Catholics
Comments
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oh for sure!
Me too.
The right book at the right time can work wonders.
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Hi, sisters.. my name is Mimi 49yrs old.. I am just a wanna be Catholic who goes to service every Saturday. done w all the treatments and more about yr ago. I would like to share the fact singing Hail Mary worked for weeks of radiation treatments. about 5 times per treatments I was told to hold my breath. holding breath got harder so I started singling hail mary slower and slower which worked perfectly.
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Welcome Castigame. Wannabe is a good start on the journey. It admits imperfection. Stay with the rest of us imperfect ones.
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Hi Friends! So happy to find this thread!
Thanks for the suggestions- I added The Interior Castle and Dark Night of the Soul to my list of books to read. Has anyone tried the listening to the audible version?
I start treatment on Thursday and know my ability to concentrate is pretty weak so I'm considering listening to audiobooks during the infusion sessions. Thanks!
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Here is why the books belong together. https://carmelitesistersocd.com/2015/stteresaandstjohnofthecross/
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how are you doing MC?
Thinking of you.
Great idea re audio books for chemo!
Best wishes for your treatment.
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I cannot feel my feet, except for pain. I just made the last of my chemo turbans, the summer-weight ones all from the same pattern. I have enough of a variety to wear until August. I might make some for the basket at the cancer center. But right now I am burned out.
We decided to not go to 5:30 Mass, too slick outside. No Disciples group tomorrow night, most everyone found some excuse or another to go anywhere South. Quilting group will probably also cancel, we were planning on doing a marathon to catch up. So I will go to the gym tomorrow, gonna start working on the machines. I like the control and minimal danger of injury. He calibrated my starting weights and we made a plan for my weak right ankle.
Chemo is Thursday this week.
I think that if I take ibuprofen with a bit of food at bedtime, and some acetaminophen if I wake up during the night, I will start getting more efficient sleep.
Yes, St John of the Cross and St. Theresa d'Avila knew suffering, but made it joy. They were suspected of heresy during the Inquisition, but remained faithful. Reflecting on current troubles in the Church, both the victims and the falsely accused.
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I really admire your forward ho attitude mc.
Bravo!
The carmelite way is a contemplative stream in the larger catholic pool. Those two and little flower Therese are all important Saints. They are like my wise elders, helping to gently correct my course and keep my boat nicely in the middle of the stream. (Mostly!
) I am happy to be back at uni. Studying early church history and catholic fundamental theology this semester. Yesterday there were newscrews surrounding St Patrick's cathedral. It was unsettling. It is difficult but so good to clean out the dross. I would like to see a very firm line taken. No exceptions. I feel for the young seminarians I study with
Such beautiful young men. I hope they will not be discouraged but recognise the great need for good souls. Good caring priests in our communities.
My heart goes out to all who have suffered at the hands of misuse of power in the Catholic church.
May these wrongs be righted.
May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Thy sight.
Lord hear us.
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Catigame, Welcome! I too am 49 (birthday was nearly three weeks ago) and was once a "wanna be Catholic," but entering the Catholic Church nearly six years ago changed my status! It was one of the best decisions I ever made! I was so excited about becoming Catholic that I began a podcast where I interviewed other converts, but I discontinued it when I received my BC diagnosis. If you ever have any questions about the faith, please don't hesitate to ask! I'm hardly an experts, but others here are :-).
HOPE ~ Welcome to you as well! As someone who narrates audiobooks, I'm thrilled you're seeking out audiobooks to listen to during treatments! :-) But on a more personal note, I hope your treatments go smoothly with no complications and that you're surrounded by a supportive community! You have one here!
MCBaker, the fact that you'd even consider making chemo turbans for others when you're not feeling well yourself is inspiring. I hope you get rest. It seems the insomnia that I thought I finally had beat has returned. I plan to take several things tonight to help me rest. Sleep is so important.
Astrid ~ Amen.0 -
Welcome Castigame.
MC thinking of you. XXX
Had the very good fortune to be at Mount Melleray Abbey(in Waterford in Ireland) for a retreat this weekend. Mount Melleray is a Cistercian (Trappist) Monastery. There were about 40 people of all ages from 18 to 80 on retreat. Some were lay people and some religious. Among the religious we had a very international group as we had sisters 1 each from Spain, France and Netherlands, and three sisters from the US, as well as 2 Franciscan monks from the US, and representing the Irish the bishop of the diocese. There was also a Polish priest in formation and a Vietnamese priest in formation. There was no distinction among us, everyone participated and helped with tasks like the setting of the tables and the washing up. We saw a lot of mist during the weekend as the Abbey is in the foothills of mountains. We also saw a magnificent rainbow and left the abbey on Sunday evening in the snow!!! (not a very common event in Ireland). The retreat was called Seek and Find and we had a lot of education on the mass liturgy, as well as several talks on beauty and one watercolour workshop (optional). We had our own masses and morning and evening prayer but also had the opportunity to join with the Cistercians in Lauds and Compline. I painted a lamb as Lamb of God was the theme that kept coming up for me. It was truly a retreat. The saddest bit was having to leave! Half an hour before we left it started to snow! (Not a common event here)
Abbey Church in the sunshine
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how beautiful for you FF. Sounds rich and beneficial.☺🕊🌾
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Trending in Ireland are the 40 days challenge (take a piece of clothing you do not use each day during Lent and place in bag. At the end of Lent donate bag of 40 items to Charity). Also very big with young people this Lent is the Nineveh Ninety (start during Lent but carry on for a full 3 months. This is a pledge to eat only 3 plain meals a day with no snacking, and to refrain from personal use of social media.
Also trending is the clever #ashTag with the T as a cross.
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This was painted by one of the other people on retreat, thought it was gorgeous so took a picture.
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I love that!
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What a beautiful place for a retreat, feelingfeline. I hope you feel better prepared for Lent than me. Yes, the Nineveh Ninety is big with our young people as well. Several of my daughter's friends are doing that challenge as a pre-Lent and Lenten sacrifice.
I will try to make an Ash Wednesday service tomorrow if I can get off work to do so.
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Thank you for sharing that beautiful picture, Feeling Feline! One of these days I hope to explore Ireland's beauty, both in terms of landscape and architecture.
Would love to see your painting of the lamb, too, unless it's too personal.
I hope everyone here has a blessed Ash Wednesday as well as Lenten season! For some reason, this year I'm especially looking forward to it!0 -
Hello lovely Catholics! I have been skimming and loving the updates. Another St John of the Cross book which I can recommend, though I haven't finished it yet myself, is "The Impact of God" by Iain Matthew.
I professed vows almost a month ago! Cannot believe it! Since then, I have spent a week with my family, moved to another community, and picked up full-time employment as a hospital chaplain in two large nearby public hospitals. The job situation is pretty mind-blowing. I'm set to start in two weeks and would really appreciate prayer. Know of my prayers for you.
If you would like to see pictures from vow day (I know some of you expressed that) please let me know and I'll PM you.
Final closing funny thing from the convent. Last night we farewelled the sister who had come from our motherhouse to receive my vows. She is Australian and will soon be transferred to another mission home, so won't be returning to Australia for some time. When my sister (who is elderly and a bit hard of hearing) found out during dinner that this sister would not be coming back to Australia, she said: "She's not coming back? And we gave her STEAK!" It was the best moment! We were all in stitches.
A blessed and fruitful Lent to all. Glory and praise to the Lord!
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I have been overdoing it at the gym, and I have an inflamed sebaceous cyst between my breasts from pressure from some of the equipment. I skipped mass yesterevening so I could get some sleep (I have been regularly sleeping over ten hours a night). Just want that cyst to settle down, scared of infection.
Not sure whether I will get my ashes, but it is around noontime, so should work out OK. I miss the gym, but I get my last Taxol tomorrow, so I will probably go back on Friday and get some modifications to my routine, and work off the prednisone (or whatever it is). And restrict my workouts to three times a week.
I would so love making a pilgrimage to the holy places in Ireland, ff. Your descriptions and pictures are so inspiring.
Congratulations, sparrowhawk. The job sounds demanding, but necessary. A good place to learn and grow.
My prayers for you all.
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RedemptiveSufferer
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I am planning on making another tee shirt so added text (in Irish) digitally which says Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world have mercy on us.
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MC, that cyst sounds so painful. I hope it soon clears up. I'm happy you're able to work out, though! That can help with healing very much - though, as you say, it's important not to overdo it.
There is a lot of nervousness about the job, being my first full time one...about balancing time, about my capabilities, etc. Trying to remind myself that others have confidence in me, and that this opportunity has come through God, so I should be confident and trusting in myself too. I am very limited, but with God I can do it.
FF, your lamb is so beautiful! Thank you for sharing it!
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Sparrowhawk so happy to hear you have a job. Even happier to know you have made your profession! You are right to trust in God.
XXX
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MC hope you get the cyst heals and disappears soon. XXX
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congratulations sparrowhawk.so wonderful!🕊💖🌾
Mc...ouch! Slow down missy.
FF. Holy lamb is so beautiful. R.'S's name there looks like the perfect title.
More gorgeous T's eh?
Sat behind a young man in class yesterday called Ezekial..he has apparently had visions from an early age which he shared with me. He has been serving on missions through net ministries here in Oz. Well the back of his windcheater had
2Cor 4:5-7 written on it.
2 Corinthians 4:5-7 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) 5 For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. 6 For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.
'We have this treasure in clay jars'
A line that has stayed with me since first I heard it and often comes up. There it was...and there was a messenger called Ezekial sitting where I could not miss it. The wonders of Holy Spirit eh?
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so do not doubt sparrow...
Only do!
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was part of your formation some pastoral care training?
I know you should be ordained to be a chaplain..which you are. Perhaps the pastorL care workers will be a part of your teaM? I know I have to complete at least 1 clinical pastoral care unit to work in that capacity in hospitals..plus my Bch of Theology...that is Victoria though. You could be my boss one day!
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Astrid so true about Redemptive Sufferer - I had not spotted that!
Love the windcheater story.
During the retreat we had one talk on healing. It was given by one of the 2 Franciscans. He talked about bringing gifts to God. He said: You can say "I will give my talents to God". But where do your talents come from? You can say "I will give my life to God". Well where does your life come from? It was very much the message of the clay jars and the glory of God.
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Little bit of humour - my fav is Franciscan but definitely my usual is the blob.
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Yeah, I usually get the blob or the mini. I think a stencil would give everyone a fair chance. I didn't go yesterday, felt too crummy.
I have my Taxol #12 today, but my blood values are likely to be all over the place. The cyst has matured to a soft white spot surrounded by angry red. Don't know what they will do.
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FF, was the painting of the lamb a watercolor? It's absolutely beautiful!! Thank you so much for sharing! I bet your tees are lovely as well!
The Catholic Guide to ashes is too funny. I'll have to share that with others. I am on some social media, so had to share my pic with ashes. Thought I'd share here, as well.
I know these forums are fairly anonymous, but I like to know who I'm "talking to" whether through shared pictures, knowing where people live, if they have family, etc.... Helps me feel better connected.
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