GodFamilyCrafts

St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome

Dear Readers,

I am off to Rome tomorrow to accompany my sister on a visit to Art Museums, Historic Sites, and the Vatican.  I am grateful for this opportunity, and my family’s support and willingness go it without me for a week or so!

While in Rome, in addition to what is already scheduled, I want to see the Fountains, the Spanish Steps, St.John Lateran Church, the Pieta, The Pantheon, and we will attend an audience with Pope Benedict XVI during his regular Wednesday audience and talk on January 28th. The Vatican art museum is high on the is list.

No matter how important the sites are, we will plan  well for meals!

In addition to praying for my family I will pray for you, my friends and readers, for St. Bonaventure Homeschool Cooperative, for St. Patrick - St. Joachim Parish, for the unborn, especially those in danger of abortion, for our Nation.

I intend to take photos, including some still life photos that I may be able to include in future exhibits or collections. I look forward to the chance to capture some Roman scenes and objects on film.

Peace to you all,

I will write a short blog from Rome if I have the opportunity.

Peace, Ann

Today at Holy Mass, our choir sang the Litany of the Saints.  It is a beautiful composition and arrangement, and overwhelms the senses and the mind with the beauty of the Communion of Saints and our membership in the Body of Christ.  Throughout the Litany, we have come to listen for the invocation of our own patron saints…Ann, Gregory, Martin, Veronica, and many more names of our family members or thier Confimation saints.  In addition, our pastor has renewed the tradition in our parish of praying the Holy Michael Prayer at the end of each Mass.  It is a beautiful and powerful way to ask God’s protection of and bring unity to our parish family.  St. Michael, Prince of Saints, is our defender in the Battle.

When choosing a graphic for today’s entry, I decided upon one of my own photographs.  The empty bottles and jars represent each one of us, the transparancy of the glass could be our willingness to accept God’s grace. The light shining upon each one of us is God in our lives, and the tulip, red with passion and love, is God’s grace.

And now that we can visually see a representation of our Life in Christ and our place in the Communion of Saints, will we accept the grace that God extends forth to us, or will we be like the one who refuses to open up and be filled by His Grace.

My prayer is that each of us will be open to God’s Grace, and in doing so, establish our place in the Communion of Saints.  Hope to see you there!

Peace,

Ann