Catholic Readings

Here are a couple of beautiful articles on Catholic parenting : Bless me Mother, 8 Keys to Keeping Kids Catholic and an article about the Holy Grail, all from the Catholic Digest.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and tender Mother of all people, I consecrate myself to you and to your Immaculate Heart, and recommend to you my family, my country, and the whole human race.

Please accept my consecration, dearest Mother, and use me as you wish, to accomplish your designs upon the world.

O Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth, rule over me, and teach me how to allow the Heart of Jesus to rule and triumph in me and around me, as it has ruled and triumphed in you.

Amen

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."

~ Matthew 11:29

Rainbow in the Clouds

Rainbow photos were taken at the onset of a thunderstorm. The rainbow was seen nestled in dark ,heavy clouds late evening , Tuesday last week.

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi

The procession of the monstrance around the church began, while the parishioners sang songs of praise and worship to the Blessed Sacrament.

The adoration of the Blessed Sacrament took place in the church gardens.

Altar servers positioned themselves beside the altar where the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was taking place.

One Beautiful Sunday Morning

The sun is warm,

the air is fresh,

the beauty of nature is around us,

God's love and graces abound,

what more can we ask for ?

Life is truly beautiful !

Marco Polo

A video of my favorite historical character, Marco Polo. The TV movie was produced in 1982 and DVD copies were released in 2004, but unfortunately are no longer sold. I'm still hoping to find a copy in video stores here in Bangkok.

Solemnity of the Most Blessed Trinity

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
He will glorify me,
because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.
Everything that the Father has is mine;
for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you."

John 16:12-15

From Red to Green

After months of non-attendance in English masses at our parish in the city due to the political crisis, we were finally able to leave home in peace to attend Sunday mass in Thai in a nearby Catholic church. We're still afraid to go where the red shirts used to be because the clean-up is not yet over, but trust me, we've never felt better. I noticed that the dry, brown grounds of the church compound have turned green ! Continous, heavy rains did the trick. The air is fresh and smells like newly mowed grass and has become cooler !

Here's JM sitting at the stairs of an antique house.

And enjoying the fresh smell of grass and cool morning air.

Solemnity of Pentecost

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them ,“Receive the Holy Spirit.Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

John 20:22-24

Prayer of Saint Francis (for peace in Thailand)

Floral Offering in the Month of Mary

The scent of fresh Jasmin flowers filled our home office. With no fresh Jasmin flowers in sight, I searched everywhere, in every corner of our home and found none. The scent reminded me of the daily floral offering of children to the Blessed Mother in every church and chapel in the Philippines this month. My son has never exprienced this tradition and I thought SHE could be reminding me of what this special month means. I decided to buy four Jasmine garlands and asked my son to offer these on our family altar. We will continue with this beautiful tradition during the remaining days of May.

Quotes to Live By

Anyone can carry his burden, however hard, until nightfall. Anyone can do his work, however hard, for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, till the sun goes down. And this is all life really means.

~Robert Louis Stevenson

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace.

~Victor Hugo

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

~Theodore Roosevelt

When you start treating people like people, they become people.

~Paul Vitale

Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours.

~Swedish Proverb

Altar Server's Recognition day

Missing Mom

Today, Mother's Day, we remember our mother Esperanza who passed away nearly two years ago. Sadly missed, lovingly remembered.

A Mother's Song

Happy Mother's Day !

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.

Washington Irvin

Mother's Day Song

To All Mom's on Mother's Day

Late Bedtime

This is how it's been during the summer school break, late bedtime all the time. Too many things occupy his time before sleeping : reading books, surfing the net, talking to dad and more. And he enjoys these with gusto !

Pretending to have fallen asleep while reading . . . . with a BIG SMILE !

And enjoying every page of his How to Swim Book. Not so long from now, schools will open and early bedtime is going to be a MUST !

JM, Here and There

Schools are still closed and he has all the time to move around with us everywhere we go. Three Sundays ago, we went to a mall to buy him a new swimwear and while doing so, we ended up looking around the mall's amusement center.

This photo was taken at the sports complex where he practices swimming daily. Summer has officially ended last week, but for JM, summer is forever.

Monday this week, I went shopping for science books at dk, Royal City Avenue. He got bored browsing and the now tanned JM finally obliged to pose for a photo so he can go back home to play computer games. Schools will open in two weeks, so I let him enjoy the remaining days of his summer school break.

May is the Month of Mary

"In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let not her name depart from your lips, never suffer it to leave your heart. And that you may obtain the assistance of her prayer, neglect not to walk in her footsteps. With her for guide, you shall never go astray; while invoking her, you shall never lose heart; so long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception; while she holds your hand, you cannot fall; under her protection you have nothing to fear; if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal."

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

Father and Doctor of the Church

Happy Birthday Dad !

Dad with my youngest sister Belle and grandson Michael during a family outing in Tagaytay.

We Celebrate Your Life

Of all the men in the whole wide world,

Whose praises are sung out loud,

There is no man whom I respect more,

Or of whom I am more proud.

Throughout the years, you’ve worked so hard

To provide us a happy life;

You’ve been there to help and give advice,

And you did it all without strife.

That is why on this day each year,

I pray all your wishes come true;

Today we celebrate your life,

So Dad, Happy Birthday to you !

By Karl and Joanna Fuchs