Lumiere Charity - Coffee Break

EMPLOYMENT AND THE DREADED LAYOFF

2026-09-25T14:03:41.809-07:00

Catherine Nicolette:

Do you ever find yourself becoming somebody who, in the depths of your soul, you really aren't - in order to keep food on the table and a shelter overhead? Yep; the work-life balance conundrum . . .

Taking stock of life

Every now and then it seems as if God gives us a moment so we can pause to take stock of the spiritual temperature of our lives. With the reality-thermometer of what our life is truly becoming.

Moments which may cause us to stop and ponder may include "mid-life crisis" (or, as a wise person once told me, a mid-life breakthrough). Severe illness may force one to spend time out of the busy treadmill of daily life. Other moments may include grievous bereavement, job crisis, retrenchment, layoff or mandated retirement due to age.

At these times we pause, take stock; and don't always like what we see.

Life-path

Prayer is great benison at these times. Moments of taking stock are opportunities to decide whether we want to continue on our present trajectory, or to choose a new path. Whether you continue on your current path, or change life-path, it is good practice to always keep in mind that both choices contain their own difficulties. Everything in life has its price.

Crust of bread

Which brings me to the employment situation. In order to earn the proverbial crust of bread, many need to work. A job opportunity arises; it seems the perfect fit. People within the employment context prove amiable with good set of values. Employment opportunity thus accepted may prove a boon.

Over years, however, things at work may shift. Organizational core values and requirements surrounding the job may change. Consequently, you may find yourself in a driven environment quite unlike that in which you first started. Further, you may find that the employment situation no longer quite synchronises with your personal moral value-system.

Gradual change

This is not always a quick realization. Change may happen so gradually, that it may seem that one day you just woke up and realized the employment world you entered, is no more. The only thing that you seem still to have in common is organizational need for expertise, and your need for remuneration. A situation of mutual benefit. Or not.

It is helpful to remember that life is fairly short. For those so blessed, we may attain threescore and ten, and beyond. Even so, we will not be on this beautiful earth forever. So it is important that we discern our lives well.

There may be signs

In regard to employment, sometimes God allows our work trajectory spontaneously to change. As part of organic aging process, we may find ourselves physically less able to keep up with professionally active demands. This may be a sign that the time has come for change to lighter form of employment.

We may prove less patient with changes which have grown up around work we genuinely used to love. This may be a sign that you have matured, perhaps past your current work culture.

Other factors may come into play. You may need to make a decision to care for a disabled family member. In so doing, you may lose competitive work edge, due to caregiver demands. This may be a sign that you are branching from work life to fuller family role.

Layoff

You may be met at work with the news that you are being let go, for whatever reason. Causes may include inter alia restructure of work organogram, trimming of staff numbers, economic factors, or different vision for workplace-future. These situations happen.

Do remember that this does not reflect on you. It simply may be symptomatic of your workplace culture. This is always, of course, a shock to the system if unexpected. Especially if you have dependents trusting in your provision. Yet, do not despair. God will always help you make your way through these occurrences in life.

Guidance

If God is leading you to make decision regarding your employment station in life, turn to Him for guidance. Discern what God is asking of you. If possible, avoid undue sharing of your challenges with others. Not all acquaintances may prove worthy of your trust. Imprudent and hasty speech sometimes lead to regret and tears further down the line. Speak with a wise and trusted counsellor, such as a confidante, family member or worthy priest.

Mature in holy way

Sometimes God asks of us to change employment, so as to enable personal value-system to grow and mature in holy way. At times Divine Providence may lead us to reduction in working hours and income, to free us for growth in spiritual stature and emotional wealth. As a dear Irish nurse-friend told me years ago, we may be cash-rich and time-poor; or cash-poor and time-rich. Both have their benefits; both have their challenges.

Service of Kingdom

Sometimes God removes demands on our time, so that that we may be freed for other tasks required in service of His heavenly Kingdom.

Discernment

At times of discernment, turn to the prayer chapel, visit the Blessed Sacrament, attend worship services, pray the rosary, and ask God to guide you to the best way forward. He will.

Many graces are bestowed by God during prayer. Great comfort is received from God at times of difficulty. Jesus told us, "Come unto Me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Children of grace

We are all children of God under the grace. We do not need to constrain ourselves to employment which does not align with core values of holiness, modesty, purity of mind and thought, honesty in praxis, and godly values. We do, however, need to eat and provide sensibly for ourselves and our loved ones. God always awaits at the crux between need and opportunity. Turn to Him in prayer when employment situations warrant heavenly Guidance. The Almighty will never fail you.

Circumstances change

A decision made in one decade may no longer prove appropriate twenty years later. An appropriate decision made by one individual, may not suit the situation of another.

God has a different plan for each person. His plan takes into consideration the time, situation, and differing needs. As God's plan unfolds, we need to trust in Him.

We are constantly evolving, becoming stronger or weaker in our spiritual lives. As my mother always said, we can only go forward or backward in the spiritual journey; we can never remain in the same place. She counselled that we need to ask God for grace, and constantly strive to move forward.

As circumstances change; we need to change along with them. The virtue of humility helps us to accept inevitable situations with grace and dignity.

Spiritual Exercises

God's plan for an individual develops as the work of holiness within the soul matures. What God may require of us in our youth, may no longer be needed in our midlife. Thus, discernment is needed. The spiritual exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola may prove most helpful in this regard.

Layoff

Do not be daunted if dearly-loved employment is no more. If you find yourself on the way out of the organizational door after layoff, do not panic. God is watching. He knows what you need. This may even be part of His greater Plan. In some instances, something good has to go, in order for something better to take its place.

Godly values

Be strong. As a child of God, you have everything you need to rise to employment challenges. Inclusive of work layoff with disentanglement from situation. At times God allows freeing from undue responsibilities, in order to create space for nurture of godly values.

Make haste slowly

The old maxim often proves helpful; make haste slowly. Do not make quick decisions regarding employment. Think and pray about them. Seek wise guidance.

Once the decision has been made, thank God for what was.

Look forward to what is to come.

If you are facing employment challenge, perhaps the following prayer chapels may be of comfort to you. Blessings

PRAYER CHAPEL FOR DIVINE GUIDANCE - PRAYER FOR EMPLOYMENT, PROVISION AND NEW BEGINNINGS

https://churchinterfaith.blogspot.com/2026/09/prayer-chapel-for-divine-guidance.html

Pray the rosary

https://www.comepraytherosary.org/

Lourdes Grotto

https://directfromlourdes.com/lourdes_live_tv

The Divine Mercy chaplet

https://prayrosary.net/novenas/divine-mercy

https://prayrosary.net/chaplets/divine-mercy

Image courtesy of Perchance.org with CN Whittle "Office"

With thanks to comepraytherosary.org, directfromlourdes.com, and prayrosary.net

HOLDING ONE'S TONGUE IS NOT A LOST ART

2026-07-19T17:33:17.328-07:00

Catherine Nicolette;

Restraint in speech

As a child, I was taught the practice of restraint in speech. Controlling one's tongue, and discerning one's speech, were considered sensible things to do.

In Sub A, one of the first maxims our nun-teacher taught our class was "count to ten before you speak." My mom said, "Be careful what you say. You can hurt others." Dad advocated prudence and discretion in speech and the writing of letters.

Self-control

The priests preached about the power of self control in speech. One priest who gave us a class lecture explained it this way; if you pass on gossip, especially if it is untrue, and repent afterwards, you can go to confession to confess your venial sin. However, it is like opening a cushion of down feathers and shaking the feathers to the four winds. Gossip spreads like feathers over the country. You can confess your sin, and be absolved. But you cannot hope to gather all the feathers of gossip your tongue gave rise to, once more back into the pillow.

So, concluded Father, don't pass on gossip. He went on to say that St James considered the tongue to be a fire, able to bring about unrighteousness (James 3:5) Father highlighted that the tongue has potential to cause significant impact, much like a spark can ignite a fire. Words have power to influence for good or bad.

My little six-year-old self was mightily impressed. I did not like the idea of feather-nastiness fouling my chances of attaining heaven. I knew what I needed to do: it behoved me to keep guard over what I said.

Say nothing, and keep on saying it

Holding one's tongue is not a lost art, in today's world. It simply means - in the immortal words of a nurse to me many years ago - the ability to say nothing, and to keep on saying it. Holding one's tongue is the ability not to respond when someone says something unpleasant, and instead practice restraint.

Conflict resolution

In all fairness, sometimes we do need to confront and resolve uncomfortable conflict. In such case, the situation should be handled with discretion and prudence.

It is certainly helpful to master the art of knowing what to say, how to say it and when to say it. This practice helps immeasurably in daily life because it develops sangfroid (the ability to stop and think), good judgement (the decision to decide if it is worth engaging; in other words, to pick your battles) and discretion (to choose silence while keeping situational information in mind for future reference if appropriate).

Recall of harsh words

My heart freezes when I witness someone letting all their emotions spill out publicly in the heat of the moment. It is awfully difficult to take back harsh words at a later date, even if they were not fully meant at the time. Bitter words, once uttered, are difficult to soften when the flash of anger is past. Speech and the word written in haste without due consideration, may come back to haunt.

Gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit grants gifts and fruits through the sacrament of Confirmation. God's gifts include wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and respect for the Lord. The fruits of the Spirit include charity (love), peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness and self-control.

As a result of practice of these gifts, prudence and kindliness are wont to flow. Prudence and kindliness are virtues which need to be practised by ourselves, and which woefully are not always easy to master. They may lead to responsible discretion, which may prove an emotional rock in the messy situations which life has an uncomfortable habit of regularly throwing before us.

Self-control

It is prudent practice to exercise self-control, and to think before speech. And then to speak only with kindness. I advocate this with confidence, as survivor of sundry failed attempts to control my tongue in earlier years. Believe me, the fall-out of hasty retorts are not worth the fleeting satisfaction of blurting out anger or chagrin unfiltered. It is also not worth later guilt felt at seeing the hurt dealt to another by hasty words - however unintentional the hurt may have been.

Measured speech

My hope and prayer is that we discern our words before utterance. Because if we cannot control our behaviour and emotions, who else can do this for us?

Image courtesy of ChatGPT and CN Whittle "Serene moment in rustic room"

ROSARY AND DEVOTION TO MARY IN THE MONTH OF MAY

2026-05-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

Luky;

MAY is our Lady's month, the month of the most holy rosary, my favourite prayer.

I'm not going to be sanctimonious about it. Either the rosary is your kind of prayer or it isn't. I love saying the rosary, but St Thérèse of the Child Jesus found it difficult to pray. But even if you're not specially taken with it, the rosary is a wonderful prayer.

Signs of grace

As I've often said, we've always said the rosary as a family, and a less devout spectacle it would be hard to imagine. Sometimes I wondered whether we shouldn't just drop the whole thing because my children seemed to feel about the rosary the way St Thérèse did, but then I recalled the special signs of grace bestowed on my friends and family as a result of rosary novenas, and pushed on regardless.

After all, it is not very nice when you are small to sit still at Mass, but by the time you're in your late teens you find a deep need to go to Mass to collect your scattered and sometimes shattered resources.

Renew trust with Our Lady

By the same token a daily withdrawal into a quiet room for your rosary, said as well as you can, renews your trust with our Lady, until it becomes the most peaceful part of your day.

Strong, silent woman

I always feel the Blessed Virgin must have been such a strong, silent woman. Do you remember nights spent up caring for tiny tots with high temperatures, children crying in agony with an ear or tooth infection? Do you remember how desperately helpless you felt?

One film I watched depicted our Lady and the holy women all screaming out their sorrow. I could never imagine our Lady performing like that. I see her instead under the cross looking steadfastly into her Son's Eyes. If she had gone to pieces there, our Lord would have had even more to bear.

Please pray the rosary

Mary has done a lot for us. And time and again, she has come to earth and begged her children to pray the rosary every day, promising grace and blessings on those who grant her request. Yet so many have a dislike of this specially recommended form of prayer.

Family prayer-time

Bearing this is mind, we persevered with our family rosary daily, me armed with a store of cautionary words for certain parties, who felt that family prayer-time should rather be called family fun-time.

Whenever the children became restive during the rosary, I found myself saying things like: "Pray your rosary. Am I the only Catholic in the family?"

Laughter

One night we were praying, and my youngest was frolicking around, providing a laugh per Hail Mary. I looked at her in a reproving manner, so she subsided, knelt down and joined in the prayer. Her brothers and sisters were mumbling and this got on her nerves.

Fixing the rest of the family with a stern look, she commanded: "Say your rosary! Am I the only Catholic in the family?"

Catherine Nicolette;

Those were the days! I am still devoted to the holy Rosary. I also often pray the Divine Mercy rosary.

What is the rosary?

For those who do not really know what the rosary is, it is a set of beads used as a reminder, on which prayers based in Scripture may be prayed.

Large beads

The large beads are held at the beginning of a cycle of prayer known as a decade, while the "Our Father" prayer of Our Lord Jesus Christ is prayed (Matt 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4).

Small beads

The small beads are held during the decade, while the "Hail Mary" prayer is prayed. This prayer is based upon the visitation of the Angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38).

Glory be

The large bead is held at the end of the decade, while the "Glory Be" prayer is prayed. This prayer is a short yet profound doxology reflecting the biblical foundation of the Trinitarian prayer, echoing the baptismal formula given by Jesus Christ, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). The phase "as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be" affirms God's Eternal Nature and unchanging Glory, reminiscent of passages such as Hebrews 13:8; "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

Reflection on biblical passages

While each decade is being prayed, different passages from the Bible are reflected on. The mysteries reflect as follows:

The Joyful Mysteries:

The Annunciation: Luke 1:26-38

The Visitation: Luke 1:39-56

The Nativity: Luke 2

The Presentation in the Temple: Luke 2:22-40

Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple: Luke 2:41-52

The Sorrowful Mysteries:

The Agony in the Garden: Mark 14:13-42; Luke 22:39-46

The Scourging at the Pillar; John 19:1-3; Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15

The Crowning with Thorns: John 19:2-3, Mark 15:19, Matthew 27:27-29

The Carrying of the Cross: Matthew 27:31-33; Mark 15:20-22; John 19:16-18

The Crucifixion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ: Matthew 27:32-44; Mark 15:21-32; Luke 23:26-43; John 19:17-24

The Glorious Mysteries:

The Resurrection: Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-16; Luke 24:1-12; Luke 20:1-16

The Ascension into Heaven: Luke 24:50-53

The Descent of the Holy Spirit: Acts 2:1-11

The Assumption of Mary: recognized in the Church by Venerable Pope Pius XII's 1950 Dogma of the Assumption Munificentissimus Deus [1]. Early church tradition spoke of the death and assumption of Mother Mary body and soul into Heaven at the Dormition. One account is the non-canonical account Transitus Mariae, [2] which describes angels transporting Mother Mary's body to heaven. This tradition influenced later liturgical celebrations, such as the Feast of the Dormition, established by the 6th century in the Byzantine church. [3] The Feast of the Dormition or Falling-Asleep of the Theotokos is beautifully described by the holy Orthodox Church in America [4]

The Crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven: As Mother of the King of Heaven, tradition holds that Mother Mary has Queenship in Heaven. The history of the tradition that Mother Mary is Queen in Heaven is set out in the encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam of Venerable Pope Pius XII. [5] St Ephrem spoke of Mother Mary as Queen. St Gregory Nazianzen called Mary the Mother of the King of the Universe, while Prudentius asserted that the Mother brought forth God as man and and Supreme King. [5] St Andrew of Crete attributed the dignity of Queen to Mother Mary. [5] St Germanus and St John Damascene, St Ildephonsus of Toledo all recognized Mother Mary as Queen. [5]

Small biblical reminder

The rosary, to me, is almost like a small bible reminder in my pocket. It is easy to take with me anywhere, and may be prayed at any time. It is a quick resource which helps to remind me of the important truths and tradition of the faith.

The Divine Mercy Novena

The Divine Mercy Novena may be prayed upon the same kind of rosary. The Novena is a beautiful prayer which has many graces attached to it.

PRAY THE ROSARY WORLDWIDE

https://www.comepraytherosary.org/

PRAY THE DIVINE MERCY NOVENA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sfYoiwZAEg

PRAY AT LOURDES

https://directfromlourdes.com/lourdes_live_tv

[1] Venerable Pope Pius XII. November 1, 1950. Munificentissimus Deus

https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/apost_constitutions/documents/hf_p-xii_apc_19501101_munificentissimus-deus.html

[2] Bible Probe. Transitus Mariae

http://www.bibleprobe.com/transitusmariae.htm

[3] Sacerdotus. 2025. The Assumption of the Virgin Mary: Historical Development, Theological Foundations, and Refutations of Objections

https://sacerdotus.substack.com/p/the-assumption-of-virgin-mary

[4] The Orthodox Church in America. Volume II -Worship. The Church Year. Dormition of the Theotokos

https://www.oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith/worship/the-church-year/dormition-of-the-theotokos

[5] Venerable Pope Pius XII. 11 October 1954. Ad Caeli Reginam

https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_11101954_ad-caeli-reginam.html

With thanks to vatican.va, bibleprobe.com, sacerdoctus.substack.com, oca.org, comepraytherosary.org, directfrom lourdes.com and Youtube

Image courtesy of ChatGPT with CN Whittle "Family rosary"

MATER POPULI FIDELIS: DEVOTED INSTITUTES AND MARIAN TITLES

2026-04-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

Catherine Nicolette;

I read the recent doctrinal note Mater Populi Fidelis - doctrinal note on some Marian titles regarding Mary's cooperation in the work of salvation - with interest. Point 22 of the note states that "given the necessity of explaining Mary's subordinate role to Christ in the work of Redemption, it is always inappropriate to use the title "Co-redemptrix" to define Mary's cooperation." [1]

Later in the note, point 45 states, "If one considers the fact that the Trinitarian indwelling (uncreated grace) and our participation in the divine life (created grace) are inseparable, we cannot think that this mystery depends on a "passage" through Mary's hands." [1]

Possible ramifications

Well, now. To my mind, there would appear to be ramifications connected to the newly-deemed unsuitability of the title "Co-redemptrix." Many years of usage of the term "Co-redemptrix" in relation to Mother Mary, by pontiffs such as Saint John Paul II, Pope Pius XI and Pope Pius XII, have laid the fabric of church tradition.

Against this background, many faithful have peacefully followed the devotion, and found succour and peace. Some exorcists - when faced with unduly vexatious exorcisms - would hesitate to eschew the strong aid of invocation of titles of Mother Mary such as "Co-Redemptrix" and "Mediator of all Graces."

In Exorcist diary #248: Mary, Mother of Exorcists, Monsignor Rossetti writes, "satan's pride blinded him and he became enraged against Jesus and all of humanity, perpetually dedicated to destroying it.

In response, Jesus sends a "lowly" woman from Palestine to cast him out. Her only "weapons" are her love for Jesus, her total humility, and her obedience to God. It is precisely in these that we humans triumph over evil. According to Divine justice, satan is enduring a reality he never learned: the essence of true power belonging to God. As St Paul says: "I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me" (2 Cor 12:9).

I personally believe that the entire ministry of exorcism has been delegated by God to the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is the Mother of Exorcists: I believe she is spiritually present at every exorcism: and she often makes her presence directly felt in casting out satan.

I do not know a seasoned exorcist who does not have a deep, heart-felt devotion to the Mother of God. In fact, I tell new exorcists in training that such a devotion is not simply a pious addition to one's ministry. It is essential. We begin every exorcism invoking the aid of the most powerful Mother of God.

Mary, Mother of Exorcists, pray for us." [2]

Popes, saints and mystics have used the Marian titles

It is possible that the doctrinal note could cause confusion, rather than create certainty? Dr Miravalle noted that the doctrinal note has understandably caused a lot of confusion, precisely because "so many popes, saints, and mystics have used the titles" throughout Church History; Alleged News.[3]

Canonically approved institutes with Marian Co-redemptrix charism

A number of faithful have raised canonically approved institutes with charisms inspired by Mother Mary the Co-redemptrix. We consider Congregazione Figlie Maria SS. Corredentrice, founded in Catania, Italy in 1953 and approved in 1964. Members of this Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Co-Redemptrix offer their lives to the Lord in union with the priesthood of Christ, while working in the spirit of the Virgin Co-Redemptrix. Then there is the Pia Associazione di Maria SS. Corredentrice (Pious Association of Mary SS. Co-redemptrix), approved by the Archbishop of Reggio Calabria, Italy in 1984.

Hijas de Maria Immaculada y Corredentora (Congregation of Daughters of Mary Immaculate and Co-Redemptrix) of Lima, Peru, was founded in 1978 and approved in 1980.

Instituto de Misioneras de Maria Corredentora (Institute of Missionary Sisters of Mary Co-Redemptrix) in Ecuador, was founded in 1964 and approved in 1969.

Associación de Fieles al Servicio de María Corredentora y Reina de la Paz (Association of the Faithful at the Service of Mary Co-redemptrix and Queen of Peace) in Venezuela, was founded and approved in 1992 by the Archbishop of Barquisimeto, Venezuela.

The seminary of the Society of St. Pius X [SSPX] located in Moreno, Buenos Aires, Argentina, is named Seminario Nuestra Señora Corredentora (Seminary of Our Lady Co-redemptrix). [4]

Rightful place within the church

When a charism has been carefully discerned, canonically established and lived with fidelity over generations, it carries within it a rightful place within the life of the church. To see that charism - in this instance one honouring Mother Mary under a title long acknowledged within the church - now deemed inappropriate, may give rise to a sense of uneasiness. In practical terms, how does one freshly eschew a Marian title, when one's own religious identity is canonically bound to that same title?

Graces shed upon those who ask for them

Many faithful trust that Mother Mary assists with our difficulties in life, through mission entrusted to her by her Son, Jesus Christ. Mother Mary appeared to St Catherine Labouré in the Rue du Bac. These apparitions were approved as authentic by the Church.

In the second apparition to Sr Catherine, Mother Mary appeared in the chapel, in the form of a picture, standing on a globe, with shafts of light streaming from her hands emanating from jewels on the rings adorning her fingers.

"These rays symbolize the graces I shed upon those who ask for them," Our Lady told Sr Catherine. "The gems from which rays do not fall are the graces for which souls forget to ask." (Some of the jewels on Our Lady's rings were not shining).

Not incumbent to believe in apparitions

True, it certainly is not incumbent upon faithful to believe in Marian apparitions. Although some apparitions are approved as authentic by the church, they do not form part of the matter for belief by the magisterium.

However, many of us derive deep comfort and support through pilgrimage to holy shrines. Many decades ago, I went in pilgrimage to Rue du Bac, which was a holy and insightful time for me. Thereafter, I have retained devout love and honour for Mother Mary of Rue du Bac, as well as deep respect and affection for St Catherine Labouré. My personal experience of Mother Mary when I prayed in the chapel at the Rue du Bac, is that graces I prayed for, were granted by Almighty God. Just saying . . .

Where to from here?

After reading the Dicastery note, I mulled for a long time. Especially about congregations who quietly and devotedly have served the church so well, under spiritual banner of Mary Co-redemptrix.

Then I sighed, and got up. I realized that, to be honest, my heart goes out to these congregations. And, most of all, to Our Lady.

Mother Mary continues to work in the life of the church, millennia after her first call by Almighty God. Holy Mother must surely sit in Heaven at times, and wonder about all that takes place here on earth...

At the foot of the Cross we remain

In quiet pews where candles softly burn,
The faithful read, hearts within them turn;
A title loved, once spoken without blame,
Now questioned with a sense of shame.

“O Mother dear,” their whispered prayers rise,
“Have we then loved thee wrongly in God's Eyes?”
Yet still they see thee standing, steadfast, near,
Beneath the cross, where redemption conquered fear.

There with Jesus Christ in agony and grace,
Saint John beside thee in that hallowed place,
Thou wast given as Mother, tender, true -
“Behold thy son” - and we were given too.

Through centuries thy children learned thy name,
In love, not pride, in reverence, not shame;
Not equal thou, but closest to His side,
A Mother’s heart where sacrifice abide.

Those who toil where burning sun beats down,
Who bear the Cross in field, in street, in town,
Still pray with thee, their patroness and guide,
At Calvary’s foot; where redemption doth abide.

O can they now from such devotion part,
When it has shaped the rhythm of the heart?
When popes and prayers and ages long have sown
This filial love the faithful call their own?

Though language trembles, shifts, or bends,
Deeper truth no passing voice suspends:
That thou, O Mother, in thy hidden way,
Dost lead thy children still, from day to day.

For where else shall thy weary children go,
Who learned thy love through centuries of woe?
The cross remains, its shadow ever wide -
Thou art there, still standing at His side.

[1] Mater Populi Fidelis. 2025

https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_ddf_doc_20251104_mater-populi-fidelis_en.html

[2] Rossetti, Monsignor Stephen. 2023. Exorcist Diary #248. Mary, Mother of Exorcists

https://www.catholicexorcism.org/post/exorcist-diary-248-mary-mother-of-exorcists

[3] Eternally Catholic. "The forgotten story: Vatican statement on Mary's Co-Redemptrix title contradicts 2000 years of teaching;" Alleged News

https://eternallycatholic.com/the-forgotten-story-vatican-statement-on-marys-co-redemptrix-title-contradicts-2000-years-of-teaching/

[4] Miravalle, Mark. "Pope Francis and the Coredemptive role of Mary, the "Woman of Salvation." What does it mean to say the Mother of God is Co-Redemptrix?" Alleged News. Page 8

https://eccematertua.com/sites/ecce/files/miravalleemtvol3.pdf

[5] Miravalle, Mark. "Mary Co-Redemptrix is Catholic tradition." Alleged News

https://eccematertua.com/sites/ecce/files/emt_vol_12_final.pdf

Image courtesy of ChatGPT and CN Whittle, "At the foot of the cross"

With thanks to vatican.va, catholicexorcism.org, eternallycatholic.com and eccematertua.com

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL COFFEE BREAK READERS

2026-04-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to all Coffee Break readers.

May blessings be with you and your loved ones

at this time of peace, joy and goodwill.

A candle has been lit in remembrance of all.

Image: source unknown. With thanks to the creator

TRYING TO LIVE IN THE LIGHT OF GOD'S GRACE

2026-03-27T13:10:00.000-07:00

Luky:

SOMEBODY quoted Karl Rahner to me as saying that the way to attain maturity is not to do as you like but as you should, and it gave me much food for thought.

Behind the lined face I see in the mirror, with its appearance of calm maturity, there continues the turmoil I have always felt.

Trying to live in the Light of God's Grace is not easy. The world is not attuned to God. If you behave according to the precepts of the Bible, and you've never inherited money or entered a convent, you may find yourself becoming a holy, but very hungry hermit.

If, moreover, you have brought six children into the world, most of whom look to you for food, clothes and schoolbooks, you may find yourself shouting down the voice of your conscience for the sake of expedience.

Going out to work

The mother who has to go out to work is a case in point. The mother who does her ironing on Sundays is another.

My mother used to iron on Sundays because she was servantless and worked out. I came back to school from holiday one term to a catechism lesson in which reverend mother explained in detail the fate which awaited those people who did not keep the sabbath holy.

I was terrified that my mother would go to hell, and prayed for months for her salvation. In later years, I realized that Sunday was the only day my mother had the physical time to do the weekly ironing which ensured her family was well turned out for Mass and weekday work.

The God of Love surely smiled lovingly upon the self-sacrificing toil of my mother for her family during the only time she had available. So I came to peace that reverend mother meant well, and so did my Mama.

Sleep in peacefully

Father Norbert Jansen used to ask whether it was better to sleep in peacefully on a Sunday morning, or whether the parents ought not to get up, dress their children, and dish out disciplinary words to those who wouldn't hurry.

Maturity tells me that it's a church law and God's own law that we should go to Mass. Reality shows me that it sometimes does cost a few strong words to have everybody ready in time.

The good old days

When I was eighteen and had only myself to get ready for church, I was always tranquil, but by the time my family had arrived I often found myself wondering whether I should receive holy Communion after the way I'd had to carry on to get them all into the car in time.

To me the most comforting words in the Mass are those before Communion: "Lord, I am not worthy to receive You, but only say the word and I shall be healed."

Life of principles

I think maturity is trying to live life according to your principles and beliefs even though everyone else may think you're misguided.

Sometimes people laughed at the way I believe, but I always asked myself, would they be holding my hand when I stand before God to give an account of my actions?

I used to think maturity was a kind of calm certainty, but now I think it's a constant reappraisal, a worrying uncertainty that never leaves you smug and contented.

I think trying to go to heaven is like trying to work in a very difficult job. You never know what challenges will present themselves in your new day.

He did not realize

One of my bosses once described me to myself as a "calm, mature woman". If only he knew my inner turmoil.

I think that the calmer people seem, the greater their inward struggle. Look on the wrinkles which grace faces of those who bear great responsibility.

Maturity is uncertainty and earnest endeavour, while smug complacency betrays immaturity. As long as you're on your toes you are prepared for any emergency, and this will help you to cope.

I regret to admit I've never become mature enough to refrain from searching for emotional security from my children. "Do you love me?" I would ask them. "Am I a good mother to you? Are you embarrassed because I'm not slender?" They were always very kind and reassuring, except one of my sons. He always answered the opposite to what I wanted to hear, then would add, "Don't worry, Ma" and would go off hooting with laughter . . .

Catherine Nicolette:

O my, Karl Rahner. How I love the writings of this German Jesuit priest, philosopher and theologian. "How often have I found that we grow to maturity not by doing what we like, but by doing what we should. How true it is that not every 'should' is a compulsion, and not every 'like' is a high morality and true freedom," are his immortal words.

The older I get, the more I realize that this is so true. Lived experience unveils that maturity arrives less through self-expression than through obligation. Duty is not oppression, desire is not liberation.

Zeitgeist

This of course flies in the face of much of the zeitgeist of my youth. Popular societal themes at that time often appeared to be that women could have it all - family and ongoing work-career despite pregnancies.

The spirit of the time seemed to suggest to my adolescent mind that the embrace of personal individuality was of prime importance. The discernment of possible consequences of personal actions (particularly negative repercussions) were not always regarded. It seemed to my youthful mind, that the concept of personal autonomy appeared to trump personal responsibility and accountability.

Contraceptive pill

Popular societal trend in my youth was liberation of women from unwanted responsibilities regarding childbearing. Chemical birth control often was hailed as the new liberator for women. Unfettered fertility was in many instances to be eschewed, family planning with small family numbers was touted, abortion and the morning-after pill were not unknowns. Many of these had consequences which haunt.

The contraceptive pill, so hailed in the latter part of the last century, has in many cases had such dire results that it has been classified as a group 1 carcinogen (a substance or agent that promotes the development of cancer) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer at the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Sisters of St Agnes Convent, Welkom

The dear sisters at the convent had a time of it, trying to teach us values of self-discipline, quiet fortitude, self-sacrifice and embracing community, during this time of societal change. They never gave up trying to show us another way.

Theirs was the way of quiet witness to hallowed sacredness of life, the family, value of the church and close friendship ties of the village community. As Dominicans, they unfailingly pointed us towards the Blessed Sacrament and exhorted us to listen to the Voice of Jesus Christ, instead of to the shifting sands of new trends.

Steady values

As convent girls, we also had a time of it, trying to reach adulthood in a church which rapidly lost a lot of certainty after Vatican II, and a society which often appeared to embrace individuality above village-style community.

Voices of hedonism and individuality which at times howl through society, battled in our hearts against the steady values we learned at our parents' knee and in the hallowed church.

Price to be paid

The years have now rolled on, my hair has much silvered, and I have seen many results of heartbreaks over the years. I realise that you cannot have full family life and full work career, without something giving in from time to time.

Sometimes personal mental and physical health suffers from work-related stress and workload. Sometimes you miss baby's first steps and first word, because you are at work earning shelter and food for baby.

Or you lose promotion at work because you stayed at home to look after baby who had a roaring temperature, in place of attending an important work meeting. No responsible parent can have it all without difficulty.

There is always a battle, a tension, between work and home commitments. The price to be paid is, if you choose work above home, your family relationships may suffer. If you choose home above work, you may be demoted or lose your job. As one wise priest told me years ago, "Everything has its price."

Duty is not a bad word

In my autumn years, I fully agree with Father Rahner that we need to do what we should, not what we like. Duty is not a bad word, it is a pathway which - although not always exciting - shows us what God wishes of us, as a member of His greater flock.

There are many issues that older age makes us bow our heads to, which in earlier years would have been difficult to conceive of - senior age-related illnesses, deaths of dearly loved ones who are in a personal sense irreplaceable, experiences of ageism.

We may experience the situation where we need to sacrifice our wants and needs in order to care for others who depend on us for their very existence. We face the challenge in our later years of facing our own mortality, and preparation for the final leg of our personal journey to heaven.

Truly, truly, I tell you

I am often reminded of the words Our Lord Jesus said to Peter, "Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you would rather not go." (John 21:18)

Spirit of self-sacrifice

In later years, we often are called on to sacrifice self-wishes quietly in order to help others in need. When we are older, maturity leads us to value the spirit of self-sacrifice necessary in order to minister to others' needs.

Offer sufferings in reparation

We endeavour not to complain so much. We learn to offer our sufferings up in repentance for the sins of the world. We appreciate the value of the unspoken word. We rein in our temper which may have been less controllable in earlier years. We practise serenity, pursue cleanliness of mind and thought, repent of sins in our past years, and practise inner peace.

Often there are experiences of illness where, quite literally, others need to assist you with humble realities of self-care.

Humbling of our inner selves

All of these scenarios lead to a humbling of our inner selves and, if accepted from the Hand of Divine Providence, to spiritual and emotional maturity.

How to offer sufferings in reparation for the sins of the world;

Offering sufferings in reparation for the sins of the world involves uniting your daily struggles and sacrifices with the Love of God, often through prayer and acts of penance. This practice is rooted in the belief that such offerings can bring about spiritual good and conversion for oneself and others.

The act of reparation emerges powerfully as a urgent and profound path for people who wish to console the Heart of Christ - wounded by the sins of the world - and actively participate in the restoration of spiritual order. [1]

[1] When Love is wounded; the power of the act of of reparation in times of indifference, Alleged News

https://catholicus.eu/en/when-love-is-wounded-the-power-of-the-act-of-reparation-in-times-of-indifference/

With thanks to catholicus.eu

Image "Quiet prayer in peaceful companionship" courtesy of Chatgpt with CN Whittle

THE YEAR THE INNKEEPER'S WIFE WEPT . . .

2025-12-25T15:30:00.000-08:00

Catherine Nicolette:

SO it is Christmas once again. The shops are aglow with light, laughter, music, Christmas baubles, fake trees, glitter, cakes, food and bustle. I must say, I thoroughly enjoy all the camaraderie of this time of year.

Welkom Carols by Candlelight

I was paging through old photo albums and newspaper clippings from yesteryear, when I came across an old newspaper article from the "Carols by Candlelight". This was a Nativity play which was held in Welkom every year, during which the audience provided light by means of candles. The photo accompanying the article showed our inspirational producer on one knee, holding the script in her hands. Dressed as Mother Mary, I sat next to her. Various members of the cast who were dressed as St Joseph and shepherds stood around, A wooden manger rested in the foreground.

Useless actor

I smiled as I remembered the year I was cast as the innkeeper's wife. I had originally been cast as King Herod, due to the fact that sports games that year had lured a number of our talented male leads away. In desperation, the producer thought that I would be good in the role as King.

Three practices after being bellowed at by the co-producer, I was kicked out of the role as a useless actor because I did not have a manly enough stance. The producer apparently thought I would be very upset, and came backstage to comfort me. I could not tell her that secretly I was very relieved. I did not particularly want to have a manly stance.

There is no room

Thereafter I was cast as the innkeeper's wife. This should have been easy: however, I covered myself in disgrace. That year, Carols by Candlelight had a real donkey in the stadium for the Nativity play. The donkey was a sweet animal from one of the neighbouring farm-plots. He was not worried by crowds at all, and patiently carried the actress playing Mother Mary upon his back.

At the practices, the donkey clopped on the concrete flooring of the stadium, which at other times served as the the local roller-skating rink. The actress playing Mother Mary sat on the donkey with the young man taking the part of St Joseph leading the animal by the reins.

The actor playing Joseph looked deeply worried as he pleaded for a place to stay for his wife who was in labour. The acting was so good that it was almost as if I were transported back in time to the first Christmas.

The lad playing the innkeeper was masterful in his role, majestically waving Joseph away from the door as he told him in ringing tones, "There is no room in the inn!" Once more, Joseph pleaded for clemency and for a place for his wife to have her baby in safety.

Desperately I clutched the back of my actor-husband's shirt, saying, "No, no! There is room!" The lad turned back to me, perplexed. Gamely he remained in character, and said to me, "There is no room." I replied, "But there is!" Sweating slightly under the outraged eyes of the co-producer, the innkeeper improvised, "All the rooms are full."

By this time, we had wildly gone off-script, and as I opened my mouth to remonstrate, he said, "Even the dining-hall has people with pallets on the floor. Our inn is full!"

As I looked upon sweet Mother Mary's face, I was struck with a moment of brilliance. Once more, I clutched my actor-husband's sleeve. "No, it's not," I answered in clarion tones, "there is one room!"

By now the lad was resigned. He simply stared at me. I said, "She can have my bed!" The cast collapsed in gales of laughter, the co-producer roared in frustration, and the donkey and lady in blue and white, and her husband in brown and cream clothes, stood quietly looking at me.

Don't let her speak

I could not be kicked out of my role because they had no-one else to replace me. On the three nights of the play, rows of seats around the stadium twinkled with candles as the audience held their melting wax with cardboard sleeves and sang carols from carol-sheets. Overhead, the stars gazed on us. The weather was mild and perfect, and even the wind did not blow out the candles.

We were all in our Israelite clothing from the time of Christ. Before the Nativity play began, the co-producer told the innkeeper to keep me under control. "For heaven's sake, if she opens her mouth, just don't let her speak," he begged.

When Mary piteously looked at me from the donkey, gripping her abdomen, and Joseph pleaded for help, I couldn't help myself. "There is . . . " I began. Before I could complete the sentence, "... room for you," the innkeeper hastily pulled me by the back of my robe and pushed me behind him, hissing from the side of his mouth, "For pity's sake, be quiet."

"There is no room in the inn," he intoned loudly, then quietly told the actor playing Joseph, "Get away quickly before she tells you to come in." Joseph went away, and I burst into tears as I watched the sad actor lead Mother Mary and the unborn Babe away from our inn where we could have offered comfort in their plight.

The rest of the play went perfectly. Afterwards, some members of the audience told me how well I had acted. However, they were slightly puzzled because I had wept so piteously. "I can't remember the Bible saying the innkeeper's wife cried," one lady said to me. My eyes were swollen and red and I was heartbroken at how the poor Holy Family had been turned away.

After repeated curtain calls, we all prepared to go home. The lovely actress who had played Mother Mary came with the realistic swaddled doll which she had carried as the Baby Jesus, to talk to me. "I know you got into trouble for not sticking to the script," she said to me. "But I'll tell you one thing: when I looked at you from where I was sitting on the donkey, I said to myself, if I were really Mother Mary and needed a place to stay, I know you would have made sure that I got a bed."

So that is Christmas. Tears and joy: happiness and pain. That, too, is life.

So many years ago we sang Carols by Candlelight, yet the lesson I learned in my young years was that we all have a choice.

The Christmas question is: Do you have room in the inn of your heart for Jesus?

https://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/2025/12/a-christmas-choice-is-there-room-in-inn.html

Image "The Christmas Choice" designed by Chatgpt

HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR TO ALL COFFEE BREAK READERS

2025-12-25T12:43:00.000-08:00

Freepik

Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year

to all Coffee Break readers.

May blessings be with you and your loved ones

at this time of peace, joy and goodwill.

We pray for an end to war.

We thank Almighty God for His Graces

and Blessings over the past year.

A candle has been lit by Lumiere in

remembrance of all who are suffering

or have lost their lives due to war.

Our thoughts are with their families,

colleagues and friends.

TRUE BEAUTY IS NOT ONLY IN THE EYES OF THE BEHOLDER. IT LIES WITHIN THE HANDS . . .

2025-05-10T10:56:00.000-07:00

Luky:

I REGRET to admit that I had a boyfriend when I was only 11. He was an altar boy and used to fetch me for Benediction, if that makes it any better. Later it turned out that he was keen on my sister and used my affections as a sort of stepping stone into her good graces. In the end I gave him his freedom and her my blessing. The whole thing tinged that summer with a rather melancholy joy.

But why do I remember this boy? Because the only personal remark he ever made to me was: "You've got such cute fingers, just like little bunches of sausages."

He wasn't fooling. I have fingers like sausages and they're just about as much use to me as sausages. They never hampered my career, but they impair my housewifely skill, rendering me incapable of performing most of the arts considered necessary in a woman.

I myself have daughters, whose fingers resemble mine less than those of their two extremely capable grandmothers. They play the piano with them, crochet, paint pictures and bake sponge cakes that rise. I'm very pleased about it, I'd rather struggle with clever kids than vice versa, but when I see with how comparatively little effort they master arts all women are supposed to be born with ( a fallacy if ever there was one) I shake my head and look sadly at my sausage fingers.

In some ways it is relaxing not to be able to do things like other women. When my sheets become thin in the centres I just pass them on to friends and buy new ones. They, on the other hand, get that peculiarly feminine glint in their eyes that says: "A half an hour's work on these and they'll do me for five more years." To the uninitiated, she snaps them lengthwise across the centres, then stitches the sides together, hems the new sides which once were the centre and hey presto! You could use the sheet as a hammock.

How do I know? Well, I told you there is something unusual with my fingers but my brain is OK.

Contrary to what you might expect, my husband laughs at my undomesticated ways. I think they fill him with that sense of superiority, so indispensable in a successful husband-wife relationship. Whenever a domestic catastrophe occurs, he bursts out laughing, and all afternoon I can hear him repeating softly to himself, "Oh, I could write a book about that girl."

My mom is a dressmaker by profession and you never saw a garment of any description with a button missing or a tear in it. Once when she was away, I discovered a hole in a table cloth. I don't know what possessed me, but I quickly darned it. Later my mother told me that this was the only time in her life anyone had ever done any sewing for her. Yet, when Sausage Fingers here was expecting a baby, the only one who was not knitting for him or her, was herself.

Catherine Nicolette;

Well now. Mom denigrates her fingers, comparing them to Vogue beauties who model nail beauty aids for a living. I have news for her. Their hands may be lovely, but she has the most beautiful hands in the world.

All I can ever remember is those hands cooking meals for us, cleaning the house, washing clothes and curtains, weeding the garden and holding us close to comfort us. Those hands typed countless letters, documents and newspaper articles, in order to put food on the table when times were tough. They typed church newsletters and theological education by extension courses, to help priests spread the Word of God. Those hands stamped books in the library to bring in a salary, when Dad nearly died and was bedridden for close to a year.

Most of all, those hands held babies and brought us to church, held books to teach us to read and worship. Her hands, later plagued with arthritis, prayed the rosary. In later years Mom learned to play the piano and organ, and played hymns of praise to God during Mass.

I have always admired Mom's hands and some years ago told her so. She was genuinely surprised and held them up. "These?" I nodded. I told Mom I was planning to write about prayer and the holy rosary, and asked if she would pose for the illustration. She agreed. And here, gracing the page, are the most beautiful hands in all the world: Mom, praying the rosary.

How to pray the rosary - may be found on pages 68 to 68 of the book below, "Three Little Shepherds meet Our Lady of the Rosary"

Read "Three Little Shepherds meet Our Lady of the Rosary"

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_JEo1vAsAPsWi1kcU1fT2c2bnc/view?pli=1&resourcekey=0-YzObQjw2dvIHG5zLaY9aHg

Pray at the holy grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes

https://directfromlourdes.com/lourdes_live_tv

With thanks to directfromlourdes.com

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DOMINICAN SISTERS WHO TAUGHT ME AT SCHOOL . . .

2025-05-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

Freepik

So the Dominican Sisters who taught me at school still live on in my everyday life. My teachers had profound influence on my developing values, and I often think of and pray for each one. It's not easy being a teacher . . .

I was six years old, in Sub B. We had a visiting Dominican Sister who was invited to give us a catechism lesson. This Sister gave an impassioned class on God and ourselves as individuals.

"Why," she cried out, the words wrung from her heart, "Do we spell 'his' in relation to God with a small letter? Why do we always refer to ourselves as 'I' with a capital letter? Is it that we consider ourselves to be more important than God? That is the very thing that led to the Fall in Eden."

My throat constricted as I considered this. I was arduously learning the intricacies of the English alphabet, as well as nuances of upper-case letters and lower-case letters. I was stricken as I realized that what Sister said was true.

"Remember," Sister ended her talk, "that Jesus came to teach us that our pride should not place us at the centre of our lives. God, the greatest, became the most humble, to save us from our sins.

Look at the Cross. The bar across the wood on which the Saviour hung as reparation for our sins is the cancellation of the "I".

Become humble. Always keep God at the centre, and make sure you use His Name and all pertaining to Him, with capital letters."

Many's the time I have been told I have too many capital letters in my writings about God. Apparently this does not make for easy reading.

I don't care.

I'm still in Sister's camp.

The Congregation of Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena of King William's Town

https://kwtdominicans.org/

With thanks to kwtdominicans.org

Image 'The Cross of Christ' courtesy of Freepik with CN Whittle

SO WHY IS THERE A FUSS ABOUT A DE-CONSECRATED ALTAR IN A BAR-RESTAURANT IN MARYLAND; ALLEGED NEWS?

2025-02-26T09:39:00.000-08:00

Freepik - Through Christ to the Father

SO WHY IS THERE A FUSS ABOUT A DE-CONSECRATED ALTAR IN A BAR-RESTAURANT IN MARRIOTT VISITATION HOTEL IN MARYLAND; ALLEGED NEWS? The High Altar serves as backdrop and shelving for liquor bottles; Alleged News. [1] Liquor thus would appear to be served for financial gain in front of a sacred altar which was used to celebrate Holy Mass.

The chapel was de-consecrated in December 2024, Alleged News. [1] Yet in the minds and hearts of the faithful, the chapel remains the sacred remembrance-site of many holy Masses. Moreover, the altar continues as architectural spiritual symbol of the Body of Christ.

The altar is the Alter Christus

Spiritually, the altar is considered the Alter Christus. As children, many of us were taught the long-standing theological maxim that Christ is the Eternal High Priest, the Sacrificial Victim [2] and the Altar of His own self-sacrificial offering.

The Redeemer is the Priest, because He is the One Who offers. He is the Victim, because He simultaneously is the One offered. Christ's Body is also the very place of this sacrificial offering in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and so follows another traditional saying, "the altar is Christ."

The altar is Christ

Jesus is symbolised as the altar, the place of sacrifice. Through Christ we are able to approach the Presence of God to offer our own sacrifices through Jesus to the Father.

"Those who desired to offer sacrifices to God, had to do so necessarily through an altar. But Christ, the Victim of Salvation, approached to God through Himself. Hence, He was also the altar of His own sacrifice. For us too, in like manner, He is the altar of every one of our sacrifices, for we can bring no offering to God except through Christ." Maurice de la Taille, S.J. [3]

Altar is Christ rendered in architectonic form

Since the liturgy is Christ's action expressed in the symbol system of the rite, the altar is Christ rendered in architectonic form which rightly takes on the attributes of Christ Himself. [4]

Christian Altar is the symbol of Christ Himself (CCC)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the "Christian altar is the symbol of Christ Himself, present in the midst of the assembly of His faithful." (CCC 1383) [5]

St Ambrose asked, "For what is the altar of Christ if not the image of the Body of Christ?" The saint asks elsewhere, "The altar represents the Body [of Christ] and the Body of Christ is on the altar." (CCC 1383) [5]

The sacred altar

The altar is not a remote and isolated image of Christ, but one standing in the midst of His people. For this reason the altar is given the most prominent location in a church, occupying a place which is the centre toward which the attention of the whole congregation of the faithful naturally turns.

Christ's eternity and never-ending commitment

For similar reasons, the Church's legislation strongly encourages that altars be fixed to the floor to indicate Christ's eternity and never-ending commitment to His people.

Christ is the rock and cornerstone

Further, at least its mensa (top surface of the altar) is to be made of stone, echoing the scriptures which repeatedly call Christ a rock and cornerstone (1 Pt 2:4, 1 Cor 10:4, Eph 2:20). Stone is meant to indicate Christ's strength and permanence.

Christ is the living Altar in the Heavenly Temple

An altar, then, gives a foretaste of the table of Heaven because Christ is "the living Altar in the Heavenly Temple," [6] Who "serves the Heavenly meal." [7] Many Christians revere the sacred symbol of the altar as a symbol for Christ's Body.

The altar now hosting liquor for a bar

Many feel distress regarding the altar being used as shelving for liquor in a bar-restaurant in Maryland; Alleged News. [1] and [8]

Further option

Would the restaurant-bar consider the option of making a small chapel around the altar? This would offer the option of a sacred space for spiritual prayer. The altar thus could continue in a setting suitable for such a spiritual gem.

Petition to ask for relocation of the bar

There is a petition to ask for relocation of the bar from the High Altar to another area of the hotel.

WHY NOT SIGN THE PETITION?

https://americaneedsfatima.org/petitions/marriott-visitation-hotel-hosts-liquor-bar-in-former-chapel-petition-ee25602

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QslmNU8iwQ

[1] America Needs Fatima. Marriott 'Visitation Hotel' hosts liquor bar in former Chapel; Alleged News

https://americaneedsfatima.org/petitions/marriott-visitation-hotel-hosts-liquor-bar-in-former-chapel-petition-ee25602

[2] John 1:29 and Hebrews 4:14-5:10; 9:23-10:18

[3] St Joseph Parishioner. Jesus Christ: Priest, Sacrifice (Victim), Temple and Altar. 2024

https://www.saintjoseph.ca/blog/jesus-christ-priest-sacrifice-victim-temple-and-altar/

[4] Denis R. McNamara. Altar as Alter Christus: Ontology and Sacramentality

https://adoremus.org/2016/06/altar-alter-christus-ontology-sacramentality/

[5] Catechism - 1383

https://www.catholiccrossreference.online/catechism/#!/search/1383

[6] RCDA, "The Order of Dedication of An Altar," 1.

[7] RDCA, Decree

[8] Foxnews: A Maryland hotel has a bar at the altar of a former school chapel, and critics want it removed: Alleged News.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/maryland-hotel-has-bar-altar-former-school-chapel-critics-want-moved

With thanks to americaneedsfatima.org, saintjoseph.ca, adoremus.org, Catechism, RDCA, Foxnews and youtube

Image 'Through Christ to the Father' courtesy of Freepik AI generated content with CN Whittle

EVERY MINER'S LIFE TELLS A STORY

2025-01-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

Catherine Nicolette:

MY MINER FATHER was once trapped underground for thirty-six hours. As his daughter, I know the agonies a family goes through awaiting the return of the loved one. As well as the uncertainty of knowing whether your beloved Dad will return as breadwinner or - as other miners did - in a body bag.

As I watched the billowing smoke from the mining shaft roll in darkened clouds into the skyline from underground fires, casting a pall of dark smoke as day shifted to night, I prayed with every fibre of my being for my Dad to be returned to us alive.

He was. Not all were.

Stilfontein

Against this background, my heart was so sad when I heard of the deaths of miners at Stilfontein.

Pathos

The pathos of body bags being lifted to the surface from mine shafts as well as the plight of emaciated miners stumbling to the surface led me to realize that each miner is a child of God.

Unemployment

Every life tells a story. Every plight which arises from unemployment tells a tale. The saddest of all are the stories of bodies underground, burial areas under the surface.

Rest in the Arms of God

May all who have died in the depths of the earth rest in the Arms of God. Let us remember all who struggle to earn a living and sacrifice their lives and safety to ensure shelter and sustenance for their loved ones.

And may all of us who have benefited from the use of gold, gems and minerals, pause in silence in remembrance of those who mined them.

BLESSED BE JESUS IN THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR

2024-12-02T13:44:00.000-08:00

Priestly ordination - in persona Christi

Freepik

So: I am intrigued. A church in Lucerne has apparently introduced a hologram of Jesus as a practical decision reportedly meant to encourage moments of intimacy with the hologram. This means - if I understand correctly - that people can interact in a confessional with an artificial intelligence program meant to imitate Christ. [1]

Hologram of Jesus

Reportedly installed in one of the parish confessionals, people can interact with the hologram representation of Jesus which, according to one user account, addresses users with "Peace be with you, brother" regardless of the gender of the person, and encourages them to discuss "whatever is troubling your heart today," alleged news. [1]

Sacrament of confession

I am all for evangelizing the wonderful truth that Jesus is the Son of God. Yet is it possible that the sacrament of confession - a sacred moment of truth, repentance and revelation between the penitent and God Himself, with priest as anointed intermediary - may be adversely affected by hologram project with no seal of the confessional protecting the visitor?

Addressed as brother - the feminine view

It is possible that women who are proud of their God-given womanhood may find it slightly startling to be addressed as brother. As a little girl, I sat through church services where all prayed for mankind. I asked my mom why only men were prayed for, she answered that mankind meant both men and women. As a little four-year-old with a mind of my own, I wasn't buying it.

As catechetics teacher in later years, I found some young girls confused as to why men were prayed for, and girls excluded. They also argued that the word mankind did not automatically include women. Sympathetic to their confusion - which exactly mirrored my own as a younger congregant - I used the word humankind. Thereafter, everyone was happy.

Robots

It was so interesting to hear of a current theory that the priesthood should possibly be reimagined to consider robots instead of, or alongside, priests. Different spiritual traditions are making use of robots within spiritual contexts. Apparently a robot in one instance recites blessings in a number of languages.

AI chatbot "cleric"

Well now. Where to from here? It is certainly praiseworthy to consider new ways of evangelization in the modern context. However, attempts to introduce artificial intelligence options within spiritual streams have encountered heavy waters. An AI chatbot "Father" launched online apparently failed within two days. alleged news. [2]

Christ waits patiently in tabernacles

We have the true Presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ waiting patiently in church tabernacles throughout the world. He constantly awaits our footsteps. The tabernacle is a reserved place in the church where the Eucharist is kept.

In the tabernacle, Christ is in the Eucharist which remains after the celebration of the Mass. The Saviour - fully present in transubstantiated bread within the tabernacle - speaks to all who come before Him, within their souls.

Encourage confession and visit Jesus

Let us encourage those in need to attend the Sacrament of Confession, to experience the overwhelming sense of relief that the lifting of a burden brings through the absolution of a priest.

To me, it seems a little sad that those desperately in need of true comfort from the Way, the Truth and Life would need to walk past the True Presence of Christ in the Blessed Tabernacle, to a virtual representation of the Truth in a confessional.

Why don't we encourage those in need of love, counsel, support, guidance, healing of grief and imparting of grace and blessing, to visit Jesus at the Blessed Tabernacle? He always listens, hears and gives answers at the right time.

[1] Swiss church puts 'AI Jesus' in confessional, Alleged News

https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/swiss-church-puts-ai-jesus-in-confessional

[2] Sergeant, Leah Libresco. 30 April 2024. The defrocking of Father AI, Alleged News

https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2024/04/the-defrocking-of-father-ai

With thanks to pillarcatholic.com, firtstthings.com and catholic-catechism.com

Image with thanks to Freepik AI generated content by CN Whittle

A RUBBER CHEQUE CAN SPOIL YOUR MORALE

2024-03-27T12:41:00.000-07:00

Luky:

AS chief keeper of the family purse during my husband's illness, I had the most humiliating experience - one of my cheques bounced.

If only they had not stamped the cheque "signature reinstated" I would have smelt a rat. As it was I made a fool of myself, asking friends and the bookkeeper at work what it meant.

"It means, my dear," they told me tactfully but firmly, "that there is not enough money in your account to cover the amount on the cheque."

I felt so humiliated. And it was the last straw that broke this camel's back. I had managed to control my emotions throughout my husband's severe illness. Yet the night after my cheque came back, I had a good howl.

How it happened

Next morning I went to the bank and soon discovered that in my agitation I had paid into my husband's account a cheque made out to me, and that instead of putting his initials on the deposit slip, I had entered my own. So my own cheque had lain there among their queries while I was sending out worthless pieces of paper.

"If you tell those people to phone me", the lady at the bank said, "I'll explain to them what happened."

"Skip it" I replied, "I cabled the money to them earlier this morning. But since I do have a savings account, I can't understand why you allowed the cheque to bounce."

Four out of five

"Because it was one of five you sent out on the same day", she explained patiently. "We honoured the other four, even though your current account appeared to be overdrawn."

Well, that's something else I've learned. However, I've refused to make out another cheque ever since. My husband was unbearably paternalistic about the whole thing.

"You see Ma, I always tell you I've got more common sense than you have", he repeated. "Leave all these little financial matters in Daddy's hands, that's the best thing to do."

Good record

Though fulminating inwardly, I had to admit none of his cheques ever bounced.

And yet there's a lesson to be learnt from the cheque episode. All my life I felt superior to people who have rats in the roof, nits in their hair, fish moths in the curtains, whose cheques bounce and who are summoned for debt by lawyers.

And what happened to me? All right, I never was summoned for debt, but I bounced the cheque.

All are vulnerable

God has shown me, sometimes in a manner which I found hurtful and humiliating to my vanity, that these things can happen to anyone and that you don't have to be shiftless and irresponsible to be the author of a dishonoured cheque.

In fact, I have developed a rather soft spot for the latter kind of person.

"Look at this pile of bouncing cheques", someone said to me one day, holding out a sheaf of them. "Honestly, some people!"

"If you are referring to the people whose cheques bounce, you will kindly do so with respect in my hearing," I replied loftily, "since I became a member of their brotherhood."

Catherine Nicolette:

Oboy. The fraternity or sorority of the financially embarrassed. I would love to disclaim knowledge of the shame of the shuffling queue at the bank to confess financial impecunity, but no. Honesty prevails. I was at the head of the queue at times.

You see, it's like this. As pastor and supporter of charity, outgoings sometimes overtake your incomings. In the words of the immortal Micawber, "Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen, nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery."

Sometimes weekly income is dodgy or nil due to ill health or unemployment, and weekly expenditure borrowed or over-drafted. Result embarrassment and awkward questions at the bank.

In younger days I was delighted to discover what an overdraft was. I was not so delighted when I ran into deep financial shoals. I remember coming in to the bank yet again to ask for financial guidance. When I spoke to the lady at the bank, I began, "I am having financial problems ..." and she said, "what's new?"

I felt mortified. When I returned home, I sat down and drew up a list of financial resolutions. They ran something like this:

"1. If I do not have the finances, I will not buy the item

2. If there is a sale, I will avert my eyes and keep on walking

3. If I need expensive equipment, I will save up for it

4. I will recycle

5. I will re-use

6. I will visit charity shops and buy pre-loved items

7. I will give items I no longer need to charity shops so they can sell them to others who are in need of them

8. I will buy house cleaning materials and toiletries in cheap bulk, and decant them into recycled cleaned containers

9. I will buy mainly fruit and vegetables for my diet - a cheap and sustaining menu."

The list was successful, to the point that sometimes I am told I seem stingy. A refreshing appellation in place of those which landed me in the queue of need at the bank.

I am still not rich. But respect for the Micawber Principle has inspired me towards more stability on the rickety highway of finance.

Image with thanks to free clipart library

COFFEE BREAK ISSUE ONE - THE BLOG OF MOTHER AND DAUGHTER LUKY AND CATHERINE NICOLETTE

2024-03-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Coffee Break, the blog of mother and daughter Luky Whittle and Catherine Nicolette Whittle.

Together we will tell you about life in the family lane over the past 50 years, together with snippets of interest such as photographs, articles, books, and family happenings which have been a rich source of amusement to us both over our years together.

So sit down, take up a cup of steaming coffee, open your laptop and enjoy!

Coffee Break is followed by 144 countries

Please enjoy this Coffee Break Issue One

COFFEE BREAK ISSUE ONE

ARTICLES

How Coffee Break began

Finding the baby

Happy New Year

Love and loss

I remember Papa

Fascinating Maud Gonne

Zoute drop with Irish stew

Mary, Joseph and the humble stable

Miss Marks' last day at the office

An open hand is never empty

My teenage dreams

Download your issue at the following link

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BOy6qrfBhkj6hwarc3PXceheHfu1x009/view?usp=drive_link

Image with thanks to Canva

A SIGN OF HOPE - THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

2024-03-27T08:15:00.000-07:00

Miraculous medal, front and back

Luky:

THE SEVENTH of November has always been a red letter day in my life, as it marks the birthday of a near and dear one. When she was small she'd be counting the weeks and days leading up to it for months, giving us no chance to forget it.

One year's birthday was probably a lot different. As mother (at the time) of two and expecting her third child in another six months' time, she had enough to occupy her mind.

All the same, I phoned her that morning and she enthused about the lovely gifts her husband had brought her.

Unsuspecting

I on my side had good news too. My own husband, having successfully got over his operation, was coming home the next morning. We mutually expressed our pleasure and rang off.

Little did I know then that I was about to remember November the 7th for quite a different reason.

Just before ten that morning one of the matrons of the local hospital telephoned me. My husband was back in the intensive care unit of the surgical ward, she said, and she was sure I'd be wanting to see him to encourage him as soon as I could.

A nod is as good as a kick to a willing horse, so I went to my boss and got permission to go to the hospital.

Plugged in

Having arrived there I found my husband lying on a bed, tubes and bottles attached to several parts of his body. He was barely able to speak but the matron had explained to me that he had either got a clot in the lung, known a a pulmonary embolism, or in the heart; called a coronary thrombosis.

He had complained of a very severe pain across his chest. "I've nursed Mr Whittle for years", the matron said, "and I know him well enough to be aware that by the time he finally complains there is something seriously wrong."

Strong friend

I can't tell you how kind everyone was. As parents of one of the hospital's student nurses at the time, we received VIP treatment.

My old neighbour grabbed me as I was leaving the hospital on my way to I know not where and steered me back to the ward. She's a nursing sister and midwife and was a tower of strength to me in the eight years we lived next door to each other. It was like living next door to my doctor.

Complicated prang

When I pranged my car that morning, trying to get out of a parking place, three men helped to liberate me. If you gave me five thousand rand to repeat what I must have done to steer my car into such a position, I'd have to decline because I just don't understand how I managed it.

Please pray

Early next morning I telephoned my sister. My husband was on the critical list and my brother-in-law came to the phone and asked what he could do.

"Take all your children to church now on their way to school and have them pray a Hail Mary for their uncle", I pleaded.

He did that and more. That afternoon as I arrived again at the hospital, he was sitting outside my husband's ward. He had taken the day off and spent four hours driving my mother and sister to see me. I've always thought that man was a jewel; now I have proof.

My mother stayed and looked after the children for the next few days, much of which I spent as hospital.

It's good to have a family.

More to come

A second clot was to pass through my husband's lung before his agony was over. I received a letter from my colleagues at the office; all of them had gone into one office and prayed together for my husband's recovery. Everybody was praying, especially the lady who worked for us.

"I was so scared Mr Whittle was dying", she said.

The younger children, aware of the tension, became unbearable, looking for attention, arguing and quarrelling and crying hysterically over nothing.

Interesting incident

The day I knew things would improve I was seated in a little room outside the intensive care unit, talking to my daughter. I had been given permission to look in at my husband on the half-hour.

She had taken off her miraculous medal and handed it to me to put round her father's neck.

We were talking and I was gesticulating with the hand which held the medal. Suddenly I looked down on my knee, and there to my astonishment I found that the chain had arranged itself into the shape of that peculiar broad flat "M" on the back of the miraculous medal.

People have laughed at my assertions of miracles all my life so I said nothing about it. I wanted to make sure I wasn't mistaken.

'That's odd", I said to my daughter, "What does this remind you of?"

"The M on the back of the miraculous medal", she said. "And look next to it, that's a heart shape, also found on the back of the medal."

"Your father will be all right now", I said after marvelling for a little while, and handed her back her chain. "He won't need this."

I went into the ward and spoke to the heart specialist.

"Your husband is improving", he informed me, "though he's not out of danger yet."

It was all I could do not to tell him he was wrong. With such a powerful patroness as our Lady showing her very personal concern, I knew that no power on earth could prevent my husband from recovering.

Catherine Nicolette

Dad went on to make an uneventful recovery - an amazing turnaround as he had been critically ill. I have great devotion to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal and both Mom and I received much comfort from the configuration of the chain. Do I believe this was a sign from God? The comfort I received when I saw the symbols of holiness was deep. In that moment I knew: all will be well.

Having been witness to many signs and wonders from God throughout my life, I would encourage you to look out in your own life for those moments in which God is present with comfort and hope.

The Miraculous Medal is a holy devotion which brings special spiritual protection and comfort. Why not find out more?

https://youtu.be/C2pF5XhNSJk

Visit for petition to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

at https://lumierecharitymarian.blogspot.com/2017/08/petition-to-our-lady-of-miraculous-medal.html

MIRACLES HAPPEN ALL THE TIME

2024-01-29T12:06:00.000-08:00

Luky:

There was a song we used to sing in church when my eldest daughter played the organ. Our best singer would sing each verse, and we'd all join the refrain:

"I believe in miracles; I've seen a soul set free / Miraculous the change in one redeemed through Calvary / I've seen the lily push its way up through the stubborn sod / I believe in miracles, for I believe in God. "

Do you believe in miracles? I do. Plenty have happened to me in my life.

I was there

The big ones I don't talk about much, because people always get an odd little smile on their faces when I do, as if to say "poor fanatic - and you can see she actually believes it. "

Well, I do, because I was there when they happened. And it's those who believe in miracles that they do happen to.

If you truly believe that a piece of bread and a drop of wine change into the Body and Blood of Christ when the words of consecration are spoken by an ordained priest, then the little miracles that have happened to me are puddysticks by comparison. But, being human, I love my little miracles and get much comfort from remembering them.

Lord said it

At one time I was praying in a certain way, and got the feeling that I was unworthy to pray that way because of my sinfulness. That very day I opened a dusty volume of an old Dutch series of books about our Lord's revelations to Saint Gertrude.

Sweet memory

My eye fell on a paragraph which quotes our Lord as saying to the saint: "why do you feel reluctant and unworthy to pray to me (in the way I was praying)? Do you not know that the fragrance of the perfume is not impaired by the simplicity of the container?"

That day sweetness filled my heart and mind, and the memory of it still fills me with joy.

In a smaller way, something strange happened some years ago. I was having an argument with one of my children (that's not strange; it's normal.)

The child had mowed the lawn and tidied the garden, and was demanding payment. I felt as though I had failed in bringing up my children.

I said, "How can you, as a Christian, demand payment from your parents for lending a hand? If you need money, tell me how much and I'll make a plan. But surely you don't expect payment for helping your hard-working parents?"

Got soft

Well, my child gave as good as he got. Gone are the old days when I was strict and they would have run a mile before they dared to answer me back - I became soft in my old age.

Just then a song started playing on Springbok Radio. Rooted in my tracks, I listened; then I hauled the child in to listen too.

You may have heard the song. It's about a boy who brought his mother an invoice, detailing various chores he had performed for her and stating what each cost.

The mother produced a pen and wrote out an invoice of her own. "To nine months carrying you in my womb - no charge; to bringing you into the world in sorrow and pain - no charge; to the tears I shed for you - no charge."

Nothing owing

By now I was shedding some tears of my own and ducked into the sitting room, but I could hear the end of the song. The boy wrote at the bottom of his invoice: "Paid in full."

My heart was full, because I felt that again our Lord had performed a little miracle. The child was very quiet too, looking rather taken aback.

I'm no diplomat. I like pressing home my advantage, so I wiped my tears and said:

"I was trying to tell you something in the passage there, but I hadn't the eloquence. So our Lord allowed a small miracle to happen by inspiring the disc jockey to play that very song to show you how He would feel about your demanding payment.

"As a rule, Jesus doesn't go in for performing miracles; He has nothing to prove. So if you're wise, you'll remember this one for the rest of your life"

The child still regarded me mutinously, so I added:

"That piece of advice comes to you at no charge."

Catherine Nicolette

My, it is many years since I thought of that beautiful hymn we used to play. As a teenager I loved the words and melody.

Now in my mature years, I have experienced many signs and wonders of God in my life. Having travelled in many countries, it has been amazing how God cared for me in many ways, small as well as large.

The greatest miracle, however, is to be part of the wonder when the moment of grace comes for an individual. We never know when one word, one prayer, one sermon or one song is the one which will change the road for another from struggle to the grace of faith.

As Mom said on so many occasions about Jesus Christ, "For one drop of His Blood Which for sinners was spilt,

Is sufficient to cleanse the whole world from its guilt."

The price is already paid, the miracle already granted. Jesus came to earth, lived and died for us and we had to make no payment. The Son of God took the consequences of sin and death upon Himself, conquered death through resurrection and gave us remedy for sin through baptism and sacraments.

We did not have to pay anything in order for God's Son to love us and set us free.

Let us pay Christ the compliment of our deepest love, respect and sincere gratitude for the price He paid.

ARE CHURCHGOERS HYPOCRITES?

2023-09-16T12:05:00.014-07:00

Catherine Nicolette

Imagine my surprise when I opened a spiritual magazine recently and found an article questioning whether churchgoers are hypocrites. The query reminded me of many years ago . . .

As a young child and member of a devout church-going family, I was called aside one day by one of my little peers. She explained to me that all churchgoers are hypocrites. By eschewing to attend Mass, she explained, she was not a hypocrite pretending to be holy. As, she explained, I was. Her remedy was for me to leave the church and thus no longer be a cause of dismay to other more enlightened little peers.

I was completely nonplussed, faced with my ardent hypocrisy for attending church. Further, I inwardly shuddered at the thought of telling Sean and Luky Whittle that their little daughter would not toe the line and attend church. That most certainly would not have gone down well. Finally, my heart wept at the thought of not visiting the Blessed Sacrament regularly. What to do?

Then all of a sudden I knew how I felt about this issue. I looked at my little friend, and told her, "I know I am not perfect." As there was no surprise there, she nodded sagely. I went on, "That's exactly why I go to church. Because I need help from God. We all need to go. You should go, too."

Having put her hand to the plough, my little peer was not going to give up. She replied, "There is no need for me to go to church. I can stand in a field in nature and worship God quite well." I asked her, "And when last did you worship in a field?" She hesitated, then flushed and turned away. I heard her mutter later, "It's no good arguing with that one. She's got all the answers!"

She got me thinking, however. In later years, I often pondered over her words, especially when, sighing, I realize that I haven't measured up to Christ's expectations of me - yet again. But, you know, I don't lose hope. I just keep on trying. Reality helps to give rational perspective. I realize I can't go it alone. Thus, I go to church, to pray to God to ask for help. Spiritually sick need the Divine Physician for healing - and there is not one of us who does not have a soul hurt or spirit wound needing His care. Basically, churchgoers don't go to church because they are perfect. They go because they are not.

Every time I pass a field, I think of my little friend from long ago. My answer to whether churchgoers are hypocrites is that churchgoers are realists. All have but one life, and each will be called upon to account to Almighty God as to how that life has been spent. Why not both attend church and pray in fields while we still can to help us towards serenity on that day?

As the sunflower turns towards the sun, let us all turn our faces towards God. . .

With thanks to free clipart library

TRANSITION REGRET

2023-03-20T13:50:00.010-07:00

Catherine Nicolette

Words of wisdom are that gender reassignment surgery procedures for youth are permanent changes to a very young body.

When I was a teenager, I found the teen years to be a time of rapid change, confusion and - sometimes - emotional turmoil. Looking back now, I realize that many of the emotional issues were natural effects accompanying teen hormonal changes.

When I talked to my mom at the time about the issues which I felt I faced, she said that the experience was the same for her, her mom and her mom's mom.

Teenage years - Mom said - are a time when the teenager is "neither fish nor flesh". I was ready to be indignant; what did this idiom mean? What it meant, explained Mom, is that you are no longer a child and not yet a full adult.

Teenager years are themselves a time of transition, where hormones such as growth hormone, progesterone and oestrogen in a female and testosterone in a male are flooding the system. These cause a child's body to turn into that of an adult.

True, at times a child may need hormone therapy, such as a child who is deficient in growth hormone requires hormonal assistance in order to achieve relevant adult growth and attendant functional fertility. However, this instance is not the norm.

Usually, a teenager needs to have patience: give Mother Nature a chance to complete her work of turning you into a man or a woman.

If an individual is hermaphrodite (has both male and female gender organs), supportive psychology service will assist to determine whether emotional identity is male or female. Gender surgery at a relevant age will be of assistance if chosen after a period of expert medical assessment and assistance.

Emotional gender identity develops in stages. Some may experience distress or unease between their physical identity and their emotional identity. Counselling and psychological support may prove invaluable when a mismatch is experienced between birth gender and emotional gender identity.

The crux of the matter is that the emotional suffering of those experiencing gender dysphoria is both real and a difficulty for those experiencing the dysphoria.

Yet it must be remembered that not every teenager who experiences confusion or moodiness is experiencing gender dysphoria. Sensible prudence would appear to guide that - except in cases of hermaphroditism and clear gender dysmorphia - give Mother Nature a chance.

A teenager is still undergoing tremendous physical, psychological, neurological and spiritual changes. Neuroscience is giving increasing evidence that brain development has not completed by age 21; according to studies, brain maturation only completes at age 25. [1]

It would be deeply unfortunate for youth to make life-changing gender reassignment decisions at too early an age, only to regret these decisions later.

Which leads me to my next point. Gender transition regret has become a real issue for many in recent years. It is heartbreaking to hear the emotional pain of those who reassigned gender, only to realize that in fact this is a path they no longer wish to follow.

Yet those who regret transition struggle with changes to their physiques which in many cases may prove difficult to reverse.

The moral of the story would appear to be: don't swiftly reach for the scalpel or body-altering medication to medicate the teen years. It may prove an experience with deep regret in its wake.

Prayer Chapel for Detransitioners who regret gender transition; Words of Comfort

https://eventslumiere.blogspot.com/2022/06/prayer-chapel-for-detransitioners-who.html

[1] Brain Maturity extends well beyond 21 - the moral implications of placing undue responsibility at too young an age

https://churchinterfaith.blogspot.com/2015/05/brain-maturity-extends-well-beyond-21.html

Gender ideology harms children - American College of Pediatricians

https://churchinterfaith.blogspot.com/2016/04/gender-ideology-harms-children-american.html

HOUSEWIVES MUST PRAY AS WELL AS WORK

2022-11-27T10:49:00.002-08:00

Luky:

WOULD you describe yourself as a Martha or a Mary type of person?

Years ago I tried to get someone to promise to pray the rosary daily with her family. A friend and I obtained such pledges on behalf of the World Rosary Crusade for Peace.

When I had used up all the arguments in favor of the rosary I could think of, the person tersely said: "You pray! I work!"

Balance needed

What the Marthas of the world don't always seem to realize, however, is that working and caring for the home are just not enough; you've got to pray a little too.

"You tell me", another housewife said, "Do I drop everything at the busiest time of the day to recite my rosary with the family? What about my cooking, dishes, the children's baths? Which would you like me to skip?"

I was amazed to hear myself answering: "None. You see to everything, but make sure our Lord gets His share too."

Why?

For what purpose are we washing nappies, serving meals, cleaning dishes, pulling out weeds, or playing chauffeur, chef and nanny, if these and our other daily chores are not backed by a meaning? Would you want to continue living if you truly believed that life were one continuous effort, terminating in the grave?

Only prayer and meditation can give meaning to these seemingly meaningless tasks.

Like all other human beings, the housewife has a contemplative side to her nature, although it may seem to sit ill on one wearing an apron, holding a baby and a broom or a duster. It isn't strange, when you think about it, because she has been used as an instrument in the miracle of creation, and that should make anyone thoughtful.

When she hears words like: "My soul is thirsting for the Lord; when shall I see Him face to face?", the housewife may be moved to tears of longing. But then again, if her doctor told her she had a fatal disease, she'd make straight for the church, light a candle and pray for the joy of seeing the Lord face to face to be deferred till her children were off her hands.

I don't meditate

I read with interest the exchange in the letter columns about meditation on the rosary, and have come to the horrible conclusion that I don't meditate properly, either on the mysteries or on the words of the Our Father and the Hail Mary.

I try to, honestly, but I fail time and time again. I've been tempted to leave off reciting the rosary, but can't because of my pledge.

Fortunately God knows I've a lot on my plate, so I continued rounding up the family for the rosary. Maybe one day I'll learn to meditate properly as I pray.

Simply beautiful

And yet I wonder if perfection is what God demands of His children as much as the desire to become perfect. One of my children used to bring me a bedraggled bunch of veld flowers, picked daily on the way from school. The smile on the child's face would be so devastating that I'd arrange the flowers in a good vase, where they would flop gracelessly.

I suppose my rosary, when it reaches Mary's feet, looks as bedraggled as those veld flowers. But I hope and believe that when she in her turn presents my bouquet to Jesus, it will look beautiful.

Catherine Nicolette

Ah, the rosary - what a blessed prayer. If you would like to join the Rosary Crusade for peace, click in the link

https://www.mdrevelation.org/rosary-crusade-for-peace/

If you do not know how to pray the rosary, and would like to do so, click in the following link

https://www.praytherosary.org/how-to-pray

If you wish to join worldwide prayer of the rosary, this is made possible in the following link

https://www.comepraytherosary.org/

With thanks to mdrevelation.org, praytherosary.or and comepraytherosary.org

Clip art with thanks to free clipart-library.com

MOM WENT TO HEAVEN

2022-11-27T09:37:00.026-08:00

Requiescat in pace

Lucia Antonia Whittle

21 May 1940, Amsterdam

7 December 2021, Kroonstad

Dear Readers,

Our dear Mom went to Heaven on 7th December of last year. Words cannot describe the loss. Mom bequeathed to me her literary writings, and had asked me to ensure that articles, manuscripts and books she left ready, continue to put on the blogs which she treasured so much. This I consider an honour to do.

Please remember Mom in prayer.

Blessings,

Catherine Nicolette

How Coffee Break began

https://lumierecharitycoffeebreak.blogspot.com/2011/12/how-coffee-break-began.html

Marian Praise

http://lumierecharitymarian.blogspot.com/

Quilt of Memories - My Dappled Life

https://quiltofmemories.blogspot.com/

Lumiere Charity English Academy

http://lumierecharity.blogspot.com/

Koinonia Academic Journal

https://koinoniajournal.blogspot.com/

TREES OF FAITH

2022-06-19T18:26:00.006-07:00

Catherine Nicolette:

And so I have a story to tell. This photo is such an evocative one. Lush greenery of great beauty making a verdant landscape; and I was there at the beginning . . .

When we moved to the mining town of Welkom in the Free State when I was a very little girl, the landscape was very sandy and we experienced frequent dust-storms. The heat could be oppressive at times, and I remember that one heatwave was so blistering that some of the neighbourhood teenagers fried an egg on the bonnet of their car. A bird dropped dead from a tree in front of me from heatstroke.

Water resources literally dried up, and we used to line up at the municipality tankers to receive a weekly ration of water. I used to walk to and fro from school, and on the way back it would be so hot that I hung my blazer over my head to prevent sunburn.

The school was beautiful, newly built. Long cloisters hearking back to missionary cloisters kept us cool, while mole-hills dotted the large erf. The Sisters built rockeries from hewn stones, and only bristle-thorned cacti and vygies could grow in the arid heat. The front erf was a sandy desert, and we longed for shade where there was none.

One day, a Sister came to call me to help her. "I think you would be interested, " she told me. We went out to the rockeries, and Sister showed me how to plant twig like branches. "What are we planting, Sister?" I asked. Sister twirled around with her arms in the air. "Look around you," she told me. "See all the trees and greenery!"

Puzzled, I looked about Sister. There was no greenery to be seen at all. She pealed with laughter at my face. "Yes, many trees and plants are there, but you must see them with the eyes of faith. They are in the future," Sister said. "One day when I'm dead and gone, and no-one will remember me, you will come and see the beautiful trees that we planted today. Then you will remember me and the beauty that we planted. That is faith," she said very seriously as she looked at me, "We plant today that others may reap. We may never sit in the shade of the trees we planted, but many in the future will. God will take these small branches and make them grow. He always blesses our efforts!"

I looked at the small twigs in that vast expanse of sandy desert. There was not a hope, I thought, that they would ever grow. But I wanted Sister to feel happy, so I merely nodded quietly.

Well, I was at that school until I graduated, and we had arid heat and sand with thin little branches that struggled to grow. After my graduation, I moved on with life. A few years ago, I went with my brother for a walk down memory lane. We went back to my old convent school, and I marvelled as I walked down verdant avenues. I had never thought of that conversation again: I had been too young to realize the depth of the truth that Sister had taught me. Indeed, she had never enjoyed the fruits of our planting. Sand and dust-storms had been her lot. Now the greenery grew lush and cool, and I remembered that I had been part of it all.

Dear reader, it is so true. That wonderful missionary Sister who had come from the wooded glades of her youth to minister in a newly developed mining town heavy with sand had explained a deep truth to me. We sow that others may reap. We plant in faith that others may benefit. And we look to the future to see how God brings forth faith and eternal life from the lessons of faith we pass on to younger generations.

As I stood quietly under the trees which you had helped me to push into rocky ground, I watched students walk quietly past, cool under the sheltering leaves.

Sister, I salute you.

A fatherly priest who sowed friendship

2020-10-11T06:38:00.043-07:00

Luky:

I have sung the praises of the late Father Norbert Jansen many times. Perhaps I loved him so much because he was so like my own dad, even to having the same Christian name. Shortly after I met Fr Jansen my own father died, and perhaps I transferred my affection to the priest.

Not only I but my whole family did. When Father Jansen arrived, which was seldom because he did not believe in favouritism, everybody dropped whatever he or she was doing and sat around him in the sitting room. Even the cat would jump on to his lap.

He'd sit there, beaming benevolently, as though thinking: "What a lovely Catholic family this is", and it would make you determined once again to pull up where you'd been slipping.

Different sorts

My husband and I had two rather different natures. He was reserved, distant and a fiercely private person. I am outgoing, a lover of people. This cost us both a lot of friends.

When we became engaged we found that his old friends couldn't really fancy me and that my friends weren't all that crazy about him. So on the principle "love me, love my dog", both of us turned away from our erstwhile cronies and became a somewhat isolated couple - except for all those children.

But Fr Jansen loved us both. I think he loved everyone. He brought out the best in all of us.

Author, too

We were talking about him one day. I asked my husband what the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are and he couldn't remember them all. I took Fr Jansen's book The Sacramental We and opened it on the very page I sought, though I hadn't looked at the book for years.

We started talking about him again and about the letter he wrote to us when he was very ill and my husband had just had his first heart attack.

"I have asked our Lord to take away your illness, Sean, and let me suffer it on your behalf," he wrote, "because I'm old but you still have so many children to look after."

That was many years ago. His prayer was certainly heard.

Diplomatic

But it is neither his holiness nor his longsuffering we remember when we talk about him. It is his sweetness and humour that we recall, and above all his diplomacy.

A friend of mine was having hassles with her husband, and went to Fr Jansen to complain. After some discussion they arranged that she would keep out of the way one day her husband was sure to be in so that Fr Jansen could call, be terribly surprised to find her out, and (so she assumed) wipe the floor with her husband.

But that's not the way things worked out. "I gave them an hour and a half together", she recalled bitterly. "Then I came home, determined to have things out with my old man in front of Father, once and for all. And what do you think I found?

"There they were sitting, smoking and having a drink together like blood brothers. That was the sum total of Fr Jansen's efforts on my behalf."

That was Father Jansen for you. He united, he did not divide. By taking sides against one marriage partner he would have created a rift. But by loving both he was in fact saying: "I love both of you. Won't you please love each other the way I love each of you?"

I feel that put him in the top of the tree where marriage guidance was concerned.

Catherine Nicolette

When I was a little girl, Dad and Fr Norbert Jansen were my great heroes. So when the two of them encouraged me to consider studying theology and philosophy - which I loved - I was enthusiastic. Dad, who had degrees in philosophy, used to sit me on the high bar stool and teach me from the Summa Theologiae of Saint Thomas Aquinas. In one of his philosophy lessons, Dad tried to get me to guess how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. I told him none, because angels are great spirits that a. wouldn't fit on a pinhead and b. they aren't stupid. "Besides," I went on, "they are too important to be bothered with pins."

Dad looked at me quietly. "Why are they important?" he asked. "Well, they're busy keeping the planets going as regular as clockwork, and keeping asteroids from hitting us, and listening to God, and helping us with problems," I firmly replied. Pins indeed! Dad looked at me quietly. "Well," he said, "I never thought there would be a match for my philosophy professor. But a nine-year-old girl would surely have made him think." I left Dad brooding gloomily over the hours he and his fellow students had wasted on the conundrum. . .

Shortly thereafter, I agreed when Fr Jansen - supported by Dad - asked me to promise that I would eventually study for Doctorate of Theology. I credit my heroes with planting the seeds of my great love for theophilosophical research.

If you are reading this, I would ask you also to consider studies about the deep things of God [1 Corinthians 2:10]. The Kingdom of God always has need of able theologians ...

SAINT PAUL VI BLESSED THE TOWN OF KROONSTAD

2018-10-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Angel of the Resurrection

Catherine Nicolette

No-one was more thrilled than I was when I heard that Pope Paul VI was to be canonised. Pope Paul was a figure of my childhood for whom I had the greatest respect. During my youth, the second Vatican Council and the sweeping changes it wrought were an everyday phenomenon. I loved reading the Council documents, and there is no doubt they were a significant part of my theological formation.

Also beloved in my youth were the great Bishop Brenninkmeijr of Kroonstad and Sr Bernwarda OP, my charismatic art teacher. One day during art class, Sister told me that the Cathedral of Kroonstad had been graced with new art which would be famous internationally. I listened wide eyed to this new development.

What I did not know was that Saint Paul VI had personally donated the obelisk with an angel of the resurrection. Zoltan Borboreki - the esteemed South African artist (1907-1992) - had executed the sculpture, and Bishop Gerard van Velsen OP had dedicated the Cathedral. The then developing mission territory gratefully received all gifts.

Pope Paul VI was instrumental in assisting far flung corners of the Church, from laying the Regina Mundi foundation stone in Soweto to donating an angel to the Free State. I only wonder how many acts of kindness and evangelization may be attributed to the saint from Concesio.

Saint Paul VI not only brought new life into the Church, but in the miracles attributed to his intercession before God has protected unborn life within the womb.

It is a glorious day that this Saint who - so many years ago - thoughtfully helped the people of Africa with material and spiritual aid, has at last been recognized as one of the luminaries of heaven.

Luky

Correction, Nicolette. I am sure I was even more delighted than you were to hear about St Paul VI's canonisation for unlike you, I was an adult member of the Catholic Church who witnessed his spiritual martyrdom for telling the truth in Humanae Vitae.

I suffered to see the pictures of that saintly man and the patient humility with which he bore all the denigration. At that time in a column I wrote for the Catholic press, I stated: "Starting the Second Vatican Council, Pope John XXIII opened the window to let fresh air into the Church, but it was Paul who bore the icy blast that followed."

Whenever I read about Jacinta, the little Fatima visionary, now also a canonised saint, and how she said: "Shame, the poor holy Father," I would see the tormented face of St Paul VI in my mind's eye. Today in heaven and on earth he was gloriously vindicated. Hurrah.

St Malachy, a twelfth century bishop of Armagh, Ireland, is said to have prophesied a list of 112 papal mottos of which that of St Paul VI was the 108th. St Malachy called him Flos Florum, Latin for Flower of Flowers. Apparently this motto may have referred to the fleur-de-lis depicted on the pope's coat of arms. Somehow I always mistakenly thought St Malachy had called him the Angel of Angels - but Flos Florum will do.

On this wonderful day I recall that I have honoured all the popes who ruled the Church from Pope Pius XII onwards until Pope Francis. But among them all it has always been Pope St Paul VI whom I have loved. I rejoice in his newly declared sainthood.

THE DAY A FUTURE POPE LAID A FOUNDATION STONE

2018-03-25T14:58:00.000-07:00

Catherine Nicolette
THE NEWS THAT POPE PAUL VI OF BLESSED MEMORY IS AT LAST TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED AS A HOLY SAINT HAS OVERJOYED MANY WORLDWIDE.
I was fascinated to hear from Mom that the holy pontiff laid the foundation stone of the famous Regina Mundi Church during his visit to South Africa many years ago.
After initiating the building of the sanctuary church Cardinal Giovanni Montini returned to Rome to become pope.

The beleaguered pontiff steered the Barque of Saint Peter through some very stormy times.
I well remember as a child being somewhat confused by the rapid changes which swept through the church.
One week I heard the Mass in Latin - the next Sunday found all Latin books gone, and an unfamiliar text in English to be followed.
Years later I found the beautiful Latin texts and Missa de Angelis choir books stuffed in a cupboard where they had gently begun aging.
I must say there was a touch of pathos about the sight.

It is an amazing thing that many of my generation who lived through sweeping changes of liturgy are - in our maturing years - returning to more conservative forms of church worship.

Canonisation
My generation has seen much suffering. Post divorce sadness, contraceptive linked strokes and deaths among friends and acquaintances, wars with losses of treasured and irreplaceable community members have all been part of our lot.
Now as we near our golden years, it seems only right that we return to the faith of our infancy, a return to a time when as children it seemed that God was in heaven and all was right in our parish world.

Along with our return to more conservative mores comes the welcome news that a man - both pontiff and prophet - is at last receiving the honor which was always his due.
Cardinal Montini - Pope Paul VI of blessed memory - is to be recognized as a saint later this year. Miracles through his intercession - his pleading with Almighty God on behalf of another - have been attributed to this great man.

Sanctity of human life
Prolifers everywhere have always known the depth of sanctity of Pope Paul VI - Vox populi as it were. Blessed Paul VI stood fast for the rights of the unborn child at a time when to do so, proved exceedingly unpopular. In 1968 his prophetic encyclical Humanae Vitae stated that 'Human life is sacred'. [1]
This Saint of the unborn child has been respected and loved everywhere by those who defend the right to life of the infant within the womb.

Pope Paul VI was beatified in 2014 after a first miracle was attributed to him, the healing of an unborn baby in California in the early 1990's.

During her pregnancy, the baby's mother heard from doctors that they had found a problem with her baby that would likely result in brain damage.
The physicians suggested abortion. The mother refused and trusted her baby to the intercession of Pope Paul VI. The infant was born with no disability. [2]

Second miracle
Earlier this year a Vatican theological and medical commission approved a second miracle attributed to Pope Paul VI. [3] A miracle is the medically inexplicable healing of someone.
This second miracle concerns the healing of an unborn child in the fifth month of pregnancy.

The mother, from Verona Italy, reportedly had an illness that risked both her own life and the life of her unborn child. She was advised to have an abortion.
A few days after the beatification of Paul VI by Pope Francis in October 2014, the mother prayed to the now blessed pontiff at a shrine in Lombardy and the baby girl was later born in good health. [4]

It is a source of joy that at last Pope Paul VI - the man who so courageously wore the crown of thorns of prophetic ministry - is at last to receive the universal acclaim for the depth of holiness his life for Christ bore witness to.


Prayer to Blessed Paul VI for your unborn child
http://churchinterfaith.blogspot.co.za/2016/09/

[1] Humanae Vitae
http://w2.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae.html
[2] Saint of the Unborn Child - Blessed Pope Paul VI
http://churchinterfaith.blogspot.co.za/2016/09/saint-of-unborn-child-blessed-pope-paul.html

[3] Late Pope Paul VI to be made saint this year, Pope Francis says
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-paul-sainthood/late-pope-paul-vi-to-be-made-saint-this-year-pope-francis-says-idUSKCN1G10LH

[4] Vatican approves second miracle needed for canonisation of Pope Paul VI
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/vatican-approves-second-miracle-needed-for-canonisation-of-pope-paul-vi-1.3382583

With thanks to vatican.va, reuters.com and irishtimes.com