A is for Archer

Yesterday, we were happy to finally be able to see some of our friends in action.

Hopefully, we can eventually watch them in person.

Remember, O Christian soul...

The prayer below used to appear on the back of our parish's bulletin.

Remember, O Christian soul,

That thou hast this day

and every day of thy life...

God to glorify,

Jesus to imitate,

A soul to save,

A body to mortify,

Sins to repent of,

Virtues to acquire,

Hell to avoid,

Heaven to gain,

Eternity to prepare for,

Time to profit by,

Neighbors to edify,

The world to despise,

Devils to combat,

Passions to subdue,

Death perhaps to suffer,

Judgement to undergo.

Therefore, O child of Jesus and Mary,

Avoid sin and all its occasions.

Pray often,

go frequently to Confession

and Holy Communion.

30 Day Novena to Saint Joseph

My parents instilled a deep love for St. Joseph in my siblings and me. I started praying this novena for my dad on June 17. I am posting it here for easy reference.

In honor of the years he spent with Jesus and Mary.
[For Any Special Intention]

Ever blessed and glorious Joseph, kind and loving father, and helpful friend of all in sorrow! You are the good father and protector of orphans, the defender of the defenseless, the patron of those in need and sorrow. Look kindly on my request. My sins have drawn down on me the just displeasure of my God, and so I am surrounded with unhappiness. To you, loving guardian of the Family of Nazareth, do I go for help and protection.

Listen, then, I beg you, with fatherly concern, to my earnest prayers, and obtain for me the favors I ask.

I ask it by the infinite mercy of the eternal Son of God, which moved Him to take our nature and to be born into this world of sorrow.

I ask it by the weariness and suffering you endured when you found no shelter at the inn of Bethlehem for the holy Virgin, nor a place where the Son of God could be born. Then, being everywhere refused, you had to allow the Queen of Heaven to give birth to the world's Redeemer in a cave.

I ask it by the loveliness and power that sacred, Name
Jesus, which you conferred on the adorable Infant.

I ask it by that painful torture you felt at the prophecy of Simeon, which declared the Child Jesus and His Holy Mother future victims of our sins and of their great love for us.

I ask it through your sorrow and pain of soul when the angel declared to you that the life of the Child Jesus was sought by His enemies. From their evil plan you had to flee with Him and His Blessed Mother into Egypt. I ask it by all the suffering, weariness, and labors of that long and dangerous journey.

I ask it by all your care to protect the Sacred Child and His Immaculate Mother during your second journey, when you were ordered to return to your own country. I ask it by your peaceful life in Nazareth where you met so many joys and sorrows.

I ask it by your great distress, when the adorable Child was lost to you and His Mother for three days. I ask it by your joy at finding Him in the Temple, and by the comfort you found at Nazareth, while living in the company of the Child Jesus. I ask it by the wonderful submission He showed in His obedience to you.

I ask it by the perfect love and conformity you showed in accepting the Divine order to depart from this life, and from the company of Jesus and Mary. I ask it by the joy which filled your soul, when the Redeemer of the world, triumphant over death and Hell, entered into the possession of His kingdom and led you into it with special honors.

I ask it through Mary's glorious Assumption, and through that endless happiness you share with her in the presence of God.

O good father! I beg you, by all your sufferings, sorrows, and joys, to hear me and obtain for me what I ask. [Here name your petitions or think of them.]

Obtain for all those who have asked my prayers everything that is useful to them in the plan of God. Finally, my dear patron and father, be with me and all who are dear to me in our last moments, that we may eternally sing the praises of

JESUS, MARY and JOSEPH

"A blameless life, St. Joseph, may we lead,
by your patronage from danger freed."

This prayer may be said during any 30 days of the year.

Source: Catholic Tradition

That Would Make Nine

Finnian (saying his nightly prayers): "For Mommy that she has chocolates. That Mommy has three chocolates."

Mommy: "I wouldn't mind having three chocolates."

Other Children: "He means triplets."

Daddy: "That would make nine."

Note: I am not pregnant. Each night, the children pray that I am and that we have triplets.

How to Clean a Bedroom Patrick Style

Me (a week ago): "Boys, you need to clean your room. Patrick, you can start by putting the Imaginext in the basket."

A lightbulb must have gone off in his head. He filled the basket with clothes and toys, and emptied it in his sisters' room. He filled it again and then came to me and asked, "Please will you get me a big bag." I asked him, "Why do you need a bag." He replied, "For all the things that are on the floor in my room." He must be a boy after my husband's heart. For some, it is much easier to give it away, than it is to clean.

As Father's Day Approaches

I have been thinking about how much I love a certain man and how blessed I am that he is my husband. I often take him for granted. I love him because:

1. He believes in God.

2. He is a faithful Catholic.

3. He frequents the sacraments regularly.

4. He leads our family in praying the Rosary each night.

5. He loves me.

6. He loves our children.

7. He is open to life.

8. He supports my staying home full time with the children.

9. He encourages and helps me in homeschooling our children.

10. He helps around the house.

11. He helps outside.

12. He picks up groceries.

13. He takes the children shopping.

14. He keeps me focused on what is important.

15. He is an incredible man!

I love him just because he is who he is.

Happy Father's Day!

Mrs. Murphy Prayer Request Update

+Thy Kingdom Come!+

Dear Fellow Catholic Homeschoolers:

Thank you for your prayers for Mrs. Murphy and the Murphy family! Mrs. Murphy got some preliminary results, the first surgery did not get all the cancer cells, and so she will have to go in for another surgery. Please continue to pray that all the cancer cells are removed from her body. She will undergo chemo and radiation therapy soon because...........she gave birth last night to the twins! They were born both just over 3 lbs each. As I understand it, L is breathing on her own and S is on a ventilator. They were 30 weeks gestation. Please pray for their health and for them to grow stronger every day.

The Murphy family is basically without a home until they arrive in Texas, all their belongings left for Texas yesterday. They will remain here temporarily, maybe up to 10 weeks, until the babies can travel. Please pray for the Murphy family to receive housing that will meet their needs. They do have 4 young girls (in addition to the twins...yes, 6 girls total!) and this transition time will be difficult, even under the best of circumstances.

Thank you again for your prayers and for everyone’s care and concern. I will do my best to give an update, understandably, Mrs. Murphy will not be able to email for a while. :)

In Christ,
Sue

Prayer Request Update

I received the email below a couple of days ago. Please continue to pray for Mrs. Murphy and her twins.

Thank you all for your prayers for Mrs. Murphy and the Murphy family.

Mrs. Murphy’s surgery went fine yesterday. The babies are also fine, but the stress from the surgery did cause her to contract and dilate 1 cm. Your continued prayers are appreciated as the movers arrive tomorrow and they will be transitioning into lodging this week. Please also pray that the lymph nodes will be clear of the cancer and she will tolerate the chemotherapy and radiation therapy well. May she not have a reoccurrence of the cancer and most importantly, may those babies be carried to term and arrive healthy and strong! Pray that the health care team in Texas will be compassionate towards her and her family, and provide the care that she needs in a timely manner.

Thank you for your prayers, support and nice emails for Mrs. Murphy.

In Christ,
Sue

Prayers Needed for Mrs. Murphy

Please pray for Mrs. Murphy of Mrs. Murphy's Methods. I just received the email below from a member of our local homeschool group.

Dear fellow Catholic Homeschoolers,

One of our homeschool moms, was just diagnosed with Breast Cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma. She is 29 weeks pregnant with twins and the pregnancy is causing the cancer to grow more quickly. She will be going in for surgery this weekend and your urgent prayer is needed for a successful removal of all the cancer cells. I’d also like to request prayer for the surgical team to be guided by the Holy Spirit during the surgery. She will have radiation therapy after the babies are delivered but she does have some enlarged lymph nodes, and so the doctors are anticipating that she will also have to have chemotherapy. She may have to start the chemotherapy as early as next week, so please also pray for the health of the babies both during the surgery and during any treatment.

As some of you may already know, the Murphy family is moving to Texas next weekend with the military. A speedy recovery from the surgery is important so please pray for [Mrs. Murphy] to heal quickly and without complications.

If you would like to start the below novena for [Mrs. Murphy] and the Murphy Family, and you are able to start it today with me, it will end on Saturday, the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In addition, we are asking for the intercession of Lucille Kuchar (mother of 18) for [Mrs. Murphy] to have a miraculous healing from the cancer.

In Christ,
Sue

Novena Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
O Most Blessed Mother, heart of love, heart of mercy, ever listening, caring, consoling, hear our prayer. As your children, we implore your intercession with Jesus your Son. Receive with understanding and compassion the petitions we place before you today, especially [Mrs. Murphy] and the Murphy Family as [Mrs. Murphy] receives treatment for Breast Cancer.

We are comforted in knowing your heart is ever open to those who ask for your prayer. We trust to your gentle care and intercession, those whom we love and who are sick or lonely or hurting. Help all of us, Holy Mother, to bear our burdens in this life until we may share eternal life and peace with God forever.
Amen.

Litany of Humility

This prayer is printed on the back of our parish bulletin each week. I really appreciate having it there, as it serves as a wonderful reminder to pray the Litany of Humility. In addition, it makes me think of my grandmother. Therefore, on what would be my grandmother's 105th birthday I am sharing it here in honor of her. I am forever grateful to my granny for her loving example. I pray that she is glorifying God in Heaven with all the angels and saints.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me.

From the desire of being extolled, deliver me.

From the desire of being honored, deliver me.

From the desire of being praised, deliver me.

From the desire of being preferred, deliver me.

From the desire of being consulted, deliver me.

From the desire of being approved, deliver me.

From false humility, deliver me.

From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me.

From the fear of being despised, deliver me.

From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me.

From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me.

From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me.

From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me.

From the fear of being wronged, deliver me.

From the fear of being suspected, deliver me.

That others may be loved more than I,

That others may be esteemed more than I,

That in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I decrease,

That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
That others may become holier than I, provided that

I become as holy as I should,

O Lord, grant me the grace to desire it.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart,

make my heart like unto Thine.

Picture source: www.catholictradition.org