Special Indulgence for the Year for Priests

Described in the Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary published in May 2009 The Holy Father has granted the gift of special Indulgences.
A Partial Indulgence is granted to all the faithful every time they devoutly recite 5 Our Fathers, Hail Marys, and Glorias, or another expressly approved prayer, in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to obtain that priests be preserved in purity and holiness of life.
This Decree is valid for the entire duration of the Year for Priests. (June 19, 2009-June 19, 2010)
This seems like a small thing to do for such wonderful benefits for us and our priests.  I did this today, will you?  Please do!
 Note: there were several other Indulgences granted for details look in the decree or in the Magnificat's Year for Priests Companion.

Prayer to Mary, by de Grandmaison

Holy Mary, Mother of God, preserve in me the heart of a child, pure and clean like spring water; a simple heart that does not remain absorbed in its own sadness; a loving heart that freely gives with compassion; a faithful and generous heart that neither forgets good nor feels bitterness for any evil.  Give me a sweet and humble heart that loves without asking to be loved in return, happy to lose itself in the heart of others, sacrificing itself in front of your Divine Son; a great and unconquerable heart which no ingratitude can close and no indifference can tire; a heart tormented by the glory of Christ, pierced by His love with a wound that will not heal until heaven.

Happy St. Joseph's Day!!

  The feast of St. Joseph is such a special day during Lent of such a humble Saint.  He was so humble in life and still is even in heaven!  Besides being the spouse od the Blessed Virgin, Foster Father of Christ, he is the patron of the Universal Church and of fathers and families.  He is especially beloved by the Sicilians.  One way they express their devotion to St. Joseph is through the tradition of tavola di San Giuseppe (St. Joseph's Table or Altar).
  The St. Joseph Altar comes from a legend that many years ago there was a famine in Sicily.  The famine was severe and the people had to sustain themselves on fava beans (which were used mainly for caddle fodder).  The people prayed for St. Joseph's intercession to end the famine and these prayers were answered.  In thanksgiving they had a celebration which over the years has become the St. Joseph Table.
  Some of the things found on the table include:  the table is made up of three tiers of tables representing the Trinity and the three members of the Holy Family.  Then it is furnished with pastries and breads representing a Monstrance, chalice, cross...etc...  The fava bean, Mudica (bread crumbs representing the sawdust of carpenter St. Joseph), 12 fish (the apostles), wine, and many other foods except meat.  A feast day compatable with obstaining from meat on Fridays, yeah!

  We made a 3D St. Joseph's Table this year.  We got the idea from the St. Joseph's Altar website and it was a lot of fun for us to do!  I hope you do one too!  God bless and Happy St. Joseph's Day!

Our Lenten Rosaries

We have made the commitment this Lent to say daily rosaries as a family.  And it has gone really well.  With children ages 8,8, 4, 2 and 9 months it can be challenging but very worth the effort.  The Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary is such a powerful prayer.  We have been blessed by being faithful to reciting it.  Our 4 year old has even lead a couple of decades this Lent!  What a precious sound to hear this little one recite the prayers.  It has also been very soothing to our family.  It is a wonderful time to come together. 

Prayer intention time at the beginning of the Rosary is especially rich and touching.  The children pray for the end to abortion and for those suffering in Hati as well as praying for conversion of some of the people we love.  I have a new appreciation for the fact that the children actually do listen to me and want to emulate their parents beliefs and preferences.  I have heard that fact many times but it is very different to actually experience it firsthand in a good way!

We had our first fall in our commitment to say the rosary last night.  I felt terrible as a tried to say the rosary myself in bed before falling asleep halfway through.  Waking up today I find that we will copy what Our Lord did during His Passion when he fell, which is to get up and continue again.  Our evening rosary will continue tonight and for the rest of the Lenten Season.

I hope all of you are having a productive Lent and that each thing you do less or extra brings you closer to the Lord as the rosary has brought us closer to Him and eachother.

Lenten traditions/sacrificies:

Due to the move I almost forgot a wonderful Lenten activity with do with the children every year. Thanks be to God I remembered before Lent was over.   It was introduced to us by our good friend Mary several years ago and has been a great success in our family.  Thanks Mary!  It is the Lenten Crown of Thorns. 

At the beginning of Lent, (preferably Ash Wednesday) we take 4 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt and enough water to make a dough.  We roll it into three long "snakes" and I braid them into a crown.  We put in many toothpicks and then bake it at 350* for one hour.  If you want it to be brown you can paint on egg whites as an option.  After the crown is cooled we put it in the center of the table on a purple napkin and the good deeds start.  See, when someone in the family does something extra good, kind or wonderful for someone else they get to take out a thorn from our Lord's Crown.  The goal is for all of the thorns to be removed by Easter Sunday.  The children are always so excited to take out a thorn!  I like this because instead of always focusing on giving something up we can help the children remember that doing a extra for our Lord it good during Lent too.  I like having both aspects be remembered each Lent (especially for me). 

Please share with me any Lenten traditions your family does and maybe I can add to our Lenten journey for next year!