tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39913812012-01-06T17:04:23.431-05:00Photinan.,
An issue of water from the earth; a spring; a fountain.
v.intr.,
To rise to the surface, ready to flow; to rise or surge from an inner source.
v.tr.,
To pour forth.
adj.,
In a satisfactory condition; right or proper.
interj.,
Used to introduce a remark, resume a narrative, or fill a pause during conversation; used to express surprise.Heidinoreply@blogger.comBlogger1761100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-44920208447419932402007-11-03T08:48:00.003-04:002007-11-03T08:49:06.728-04:00Heidi's blogging again - elsewhere. Check out http://fluxit.blogspot.comHeidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1080152478314361622004-03-24T13:21:00.000-05:002004-03-24T13:33:37.186-05:00I've been in the position to do a fair amount of interceding lately for different people and circumstances that God has placed on my heart and mind. One amazing gift of the Catholic Church is the opportunity to intercede in front of the Blessed Sacrament, Jesus Himself...
Recently I read Sr. Ann Shield's book Pray and Never Lose Heart: The Power of Intercession. The section that most struck me Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1079375169504723512004-03-15T13:26:00.000-05:002004-03-15T13:37:28.513-05:00I've been drawn to books on praying for healing in the last while, and the lastest classic-that-I'd-never-heard-of that I just ran across (& read) was Francis MacNutt's Healing. The book contains some real kickers, such as:
Christianity is more than doctrine; it is power. It is power to transform our lives, to destroy the evil that prevents us from loving God and our neighbor. Jesus came to Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1078854942758918602004-03-09T12:55:00.000-05:002004-03-09T13:01:24.950-05:00Digging into my e-mail archives again, I came to the reflection below, which I shared at a prayer meeting around Easter two years ago. What I wrote in it has been coming back to me with a great deal of force lately, though, because I've been watching what I wrote about take place in the lives of a family I dearly love as they grieve the loss of their brother/son, who died after being hit by a carHeidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1078335876774937132004-03-03T12:44:00.000-05:002004-03-03T13:14:32.403-05:00I'm back!
Ever been kicked (where you needed kicking) by something you wrote or said yourself?
Yep.
Happened to me again yesterday.
So, here's to the me that wrote this way back in September of 2002...& here's to hopes that I'll start writing (& posting) more regularly from here on out--I think the time is getting right.... (the one caveat being that once I get writing, I start writing, as Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1066324504038934772003-10-16T13:15:00.000-04:002003-10-16T13:32:13.583-04:00Today is the twenty-fifth anniversary of Pope John Paul II's pontificate.
In honor of the occasion, the book I've chosen to highlight is Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II by George Weigel.
Given unprecedented access to Pope John Paul II and the people who have known and worked with him throughout his life, George Weigel presents a groundbreaking portrait of the Pope as a man,Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1066252437849043732003-10-15T17:13:00.000-04:002003-10-15T17:15:36.110-04:00Today is the feast of St. Teresa of Avila, a Carmelite nun and Doctor of the Church.
Of her book The Interior Castle, Christianbook.com says:
This 16th-century Spanish mystic is considered one of the most profound spiritual teachers in the history of Christianity. Father Kieran Kavanaugh, the editor of the volume, says in his introduction, "The Interior Castle has come to be regarded as Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1065044705918475012003-10-01T17:45:00.000-04:002003-10-15T17:18:00.436-04:00Today is the feast day of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Carmelite nun and author of The Story of a Soul:
"Few spiritual figures have touched as many readers in the past century as Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the saint popularly known as the Little Flower. Though she was only twenty-four years old when she died, her writings have had tremendous impact, making her one of the most popular spiritual Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1064856469192514992003-09-29T13:27:00.000-04:002003-09-29T13:27:48.936-04:00Today is the Feast of St. Michael and the Archangels (including Sts. Gabriel and Raphael).
The book I've chosen to highlight is
Angels (and Demons): What Do We Really Know About Them? by Peter Kreeft.
According to Christianbook.com:
Apologist Peter Kreeft has heard a lot of questions about angels. He has compiled his answers, drawn from the Bible, traditional church teaching, and the Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1064586808542703482003-09-26T10:33:00.000-04:002003-09-26T10:34:29.313-04:00Today is the feast day of St. Cosmas and St. Damian, physicians and martyrs.
As St. Cosmas and St. Damian are patron saints of medical doctors (with St. Luke), I've chosen a book titled Doctors Who Followed Christ to highlight. The book doesn't mention Sts. Cosmas and Damian, but it does contain thirty-two biographical sketches of other Christian doctors, from St. Luke and St. Fabiola, the Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1064337872479243872003-09-23T13:24:00.000-04:002003-09-29T13:28:40.203-04:00Today is the feast day of St. Padre Pio da Pietrelcina, priest and Capuchin monk, a modern saint, who died on this day, September 23, in 1968--only thirty-five years ago.
The book I've chosen for this occasion is Padre Pio: Man of Hope by Renzo Allegri, a journalist who was acquainted with Padre Pio. The 350-page book tells the story of Padre Pio's life, extraordinary as it was.
You can also Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1063394192474804352003-09-13T14:43:00.000-04:002003-09-26T10:35:15.300-04:00Today is the feast day of St. John Chrysostom, monk, bishop, and Doctor of the Church.
Some of his writing is available for online reading, including many of his letters, liturgical works, and sermons.
One of the works of St. John Chrysostom that I particularly like I have never been able to find the text of online: namely, his writing On Marriage and Family Life.
St. John Chrysostom, who Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1063298279184824372003-09-12T14:55:00.000-04:002003-09-23T13:12:43.530-04:00Today the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Name of Mary.
An appropriate book for today is 100 Names of Mary: Stories and Prayers, by Anthony Chiffolo.
Mary, the Mother of Jesus, has come to be known by many names--from Advocate and Ark of the Covenant to Theotokos (God-Bearer) and Virgin of Tenderness--reflecting her many different qualities. This book is a beautiful tribute Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1063296750348346352003-09-11T12:12:00.000-04:002003-09-13T14:39:48.020-04:00Today is Patroit Day in the United States of America; the U.S. State Department had a September 11, 2001 Commemoration today.
Father Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R., released a book, The Cross at Ground Zero, dealing both with the events of September 11, 2001, and with the problem of pain and suffering in general.
"Millions of Americans gazed in disbelief as the magnificent World Trade Center Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1063033592265932192003-09-08T11:06:00.000-04:002003-09-11T11:58:59.593-04:00Today is the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that is, Mary's birthday.
In honor of this feast, I've selected Bishop Fulton Sheen's book, The World's First Love: Mary, Mother of God.
According to Christianbook.com:
"Sheen presents a moving, eloquent portrayal of Mary. Combining profound spirituality, history, and theology, Mary's whole life is lovingly portrayed in this neverHeidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1062604052306379452003-09-03T11:47:00.000-04:002003-09-08T11:13:01.363-04:00Today is the feast day of St. Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, Doctor of the Church, and father of Gregorian chant.
The book I've chosen to highlight today is Pastoral Care, an English translation of one of St. Gregory's works, Liber Regulae Pastoralis. A partial English translation is also available online.
The Ogg introduction to the work:
The most famous of Pope Gregory the Great's Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1062453397100844062003-09-01T17:56:00.000-04:002003-09-08T11:15:51.263-04:00
Since this is Labor Day, I thought an appropriate literary selection would be Loaves and Fishes by Dorothy Day: "The inspiring story of the Catholic Worker movement."
As I ran a couple of errands today, I was struck by the realization that a day that began as the "workingman's holiday" has in fact become a white-collar holiday--the bankers and business people of America get the day off, but Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1062185585705292282003-08-29T15:33:00.000-04:002003-08-29T15:33:05.650-04:00Point of interest:
Ave Maria Radio, one of the few Catholic radio stations in the U.S., is looking to dramatically expand its reach from its current southeastern Michigan boundaries to the entire country.
Do you want Catholic Radio available to every single person in the United States? So do we! There are approximately 1600 Protestant radio stations in the US but there are just over 50 Catholic Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1062181085988053022003-08-29T14:18:00.000-04:002003-09-08T11:15:38.103-04:00Today is the memorial of the beheading of St. John the Baptist.
The book I selected for this memorial is The Friend of the Bridegroom: On the Orthodox Veneration of the Forerunner by Sergius Bulgakov, published by Eerdmans Publishing Co. I haven't read this book, but I wouldn't be surprised if Gerard Seraphim of A Catholic Blog for Lovers has, given his August 16th entry . . .
Given the Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1062180277692424142003-08-29T14:04:00.000-04:002003-08-29T14:04:37.633-04:00I have decided to combine the liturgical and calendrical rhythms of this weblog with another of my loves: books. I'm thus going to try to feature a book for each feast/celebration/memorial, etc. that I highlight. I can't say I'll have read all (or even most) of these books, drawn from the enormous selection at Christianbook.com--but particularly because of this state of affairs, I welcome your Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1061996725499633762003-08-27T11:05:00.000-04:002003-08-27T11:19:55.733-04:00Today is the feast day of St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine and model intercessor whose prayers were ultimately answered in the conversions of her husband and her son.
St. Augustine's Confessions is the best resource for writing about his mother; the book is also available online in English and in Latin.
St. Augustine's prayer for his mother in book nine of his Confessions:
"Therefore, let Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1059749223167826422003-08-01T10:47:00.000-04:002003-08-01T10:47:02.983-04:00Today is the feast day of St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, bishop and Doctor of the Church.
You can read some of his writings online:
Of the Birth of Mary
Of the Dolours of Mary
Of the Assumption of Mary
Uniformity with God's Will
Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1059661522423538392003-07-31T10:25:00.000-04:002003-08-27T10:37:23.590-04:00Today is the feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola, priest and founder of the Jesuits.
You can read his Spiritual Exercises online.
Several famous prayers were composed by St. Ignatius; this is one of them:
Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender it all to You to be disposed Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1059077335080363462003-07-24T16:08:00.000-04:002003-07-24T16:09:03.120-04:00Today is the feast day of St. Sharbel Makhlouf, Lebanese hermit of the nineteenth century.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1058969440481543172003-07-23T10:10:00.000-04:002003-08-27T10:37:43.126-04:00
Today is the feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden, visionary, wife, and mother.
The complete text of her Revelaciones is available online only in Latin as far as I can determine. You can also check out the Fifteen Prayers of St. Bridget, which form a meditation on the sacred wounds of Jesus.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1058884431094718012003-07-22T10:33:00.000-04:002003-07-22T10:33:51.060-04:00Great news about Al Kresta posted on the Ave Maria Radio website today:
He's Back
Al will be back on the Air Monday August 4th. 4PM Eastern.
Hallelujah!
Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1058883063816297882003-07-22T10:11:00.000-04:002003-08-27T10:38:13.770-04:00Today is the feast of St. Mary Magdalen.
(Happy feast day to Madeleine of To Love, Honor, and Blog!)Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1058797304598473992003-07-21T10:21:00.000-04:002003-08-27T10:38:26.570-04:00Today is the feast of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Doctor of the Church.
Unfortunately, I was able to find very little of his extensive writing online. He is most well-known for nine volumes of sermons, but I was only able to find an excerpt of one: "On the Immaculate Conception". If anyone knows of any other online sources, please let me know!Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1058537680264112642003-07-18T10:14:00.000-04:002003-08-27T10:38:40.086-04:00Today is the feast of St. Camillus de Lellis, founder of the Congregation of the Servants of the Sick.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1058381377651951032003-07-16T14:49:00.000-04:002003-08-27T10:38:51.463-04:00Today is the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Good day to visit Flos Carmeli.
Speaking of the "Flos Carmeli"...
Flos Carmeli,
Vitis florigera,
Splendor caeli,
Virgo puerpera
Singularis:
Mater mitis,
Sed viri nescia,
Carmelitis
Da privilegia,
Stella maris.
Mater mitis
sed viri nescia
Carmelitis
esto propitia
stella maris.
Radix Jesse
germinans flosculum
Nos ad esse
tecum in saeculum
Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1058284512692084692003-07-15T11:55:00.000-04:002003-07-15T12:02:05.086-04:00Today is the feast of St. Bonaventure, bishop and Doctor of the Church. Check out his writings.
St. Bonaventure's prayer after Communion:
Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus,
my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love,
and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity,
that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee,
may yearn for Thee andHeidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-1056634666591694402003-06-26T09:37:00.000-04:002003-06-26T09:38:34.760-04:00and Sar'ai said to Abram, "Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children; go in to my maid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sar'ai. -Genesis 16:2
"Not every one who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, `Lord, Lord, did Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-956291412003-06-13T10:12:00.000-04:002003-06-13T10:14:25.000-04:00Today is the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua, Franciscan priest and Doctor of the Church. You can read his sermons.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-955948502003-06-12T12:23:00.000-04:002003-06-12T12:26:09.000-04:00Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
. . . For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shown in our hearts Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-955498252003-06-11T10:31:00.000-04:002003-06-11T10:31:51.986-04:00Today is the feast day of St. Barnabas, apostle and companion of St. Paul.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-955102312003-06-10T11:53:00.000-04:002003-06-10T11:53:41.000-04:00Today in the Gospel reading, one of the verses was "Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." -Matthew 5:16
I've been reading The Journey Toward God, a book of excerpts from different Christian writers over the centuries compiled by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, and this morning I read an account of St. Francis of Assisi's encounter with Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-954674672003-06-09T11:29:00.000-04:002003-06-09T11:40:08.000-04:00Our first day back in Ordinary Time . . . also the feast day of St. Ephraim of Syria, deacon and Doctor of the Church. Known for his poetry (he wrote comparatively little prose), here is the translated (public domain) text of the first hymn of The Pearl: Seven Hymns of the Faith, composed by St. Ephraim:
HYMN I.
** 1. **
On a certain day a pearl did I take up, my brethren;
I saw in it mysteriesHeidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-953714392003-06-06T10:36:00.000-04:002003-06-06T10:36:14.590-04:00Today is the feast day of St. Norbert, lightening-encountering bishop.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-953369622003-06-05T14:18:00.000-04:002003-06-05T14:18:50.273-04:00Today is the feast of St. Boniface, bishop and martyr. Killed by pagans sometime around 754, we can still read the letters that he wrote.
The introduction to these letters says:
The more homely and affectionate side of his nature appears in his letters to nuns, his preoccupation with the education of his disciples and subjects in his letters to abbots and bishops in England; whilst the Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-952472842003-06-03T14:18:00.000-04:002003-06-03T14:18:31.036-04:00A note from Sally Kresta, posted today:
Being overdue for an update, I would like to give our supporters more to pray for. Al is still recovering at home, receiving nursing care once a day and doing physical therapy. There still remains a wound that is healing from the last surgery which was done April 13th to clean out an infection in the leg. The wound has about 8cm "to heal in." Please pray Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-952459422003-06-03T13:44:00.000-04:002003-06-03T14:16:49.000-04:00Today is the feast day of St. Charles Lwanga and the Martyrs of Uganda.
Bert Ghezzi's book
The Voices Of The Saints: A Year Of Readings records the last words of St. Charles Lwanga as he was burned on a pyre on June 3, 1866:
"Senkole said to Charles: ‘Let’s see whether Katonda (God) will come to deliver you from the fire.’
“Bearing his agony without a murmur, Charles said: ‘Poor, foolish manHeidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-950381822003-05-29T11:54:00.000-04:002003-05-29T11:54:48.050-04:00Today is the Feast of the Ascension.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-936558882003-05-02T11:40:00.000-04:002003-05-02T11:40:55.823-04:00Today is the feast of St. Athanasius.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-934142352003-04-28T14:47:00.000-04:002003-04-28T14:47:45.160-04:00Today is the feast day of, among others, St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort. I chose to highlight him because Pope John Paul II pronounced this the "Year of the Rosary" in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, and St. Louis de Montfort was one who greatly influenced Pope John Paul II's understanding of Mary and the Rosary.
St. Louis de Montfort's best-known work on the Rosary is the Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-930649522003-04-22T15:51:00.000-04:002003-04-22T15:51:22.986-04:00To all those who are wondering, yes, I am now a Catholic, as of midnight-ish in the vigil of Easter. The name I took was Photina, after St. Photina--and I am quite sure that almost everyone in the church decided that they must have mis-heard & that I really took Faustina (after all, whoever heard of a saint named "Photina"?)
God is amazing and wonderful, and I am grateful to Him for drawing me Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-929444222003-04-20T16:29:00.000-04:002003-04-22T15:47:28.000-04:00He is Risen!
Alleluia!
Jesus Appearing to Mary Magdalene in the Garden
Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-928413242003-04-18T11:37:00.000-04:002003-04-20T16:27:31.000-04:00Christ on the Cross by Diego Velázquez
Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-927937692003-04-17T15:06:00.000-04:002003-04-17T15:07:46.000-04:00A Letter From Al & Sally Kresta
Dear Friends,
We would like to, at this time, send an update to all of you who have been "storming heaven" on our behalf. Al's recovery from the "necrotizing fasciitis" began the moment his lower left leg was removed. The skilled doctors at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital had judged correctly when they said it was the only way to stop this devastating infection in its Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-927815532003-04-17T11:15:00.000-04:002003-04-18T11:22:34.000-04:00Salvador Dali's The Last Supper
Also, you can read Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Pope John Paul II's encyclical on the Eucharist given today.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-923846512003-04-10T17:24:00.000-04:002003-04-10T22:44:45.000-04:00Switching denominations mid-stream is not something that is easily understood by many people--and being in an ecumenical environment, while easing the transition in some ways, complicates it in others.
To answer some unspoken (and some spoken) questions: I am so very grateful to God that He brought me to this during this stage in my life, at this point in my life. I can stand before God and Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-919913712003-04-04T12:00:00.000-05:002003-04-04T12:00:57.653-05:00Today is the feast of St. Isidore of Seville, bishop and Doctor of the Church. He also happens to be the proposed Patron Saint of the Internet . . . Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-918616512003-04-02T14:37:00.000-05:002003-04-02T14:37:23.436-05:00Lest there be any confusion...
I am not a nun.
This is not the sort of thing I generally take time to clarify (it being fairly obvious to me, for one, that I am not a nun), but apparently this rumor is circulating somehow--to the extent that one of my sister's friends was convinced, despite initial doubts, by a family I vaguely know that I had become a nun (my sister having somehow failed to Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-918606912003-04-02T14:19:00.000-05:002003-04-02T14:19:44.060-05:00Today is the feast of St. Francis of Paola, founder of the Order of Minims. The painting I chose is The Miracles of Saint Francis of Paola by Peter Paul Rubens, a Flemish painter of the 17th century.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-917277132003-03-31T15:12:00.000-05:002003-03-31T19:06:58.000-05:00I wonder how many people I managed to scare by not showing up to Mass for the last two Sundays at the parish where I've been going through RCIA . . . many of these wonderful people have known me since I was a baby--I can only imagine how many prayers are flying up to heaven on account of my absence.
The truth of the matter is that the Sunday before last I was at a high school retreat, and Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-914243272003-03-26T13:09:00.000-05:002003-03-26T13:10:14.000-05:00Another update on Al Kresta--more great news!
Rehab here we come! at 14:58
Finally. Thank you for your patience. I am sorry for taking so long between updates.
As promised last Friday on the air, indeed Al has been officially discharged from the medical care side of the hospital and admitted to the physical therapy side of the the hospital.
This transfer means that Al is considered "Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-911326162003-03-21T12:03:00.000-05:002003-03-21T12:05:37.000-05:00Today's first lesson and psalm concerned the story of Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers only to be lifted out of it by God. The image I chose is a painting by Hungarian painter of the 19th century Károly Ferenczy titled Joseph Sold into Slavery by His Brothers. I think the painting does an excellent job capturing the bewilderment of Joseph as he is sold into slavery.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-910810082003-03-20T16:14:00.000-05:002003-03-20T16:16:52.000-05:00From my fellow convert, entering the Catholic Church at Easter, Joe Convert:
Far from suddenly being works-driven, I've learned more about God's grace and mercy in the past year than the previous 15. Understanding the relationship between faith and works has liberated grace to do what it was always intended to do, and to help me draw closer to Jesus. Far from being saddled with a mountain of Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-910725992003-03-20T13:34:00.000-05:002003-03-20T13:34:41.233-05:00Another update on Al Kresta from WDEO:
Brothers and sisters,
Well today is a good day. Al is now off all narcotics. His new pain medicine is helping him sleep in a much more restful way. When he is awake he is much sharper and very intent on moving this process along.
He deeply misses all of you and his ministry. He is still having trouble with time; things seem to be moving in slow motion. Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-910724942003-03-20T13:32:00.000-05:002003-03-20T13:32:18.793-05:00Today is the feast of St. Photina--I'm hoping to blog more on the subject later.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-910063952003-03-19T13:59:00.000-05:002003-03-19T14:02:41.000-05:00Today is the Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of Mary. I liked this icon as soon as I saw it--it is of St. Joseph and the child Jesus, who is holding a dove. The icon was written intending the dove to symbolize Peace (though it also points to the Trinity), which is particularly appropriate for today.
Regardless of whether or not one supports President Bush's stance on Iraq, peace is always Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-909458862003-03-18T16:08:00.000-05:002003-03-18T16:22:30.000-05:00Today is the feast of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop of Jerusalem and Doctor of the Church. You can check out his writings online--namely, his Catechetical Lectures (particularly appropriate reading for those of us going through RCIA--customs may have changed since the fourth century, but doctrine hasn't. Still staggers me...)Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-908696602003-03-17T14:06:00.000-05:002003-03-17T14:10:14.000-05:00Updates on Al Kresta from today and last Thursday, in that order. You can still send him your thoughts and prayers via the Karing for Kresta guestbook.
Recovery underway at 17:44
This has been a good weekend. Al is winning the pesky little battles with infection and progress is being made.
Today, we hope that some decisions will be made that will allow Al to begin to plot a path for his return.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-908581352003-03-17T10:30:00.000-05:002003-03-17T10:30:10.543-05:00Today is the feast of St. Patrick of Ireland.
You can read his Confessio and his letter to Coroticus.
St. Patrick's Breastplate (or read the Lorica in Old Irish)
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-903096572003-03-07T12:11:00.000-05:002003-03-07T12:14:15.000-05:00Today's update on Al Kresta:
The good news for today is that Al came through the second surgery with flying colors.
The hard news is that this again is a further amputation. Therefore, Al will be in a great deal of pain over the next 4 - 5 days. While pain-killing drugs will help, Al will need your prayers to sustain himself during this last stage.
Al's "Theme", so to speak, has been to Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-902528592003-03-06T14:11:00.000-05:002003-03-06T14:24:02.000-05:00It is now Lent, and so I've changed my template to reflect the season.
Updates on Al Kresta from today and yesterday (in that order):
We continue to be overwhelmed with the outpouring of support for Al.
If you have not already done so take a minute to read some of the phenomenal messages people have left for AL at www.amcguild.org - it is quite a testimony. Please leave a message there Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-899142612003-02-28T13:42:00.000-05:002003-02-28T13:42:39.263-05:00More news about Al Kresta.
Once again I thank you for all your prayers and efforts for Al Kresta.
1. Al remains in GOOD condition.
2. Al has been moved from the Step Down Unit to a General Surgical Room.
3. Al appreciated all the callers, well wishers etc, to the program yesterday. Alexis, his daughter, brought the CD to his room and played it for AL and Sally.
We had a little revelation Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-898417392003-02-27T10:31:00.000-05:002003-02-27T10:31:27.716-05:00Still more good news!
Another day of good news. Praise God! Your prayers are working miracles. Please do not stop now.
Al's condition continues to improve. All his vital signs are stable. Al's official condition is GOOD.
Al was able to receive Holy Communion.
Al is more and more lucid each day.
Visitation will continue to be limited to family only. However you can let Al know you are prayingHeidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-897778442003-02-26T10:19:00.000-05:002003-02-26T10:35:30.000-05:00Yet more great news! Hallelujah!
Al's condition is upgraded to FAIR.
Al has been moved to the step down unit from surgical intensive care.
All blood pressure medication has been removed.
Al is beginning to take some food.
Praise God for this wonderful step forward towards recovery.
Your prayers, the Masses, the time spent before the Blessed Sacrament, all the intercession and efforts on Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-897143442003-02-25T10:17:00.000-05:002003-02-25T10:50:06.000-05:00Praise God! Even better news about Al Kresta!
Today Al's Condition remains Critical. He remains in The Surgical Critical Care Unit.
However, by the grace of God and through your countless intercessions, Al continues to respond well to treatment.
Al has been removed from the ventilator, he is completely breathing on his own.
Al is no longer sedated. He remains on heavy pain killers and variousHeidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-896507432003-02-24T11:41:00.000-05:002003-02-24T15:42:01.000-05:00As of this morning, Al remains in critical condition. He is still responding to treatment, but the doctors are continuing to keep him sedated, and because of the sedation, he is on a respirator and is being fed through a feeding tube. Previous updates are below.
I'm keeping this page current as I find out news from family members, but you can also check the Ave Maria Communications website in Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-896239132003-02-23T19:49:00.000-05:002003-02-23T20:12:49.000-05:00More good news! Al Kresta did not end up having to undergo kidney dialysis on Friday; the doctors are hoping it will not be necessary. He has also been taken off some of his medication as his condition has begun, very slowly, to stabilize. He is still not out of the woods; they can still use all the prayers they can get.
There have been some amazing stories in the midst of this...God's hand Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-895255152003-02-21T19:17:00.000-05:002003-02-21T19:17:22.686-05:00(7:00pm) Hallelujah! Some good news! Mrs. Kresta is out of surgery & the infection in her leg was only cellulitis! She is remaining in the hospital for the present for observation.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-895177912003-02-21T16:21:00.000-05:002003-02-23T21:32:10.000-05:00(4:20pm) I talked to my sister. Al's daughter did an interview this afternoon for Channel 4 news (Detroit). Not sure when it will air. Mrs. Kresta was admitted to the hospital this morning. She was diagnosed with strep throat (she had previously tested negative), but she was also experiencing some pain in her leg & it was becoming blotchy. They immediately put her on antibiotics with the Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-895166302003-02-21T15:58:00.000-05:002003-02-23T21:12:18.000-05:00It's just about 4:00pm... Please pray for the Kresta family--if the information I just heard is accurate, they need it even more. I don't want to contribute to rumors without double-checking the info, first, though, so hang on. My sister is at the hospital with their family (she's a close friend of their daughter), so I'm trying to reach her to find out specifics.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-895063832003-02-21T12:25:00.000-05:002003-02-21T12:26:35.000-05:00Update on Al Kresta as of 11am today:
From: Michael Jones
Sent: Friday, February 21, 2003 11:50 AM
To: Michael Jones (E-mail)
Subject: Al Update for 2-21-03
11:00 AM. I just spoke to Al's Family.
Al's condition remains "Critical"
This afternoon Al will undergo Kidney Dialysis. This is not unexpected. It was hoped that the procedure would not be necessary, but the Doctors fully expected that Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-895036292003-02-21T11:33:00.000-05:002003-02-21T11:33:53.950-05:00Today is the feast day of St. Peter Damian, professor, Benedictine monk, Bishop, poet, and Doctor of the Church.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-895013162003-02-21T10:50:00.000-05:002003-02-21T10:53:22.000-05:00Update on Al Kresta:
From: Michael Jones
Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2003 10:17 AM
Subject: Today's update on Al Kresta
I spoke to Sally Kresta this morning.
Al suffered from Necrotizing Fasciitis. This is a strep Group A Bacteria.
It is very aggressive. It attacks the soft tissue. It can infect as much as an inch an hour.
Amputation is the common reaction to this bacteria.
We do not know Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-894476322003-02-20T13:59:00.000-05:002003-02-21T10:57:25.000-05:00It has been amazing to watch the outpouring of prayers and support for Al Kresta and his family. I found out that he was in the hospital on Tuesday evening when someone came into the Adoration chapel where I was and let us know and asked for our prayers--simply for someone to make an announcement in the chapel communicated the gravity of the situation.
The official press release from Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-894390752003-02-20T11:20:00.000-05:002003-02-20T11:20:32.290-05:00The first lesson today was about God establishing a covenant with Noah and his descendants that never again would He destroy all living things with a flood. A rainbow was the sign of this covenant. The image I chose is a painting by Jimi Claybrooks, a contemporary African-American artist, titled Noah's Ark: After the Flood.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-893727652003-02-19T10:31:00.000-05:002003-02-19T14:55:38.000-05:00In today's first lesson, the flood waters were receding and Noah sent out birds--a raven, a dove, and another dove--hoping for signs of dry land. The first dove returned with an olive branch. The image that I chose to illustrate it is Blue Dove by Pablo Picasso.
(How many current artists dream of a signed lithograph of a seven-line crayon drawing of theirs selling for $3,000?)Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-893155422003-02-18T12:20:00.000-05:002003-02-18T12:20:27.730-05:00The first lesson today was on God instructing Noah to build an ark and fill it with animals. The image I chose to go with it is Noah's Ark by Edward Hicks, an American Quaker preacher of the early nineteenth century.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-892506532003-02-17T13:07:00.000-05:002003-02-17T13:07:41.703-05:00Today is the feast of the Seven Founders of the Order of Servites, the Servants of Mary. The image for today is of the Seven Sorrows of Mary because the Servites were founded to meditate on her sorrows and developed the Servite Chaplet.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-891004882003-02-14T12:22:00.000-05:002003-02-14T12:22:40.520-05:00Happy Sts. Cyril and Methodius Day! Probably not quite the greeting one expects to get on February 14th... In any case, it is, and they trump St. Valentine. St. Cyril was one of the first developers of the Cyrillic alphabet (hence the name of the alphabet...). My college roommate, who opted to take Russian instead of French, has him to thank (at least in part) for the fact that the Russian "HHeidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-890358482003-02-13T10:33:00.000-05:002003-02-13T10:33:15.016-05:00Today the first reading described the creation of Eve. The image I chose is a Byzantine mosaic from somewhere around 1160.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-889802122003-02-12T11:55:00.000-05:002003-02-12T11:56:43.000-05:00The first reading for today was on the creation of Adam in the second chapter of Genesis. The image I chose is Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni's painting of The Creation of Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. There is no substitute for seeing the Sistine Chapel in person. I had the opportunity to go to Rome in the beginning of March, 2000, before the world converged on Rome Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-889189472003-02-11T11:45:00.000-05:002003-02-11T11:45:53.030-05:00Today is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. The image is a stained glass window from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Virginia.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-888871842003-02-10T21:33:00.000-05:002003-04-10T23:04:36.000-04:00Road to Rome, Part XII
Before I begin this post, here are links to the other parts of my story:
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V
Part VI
sidenote
Part VII
Part VIII
Part IX
Part X
Part XI
I had my turning point (Part X), I was confronted with my first taste of blatant anti-Catholic sentiment directed at me (Part XI), and I had two weeks until I took off for an Ecumenical Youth Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-888577722003-02-10T11:55:00.000-05:002003-02-10T11:59:36.000-05:00Today is the feast of St. Scholastica, twin sister of St. Benedict. The Dialogues of Gregory the Great contains a section on The Life and Miracles of St. Benedict. Part of that section talks about St. Scholastica, and it is from this that most of our information about her comes.
The image is a painting titled The Death of St. Scholastica by Jean Restout, a French Neoclassical painter of the Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-887678852003-02-08T15:30:00.000-05:002003-02-08T15:30:46.220-05:00Today is the feast of St. Jerome Emiliani, patron of abandoned children and orphans, and founder of the Order of Clerks Regular of Somascha. The image is simply a portrait of him.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-887245322003-02-07T16:09:00.000-05:002003-02-07T16:09:48.280-05:00Better late than never...
The Gospel lesson for today was (a bit retrospectively) on the beheading of John the Baptist. The image I chose is simply an icon of the episode.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-886529772003-02-06T11:05:00.000-05:002003-02-06T11:12:50.000-05:00Today is the feast of St. Paul Miki and the 26 martyrs of Nagasaki. There is a museum in Nagasaki, Japan dedicated to the martyrs.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-885937672003-02-05T10:44:00.000-05:002003-02-05T10:44:31.756-05:00Today is the feast of St. Agatha, virgin and martyr. Among other things, she is the patron saint of breast cancer survivors. (I'm not going into the reasons why, but if you click on today's image, The Martyrdom of St. Agatha by Giambattista Tiepolo, you can probably figure it out.) You can celebrate her feast by going to The Breast Cancer Site and clicking on the button to fund (simply by Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-885420612003-02-04T13:17:00.000-05:002003-02-04T13:17:55.790-05:00My head is spinning a bit. I've been noticed by Nihil Obstat--but not for a transgression of my own! I have apparently been added to the St. Blog's Parish Directory a second time. Just how that happened, I do not know. In any case, thank you, Nihil, for the endorsement, yea though the circumstances were rather dubious.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-885402312003-02-04T12:38:00.000-05:002003-02-04T12:43:40.000-05:00The Gospel for today was one of my favorite stories--the healing of the woman with the hemorrhage and the raising of Jairus' daughter. The image that I chose is a painting of the Raising of Jairus' Daughter by Ilya Repin, a Russian painter of the late nineteenth century.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-884912722003-02-03T16:16:00.000-05:002003-02-03T16:16:27.540-05:00Today we celebrate the feasts of St. Blaise and St. Ansgar. We have a biography of St. Ansgar from St. Rimbert, who was his companion and successor as bishop.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-883884072003-02-01T14:48:00.000-05:002003-02-01T14:48:46.716-05:00Peace, be still is an appropriate message for today...
Thanks to Karen Hall of Disordered Affections for posting links to information about the people who perished in the explosion of space shuttle Columbia this morning.Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-883880632003-02-01T14:40:00.000-05:002003-02-01T14:40:17.143-05:00Today's Gospel is Mark's account of Jesus calming the wind and the waves, saying, "Peace, be still." The image that I chose is a painting titled Peace, Be Still by He Qi, a contemporary Chinese artist and a professor at the Nanjing Union Theological Seminary. Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-883314862003-01-31T11:08:00.000-05:002003-01-31T13:14:20.000-05:00Today is the feast of St. Giovanni Melchior Bosco (that is, St. John Bosco, Don Bosco). Priest and founder of the Salesians, his work with children was extraordinary.
Unfortunately, Don Bosco lived too recently for his writings to be widely available online. You can buy translations of some of his writings, including his autobiography, Memoirs of the Oratory, and even more books written about Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-882866852003-01-30T15:58:00.000-05:002003-01-30T16:04:08.000-05:00Sean Roberts, a fellow catechumen (or candidate) over at Swimming the Tiber has an interesting discussion of infant baptism based on a discussion in his RCIA class. At the end of it he raised a few questions, two of which I'm going to tackle:
* A related question that Augustine asked of Jerome, on the origin of the soul and original sin (Jerome's answer is, I think, no longer extant), is Heidinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3991381.post-882784392003-01-30T13:04:00.000-05:002003-01-30T13:07:57.000-05:00Choosing an image for today was substantially more difficult than I expected it to be. I finally settled on a painting by Paul McMillan, an artist in New York, titled Ethereal Lamp. Today's Gospel is the words of Jesus to His disciples:
And He said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; Heidinoreply@blogger.com