When once men recognize, both in private and

in public life, that Christ is King,  society will

at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well

ordered discipline, peace and harmony." - Pope Pius XI

Christ the King, reign in our hearts!

Will Morrison - I will

Perfect for this amazing Feast today!  

Danielle Rose