Arkansas!

It's been a while since I last posted, but so far, my new year has been very hectic!

Last posting, I was about to leave on a weekend trip to Arkansas.  It was incredible driving for 12 hours straight...but it was worth every bit of it once I got there...

I went to visit a dear friend of mine, a Dominican Sister by the name of Sr. Joachim of the Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Conception Province.  This Polish Dominican community has been in the United States since the 1940's, when the Bishop of Chicago asked for a religious congregation of Sisters to assist with the growing Polish immigrant population in Chicago.  The Sisters graciously accepted, and have been a presence in the village of Justice, a suburb of Chicago, for decades now.   Exciting news came to my attention recently, when I learned that the good Sisters have opened up a House of Formation here in the United States.  That means, American vocations galore!  Young women so desiring to enter their community do  not need to go to Poland for Formation, but can reside here in the states!  IT IS INCREDIBLE what our God is doing for the Church in America!!!

I met Sister Joachim on my very first trip to Justice, Il., and I was impressed from the very  beginning.  Our friendship solidified over conversations about God, His Holy Church, and what He is inspiring us to do with our lives.  I find her to be what Holy Scripture describes as "a true friend...and a treasure..." We both share the "same heart and mind in God...."

Sr. Joachim stays at the mission convent in Arkansas.  She is working in the local parish as a Catechism teacher and also visits the sick and elderly of the nursing homes and area hospice.   Whom ever she visits, and whomever she comes across, she brings Jesus right along with her!  She is an inspiration to me, and one of my heros!

On this outing, time was limited.  I spent time with Sister at Mass, took a short sight-seeing trip out to Bull Shoals and saw White River, helped her set up her classroom for cathechism, and checked out the parish's education center.  We did find time to have a deep discussion about life while playing table tennis in the center's rec room!  We didn't skip a beat either, I think that ball could have just kept going between us back and forth forever!  She's exceptional at ping pong! :-)

The essence of our friendship comes from the Eucharist, and so, you can say I was thrilled to be able to pray the Liturgy of the Hours and Adoration with Sister and her Superior in their home, where they are fortunate to have a chapel!  I called it, "Jesus' bedroom."  I asked Sister, "How can I get a Chapel in my house?"  She answered, "Begin your own community!"

 

In the evening, I found myself sitting at the piano playing Polish Hymns and singing along with Sr. Joachim.  I started playing a hymn titled, Boże, coś Polskę (God save Poland) and noticed tears in Sister's eyes.  She explained the history of this particular hymn.  It was an anthem of sorts.  She said this hymn was sung in Catholic Churches throughout Poland during the time of Soviet control.  The song was used to inspire the Faithful, and keep their hopes alive.  They believed one day, they would be able to celebrate their beliefs, their heritage and their culture once again, not under the oppression of the Soviets, but in liberty, in freedom.  Sister began to recall some of the memories of that struggle.  She remembers well, the Communist's suppression of the Solidarity movement.  She told me thousands of priests lost their lives for the Faith.   She said it was the Catholic Faith that brought down Communism, and gave Poland her freedom once again...

I asked her what America needs to learn from the Polish, now that we will be under the presidency of Obama.  (As we all know, he is one of the most pro-death, pro-abortion presidents our country has ever elected.  He has already promised to sign into law the Freedom of Choice Act as soon as he becomes president!)  Sister feels like I do, that the Church in America is in great need of spiritual renewal, and not renewal by our standards, but by God's standards.  We Catholics of America need to embrace our Faith and start living it, because without obedience to the moral teachings of the Catholic Church, our country will soon become it's own victim to the Culture of Death it so expounds.  My fellow Catholics, our nation needs us to be the best Catholics we can be!

I left Sister the next day, with a heavy heart.  I did not want to leave her so soon.  I do not know when God will allow me to visit her again, but I will cherish her words and ponder them in my heart until the next time...

Happy New Year

I spent the last waning moments of 2008 at a Holy Mass at the Bishop's Cathedral.  I couldn't think of a better Person to spend that moment with than Our Lord Jesus Christ.  

I think it is great to come up with resolutions.  Some of my personal ones include losing weight, and eating healthier.  But more importantly I want to work on my spiritual life.  I'm trying for Daily Mass, Daily Hour of Adoration, and a special Novena prayer to the Holy Spirit.  I think it's important that if I want a better relationship with Jesus, I need to spend more time with Him.  I also told the Lord a few more ideas I have planned for 2009.   I couldn't help but think that the Lord was laughing at my plans.  Ultimately it's all up to Him.  But I feel 2009 will be a special year.  I gave it all to Him.  Lord Jesus do with me what Thou wilt for this coming year.

The Catholic Church celebrates Mary, the Mother of God today.  If any one can show us how to become more intimate with Jesus, it's His Mom.  It's a great way to start the New Year.  I attended the Mass in Extraordinary Form today.  It was  Latin High Mass, and so profoundly beautiful, I cannot even think of words to describe It.

Happy New Year!

I'm off for a weekend trip.  I'll get back to posting as soon as I can.

Dominicans and dogs

Foundem

What is the significance of Dominicans and dogs?  Well, the story goes that when Blessed Jane of Aza was pregnant, she had a dream of a dog with a torch in its mouth.  The dog ran around the world, setting it on fire.  When others heard of her dream, they took it as a sign that the baby she was carrying would be born to do great things.  That baby was St. Dominic.  

There is also a play on the word "Dominicans."  Domini Canus literally means, "God's Dogs."

I like dogs.  At the present time,  I do not have a dog I can call my own.  So, when a friend of mine called me up to tell me she had the best Christmas gift for me, I was happy to hear it was a dog! 

"Foundem" is a black, mid-sized, curly haired, droopy eyed, floppy-eared fluff of love.  I can't tell you what breed he is, because, like his name says, he was found.  He had been placed up for adoption, but when no one wanted him, my friend's sister took him in.  She's hoping to find the right owner for him.  They thought I would be perfect.  I thought I could make it work.  So, yesterday, I picked up Foundem at his house and took him home with me.  The moment he came out of my car, he ran.  I had him by the leash, and his powerful body dragged me all over the place.  I must say, I had a very good workout!  He pushed me to the limit.  I have a good piece of property---many acres of what used to be a cornfield.  He enjoyed running from one end to the other and back again.  I couldn't get him to stop.  But my goat stopped him cold in his tracks.  Millie was busy munching on grass behind the barn she lives in.  That introduction didn't go so well.  I have never seen my goat's hairs stand up on edge like that.  I didn't like the noises she was making, and she ran for her life.  Foundem ran after her, and I was dragged around even more.  I was so out of breath, I thought I was having a heart attack.  He got pretty close to nipping Millie, but I had just enough strength to pull his leash before he could do any damage.  The chickens were all bunched up in their barn yard, looking at the action through their chicken wire fence.  They were spectators, but they didn't seem to be enjoying the game.  They looked absolutely terrified.  I think one of them looked me straight in the eye, and seemed to be asking, "What are you thinking bringing that monster here?"  My next door neighbor's kitten decided to come over and see what all the fuss was about.  When I spotted her, I groaned.  Before I knew it, Foundem rushed at her in a rage.  Again, it took all my strength to grab the leash back again, and pull him in.

20 minutes.  That's all I could take of him at my house.  I thought, there is no way I can keep this dog.  He messes up the nice ecosystem here...

I put him back into my car and drove him around to calm him down.  Then I drove to the Catholic church.  I had a bag of beef jerky and a bottle of water.  Foundem and I sat under a tree sharing the grub.  I took him over to the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, and I said my Rosary.  He was a sweet dog the whole while.  Totally different than what he was at my house.  He stood on his hind legs, trying to lick my face as I prayed.  As usual, during my prayers, I closed my eyes.  I don't know if I was deeply meditating on the Rosary and didn't hear what was happening, but somewhere between the 4th and 5th Mystery, I looked at the leash, and Foundem wasn't there!  I asked Holy Mother Mary to help me get that dog back!  I found him jumping in the fields behind the church.  I ran after him, only aggravating the situation even more.  He thought I was playing with him, and he decided to take me for some laps around the large church.  I don't know if the priests were home, but they must have wondered who the crazy lady is, yelling and running after that dog?  I became frightened as  Foundem ran to the front of the church, where a major highway is.  I thought he was a goner, but something made me stop chasing him.  So I started to walk back to my car and prayed he would follow.  To my relief, he did.  In fact, he ran and beat me to my car, and I opened the door and he jumped back in.  I thanked the Blessed Mother for that!

All that running pooped him out, and he fell asleep in my back seat.  I drove him back to his house.  I told my friend that he was a swell dog, but not meant for me.  She didn't ask any questions.  I'm sure it was because my hair was totally messed and all pasted to my face, I was hot and sweaty.  My face and my clothes were filthy, and there were large drool stains all over my pant legs, not to mention the huge muddy paw prints smeared all over my shirt.  

I thought to myself as I wearily walked back to my car, "This Dominican doesn't need a dog."

That's an understatement!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Without

I went to Mass tonite with a heavy heart.  It happens sometimes.  I know it's the holidays.  Christmas is only 3 days away, and instead of me pondering on the great event we will be celebrating, I am caught up in myself once again...

I prayed a holy hour before Mass.  During my prayer, I found myself looking out the glass doors of the church.  In the distance I could see the nearby neighborhood all awash in Christmas lights...

Christmas is a powerful day here on earth.  It seems to affect everyone, regardless of what religion one practices.  Even the Hindus in the office where I work are celebrating it!  Everywhere I look around, I see the traditional displays of the season: Nativity scenes, from the reverent ones placed outside churches, to the gawdy glow-in-the-dark plastic ones; wreaths hanging on doors and car grills; colorful lights blinking in the cold air, covering rooftops, trees, and wherever else you can get those wrapped around.  There's an excitement in the air.  A rush of anticipation.  People are all aflutter.  Shopping malls are loaded, gift-buying is in full swing, commercialism is doing it's thing this season...and yes, many get lost in the worldly version of Christmas... but despite all that, Jesus is still the reason for this season, regardless of what the ACLU and fellow atheists tell us...  

But getting back to why I was heavy hearted this evening...

Christmas present takes me back to Christmas past.  I was thinking of the best Christmas I've ever had.  Hands down, it was back in '91.  My mom had had a stroke in November, but had a speedy recovery and was able to return home from the hospital just in time for the celebration of Our Lord's birth.  Trouble was, we were so caught up in her health crisis, we hadn't really prepared for the family celebration that year.  Unexpectedly, my older brother John saw to the gifts and to the cooking.  It wasn't anything elaborate, but it was just right.  He did a very good job.  

Two years later John was dead.  My family hasn't been complete for 15 years now.  And just recently I lost my mom.  I will be spending Christmas without her for the 3rd time.

Without...

...that word is  heavy especially at Christmas... 

And tonite, I was feeling the weight...as I often do, especially when families are reuniting all around, and mine can never reunite until the next life...

...call me a Scrooge, but the joy is lost on me at times...

Life is so short.  We need to pay attention to the time we have with those we love.  IF any one of you is having disagreements with loved ones, or haven't spoken to a son or a daughter for years and years...reconsider it this Christmas.  Or perhaps, you and a friend had a falling out.  Regardless of the reasons and who is right or wrong, this is the season to reconcile.  Throw out the grudges.  Throw out the hatred and the bitterness.  Jesus was born 2,000 years ago.  Mary did it.  She brought Him into this world.  Now it's our turn.  It's our turn to bring Jesus to those we love, those we aren't speaking to, those we hurt time and time again, and to those who hurt us.  The greatest gift we can give to one another is love, forgiveness, reconciliation.    

I miss my brother and my mom.  I'll never stop missing them.  But I look forward to that day when we will be reunited in Paradise.  I will celebrate Christmas then.  In the meantime, life has changed.  I've changed.  I live like a pilgrim in this world, always keeping my eyes on Eternity, watching through the night and waiting for the dawn of that eternal Christmas day...

“Contemplare et contemplata aliis tradere” 

Hello ladies and gentlemen of the world!  At the request of my spiritual director, I am setting out on this new project.  My main purpose in creating this blog is to reach out to many, in order to satisfy a pining desire to share with all who will listen...to all who will hear......the musings of my "dominican soul..."

“Contemplare et contemplata aliis tradere” is a Dominican motto, which means "to contemplate and share the fruits of contemplation."  This is my offering to you in creating this blog.  I do not pretend to be a master theologian, nor a gifted mystic.  In fact, I consider myself more of a "mysfit" than a mystic!  I am just a Dominican Soul who wishes to share with you the beauty that God grants me in meditations and reflections received in prayer before the Holy Eucharist.  And if God sees to using this little "mysfit" of His, to share what He gives to her in contemplation, than she is very happy!

 First off, I'd like to explain what a "Dominican Soul" is.  Or, better yet, let me direct you to the actual text which the good Sisters of  St. Cecilia posted on their website: 

 http://nashvilledominican.org/Charism/The_Dominican_Soul/index.htm

I wish to dedicate this blog to the Glory of the Holy Trinity, to the honor of the Ever Blessed Virgin Mary, and to my "Papa" St. Dominic. 

I also write from my heart in loving memory of my dear mom and brother.  May they rest in peace...

The 4th Sunday of Advent

I attended Mass tonight for the Sunday Vigil.  I will also be attending Mass accordingly on Sunday.  Tonight, I traveled 60 miles to attend Mass at the Cathedral of the Bishop in my Diocese.  It is a very grandiose Cathedral, yet smaller than most, and very intimate.  It is dedicated in honor to the Mother of God.  

I entered the Cathedral, and knelt to say a greeting to the Lord.  I try not to greet anyone else  before I greet Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  It was not always that you had "greeters" in a Catholic Church.  It has only been in recent times that greeters became a staple.  I suppose it is to satisfy those who feel we need to be greeted in God's house by another human being?  Or maybe, perhaps, the greeters are there for those who do not know the Lord is there to greet them in the Blessed Sacrament?  My dear mother taught me, when entering anybody's home,  you greet them corteously first before addressing any other visitors.  So, when I enter the House of God, I find it very important to greet Him first, before anyone else...in fact, greeters just get in my way...but hey, that's just me...

I was the first person in the confessional line.  It's a great feeling to be the first person.  I go to confession quite often.  In fact, I went about 3 times this week.  I go whenever the opportunity presents itself.  God knows I need it, and so opportunities abound for me...

After receiving absolution, in which Jesus Christ, who is present to us in the confessional and forgives us with the power he has given to His priests, I was washed clean in the Blood of the Lamb.  Walking into the pews, I knelt and presented my penance to the Lord.  I thanked Him profusely for His Mercy and  Forgiveness.  

Holy Mass began with the thunderous ancient of sounds created by the massive Pipe Organ.  "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel."  The song and the music filled my senses with awe as I imagined all of Heaven coming to greet Jesus as Mass began...

We hear in the First Reading and the Responsorial Psalm, the Covenant God promises David of an "Eternal Kingship."  This is in reference to Jesus Christ, who will be born of David's lineage (St. Joseph is of the House of David, and although St. Joseph is not Jesus' natural father, he was wed to the Blessed Mother, she who gave birth to the Son of God.)  

In the Second Reading, St. Paul writes of "the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret for long ages..." and declares that revelation to be Jesus Christ, Son of God.  

And now for the Gospel:

Luke 1: 26 - 38

---

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!"
But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.
And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end."
And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?"
And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
For with God nothing will be impossible."
And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

St. Luke writes beautifully of the Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to the Blessed  Mother.  Gabriel greets her, "Hail Mary."  If it's good enough for the angel Gabriel, it's good enough for us Catholics to repeat those words also! (Sorry, Protestants!)  The Gospel is the fulfillment of the Covenant that God made with the Prophet David.  And as we notice, Our Lady does not hesitate; she just has that one question for the angel on how it was all to come to be.  And she answers with her whole heart and soul:  "Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word."

AS i received Jesus at this Mass, I was overcome with the image of the Babe who Our Lady gave birth to 2,000 years ago.  How amazing that we are able to touch the Baby Jesus as we receive Him in Holy Communion!  And my face was streaked with tears in the reflection that HE remains with  us always, in the temples we build Him, and in our hearts when we receive Him.  How does it all come to be?  Lord, we don't understand it, but , "let it be done according to Your Word!"