A Mother's Bouquet Book Review

UPDATE:  Ms. Sherry Boas commented in my comment section that her book, A Mother's Bouquet is now available on Kindle!  She also mentioned a companion book for dads called A Father's Heart:  Rosary Meditations for Dads which is available in paperback and Kindle as well.  Visit her website www.LilyTrilogy.com for more information.


I was given the opportunity to review Sherry Boas' book called 

A Mother's Bouquet: Rosary Meditations For Moms.  

             This is a small 60 page book of reflections on each mystery 

                               of the rosary.  Her introduction states: 

                              "Why should busy moms pray the rosary?"

                                     She responds by quoting St. Louis de Montfort, who said
                                                "that praying the rosary devoutly dons Jesus and Mary with crowns
                         of red and white roses that never fade or whither."

                           The word rosary has a Latin origin meaning "crown of roses."  

The goal of this book is to show it's reader that by praying the rosary, you will grow closer to Jesus, by meditating on His life we are drawn into His love that spreads outward to loving our families and neighbors. Isn't this reason enough to want to pray the rosary? Roses for Jesus and Our Mother which overflows where you can't help but love your family and friends.  Simply said, you can pray and glorify God by praying the rosary and it's a lovely image that while praying the rosary, Jesus and His Mother, are covered in roses.

A Mother's Bouquet, is broken into six sections beginning with the introduction, then the next four sections are of the mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary.  It begins with The Joyful Mysteries and within each mystery, a bible verse is given with a reflection.  Each reflection shows the mother her need of His love and graces.  It acknowledges the weaknesses that we face and our trials that turn us away from His Love and how to shift our view back to Him.  To return to his mercy and blessings.   Ms. Boas finishes her book with an explanation of how to pray the rosary.  Using this book, it will definitely take the prayer warrior more time but it blesses you while you immerse yourself in the love of Jesus and Mary.  I would even go so far as to say, if one didn't have time to pray the complete rosary, meditating on the bible verses and reflections are a wonderful place to start.

Our Lady asks everyone to pray the Rosary every day to combat the evils of this world.  Through Ms. Boas' reflections, the reader can jump right in and pray for their family, friends, community, country and world.  We need it and through God's grace, we have the rosary prayers and a wonderful woman such as Ms. Boas', to make this prayer experience more heart felt and powerful.  I highly recommend this book!  It would be a perfect gift for any mother who is just learning how to pray the rosary or for those who are veterans and can grow deeper in it's meaning through the reflections.

The Catholic Company is a great place to go to look for a bible and the Catechism as well as many other books, rosaries and gifts.  I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my review from the Catholic Review Program of The Catholic Company.  No monetary compensation was given for my review.

Blessings,
Noreen

HHS Mandate Novena

Eric Scheidler, the Executive Director from Pro Life Action League has created a Novena to reverse the HHS Mandate.  It starts today since the next Religious Freedom Rally is in 10 days, Friday, June 8th.  Please join us in praying this novena for a united effort in to stop the HHS Mandate.  Start today and pray this prayer for nine days so God can hear our plea and answer our prayers!

Dear God,

You are the Author of Life and Freedom.  In Your Spirit, we have the freedom of the children of God, and in Your Name, we promote the freedom of all to seek, embrace and live the Truth of Your Word.

In that freedom, Lord, we Your people stand with Life and reject whatever destroys life or distorts the meaning of human sexuality.

In that freedom, Lord, we Your people live our lives in a way that advances Your Kingdom of Life, and we refuse to cooperate in what is evil.

At this moment, therefore, when our government has decided to force us to cooperate in evil, we pray for the grace to be faithful to You and to oppose the unjust laws and mandates that have been imposed upon us and our institutions.

We pray for the conversion of those in civil authority who fail to appreciate the demands of conscience.  We pray for the complete reversal of all policies that permit the destruction of life or coerce the cooperation of Your people in practices that are wrong.

Bring us to a Culture of Life.

We pray through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Blessings,
Noreen

Birthday

It's somebody's birthday!

Toby is 9 years young today!

We pray for many more good and healthy years with our Tobster!

Blessings,

Noreen

Honoring Memorial Day

Source

Dear Heavenly Father,
Today, we remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,
so that we may have the freedom of religion, liberty and justice.
They fought and died to save us from the evils of this world.
May they be at home with you in Heaven.

For our soldiers of today, please envelope them in your loving arms and protect and guide them.
May the leadership of our military be mindful of Your Laws as they strategize each military objective.
Send down your love, goodness and graces upon the families who are waiting
for their loved ones to come home safely.

May the gifts of the Holy Spirit be within the hearts of our soldiers.
May they trust in your  almighty power as they seek to ensure equality amongst all nations.
Let our military brothers and sisters feel the support and encouragement of their country.

Praise be Jesus and Mary.
Now and forever.
Amen

Blessings,

Noreen

May the Holy Spirit Be With You!

Happy Saints created this very sweet picture for the Feast of Pentecost which we celebrate today, 

Sunday, May 27th.

"When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.  And suddenly, there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.  Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, 

as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim."

Acts 2:1-4

Here is another picture of Pentecost that I like:

Don't forget to come over and check out our party links.

Blessings,

Noreen

2 Year Anniversary & Teenage Abortions

Yesterday we celebrated 2 years of weekly prayer vigils at one of the abortion clinic in my town. Two years ago, Northwest Families for Life started praying and touching the lives of the mothers who had scheduled abortions at this clinic.  Every Thursday, there are sidewalk counselors and prayer warriors from 7am-1pm.  We celebrated with a deacon leading us in prayer and blessing the parking lot. Our prayers were answered: one baby was saved yesterday! 

Please pray for the mother, Veronica!  

She is 16 weeks along and she opted for life after talking to one of our sidewalk counselors but she really has no support system.  Her boyfriend doesn't want the baby and she is scared.  Really scared. Please pray that she will remain steadfast in her decision to give her baby life and that her family and friends become sources of love and encouragement to her.

Photo Credit

Sadly, 10 other babies were killed yesterday.  Over the last two years, our leaders have kept track of the number of babies saved and the number of babies who were aborted, in their mommy's tummy at the hands of a doctor.  Here are the numbers:

51 babies were given LIFE

673 were given DEATH

Colleen from Inadequate Disciple, has a heart that witnesses for the unborn.  She is also passionate about educating others about the evil of abortion.  On her blog, she recently posted "Mom Forcing Daughter to Have an Abortion?"  Tragically, it happens all to often.  She found some other personal stories, revealing the truth about the pain they've been carrying by being forced to have an abortion by their own mother.

Experience Project

Generations for Life

Religious Tolerance

Prayer Intentions:

Please pray for God's graces and blessings on Northwest Families for Life and all of their prayer warriors.

Please pray for the mothers who've had abortions and those who are guilty for encouraging it.

Please pray for the mothers who chose Life, for they have many struggles to endure.

Please pray for the doctor and staff who mistakenly believe they're doing the right thing.

Please pray for our society who have made abortion legal.

Blessings,

Noreen

Pinterest... I Don't Get It

Can someone please tell me the point of Pinterest?  

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My lovely friend Anne from Our Gifts of Grace sent me the invitation which I accepted.  

Not sure why one must be invited tho?  

Shouldn't it be for everyone?  

What do I even do with it? 

I've received emails saying people are following me.

For what purpose are they following me? 

Looks like a complete time waster.

Anyone care to enlighten me?

Blessings,

Noreen

Reasons to Abort a Baby

I've been going to our local abortion clinic for 6 months now and I've learned a couple of things:

1.  There are good reasons to abort a baby.
2.  Blue collar workers support the pro-life effort.

I am being facetious here so let me elaborate on what I mean.  No, there is NEVER a good reason to abort a baby but so many young girls, women, their friends, sisters, boyfriends and husbands seem to think otherwise.  Here are the "good reasons:"

• I don't have the time or money for a baby right now.
• I don't want any more children... I'm too young or too old.
• My mother or boyfriend is forcing me.
• I will get kicked out of my house if my mom finds out.
• My boyfriend will leave me if I keep this baby.
• I don't want a Downs Syndrome baby.
• Postpartum depression was horrible after my last baby.
• I was raped.

These "reasons" are sometimes said through tears and heartache; or other times, matter of factly, then others, coldly or angrily.  Some of these girls won't even look you in the eye while others boldly do and many others with sadness, desperation and regret.

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I am not a side walk counselor nor would I be a good one.  I'd want to take these mamas home with me to give them the support they need.  It's heartbreaking to watch them go in and worse to watch them come out.  Walking very cautiously as if every step hurt.  Hanging their heads in sorrow and pain.

Our sidewalk counselors are loving and kind in their approach both before AND after the deed is done.  No judgment or condescending attitude, only love and concern.  They are a blessing to these young girls and women.  As for myself and others, we stay and pray on the public sidewalk.  Mostly we pray the rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet or a litany and lately, we sing Christian songs hoping to reach these moms and to the abortionist himself.

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Two of the men who come every week, have taken up their "Walls of Jericho" method of praying as they walk around the building over and over again.  I like to think that angels and the Israelites of those times, are with them.

It's strange really.  For the first time last week, I saw the abortion doctor arrive and leave his car with "his entourage."  Two staff came out of the building to help gather his belongings and to hurriedly escort him into the building.  He can certainly walk in by himself.  He has two hands that end babies lives several times a week so, walking in on his own shouldn't be a problem.  No one is threatening him where he needs "security" to get him into the building.  Our group has never even approached him or said anything beyond "hello."  So perhaps the danger or fear he's experiencing is our prayers breaking through his walls?  Maybe the light is starting to shine through for him to fully see what he is doing?  I pray for the conversion of his heart every day.

As for my comment on the Blue Collar workers, I've noticed that many men in work vans and trucks, honk and wave their support.  Plenty of people in cars do too, but there are many in trucks.  In fact, it is very rare that anyone says anything negative or unsupportive at all.  I'd like to think that many seeds are being planted and awareness is spreading to what abortion really is ~ 

purposeful death of the unborn, with their mother's consent by the hands of a doctor.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."  Psalm 139:13

Blessings,

Noreen

The Signs of the Times Review

Tiber River gave me the opportunity to review the book, The Signs of the Times: Understanding The Church Since Vatican II, which contains the writings of the late Fr. Richard W. Gilsdorf.  His writings have been edited and compiled by Patrick Beno in 2008.  Fr. Gilsdorf was instrumental in navigating the tidal waves of confusion following Vatican II for he understood what was happening and sought to stay true to Holy Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium.  He was a priest in the diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin from 1956-2005 during this time as he championed Catholic doctrine.

Get ready for a long read, this book is over 500 pages long, containing his earlier writings before Vatican II Council and then mainly focusing on the developments within the Church but also ends with some of his later works. Once you get to the meat of the book, he begins it with a disclaimer, alerting or almost warning the reader to his view "for those who dislike my position and are not at all curious as to why I hold to it can spare their eyes, minds and emotions the inevitable pain."  Fr. Gilsdorf comes across as intelligent, witty, truth seeking, and humble all at the same time.  After reading his work, I have no doubt that he loves the Triune God, Our Blessed Mother and the Holy Catholic Church as well as his own parish, Holy Trinity Church.

In my opinion, this is not an easy read.  It's well thought out and researched with many footnotes in each chapter that makes the reader think about what he is saying.  For me, there was a lot of time spent trying to understand those times.  I was born after Vatican II and grew up unaware of any of the rumblings and dissension that occurred from this council.  In fact, I'd only heard of the council and the crisis in the church, in adulthood and was blissfully unaware of the problems that resulted. It's not even something I remember overhearing my parents and other family members discussing.

Am I one of those directly affected by this Council?  Could this explain why I was poorly catechized as a child?  I'm one of those adults who grew up thinking they understood Catholic doctrine yet when confronted by a non-catholic, I realized I had no answers to the questions I was asked.  So yes, I was poorly catechized as a child and have been doing catch up ever since.  Was Vatican II to blame?  I can't say that with any certainty but the fact remains, I was poorly catechized.  Nor am I an authority to judge or evaluate the works of Fr. Gilsdorf but after reading his work, I do not believe he was a heretic nor sought to add to the dissension.  In fact, he sought to set things straight, to be true to God's word, to avoid secularism and modernism.  He seems like he was a lone voice of truth. I would have liked to have met Fr. Gilsdorf.  I would imagine that he was a champion of the unborn!

Mr. Beno, the editor, who knew Fr. Gilsdorf personally and admired him greatly, believes this book is important to all Catholics.  I believe Fr. Gilsdorf does an excellent job in bringing the reader back to those chaotic times all around the world.  For those who want to understand the most recent history of the Catholic Church, then this book is for you.  You can get it from Aquinas and More.  No monetary compensation was given for my review.

Blessings,
Noreen

Abortion is a Holocaust

I've been hearing this phrase over the past year and wasn't sure if I believed it to be true.  Yes, abortion is evil and so is a holocaust but can they be linked?  I decided to think about it more and research it and this is what I concluded:

Abortion is a Holocaust

And here's why:

I first went to Dictionary.com and typed in the word holocaust.  Here is what it says:

• a great or complete devastion or destruction, especially by fire.
• a sacrifice completely consumed by fire; burnt offering.
• the systematic mass slaughter of European Jews in Nazi concentration camps in WWII
• any mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life.

Yes, you can call it "a mass slaughter or reckless destruction of life" because since Roe vs. Wade legalized abortion in 1973, it is estimated that there have been nearly 50 million done.  That's a staggering number and I'm going to say it's even worse than a holocaust. 

My city has two abortion clinics and I go to a prayer vigil at one almost weekly.  On these Thursday mornings, there is an average of 7-12 babies murdered.  That's one day.  The doctor does abortions on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  There are most likely, the same amount performed "in the name of women's healthcare" on Tuesdays and Saturdays.  I'll be conservative here and say 7 on each day.  

So, in one week at this one clinic there are 21 babies killed.

In one month, that would add up to 84 babies murdered.

In one year, that would calculate up to 1,008 babies killed.

That's on the low end and it's only at one clinic.  We could probably double those numbers if we add up the abortions performed in the second clinic in my city.

Now here is the truly disturbing part that makes it worse than a holocaust in my opinion:

• It is legal in our society.  
• Doctors are paid to kill the babies in the name of women's reproductive health.
• The mothers are allowing it to happen and in fact, seek it out.
• Those who oppose it our considered old fashioned and trying to hurt women.

It's is the work of the devil and he has society's thinking upside down on this one.  Life is life and is given to us by God.  Even if this life is unwanted, there are other options than abortion.

St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. Gerard, pray for us.
St. Padre Pio, pray for us.

Blessings,
Noreen

Chicago~ Mother's Day Mass

There will be a  Mother's Day Mass for Expectant Mothers on Sunday, May 13th at 11:00am at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago.  Bishop Kane is inviting all mothers and soon-to-be mothers to come for a special blessing.  For those who are currently pregnant, they will receive a silk rose, a St. Gerard prayer card and medal as a keepsake.

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If you're in the Chicagoland area on Mother's Day, it would be worth a trip to Holy Name Cathedral for a mass with Bishop Kane.

Blessings,
Noreen

A Non-Catholic View on Catholicism

One of the deacons from my church sent me an email titled "Jewish View on Catholics." My curiosity was piqued and I opened it, expecting a negative commentary on the Catholic Church.  However, I was pleasantly surprised at his support of the Catholic Church and I learned a few things myself.  He asked this question and then researched it:

 "Why would newspapers carry on a vendetta on one of the most important institutions that we have today in the United States, namely the Catholic Church?"  

Here are excerpts from an article written by Sam Miller in 2008, who is a Cleveland Jewish businessman:

Do you know- the Catholic Church educates 2.6 million students everyday at the cost ot that Church of 10 billion dollars, and a savings on the other hand to the American taxpayer of 18 billion dollars.  The graduates go on to graduate studies at the rate of 92%.

The Church has 230 colleges and universities in the U.S. with an enrollment of 700,000 students.

The Catholic Church has a non-profit hospital system of 637 hospitals, which account for hospital treatment of 1 out of every 5 people - not just Catholics - in the United States today.

But the press is vindictive and trying to totally denigrate in every way the Catholic Church in this country.  They have blamed the disease of pedophilia on the Catholic Church, which is as irresponsible as blaming adultery on the institution of marriage.

Let me give you some figures that he quotes from research done by Richard Blackman of the Fuller Theological Seminary , a non-Catholic institution, that he thinks every Catholic should know and remember.  For example:

• 12% of the 300 Protestant clergy surveyed admitted to sexual intercourse with a parishioner.
• 38% acknowledged other inappropriate sexual contact in a study by by the United Methodist Church.
• 41.8% of clergy women reported unwanted sexual behavior.
• 17% of laywomen have been sexually harassed.

Meanwhile, 

• 1.7% of the Catholic clergy has been found guilty of pedophilia.
• 10% of the Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia. 

This is not a Catholic Problem.

A study of American priests showed that most are happy in the priesthood and find it even better than they had expected, and that most, if given the choice, would choose to be priests again in face of all this obnoxious PR the church has been receiving.

The Catholic Church is bleeding from self-inflicted wounds.  The agony that Catholics have felt and suffered is not necessarily the fault of the Church.  You have been hurt by a small number of wayward priests tha have probably been totally weeded out by now.

Walk with your shoulders high and your head higher.  Be a proud member of the most important non-governmental agency in the United States.

Then remember what Jeremiah said: "Stand by the roads, and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is and walk in it, and find rest for your souls."  Be proud to speak up for your faith with pride and reverence and learn what your Church does for all other religions.

To read more of Sam Miller's article, you can HERE.  I tried googling to fact check the statistic of pedophilia related to Protestant clergy because it sounds too high to be believable.  I found various answers so needless to say, Satan is an equal opportunist when it comes to pedophilia in the different religions.

Blessings,

Noreen