Keep Marching {40 years = 55 million dead}

...and so does the mainstream media, in lies of omission and lies of commission

2013 marks 40 years of the legal killing of the unborn in our country.  Although the media fails to report the March for Life in our state capitol or our national capitol, it's real!  Members of our family were present at both marches (again) this year to witness for life.

Washington State March for Life, January 22, 2013, Olympia, WA

Departing Bellingham at 6AM and embarking on a 3+ hour drive, we arrived at the Mass for Life, held in the gym at St. Martin's University in Lacey.  Celebrated by Archbishop Sartain, concelebrated by dozens of priests, the Mass was offered for the unborn.  Our prayers for the healing of our culture, for the conversion of pro abortion politicians, and for healing for each person hurt by abortion were lifted up in the Mass.

We cannot accept the killing of the unborn. 
We will not accept the killing of the elderly. 

Andrew St. Hilaire, co founder of the Anti-Choice Project

The ongoing sacrifice of abortion, claiming the lives of 3,500 children each DAY in the US must be stopped.  One day's March for Life each year wasn't designed to be the only coordinated pro-life effort, but at this giant rally we alert our legislators with our numbers and join in prayer for the conversion of our killing country.

March for Life in Washington, DC, led by students from the University of Notre Dame, one of whom was our son, Zachary  {photo from LifeSiteNews.com}

Our commitment to protecting life from conception to natural death includes ongoing prayers and acts of penance offered for the end to abortion and for conversion and repentance for all involved in this holocaust.

 Prayer warrior and former pastor, Father Marion, in his Benedictine habit after the Mass for Life at St. Martin's University, visited briefly with a few of us before heading back to his cell at the monastery.

Photo sent by Zachary of the inside of St. Agnes Church, Washington, DC, where Father Jenkins celebrated a Mass for Life for the 600+ Notre Dame students who traveled to DC for the March for Life

Champions for Life, these McEntee sisters and their families and others faithfully carry on the Washington March for Life started by their parents Dick and Kathy McEntee (+).

Thanks for the gift of life, Mom! Thanks for Marching for Life!

Pre-Departure Festivities {Praying, Playing and Feasting}

Zac prays the Divine Mercy Chaplet at St. Mary's Anacortes Faith on Fire Conference

True to his Boy Scout ways, Zachary was prepared for his departure to the University of Notre Dame down to the finest details with a few days to spare.  His extreme readiness meant that our family was free to travel to Anacortes for the third annual Faith On Fire Catholic Family Conference.  Athough we opted out of the camping element this year, we participated in the opening Mass, the magnificent conference talks and the life of prayer and fellowship on the spacious grounds at St. Mary's.  A super-charging faith experience, this conference is one of those "do not miss" family events.

Heaven and earth collide in the beautiful Mass celebrated by Archbishop Sartain at St. Mary's

A phone message from Judah inviting us to his baptism Sunday morning caused a departure from our original plans to attend morning talks at Faith of Fire so that we could witness his new birth into the Body of Christ.  Sharing and celebrating this leap of faith with Judah meant back to back services, as we drove straight from his baptism to the closing  Mass celebrated by Archbishop Sartain at St. Mary's.  The pews were packed, but we were able to stand at the baptismal font and participate in the amazing mystery of the Holy Mass, celebrated with great reverence and awe.  As always, Archbishop Sartain's preaching deeply inspired and encouraged us to grow in faith and never let the world 'steal it out of us.'

Peter, Joseph, Judah, Zachary and Enoch celebrate Judah's baptism into the Body of Christ.



Zachary, Cole, Patrick, Peter, Joseph, and Roy dine in style at Grandma & Grandpa's

 True to form, Grandma Billie and Grandpa Cliff hosted a delightful, delicious and welcoming farewell barbecue for us and a few of Zac's friends on his last night in town.  Zachary provided the after dinner entertainment by pulling out the old potato canon for a blast on the shores of Lake Whatcom.  Unfortunately the striker wasn't working properly so there were only a few flying potatoes.  But we can say without reservations that Zachary went out with a bang!


Zachary bids farewell to Grandma Billie and Grandpa Cliff.



The Golden Flute {+6}

Can you spot 'something wrong' with this picture?

It's not often we pray that a stolen golden flute would turn up at our pawn shop... but this week we did.  Our prayers were answered, and the criminal (also in our prayers) will face justice and hopefully find healing and repentance.  In a very exciting twist of fate, the solid gold flute stolen from our dear friends' car, which was smashed-during-daily-Mass, was brought in by a suspicious customer who asked $60 for the extremely rare and highly valued instrument.  The golden flute was immediately recognized by our store manager, who knew of the theft and called the authorities while delaying the transaction to allow the law to arrive and catch the criminal in the act of attempting to pawn (our friends') stolen goods.

Can you spot 'something wrong' with this picture?

After almost six months without our former foster twins living under our roof, I have completely forgotten how to pack a diaper bag (again).  On their recent stay we loaded them up after naps and headed for daily Mass with a hastily packed collection of mismatched shoes and various other items intended to keep them warm, dry, fed, and entertained (and slightly quiet).  They love our Church, and Luke, vocalist that he is, still joins in the Alleluia verse sung before the proclamation of the Gospel... and keeps singing Alleluia throughout the Gospel, and the homily...  It could be worse, he could be screaming like he ALWAYS does when we put him down for a nap.  Some habits die hard!  Another favorite passtime at Church for these extremely mobile toddlers is the 'climbing to the loft and stomping above the congregation' feat.
The usual crowd there doesn't seem to mind the added noise, and enjoys the opportunity to catch a glimpse of these two, clearly growing, developing and thriving in their mother's care.

Learning to love books, Luke and Leia sit still for Peter's dramatic reads.

When our old van almost exploded in a ball of flames en route to a family vacation in 2004, Tim's parents insisted that we were never allowed to transport their grandchildren in that vehicle e-v-e-r again.  They literally put their money where their intentions were and purchased an amazing vehicle for us to safely transport such precious cargo.  Eight years later, our Toyota Sienna is still healthy and strong, and although showing the love of so many teenage passengers, is cruising right along.  A big thanks to Grandpa Cliff and Grandma Billie for the upgrade.

Somewhat of a milestone, don't you think?

Can you spot 'something wrong' with this picture?

Zachary's crowd joined the celebration of his graduation at our house recently on one of the rainiest days in recent memory.  The guys didn't mind hanging around indoors, and have clearly grasped the concept of multi-tasking, wouldn't you say?

Let's just say, we decided it was time to sort out the enormous boot and shoe bin hidden in the garage.

I am not a big fan of shoes, but they do serve a purpose.  We let a shoe pile grow in our garage, without really paying attention to the vast quantity of outgrown and unused pairs being deposited as if to their final rest there.  The time arrived to tackle the bulging bin and our subsequent donation of many, many pairs of useful shoes and boots will soon bless the children of migrant workers being ministered to by our local NCCM 'Agape' team.

Instead of asking our kids, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" the Holy Catholic Church encourages parents to train our children to listen to the call God has placed upon their hearts and to courageously follow His lead in whatever path they take for furthering their education and entering into their particular vocations.   Most are called to married life, some to single life, some to the consecrated life and a few are called to the ordained life.  The annual "Quo Vadis"  retreat offers our boys an opportunity to grow in faith and learn about the specific nature and gift of a call to the priesthood while living/camping in community with boys from all over the Seattle Archdiocese.  This year Joseph and Zachary attended Quo Vadis together, though they were placed on opposing 'teams' for the camp-wide games and competitions ranging from Biblical dramatics to big field games like capture the flag.  Joseph's first QV Days ended in victory, as his team took top honors when the final points were tallied.  Zachary's team took second place (of 4 teams total), and the boys shared many fun memories from the 4-day experience.  Our thanks to Fr. Lappe, Fr. Olson and all the priests, seminarians (esp. Louis and Patrick) and Archbishop Sartain for their leadership and example.

Another tremendous Quo Vadis experience thanks to our amazing archdiocese (bishops, priests, seminarians) plus generous donors.

This was no easy feat.

Sometimes a clean shelf means more than meets the eye, which is certainly the case in this instance.  The never slowing stream of assorted-papers-without-a-home seem to find their way to this shelf in our living room, and unless properly tended, begin to multiply and attract papers from all over the neighborhood!  But a good sorting and filing binge served us well, and now we have a shelf worth showing off.  So there you have it, one small victory over clutter worth celebrating, or at least worth remembering.

Farewell Father Qui Thac {Rest in Peace Marian}

 Zachary incenses Father Qui Thac at the preparation of the altar during Marian's funeral Mass.

As our Holy Universal Church enters into the celebrations of the Ascension followed by Pentecost, the selected readings recount Jesus' readying his disciples to let Him go and preparing them for life after his ascension: 

Jesus said to his disciples:d
"Now I am going to the one who sent me,
and not one of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'
But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts.
But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.
For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you.
But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world
in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation:
sin, because they do not believe in me;
righteousness, because I am going to the Father
and you will no longer see me;
condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned."
~John 6: 5-11

As we hear these Words proclaimed today by our beloved pastor Father Qui Thac, they are especially meaningful.  For he, too, is going to the Father (in a manner of speaking).  Discerning a call to monastic life, our cherished priest will enter the Benedictine Monastery, St. Martin's Abbey in Lacey, WA, in July.  We celebrate his devotion to our Lord and his willingness to follow wherever God's call may take him.  What a gift for our community to witness our pastor take this plunge into discerning life as a monk, serving God in a profoundly counter-cultural priestly lifestyle at the Abbey.  We will be sad to see him go, and we shall miss him terribly.  Yet knowing that he is so faithfully following the promptings of the Holy Spirit gives us great consolation in our sorrow at saying farewell.

Listen carefully, my son, to the master's instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart.  - Prologue of the Rule of St. Benedict

Our Holy Archbishop Peter Sartain wrote a letter which was read aloud at each of the Masses last Sunday to inform us of Father Qui Thac's departure.  Our incoming priest is Father Joseph Altenhofen, ordained June 12, 2010, serving currently at St. Joseph in Vancouver, Washington.  Fr. Altenhofen is in our daily prayers as he prepares to come lead our Sacred Heart parish and serve as the chaplain for our mission, Western Washington University's Newman Catholic Campus Ministry.  Zachary remembers Fr. Altenhofen as a well spoken, outgoing seminarian who helped lead, rally and inspire Quo Vadis campers.  Our future looks bright.

Father Qui Thac elevates Jesus, Truly Present in the Eucharist

Our friend and faithful parishioner, Marian Main, died on Mother's Day, and was buried on Ascension Thursday (yesterday).  Marian's funeral Mass may be the final funeral our boys have the privilege of serving with Father Qui Thac before his entrance into the monastery.  Over the past six years, Zachary, Joseph and Peter have served dozens of funerals with Father, and Marian's funeral was especially meaningful for many reasons.  Marian had a profound impact on those who knew her and her husband, Jerry.  Our church was packed with people from many denominations, who respectfully witnessed Benediction before the Mass of Christian Burial for Marian.  Normally the Blessed Sacrament (Jesus) is not displayed on the altar for adoration before a funeral.  But Marian's husband, Jerry, fostered a special devotion to adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament (every Saturday from 2-3AM to be exact) during her extended illness.  Jerry found profound peace and consolation in spending time with Jesus even as his heart yearned for the love of his life as dementia took Marian further and further away.

Pall bearers carry Marian's body from the church to the hearse.

Preaching with a gentle passion, Fr. Qui Thac spoke lovingly about Marian and Jerry, sharing the touching stories spoken by family and friends during the previous night's vigil service.  Preaching zealously, he called us out, exhorting all who loved Marian to follow Christ more faithfully and live in Him, in the Eucharist.  Father boldly exclaimed that anyone not moved to live their life more fully in Christ by Marian's example is simply a fool. 

Immediately following the heartfelt, impassioned sermon, a woman in the back began to complain out-loud to those near her about the (exact) number of minutes Father spent speaking. And so it goes.

Fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and discipline.

~Proverbs 1:7

 Jerry thanks Father Qui Thac following the funeral Mass for Marian, his wife of 59 and three quarter years.

 Jerry sprinkles holy water, a blessing upon his wife's casket as it is loaded into the hearse.

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
He will not speak on his own,
but he will speak what he hears,
and will declare to you the things that are coming.
~ John 16:12-13

 COME HOLY SPIRIT!

Visit Jen @ Conversion Diary

Not Quite Lost {Missing Boys}

A foolproof plan it was not: "Take Joseph's cell phone and call me when you are ready for a ride home from the park."   Nice in theory, but putting it into practice became quite difficult without the phone.

Yes, Peter and his buddy Cam left the phone at home on their early morning fishing expedition, seriously messing with my morning serenity.  It's not that far to walk home from the fishing pond, and any other day that would have been plan A.  But as Peter is now donning a walking cast to recover from a nagging, painful ankle injury, the walk was to be avoided if at all possible.

Yet somehow I think the mix-up simply allowed for God's plan A; and if you are interested, you can read the rest of the story at Discerning Daily.

Cam and Peter head out before breakfast to do some fishing catching.

In Awe {Worlds Collide}

Archbishop Peter Sartain elevates Jesus~Truly Present in the Holy Eucharist.

Surrounded by hundreds of young adults praising God and giving Him glory by their fervent and reverent worship, our family attended Mass on the Western Washington University campus Sunday night.  The Viking Union Building's multi-purpose-room-turned-Church has sweeping views of Bellingham Bay and beyond which provided a stunning backdrop for the sacred celebration and gave us a glimpse of God's glorious creation.

The Fifth Sunday of Easter Mass was con-celebrated by our Archbishop Sartain and our pastor, Father Qui Thac Nguyen (Chaplain for the Newman Catholic Campus Ministry at WWU).  In a characteristically profound and awe inspiring homily (sermon) Archbishop Sartain exhorted us to be like Barnabas and root out all that causes division in our communities/families.  He called for an end to gossip, sarcasm and hurtful speech, encouraging us to seek the peace of Christ by living in union with Him and with one another.  Such an engaging speaker, such a prayerful, holy man; we are truly blessed with Archbishop Sartain's leadership in our diocese. 

Sunset over Bellingham Bay

Archbishop Peter Sartain

Rev. Qui Thac Nguyen thanks Archbishop Sartain.

Waiting and Preparing {7 Quick Takes}

Another letter of acceptance (plus another presidential scholarship offer) arrived in the mail for Zachary from our alma mater, the University of Puget Sound, in Tacoma, WA.  With a few more letters of acceptance (or denial) still 'in the mail' Zachary will wait for the dust to settle before entering into final decision making mode.  The suspense is thick!


After more than a week out on his own, Ezra stopped by the shop to collect a few belongings, and let us know he's staying with a 'friend' from school.  Automated school attendance alert phone calls come more frequently now, announcing Ezra's sporadic absences.  His Job Corps departure date (March 20) still stands, but only time will tell if the opportunity will be actualized by the now independent Ezra.  We continue to pray, and ask your prayers, too.

Nesting boxes inhabited, Joseph and Peter continue to apply the final touches on their new pigeon loft.   Enoch helped apply a coat of paint on the exposed parts before this weekend predicted to be filled with rain.  Joseph and Peter also painted each others' exposed parts.  Go figure. 

Zachary with SHS varsity swim coach Don at the end-of-season awards ceremony

His final varsity swim season behind him, Zachary continues to train almost daily with the local club team, a great way to stay fit and connected with the guys.  The hot tubbing time after practice nearly doubles the time spent at the pool, and includes extraordinary challenges like, "I wonder if your reflexes are fast enough to stop this ball if I throw it at your face (from 3 feet away)."  Not so much; ouch.

With Ezra's departure comes the opportunity to re-vamp the downstairs disaster family room, and the dreams and possible re-designs are flowing.  From projector-assisted multi-computer gaming stations, to an indoor racquet sports facility, the ideas are... extremely creative.  Tim started with a systematic purge of the out-dated and rarely visited lower bookshelves, and in only moments filled several boxes for taking to a donation station.

Celebration dinner for Apollo's successful heart surgery

We hosted dinners for ten under seventeen (first seating) plus two over forty (second seating) in celebration of Apollo's successful heart surgery.  What a great joy to have been able to offer some tiny bit of support for his family during his hospitalization and recovery.

Our traditional lenten observances coupled with awesome liturgical events has made this solemn time of preparation for celebrating Christ's Resurrection at Easter especially meaningful.  Extraordinary Form High Mass in Seattle at North American Martyrs with Archbishop Sartain, an evangelically charged mission given by Brendan Case at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Everett, weekly Stations of the Cross, daily Mass, adoration and frequent confession make for a powerfully re-charging spiritual renewal. 

Visit Jen @ Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes Friday.

New Plan for Ezra

The possibility of this particular chain of events had been (repeatedly and plainly) explained to Ezra.  We have openly discussed his freedom (free will) to do whatever he wanted and so chose independence; and reiterated his obligation to be obedient and respectful to us should he wish to remain in our home. 

We spelled out exactly what would happen if he chose to willfully disobey.  We hoped he would choose obedience and live within our guidelines for another month or two until his acceptance into Job Corps was finalized.  On Monday, Ezra's Job Corps acceptance letter arrived. At nearly 20 years old, yet in some ways still a child intellectually and emotionally, he stepped out and boldly began this new phase of his journey with the clothes on his back, a bus pass, and a small day pack.  Ezra continues to attend public high school and vocational training classes, and we have remained in close contact with his counselors and teachers.  We let him know through his counselor, that should he wish to be reconciled and obedient, he would be welcome to return home for these next few weeks leading up to his Job Corps beginning.


In some respects this outcome was predictable, but we hoped against hope it could somehow be avoided. Ezra had openly scoffed at the idea that he would end up sleeping on the floor of a homeless shelter, asserting that his 'friend' would house him.  Perhaps so, but as of today, he's been on his own, at least in the physical sense.  We have him covered celestially, with the fervent prayers of cloistered nuns in Kentucky, holy monks in Canada, our Archbishop in Seattle, our priest, and many dear friends and family.  We remain hopeful that this may be an opportunity for him to grow in virtue and learn better decision making skills for a successful future.

Please join in our prayers for Ezra: 

• may Ezra draw close to God in this time of need
• may Ezra allow God's endless mercy and perfect love to transform and heal him
• may Ezra seek to be reconciled with those whom he has hurt
• may Ezra be protected physically and spiritually 
• may God's will be done in and through Ezra's life 

Jesus, I trust in you.

Zachary and Ezra, October 2008