Changes

I have been an absentee blogger over the holidays, but now it is time to get back to routines and blogging and schoolwork.

We have a new addition to our family, Muffin. He is my daughter's cat. She moved over the holidays (The Oldest, who lives in NJ) from one apartment to another, and she cannot have her cat in the new place due to allergies. Therefore, her Muffin came home to live with us, and his Mommy cat and sister cat. It is not going terribly well, yet. It was not a spectacular family reunion, I guess cats are less sentimental than we humans are!

My sister gave birth to a baby boy between Christmas and New Year's Eve. He has been in NICU with a collapsed lung since he was a few hours old. Please pray for my new baby nephew.

We have had some lovely holiday celebrations since my last posting. We had a good friend in for Christmas dinner. Christmas brunch was with our family, and the grandparents stopped in to see the children. New Year's Eve had us with neighbors. My children all stayed overnight, and we had a great time with our dear friends.

Now I will be up cat-sitting a lonely little kitty who misses his mommy, my oldest daughter. I will be on the couch with the cat, so he does not have to be alone while he adjusts to our busy life. Going from living with the Oldest in her apartment, to living in a house with 7 people, 2 other cats and a dog is pretty traumatic. He is doing pretty well, but I do not want to leave him unattended for both his comfort and safety.

I have been reading some fabulous books, and am in the process of re-reading Austen (I love her!) so I hope to get back to the book blog posts soon.

Lastly, I just realized, as I sat to write this post, that I missed a deadline for CMO (Yikes!!) too much holiday time off, I suppose. So, as I toss and turn on the lumpy couch, I will be thinking of ideas to write and send off asap.

Changes

We are going to have bad weather again today. I’ve posted a couple of times about the winter wonderland we live in, out of the last seven days we’ve had snow or wintry mix weather for six. My four wheel drive is getting a real work out after snoozing all summer. Considering the mountainous drive to go to the TLM and the snow clouds in the sky, then factoring in that the children all have colds and my husband is not home today, I opted to go to the local church for Mass. It is good for me to do so as it reminds me of why I travel ;-).

Today, the priest was promoting the new missals he is encouraging us all to buy. Last year he ordered for anyone who wanted and paid for, the St. Joseph’s Sunday Missal for $5. This year, he suggested that everyone purchase the hard cover 3 year Missal for $20. He will place the orders for anyone who wants them, he suggested purchasing them for FHC and Confirmation gifts, etc. Then to encourage people, because $20 per Missal is a bit pricey for most families this time of year, he added, “You will only need to buy it once. It will last forever, unless you lose it or break it somehow which is unlikely because they are well made. (Pause) Or, unless the Church decides to change things again. Of course, Vatican Councils don’t happen very often, so that seems unlikely too.”


My first thought was that he needed to get in a dig at the way the tide is changing, and perhaps because I’ve asked him to say the Latin Mass and he flat out told me he never would. Upon further reflection (I’ve been stewing on his attitude) I decided that this may be a good sign. A couple of years ago, the possibility of the Latin Mass making a comeback would never have crossed his mind. Now he’s adding little jabs in his everyday address, or in his Sunday announcements. Methinks this may be a good sign. Perhaps this priest is a little nervous about Benedict XVI. Liberal priests should be nervous. It seems Benedict is looking to return to the core teachings of Catholicism, the things that the implementation of Vatican II seemed to have dropped. Now, this is the priest who removed the tabernacle from the main church because people should not focus on the tabernacle but on the priest during Mass. The tabernacle was distracting people from what he (the priest) was doing. I guess he should be nervous. And there is yet to be a crucifix in the middle of the altar.

There is another hope, as our liberal bishop is soon to retire, perhaps over the next 3 years. Maybe, oh just maybe, we’ll get someone who is less ‘the new springtime’ and more traditional. One can always hope, and pray. In our diocese we have been asked to say at every Mass, the prayer in time of change. Of course no one says the prayer to St. Michael anymore.




PRAYER IN TIME OF CHANGE
Beloved Jesus, anoint us to do your will.
May the joy of your dwelling in us draw us closer to each other.
Expand our vision to recognize your plan;
warm our hearts by the flame of your Love;
open our lips so that we can speak your Word;
extend our arms so that we can embrace each other as your
people;
speak to us so we can discern the role you have for us, your
Body, your Church.
Fill us with your Holy Spirit, empowering us to become vital
expressions of growth in your changing Church.
Your Kingdom is now!
Help us to discover and live your will.
Amen.
Created by:
Deacon Warren A. Dorsch
Pastoral Associate Jackie Jefferson