Thank You for the Reassurance

I do not regularly go to the Latin Mass available at my parish. I know we are blessed and lucky to have this beautiful mass regularly available to us. Most Sundays we attend the English version in our parish. It was after a Latin service we met a traditional Catholic family that gave us inspiration.

Living as a Catholic in a secular world can be difficult, we tend to have little support from our friends and family who are either cafeteria style cradle Catholics, non practicing or protestant. People look at our family with 4 children and wonder if we are completely crazy. The constant comments from people we care about, like "When are you going to get snipped?" can be very discouraging and allows us to doubt the path we have chosen. The task of living in full accordance with the Church's teaching on being to open to life in marriage would be impossible without prayer and God's grace. I often ask for strength and it was after attending the Latin Mass during the Feast of the Immaculate Conception that I received encouragement that gave me added strength.

My wife and I were getting the kids in the car and we were delayed by another family getting into their vehicle. We had seen this family as well as other large families at mass worshiping together. The father of the family apologized for delaying our entry into our vehicle. I told him not to worry about it. I know how it is to load up a large family. This sparked a brief conversation. He has 5 children. We chatted about what a blessing large families are and how generations past had it right. It seems that our Lord gives us the messages that we need when we need them if we ask for his grace, the prudence to know and do his will and to open our hearts to the Spirit.

How beautiful was it that we received this encouragement during a feast day for Our Lady, who never questioned God's plan for her. We are reminded that in marriage we have no better example than Mary and St. Joseph her most chaste spouse.

God Bless

The Trials of Duke Henri

I saw this story and it seems like something out of the Reformation period in Europe. Much to my surprise there is still a monarch in Europe that is more than a figure head. The Duke of Luxembourg has the power to sign laws and he has veto power over the parliament. Later this week, however this power will be stripped from his office. This stems from the controversial decision the duke made to stand on principles and his moral conscience as a Catholic. Duke Henri refused to sign a bill in parliament that allowed for assisted suicide. Once his power is stripped and there is a second reading of the bill, Luxembourg will become the 3rd EU country to allow for Euthanasia.

Perhaps by falling on his political sword it will allow for attention to be drawn to the issue. Perhaps the people of Europe will see this as the growing tyranny of secularism that it is. My prayers are with the Duke. May God give him the grace to continue to stand up for morality on an ever increasingly secular continent.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article5282483.ece