Hallowe'en Photos

Photo: me 10/31/09

I missed seeing them in person, but a handful of my Notre Dame friends had the best Halloween costumes of all!


Photo: Mary Z. (taken from facebook) 10/31/09

Happy All Saints Day, everyone!

Rosary Rally

On Saturday, the Children of Mary of the University of Notre Dame (a student group independent of the international organization of the same name) and Notre Dame Campus Ministry sponsored a beautiful Rosary Rally on campus.

The email announcement from Children of Mary was as follows:

The first of hopefully many annual Rosary Rallies: Saturday, October 10, 2pm at the Grotto. The prayer begins with the Living Rosary, a devotion zealously promoted by Fr. Patrick Peyton, CSC. 60-some people will each represent a bead of the Rosary, and we'll all join them to pray the Glorious Mysteries, with a sentence from Scripture before each Hail Mary. There will also be hymns to Our Lady after each decade. Then we'll process over to the Alumni Hall chapel for a 'Marian Hour' (or half-hour) of Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

The Rally was wonderful! Thanks to Fr. Neil Roy, beloved professor-priest and one of the most popular Canadians on campus, many of us learned a good number of very POD hymns. I think for the majority of the people present, Saturday's rally was their first living rosary. I remember members of the Blue Army coming and sponsoring one at my high school a few times, but it wasn't quite as involved as this Rally.

Unfortunately, due to midterms and the like, attendance wasn't quite as high as anticipated; but a respectable number of students and a few faculty members braved the chilly October weather to celebrate Our Lady's feast.















Photo Credits: me 10/10/09

Ice and Snow

In other news, it has been bitter cold around here. We're in the midst of a heat wave at the moment - it's a balmy 23° out there! In the middle of this past week, temperatures were down around -20°...let me emphasize that: NEGATIVE 20! 20 BELOW! With wind chill it was supposed to feel like -39° ...and believe me, it did. Bitter, bitter cold.

It was so cold that on Friday the furnace in my house was working overtime and yet the thermostat still read only 54°. The cold water pipes in the kitchen had frozen! Fortunately, after I ran the tap - both hot and cold - for a while, the water began to flow again.

Cold. Cold. COLD!

Looking around this is what I see outside my bedroom window:

photo:me 1/18 on WQE's camera

Yikes! Better not drop on anyone...unless they're trying to break into the house or something. (Have I ever mentioned how much crime there is in my neighborhood? Not good. Definitely not the Notre Dame "bubble" over here.)

Gaudete!

Advent "wreath" made by Housemate C.
Photo, me 12/14/08

Dicite pusillanimes confortamini et nolite timere! Ecce Deus noster veniet, et salvabit nos!


Say to the fainthearted, be comforted and fear not! Behold, our God will come and save us!
Communion of today's Mass, '62.

I did a quick look back at this Sunday last year. What a glorious time that was! This year I feel more of "the duty of delight."

Please keep a special intention in your prayers.

Semper gaudete. Sine intermissione orate. In omnibus gratias agite: hæc est enim voluntas Dei in Christo Iesu in omnibus vobis...Ipse autem Deus pacis sanctificet vos per omnia: ut integer spiritus vester, et anima, et corpus sine querela in adventu Domini nostri Iesu Christi servetur. Fidelis est, qui vocavit vos: qui etiam faciet.


Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in everything. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for all of you... And may the God of peace himself sanctify you through all things, so that your whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved without blame unto the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who has called you is faithful. He shall act even now.
From the Second Reading of today's Mass, '69

Change

Spotted: The First Red Leaves of the Fall

photo cred: me, 9/28/08

Tough Ones

Photo credit:Margaret Mary who just facebooked this. I thought it was awesome.

I always admire those hearty plants that manage to sprout up with little resources.

This one reminds me of a few of the girls I've seen at work - the ones that come from such poor backgrounds - not particularly materially, but spiritually and intellectually. They know they've made mistakes, they know they need to change, they know the culture they've grown up in is wrong, yet somehow they have a little blossom of hope. They have a desire to change. Maybe they've bloomed and faded a few times, but they keep trying. So they come to our office looking for help to be transplanted to richer soil.

I admire them very much.

Pray for them as they struggle to be flowers in the concrete. Pray for me and my co-workers as we try to serve them and guide them towards better ground.

Domers

Golden is thy fame

photo cred: me, 9/5/08, San Diego State game

Basilica Update

The scaffolding is finally starting to come down.
This was taken yesterday. Today the entire roof section of the steeple could be seen.

Rosary Around the Lake

The first Rosary Around the Lake of this year.

Every Sunday the Children of Mary meet at 8:00 pm at the Dooley Statue at the Grotto.
All are welcome.

Feast of St. Dominic

Deus, qui Ecclesiam tuam beati Dominici confessoris tui, Patris nostri, illuminare dignatus es meritis et doctrinis, concede ut eius intercessione temporalibus non destitatur auxiliis, et spiritualibus semper proficiat incrementis. Per Dominum.

photo: St. Dominic, St. Cecilia's, Nashville, TN; me 1/08

Wedding Cake

photo credit: me, 7/26/2008

Church Ladies Together

Gianna and I just finished breakfast in P.E.'s kitchen. It's nice to be back home.

Yes, I'm at Notre Dame right now. Yesterday one of my old roomies was married - it was such a beautiful wedding!

Today, Gianna and I woke up early and Johnny Domer came to pick us up for Mass at St. Patrick's downtown. What a beautiful church! I am so happy that the Latin Mass community has been given such a happy home.

We came back, made breakfast and - well Gianna can tell you the rest over here.

Memorial Day

In remembrance of all those who have served in the armed forces, particularly those who gave their lives, and also those from the University of Notre Dame:


Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame - in honor of the men of Notre Dame who served in WWI.
photo credit: gianna 5/08


"Stonehenge" The War Memorial, Fieldhouse Mall, Notre Dame - in honor of the men of Notre Dame who died in WWII, Korea, & Vietnam.
photo credit: me, 5/08

Happy Friday

On K80's white board, done by The-next-next-door-neighbor & My Roommate, photographed by me, March 2008.

I miss these girls so much already!

Commencement

Photo credit: my mom, 5/18/08

Procession Photos

Procession 2008 - Mary Liz's Photos

Now available online - an entire album of photos from the 2008 Eucharistic Procession at Notre Dame. More albums to come

Papa

Beautiful.
HT to Christine

Going out of Season?

Yesterday was the first time in a long time that I consciously realized that the ground was no longer predominately white.

It will snow again of course because this is South Bend; but I think we may be out of the solid white season (like what you see below.)


photo credit: me 12/07


Speaking of weather, the poor Basilica steeple is still broken. While the stained glass in the Lady Chapel has long since been fixed, a leak has developed in the West Transept, so there's been a bit of scaffolding up in there.


As for the snow, maybe the great Scout the Weatherman can let me know what he thinks.

Retreat Report

Thank you to everyone who kept me in their prayers this past week as I stayed with the Dominican Sisters in Nashville!

The retreat was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. There were 28 retreatants, all wonderful young women from age 18 to 27. They came from across the country - and there was even one from Australia! The sisters were incredible as well (and as usual! Remember, they taught me in high school).

There was plenty of time for prayer, reflection and discernment - all of which I needed desperately. It also gave me an opportunity to experience the life of the sisters and see how beautiful the vocation of consecrated life is. I now have a much greater appreciation and understanding of the life.

Thank you again, everyone.

Hopefully I'll have a better chance to share more stories and reflections from the week soon.


St Cecilia Window, 1888 chapel
photo: me 1/08

Happy Feast of St John Neumann!

St John is an incredible saint. Besides instituting the diocesan school system and fostering the tradition of 40 Hours Devotion in America, he was my parish's pastor!

Yes, I'm proud!

You can read a nice little biography here, which mentions his time at St. A's.

See, here is St Alphonsus in Baltimore all decorated for Midnight Mass. St. John did a lot of work around there.


Happy nameday to Johnny Domer and WQJE!

O Jesus, who on earth commanded and practiced a hidden life, grant that--in these our days of pride and outward display--the example of your servant John Neumann may lead us to follow your humble ways. Grant, O Lord, that like your holy bishop we may do all our work with the pure intention of pleasing you, and let not our deeds be done to win the favor of others but to give glory to our Father in heaven.

We thank you that our fellow citizen and devoted missionary bishop is recognized among the saints of your Church in heaven, and we beseech you, O Lord, to glorify him on earth by granting the favors we ask through his intercession. Amen

.

Also, check out my parish's website.

(photo: my mom 12/25/07)