a beautiful message from fr. rick frechette

Those of you who stop by frequently have read of Fr. Rick Frechette, who lives, works and pours his heart into loving the people of Port au Prince, Haiti as a priest and a physician. I recently received his Christmas letter via e-mail, which I wanted to share here with all of you.

God's blessings as we wait in joyful hope,
nicole

Dear Friends

As Christmas draws near, lets thank God together for the gift already received- the gift of life that was ours throughout the past 12 months , a true year of grace-and another chance to make the life we share together on mother earth a little more human and a little more divine.

Yet, it is hard to ignore the challenges and the sufferings in the world of 2008. These sufferings have been abundant all over the world, and in Haiti, once again, these have not been few. The hurricanes, the floods, the collapse of the schools, the poverty that is quite difficult to bear. But you and I and our Haitian team have together lightened the load for many people, shown friendship and generous solidarity in good times and in bad. The signs of God present have been everywhere, and we discovered them together. We find them by offering whatever we have, humbly and generously, to each moment.

So many times over the past year, the hungry were fed, the naked were clothed, the oppressed have been set free. The homeless have found lodging. The dead have been buried tenderly, the wounded have been bound with care. We have cared for the widow and the orphan, making room for them at the table of life. Those whose disabilities give them even more challenges than any of us have had to face, have also found a way toward a better tomorrow through friendship, schooling and physical therapy under your and our wide wings.

God did not give us life just to survive, but rather to thrive. We are not here to help each other survive. We have to discern the star of hope, and chart our way into a world of fullness of life. And so together it has been important that in 2008 we have raised again the star of hope for many people, the sign of ascending light, trying to unleash in the hearts of the young strivings for a better world.

We have offered even higher levels of education, university studies and opportunities for short study abroad. We have introduced computers to the most desolate slums, in order to include the children in the most important of all literacy: connection to the whole wide world. We have helped any number of young adults start small enterprises to help them get ahead. We have introduced not only movies, but movie stars and movie making, to children whose imaginations and dreams are wild like stallions, but are held back by mud and garbage and wide social margins. We are improving our treatment of childhood cancers, and have prepared our hospital for digital xray and beyond.

The world’s economic crisis, while generating abundant tragedies at all level s of society, will hurt the poor exponentially much more than it will hurt any of us. And the worse enemy of all, a sense of cynicism and discouragement, is always waiting in the wings and represents a constant danger.

We are celebrating the feast of Christmas, God’s full offering of Self to us, whose marvelous meaning is that God finds us so valuable as to join us even in our suffering and pain. May our generosity mirror God’s generosity. May our hope in tomorrow be grounded in God’s vision of who we are and what we can become. May our hope itself be a star, brilliant enough to drive cynicism and despair into the shadows forever.

Thank you for investing in children, in the unfortunate, in tomorrow. This investment, according to the Gospel, brings its riches even to you, and touches the very heart of God.

May your generosity and good heart attract many blessings upon you and your family, from our loving God, throughout the new year of grace.

Fr Rick Frechette
Dec 19, 2008
Port au Prince

my new year begins...

Tonight at our Young Adult Christmas party at Sacred Heart I shared Sister Rose Therese's family tradition of picking a saint for the new year. Actually, as she always told me, "the saint picks you."

The day before Thanksgiving I received a letter from Sister Rose Therese in which she told me that her community chose their saints for the year on the feast of All Saints Day. And guess who had chosen her?
Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

Tonight as we all, probably 30 of us or so, went around the circle to pick our saint and read our quote and prayer intention for the year, I was so happy thinking of Sister Rose Therese and how she continues to spread so much joy through this tradition even though she is unaware of it.

When the basket came to me I said a silent prayer, reached in and unfolded the little slip of paper to find...



Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. (Beatified October 19, 2003)

"The more we are united with God, the more eager we will be to love and serve the poor with our whole heart."

Pray to serve the poor with joy.



For now I'll just say...

AMEN.

amazima ministries

Hi everyone,

I wanted to take a little study break today to write a little bit about the link I've added to the right of this page for "Amazima Ministries." I've been following this story for the past few months now, and I know I've said this before, but truly... Katie is such an amazing person. She is only 20 years old-- not much unlike our Blessed Mother who was a teenager when she gave her "fiat" to God-- and what she is doing is so beautiful, selfless, humbling and inspiring.

Katie has begun Amazima Ministries to serve poor and orphaned children in Jinga, Uganda. Here you can read of the meaning behind the name "Amazima" and of the children who have been entrusted to her care. I have just one request... if her story touches your heart, please share it with others. I'm certain that this one's meant to be shared...

Also, here is info on how to sponsor one of the children if you would like to learn more about that opportunity.

Blessings as we wait in joyful hope,
nicole

gaudete sunday

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer let your petitions be made known to God”
- Saint Paul's letter to the Philippians 4: 4 – 6

Gaudete Sunday always me think of Sister Rose Therese... not only has she always loved the color pink, but her life (and now her very name!) proclaims the joy of hope in Christ that we celebrate today on Gaudete Sunday... symbolized by the rose vestments and the rose candle of the Advent wreath. In honor of Sister Rose Therese, and her hero and now namesake Mother Teresa, I wanted to share an excerpt from Benedict XVI's Angeuls last year on Gaudete Sunday...

"... Christian joy comes from this certainty: God is near, he is with me, he is with us, in joy and in pain, in health and in sickness, as a friend and as a faithful spouse. This joy remains even through trial, in suffering itself, and it remains not superficially, but in the depth of the person who trusts in God and confides in him.

Some might ask: Is this joy still possible today? The answer is given, with their lives, by men and women of every age and social condition, who are happy to consecrate their existence to others.

Was not Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, in our day, an unforgettable witness of true evangelical joy? She lived daily in contact with poverty, human degradation, death. Her soul knew the ordeal of the dark night of faith, and yet, she gave everyone the smile of God.

We read in one of her writings: “We await Paradise with impatience, where God is, but it is in our power to be in Paradise starting here and starting now. To be happy with God means to love like him, to help others like him, to give like him, to serve like him” (La gioia di darsi agli altri [The joy of giving oneself to others], Ed. Paoline, 1987, p. 143).

Yes, joy enters the heart of whoever places himself in the service of the little ones and the poor. God takes up his dwelling in he who loves this way, and the soul is in a state of joy.

If instead one makes happiness an idol, then one loses his way and it is truly difficult to find the joy whereof Jesus speaks. Unfortunately, this is the proposition of cultures which place individual happiness in place of God, a mentality which finds its emblematic effect in the search for pleasure at any cost, in the use of drugs for escape, as a refuge in artificial paradises which then prove to be totally illusory.

Dear brothers and sisters, even at Christmas, we can lose our way, replacing the true feast with something that does not open the heart to the joy of Christ.

May the Virgin Mary help all Christians and men in search of God to arrive at Bethlehem and encounter the Baby born for us, for the salvation and happiness of all mankind.

(The full Angeuls address is available here.)

Sister Rose Therese, I know you will not likely be able to read this, but today I am thinking of you and praying for you especially, and thanking God for the gift of your friendship that since day one has drawn me closer to Christ. Rejoice and be glad my dear Sister! Your reward will be great in heaven...

"To become saints means to fulfill completely what we already are, raised to the dignity of God's adopted children in Christ Jesus... The saints bring to light in creative fashion quite new human potentialities... The saints are themselves the living spaces into which one can turn... There is no isolation in heaven. It is the open society of the saints and, consequently, also the fulfillment of all human togetherness... One might say that the saints are, so to speak, new Christian constellations, in which the richness of God's goodness is reflected. Their light, coming from God, enables us to know better the interior richness of God's great light... Nothing can bring us into close contact with the beauty of Christ himself other than the world of beauty created by faith and light that shines out from the faces of the saints, through whom his own light becomes visible."

- Pope Benedict XVI

I am proud to call her a mentor...

U.N. secretary general grants dean Woo’s request
By: Carol Elliott
Date: December 8, 2008

Carolyn Y. Woo, Martin J. Gillen Dean and Ray and Milann Siegfried Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, was a presenter at the first Global Forum for Responsible Management Education, held Dec. 4 and 5 at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

In her remarks during an address to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as part of the global forum, Woo urged attendees to refocus business education away from a too-narrow agenda of wealth-creation for owners only to a broader perspective considering the role of business in solving the pressing global issues of poverty, disease and conflict.

“In subtle but undeniable ways, through our focus and content, we have let our students walk away from the bigger picture and the big responsibilities,” Woo said. “As we go forward, let it not be our negligence that we continue to foster an attitude of disconnectedness from the common good, a disconnectedness that sows the seeds of unbridled self-interest.”

Attended by senior administrators from more than 150 academic institutions around the world, the forum provided a platform to advance the concept of corporate responsibility and sustainability in management education.

At the close of her address, Woo also requested of the secretary-general two hours of programming time to further engage business school deans on this message. Immediately after the conference, Ban sent word to the dean that her request was granted.

The forum in particular centered on the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), a U.N.-backed global initiative developed to promote corporate responsibility and sustainability in business education. Woo spearheaded an international task force of 60 deans, university presidents and official representatives of leading business schools who developed the initiative, which was launched under the patronage of Ban in July 2007.

Participating institutions, including the Mendoza College, make a commitment to align their mission and strategy, as well as their core competencies – education, research and thought leadership – with U.N. values embodied by the six PRME principles. Actions encouraged under the initiative’s framework include curriculum development around the corporate responsibility agenda and research in support of sustainable management systems, as well as public advocacy and opinion leadership to advance responsible business practices. Currently, more than 175 business schools have endorsed the initiative.

PRME is part of the U.N. Global Compact, a strategic policy initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.“PRME is an important counterpoint to the direction that business education has taken over the last 60 years,” said Woo, who added that the current analytical framework often turns human endeavors into competitive battles that glorify a winner-take-all mentality. In contrast, she described how PRME and the U.N. Global Compact re-orders priorities, shifting attention to the fundamental canons of human communities. “First, human rights takes precedence over all other interests. As such, economic enterprises must serve people and uphold these rights, not the other way around,” Woo said. “Second, as a community, by definition, we flourish and advance collectively, not individually.” This last point calls for “mutuality,” a balance between what a person or organization takes and what is given back.

Woo said the Global Compact and PRME initiatives will allow business educators to better broaden the students’ visions.

“Let us use this opportunity to inspire our students, to enable them to see how they and business can become solutions to issues as big as poverty and peace, and as routine as a safe work environment, the promotion of a worker, a pay-day with something left over for savings,” Woo said.

Other forum participants from the Mendoza College included Rev. Oliver F. Williams, C.S.C., associate professor of management and director of the Global Compact Foundation, and Viva O. Bartkus, associate professor of management. Woo chaired a session on curriculum change in addition to speaking during the concluding session.

More information about the PRME, including a listing of the principles, are available on the Web at http://www.unprme.org/.

(This story is from the University of Notre Dame News and Information webpage)

waiting in joyful hope

Advent peace to you as we wait in joyful hope...

God help us to live slowly:
To move simply:
To look softly:
To allow emptiness:
To let the heart create for us.
Amen.
--Michael Leunig

"Praying Advent" "Beginning Advent" "Desiring Patient Fidelity"

"now that i have seen..."

I just watched a video I wanted to share with all of you~ this is Brooke Fraser and her song "Albertine" about a young child (named Albertine) who she met in Rwanda in 2005.

This song speaks to my heart...




(The second video is one I made after time in Rwanda in 2003.)

Room at the Table...

I read the following story this morning, and wanted to share it, with an added thought or two of my own at the end...

At turkey time last year, Monique White was unemployed, living in a cramped motel room and pining for the Thanksgivings of her childhood, when dozens of people would gather for a holiday feast.

Today a receptionist at a dentist's office, she has a townhouse in Littleton, Colo. And, thanks to an Internet posting, a list of Thanksgiving dinner guests — strangers all — who will help her eat nine turkeys, four hams, 16 boxes of stuffing and a dozen or so pies.

How did this happen?

White, 36, was feeling a bit lonesome a week ago; her two sons were planning to spend the holiday with their father. And though her longtime partner, Doug White, would be there for her on Thanksgiving, she longed to be surrounded by many more people.

So she posted invitations on Craigslist, the Internet classifieds site. In part, one read:

"Maybe you are someone who is new in town and doesn't have anywhere to go. Maybe you are a small family that wouldn't be able to afford Thanksgiving dinner otherwise. Maybe you are just looking to change up your normal Thanksgiving tradition. ... We have room at our table this year."

She figured four folks, maybe five would answer. But then the replies poured in: People laid off from work. People with no family. People ashamed to bring their children to a Thanksgiving dinner at a soup kitchen.

"I thought: There's was no way I can judge who is worthy of sitting at my table. I have to invite them all," White says.

In all, 32 people are expected for dinner.

When White's boss heard what she was doing, he offered to pay for the food. Then a local hotel offered to provide tables and chairs. Then a professional magician said he would like to perform for the kids.

Certainly a far cry from Thanksgiving 2007, White says. "Last year it was just us two. It was horrible."

Doug White has been busy baking turkeys, putting one in the oven as soon as another comes out.

"People need to stop being so worried about me, me, me, my bills, my life," he says. "You stop worrying, and look what happens?"

(This story can be read in full here.)

A few weeks ago I had the gift of meeting a wonderful woman and new friend-- Kelly Monroe Kullberg-- founder of The Veritas Forum at Harvard and author of "Finding God Beyond Harvard." She is an amazing woman, a true friend, and a blessing to many (including me!)

The other day I visited a web site she contributes to called "The Well" and came across her answer to a question that was posed, "I understand we are called to be hospitable, and as the holidays approach, this seems to be a big deal -- cook good food, have your place looking great. I know this image of entertaining is not what we as Christians are called to, but what does hospitality look like for a grad student?

Kelly's answer really struck me:

I believe hospitality has to do with being a host — offering some kind of bread of life to hungry people. We can take the gift of hospitality with us into our classrooms and workspaces.

Hospitality is the gift of presence — greeting and welcoming colleagues each day with a smile that says, “I’m glad you’re here and that we are working together.” When some U.S. professors were leaving Mother Teresa’s home in Calcutta they asked if she had any words for them. She did. She suggested that they might smile at one another more. This begets a warmth in return, and there we have the beginnings of friendship.

You could also bring food with you or think ahead to have it delivered once in awhile to your department for conversation over lunch. You might suggest a film or book discussion during that time, or something less structured. Post a few signs on the wall. Let’s discuss, “What matters to you and why?”, with lunch provided. Or use a nearby coffee shop. At Ohio State IVCF staff often use the faculty club for conversations.

Abiding in Christ we become a branch that bears fruit for others to find shelter and food. They’ll know us by our love.

After reading this I immediately sent an e-mail to Kelly to tell her that the words she used "Hospitality has to do with being a host-- offering some kind of bread of life to a hungry people" gave me a new insight into the Eucharist. I've always heard it called the host, but never before made the profound connection with hospitality. Christ, the Perfect Host, calls us to the table where all are welcome and where He longs to offer the Bread of Life to hungry people.

"Eucharist" means Thanksgiving. Today I am thankful for the Host who invites us all to His table. He is both the Host and the Guest and whoever is around our table today is Christ in disguise. Let us cherish and ponder His presence among us...

A blessed Thanksgiving, a joyful Eucharist, to all of you~

with love,

nicole

(Images "The Lord's Supper" and "The Christ of the Breadlines" are by Fritz Eichenberg, who frequently contributed illustrations for Dorothy Day's newspaper, The Catholic Worker.")

perspective

A++++++++++++++++

This is courtesy of my awesome sister...

Spend your Christmas at Ralphie's house!!

Schedule & Activities

DECEMBER 24:

• 10am: Personal behind-the-scenes tour of A Christmas Story House & Museum
• Ride in family car (weather permitting) and receive bars of Lifebuoy Soap
• Try on original costumes from the movie
• Read through the costume “bible” that includes photos and notes from the production
• 2pm: Check into A Christmas Story House
• Large FRA-GI-LE Major Award crate delivered to the front door of the house (yours to keep – provided by A Christmas Story House). Crow bar provided to open.
• Go out to check the mail for Decoder pins delivered to mailbox (one for each guest and yours to keep - provided by A Christmas Story House)
• Climb under the sink just like Randy
• 5pm: Chinese Turkey Dinner at Pearl of the Orient
• 7pm: Back to A Christmas Story House to watch “A Christmas Story” in the house it was filmed (25th Anniversary DVD is yours to keep; popcorn and sodas provided)
• 9pm: Spend the night in A Christmas Story House sleeping in Ralphie and Randy's bedroom!

DECEMBER 25:

• 8am: Open presents in A Christmas Story House living room
• Continental breakfast basket provided by A Christmas Story House
• Presents included: 2 BB guns (behind the desk), blue bowling ball, can of Simonize, and a bunny suit, 4 Christmas Story House shirts. (provided by A Christmas Story House)
• Bring your own presents to unwrap as well
• Shoot BB guns in the back yard (provided by A Christmas Story House)
• 1pm: Check out of A Christmas Story House and return to Renaissance Hotel (Room is reserved for you)
• 5pm: Enjoy Christmas dinner at Sans Souci, an award-winning, fine-dining restaurant in the Renaissance Hotel

More here. Enjoy!

dancing

Thanks to my wonderful roommate Cheryl for sharing this with me! See what happened when a guy known as 'dancing Matt' started dancing all around the world...




(Check out his website for outtakes, comments and more!)

Haiti

Fr. Rick and emergency response teams attempting to dig children out of the collapsed school.

Some of you might remember the experience a few of us from the med school had last March spending time with Fr. Rick Frechette in Haiti.

I wrote an e-mail to Fr. Rick after the school collapsed last Friday, and he shared this reply:

hello friends

yesterday, a 5 story school shabily built in a ravine near our old hospital collapsed on a thousand children
there was a call for help on the radio for doctors and trained staff
and we went right away
in fact i just got home now

we worked like soldiers all this time
sledge hammers, torches, shovels and bare hands

we were able to rescue about 8 pretty battered kids after a lot of breaking concrete and digging
and we also pulled many dead children out of the rubble
other teams rescued a good number of children too
especially the doctors without borders and the UN soldiers
but i think there are a lot who are dead under the rubble

thousands of people lined the ravines..families of the children, neighbors
watching and crying and wailing
the sound of the wailing filled the whole valley
like a wailing nation
and there was the terrible sound of muffled screams of children
under the cement


very very sad

join us in prayer for the families
after yet another pathetic tragedy in this country



i was glad to see so many NPFS and St Luc people there to help
carrying stretchers
bringing water for the workers and the people trapped by concrete
carrying the dead
carrying the wounded
helping to dig
thanks so much for your concern

we have to move forward in hope

best regards
fr rick

He also shared his plan for moving forward. If the find the means, he would like to provide
1. A proper burial for all the children.
2. A team of psychologists for the families and neighborhood
3 Give each of the families a sum of money...about US$200 to helP them with the expenses for medical care, etc.
4. Get the living kids in a school right away. It's important to get them fast into normal routines and let them absorb the shock a little at a time in a setting that has predictable routine.
If there are no schools nearby we can try to pay transport to other schools not too far
If this doesn't work we can try to make a tent school for the rest of the year
5. Build a proper school

I also found out in case anyone would like to support his efforts that donations (addressed to him) can be sent to:

Fr. Rick Frechette
8980 SW 56th St.
Miami, FL 33165

More information about the situation and the response of St. Damian's hospital and Fr. Rcik can be found here as well.

sincerely,
nicole

more birthdays!!!

Happy 25th Birthday to my favorite sister!!! We love you Christy!!!!




(the bottom left corner is my favorite... it's Christy and her friend Angie as "a birthday girl breaking a pinata" for Halloween. Love it!)

birthdays!!

Happy Birthday to my brother Ryan!! God bless you today and always! We love you!! Happy birthday also to ND's greatest fan, Mrs. Rizzi. You both are the best and I hope you have a wonderful day today!!

the question of the day

Regardless of who we voted for, this election brought out much passion and conviction for a better and more just society. It is now my deep hope that this election year fervor for justice will be translated into our willingness to sacrifice to help bring about the world that we envision.

The election is over, but the work is just beginning. Just as each of our votes matter to building a strong democracy, so too do each of our voices, choices and actions in the days and years ahead.

What will I be willing to sacrifice to bring about the world I want to see?

This is the question I've been asking myself lately. I know the world that I hope for... what will I personally be willing to give or give up to make it possible?? (Time? Higher paying job? Comfort? Money? Popularity? The list goes on...)

I like the perspective posted today on a blog that I often read. "Our family will respect our next President and pray for him and continue to work for the evangelization of our culture. As Catholics, we’ve been around longer than any government still functioning in modern times, and we have the long view..." I too will join in this perspective, and plan to use this election and the issues that it has raised as an opportunity to examine my beliefs & principles, and most importantly my current level of commitment to them. Will you join me?

One last note before I head out to study. I was at mass last night at 9pm, and right before Communion the priest said the very scripture verse that has been on my heart for the past few weeks as I think about the election, the future, and all that lies ahead...

"And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." - Matthew 28:20

goodbye october!

October has always been one of my favorite months of the year, and this year was no different. It was a truly wonderful month filled with a lot of joy and many blessings. Here are a few photos I took along the way that I wanted to share as we get ready to welcome November which starts with a bang tomorrow with All Saints Day. I hope you all are doing well!

Abby and Ani find the perfect pumpkins during their first trip to Youngstown.

Abby turned 3! Here we are practicing with our new stethoscopes :-)

Congratulations to Matt and Lauren! Matt is one of my dearest friends from Notre Dame who has even been referred to as ND baseball's version of Rudy. Lauren and Matt are both such wonderful people, and it was a huge blessing to be at their wedding and witness their joy!!

george weigel's article in newsweek

Thank you to my sister for sending me the link to this article in Newsweek written by George Weigel (author of what many consider to be the definitive biography of JPII, Witness to Hope).

There are two passages that I want to highlight:

According to his own Web site, Obama supports the federal Freedom of Choice Act [FOCA], which would eliminate all state and federal regulation of abortion (such as informed consent and parental notification in the case of minors seeking an abortion); these regulations have demonstrably reduced the absolute number of abortions in the jurisdictions in which they are in effect. FOCA would also eliminate, by federal statute, state laws providing "conscience clause" protection for pro-life doctors who decline to provide abortions. Obama (along with the Democratic Party platform) supports federal funding for abortion, opposes the Hyde amendment (which restricts the use of taxpayer monies for abortion) and has pledged to repeal the "Mexico City policy" (initiated by Ronald Reagan and reinstated by George W. Bush, which bans federal foreign-aid funding for organizations that perform and promote abortion as a means of family planning)....

... Biden is not the only Catholic who will be seriously challenged by an Obama administration bent on reversing what its pro-choice allies regard as eight years of defeat; pro-life Catholics will face different, if equally grave, dilemmas. The bishops already find themselves defending the Catholic integrity of Catholic hospitals under pressures from state governments; those pressures, as well as pressures on doctors and other Catholic health-care professionals, will increase in an Obama administration, especially if FOCA succeeds in knocking down state conscience-clause protections for Catholic health-care providers and institutions. And should an Obama administration reintroduce large-scale federal funding of abortion, the bishops will have to confront a grave moral question they have managed to avoid for decades, thanks to the Hyde amendment: does the payment of federal taxes that go to support abortion constitute a form of moral complicity in an "intrinsic evil"? And if so, what should the conscientious Catholic citizen do?

the beatification of louis and zelie martin, the parents of saint therese

VATICAN CITY (St. Therese of Liseux Gateway) - The Venerable Louis and Zélie Martin, the parents of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus of the Holy Face, will be beatified on Mission Sunday, October 19, in the basilica dedicated to their daughter at Lisieux in France. The first parents of a saint to be beatified, they are the first spouses in the history of the Church to be proposed for sainthood as a couple and the second to be beatified together...

In recognizing Louis and Zélie as a blessed couple, the Church points to the mystery of the vocation of marriage, the way of life in which most people are called to reach the common goal of all Christians: sainthood. Engaged unreservedly in the responsibilities of daily life, Zélie and Louis became saints in the fabric of their marriage.

They epitomize the words of Pope John Paul II: “Heroism must become daily, and the daily must become heroic.” (Full article here.)


I've found some beautiful readings online about Louis and Zelie Martin that I wanted to share in honor of this great day. "A Mother's Heart", an excerpt from The Story of a Family: the Home of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, is very touching story about the death of Louis and Zelie's daughter Helene, who died before Therese was born, and the way that her death affected Zelie.

There are two readings about her father as well: the first is an excerpt from Story of a Soul by Saint Therese on her childhood memories of "her King" her "incomparable father." The reading that follows is an excerpt from the address to Celine Martin (Therese's older sister) on the day she entered into the Carmelite Cloister (where she joined Therese and two of their older sisters). Celine had delayed her entrance into the Carmel to take care of her father in his illness until his death, which the priest addresses in his words to her upon her entrance.

Lastyl, Zelie Martin died of breast cancer when Therese was 4 years old, leaving behind 5 daughters: Marie, Pauline, Leonie, Celine and Therese. The last reading I want to share is a letter to Saint Therese from her Aunt Celine, who helped to raise the Martin girls after the death of their mother. Aunt Celine writes:

What have I done, then, that God has surrounded me with such loving hearts! I did nothing but answer the last look of a mother whom I loved very much, very much. I believed I understood that look which nothing will be able to make me forget. It is engraved within my heart. Since that day, I have tried to replace her whom God had taken away from you, but, alas! Nothing can replace a Mother!…

He willed that the mother who guided your early childhood be raised to a more sublime glory and enjoy heavenly delights. Ah! it is because, little Thérèse, your parents are among those we may call saints and who merit bringing forth saints.

Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin, pray for us, especially that all families may merit the bringing forth of sainthood!

'everything to me'

Sorry it has been so long! My computer crashed, but the good news is that everything turned out just fine in the end. And now I am back online. Thanks especially to my friends at the Apple Store!!

Tonight I came across a song from Christian singer Mark Schultz that I wanted to share. The song is called "Everything to Me", and I'll just stop typing now, so you can hear his story and the song that come from it...





His story reminds me of a woman I think of and keep in my prayers often... the birth-mother of my God daughter. Though I will most likely never know this woman personally, I thank God for her choice and I pray that her heart will be consoled with deep peace in her lifetime.

Along these lines, I also came across tonight some Christmas cards that are extra beautiful because a portion of their sale goes to help support crisis pregnancy centers and other pro-life organizations.

God bless you all.
more soon...
love,
nicole

ps. I came across both the story and the cards at prolife.com.

favorite day of the year...

October 1st

~Feast Day of Saint Therese of Lisieux~

Therese recounted the following incident in a conversation with her sister Pauline. The commuion of saints was a great consolation to Saint Therese.

Sister Marie of the Eucharist wanted to light candles for a procession. She had no matches; however seeing the little lamp that was burning in front of the relics, she approached it.

Alas, it was half out; there remained only a feeble glimmer on its blackened wick. She succeeded in lighting her candle from it, and with this candle, she lighted those of the whole community.

It was, therefore, the half-extinguished little lamp which had produced all these beautiful flames... nevertheless, it would always be the little lamp which would be the first cause of all this light. How could the beauitful flames boast of having produced this fire, when they themselves were lighted with such a small spark?

It is the same with the communion of saints. Very often, without our knowing it, the graces and lights that we receive are due to a hidden soul, for God wills that the saints communicate with each other through prayer with great love, with a love much greater than that of a family, and even the most perfect family on earth.

How often have I thought that I may owe all the graces I've received to the prayers of a person who begged them from God for me, and whom I shall know only in heaven...

In heaven we shall not meet with indifferent glances, because all the elect will discover that they owe to each other the graces that merited the crown for them.