Latin Mass in Patton, PA

One of the things we most missed about Jacksonville, FL (friends excluded) was our Church.
Immaculate Conception in downtown Jacksonville is an amazing and wonderful Church.
We loved the Latin (Tridentine) Mass each Sunday, we miss terribly having Confession before every Mass, the stunning beauty of the Church, teaching CCD, all the lovely parishoners who welcomed us with open arms.  A Knights of Columbus council that was very active - and YOUNG! 
And,  our priest.  Father Murphy, a wonderful and holy priest we had the priviledge to know for that time.

Here, the only available Latin Mass in our area of PA (hostile bishop, former now - God bless our newly installed Bishop Bartchak) is in Patton, PA at Queen of Peace Catholic Church.  The call it "Latin in Patton".  When we move I always research Church's, homeschooling (and the laws) and other various things like best value shopping and so forth, where we are moving. 
So, I had known about the Latin Mass, but this is PA.  We moved in September 20th and snow was right around the corner.  Patton is norther and into the mountains from us - an hour.  Needless to say, we weren't going until after the spring thaw....
we are still waiting, LOL! 

Well at the Catholic Homeschool Conference we attended we were told that all the homeschoolers go to the first Sunday Latin Mass each month, and stay after for breakfast and socializing.
First Sunday was the next day...........
So, we went to Harrisburg, PA Saturday and Patton, PA the next.
I am so not a traveling gal.
But, I was in for a treat.  It was a 1st Sunday High Mass is celebrated in its full solemnity, with the Asperges (sprinkling with holy water), incensing, torchbearers, and the St. Benedict Schola Cantorum chanting the Mass. The church breakfast is held from 7 AM to 1 PM.  If you click the above link, Latin in Patton you can see a close up of the high altar.  The reliquaries are amazing.  I'd not seen them before like that on the altar.
Here are some pictures -

Look up and all around the Church are symols of the Blessed Virgin with the titles.

They are amazing.

Side Altar/left

Ambo - See the Holy Spirite in the top?

St. Michael the Archangel is on the very top.

St. Michael the Archangel.

not very clear

Main Altar

Steps up to the main altar.

Right side altar.

Cool confessionals, right?

And, The St. Benedict Schola Cantorem.

Really, really beautifully sung.  I felt like I could see into Heaven.

Garden of the Good Shepherd

We got together with our friends yesterday for our first Good Shepherd's Garden Party.

We printed out the printables available at Waltzing Matilda's blog and I made each of the children a "book" to use to paste them into. 

Here are the two biggest girls making "rainbow" snacks with fruit.

Note the hair styles.

Rachel and Mary - sending moral support from the livingroom via wii mail.

Linnea, Elizabeth, and Bridgid still making rainbows, and eating fruit..

We waited until they were starving before we began.

Blueberries are Bridgid's favorite, Mary will give her anything she wants :0)

Banana boats, with peanut butter, pretzle masts, fruit rollup sails, and fish in the boat.

Sunshine pizza, the smile was in oregano, my children turned their noses up at the veggies in the sauce.  Next time, I puree!

And here are all the children, ready to eat.  See the whip cream can, those are our clouds.

We also had ice chip hail, and white grape juice rain. 

Everyone ate, and most of them made through several weeks of readings.

Just briefly, and not to much discussion.

Normally we probably would have, but all the kids were really tired from getting up extra early.

AAnother group shot with the boys on the end. 

We really did have a great time, all things considered.

Family

My three littlest angels.

Our little altar for Good Friday.

Aren't the flowers beautiful?

Stations of the Cross craft/box

I made our Stations of the Cross box for Lent.
It turned out rather well - for a shoe box painted purple, and covered in packing tape!
see here?

The kids really like using it, - I guess that is what really counts.
There appears to be a lot of stuff - not following the generally standard list - because I stuck in some of the things I have used with my CCD class.
So, those are the 'extra' things. We are still searching for the "right" string, and I want to have the kids make their hand prints too.

Station 1 Jesus is Condemned to Death -- a string to represent the rope used to tie Jesus’ hands

Station 2 Jesus Carries His Cross -- a small cross (palm cross from last years Palm Sunday)
Station 3 Jesus Falls the First Time -- Three band-aids in the box to represent Jesus’ three falls.
Station 4 Jesus Meets His Mother Mary -- a plastic rosary to represent the Blessed Mother
Station 5 Simon Helps Jesus -- small red heart painted red to represent Simon’s generous help in carrying the cross.
Station 6 Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus -- hankie in ours
Station 7 Jesus Falls the Second Time -- see Station 3
Station 8 Jesus Comforts the Women of Jerusalem -- a tissue for their tears
Station 9 Jesus Falls the Third Time -- see Station 3
Station 10 Jesus is Stripped of His Garments -- a small square of purple felt to represent His purple cloak
Station 11 Jesus is Nailed to the Cross -- a large nail cross
Station 12 Jesus Dies on the Cross -- a crucifix (came in the mail)
Station 13 Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross -- a small statue of Michelangelo’s Pieta
Station 14 Jesus is Buried -- a stone to represent the stone rolled in front of the tomb


If you pop over to Catholic Icing you can see how a bunch of other families did theirs.
So many brilliant ideas.
I would love to do this Stained Glass Stations of the Cross at some point.
And, this votive one is wonderful too!

Why we need Lent........

I read this Catholic Culture article entitled "Why we need Lent" today.

I have been reading excerpts from Gueranger's Liturgical Year regarding Lent -
Here in English......... I usually look up the linked readings from Daily Catholic.

Each year I attempt to learn more and make a better Lent than the year before.
Each year I see my flaws so clearly and very how far I have to go.
Each year, I also see the progress made over a lifetime of learning and working to improve.

Dom Prosper Gueranger 1805 - 1875

New Years Eve - The 7th Day of Christmas - Resolutions/Goals & More

What I am reading & printing today:
Green living tips
This from the YMCA looks interesting.
20 Questions for New Years Eve Reflection
101 Goals in 1001 Days

7th Day of Christmas at Catholic Culture - Feast of St. Sylvestor
more New Years at Catholic Culture
so many wonderful ideas! 

New Years things for the children:
New Years Around the World Unit be sure to check the booklist at the bottom.
Resolutions for children we didn't write all these things, but talked about them.
For my youngest - resolutions worksheet
For the biggers - here and here.

And we are still working of the 12 days of Christmas Lapbook
See it at Lapbooks for Catholics............

On the 6th Day of Christmas

2 Thessalonians 2: 14, to "stand firm; and hold the traditions which you have learned."
6 geese a laying = 6 days of creation.............



I am overthinking about my goals & resolutions for the New Year I think.
I have a million things swimming around in my head I want to accomplish.
I think ok, I will start this...   Then I walk through a room,  see 3 other things I need to get done also, do a quicky on the way by make a mental note (I keep losing these notes!) and then figure out what I originally set out to do.
I think my biggest problem right now, is that I want to take my Christmas tree, and all the decorations except for the Nativity set down.  My family wanted it up for another week - so it will come down this weekend.
Normally, I really throw down for decorations this time of year.  We have things we have collected over the years made, and inherited.  I don't reach the heights my favorite brother-in-law & sister-in-law achieve (they are on this tour of homes ride in their city, and they dress up like Santa and Rudolf - all the kids come and deliver their Christmas wished/lists to them.  They really ROCK!  He takes a week vacation and they spend all that time plus putting up everything and decorating every single room in the house and the outdoors for the holiday.     Anyway, not this year - I just couldn't take the clutter and the stress. 

My mother and my mother-in-law are absolutely artists at decorating.  My mother was an interior designer for years and years, and both are artists in various areas and crafts.  My point being,  I come by all this naturally.  I used to think it was normal - then I started looking around at friends homes and noticed I was mistaken.  :0)
And, I just thought people were being polite when the commented on my decorations.  I didn't realize they were in shock!

This year, because my parents have just moved in I wanted to keep it a little more simple. 
We put up the tree, a few items here and there, decorated the banister and shelves in the livingroom naturally.
But, I left much of the extra decorations in the attic. 
Normally, my family is happy if I don't try to take it all down Christmas night. Not this year.
I just can't take the mess - it seems to be inside of every gift that we get - a little extra mess for free!
So, today, I rearranged a bit. 
Nativity to the piano, linens picked up and plans for what goes where this weekend.
How much of this is trying to control what I can?
Thoughts to ponder............

Here are some of my To Do's -
I'll throw it out here and see what sticks.

Today things:
Dinner - in crockpot and cooking
Sewing - Our lady of Guadelupe tote bags for the girls.
Look at McCalls patterns so I can send a list of ones to buy with mom & G1 tomorrow at Joanns fabric. (on sale .99)
Organize my closet
Put away our clothes
Clean G2s room

After today things:
move "Art Gallery" pictures from breakfast room
Make and hang idea board in breakfast room
Hang pictures in my room
Organize and sort books more
Clean & organize garage
Organize attic
call for charity pick up
Finish preparations for Mary's 1st Communion Notebook.
Find the time to devote to doing the activities with her
Plan rest of CCD year lesson plans.
Purge, purge, purge, purge

In the next year..................

The Fifth Day of Christmas

St. Thomas Becket

Bishop & Martyr

Sister Wendy Beckett of the Art books and video fame is his relative. !  I only knew this because of her video where she mentioned it.



Books:  Augustine Came to Kent,
Murder in the Cathedral, TS Eliot
Canterbury Tales
Website:  The Murder of Thomas Becket
Movie:  Becket - I don't have this one, we will settle for watching Sr. Wendy.

.-"Learn from St. Thomas," says Father Faber, "to fight the good fight even to the shedding of blood, or, to what men find harder, the shedding of their good name by pouring it out to waste on the earth."

Today, ask Saint Thomas to help us be courageous witnesses of the Catholic faith.