Christmas blessings

This Christmas season, Father Brummel invites us to participate in the novena of Masses at the St. Jude Shrine.  He sends greetings and prayer, as do the Franciscan Friars, who send their blessings.     

Prayer for Family

O dear Jesus, I humbly implore you to grant your special graces to our family.  May our home be the shrine of peace, purity, love, labor, and faith.  I beg you, dear Jesus, to protect and bless all of us, absent and present, living and dead.

O Mary, loving Mother of Jesus and our Mother, pray to Jesus for our family, for all the families of the world, to guard the cradle of the newborn, the schools of the young, and their vocations.

Blessed St. Joseph, holy guardian of Jesus and Mary, assist us by your prayers in all the necessities of life.  Ask of Jesus that special grace which he granted to you to watch over our home at the pillow of the sick and the dying so that, with Mary and with you, heaven may find our family unbroken in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Amen.

Prayer for Parents

Most loving Father, the example of parenthood, you have entrusted our children to us to bring them up for you and prepare them for everlasting life. 

Assist us with your grace that we may fulfill this sacred duty with competence and love.  Teach us what to give and what to withhold.  Show us when to reprove, when to praise, and when to be silent.  Make us gentle and considerate, yet firm and watchful.  Keep us from the weakness of indulgence and the excess of severity.  Give us the courage to be disliked sometimes by our children when we must do necessary things which are displeasing in their eyes.  Give us the imagination to enter their world in order to understand and guide them.  Grant us all the virtues we need to lead them by word and example in the ways of wisdom and piety. 

One day, with them, may we enter into the joys of our true and lasting home with you in heaven.  Amen.

Prayer of Spouses for Each Other

Lord Jesus, grant that [name] and I may have a true and understanding love for each other. 

Grant that we may both be filled with faith and trust.  Give us the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony.  May we always bear with one another’s weaknesses and grow from each other’s strengths.  Help us to forgive one another’s failings and grant us patience, kindness, cheerfulness, and the spirit of placing the well-being of one another ahead of self.

May the love that brought us together grow and mature with each passing year.  Bring us both ever closer to you through our love for each other.  Let our love grow to perfection.  Amen.

Prayer of Peace

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, light; and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.  For it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.  Amen.

St. Mary Cathedral

Before returning home yesterday, Steven and I attended Mass at the St. Mary Cathedral.

Neither of us had been there, so we had no idea we’d be transported to another place in time. 

The bold colors, stained glass windows, lifelike statues, and arched ceilings were stunning; the soft lighting and the straightbacked, unpadded, wooden pews, reminiscent of the European churches we visited years ago.  And the music?  Oh, the music.  Heavenly!  

As I thought of Mozart, Steven whispered, “It’s part of Handel’s Messiah.” 

After Mass, the priest announced that tickets were going fast for St. Mary’s fifth annual Celtic Christmas concert this coming weekend.  How I wished to be there!

           

     

         

Sweet Jesus

Adorable Infant Jesus, you not only humbled yourself to assume our human nature, but chose also to come to us as a little child, weakest and most defenseless among men.  Teach us, then, to learn the real greatness of humilty and that human strength is made perfect in weakness by your divine aid.

Lovable Infant Jesus, have mercy on us and help us in our need.  Let us rely alone on God, our most provident Father, who watches over us always.  By your grace may we approach our heavenly Father in confidence with a trust like that of a little child.

Admirable Infant Jesus, have pity on our littleness and weakness and assist us by your divine power in our present necessity.  Please help us today to reverence all life and, for your sake, to love all living things which your goodness created and your coming recreated.  Amen.

V.  Lord, you made us a little less than angels.

R.  You have crowned us with glory and honor.

Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace and King of the Universe, you chose to come among us as a helpless infant so that we might all approach you more readily, confidently, and without fear.

Help us, please, our Infant King, to become like little children.  Please grant us the heavenly help we now seek.  Aid us from your throne on high to imitate your perfect love of God and man.  In your goodness, Divine Child, manifest your power to all men, preserve us from sin, and bring us safe at last into your heavenly company.  Amen.

O Sweet Jesus, I desire neither life nor death but your most holy will.  You are the one, O Lord, that I long for.  If it be your will to have me die, receive my soul and grant that, in you and with you, I may receive everlasting rest.  If it be your holy will to have me live longer upon this earth, give me the grace to amend the rest of my life and, with good works, to glorify your holy name.  Amen.

Franciscan experience

On November 7th, Steven and I visited Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Hebbronville, TX.  With permission, I recorded our talk during the tour of the church and the chapel and have posted the edited version here. 

My name is Azalia Perez, and I’m the president of the Hebbronville Museum Foundation and member of the Jim Hogg County Historical Commission.  I’m also an active parishioner of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Hebbronville.

This is Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.  Our Franciscan friars got here in 1926 from the Province of the Saints Francis and Santiago, or James, in Guadalajara, Mexico; and they’ve been here ever since.  The church is in the form of a cross.  All Franciscan churches are built in the form of a cross.  You have the main altar with two small altars, one on either side.  The church gets a new priest every three years, since Franciscans are missionaries subject to reassignment more often than regular priests. 

In 2005, Father Ricardo Rivera came to Hebbronville and started changing our church, which was very plain.  Father said we have a beautiful church, so we need to show it off.  It was donated by Stella Kenedy in memory of her husband.   It’s the only Franciscan church in South Texas.  The altar is made from wood that was brought from San Luis Potosi.  Father had the altar moved toward the front, and it’s bigger now.  We also got new lights, marble on the sides of the church, and lit panels.  The ceiling will be getting a new cover, and more changes are coming.

We have St. Anthony on the right as one faces the altar.  In May, part of St. Anthony’s elbow, or relic, visited our church.  The bishop was present for the ceremony, a special Mass, and fellowship before the relic was taken to another church. 

“This is similar to what St. Paul’s in Flour Bluff did when Our Lady of Guadalupe’s tilma arrived for a three-day visit.  We had a wonderful Mass and, of course, a potluck afterwards.  Different festivities took place during her stay and, at the end, a despedida Mass and a short procession from the church to the van that transported the tilma to its next destination.”

When St. Anthony’s relic crossed the border from Mexico into the United States, it got to San Agustin Church, the basilica in Laredo.  Although our diocese is not Franciscan, the bishop did not want to release the relic until all our churches were blessed, so he invited everyone to the cathedral for Mass and a celebration.  Only then was the relic brought to Hebbronville.  We were very blessed to have
St. Anthony’s relic, even if for a short time, Sunday morning until Sunday night.  It will visit every Franciscan church in the United States and Mexico before it returns to Italy.

Here, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, we celebrate the Divine Mercy.  We are very blessed because not every priest supports this devotion.  We also have a spiritual relationship with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, St. Francis, and St. Joseph.  We have a statue of St. Isidore on one of the side altars because he’s the patron of farmers.  Since ours is a farming and ranching community, the church was originally named St. Isidore; but that changed in 1926, when the Franciscans arrived from Mexico.  Our Lady of Guadalupe is the protector of our priests as well as the patroness of the Americas.

Next, I’ll take you to the chapel.  We call it the Annex; but, after tomorrow, it’ll be known as the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.  Our provincial is visiting here from Guadalajara, so he’ll bless the chapel after seven o’clock Mass. 

On entering the chapel, I couldn’t help but say, “Oh, I love angels.  I love angels.” 

If you look around, we have paintings, beautiful paintings.  The artist is from Monterrey.  We use the chapel every day for early morning Mass at seven and, again, at twelve-fifteen.  This room used to be longer; but, when Father Ricardo arrived here, he turned part of it into an office and put up some Tau windows.

Earlier today, part of our Franciscan fraternity met with the provincial.  I told him, “We, in Hebbronville, are in love with the Franciscan charisma, with St. Francis.”  We will never change our priests for anything, so now he knows that we won’t let him take our priests away from us. 

“Are you kidding?  This is ever so special!”

The church remodeling is an ongoing project.  We still have lots to do here and in the church.  It takes a lot of money.  We’re a poor community, so we greatly appreciate not only the heartfelt efforts and contributions from our parishioners but also the generosity of others willing to help us with this endeavor.

“So have you always been fascinated with all of this?”

Yes.  A priest who was here for a time wrote a history of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and the Franciscans in South Texas.  I have seven copies to sell, but the book’s in Spanish.

Knowing my fascination with Franciscans, Steven got me a copy (Villalobos Avendano, 2006), which is filled with lots of old photos and interesting facts.

I stopped taking photos for a moment.  “We came to Vaquero Fest today because we love Bill Hellen.  From the beginning, he piqued our curiosity when he insisted we ‘come see the old church.’  During our first visit, Lorenzo invited us back.  Then, in Laredo, you told us, ‘You’ve gotta come ‘cause it’s ready;’ so I told Steven, ‘She invited us.  That’s it.’  You’re the reason we’re here.”

Oh, thank you!  I’m so glad to hear that!

“It means a lot, you know.  Even though we’re in different places, still, we’re part of the same community.”

What more can I tell you?  All our windows were donated by parishioners.  They’re very old.  They’re as old as the church.  I don’t know if the work was completed in 1962, more or less, or in 1963.  Construction started, stopped due to lack of funds, then started again.  We are very blessed with our church.  There’s something unique about it.

Steven agreed.  “It’s gorgeous!”

“So tell me about your history with the church growing up.  Your mother brought you?”

My mother and my grandmother.  Actually, my grandmother on my dad’s side.  I grew up when the priest was facing the altar.  Most of the time, you didn’t know what he was saying. 

“Yes, in Latin.  Yes.  I understand,” Steven chuckled.  We both took Latin in high school, but it’s a dead language nonetheless.

We would walk four or five blocks from my grandmother’s house to church for Mass at six.  We got married in 1966, baptized my children here; and my son, who now lives in Kingsville, got married here.  I’ve been working with the church since 1982. 

“My gosh,” I said, recalling my own early morning walks with Sylvia to attend six o’clock Mass as a kid.  “That’s a very long personal history.”

I had a special-needs child who took all my time; so I couldn’t be here fulltime.  But, after he passed away, I said, “Lord, here I am;” and that’s what I’ve been doing. 

“So was it a boy or a girl?” I asked, as Steven and I listened intently.

It was a boy.  Actually, up until the time that he was born, he was okay; but, because of complications at birth, he died in 1992.  That was seventeen years ago.  He would’ve been thirty-one right now.

“What a blessing to have him the time that you did but very sad, too.”

You learn early on with your trial that God has sent it to show you something or to teach you something, and we did.  We did.  We think we did. 

“All he wants is the very best for us; but, as you said, he allows us to go through situations he knows we can handle, although it’s tough at times to understand that.”

As soon as he passed away, I sponsored the altar servers for twelve years.  Then I joined the choir and the Franciscan fraternity; and, when Father Frank arrived, he gave me the ministry for baptisms.  I’m very happy with that. 

“You get to deal with the little ones!  Well, they come in all sizes for baptism.”

They do.  They’re precious.  I try to be at every baptism.  Sometimes I can’t, but this new priest is adorable.  He’s very spiritual.  Father Frank replaced Father Ricardo in August.  The first time I saw him celebrating a baptism, he lifted the baby all the way to the top and announced, “Parishioners, I present to you a newborn Christian.”  That was beautiful.  I tell the parents, “Bring your cameras because, once your baby’s up there, it’s awesome.”

“It’s just that one quick moment, and then it’s over,” I said.  “It has to be captured in photos, so the child can know that this very special event happened.”

We talked a bit longer before Azalia realized that she had tours to give as well as other duties to fulfill that afternoon.

Well, thank you for coming!  I didn’t expect for y’all to come, but I’m glad you did. 

“Thank you!  You are very blessed!”

Steven and I were most appreciative of Azalia’s time spent with us.

P.S.  December 13, 2009…  Azalia emailed and included photos.

We just finished with Our Lady of Guadalupe feast.  It was wonderful.  We had a large turnout for the Mass and the dinner.  Thanks be to God.

I’m sending you some pictures of the altar. 

Oh, the last picture is of Father Juan José.  He was with us for two months but is leaving for Spain on Wednesday.  He will be helping another Franciscan who is by himself and needs help.  Great example of St. Francis.

“We are minstrels of the Lord, whose work is to lift people’s hearts and move them to spiritual gladness” (St. Francis).

         

Our Lady

“A great sign appeared in the sky: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (Rv. 12:1).

As we celebrate the Blessed Mother’s two very special feast days this week, Father Ward’s article in the Christmas Bulletin focuses on Mary’s messages of hope during Advent.

My Queen!  My Mother!  I give myself entirely to you; and to show my devotion to you, I consecrate to you this day my eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, my whole being without reserve.  Wherefore, Good Mother, as I am your own, keep me and guard me as your property and possession.  Amen (Maroney, 2008, The Divine Mercy Adoration Companion).

Dearest Lady of Guadalupe, fruitful Mother of Holiness, teach me your ways of gentleness and strength.  Hear my prayer offered with deep-felt confidence to beg this favor…. 

O Mary, conceived without sin, I come to your throne of grace to share the fervent devotion of your faithful Mexican children who call to you under the glorious Aztec title of “Guadalupe,” the Virgin who crushed the serpent. 

Queen of Martyrs, whose Immaculate Heart was pierced by seven swords of grief, help me to walk valiantly amid the sharp thorns strewn across the pathway.  Invoke the Holy Spirit of Wisdom to fortify my will to frequent the Sacraments so that, thus enlightened and strengthened, I may prefer God to all creatures and shun every occasion of sin.  Help me, as a living branch of the Vine that is Jesus Christ, to exemplify His divine charity always seeking the good of others. 

Queen of Apostles, aid me to win souls for the Sacred Heart of my Savior.  Keep my apostolate fearless, dynamic, and articulate to proclaim the loving solitude of Our Father in Heaven so that the wayward may heed His pleading and obtain pardon through the merits of your merciful Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen (Farren & Hickey, 1991, Prayers for All Occasions).

Mother, I commend and entrust to you all that goes to make up earthly progress, asking that it should not be onesided, but that it should create conditions for the full spiritual advancement of individuals, families, communities, and nations.  I commend to you the poor, the suffering, the sick and the handicapped, the aging and the dying.  I ask you to reconcile those in sin, to heal those in pain, and to uplift those who have lost their hope and joy.  Show to those who stuggle in doubt the light of Christ your Son.  Amen (Farren & Hickey).

Holy Mary, Our Mother, today, each day, and in our last hour, we entrust ourselves entirely to your loving and singular care.  We place in your hands our entire hope and happiness, our every anxiety and difficulty, our whole life.  May our every endeavor be directed and guided according to the will of your Son, which is your will by the aid of your prayer and special favor with God.  Amen (Farren & Hickey).

Vaquero Fest Saturday

On November 7th, Steven and I got up super early to head out to Hebbronville for our first Vaquero Fest experience and arrived before nine to await the parade on North Smith Avenue. 

Afterwards, we walked over to explore what I thought had been a hotel in another lifetime.  What a gem!  I wondered what it would say if it could speak.  Steven later asked Bill Hellen about the building and learned that a man from Fort Worth owns it now.  Historical landmarks like this one come with lots of regulations attached to preserve their integrity, so maybe this is delaying its beautification.

We walked down the main street for a few blocks before heading back to the car, so we could drive around town.  A really quaint barbecue place by the railroad tracks caught my eye.   The small, narrow, triangular building looks like a long-ago whistle stop.  Unfortunately, we were in traffic on the wrong side, so I missed the photo op.  I’ll save it for next time around, I guess, though I did get another goodie instead.

At the plaza, we listened to some mighty fine singers, young folks trying to break into the music industry.  The young woman, Mallorie, handed out autographed CDs afterwards.  She told me she’ll be cutting an album soon, so I wished her great success.  

Making the rounds, we finally found Bill and his lovely Elva and then visited briefly with Joe and Cordy on our way to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church diagonally across from the plaza.  We didn’t want to miss Hernan’s cuentos viejos presentation in the church basement.

Up until then, we’d been thinking only about the tour of the Scotus College breezeway that we’d missed back in June.  We’d spoken with R. J. at the parade, and he’d promised us a tour if we arrived early for Hernan’s lecture.  We’d thought the church would be locked; but, much to our surprise, two ladies, Julie and Rosa Elia, were monitoring the front doors.  We asked if we could enter and were graciously told that Azalia, one of the ladies whom we’ve met through the TX Tropical Trail Region (TTTR) meetings, was giving tours of the church and the chapel.  Boy, oh, boy, were we excited to have our very own VIP tours!

After the tours and the presentation, we agreed we’d accomplished our goals for the day, so we decided to swing back by the plaza before heading for home.  First, we spent time observing Isaac and Gabriel at their kettle korn booth.  Steven and I love making popcorn from scratch, but this looked dangerously intriguing.  Isaac has to wear gloves, long sleeves, and a face mask!  Isaac told us he buys huge bags of ACT II, since it pops best; and he’s not at all concerned about stray poppers lost during the process.  He and his brother travel to numerous fairs from Hebbronville to Floresville to Alice and back, and he really enjoys what he does.  Next, we visited with Louie and his assistant, Mark.  Louie had samples of his pan de campo, so we couldn’t resist buying some of that, too.  It’s an immense glorified flour tortilla with an appealing name, cowboy bread, absolutely perfect for Vaquero Fest and just fine without butter, too.

Walking around the plaza one last time, we saw kids of all ages enjoying themselves as they listened to the music, ate, strolled around like us, bought items from the vendors, or just plain window shopped.  We were glad to have joined in the day’s festivities.  We’d bought delicious tacos from the Knights of Columbus, visited the fine folks we’ve befriended through TTTR, and enjoyed our time at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.  

Once again, we were taken with the friendliness of the townspeople with whom we interacted.  The church parishioners this time around were as nice as Lorenzo and his workers were during our first visit.  We felt so welcomed into their community that I’m pretty sure we’ll go back to visit, especially since Azalia told us that Father Frank intends to have murals and frescoes painted in the church.  Won’t that be an awesome sight!

Thanksgiving prayers

Father Brummel once again invites us to post a thanksgiving message on St. Jude’s wall at the shrine.

Oh, God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry; when I have work, help me to remember the jobless; when I have a warm home, help me to remember the homeless; when I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer; and remembering, help me to destroy my complacency and bestir my compassion.  Make me concerned enough to help, by word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted (Samuel F. Pugh, 1904-2007).

The cornucopia prayer is from the Franciscans’ St. Anthony Guild (2008), and additional prayers and stories can be found at American Catholic.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Solano, Solanus, Solani

I’ve had St. Francis Solanus on the brain since we met online this past summer.  Call it a crescendoing mix of awe and discomforting disequilibrium.  It wasn’t only the miracles that hooked me.  Finding conflicting information on Solanus fueled my confusion and my need to know, but I was too busy to look for answers at the time.

For months I was pestered by the same questions.  Why does Solanus have different backgrounds and dates of birth?  Are there two?  If so, what’s the connection?  And why do I need to know this?

Sunday afternoon I read the news online and then went in search of Solanus.  Just like that.  And finally cleared up my Solani misconceptions.

First, St. Francis Solano (or Solanus, 1547-1610), a Spanish Franciscan missionary, was quite a wonder worker.  According to St. Francis Solanus– Apostle to America (Royer, 1955), miracles included saving a group of slaves from drowning at sea, preaching to various South American tribes in one language but being understood by everyone simultaneously, bringing a five-year-old girl back to life after she died from a fall, crossing a wide river in an unconventional manner, traveling without provisions and always arriving well taken care of, and converting 9,000 South American natives during one sermon. 

Above all, however, St. Francis fervently believed in the power of Baptism and went to extreme measures to safeguard and Christianize the indigenous.  

St. Francis Solanus was canonized in 1726.  His feast day is July 14th.

Second, Father Barney Francis Casey (1870-1957), the sixth of ten children, was born to Irish immigrants on a farm near Oak Grove, Wisconsin.  His academic challenges kept him from becoming a diocesan priest, but he persisted in the call of service when Our Lady told him to go to Detroit.  Father Casey took the name Solanus when he joined the Capuchin Order at St. Bonaventure Monastery in 1897. 

Although disallowed from formal preaching and hearing confessions, Father Casey was known for delivering feverinos, spiritual fires which gained him many listeners and ardent supporters; and he always made time for those who sought his assistance and guidance.  Daily, he visited with 150 to 200 people who flocked to him for special favors– cures from illnesses, relief from economic woes, and many such miracles– that, in twenty-one years’ time, “he filled seven notebooks with more than 6,000 requests for help from petitioners.”

Again and again, in his letters, [Father Solanus Casey] repeated his life’s message– that confidence in God is the very soul of prayer and becomes the condition for supernatural intervention in our lives.  “God condescends to use our powers if we don’t spoil his plans by ours…” (Baulach, 1996).

What a gift!  Not one but two Solani miracle workers, who loved those they served and were loved in return.

When you love people, you see all the good in them, all the Christ in them.  God sees Christ, his Son, in us and loves us.  And so we should see Christ in others, and nothing else, and love them (Servant of God Dorothy Day, 1897-1980).

Father Casey was deemed Venerable in 1995 and awaits canonization.  His feast day is November 5th.

Mary’s miraculous medal

I was so captivated by the Franciscan Crown, as described by Miles and Gianopoulos (1991) in Saint Anthony of Padua, that I began praying it using my five-decade rosary.  Of course, no matter where I started decades six and seven, I usually lost my place; so I designed my own. 

Because the Franciscan Crown is a celebration of events in the Blessed Mother’s life with Jesus, I envisioned a rosary with Mary in mind.  For this reason, My Franciscan Crown© uses Catherine Labouré’s miraculous medal of Mary (MMM) rather than the traditional crucifix. 

Surprisingly, it wasn’t until a friend asked about the medal on the Crown that I remembered the countless mailings I’d received from both the Association of the Miraculous Medal (AMM) and the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal (CAMM) over the years. 

I looked online to learn more, read the story behind the miraculous medal, and found not only the print version of the prayers but also the virtual novena to pray aloud with Brother Towey.  It was such a treasure trove that I included the link on our church website; but, to my dismay, I discovered just recently that the link to CAMM’s virtual novena was broken. 

After conducting a search, I found the updated website, which is very user-friendly.  I especially like the YouTube version of the novena ’cause it has more photos to view as one prays.  The only drawback, as I told Father Tom in an email, is that the novena prayers aren’t print-friendly anymore.  Good thing I kept a copy of CAMM’s 2008 novena prayers, which can be easily printed. 

What can I say? 

Together, the miraculous medal of Mary and the Franciscan Crown are powerful intercessory tools.  From my speedy recovery from a triply-broken kneecap to friends receiving great news– finding out they didn’t have cancer as numerous tests had suggested, no longer needing a kidney transplant, receiving the unexpected blessing of a son after the sudden death of a firstborn child, recovery of feeling lost during surgery– miracles, big and small, await us all.  

Hail holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope.  To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.  To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.  Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and, after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.  O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.  Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

The heart of this good Mother is all love and mercy.  She desires only to see us happy.  We have only to turn to her to be heard (St. John Vianney; the Word among us, November 2009, p. M19).

Imagine the lengths to which the Blessed Mother will intercede on our behalf if we just ask, so why not embark on a very special journey with Our Lady through the MMM virtual novena and the Franciscan Crown?

We ask you, Our Lady, Mother of God, exalted above the choirs of angels, that you fill the vessel of our hearts with grace; that you make it shine with the gold of wisdom; that you make it resolute with the power of your virtue; that you adorn it with the precious stones of virtue (St Anthony of Padua).

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee. 

St. Anthony Claret

Reading today’s novena prayer to St. Jude, I made some real-life connections to St. Anthony Claret.  First, he founded the Claretians, “servants of the word, partners in hope,” in 1849.  Second, the Claretians manage the National Shrine of St. Jude, which hosts solemn novenas, first Wednesday Masses for healing, and weekly remembrances.  Third, I receive wonderful prayer cards from the Shrine on a regular basis and continue to engage in a special relationship with St. Jude, especially where the kids are concerned.

On January 2, 2004, Kylie, our second grand-daughter, was hospitalized for the second two-week stay since her birth, October 29, 2003.  Her parents and I took turns staying at the hospital with her; but, even though I was there willingly, it was a miserable time for me.  I’d never had a child in the hospital.  Anytime one of the kids was ill, I’d always persuaded the doctor that I’d provide better care at home. 

During Christmas break from work and UH, I’d traveled to Chicago to help my daughter and her husband take care of the baby during the holidays.  Kylie had been released from her two-week stay just hours before they’d picked me up at O’Hare.  We’d hoped that my being there would allow them to catch their breath and re-energize, but Kylie was readmitted to the hospital days before my return to Texas.

Kylie cried all the time.  She was in a lot of pain from the intravenous drip in her foot, yet the nurses were unfazed.  I just knew they could’ve eased her pain if they’d readjusted the needle, but they merely looked at Kylie’s foot and left.  I prayed and prayed and quietly sang to Kylie until we’d both fall asleep in whiles.  I also wracked my brain trying to figure out what else to do.  We’d left written prayers in the book on the chapel’s altar, but I had to do something else.

The morning of January 5th, Kylie was to undergo a medical procedure that would take several hours.  I was to depart for Texas at 5:30 the following morning, so I got an idea.  “Take me nearest church, preferably one dedicated to St. Jude,” I told Kylie’s parents.  I’d gone to Mass at two different churches in Naperville, a suburb of Chicago; but I wanted one where I’d feel super close to St. Jude.  I’d never been in Chicago before, but I suddenly remembered the Shrine.  “Take me to the St. Jude Shrine,” I insisted, even though none of us knew where it was.

Oh, what a place!  I knew I was home when I saw the encased statue of the Holy Infant of Prague.  I walked around and dialogued with God.  I knew everything would be all right with Kylie, that we’d get good news when we got back to the hospital. 

Even though my heart had already raced back to Kylie, to spend as much time with her as I could, I wanted to first visit the gift shop across the street.  I wanted a memento of that day.

In the gift shop, I found two wonderful little books– The Infant Jesus of Prague (Nemec, 1978, 1986) and Saint Anthony of Padua (Miles & Gianopoulos, 1991)– which would keep me company on the flight back home but which wouldn’t make a dent in my pea brain until I broke my right kneecap in three places May 2006.

On arriving at the nurses’ station on Kylie’s floor, we were told that Kylie had been returned to her room within half an hour.  The procedure hadn’t been done because, oddly enough, the doctor hadn’t been able to follow through with it and had given up.  We had no idea what that meant, but we were relieved that Kylie wouldn’t have another wound on her tiny body.  I stayed with her until evening when I went to pack and returned to spend my last night with her until I left for my early morning flight. 

Kylie endured some harrowing times at the hospital due to negligence, but she went home after two weeks.  She went in again for an infection one more time after that, but it was just for one week.  Since then, Kylie’s gone through the usual childhood illnesses, but she’s been home.  She’s a perfectly beautiful little girl with what her parents call macaroni hair, flyaway golden-brown curls.  She’s spunky, loves shoes, and is very bright.  She really surprised me when, at age three, she said, “You were there with me at the hospital.  You smiled at me.  Lon, you sang to me.” 

I hadn’t seen her since she was a baby, much less mentioned the hospital.  I hugged her and smiled.  “Yes, Kylie, I was there with you.”

Praise God for his angels and his saints who watch over us daily and intercede on our behalf.  Thank you, St. Jude and St. Anthony Claret; and thanks to the Claretians who support us through prayer at the National Shrine of St. Jude.

P.S.  Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2009…  Until writing this post I had no idea, or didn’t remember, that Chicago has two St. Jude Shrines– one maintained by the Claretians; the other, by the Dominicans.  My only recollection of the shrine was that of the Holy Infant statue at the back of the church.

Because I wanted to be sure which shrine we’d visited, I emailed the Dominican Shrine; but, when I didn’t receive a reply, I posted my entry with that question still unanswered.  My thinking at the time was that St. Jude listens no matter where we ask for his intercession.

Before posting my entry, I’d also looked for photos I might’ve taken at the shrine but found none.  However, on looking then and now at the online photos of the two shrines, I think we visited the Dominican Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus.  For this reason, and because I’ve received mailings from both shrines for many years and feel an attachment to both, I’ve added three links from the Dominican shrine to my original post.

And, if anyone has photos of either of these two shrines, please share them, especially if any includes the Holy Infant of Prague.

P.P.S. December 1, 2009…  Mystery finally solved, thanks to Father Brummel’s response to my email regarding the Holy Infant statue.