Sir Thomas More (7 February, 1478 - 6 July, 1535), posthumously known as Saint Thomas More, was an English lawyer, writer, and politician. He is chiefly remembered for his principled refusal to accept King Henry VIII’s claim to be the supreme head of the Church of England, a decision which ended his political career and led to his excecution as a  traitor. In 1935, four hundred years after his death, More was canonized in the Catholic Church and was later declared the patron saint of statesmen, lawyers and politicians.

Prayer of Saint Thomas More

Give me the grace to long for Your holy sacraments, and especially to rejoice in the presence of Your body, sweet Savious Christ, in the holy sacrament of the altar. Amen

Apart from having our home blessed by a priest before moving in, we also have a proliferation of devotional objects around the home. At the second floor, we have the main altar, where one can find a crucifix , the statues and pictures of saints. We also keep prayer and religious books, sacramentals like Holy Water , candles and religious articles in the main altar.

We have a crucifix in every room of our home, including icons and statues of saints. In the living room, we had a statue of Christ the King enthroned and blessed five years ago.

Palm leaves, blessed on Palm Sunday are hung on windows and doors. Bottles of Holy Water handed out during the Easter Sunday Mass are also kept at home. We bless our home most especially at times when the Catholic Church is celebrating a Feast. I bless my son with Holy Water before leaving home and at bedtime. I do the same with myself all the time.

These religious icons, statues and sacramentals remind us constantly to think of Jesus and His Mother and turn to them at all times. It keeps them always in our thoughts and and our hearts.

A document titled “Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road” was issued by the Vatican as a guide for drivers to practice self-mastery, prudence, courtesy, fitting spirit of service and awareness of highway code.

The document said “cars tend to bring out the ‘primitive’ side of human beings, thereby producing rather unpleasant results.”

The “Ten Commandments” for drivers, as listed in the document are :

1. You shall not kill.

2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.

3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.

4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.

5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination and an occasion of sin.

6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.

7. Support the families of accident victims.

8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.

9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.

10. Feel responsible toward others.

Painting by Fra Angelico

Saint Romuald was born in Ravenna, Italy to a family of nobility. Founder of the Camaldolese monks, he was a hermit and a reformer of the monastic custom of his time. He died after a life of prayer and regorous penance.

Prayer

Father, through St. Romuald, You renewed the life of solitude and prayer in Your Church. By our self-denial as we follow Christ, bring us the joy of heaven. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. +Amen

Elephants

done in oil pastel by JM, 9 yrs.

Yesterday afternoon, while waiting for JM to arrive home from school, I did a quick check of  newly  bloomed  flowers in my small garden. I expected new blooms because now, the weather has gone really good for plants to bear flowers. Here are what I found :

Two Tone Red Adenium

Red , star like Hoya flowers

Red Hoya flowers as it grew hanging in a vine.

Anthurium bud bloomed after the rain.

Today, masses and prayers were offered for the second death anniversary of Miss Adalia B. Cembrano, a loving and caring aunt, teacher and friend. She joined her Creator on June 18, 2005 at the age of 85  after years of battle with Alzheimer’s and it’s complications. I would like to request the readers of this blog to please offer a short prayer for the eternal repose of her soul.

Eternal rest grant her O Lord, and let your your perpetual light shine upon her. May the souls of all faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen

Today, we went to the Capuchine Sisters Convent to offer prayers for the second death anniversary of my aunt. The convent was closed and is not open to the public any day of the week. I needed to talk to one of the sisters regarding the prayer offering  and I found a door at the left side of the chapel that lead to revolving wooden window. There was an instruction for visitors to ring the bell in case they need to talk to one of the sisters. The day to day schedule of the sisters is also posted near the window. I rang the bell once and the revolving window moved. I heard the sister greet me , but I did not see her face. She informed me , that members of her congregation are  not allowed to show their faces to people who comes daily to the convent. I thought  the way they live is similar to a hermit monk, with very limited contact with the outside world. She politely accepted my prayer offering  and I took the opportunity to ask her if we can go and visit the chapel which was locked at the time. The daily mass is at 6:00 a.m. . She told me to wait outside the  chapel and one of the sisters will open the door  for us. We stood at the front door and we heard it being unlocked. The moment we entered, we were greeted by peace, the kind of peace one would never experience in the outside world. The chapel is small , with nine pews, a very simple altar devoid of flowers and decorations and there are two statues, one on each side of the altar. Everything inside the chapel including the floor is made of wood. We noticed a part of the wall where the altar is located is iron grills, partially covered with lace curtains. The reason for the existence of these iron grills is , during the celebration of the mass,  the sisters can be one with the parishioners . Even if there is a wall between them, both sides can hear what is going on during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The sisters attend behind the wall of the altar and the parishioners stay in the chapel itself. As we knelt in prayer , we heard the sisters sang and prayed,  their voices echoed  from the other side of the wall that separated us from them.

Capuchine Sisters Chapel

Wooden revolving window where visitors can talk to the sisters.

Altar

Statue of Saint Claire of Asisi  at the right side of the altar.

 Father’s Day chocolate cake we shared at home today.

To my husband, my Dad and to all fathers in every corner of the world. . . . . .

A  Happy and Blessed Father’s Day !

A Father’s Blessing

Father, I thank you for the gift of my family for whom I now pray amd upon whom I now ask you to shower your blessings. With St. Joseph as my guide, may I always be ready to spend my life for them.

Bless my wife whom you have given to me as my spouse, sharing in your wondrous work of creation. May I see her as my equal and treat her with the love of Christ for his Church. May Mary be her guide and help her to find your peace and your grace.

Bless my children with your life and presence. May the example of your son be the foundation upon which their lives are built, that the Gospel may always be their hope and support.

I ask you , Father, to protect and  bless my family. Watch over it so that in the strength  of your love, it’s members may enjoy properity, possess the gift of your peace and as the Church alive in this home, always bear witness to your glory in the world. Amen                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Painting by Peter Paul Ruben

“So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven because she has shown great love. But the one whom little is forgiven loves little.”He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”The others at the table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 7: 47-50