Praying For Families & Preparing For Pope Francis

You know that the World Meeting of Families and Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia is just a few weeks away, right? After reading the latest Catholic Digest, I checked out their website full of information and prayers. Check it out out for yourself over here.


I've printed off the Prayer for Families leading up to the big events later next month. Join our family and print your own prayer to perhaps pray at mealtime with your loved ones gathered at the table.

This is the official Holy Family photo for the World Meeting. Isn't it lovely? That's St. Joachim and St. Anne in the background.


In the meantime while we are on baby watch for the next week and a half, I'm all like

And trying to come up with something super cool for us to do here during his visit. Maybe we can make it really memorable and have baby's baptism happen that weekend?

My parents found these Fans of Francis that we'll be waving as we watch as much of his visit as possible.

But I will admit that the little resident #1 Papa Francis fans may need one of these from Amazon before then as well:

Sure, God's wonderful plan for a family addition the same month the Pope visits the U.S. kind of thwarted any dreamy plans we had for possibly seeing him in person, but we'll be watching and for once all be in the same country with him. 

How exciting is that?

How about you? Are you getting ready for any Pope gazing or Pope watching plans?

Let's all be a part of the Pope-arazzi this month as we wait and also come together in prayer. 

Popes, Saints, And Sundaes

Today was a great day to be a Catholic, don't you think?

Oh my goodness gracious.

As if Divine Mercy Sunday isn't a really great feast in and of itself, we packed up a Pope sandwich and brought in along to the feast. When we celebrate, we really celebrate.

Am I the only one who just had the revelation that these two Pope are now SAINTS? As in their holy card photos will have halos behind their heads. I can't wait to see them!

Saint John XXIII and Saint John Paul II

Many years from now we'll remember this day. I'll remember going to Sunday Mass with my family and taking in the Easter glory. 

I'll recall sitting in front of the computer watching the canonization via the internet many hours past it's live occurrence, but feeling it as if I were there. I hope to remember the captivated three year old mesmerized by watching her buddy, Pope Francis. She kept watching with an occasional smile and would remark "I just love Pope Francis. He's so cool. And awesome."

Of course, I'll remember the double Popes. The two who became Saints and the two who were there that day at their canonization.

You must know how my heart leapt when I watched my Benedict come out. 

Or again how it soared when the two stole away an embrace. 

You remember how that makes me giddy, right? Every.single.time.

I will also remember my family's short pilgrimage at the 3 o'clock hour to our small church. The quiet church that swallowed up our every prayer and echoed the cries of the cranky toddler. Alone we prayed, but we were united with so many across the miles that had offered prayers for Divine Mercy and in thanksgiving for our new Saints.

Adding to our feast day, as a family we also made our Marian Consecration that we had been preparing for this Lent.

There in the familiar place, next to Jesus and at the feet of Mary, we interceded and prayed to our newest Saints.

It was a good day. A very good day.

As good Catholics, we celebrated and feasted. We finished our day with a special dessert which, of course. contained symbolism:  Divine Mercy Sundaes (Thanks to Catholic Icing for the idea).

(minus cherries because we just don't do cherries at our house)

Now it is evening and I'm tired from this very big Catholic celebration. 

How about you? Did you do anything special to commemorate this day? 

Friday Five Finger Prayer

 All the credit goes to Pope Francis for this one. I found it on Facebook last night and shared it, but I couldn't help but share it here too.

In Pope Francis style, super simple and attainable. I'm grateful to have this little reminder as I struggle to find make time to pray and the needs/prayers for so many seem like a multitude in my brain.

I think this would be a great little way to teach my children to also pray using something they already have: their five fingers!

Maybe this will help you out too or inspire you in a new way how to pray. While you're at it, don't forget to pray for Pope Francis (and Benedict too)!

At My Door Unexpected

 Pope Francis arrived at our house last week.

See??

Well, we have this really nice seminarian who became transitional Deacon this June.  He studies at the PNAC in Rome and via email this spring I happened to mention how the girls are infatuated with Pope Francis. In his spare time, he went on a quest in Rome to find a children's book that had the new Pope in it. No such luck. Although he did find that they are in the works and should be out soon, so be advised!

Any who, he thought the girls needed a picture of the Pope for their very own.

I can't tell you how excited they were when I pulled it out of the package.

Seriously, I wish I had a camera handy. They grinned from ear to ear and simultaneously shouted

"POPE FRANCIS!!"

They love that guy.....

And tell him goodnight and blow him kisses at naptime and bedtime since the picture is hung in their bedroom. 

The cutest.thing.ever.

I sure hope he feels the love from our home to Rome.

If Only Rome Were Closer To Home

One day I want to travel to Rome with my husband. One day.

There are many days that I wish Rome were just a little bit closer. I suppose I wouldn't think it as big a deal though if I just hopped on a bus and went to St. Peter's Square or participated in a Wednesday audience with the Pope just any old day.

Well, I suppose with this little Pope Francis admirer I have, we'd eventually get banned from popping up everywhere he is.

She's still rather enamored with her beloved 'Fransa', you know.

And then she saw this picture last week:

She laughed and pointed at Pope and baby. I then pointed out what the Pope was doing, putting the paci back in the baby's mouth. She paid special attention and giggled.

To think that two of her favorite things, Pope and paci, were in the same photo. To think that THAT baby got to be close to HER Pope and he gave the baby his paci. I could see the wheels turning. If ever there was baby envy, she had it at that moment.

"What a rip off! That baby gets the Pope AND the paci?! I am SO hopping on a plane right now!"

Yup, that's exactly what I read in her expression, you know I did.

You see, Gianna just had her paci taken away two weeks ago. Well, technically, she threw it away on her own. It was old, she had finally chewed a hole in it and she had been warned that this paci was her last and when it was time, she would not be getting another one.

Then the fateful day came. Following my instructions, she walked to the garbage, threw away her beloved paci and with a brave face said "Gianna big girl. Gianna not need paci."

She had some moments that day asking for " 'nother one paci" whenever she needed consoling.

If only her Pope could've been here to help her, she thought. I bet HE'd let me keep my paci.

If only Rome were just a little bit closer and the Pope was just a neighbor down the street.

I guess then we'd probably be the crazy neighbor who never left him alone. Or at the very least, Gianna would be the wandering around child of the neighborhood who was always stopping by to visit.

Especially if he was handing out paci's.

Pope Speak: JOY

In a world so troubled, so uncertain, it's easy to lose our peace and security.

It's easy to lose our joy.

But our shepherd reminds us that our Good Shepherd is always there to meet us and grow in relationship with us. What a poignant reminder.


'It is the joy of faith, the joy of having encountered Jesus, the joy that only Jesus gives us, the joy that gives peace: not what the world gives, but what Jesus gives. This is our faith. We ask the Lord to help us grow in this faith, this faith that makes us strong, that makes us joyful, this faith that always begins with our encounter with Jesus and always continues throughout our lives in our small daily encounters with Jesus.'

-Pope Francis

April 18, 2013

Smitten

This is the picture that hangs on our fridge.

This is the girl who lives in our house.

This is the girl that has a little secret she keeps.

This is the girl who loves the Pope. Pope "Fransa" to be precise.

She calls him by name and waves to him every day.

She asks to see his picture in the paper.

Then clearly states "Pope lost gwasses (glasses). He funny. Funny Pope."

This is the girl who stands in the kitchen, puts up her hand as if to wave and says "Hi". She does it in the exact manner that he did. And then she laughs.

This is the girl, always eager to give her Papa a high five.

She's all like "wassup, Papa?! how you doin' today?"

Not even kidding.

She's definitely in love, but then, who isn't?

Each day we keep praying for his safety because he's kind of a busy guy who likes to do things a little differently. Sneaky guy. I call him a stinker, but don't tell him that.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend him and protect him!

They Meet And I Rejoice

After I said good-bye to Pope Emeritus Benedict, I felt a bit lost and sad that he would be kept hidden from us.

Then Pope Francis arrived on the scene and was all like 'hey, how are ya?'

Secretly though, I almost felt as if we were all betraying Pope Benedict and the leadership that he took in our Church. I heard so many negative comments and media slanders indicating that Pope Emeritus was anything but what a Pope might have been.

And then we all hopped on the Pope Francis wagon (as well we should) and oohed and aahed as we gazed. Again, as we should, because the man is clearly an outstanding role model and the perfect person to clearly lead our Church at this time.

Something in me longed for something and I felt restless.

And then I saw this on Saturday:

They finally met! Now is that not the cutest.picture.ever? I smiled when I saw it and then smiled some more. I finally felt at peace and a little less like I was betraying and a little more like I was still honoring.

They prayed together and then spent some time chatting. You know, like buddies do.

Oh to be a fly on that wall. (I'm nosey like that, you know.) Or maybe the cook who served them some tea or something. 

Now we are in the climactic point of the church year this week, so I can rest at ease as we fully engage in the sacredness. I'll keep praying for both of these humble and faithful men and remain thankful that both of them so graciously accepted their role to lead our Church.

On Chimney Watching And Pope Gazing

 Hey, did you hear the news? We have a new Pope!!

Well, sure ya did. Who doesn't know that this simple, already beloved man has become our Shepherd:

Pope Francis

And dare say, I think I already love him.

Yes, I dared say it.

I do, however, have a small problem with a throbbing headache that came from a Pope-arazzi hangover of an afternoon. What about you?

Thanks to Karen, I linked to a good live feed from the Vatican and watched the chimney. For well over an hour++ I watched. My big kids watched intently. I tried to break it to them gently that in no way would we see white smoke. But heck, it was getting dark out there and if that smoke wasn't white how on earth were we going to see it?!

And then it came. White smoke!!

My fingers started texting on my phone in lightning speed and we flipped on the television.

For what seemed like a milennia before they announced his name and he came out.

I knew I should be taking photos or doing something while we waited, but I just couldn't even take away from the moment. There I sat eagerly awaiting with my four little Catholics and realized that this moment was exactly how I wanted them to remember it. I basked in it as my stomach fluttered.

And then came the announcement and the cheers.

And eventually, the man.

Oh dear, I was worried. He seemed sad and so uncertain. I started to cry. Holy Spirit, remind him to smile and give him peace.

And then he spoke, he was humble and my heart melted.

Yes, the Holy Spirit most definitely led those Cardinals to help choose a successor that is the right man to lead us at this particular time in history.

I look forward to following such a worthy Shepherd of the Church.

Now I just need to get Gianna to stop running up to me and saying "Pope sad" and giving me a worried expression. (Apparantly she heard me too loudly exclaiming his sadness)

Now it's off to bed in a bit to sleep of this emotionally charged day of smoke watching and Pope gazing.



**In case you are challenged by Italian like myself, someone was kind enough to let us know what Pope Francis' first words were to his flock. In English. Thank you!