The Holy Name of Mary

When we call upon the name of Mary, we’re not only invoking her aid as an intercessor to Christ, but as a conduit or dispenser of grace. When Mary assented to God’s plan of salvation, by saying “yes” at the moment of the Incarnation, she intervened on behalf of every human person. St. Thomas Aquinas notes that Mary’s acceptance by her free will to become the Mother of God at the moment of the Annunciation demonstrates the close spiritual connection between Christ and all of humanity. Only after Mary’s “yes” did Jesus Christ become a man and die for our sins. Therefore, far from feeling like devotion to Mary and her Holy Name pushes us further from God, we can continue to meditate and to examine how she binds us to Him all the more closely. thecrescat

PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN MARTYRS

http://www.persecution.org/category/countries/asia/pakistan/
Two suicide bombers connected to Pakistan's Taliban attacked one of the oldest churches in Pakistan's KPK provinece on Sunday, September 22. As a result of the attack, 85 Christians were killed and over 150 were wounded. This recent attack has many people in the mainstream media asking 'who are Pakistan's Christians?'
Do you know what these Christians were doing right before they were ruthlessly attacked and murdered? Feeding the poor - muslims.

Keep Close to the Catholic Church

"Keep close to the Catholic Church at all times, for the Church alone can give you true peace, since she alone possesses Jesus, the true Prince of Peace, in the Blessed Sacrament." - St. Pio

ON MARITAL CHASTITY

While watching Johnette Benkovic on EWTN interview Monica Breaux, PhD, MSW, I was astounded by Dr. Breaux's wisdom and encouraged by her strategies for a better marriage. I found this article on her website (http://drmonicabreaux.com/publications.html) and thought it was worth sharing - others might find it helpful. I shared with my husband the interview I just watched and he too seemed interested in what she had to say. I'll write about it later; in the meantime, enjoy this article.
Published March 2, 2006 in
The Catholic Sun as Humanly Possible column
Making good sexual choices in our lives (part 1)
by Monica Hidalgo Breaux, PhD, MSW
Once upon a time there was a young man who felt called to the priesthood. He
struggled against the same temptations to sexual sin that every young man must face in
spiritual combat. With the help of grace, he lived in holiness. He prayed, volunteered in the
church and served God lovingly in his work. He entered the seminary, but within a few years he
left because he fell in love and married a young woman. They were virgins on their wedding
day and remained faithful to each other, just as they had promised in their marriage vows.
The man believed that impure thoughts were sinful, so when he was tempted to indulge
in sexual fantasy, he distracted himself with prayerful service to his family and church. He
maintained “custody of the eyes” as he had been taught, which means he simply looked away
from things that caused sexual arousal. He prayed with his wife each day for God’s grace to
avoid sin by resisting temptations. Their marriage did not include contraception, abortion,
pornography, masturbation, adultery, or fantasy affairs with other people. His wife felt desirable
and well loved by him.
They accepted their fertility as a good gift from God, so they practiced Natural Family
Planning. Their lovemaking was always open to God’s will and they welcomed each child He
sent. When they discerned in prayer to abstain from sex during fertile times to space their
children, they returned to the joys of courtship that they had known prior to marriage. Having a
monthly courtship (by abstaining from sex) and honeymoon period (by returning to sexual
loving) kept their romance alive and well. They had children and grandchildren and recently she
died. Her last words were, “Honey, I love you much.” He responded, “Sweetie, you were my
only girl.” The man’s name is Vernon Broussard and he is well known in Louisiana where he
serves God lovingly. Sexual expression faithful to God’s design is humanly possible.
God invites us into a life of sexual purity that allows us to love fully and naturally and
also satisfies the deepest longing of our hearts to be truly loved as we are. When we reject the
purpose of our maleness or our femaleness, we reject God’s plan. When we reject our fertility
or any aspect of our bodies, we reject God’s gift. Why do we insult God who designed human
beings and human sexual desires? Will we eventually choose one flower in the world as the
best one, fixate ourselves on it, and then try to make them all look like that? Until we thank God
for the design of our own body, we will never feel loved and accepted by another person.
Every day we make sexual choices. Before we make behavior choices, we first make
choices in our minds that shape our own desires. When a thought pops in our head, we have
free will to distract ourselves with other thoughts or behaviors. Choosing our thoughts is how
we form our habits of desire. Our sexual appetite can be formed to desire any person or thing.
Indulging in sexual fantasy connects our sexual appetite to unreal people and unreal situations.
Sexual fantasy interferes with our ability to enjoy real life people and situations and it can lead to
addiction.
In the Alcoholics Anonymous program, people learn to call another person (sponsor), go
to a meeting, or use slogans or reading materials to distract themselves from destructive ideas
that lead to loss of self-control. Repeating new ideas helps to alter our brain and helps to form
new habits. Changing the brain by changing what we think about, in order to change what we
desire and what we do, is the basis of therapy. We are not victims of our sexual appetite.

Litany of the Sacred Heart

The Cat

Here is Cat....she thinks I can't see her. I inherited Cat when my daughter got married. Her husband didn't want her - the cat, I mean. I tried everything I could to find a "forever home" for this cat, but to no avail. No one wanted an insane, narcissistic, self-endulgent, I don't care about you kind of cat. Wait....maybe all cats are that way?

You turn men back into dust....

You turn men back into dust... You sweep men away like a dream... Make us know the shortness of our life that we may gain wisdom of heart... In the morning fill us with your love...

Today’s responsorial psalm (23rd Sunday)

I love money.....

I bought this little coin purse for my two and half year old grand-son the other day and had no idea it would become the most important thing in his life. My daughter reports that he keeps it with him at all times (it's filled with pennies), and sleeps with it during nap times and bedtimes. He won't allow his 15 month old brother to touch it or come near it!
All I can do is laugh..
I hope it doesn't ruin him.