St. Monica Prayer Group

Saturday, January 1, 2011

The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year.
It is that we should have a new soul.
G. K. Chesterton

A NEW YEAR, A NEW START...

Every year seems to begin with good intentions - we make resolutions with a sincere desire to fulfill them, but often they end up going by the wayside in our busy lifestyles. Perhaps it's old habits we fall back into, we take on more than we can chew, or we don't arm ourselves with the resources to be successful and as a result give up the first time we fail - ouch!

Well, this year things are going to be different (oh, we've heard that before!). Really - we've stumbled upon some great resources that will help, some suggestions for making every day Christmas, and finding your patron saint for the year!

FIND A PATRON SAINT FOR THE YEAR
Have you ever thought about choosing a special patron saint to help you throughout the year? We saw this fabulous idea on another blog. To find your saint for the year, click here: random saint generator. All of the saints in heaven are waiting to help us, all we have to do is ask!
I got St. Jane Frances De Chantal - can't wait to find out more about her and ask her for her help!

CHRISTMAS ALL YEAR
by Charles R. Swindoll

Have you ever thought about giving something away every day of the year leading up to Christmas? These daily gifts could be called our "Christmas projects," one per day, every day till Christmas. Just think of the fun of being able to say "Merry Christmas" in July!

Here are a few suggestions:

Mend a quarrel.
Seek out a forgotten friend.
Write a long overdue love note.
Hug someone tightly and whisper, "I love you so."
Forgive an enemy.
Be gentle and patient with an angry person.
Gladden the heart of a child.
Find the time to keep a promise.
Make or bake something for someone else. Anonymously.
Release a grudge.
Listen.
Speak kindly to a stranger.
Enter into another's sorrow.
Smile.
Laugh a little.
Laugh a little more.
Take a walk with a friend.
Lessen your demands on others.
Play some beautiful music during the evening meal.
Apologize if you were wrong.
Turn off the television and talk.
Treat someone to an ice-cream cone (yogurt would be fine).
Do the dishes for the family.
Pray for someone who helped you when you hurt.
Fix breakfast on Saturday morning.
Give a soft answer even though you feel strongly.
Encourage an older person.
Point out one thing you appreciate most about someone you work with or live near.
Offer to babysit for a weary mother.

Let's make Christmas one long, extended gift of ourselves to others. Unselfishly. Without announcement. Or obligation. Or reservation. Or hypocrisy.

This is Christianity, isn't it?

When you give yourself, the gift never has to be returned.

Seeking Union with God" - http://www.catholicspiritualdirection.org/csfsignup.html offers a 12 lesson online series you complete at your own pace, in your own home! They offer options for comments and feedback if you want to share ideas with others in the course.
Catholic Spiritual Direction - http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/ - this is a fantastic site offered by several priests. Here you'll find suggestions, answers to questions, information on journaling, busy-ness, spiritual warfare, finding a director, Brother Lawrence, and much more.
Catholic Quiz of the Week - http://www.catholicquiz.com/pages/games/quiz_of_the_week.html How much do you know about the coming Sunday's readings? Have fun and learn at the same time with games, downloads you can print and more! Great for families, RCIA, faith formation, Religious Ed classes!
The Sainthood Project - http://www.sainthoodandsurrender.com/2009/05/joining-sainthood-project.html Who me, a saint? Yes, it is possible - and one young man shows you how.
The Sainthood Challenge - http://www.sainthoodandsurrender.com/2010/01/sainthood-challenge-ebook.html A practical approach to our call to holiness! Work on one concrete element a week to build habits that will help you grow in holiness.

Caprese Salad and Bruschetta - More Lenten Recipes

Bruschetta

3 Heirloom Tomatoes, chopped and seeded (cherokee purple is my favorite, but ugly is another excellent brand available in most grocery stores)

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh basil, leaves only, cut chiffonade (into thin strips)

Balsamic Vinegar - (use good quality please - in simple dishes like this, the flavor really stands out, and will make all the difference!)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil - (Cold Pressed - Italian preferably. Again, use the best quality you can afford - in general the more expensive the olive oil, the more exquisite and fruity the flavor).

Sea salt (I actually use Blessed salt often for cooking and baking, but that's totally up to you, I figure it couldn't hurt!)

Baguette - regular or multi-grain

1 whole clove garlic, peeled

Prepare Crostini:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Prepare the tomato mixture. Remove seeds from tomatoes (easiest way to do this is to gently squeeze halves or quarters of tomatoes and they will release.) Then chop into approximately 1/2" pieces. Add to bowl. Mince garlic and add. Cut basil chiffonade - stack basil leaves on top of each other, then roll them up lengthwise, and chop into thin strips. Or, you can just stack them and slice them thinly with kitchen shears. Add to bowl. Finally, add about 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, drizzle with about 1 tablespoon on olive oil and add sea salt to taste. Fold gently to combine ingredients. Sit aside and let flavors marry while you prepare crostini.

Cut baguette into 1/2 thick slices. Place slices on prepared cookie sheet. Drizzle with small amount of olive oil on each slice (or you can use a pastry brush to apply it). Bake in oven 6-8 minutes, just until toasts are slightly golden and feel firm to the touch. Remove from oven and immediately rub each slice with whole garlic clove.

Spoon heaping tablespoonfuls of the tomato mixture on top of the crostini, place on a serving platter and enjoy!

Note: If you want to make this dish a little heartier, you can make bruschetta caprese -- by simply adding a thin slice of fresh mozzarella cheese (don't confuse this with regular mozzarella - fresh is usually found in the deli section, packed in water) to the toasts before you top them with the tomato mixture - delish!

Caprese Salad

3 Heirloom tomatoes such as cherokee purple (my personal favorite), or "ugly"

8 oz. Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Balls (usually found in your deli, packed in water)

small bunch of fresh Basil Leaves

Balsamic Vinegar - again, being the stars of the show, use the best quality balsamic vinegar and olive oil you can find - it makes all the difference in the world!

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Slice Tomatoes, then slice fresh mozarella into thin slices. Slice basil chiffonade (see above recipe for tips). On small salad plates, add tomatoes, alternating with fresh mozzarella slices in between, in a circular pattern. Sprinkle fresh basil over top, add a splash of balsamic vinegar and drizzle of olive oil. Top with salt and enjoy!

LITANY TO THE SAINTS MAY 2011 - THE MONTH OF OUR LADY

FEAST OF BLESSED JOHN PAUL II, BEATIFICATION

May 1
Pray for our children, and those that love them

It is no accident that the date chosen for Pope John Paul II's Beatification coincides with Divine Mercy Sunday. He had a deep devotion to Divine Mercy, and in August 2002, he entrusted the entire world to "Divine Mercy, to the unlimited trust in God's mercy." From the very beginning of his pontificate, he spoke often in his homilies of the mercy of God. What a gift he was, and still is to us - his joy and love of Jesus was contagious. He showed us how to live and love like Jesus did; the value of suffering joined with Jesus as an opportunity for grace; and finally showed us how to face death with faith, not fear. The Church celebrates the first Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday.

St. Athanasius

May 2

Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Pray for our children, and those that love them

St. Anthanasius' life struggle was against the Arian heresy, which denied the Divinity of Christ. This champion of our faith suffered greatly for this, and in fact was exiled for 17 of his 46 years as Bishop.

St. James the Lesser

May 3
Pray for our children, and those that love them

St. James the apostle is the author of the Epistle that bears his name. His mother Mary was a sister or close relative of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and according to Jewish custom, this is why he was sometimes referred to as the brother of the Lord. St. Paul tells us he was a witness to the resurrection of Jesus, and a "pillar" of the Church. As a spiritual father, his writings were (and are) applicable to practical Christian living. He was well aware of the trials and temptations Christians outside of Palestine faced living in the midst of Paganism. Considering the culture we live in today, his writings are just as relevant, and offer valuable guidance. He was the first Bishop of Jerusalem, and though the Jews nicknamed him "James the Just", he was martyred for the faith in the year 62.

St. Matthias, Apostle

May 14
Pray for our children, and those that love them

Matthias was chosen as the replacement for Judas. Like the other apostles, Matthias was not chosen for what he was, but for what Jesus saw he could become. Mother Angelica frankly and humorously tells it like it is: “The apostles were dodos, dummies. But all the smart people in the world at the time wouldn't take chances. That is the same problem we have today. The world is looking for intellectuals and the Lord is looking for dummies. That's why I'm here.

Mother Angelica

Who is Jesus calling you to be?

St. Dymphna

Patron of those suffering nervous and mental afflictions

May 15
Pray for our children, and those that love them

St. Simon Stock

May 16
Pray for our children, and those that love them

St. Simon Stock received an apparition of Our Lady on July 16, 1251, in Cambridge, England. She appeared to him holding a brown Scapular in one hand, saying: "Receive, my beloved son, this scapular of thy Order; it is the special sign of my favor, which I have obtained for thee and for thy children of Mount Carmel. He who dies clothed with this habit shall be preserved from eternal fire. It is the badge of salvation, a shield in time of danger, and a pledge of special peace and protection." The Brown Scapular is a gift to all of us from Our Lady. To learn more about it, and how you can obtain one, see: Scapular.

St. Celestine

May 19
Pray for our children, and those that love them

St. Bernardine of Siena

May 20
Pray for our children, and those that love them

St. Bernardine was called the second Paul by Pope Pius II. He traveled on foot all across Italy, preaching about Jesus' Mercy and the love our Mother Mary has for all of her children. He had a special devotion to the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

May 25
Pray for our children, and those that love them

St. Philip Neri

May 26
Pray for our children, and those that love them

Known as the Joyful Saint

If you had to choose one saint to represent the humorous side of holiness, St. Philip Neri is the one.

St. Joan of Arc

Patroness of Soldiers and of France

May 30
Pray for our children, and those that love them

Litany to the Saints March 2011

St. Katherine Drexel

March 1

Pray for our children & those that love them

St. John Joseph of the Cross
March 5
Pray for our children & those that love them

Sts. Perpetua and Felicity
March 7
Pray for our children & those that love them

St. Frances of Rome
March 9
Pray for our children & those that love them

St. Fina
March 12
Pray for our children & those that love them

St. Matilda
March 14
Patron of large families
Pray for our children & those that love them

St. Louise de Marillac
March 15
Pray for our children & those that love them

ST. PATRICK
March 17
Patron of Ireland
Pray for our children & those that love them

ST. JOSEPH
March 19
Patron of the Universal Church, Carpenters and Fathers
Pray for our children & those that love them

St. Dismas
March 25
Pray for our children & those that love them

St. Margaret of Clitherow
March 26
Pray for our children & those that love them

St. Berthold
March 29
Pray for our children & those that love them

St. Benjamin
March 31
Pray for our children & those that love them

Litany To the Saints April 2011

APRIL 2011

THE MONTH OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST

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April 4

St. Isidore of Seville