Working the Night Shift {Fostering a Newborn}

After Mass on the Feast of Saint Charles Borromeo, we answered a call to take in a newborn whose parents cannot yet take care of her.  Due to a strange 'coincidence,' it seems like Saint Charles himself was involved in this new foster placement, but I'll save the 'communion of saints' story for another day.

For privacy purposes, we shall call her Angelina on the blog.  To answer the most common question: No, we don't know for how long she will be with us.  It could be one week, one month or longer.  The fostering process involves much mystery and many moving parts.  Our prayers (and hopefully yours) go out for little Angelina and for her family at this time of separation and the various trials and tribulations accompanying such an unsettling occurrence.

Within 24 hours of our new foster placement, our friends began showering gifts upon little Angelina.

Speaking of St. Charles...
St. Charles Borromeo, St. Peter Canisius, St. Turibius of Mongrovejo and St. Robert Bellarmine are the only four people mentioned by name at the beginning of the Catechism of the Catholic Church; cited as responsible for the Council of Trent, which gave way to the modern day catechism. Have you ever looked at the Catechism of the Catholic Church?  Inside, the teachings of the Church are clearly taught with Biblical citations throughout.

If your authority on what the Catholic Church teaches includes lapsed and/or poorly catechized Catholics or anti Catholics, there's a good chance you'll be pleasantly surprised when you discover what the Church actually teaches and why.

Recently, someone shared an interesting fact gleaned from a historical study of the reformation.  Another asked in response, "I wonder if you will also study the counter-reformation?"  If studying one side of the great divorce of the Church makes sense, doesn't studying both sides of the huge break seem appropriate?  The documents from the Council of Trent make for some interesting reading:

CHAPTER XII
RASH PRESUMPTION OF PREDESTINATION IS TO BE AVOIDED

No one, moreover, so long as he lives this mortal life, ought in regard to the sacred mystery of divine predestination, so far presume as to state with absolute certainty that he is among the number of the predestined,[74] as if it were true that the one justified either cannot sin any more, or, if he does sin, that he ought to promise himself an assured repentance.

St. Charles Borromeo was a key player and brave leader in the counter reformation, and quite an effective reformer within the Church.  He's also a personal friend and a great and powerful intercessor, alive in heaven.  My grade school and parish Church was named in his honor, and I consider him one of my finest teachers.  Thank you, Saint Charles Borromeo; please pray for us!