Cottage Blessings

A day in May

A day in May begins with Twelfth Night practice.

Our director gave notes to the cast:

in the shade of a large oak:

A sword fight broke out (and, no, this was not part of the play):

We observed the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus with a small altar (can you find it?):

Here is a closer view:

And here it is again after the younger ones (the brothers and sisters of cast members) spent the day adding flowers to it!

A birthday was celebrated:

Make that two birthdays:

And a good time was had by all!

[From left to right: Maria, Feste, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek conspire against Malvolio.]

The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra la . . . .

are not nearly as beautiful as this--five years' worth of clutter accumulated in the basement and now out on the curb:

We discovered mold growing in the basement and needed to have it removed--an expensive proposition! In the process, we were able to part with so many things we had been saving for no reason. When property is water or mold-damaged, saying goodbye is easy. Now I am overjoyed whenever I think about my clean, empty basement.

[By the way, we did not actually part with the pretty wooden kitchen set in the front--fortunately, it was salvageable!]

Padre Pio's Birthday

Today is the birthday of the great Capuchin priest, St. Padre Pio. In his honor, here are a pair of spoon saints Marie made when she was six. St. Pio appears on the right, along with his spiritual father, St. Francis of Assisi, on the left:

St. Pio of Pietrelcina, pray for us!

Bouguereau on Blue and White

Last year's summer in California continues to inspire us!

One of the things we remember well, particularly in Mission Carmel, was the wide variety of blue and white tiles featuring devotional scenes.

The Holy Family:

Our Lady of Mount Carmel:

We also admired the Pieta by Adolphe-William Bouguereau, a larger-than-life painting standing floor to ceiling against a wall of the Legion of Honor Art Museum in San Francisco.

These images and memories formed the inspiration for a simple springtime project--"Blue and White Tiles for Our Lady."

We began with a wooden plaque, holy card, container of tiles, tile glue, and a gold-leafing pen.

It only took about two minutes to gild the edges.

After planning the location of the tiles, a special glue was brushed on the wooden surface and the back of each tile square.

Gluing the tiles did not take long at all.

Here you have it, a partially finished product. It is incomplete because, being a novice at tile work, I thought the mosaic glue would also act as grout. No such luck. I will need to return to the craft store some time soon--or make my own grout from a mixture of white sand and glue. (This photo was taken before the glue dried so you can still see a bit of it round the edges.)

Knowing it might take a month or more before we return to the craft store, I decided to post the project as is, because it is quite pretty already. I am thinking about turning it into a holy water font eventually or putting it on the front door.

Whether or not I ever get around to putting grout in all those cracks!

Eighty-eight years ago today

a baby boy was born in Wadowice, Poland who would grow up to change the world.

Happy Birthday, Pope John Paul II! We miss you.

Beauty lies in many eyes,

particularly those of the children of our homeschooling group.

Here are perhaps a little more than half the children who attended our annual May Crowning yesterday. By the time this group shot was taken, most of the others had already skipped off to the swings, scooters, and snack tables. As usual, blue was the color of the day.

Before the guests arrived, I stockpiled a basket full of medals, cards and books for the children.

The ribbons and medals were part of a simple craft planned for the children--beribboned medals to wear to the crowning. Browsing the craft store, I found favor ties meant for weddings and thought they would be perfect for making wearable pins, particularly because the lilies, white flowers and bells (reminding me of the Bell's of St. Mary's) are so perfect for Our Lady. When crafting for a crowd, it helps to save precious time, and favor ties meant less cutting and measuring of ribbon.

Here is one of the gorgeous little rosary books I picked up for the children--small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but featuring full color illustrations of all four mysteries (yes, even the Luminous). These books will need to wait a bit though--in the hustle and bustle of the day's events, I forgot to give them out!

The simplest, quickest Marian activity in the world, step-by-step:

The children worked on the pins as they arrived:

My girls love to add their own stamp of creativity to any idea, so here are a few samples they made in the morning:

[Cost per project: about 75 to 99 cents, except for larger medals.]

We began the Crowning with a procession led by the first communicants, followed by all the children. Our music--including Queen of the Holy Rosary, Regina Coeli, Bring Flow'rs of the Fairest, Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above and others were led by the girls from Our Lady of the Angels Choir under the direction of Miss Lynn Wilson. (I am proud to say that Agnes and Theresa are members.) We said the rosary according to the method of St. Louis de Montfort. [From the appendix of True Devotion to Mary, Montfort Publications.] I had originally hoped to fill a basket with the petitions of all our group members, but this is another of those things that was lost in the shuffle of a busy day.

As you can see, our festive Marian Lanterns made a fitting backdrop for the occasion:

The sight of first communicants in May makes my heart sing--how well I remember being among the joyful first communicants processing into the school yard of St. Mary's School many, many years ago. We too sang "Bring Flowers of the Fairest." The Catholic Faith is the stuff of beautiful memories.

The crowning moment:

And how much do you love this picture of our gorgeous first communicants with Heather's daughter Lily smiling directly at the face of Our Blessed Mother?! I have no doubt Our Lady is smiling right back!

May the grace of the mystery of the Coronation of the Blessed Mother, Queen of Heaven and Earth, come down into our hearts.

********
May Crowning trivia: Our three first communicants banner image was taken during last year's crowning.

Summer Reading

Maureen Wittman has some marvelous books to sell. Now is the perfect time to purchase For the Love of Literature and The Catholic Homeschool Companion--just in time for lounging around the pool!

Novena to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Day 9

MARY, THE DISPENSATRIX OF EUCHARISTIC GRACES

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.
Blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God!

O Virgin Immaculate, Mother most loving and admirable Model of adorers of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, thou
art also the dispensatrix of the graces necessary to fulfill that great duty! Grant us, then, we beseech thee, as the
fruit of this novena, the virtues that will render our adoration less unworthy of thy Divine Son. Teach us to honor
so well this Mystery of mysteries that we may receive here below the graces it contains, in order to enjoy in
heaven the eternal life of which it is the pledge!

Versicle, response and prayer as on the first day.

Prayers from Novena Calendar.

Novena to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Day 8

MARY, THE MODEL OF PRAYER

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.
Blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God!

O Virgin Immaculate, while the Apostles went to preach the Gospel, thou didst remain close to the tabernacle,
supplicating for them the goodness of the Savior, and thy prayer obtained for them the grace to convert the
world! Teach us to pray, above all, to pray near the tabernacle, where Jesus wills to abide continually in order to
hear our petitions. Teach us to pray for the extension of the Eucharistic kingdom, for the salvation of the whole
world, for the exaltation of the Holy Church, and most especially for the sanctification of the clergy and the
conversion of sinners.

Versicle, Response, and Prayer as on the first day.

Prayers from Novena Calendar.

"Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry"

What perfect words of advice from wonderworker, St. Pio!

To learn more about his life, please visit EWTN's Padre Pio website.

Here is remarkably clear footage of Padre Pio celebrating his last Mass along with the funeral of St. Pio.

[Warning: There are some virulent anti-Catholic comments beneath the "last Mass" video. We pray, "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do."]

Please pray for a woman from my parish named Antoinetta. She approached me after Mass today looking for advice on how to become more involved at church. Then she confided that she is experiencing deep pain over the loss of her husband Francisco five years ago. She said she can hardly stand it anymore and hopes further involvement in the parish will ease her sorrow.

Francisco is the baptismal name of St. Pio. Through the intercession of this great Capuchin, we ask consolation for Antoinetta and the repose of the soul of her husband.

St. Pio (May 25, 1887 to September 23, 1968)

[Padre Pio photo from this page at EWTN.]

Novena to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Day 7

MARY, THE MODEL OF REPARATION

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.
Blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God!

O Virgin Immaculate, thou didst adore thy Divine Son in His state of perpetual Victim, always immolated on our
altars, incessantly demanding, by His death, grace and mercy for sinners. We unite with thy dolors and thy perfect
reparation. We desire to accept our daily trials for love of Him, and with thee to console Jesus for the ingratitude
of men and the outrages He daily receives in the Blessed Sacrament.

Versicle, Response, and Prayer as on the first day.

Prayers from Novena Calendar.

Crafting for a Crowd: Marian Lanterns

In the memoir of her life, Sister Lucia of Fatima looks back upon how she and her cousins, Blessed Francisco and Jacinta liked to call the moon "Our Lady's Lantern." This is perfect imagery because the moon gets it light from the sun, or, in Our Lady's case, from the Son. In honor of this recollection--with the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima right around the corner--we shared these "Marian lanterns" with the children of our local group.

Paper lanterns are readily available at the craft or party store and come in a wide array of colors. [Ours looked something like this, but they were only $1.49 each at Michael's Craft Store. SEE UPDATE BELOW.] Holy pictures, glitter, ribbon and silk flowers were all we needed to create a festive display for our upcoming May Crowning. The pictures tell the tale:

And now, some notes from the "Live and Learn" files:

1. Laminated holy cards are difficult to glue onto round surfaces, particularly without a glue gun.

2. Big round lanterns roll, presenting something of a difficulty for very young children. They were all so excited about this craft though that they did not let this daunt them for long!

3. If you decide to change the date of your May Crowning, make sure the friends who live furthest away and have the most children hear about it before they travel hours to be there. If you do make a mistake of this magnitude, hope that the victim has a heart of gold and will forgive you immediately.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch . . . .

Over the weekend, with the assistance of a glue gun, the older girls and I made a few more beauties to decorate the family room for May:

Fatima Lantern

The holy card image shows the vision Sister Lucia had just before leaving Fatima to begin her life as a nun. She sees grace and mercy flowing from Our Lord on the cross.

We added a pretty watering can to remind us of the showers of grace available to all who seek them.

Mount Carmel Lantern

[You will note that this is a beautiful and reverent use for an old scapular we had been keeping in a drawer. We attached it so that it would still be usable in the future.]

Holy Name of Mary Lantern (work in progress)

Queen of Peace Lantern

May Our Lady shed her light into our hearts, during this month of May and always!

Warning: Although these paper lanterns are designed for use with an actual lightbulb, once decorated, this becomes a fire hazard. (Candles would not be safe for these lanterns either.)

Variations on a theme

If you will not have time to complete a project like this during May, how about saving the idea for All Saints Day on November 1st? Collect holy cards to create a range of saints' lanterns with your family or homeschooling group. These would make a festive decoration if placed outside the house for All Hallows Eve or at the center of your group's All Saints Day party. Liturgical colors, such as red for martyrs, would add to the beauty and symbolism.

If you can't find paper lanterns, there are many ways to improvise. Decorate colored bags, large paper mache or styrofoam balls, discarded Christmas ornaments or bright coffee cans.

Cost per project: $1.49 for each lantern, plus embellishments. Figure at least $2 to $3 each.

[UPDATE: We used 8 inch lanterns made by a company called Darice. I could not find them online, but managed to find these reasonably priced substitutes in a wide array of colors.]

********
Coming Soon

Some of my local friends may be wondering why I did not post last week's project: "Spiritual Ships." The story will be appearing in the first issue of the new magazine, mater et magistra (formerly Heart and Mind).

The closing statement

in this story says it all.

Novena to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Day 6

MARY, THE MODEL OF THANKSGIVING

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.
Blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God!

O Virgin Immaculate, who didst return to Jesus so perfect Thanksgiving for the institution of the Divine Eucharist
and the ineffable Gift in which the Savior exhausted His power and the treasures of His Heart, teach us to thank
thy Divine Son for this great benefit, and especially to make our thanksgiving well when we have had the
happiness of receiving Him in Holy Communion.

Versicle, Response, and Prayer as on the first day.

[Prayers from Novena Calendar.]

Novena to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Day 5

MARY, THE MODEL OF ADORERS

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.
Blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God!

O Virgin Immaculate, thou art our perfect Model in the service of the Divine Eucharist. With the most lively faith
and the most profound respect thou didst adore Jesus hidden under the sacramental veils. After thy example, we
desire to render to the Sacred Host all the honor due the Divinity and the glorified Humanity of the Son of God
made Man. We wish to maintain at all times in the holy place the modesty and recollection becoming true adorers.

Versicle, Response, and Prayer as on the first day.

[Prayers from Novena Calendar.]

Bishop Fulton Sheen on Fatima

History, politics, faith, and inspiration by the incomparable Bishop Sheen:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

With the 91st anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima coming up next week, these clips are especially significant and well worth watching with your children.

Novena to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Day 4

MARY AND THE REAL PRESENCE

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.
Blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God!

O Virgin Immaculate, who after the ascension of thy Divine Son, didst console thy exile on earth by thy Real
Presence of Jesus in the Sacrament, and didst spend before the tabernacle the greater part of thy days and even
thy nights, make us comprehend the treasure we possess on the altar. Inspire us to visit often the God of Love in
the Sacrament in which He abides to receive the homage that He deserves by so many titles, and to guide,
protect, and console us in this exile!

Versicle, Response, and Prayer as on the first day.

[Prayers from Novena Calendar.]

Novena to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Day 3

MARY AND HOLY COMMUNION

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.
Blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God!

O Virgin Immaculate, thy Communions were the most fervent, the most holy that were ever made! When thou didst
possess thy Divine Son in thy breast, thou didst love Him with a love exceeding that of any other creature soever
for his God. Teach us to make Holy Communion the center of our life, and may that life be spent in preparing us
for so great an action and in thanking God for so inappreciable a benefit!

Versicle, Response, and Prayer as on the first day.

[Prayers from Novena Calendar.]

Novena to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Day 2

MARY AND THE HOLY MASS

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.
Blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God!

O Virgin Immaculate, after having been present at the death of thy Divine Son on Calvary, where thou didst unite
thy immense sorrow to the Redeemer's sacrifice, thou didst frequently assist at the real, though mysterious,
renewal of that adorable sacrifice in the celebration of the Holy Mass. Teach us by thy example to esteem as it
deserves the divine action performed at the altar, and obtain for us the grace to be able often, and even daily, to assist piously at the Holy Sacrifice.

Versicle, Response, and Prayer as on the first day.

HT: Novena Calendar

[For novena reminders sent directly to your inbox: Loreto Cottage.]

Novena to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament

Over at Loreto Cottage, we are beginning the Novena to Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament in advance of her feast. In case you would like to join us, I will be posting the prayers here this week. Please pray for me, and I will be sure to pray for all of you!

FIRST DAY

THE TITLE OF OUR LADY OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT

O Sacrament Most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.
Blessed be the holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God!

O Virgin Immaculate, Mother of Jesus and our tender Mother, we invoke thee under the title of Our Lady of the
Most Blessed Sacrament, because thou art the Mother of the Savior who lives in the Eucharist, and because it
was from thee that He took the Flesh and Blood with which He there feeds us! We invoke thee under that title
because, again, thou art the sovereign dispensatrix of all graces and, consequently, of those contained in the
august Eucharist, also, because thou didst first fulfill the duties of the Eucharistic life, teaching us by thy example
how to assist properly at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, how to communicate worthily, and how to visit frequently
and piously the Most Blessed Sacrament.

V. Pray for us, O Virgin Immaculate, Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament. R. That the Eucharistic Kingdom of
Jesus Christ may come among us!

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus Christ, our King and our God, who having become Man to make us sharers in Thy Divinity, art truly
our Bread in the adorable Eucharist, grant, we beseech Thee, that in venerating so great a Mystery, we may be
mindful of the most sweet Virgin Mary, of whom Thou didst will to be conceived by the operation of the Holy Ghost!
Grant, also that we may imitate the worship that she rendered while on earth to this most august Sacrament, so
we may behold Thy Eucharistic Kingdom spread and flourish throughout the whole world! O Thou who livest and
reignest forever and ever! Amen.

PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT

O Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the glory of Christians, the joy of the universal Church,
and the hope of the world, pray for us. Kindle in all the faithful a lively devotion to the most Holy Eucharist, so that
they may be worthy to receive Holy Communion every day. Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.
Let us with Mary Immaculate adore, thank, supplicate, and console the most sacred and beloved Eucharistic Heart
of Jesus.

Prayers from Novena Calendar.

Our Loreto Cottage special intention during this novena is for Diane L and her family.

Beauty

I love Archbishop Fulton Sheen and was interested to find this beautiful 1941 Easter Sunday Mass narrated by then-Monsignor Sheen.

Mother and Teacher

The wonderful Margot Davidson of Hillside Education is bringing back the popular magazine, Heart and Mind, under the new title "mater et magistra" or "Mother and Teacher." Mater et magistra will retain the beauty and valuable information of Heart and Mind magazine, but with a good deal more.

Thank you, Margot! I can't wait to subscribe! [And it is a huge honor to be a contributor!]

A tea tin of flowers . . .

in the Cottage Garden.

Our Lady, Queen of the May, pray for us!

St. Joseph, pray for us!