It's Coming...

*JMJ* My favorite time in the church is coming. Lent. I just love Lent. I'm getting so excited about it. I just love, love, love it. I'm not really sure why I like this particular time in the liturgical year. Maybe it because I feel like I can really participate along with the church. I love all of the little rituals they do during the Lenten season. I'm even going to have my first Mardi Gras party this year. I'm really excited about that to! So let's see. I'm trying to point out just one thing that I love about Lent but there is so many things that I like. Lent last for I believe 42 days so it's a whole season in the church and they do so many different things that it's just to hard to pick out just one thing that I love about the Lenten season. But if I did have to pick out one thing...oh gosh this is going to be tough. I think it would be the part where we have to be repentant during the whole season of Lent. I just absolutely love that. The fact that we are being asked to draw closer and closer and closer yet to our Lord at that time. Through prayer, reading the bible, saying our rosaries, sitting in front of the Blessed Sacrament, just closing your eyes and being with the Lord in quiet. The Lord who died on the cross for us. Oh going to confession, how could I forget that. I just love going to confession. Because we're being asked to repent for all of our sins. I will be touching on this Lenten season a lot here on my blog because of the love that I have for the season. The Easter season is more important then the Christmas season. Christmas we're celebrating Jesus' birthday. But Easter we get to celebrate the Lord's resurrection. But I'm not talking about that yet. I want to talk more about the Lenten season that leads up to the Easter season. I'm hoping that there are a more people out there who share my enthusiasm about Lent the way I do. I would love to talk to you. I got to go to bed. Tomorrow is Sunday, the Lord's day! I have to go to mass. I just love going to Mass. I don't understand how people could possibly find it boring. I just love Mass. ♥ Good night!

+... Not Just Another Rosary ...+

*JMJ* I just LOVE, LOVE, absolutely LOVE to go to the Catholic store. I am fortunate that I have a few around my area. If I get some extra money, I just love to go into the Catholic store, then any other store, and I am serious. I could spend all day just looking at everything. I would love to own my own Catholic store. I don't think I'd mind one bit having to spend the day working in a Catholic store! You might see it as a problem. But every time I walk into a Catholic store, hows a Catholic lady suppose to walk out without a new rosary. I just LOVE, LOVE absolutely love rosaries. And every time I go into a Catholic store, I try real hard to stay away from the rosaries but there I am, every time, looking at the rosaries. And there all so pretty. And then I think I just have to have one. Oh what's just one more rosary. So there I am. Before I can walk away, I already have a rosary in my hand to purchase. So as I'm walking out with my brand new rosary in my bag, I just can't wait to go home and recite my rosary on my new rosary beads. The priest told us to pray for our new Archbishop. See, now I'm glad that I've picked me up another rosary. Now I can pray for our new Archbishop on my new rosary beads. See how that worked out in my favor? =) This Catholic lady can never have enough rosary beads! I've taken a picture to show you my new rosary? Isn't it pretty? Now you can see how I just couldn't resist them. =)

New Beginnings

*JMJ* So we can all get into ruts where we're not doing the spiritual things that we should be doing. We've become lax or in a rut like they say. But what a great time to try and change that with just days into this brand new year. I don't know about you, but when my life is going awry, I get this feeling. My soul feels unsettled. It's not at peace. Then I know it's time to pull my self out of that rut with the help of the Lord and get back into the swing of things. And that means many different things. And what I mostly mean by that is pulling back toward the Lord. To think more of him because we love Him. Here are just some of the things that draw me closer to the Lord and feeds my soul so that it's back on fire with love for Him. I go to mass every Sunday but I will go a couple of times during the week. I'll go back and sit with the Lord in front of the Blessed Sacrament if I've been neglecting to go. I'll try and recite my rosary every day again like I use to. I'll make time to pray for frequently. I'll just pick up my bible and go to my bookmark where I left off and start to read from that point on. It's as if God has been there waiting for me to pick up my bible again. Like my priest said in his homily the other weekend. You can't find good new in the news. But you can in the bible. I just love reading the bible so much. Or I will pick of a spiritual catholic book or a book on one of the saints. These are all ways that bring my closer to the Lord. And then my soul feels at peace and rested again. I feel more focused of what's important and why I'm alive and what I'm suppose to do. Because the world can put your mind in a whirl wind in so many directions. I can't live my life like that. I need peace. Even through difficult times. And I know that I can only get that by becoming closer to the Lord. But it's really not me. It's the Lord that's moving me to become closer to Him. So that is how I'm starting out this brand new year. To become closer to the Lord. He asks for perfection in all of us because he is perfect himself. We are all called to be Holy people. We all get off track sometimes. I know I do. I've mentioned this to my family before. When I was going through R.C.I.A. to become Catholic, and even to this day, I'll shake my head in prayer and say, "Lord, why did you call me to the Catholic religion. I make such a horrible Catholic!" I use to say, "Lord, don't use me for an example!" I have to laugh at myself and I do. I have to keep things light. So may we all grow closer to the Lord this year. What are some of the ways you get closer to the Lord? I'd love to hear your comments. God Bless!

Goodbye To Detroit's Archbishop

*JMJ* Soon us Detroiter's will be saying goodbye to our Archbishop Cardinal Adam Maida. He's retiring after being the Archbishop here in Detroit, Michigan for the past 18 years. He was one of the Archbishops to take place in voting for a new Pope, when Pope John Paul ll died. I was hoping that he would be elected to be the new Pope. Our Pope now, Pope Benedict xvi announced that our new Archbishop, Allen H. Vigneron is a native from Michigan. And his parents reside here also.

I have a funny little story I'd like to share with you about Archbishop Cardinal Maida. Well it's more about myself though. When I was going through the R.C.I.A. process to become Catholic, you have to go to what's called the Rite of Election at the head of your Archdiocese, toward the end of the program. The head of your Archdiocese is called the Mother church that looks after the little parishes in your area. The name of Detroit's Mother church is Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament. So during the Rite of Election, it wasn't just my R.C.I.A. group from my parish there at the cathedral. There were many R.C.I.A. groups from all over my archdiocese there. During the Rite of Election, all the R.C.I.A. teachers will come forward and say the names of the people who are in their R.C.I.A. program. So it took awhile because there were so many names to be announced. But how exciting it was when I heard my name being said through the Mother church. Our names were being enrolled for the Easter Vigil Rite. Just thinking back on that time brings back such exciting memories.

So anyway I was sitting pretty close to the isle inside a pew. There were probably two people on my side. Before I go on any further, just keep in mind that I didn't know to much about the Catholic religion yet. I was still learning.

Well when I seen this priest (Archbishop Cardinal Maida) coming down the isle, I was just so excited! I mean he had on that hat (not sure of the name) and was holding that staff (sorry not sure what that's called either). He was shaking some peoples hands as he was walking down the isle. As he came closer to my pew, I leaned out and stuck my hand out for him to shake it. The two people next to me were probably like, "What's this ladies problem?" I was just so excited when Archbishop Cardinal Maida shook my hand. He looked very impressive decked out with everything. Meaning that fancy hat, the vestments, and the staff and all of that. I just got so caught up in the moment to say the least! Archbishop Cardinal Maida could see the enthusiasm on my face! What he was probably thinking was, "Lady, I'm not the Pope!" I'm laughing right now I write this. It was just so funny. I rushed home to tell my mother and father-in-law that I got to shake Archbishop Cardinal Maida's hand.

I will miss Archbishop Cardinal Maida though. They no longer will mention his name during mass. When I think of Michigan Catholic Newspaper, I will miss his editorials. I'll just miss seeing him around.

I'm praying that the Lord will continue to watch over Archbishop Cardinal Maida during this next segment of his life, as I'm sure the Lord will. We must also pray for our new Archbishop, Allen H. Vigneron as he carries out his new duties in being an Archbishop for Detroit, Michigan.

Detroit's New Archbishop

*JMJ* This is Bishop Allen Vigneron. He is 60 years old and he will be are next Archbishop for the Detroit's Archdiocese. I am just so excited about it. It's always nice to see what a new member of the community will bring to the community. He was serving as Bishop in Oakland, California. Bishop Allen Vigneron is from the Detroit area. He was born in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. His parents, now in their 90's live in St. Clair County. They still live in the same farmhouse the bishop was raised in. He was a former associate priest at Our Lady Queen of Peace parish in Harper Woods, Michigan. Bishop Allen Vigneron will be installed as Detroit's Archbishop on Wednesday, January 28, @ 2 0'clock p.m. It will be held at the Cathedral of The Most Blessed Sacrament. Bishop Allen Vigneron will be Detroit's 10th Bishop and Detroit's 5th Archbishop. Here is a short clip if you would like to watch it. Just click on the link below. http://gannett.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/gannett-detroit-freep-008-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=articleplayer&maven_referralPlaylistId=playlist&maven_referralObject=985517052