Folks, I really need some good news. I think others could use it as well.
I have gotten so many requests for prayers in these last few days.
I think that Old Scratch is stepping things up as Lent becomes more intense.
My good news:
Because of the goodness of many of you readers, some of you sending even very small donations, I have the new computer set up and have gotten the Z-CAM and RADIO SABINA going again. Everything is better than before. I am still tinkering with it, but it is working well.
That is good news not only because it takes away a head ache, but it is also a sign of support, which is always welcome.
So… let’s have your good news.
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I served Mass in the EF for the first time the other day. The second Mass with the new Altar rail and first with the third Altar step at Holy Ghost in Tiverton, RI. The step was actually only minutes old. Anyway, it was absolutely awesome being just that close during the consecration, kneeling on the footpace to lift Fr. Finelli’s chasuble, close enough to hear what he was whispering and follow along on the Altar cards. It was so awe-inspiring and pushed me closer to the priesthood in my discernment.
I just got engaged!
The glorious news is that I will be baptized and received into the Church in 23 short days (but who’s counting?:)).
The good news is that I have been accepted into a Masters in Education/secondary teaching licenture program, and the better news is that post-9/11 G.I. Bill will pay 100% of that.
The skiing news is that I’m taking a week during spring break (next week) to ski in the Canadian Rockies backcountry with good friends.
I was putting some books away in the cupboard and found a very old Daily Missal. It has Latin on one side, and English on the other. I’ve only ever been to an EF Mass once, so it will be very interesting for me to read through!
I get to go home from the seminary to visit my family this weekend! My sister is ill and expecting baby 5! It will be great.
I’m attending our parish Lenten mission. I’m reading “The story of a Soul”. And the littlest granddaughter is finally gaining a little weight.
Congratuations Gwen!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God bless.
How about this – after giving up my former life as a practicing homosexual, I’ve returned to the Church and am being Confirmed in a few weeks. :)
My book about the Catholic single life has been published in Canada by Novalis, and it will be published in the U.S. by Liguori in the fall…
My newspaper editor accepted my article on why some people in Toronto love the Extraordinary Form of the Mass…
My Quebec tourtiere turned out perfectly last night; the pastry was flaky and light, and the meat was perfectly spiced…
The Pope is finally about to release his Apostolic Exhortation on Scripture, the follow-up document to the recent Synod! See the link below for more information.
http://www.thesacredpage.com/2010/03/new-papal-document-on-scripture-coming.html
My Wife and I are expecting our second child in August.
In addition, I counted the number of our friends who are also expecting before then and I got 10 couples. And all of them are under 27 years old.
Five years ago my sister loaned our family some money so we could make ends meet while my husband was between jobs. This year we were finally able to begin paying her back and sent out the first installment last week with a promise of paying her off in full by the end of the year. She sent me a beautiful card with the check I had sent her and said she had no recollection of lending money to us and that to consider the debt forgiven. Across the check she had written a very large VOID. I can’t say what this means to us! The day after this happened my husband came home and said he had received a raise- we are truly overwhelmed by God’s goodness and the generosity of my sister.
I just received the invitation for my brother’s ordination to the priesthood in June.
My five year old is making great progress in learning how to read.
My first niece was born last Monday.
This past Sunday while traveling on business in California I had the great blessing of attending Mass at St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado. The Norbertine fathers there are planning a wonderful new abbey once they raise the money, to make it one of the crown jewels of the church in Southern California. Information: http://www.abbeynews.com/Expansion-Home.html
Going on a vacation next week, the first real one in years. Very fortunate….
I’m making some good progress on a couple of articles I am writing about the theological competence of the governmental authority and the duties of the democratic state to the Catholic Religion. I hope to explain how public governmental authorities in the era of democratic republics are to fufill their moral duty towards the Catholic Religion and the One Church of Christ, which was upheld by “Dignitatis Humane” #1.
Please pray that my articles come to fruition.
Pax Christi!
My good news? My beautiful 8-month-old son, John Paul, is extremely healthy and developing very quickly. He’ll be all grown up and ordained a priest before you know it :-).
Our latest addition to the family continues to grow as she ought.
Our oldest’s ability to read English is improving, he’s learning his Catechism well, and he’s begging me to start teaching him Latin as soon as possible.
We have a new washing machine.
In a few weeks, I’ll experience my first Triduum in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.
My new job, despite a rough patch the last week or so, is going very well.
A friend is going to have her first child in July. Also, my wife and I will be going down to California to visit my parents in 1 1/2 weeks.
Good news:
A colleague at school is expecting her 5th! (she is a wonderful Catholic)
A former student got into Cornell.
Survived budget cuts last year and am still working (see my post in prayer intentions for next year ;) )
Have discovered I have two options to study Latin this summer, and one of those options will provide undergraduate credit. I am considering taking enough classes over the next two or three years to take the exam to add Latin to my teaching credential (just for my own accomplishment as Latin jobs are not very common.) I am VERY excited to finally get these Latin courses. I have wanted them since high school, and have never been able to take a course until now.
I am a Catholic!!! (woo-hoo!!!)
I have a guaranteed job until June, and am likely to be employed next year as well…
I got to attend a Latin Mass at a Basilica last weekend!
My wife is still homeschooling our little ones.
My wife is starting an MFA and is writing more than I have seen since I met her at University.
I just ordered tickets to see Fr. Corapi in Cincinnati in July!
I just got to have lunch with a friend I haven’t seen in 5 years, and my mother-in-law, after decades away, is starting to go to Mass weekly.
Father McBrien’s columns have been banned from being published in parish bulletins in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Seems like a Catholic apologist has a funny bone – thought this to be extraordinary and efficaciously fun video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b12aglwd8QY
Theere’s no one to beat our Holy Father!!
My oldest son just finished a 40 day retreat on the last day of February, and has discerned through the retreat a definitive call to the priesthood. He is now leaning towards a religious vocation, but it also considering the diocesan priesthood as well as military chaplaincy. He loves the TLM and is a regular server as well as the MC for our local TLM.
We had our first Solemn High Mass on February 21, and my son’s retreat master granted my son permission to attend, as he was our only server trained as an MC. The Chamber Singers of Clarion University (PA) sang a 16th century Mass by Tomas Luis de Victoria entitled O Quam Gloriosum (“O How Glorious”) with motets by Palestrina and others, while our local schola sang the propers. It was a glorious day!
Two of my daughters are in the state basketball tournament this weekend. After much work and dedication, they see what teamwork and a never give up attitude can accomplish.
Much for which to be thankful, these last few days…
– Of the many and sundry ongoing medical dramas in our extended family, my wife and I have not heard of any getting worse, and we have heard reports of several holding fast or even getting better.
– Phone call yesterday from a cousin I have not heard from in a year (two years? three?) They’re doing well enough and he was checking up on the rest of the family.
– My Aunt and her colleagues in Chile were well out of range of the worst effects of the earthquake – nobody injured in their house.
TJerome: Te Deum laudamus!! Great news!
We are continuing to persevere, under difficult circumstances, but with God’s help and the assistance of His friends, our monastic community is continuing. And yeah, the Devil is sure busy these days!
Our Pastor, whose one previous attempt at offering Mass in Latin resulted in a barrage of complaints to the Bishop (who didn’t provide him with a lot of backing) has decided to offer one Mass in Latin each month as an addition to the existing Mass schedule. If a reasonable number of the faithful attend the Latin Mass over a period of time he will substitute that Mass in Latin for one of the current NO Masses once per month. Step by step, brick by brick.
Waterbury Conn. now has a second EF Mass on Sundays. St Margaret’s (on Willow Street) offers the EF at 10:15 AM and now joins the Basillica of the Immaculate Conception, which has a weekly EF at 6:00 PM.
I was at Queen’s last weekend for some school related stuff and I also attened CCO’s dinner with guest speaker Cardinal Levada. It was a very encouraging talk.
One of my favorite priests uses only the Roman Canon (EP I) daily as well as Sunday, and offers the OF Mass with the same reverence and precision ordinarily associated only with the EF Mass.
Another says that he uses EP II once annually (thus avoiding the charge that he steers clear of it entirely). However, he recently mentioned that he forgot it last year, hence faces the ordeal of using EP II twice this year.
Having read about Prayer Shawls and Blankets in the Catholic National Register 2 years ago,I decided this would be something I would like to start in my parish when I retired. Last April I spoke with the Parish Priest and he approved my going ahead with it. In June I started crocheting shawls. For a while I thought that I might have made a mistake in thinking that God was calling me to this. Then Last September I was joined by one woman who knits. We knitted and crocheted away, building an inventory. In February we had more than a dozen shawls and blankets ready (you cannot hear of someone who is seriously ill and then start to craft a shawl for them – you need to have inventory on hand). Our Parish Priest had gone home to Ireland to visit his 90-ish mother who is now too fragile to travel to Trinidad as she used to. Then one of his brothers became seriously ill, so he has not yet returned.
In his absence I talked to the other priest (Fr. Hayden is retired and lives in the residence as this is the Provincial House of the Dominicans in Trinidad. Although retired, he assists Fr. Lawson and is in charge while Fr. L is away). Fr. Hayden was very enthusiastic about the project.
We had a couple of emails to and fro and Fr. H. gave me the prayers he proposed to use for blessing the shawls and blankets. He also suggested that the blessing be done on Monday March 8th – the feast of St. John of God.
The shawls and blankets were laid on a table in the Sanctuary before the 9:00 am Mass on Monday and were blessed after the Intercessory Prayers.
A number of parishioners spoke with us (the other woman – Pauline – and me) after Mass. One woman has promised to start coming to our twice monthly meetings and to crochet shawls with us; another has pledged to bring us yarn from Florida (she is going there soon on vacation). Another woman who had promised, about 6 weeks ago, to join us in crafting these garments of comfort, came to out meeting yesterday. Three people have asked for shawls – I have given request forms to the Lady who is in charge of those bringing Communion to the sick and also left some in the Parish Office.
The first blanket – a small child’s blanket – was given to one of the EMHC’s whose 2 year old granddaughter cannot walk yet.
The fruit is beginning to ripen!! In the past 11 months I sometimes thought we would never get off the ground, but, of course, we need to remember that we must go at God’s pace, not ours.
Thanks be to God.
My cute little granddaughter came over and wanted to look for plants coming up in our rather still Arctic looking yard. She found LOTS of them just starting to poke up through the ground!! I guess it is because she is so short she sees them better. ;)
I have been accepted as a seminarian at my home diocese! There is still a lot of paperwork for the seminary itself, but God willing, I should be entering this September. Praised be Jesus Christ!
jasonrossiter, that is GREAT news.
Danny, my 10 year old son was reading a few of the bottom comments and said, I know one! Spring is here! (Our weather has been awesome the last week and 70% of our snow is gone) He also reminded me we had a homeschool Mass presided by our Bishop who was so patient and loving in meeting with the many parents at the reception that followed. We are blessed by such a Bishop!
Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) has more hours of Eucharistic Adoration than St. Peter’s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8Wh3YqLOoU&feature=player_embedded
I don’t know if that is good news, but it certainly is encouraging – and it has been happening for 9 years – Thanks be to God!
So wonderful to read such good news! Very uplifting. I’ve been restoring an Infant of Prague statue and finished the project today. I brightened my husbands day by baking a loaf of Portuguese sweet bread and a loaf of Italian Ciabatta bread. The good news is it brought a smile to his face. The bad news is he has to share it!! Sorry! :(
Great news everyone. My business is doing well, so I am very blessed. This has allowed me some time to organize a children’s catechetical program that isn’t just all warm and fuzzy. God willing we will start in September.
My four year old tells me he is going to be an Archbishop when he grows up because he likes shepherd’s pie. My nearly eight year-old continues to learn to serve in our weekly EF Mass.
My In-Laws might be moving to Alaska!
Dr. Eric–lol.
I am a Catholic!!!!!! WOW
It is spring, I am pretty sure!
We are making progress on fixing up our house–and this is a real bless, getting a lot done on a shoestring budget.
I’m working with members of one of my parishes to make some improvements to our church. We are planning for some significantly more beautiful interior painting, to return some beautiful statues back to church after they are restored, to install a beautiful new floor, and improve the lighting.
This is on top of restoration of the stained-glass windows underway, and other exterior work. I must still present the plans to the pastoral council and the parish, and good responses will help. Pray!
Wounds of the last year are being healed (through prayer), and Our Lady has interceded in miraculous ways!
my first grandchild is due in 8 days!
50 degree weather in Chicagoland! And spring break starting next week!
I showed the first part of the Holy See’s Video, “Alter Christus: Fidelitas Christi, Fidelitas Sacerdotis” to the 51 freshMEN in my Religion Class. Thanks, Fr. Z for posting it.
Wow. Impressive. And I think it struck a chord w. many of them.
My son has come home from Iraq. Thank God, St. Joseph, and St. Michael.
Today I poured coffee for, and shared laughs with, some neighbors to whom we are ministering through Catholic Charities. Or perhaps I should say “…who are ministering to us”, since it is in their eyes that He can be so clearly seen.
And our priest faithfully says the black, does the red and preaches the Word every day. Purposefully. Indefatigably. Even defiantly. God bless him all his days!
And today my friend announced that he is truly coming home to the Bride of Christ. My heart is overwhelmed with joy!
My mother has made an almost miraculous recovery after a life threatening medical emergency.
We had 60 people at Mass on Sunday at our little mission and we’re receiving 6-7 catechumens into the Church on Easter!
The bank refunded me fees they had taken!
i finally had an interview for a job.
i’ve been able to go to Mass [almost] every day during Lent. biggest blessing of being unemployed and out of school.
I’ve started volunteering at a pregnancy center and might begin work volunteering with Rachel’s Vineyard soon..
God sends me a never-ending supply of Angels to brighten my day just wheni feel tempted to despair.
i’m currently watching Snow White with a wonderful friend i haven’t seen in awhile.
A faithful Catholic elementary school has received 43 new applications for 2010-2011 school year.
Good news. I was worried about this spot that didn’t want to heal, the specialist identified it and so while it will need treatment eventually, it is neither life threatening nor does it have to be done anything with right now.
I am fairly certain that I managed to avoid totally flunking my exam.
Our 6 month old daughter is sitting up on her own!
Little things; two of our three dogs are healthy, and the third’s condition is improving.
My husband had received a lead on a possible new position (with higher pay) at another agency, maybe he can get out of the difficult work situation.
Bigger things; a friend’s pregnancy is going well (at this far along last time she was hospitalized on bed rest) she is healthy, the baby is healthy and “big brother” (2 years old in 2 weeks) is thriving.
Daughter might have a job, and her husband will soon be employed long enough to start receiving full benefits.
A friend, who is a non-denominational Protestant, was led to learn about and begin practicing NFP. Her husband, for Lent, offered to stop contracepting and start practicing NFP as a family.
Our fifth baby is now 2 months old and very healthy.
Two things: 1) I can walk. :) This pregnancy has been supremely challenging on the rather time-worn joints in my hips and pelvis, and it had gotten to the point where walking was becoming a big challenge. Thanks to the wonders of physical therapy, while I won’t really be “better” until I’ve delivered the baby, I can walk, and should be able to stay mobile for the duration of the pregnancy. Thank you, Lord.
2) One of my teens, who unfortunately required a spinal tap on Monday, does *not* have meningitis. Deo Gratias.
I worked 12 hours and now I am home in front of my computer eating pizza and blogging on Father Z’s page. Food is good. We like food. :)
I have been instructing a lady in preparation for coming into full communion with the Catholic Church. Today she received the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. Deo Gratias
my husband just celebrated his 85th birthday, and still jogs every morning.
Thank the Lord for his good health.
I am going to the EF offered by Cardinal Hoyos at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC, April 24. I have my airline tickets and a hotel reservation. My daughter who lives in DC and long ago left the Church and has quite a bit of animosity towards the faith, has agreed to go with me.
Just returned from our son’s First Profession of Vows along with 14 other young men in Newark, NJ to the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR). What a joyful liturgy!! Ten more young postulants just took the habit the week before – all to serve the poor.
1 hand typing because of sleeping baby on the left arm….
yest. my 7 yr. old was home sick from his thoroughly Catholic elementary school and built an altar, complete with Lego candles and Lego lighter/snuffer, then asked for my missal for the book stand
the cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City, IA, will have Adoration/ Holy Hour for small children in March–a real blessing for parents of kids still learning to be quiet in church!
On St. Valentine’s Day, my daughter entered the postulancy at the Carmelite Monastery of Alexandria, SD. Her Dad and I are so happy for her.
This is good news of a rather frivolous sort — but my 10 year old Chocolate Labrador passed her final hunting test for her HR (Hunting Retriever) title. The title’s not easy to earn, and she is 100 percent amateur trained and on her third career, after earning obedience and agility titles. She passed her final test the day before her tenth birthday.
I couldn’t be more proud of her, she’s an intelligent, enthusiastic dog and has done everything I have ever asked of her, even silly dog tricks. Now she can retire, ride on the truck in royal state, act as a test dog when the judges need one, and look superior.
Shelley
The RCIA candidate whom I’m sponsoring called me up Sunday night to tell me that he would be missing class; no big deal, right? Until…I found out the reason: He couldn’t come to class because he’d be attending a presentation called “Contraception; Why Not? and the New Sexual Revolution” by Dr. Janet Smith. He asked if I’d like to go with him and there were 200, 300 attendees, almost all supportive. Talk about CONVERSION!
The weather here in Sydney is very pleasant.
American Mother-your ‘puppy’ Shelley is sooo cute! [I’m a dog lover!]
jason-what great news for you!
TJerome-DOUBLE Deo Gratias!
I have a ‘little’ good news. Last Wednesday I had to go to traffic court. Because of insurance issues, my license and registration were suspended for 60 days. A fellow member of the TLM chapel I go to drove me to court, since I couldn’t drive. I was absolutely terrified being there, but my friend, a retired member of the law enforcement profession, spoke for me to the judge and the lawyer who was also in the courtroom.
I have to go to the DMV tomorrow to get some paperwork for my next court date, and my friend will take me again. Hopefully I can get this out of the way and I can get back on the road again. Where I live, you NEED a car! I just wish the traffic laws weren’t so draconian…so everyone, please pray that this mess which I brought upon myself will be resolved!
I’m glad I have a few good and supportive friends to help me!