A little less than 2 days and counting...

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I love to read!!!  And, I remember when I started my love affair with books.  I was in the fourth grade and Mrs. Hanley would read us a chapter from a book at the end of the day if we were all behaving well that day.  The first book that she read to us was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  I loved that book!!!  The characters came alive as did the factory and that was the best part because it was all about candy.  And what kid does not love candy?  I remember sitting on the end of my chair as she was reading the ending to the book.  It was tremendous!  The next book that she read to us was  Island of the Blue Dolphins.  And I absolutely loved, loved, loved that book!  I was hooked and that was the beginning of my love affair with books that has just never ended for me.  

My mom also loved to read and would take all 5 of us girls to the library about every two weeks.  I would pour over the books on the shelves looking for just the right title. Then open it to read the first page.  If it kept my interest, it was coming home with me.  I remember just loving this book called Harriet the Spy.  Harriet constantly carried around a black pebbled composition book so that she could write down everything that she saw as well as her thoughts as soon as they came to mind.  I can not for the life of me remember what it was book about, but I do remember her carrying around that composition book and writing everything down.  I also remember being fascinated with Harriet and her horn-rimmed glasses and just loving the story.  She wrote  very well and told the story just as it needed to be told.  And that is what I will try do -  I will try to document all aspects of  our trip, hopefully,  just the way that our Lord is wanting me to do!  


I will be posting as much as I possibly can.  Hopefully, every day.  It depends on our time and my ability to hook up to the Internet wherever I am.  If you would like to be reminded when an entry is posted, please place your email in the right margin of the blog and an entry will be sent to you automatically.  I am also going to be putting scrapbooks of photos and slide shows into the margin once I figure out how to put the widget in place and then load the pictures.  This blog has truly been a journey for me as well!  

We are almost ready to go!  This past week we met at Sacred Heart Cathedral to pray a Holy Hour for our mission.  We were very blessed to have several friends join us in prayer for that hour. Lisa placed the image of of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a statue of Our Blessed Mother, and a small lit candle on a small table in front of where we were praying.   It was a precious time of prayer and fellowship.  God is so good!  All the time!

Before we leave Knoxville,  I wanted to say on behalf of Father William, Lisa, Judi, Theresa and myself  that we thank each and every one of you for following our journey through this blog as well as in prayer and spiritually binding yourselves with us in it.  

Please continue to remember us and this mission in your prayers.  Please pray that the mission will be all that God would like it to be.  That the work will be All His...And, we will be praying for you in thanksgiving for you and also for all of your intentions.   

May God bless each and every one of you.  

Here is our itinerary for your perusal:

KENYA PILGRIMAGE

Monday, September 17

Leave Knoxville – Arrive at the airport by 10am

Tuesday, September 18

Arrive Nairobi – 9pm

Wednesday, September 19

Nakumat/Meeting with local committee/Visit the Shrine

Thursday, September 20

Mission of the Sacred Heart begins

Set-up and organization following breakfast

Registration begins at 4pm

Friday, September 21

Mission                                                     

Saturday, September 22

Mission

Sunday, September 23

Enthronement Ceremony – Shrine of the Apostles of Jesus

         Community Enthronements in late afternoon

Monday, September 24

Visit sites in Nairobi

Holy Family Basilica, Resurrection Gardens, Masai Market

Java Nairobi House

8pm take Theresa to airport

Tuesday, September 25

Van to Nakuru National Park

Overnight in Nakuru

Wednesday, September 26

         Morning Safari

         Van to Nyang’oma

Thursday, September 27

         Breakfast

         Retreat at Holy Cross Parish

Friday, September 28

Tour Nyang’oma – various schools/medical center, etc…

Saturday, September 29

Grand Opening of Laura’s Place in Orengo

Sunday, September 30

Mass of Celebration of Fr. William’s home parish in Orengo

Monday, October 1

Travel from Nyang’oma to Kisumu early afternoon

6:35pm departure to Nairobi         (arrival 7:20pm)

11:15pm departure from Nairobi to US

Tuesday, October 2

         4:30pm Arrival in Knoxville

Thank you God for this opportunity to serve you and others…

Your Kingdom Come…

On the road to Emmaus...

“Sacred Heart of Jesus…I Trust in You”

Home is Where Jesus Is

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The original title for this entry was:  "Home is where the heart is".  But then I realized that when I am at daily morning Mass and when I am receiving Communion that I am always telling Jesus that He is my heart.  I have no idea where this is coming from-I just know that it is.  I realized, while writing the title for this entry that my Home is truly wherever Jesus is.

I love the sacraments of our Church.  Communion first and then Confession.  I usually try to go as often as I can to Confession.  This past month, however, I was not able to go for about three and a half weeks.  And that is a long interval between confessions for me.  When I think about the Sacrament of Confession and how I am absolved of all of my sins - I am just so grateful for it.

When I first truly began reading scripture, I understood how important it was in my relationship with Jesus to know my sins, be sorry for them, confess them and then pray a penance for them.  John the Baptist states it so clearly:

Matthew 3:2 "Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!"

Matthew 3:3 "...Prepare the Way of the Lord, make straight his paths."

When the Pharisees and Sadducees came to observe John at his work, John called out to them:  "You brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce good fruit worthy of repentance..."  Matthew 3:8

I know that the sins that I commit create obstacles in my relationship with Jesus; I see them as roadblocks that prevent me from living in full relationship with our Lord.  Going to confession is not easy for me and it never has been.  Even when I usually go every two weeks.  I mean, how much can one person sin in two weeks?  I am always surprised when I sit and do my examination of conscience in preparation for confession.  And that is the most difficult part for me.  It is not so much telling the priest all of my sins that I committed (that is difficult too, but not as difficult as one would think), it is realizing the number of sins that I commit and how horrible it is to really see myself as I am.  I am really not that holy person I envision as me walking around.  I know and strongly feel Jesus' unconditional love for me as the sins that I commit do not make Him love me any less.  Acknowledgement of them, contrition for them and absolution of them allows me to be as close to Jesus as I can possibly be.  My heart is more open, clean, and receptive to Him.  And that is why I love to go to confession.

Last week I cleaned out our mud room and laundry room.  Both were a complete mess.  Every time I walked in the house by way of our garage I would have to pass the rooms.  And, every time I walked by them I would feel disgusted, overwhelmed and guilty.  Last week I spent a few hours and cleaned both rooms from top to bottom until they sparkled.  I would almost go out of my way in our home just to look at them to see how clean and organized they were.  A week has gone by and I am noticing how often I need to re-straighten them or wipe down the counter tops just to keep them clean.  It takes time and work to keep them clean and straight.  It turns out that it was not a one-time deal.  However, with it being so cleaned and organized in the first place, it is certainly easier to keep it that way.

It occurred to me that cleaning out the laundry room and mud room is a lot like me going to confession to clean-up my heart and soul.  As I stated earlier, Jesus is always in my heart and I tell Him so each time I receive communion.  How horrible it must be for Him to be inside of me with all of that dirt and baggage that needs to be cleaned up.  After confession, I think about how wonderful it must be for Him to be in a place that is finally tidied-up and clean.  And, like the continual straightening up of the rooms in my home, regular confession is just like that - noticing what needs to be straightened or cleaned and doing it on a regular basis.

How does this all fit-in with our pilgrimage to Africa?  I have mentioned on more than one occasion how difficult it is for me to leave my home and my family - my comforts - my regular quiet life.  What I have not mentioned but have learned through this whole blogging process is that my home and my comfort is found in Jesus.  When I am in Africa surrounded by the amazing people that I am traveling with, the amazing people that we will be meeting, working with and praying with, I will know that I will be just as home with them as I am anywhere else because I will be with Jesus.  I will miss still my home and family a great deal but I know that I will still feel at home away from them because I will have Jesus in my clean and straightened-up heart.  He is always there.

We have often heard it said: "Home is where the Heart is..." and together, wherever we find ourselves, be it Kenya, or Tennessee, or at school, at work, or in the car...we can say:  "Jesus I am home and at peace!"

"Turn away your face from my sins;

blot out all my guilt.

A clean heart create for me, God:

renew in me a steadfast spirit."

Psalm 51: 11-12

Living the Day-to-Day with Jesus

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Everyone has their own way of living their day-to-day with Jesus.  Even if they do not know Jesus, even if they don't talk to Him or even think about Him, they are still living that day-to-day with Jesus.  Our personal relationship with Jesus is just that - personal - and I strongly feel that it is none of my business how that is for anyone else other than for me.

We enthroned our home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in late April eight years ago.  My mom, Eleanor, aka El, who lives in New York, was present for our family's Enthronement Ceremony as she was visiting us because it was the same weekend that our son, Ray, was receiving his First Holy Communion.  An essential part of enthroning your family and home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is to have an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus that is placed or hanging in a prominent place in your home.  Our image is displayed on a small table in our kitchen which is truly the heart of our home.  As soon as you walk in the kitchen, it is the first thing that you see.

I have been thinking about our Enthronement to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and how it has truly impacted our family each and every day.  Most of the time, I know that it is in subtle, invisible ways.  We love being together and spending time with each other.  We laugh and talk and enjoy each others company.  Jesus is quietly ever-present in that family time.  

And, it can also be seen in an outward way with regard to praying with my kids.  I think that it was during our preparation for our Enthronement that I started praying the Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus prayer with my two children in the car as I was taking them to school.  We continued to pray that prayer every morning together for the next 5-6 years and still do when we are occasionally in the car together in the morning.  When Kristin was old enough to drive, she and Ray would drive to the high school together and they prayed the prayer in the car together without me being there!  Ray, who is now 16, and soon to be 17 (September 5th), drives to school in his jeep.  He and I are running out of the house around the same time (he to school and I to mass) and when he runs in to say good bye to me in the morning I say to him:  "Have a great day!  Listen, learn and work hard!  Pray the prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the car! And I LOVE YOU!"  And he always says: "OK Mom..."  And he does pray!  I know that because I receive confirmation of it when we are together in the car on an occasional weekend morning. When I ask him to pray with me, he prays the consecration prayer beautifully, completely and with familiarity.  And I am reassured that God has blessed me with these two amazing, wonderful, prayerful kids!  That are growing up way too fast! And that the Enthronement has been a grace and blessing for each of us separately and together as a family.

On the Saturday after we return from Africa, on October 6th, I will be making my first private, annual vows (promises) as a Lay Missionary of Charity.  This is a description of what a Lay Missionary of Charity is (This is copied from the LMC website.  The link is provided below):

THE SPIRIT of the Lay Missionaries of Charity is one of total abandonment to God's holy will, child-like trust in His Fatherly care and readiness for service in profound humility after the example of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  THE AIM of the Lay Missionaries of Charity is to quench the infinite thirst of Jesus on the Cross for the love of souls, by means of the annual profession of the four private vows according to the Statutes. THE SPECIAL MISSION of the LMCs is to work for the salvation and the sanctification of the members of their own families and of the poorest of the poor of the whole world: 

-with their constant effort to transform their own families into true sanctuaries of love by means of family prayer, dialogue, sharing and service;
-doing ordinary little things with extraordinary love, for the greater glory of God;
-living a life of prayer, penance and service, marked by simplicity, humility, and the practice of the Gospel teachings; loving and adoring Jesus under the species of Bread and Wine;
-with their consecrated presence in the heart of the world;
-loving and serving Jesus hidden under the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor;
-giving material help according to their own means and spiritual comfort to all those who are in need;
-sharing, as far as possible, the work and the life of the Missionaries of Charity;
-accepting with JOY their own sufferings and offering them to the Lord in total surrender, loving trust and cheerfulness.

I know that in my life that God has abundantly blessed me in this apostolate (work) and charism.  It was not by my choice - it was God's choice.  He invited me and I said yes.  It is not always easy - sometimes I am asked to stretch myself more than I am willing to give - I often see my inadequacies; my weaknesses and I can not begin to express how difficult and humiliating that can be- but it is also a life that is extremely fulfilling and very joy-filled.  It is one of much Love - Love given and Love received.  A beautiful gift.

Enthroning our family to the Sacred Heart of Jesus goes hand-in-hand with my apostolate as a Lay Missionary of Charity.  The two are interwoven in a very special and purposeful manner - both are meant to build up the family in a life lived in, with, and centered around Jesus.  Sometimes I am amazed and somewhat surprised as how God works in my life.  I see it as a puzzle where each piece is necessary and put together in a certain way.  

If you would like to read more about the LMC's, you may find them here:  http://www.laymc.com

Welcome the presence of the Heart of Christ, entrusting your home to Him. Before the open heart of Jesus, seek to draw from him the true love that our families need to build up a civilization of love." John Paul the Great

Dancing with God

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I attended the Academy of St. Joseph's in Brentwood, NY, for high school.  It was an all-girls catholic high school that my mom and her two sisters attended when they went to high school.  I have nothing but wonderful memories of my classes, my friends, the Sisters of St. Joseph that taught at the school, as well as the school itself.  One of the lovely affairs that the school sponsored each spring was the father-daughter dance.

My dad was the best.  I have no other way to describe him because that is what he was:  he was the best.  He was quiet, but funny.  He had a great laugh and enjoyed being social.  He was very humble and exceptionally patient. He was very kind and considerate to all he met.  He loved jazz and playing his trumpet. He was an excellent listener.  He enjoyed his family:  his wife and his 5 daughters. He loved to spend time with all of us.  He had a passion for sailing and wooden sail boats.  He built a few and he bought a few and we spent many days puttering or sailing around Setauket or Port Jefferson while eating sandwiches from the deli, drinking yoohoo, and eating goldfish crackers for a snack.  He was an excellent speed skater (ice skater)  and it was so much fun as a young girl having him whisk you in and around people at the rink - quickly, I might add.  It was like flying on ice.  He was very graceful when he danced.  And, I was not.  And I discovered that pretty quickly at the father-daughter dance that I attended with my dad my freshman year.  I stepped all over dad's feet and he kept explaining to me that I had to just relax and let him lead.  Interestingly enough, my dancing never improved and each year dad would try to teach me how to just relax and let him lead.  Even on my wedding day, during the bride's dance with her father, I remember my dad kind of laughing quietly with me because I still was not able to let him lead without me stepping all over his feet.  Hurt toes aside, it was a precious and lovely dance and a memory that I will always hold close to my heart.

It is all about not being in control.

Abandoning oneself to God is to me very much like dancing with Him.  He invites me to dance, I agree and step up close to Him.  I place my hand in His and I wait for Him to direct me - to lead me - and I try to move according to His desires - His direction.  I try to relax and let Him lead. And I hope and I pray that I do not step on His toes...

The first time a group of us met at Lisa's home - we watched a taped interview of Father William Petrie, a priest from the order of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, by Father Mitch Pacwa, a Jesuit priest that hosts a show on EWTN.  Both Father Mitch and Father Petrie were present at the first World Congress of the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus that was held last October in Parlay, France.  Lisa and Theresa were both present at the World Congress and they had met both priests.

 Yesterday I sat and re-watched the entire interview.  Father Petrie fascinated me from the moment the interview began.  He talked about his call to become a priest that happened when he was 16 years old.  He was a student at a Roman Catholic preparatory high school located in Phoenix, Arizona (Shelly Letendre, the Director of the Contemporary Choir at Sacred Heart Cathedral, joined us that day to watch the taped show was astounded to hear that Father Petrie attended the same high school that she attended!).  Father Petrie said that before school began as a junior in high school,  he attended a day retreat where he went to the Chapel for conference and his homeroom for spiritual reading.  The Jesuit priest in Fr. Petrie's homeroom chose the book: Damien, the Leper by John Farrow.  The retreat ended before he could finish the book so he went to the school library to find it.  He could not find it, but he found The Heart of Father Damien which was written by a priest in the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (his own present congregation).  After he read the book, he said that he was "hit by the Holy Spirit" and he just knew that he was going to be a priest like Father Damien and that he would also work with leprosy patients.  Father Petrie said that 16 years later, both came to fruition.  When he was ready to begin his work, he heard of a little-known sister at the time, that worked with leprosy patients in India.  Her name was Mother Teresa.  Father Petrie's parishioners raised enough money for his round-trip ticket to Calcutta and then Father wrote to Mother to tell her that he would like to come and work with her.  He included in his letter his flight information as well as when he would be arriving in Calcutta.  The ticket for the trip was $800 and the amount raised was $1,000, so Father sent the remaining $200 in another letter to Mother.  He never received a reply back from Mother Teresa regarding either letter.

Father left the United States as planned and when he arrived in Calcutta, there was no one there to meet  him. He waited at the airport until the security guards told him he had to leave because the airport was closing.  Someone recommended a lodge in the middle of the city, so he went there, stayed the night and called the convent the next morning.  When he called he asked for Mother Teresa.  The voice on the other end of the line said: "This is Mother Teresa".  He told her about the letters and she said that she had never received them and then said: "Come right over".  That was the beginning of a beautiful relationship for Father Petrie with Mother Teresa that would span the next 20 years, traveling with her and serving the poorest of the poor with her.

When I heard that story, it was very touching to me how much Father Petrie trusted in God and he was very obedient to his interior inspirations.  First for his call to the priesthood and then to work with leprosy patients.  And, I knew that if it were me, I would not have gotten on that plane unless I was sure that someone there was expecting me.  But, I think that what Father Petrie did was exactly what God wanted Him to do.  To trust Him to so much that he completely abandoned himself to God in everything that was asked of him.

Close to the end of the interview, before Father Petrie answered questions, he spoke about Mother Teresa.  He stated that all - Christians and non-Christians - were drawn to her because of the "Sacred Presence" that she had within her.  When Mother went to a place to do her work, she went in with no plan; no preconceived idea of what work to do.  She would just go and share in the sufferings of others and she then she would let God do the work.

Later in the program, one lady asked Father Petrie about Mother Teresa's work.  Did she really do anything?  Or did she just let God do it for her?  Father instantly responded that once Mother Teresa received approval or was given the go-ahead to begin her work that she went about working very hard, bringing sisters in, finding a house, etc.  It was the dance that I was referring to.  God asked Mother to dance, she took His hand, and began His work among the people.  Beautiful.

We are only a little more than three weeks away from our pilgrimage.  All of us are working, preparing for whatever God would like us to do.  Sometimes I feel a wave of panic come over me - are we prepared?  Will we be able to do what we are setting out to do?

Then, I remember that it is not us that are in charge - it is God.  We need to abandon everything to Him.  We will not be passive participants - but active.  I pray that we will see what God would like us to do - to discern His will.

 Then may we, like Father Petrie and Mother Teresa, step forward, put our hand gently in His hand and begin His work and Dance!

"As soon as the bearers of the ark of the Lord had advanced six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.  Then David, girt with a linen apron, came dancing before the Lord with abandon, as he and all the Israelites were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn.   As the ark of the Lord was entering the city of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked down through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord..." 2 Samuel 13-16

Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pray for us...Rosa Mystica, Pray for us...

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Rosa Mystica, Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Grace, in honor of your Divine Son, we prostrate ourselves at thy feet to implore God's mercy.  We beg for help and grace, not relying on any merit of ours, but on the kindness of thy motherly heart, and confident that thou will grant our urgent requests.

Hail Mary...

Rosa Mystica, Mother of Jesus, Queen of the Holy Rosary and Mother of the Church, of the Mystical Body of Christ, we implore the gifts of unity and peace for the anxious world, and those graces so able to convert the souls of thy erring children.

Hail Mary...

Rosa Mystica, Queen of the Apostles, pray that many men and women may hear Christ's call to priestly and religious vocations, and help them spread the Kingdom of Jesus throughout the world by the holiness of their lives and their burning zeal for the salvation of souls. Pour out thy heavenly grace upon us!

Hail Mary...

Maria Rosa Mystica, Mystical Rose, Immaculate Conception.  Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, Mother of Grace, Mother of the Mystical Body, Mother of the Church, thou camest down on earth to call upon us children of this earth to love each other, to unite and live in peace.  Thy request of us the practice of charity, prayer and penance.  We thank God with all our hearts that He has given thee to us as our Mother and Mediatrix in all our needs.  Mary, full of grace, please help us, we beseech thee and grant our special intention:

-Let the Mission of the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus be all that our Lord desires it to be...

-Let the Enthronement Mission be well attended...

-Please let the Enthronement Mission be fruitful in the lives of those that participate...

-Please bless and guide Father Richard and the Enthronement Mission Team in Nairobi...

- Please help us in our words, deeds and work to reflect You and be all that You would like us to be to others...

Mary,  please gather all your sons and daughters,  the missionaries and those they will be forming in devotion to Jesus's Sacred Heart ... those who in turn will be forming them in a broadened embrace of our Catholic Church, this holy communion of God's family.   May each one respond wholeheartedly to the particular invitation to grow in holiness of life,  as your Son is calling them.  

Thou has promised us thy motherly protection, full of graces: "I am always very close to thee with My motherly love".  Rosa Mystica, Immaculata, Mater Dolorosa, please show us that thou art our Mother, Bride of the Holy Spirit and Queen of Heaven and Earth.  Amen.

We give all of ourselves to you Lord….
Please take our minds and fill them with your thoughts…
Please take our ears and help us to hear what you want us to hear and listen like you…
Please take our eyes and help us to see what you want us to see and look the way you want us to look to all those we meet…
Please take our mouths and help us to speak only what you want us to speak…
Please take our hearts and love with a Heart like Yours…
We ask all this Lord for each and everyone one who reads this whether they will be going to Kenya or serving you from their home, workplace, school etc…

Jesus - the most important and only required ingredient needed in any Mission

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My very favorite part of the day is when my family sits down to dinner together.  Around the table something very precious happens.  We say grace, then we talk, we laugh, we eat, and we enjoy each other's company.  It is a cherished time that we experience as a family-and it happens every night at dinner.

I enjoy cooking so I do not mind preparing a delicious meal for my family almost every night.  One of our all-time favorite meals is roast chicken.  I love most of the recipes from Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa, and she has a wonderful recipe for roast chicken called:  "Perfect Roast Chicken".  In her recipe you cut up various root veggies like onions, carrots, celery and fennel, mix them together and put them in the bottom of a roasting pan. You sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the veggies and pour a little extra virgin olive oil over them.  Then you take your chicken, wash it and dry it well with paper towels.  You season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper and add a quartered lemon, a whole head of garlic cut in half and some fresh thyme as well.  You place the chicken on the cut-up vegetables in the roasting pan.  Then you melt some butter in a pan on the stove and when melted, generously brush the butter all over the chicken.  Sprinkle a little kosher salt over the chicken and place it in a pre-heated 425 degree (F) oven for an hour give or take depending on the size of the bird.  When cooked correctly, this chicken has tons of flavor, the skin is crispy and beautifully brown in color and the meat is white and juicy.  I usually serve it with a rich and flavor-filled homemade gravy made from the pan drippings along with a vegetable like spinach or steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes.

I have made this recipe countless times and most of the time it is cooked to perfection.  Sometimes, however, I am rushed for time so I will not include all of the ingredients or sometimes I will just forget an ingredient.  Sometimes I miss a step in the preparation and that changes the whole flavor of the chicken.  However, most of the time when I make it, it turns out just lovely and it makes our family time at the table that much more special.

When Lisa, Theresa, Judi, Father William and I met this past week, I could not help but notice that preparing and cooking a meal for my family is much like preparing this mission of the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for those in Nairobi.

This mission also has certain "ingredients" that are important parts of the mission (the Enthronement certificates and the image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus) but we also have "ingredients" that in and of themselves are not required but will supplement and enhance the mission.  We are in the process of gathering all of the "ingredients".  Here are a few snaps of them:

Sacred Heart of Jesus images that will be used in the Enthronements

Please note the red fabric which will be draped on an easel that will hold an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Mary's Way of the Cross meditation that will be used for the Stations of the Cross

Stations of the Cross

Rosary Ring (1000 were donated and will be given to those that attend)

Medals of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on one side and the Immaculate Heart of Mary on the other side
(Many donated by an individual)

Enthronement Certificates
(Printing of the Certificates was donated)

Enthronement Packets, Sacred Hear of Jesus bookmarks, Outline for the mission,  and Image of the Rosa Mystica

We have been very blessed to have some of these materials donated by various businesses, individuals, couples, a guild and a church organization.  Sister Dorothy, an Evangelizing Sister of Mary, translated the Enthronement pamphlet that we will be using for the mission into Swahili for those that do not speak or read English.  We are very grateful for all of the generous and varied gifts and donations.

Each item that we are taking are very much like each ingredient in a recipe.  The success of the mission is not dependent on the materials, but they certainly add to its' being as fulfilling as it can be.  Lisa stated that she heard in a recent homily:  "... When one goes on a Mission, they think that they need to take many things, Bibles and such...but what is needed most is to bring them Jesus!"

All the materials or "ingredients" that, when put together, will help make the Enthronement Mission more spiritually-rich and flavor-filled for those that attend...but, more important than all the materials is Jesus.

Thank you for your continued prayers, support and encouragement for this Mission.  Together we will bring Jesus to all that we meet, whether we are in Africa, or in our neighborhood, or our home, or wherever God has placed you!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, filled with Infinite Love, pray for us...

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us...

Pray, Hope and Don't Worry...

We are expecting, hopefully, around 1500 people to attend the mission on the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  One of the concerns that has come-up with regard to the number of those attending is how will we feed and house these people.  Some may be traveling some distance from their homes and will not be able to return home in the evening after the mission ends for that day.  This concern began to weigh heavily on my heart.  Lisa and I spoke about it and we decided to pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament together for this particular intention.

This past Friday morning, August 3rd, the Gospel reading at mass was from the Gospel of  Matthew, Chapter 13.  In this Gospel passage, Jesus is in the village where he grew up.  When he taught in the Synagogue, the people were amazed at his teaching and were perplexed because they knew Him only as the carpenter's son as well as Mary's son.  They did not welcome Him, they took offense at Him.  The passage concludes:  "...A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.  And He did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith." Matt 13: 57-58

Have you ever heard a homily and thought that the priest was speaking directly to you?

Well, that is what happened to me at this mass.  Father Randy spoke of Jesus' life and ministry.  He said that when Jesus performed miracles, it was usually for those that had faith in Him.  Father Randy gave the another example of Jesus performing a miracle for a person that had great faith in Him.  It is from the Gospel of  Matthew.  A woman that was bleeding for 12 years yearned just to touch the cloak of Jesus so that she could be healed.    When she touched the cloak and was healed, Jesus turned to her and said:  "...Take heart daughter; your faith has made you well."  Matt 9: 22

After mass, I sat and reflected on Father Randy's words and received great comfort from them.  Lisa and I had already decided to pray.  St. Padre Pio, one of my favorite saints was known for saying: "Pray, hope and don't worry."

Mother Teresa was a soul of prayer and had great trust in our Lord.  This is a quote taken from her that can be found in Mother Teresa, Essential Writings:

We depend solely on Divine Providence.  Christ has said that we are more important in his eyes then than the flowers, the grass, and the birds.  He is concerned for those we help.  

We care for thousands of people in India and elsewhere, and up to now we have always had something to give.  We have never been forced to dismiss anyone because of lack of space or food.  God has always been present with his love and concern." -HJ, 124



This past Sunday, August 5th, the first reading was from the book of Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15,
and the Gospel of John 6:24-35. Both readings were about being fed and nourished both physically and spiritually from God.  In the reading from Exodus, the people were fed on quail in the evening and bread in the morning.  They were fed and their physical need for food was met.  

In the Gospel, the people search for Jesus for nourishment.  Jesus tells them that they should not "...work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life which the son of man will give you.  For on him the Father, God, has set his seal."  The people want to accomplish this work and so they ask Jesus how this is to be done.  Jesus responds:  "...This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent."   The people then asked him for a sign so that they may see and believe.  The people then refer to their ancestors that were fed by God in the desert.  And, Jesus says:  "Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."  The people are hungry for this bread and desire it greatly and they ask Jesus to: "...give us this bread always."  And, Jesus responds: "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst." 

Both spiritual and material food are from God.  We will need to pray and to pray with faith.  And we will trust.  We will focus on the work for the mission, the spiritual work, and God will fill our needs - and it will be all from Him - physically, and, more importantly, spiritually.

It would be an enormous gift for those that feel called to  please join us in praying for this intention. 

Efficacious Novena To The Sacred Heart Of Jesus (This novena prayer was recited every day by Padre Pio for all those who asked his prayers)

I. O my Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, ask and it will be given you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.’ Behold, I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of... Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be to the Father... Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. II. O my Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, He will give it to you.’ Behold, in Your name, I ask the Father for the grace of... Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be to the Father... Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. III. O my Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.’ Encouraged by Your infallible words, I now ask for the grace of... Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be to the Father... Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us poor sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of You, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate heart of Mary, Your tender mother and ours. Hail, Holy Queen... St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us Most Holy, Most Bountiful, Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us... Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us... And, we will LET THE WORK BE His                                                          and God will provide.