Father Nathan Cromly, FJ

I WILL RAISE UP FOR MYSELF

A FAITHFUL PRIEST:

HE WILL DO WHAT IS IN MY HEART

AND IN MY MIND,

SAYS THE LORD.

(1 SAM 2:35)

By the Providence of God, our family was able to attend the priestly ordination of our beloved Brother of the Community of Saint John. Here we are pictured with him, receiving his blessing. Deo Gratia!

Couldnt you just eat her?!

Manipulation

While at table, finishing our well-deserved afternoon snack of a banana chocolate chip cookie:

Toddler: “Mama, I think I need another cookie.”

Me: “Oh? You can have another if you count to 10 in Latin for me.”

Toddler: thinks for a moment and then shakes head

Me: takes another bite of cookie

Toddler: “I think no.”

Me: “Unus….”

Toddler: “I think I just need to have some of yours.”

Me: poker face

Toddler: somewhat panicked, “I think duo….”

Me: shifts eyes up in confidence

Toddler: pauses

Me: “…tria….”

Toddler: “…quattuor…”

Me: “…quinque….”

Toddler: “…sex, septum, octo, novem, DECEM!!!”

There are many ways to incorporate the language of the universal Church into ones mothering, afterall!

Heroes & Mercy

Despite my husband’s mysterious objection to watching the film himself, I took the opportunity today during the children’s naptime to view United 93.

Nearly 6 years removed from the date of this devastating attack, it is regrettably easy for me to forget this awful instigation of war on our freedom, our faith, our very existence. Watching the film took me right back to the Kartause in Gaming, Austria, where my fellow students and I sat helplessly watching the Towers drop to the ground on CNN.

We were thousands of miles and 6 time zones away from our bleeding fatherland.

Unrestrained tears streaked the faces of many as we made our way across the Carthusian courtyard to the 13th century adoration chapel, where we intoned the chaplet of the Divine Mercy, begging our Lord to spare our country and to have pity on the myriad of souls that were now standing before Him – perhaps unprepared.

After watching said dramatic depiction this afternoon, I’m confident that some souls were prepared. Whatever their background, the passengers of United 93 knew of their imminent death - and faced it bravely (much like a martyr).

From the back cover of the film:

“United 93 fully honors what was original
and spontaneous and brace in their refusal to go quietly.”
–David Denby, The New Yorker

I’ve been left thanking God for heroism, for His mercy, and for a visual aid that has the potential to get apathetic or war-weary citizens off their…well, you know.

My recommendation? We should keep praying for the Divine Mercy of Christ, and we should continue to pair that with an imitation of those who died defending themselves and their fatherland from the enemy. (*Insert shout out to the military*)

How’s that for ora et labora?

To a Catholic toddler, everything is sacred

Even The Wizard of Oz.

In our house, this fine film is refered to by a certain 2 1/2 year old as Saint Lizard of Boz.

Right up there with Saint John of the Cross, Saint Francis of Assissi, Saint Therese of Lisieux, and Saint Ignatius of Antioch... our most recently featured saints in TAN's series for children.

What i've been doing instead of blogging:

-Attending a "Desserts and Drinks Only" baby shower for my baby nephew/neice.

-Tearing up when hearing by brother and sister-in-law exchange vows.

-Hearing others tell me about how my tuxedo-clad son played baseball in the church pew with the ring pillow.

-Wiping gallons of baby puke from my (very expensive) bridesmaid gown right before pictures.

-Dancing the night away with my husband despite the fact that we each held a sleeping child.

-Indulging in some stellar reading when the kids nap.

-Pulling 4 splinters from tender toddler tootsies.

-Spending a sweet summer evening out on the pond.

-Getting my finger gnawed off by my teething baby girl, and loving it.

-Reading an article in the National Catholic Register about the persecuted Church in China, and praising God for the strength of those who are presently facing imprisonment, torture, and martyrdom for the faith.

-Drinking coffee.

-Enjoying the last days of summer with my teacher husband.

I'll be back up regularly soon....

Wedding Bells

My bro is getting married to his high school sweetheart this weekend!!!!

(As i did with my husband, so too is he following in our parents' footsteps of marrying someone who walked the halls of Lehman Catholic High School with him. Way to go, Dave!)

In light of this happy occassion, i thought i'd post a few wedding bits for everyone's edification:

1.) Fr. Fox's most recent wedding homily.

2.) From the back of our own Nuptial Mass program:

"How can I ever express the happiness of a marriage joined by the Church,

strengthened by an offering,

sealed by a blessing,

announced by the angels,

and ratified by the Father?...

How wonderful the bond between two believers,

now one in hope,

one in desire,

one in discipline,

one in the same service!
They are both children of one father and servants of the same Master,

undivided in spirit and flesh - truly two in one flesh.
Where the flesh is one, one also is the spirit."

-Tertullian, "Ad Uxorem"

St. John Vianney, Ora pro nobis.

I'd like to take this opportunity to direct your attention to the St. John Vianney Vocation Society.

My husband and i have participated in the local St. Joseph's chapter of the JVVS for a few years now. It is so amazing to be able to pray so powerfully for our priests. (Hard copies of the prayerbook can be obtained gratis, if you're like me and need a book in your hands versus a computer screen.)

"Oh, how we could merit heaven every day, my dear brethren,

by doing our ordinary duties... for God and the salvation of our souls."

-St Jean-Marie Vianney

A very happy feast day to all of our dear priests!

Roar!!!!

For the past 912.625 days of his life, our son has been listenting to my husband and me pray the rosary nightly. It wasnt until this evening, however,that a broad smile overtook his face as he loudly and very toddlerishly prayed Aves and Paters along with us.

He's an exceptionally observant boy, capable of memorizing and repeating even the most obscure parts of stories told to him. But tonight, he slipped. (He is aging, afterall!)

Observe:
Husband and Me: "...and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus."
Toddler: "...and blessed is the fruit of Lion Jesus."

"A typical toddler tongue twister!" you say.

But i say it's something more brilliant.

Wanting to make things as tangible and understandable as possible for little souls, we often employ Our Lord's own way of explaining the transcendent in ways metaphoric.
In accord with this method, we often talk to our toddler about how Jesus is the Lion of Judah, how lions are tough, kingly, etc. etc.

So to him, Jesus is THE Lion.
Naturally, anything that comes from or belongs to Jesus, has got to be blessed.

And he's right.

So tonight, i handed in my tendancy toward verbal accuracy in exchange for admiration of the adorable and accurate-in-a-perfectly-childlike-manner aspects of a toddler's prayer.