Do I Believe in the Power of Prayer?

You may have seen this story about Sr. Donna Quinn of the Sinsinawa Dominicans. Sr. Donna has been working as an escort at a suburban Chicago abortion clinic for years because, she says, women need protection from aggressive pro-life demonstrators while trying to enter the clinic. After an uproar ensued, her order issued this statement.

All of us who write for this blog, along with many of our friends, were very disturbed by this news and wondered what we could do about it. We figured we had a couple of options. We could write letters to the order and to the appropriate bishops expressing our outrage. (Indeed, many did just that and I’m sure that’s a big part of the reason that this whole sorry situation finally is being dealt with.) We could just talk about it with each other, lamenting the degree to which religious life has eroded over the past several decades. And, to be honest, we did do that. But after a little bit of discussion, we decided to respond in a different way. We felt the best way to deal with our many strong feelings about this situation would be to send a spiritual bouquet of Rosaries to Sr. Donna and her Sinsinawa Dominican sisters. We pledged a total of 200 Rosaries and then sent a letter to Sr. Patricia Mulcahey, the prioress of the order, expressing our sadness and distress at the news, our desire to ask for the intercession of the Blessed Mother and St. Dominic in healing this terrible situation, and our hope that our gift would be accepted in the spirit with which we were offering it – a spirit of love for the Sisters, for God, and for the Church. As we stated in the letter, “We will pray that St. Dominic and the Blessed Mother will plead at the Throne of Divine Mercy that all of the members of the Body of Christ will be humble and obedient to the will of God in all things. We will also pray that the wounds being inflicted against Christ's Bride, the Church, will be healed.” We didn’t know what, if any, kind of reaction we would get.

Now we know. We just received a letter from Sr. Patricia thanking us for our prayers and expressing her belief that our prayers will be helpful for the community as they seek to resolve this situation. I felt a sense of real peace when I read her letter. It made me feel like the Blessed Mother inspired us to approach this situation with love and gentleness instead of with vitriol and anger. I don’t know what the response would have been if we’d written angry letters to Sr. Patricia, but I doubt she would have responded with thanks.

I feel humbled and privileged to be a part of a group that has, in a way, adopted this community of sisters and is praying for their well-being. Because, really, I don’t want the Sinsinawa Dominicans to collapse and disappear. No, that’s not what I want. What I want, what I sincerely hope for, is that the Sinsinawa Dominicans, and every other religious order that seems to have lost its way, will hear again the voice of the Good Shepherd – the one whose voice they must have heard all those years ago when they chose to consecrate themselves to Him – and follow Him back to the safety of the Sheepfold. I hope to see a renewal of religious life, a flowering of love and devotion to Christ and His Church. We have taken to referring to Sr. Donna as “our nun” and I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we now feel a sense of responsibility for Sr. Donna and her sisters.

I have no idea how God will use these hundreds of Rosaries in the economy of salvation, but I know that He will use them. I have wondered if maybe our Rosaries will help some of their Dominican sisters in Purgatory, sisters who will then be in Heaven interceding before the Throne of Divine Mercy for their fellow Dominicans. I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not. But for me, it’s the mere fact that we were able to offer something beautiful to these sisters, women who are obviously in need of prayers, that makes this project so wonderful. May God bring Sr. Donna, the Sinsinawa Dominicans, and all consecrated men and women closer to Him so they will seek to do His will for the salvation of souls. St. Dominic, pray for us and for all who are members of your Order of Preachers.

Make Haste!

“In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in
the hill country…” Luke 1:39

I grumble. A lot. Seems to me, that this is unbecoming to a Christian wife and mother, so I’ve been taking my attitude to prayer. Now, admittedly, I’ve taken this habit to prayer before, but recently I’ve been praying about it in a spirit of repentance. I really want to change. I don’t think I dignify my vocation if I walk about with a scowl on my face all day. And do my children really want to grow up and fulfill their vocations as married persons, if they think there’s no joy to found there?

So, yesterday, as I was loading my washing machine, I began to
grumble. I hadn’t even begun to form a sentence in my head, when I
found myself desiring to just “turn off” that voice in my head. And
so I did. And I marched on with my work, choosing to fill my mind
with something that wouldn’t drag me down. Praise God! And so my
attitude was better from that one small victory yesterday. I’ve
thought about it a lot in the last 24 hours, and today during my
Rosary, I was contemplating Mary’s visit to Elizabeth and one phrase
just beamed out at me. Mary “went with haste.” She heard the Word of
God and she made haste to complete the task that God had given her.
Scripture makes absolutely no mention of Mary’s thoughts. All we know
is that she went with haste. As a wife and mother, I’m called to
imitate the one perfect model of spouse and mother, who is Mary. If
Mary makes haste, shouldn’t I? If my vocation requires that I serve
those around me via menial tasks that are taken for granted time and
time again, shouldn’t I still make haste to fulfill those duties?
Surely, Mary did not pause to grumble.

Today, I humbly ask my Mother’s help to take St. Paul’s advice:
“Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. I must
make haste to accomplish God’s will, and take no time for grumbling!

Prayer Vigil tomorrow at Planned Parenthood

A prayer vigil is planned for Wednesday, November 11 at 12:30 pm outside of Planned Parenthood, located at 1000 E. Washington Street. Come out armed with your Rosaries to combat the culture of death here in Springfield.

Please remember to remain on the sidewalk while praying and not to block pedestrians using the sidewalk. You must not trespass onto Planned Parenthood's property! Also, it is recommended that you park on the street and not in the private lots around the facility. Remember to bring coins for parking meters.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Rosary Wisdom from John Paul the Great

"The family that recites the Rosary together reproduces something of the atmosphere of the household of Nazareth: its members place Jesus at the center; they share his joys and sorrows; they place their needs and their plans in his hands; they draw from him the hope and strength to go on."

"I look to all of you, brothers and sisters of every state of life, to you, Christian families, to you, the sick and elderly, and to you, young people: confidently take up the Rosary once again. Rediscover the Rosary in the light of Scripture, in harmony with the liturgy, and in the context of your daily lives. May this appeal of mine not go unheard!"

"To pray the Rosary for children, and even more, with children, training them from their earliest years to experience this daily 'pause for prayer' with the family, is admittedly not the solution to every problem, but it is a spiritual aid which should not be underestimated."

"The Holy Rosary, by age-old tradition, has shown itself particularly effective as a prayer which brings the family together.”

First Friday and First Saturday Devotion

I don't have time for a lengthy post right now, but since today is the First Friday of November, I thought I'd share this information about the First Friday and First Saturday devotions. The last time I made the First Friday devotion was over three years ago, and I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I've never made the First Saturday devotion (when I re-read the promises attached to these devotions, I have to ask myself "Why not?"), but I'd love to hear about your experiences regarding these devotions.

On Brick-making and Suffering

"Every home was a brick in the great wall of decent living that men
erected over and over again as a bulwark against the perpetual
flooding in of evil. But women made the bricks, and the durableness of
each civilization depended upon their quality, and it was no good
weakening oneself for the brick-making by thinking too much about the
flood." ~Elizabeth Goudge, The Pilgrim’s Inn

This really went right to the heart of what I've been struggling with
lately - fear over our country and what the future holds for my
children (i.e. what kind of a world am I bringing them into anyway; it
seems bad enough that I wouldn't wish that upon anyone, let alone my
own children). Satan creeps in with his lies at this point to say: “it's
better not to have them.”

However, they are truly what does make this world good. The laughter
and loving kindness of the children that gives and gives, in a way
that puts me to shame. (Of course, they have their selfish moments -
we all do.) Yet, if my daughter is such a wellspring of joy in our lives, how
much richer does one's life become with the addition of each new
child.

Finally, my questions were answered through this scripture reading.
"Brothers and sisters: If God is for us, who can be against us? He did
not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not
also give us everything else along with him? Who will bring a charge
against God's chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn?
It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the
right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. What will separate us
from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? As it is written:

For your sake we are being slain all the day; we are
looked upon as sheep to be slaughtered.

No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who
loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:31-39.

Which is to say that yes, we and our children will have sufferings to
endure. Yet, we should not be afraid. We have courage, for Jesus
Christ himself will plead our case before God. And if we trust in Him,
and His Infinite Mercy, why should we fear?

Non-Catholics and the Rosary

I grew up Catholic, but not in a very devout home. We went to Mass on Sunday, said grace before meals, and celebrated the major religious holidays. But we never, ever said the Rosary. My spiritual journey has brought me to the brink of leaving the Catholic Church, to where I reside now, which is completely enfolded in the heart of the Catholic Church. Now, I pray the Rosary daily. But is the Rosary only for Catholics? What profit would there be for a non-Catholic to pray the Rosary? If Catholics believe what they teach, shouldn't the Rosary be for all Christians, no matter their denomination? If you're reading this, and you're not a Catholic (or a practicing one) I humbly ask you to examine the Rosary as a method of prayer that leads you into deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. What could you possibly lose by the investigation?

In the interest of brevity, I'll give a short overview of the Rosary. Holding the string of beads, each representing one prayer, a series of prayers are said while, at the same time, one meditates on an episode of Christ's life as found in scripture (called a "mystery"). Each event can be located in scripture, except for the last two, which don't contradict scripture, but are not explicitly found there. The whole recitation usually requires 15 to 20 minutes time. Here's a link on the exact method: http://www.newadvent.org/images/rosary.pdf

The basic prayers used in the Rosary are the Our Father and the Hail Mary, although there are other prayers too. I bring up these two, because they are repeated the most often and would probably present the greatest obstacles for a non-Catholic. Why? The arguments I hear are due to "vain repetition" and asking for the intercession of Mary to pray for us. The following article contains a wonderful explanation for the reasons why any Christian can be comfortable praying the Rosary. http://www.catholic.com/library/Rosary.asp

All Christians consider the Bible sacred. Prayer and worship revolve around the scriptures, as they are indeed, the Word of God. The Rosary is a way of mining the depths of scripture, focusing on Christ's life, death, and resurrection, with the ultimate goal of conforming ourselves to Christ. Indeed, the Rosary is the act of praying the gospels. Imagine, fifteen minutes a day where you are completely centered on Christ. As I've heard others say, the Rosary combines many methods of prayer: vocal, spontaneous (you can add your own personal intention before beginning each mystery), and meditative.

Another glorious fruit of the Rosary is that it is universal. In times of trial and suffering, such as the funeral of a loved one, the Rosary can be said in community and give great comfort.

It may take a while to learn to say the Rosary, before it becomes natural. I know I had to sit with my prayer "cheat sheet" for many an afternoon before I could pray it on my own. Also, it may take a while to achieve a whole set of mysteries. That's okay. Start with just one mystery and see how it goes.

As I've continued on my walk with Christ, I am eternally grateful for the gift of the Rosary. In times of trial and joy, I've turned to it in every instance. This prayer is a gift for us to be said any time of day and anywhere. I've prayed it in my car, in the middle of the night, with my family, and with my friends. I'm always amazed at the comfort it brings. I hope you'll consider looking into this ancient Christian prayer and picking up your own set of beads.

Another Vigil Set

Please join other prayer warriors outside of the Planned Parenthood facility at 1000 E. Washington St. in Springfield on Wednesday, November 4 at 9:45 am. Again, stick to the sidewalk and park on the street.

And if you're not convinced that prayer is an effective weapon against the evil of abortion, see this story.

Grab Your Beads! Prayer Vigil Today at Planned Parenthood

I have just received word of a prayer vigil planned for today, Monday, November 2 at 1:30 pm outside of Planned Parenthood located at 1000 E. Washington Street, Springfield.

Please remember to remain on the sidewalk while praying and not to block pedestrians using the sidewalk. You must not trespass onto Planned Parenthood's property! Also, it is recommended that you park on the street and not in the private lots around the facility. Remember to bring coins for parking meters.

Queen of the most holy Rosary, pray for us!

On Mustard Seeds, Yeast, and Obscure Apostles

Last week provided me with yet another reminder of how small my sphere of influence is. When the flu struck our family, we simply withdrew for a week. No school, no extra-curricular activities, no nothing. What struck me is that it was so easy for me to do this. The thing is, I’m a wife and a mother of four young sons, and I stay home with my kids full-time. When I decided that we needed to hunker down and let this virus run its course, I didn’t have to report to anyone. Now, my kids needed to be called in sick to school, but as for me, I just did what I usually do - stayed home. My absence from whatever I might have done in a normal week didn’t really affect anyone. I realized, not for the first time, that my whereabouts really only matter to the five people who live here with me. I don’t run a business, or even work for one. I don’t hold elected office. I'm nobody's "go-to girl." When you Google me, all that comes up are the few times that my name has appeared in our parish bulletin. As the song goes, it’s a small, small world.

The problems of the world, by contrast, are big – very big. There’s abortion. There’s poverty. There’s war. There’s pandemic flu. And that’s just the short list. Most days, I’m so caught up in my tiny little world that I don’t really think about these big problems. But every once in a while I start to think about them and I feel overwhelmed. I feel like there’s nothing I can do, given my limited sphere of influence, about these big problems - problems which do, after all, affect me and the people I love. On my worst days I feel paralyzed, and fearful.

But then I remember Pope John Paul II addressing the world early in his pontificate with the words, “Be not afraid!” and I ask myself, how can I not be afraid? How, Lord, can I be brave when I’m so small and these problems are so big?

This past week, the Church seemed to be telling me that the answer to my question is, "Mustard seeds, yeast, and obscure apostles." Let me explain.

First, consider the Gospel reading from Tuesday’s Mass:

“Jesus said, ‘What is the Kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.’

Again he said, ‘To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened’” (Luke 13:18-21).

Then on Wednesday, we celebrated the Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude – two apostles about whom little is known. Even for having had the distinction of being among only 12 men chosen by Christ to be His closest companions, they are small when compared to other, better-known apostles like Peter, James the Greater, and John.

So what can someone like me - someone who is small and, in the opinion of the world, insignificant – take from this reading and this feast day? What I took from them is that God can use the small and the insignificant to effect great change. A tiny seed can grow to be a great bush. A small amount of yeast can change completely the dough it’s mixed with. Two little-known apostles can spread the Gospel, become great saints, and spend eternity interceding for the faithful before God.

But it’s not just about being small. It’s also about being obedient to God’s will. The mustard seed and the yeast always obey God's will perfectly. They can’t do anything but because they lack free will. The apostles, on the other hand, were human beings like me. They had faults and sinful tendencies. They had temptations. And they had wills that were warped by original sin and must have sometimes fought against submission to God’s will. But they were chosen by Christ to follow Him, and they accepted His call. They followed Him all the way to martyrdom and into Heaven.

What I learned last week is that I shouldn’t desire to be great in the eyes of the world. I should desire to be great in my conformity to God’s will and let Him decide how my conformity will be used for the salvation of souls. But how do I do it? How can I, despite my faults, my sinful tendencies, my warped will, become so conformed to God’s will that I can be used by Him? The key, according to many of the great spiritual masters of the Church, is the Blessed Virgin Mary. Who was smaller and more obscure than this young girl from a tiny town in the middle of nowhere? And yet, who was more conformed to God’s will than the woman who became His mother? What can Mary teach me on those days when I feel so small, so insignificant, and so overwhelmed by the big problems in the world? Mary teaches me to do God’s will right now, today. Take care of my husband and my children. Take care of our home. Pray and fast and obey God’s laws. Believe that God can take the mustard seed of one Rosary offered in love and use it to change hearts. Trust that He can take the leaven of one small sacrifice and use it to save souls. Be available to God, and when He asks me to do something, say yes.

I’m a long, long way from being able to do any of these things to the degree that Mary did them. But I feel a sense of hope when I realize that no one is too small for God to use, if they seek to do His will. Last week, I learned that I need to continue to ask the Blessed Mother to take my hand and teach me how to be more like her so that even in my obscurity I will be available to God to do His holy will.