Training Future Fathers {On Handling a Newborn}

Pre-performance rehearsal with first time baby handlers and 'Angelina'

When Father Abbot suggested little Angelina play the part of baby Jesus in Peter's high school Advent play, we were quick to give our consent.  The high school boys were delighted to have a real live baby in the play, rather than the lifeless doll with which they'd been rehearsing.  But their delight was tainted with a dose of understandable nervousness, given that the two young men with baby handling parts were novices in handling a newborn.

Tim gives a few baby handling pointers to the cast of Christ the King's Advent play before showtime.

Tim gladly stepped up to the task of training the guys in the fine art of baby handling, meeting about an hour before show time to offer a few pointers and allow for hands-on experience under close supervision.  The guys warmed up to Angelina right away, and practiced picking her up and passing her off, two important movements for 'baby Jesus' in the upcoming Advent show.

Rehearsing the hand-off of baby 'Jesus'

As the time for curtain drew near, we prayed that our little foster daughter would remain calm and quiet for her debut performance as our Newborn King.  Our prayers were answered, as Angelina gave only the slightest indication of liveliness during the show, squirming a bit in the arms of 'Mother Mary' to the excitement of the audience, many of whom had assumed the figure was probably a doll.

The Three Kings pay homage to baby Jesus in the arms of Mary.

Cast of Christ the King's Advent play, with our son Peter the centurion

Seminary of Christ the King's high school orchestra performs at the Advent program.

In addition to the great privilege of delivering the 'baby Jesus' for the high school play, we enjoyed an outstanding Advent program by the high school and college seminarians of Christ the King.  The high school orchestra, though only a few months along, performed pieces suited for third year, including a favorite piece from Lord of the Rings, and pulled them off beautifully under the direction of Father Peter Nygren.  The entertaining vignette put on by the major seminarians highlighted their unique skills and abilities, including a humorous and fantastic martial arts display and a rousing Celtic musical number.   Under Father Prior Benedict, the high school boys' choir sang "O Holy Night" in its original French, an angelic delight for those of us in the audience.

Bridget, Peter and baby 'Angelina'

Our heartfelt thanks to the monks, teachers and prayer warriors at Christ the King Seminary and Westminster Abbey.  We trust that your efforts, by God's grace, will have everlasting results in the lives of our son(s) and in our families.

Low Mass {+2 New Altar Boys}

Joseph assists Father Saguto with candle lighting before low Mass on Gaudete Sunday, Holyrood Cemetery Chapel.

After almost a year of training and memorizing the Latin responses, Joseph and his friend Jonah had the privilege of serving their first low Mass in the Extraordinary Form at dawn on Gaudete Sunday in a cemetery chapel about an hour and half from home.  This 'old' form of the Mass appeals in a very particular way to many young people, our boys included.

Benedict XVI re-opened the door for the 'old' Mass in 2007 with his Apostolic Letter Summorum Ponitificum.  Interestingly, Benedict XVI specifically noted the appeal of the Traditional Latin Mass for young Catholics:

"Immediately after the Second Vatican Council it was presumed that requests for the use of the 1962 Missal would be limited to the older generation which had grown up with it, but in the meantime it has clearly been demonstrated that young persons too have discovered this liturgical form, felt its attraction and found in it a form of encounter with the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, particularly suited to them." © Copyright 2007 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Joseph and Jonah assist Fr. Vreeland at low Mass on Gaudete Sunday in Edmonds, WA.

A look around the congregation in the Extraordinary Form Mass seems to validate that the 'old' form of the Mass appeals to young people.  The pews are packed with young Catholics, truly engaged and actively participating in the Mass.  Many young men eagerly assist at Mass as altar boys, a great privilege to be sure.  Even the very small children are seemingly drawn into the mysteries of the Mass and show age-appropriate reverence and participation. 

Another interesting phenomenon to note in an Extraordinary Form congregation is the average size of the families in attendance.  These authentic Catholic marriages ~ couples living true to their sacred vows with an 'openness to life' and the faithful rejection of artificial contraception and sterilization ~ are truly inspiring to see on such a large scale.  Extraordinary indeed, and while large Catholic families are not found only in Latin Mass congregations by any means, they simply seem more plentiful here.

Before heading off to high school seminary, our youngest son, Peter, had nearly completed his formal training to serve Latin Mass, and was very eager to do so.  However, his distance from home and the infrequency of his home-visit weekends means that he will have to wait, perhaps until next summer, to serve the Latin Mass.  Peter greatly anticipates serving at the Ordinary Form (English Mass) at our home town parish during his home-visit weekends, as his opportunities to serve at the seminary are somewhat scarce.  Joseph, too, remains active as an altar server in our home town parish, hopeful that someday the cassock and surplice will be welcomed back.
  
In what can only be explained as "God's perfect timing," or better yet, Divine Providence, on this very same Gaudete Sunday, Peter served his first Mass in a cassock and surplice, assisting at dawn in the seminary chapel.  The Extraordinary Form (or Traditional Latin Mass) has not returned to Westminster Abbey, BC, but the vestments worn by the altar boys there are still the traditional (masculine) cassock and surplice.  The extremely reverent, chanted Masses at Westminster Abbey follow the prescribed rubrics beautifully and solemnly, at a measured monastic pace which allows for prayerful contemplation throughout.  An extraordinary ordinary, so to speak.

Jonah and Joseph vested in cassocks for the first time.

How blessed we are to have a wide range of reverent and authentic Catholic Masses to attend daily; from our small local parish in Bellingham, to our FSSP Latin Mass parish in Seattle, to our son's Benedictine community in BC; we are part of an awesome and truly Universal Church.

Christmas Tree Hunt {U-Cut}

Noon Road U-Cut Tree farm owner shows us the tree variety map.

We veered off the tried and true Christmas tree route this year, exploring a new U-cut tree farm at the suggestion of a friend.  On the coldest day of the year ~ perhaps the coldest day in human history ~ we braved the great outdoors amidst the bitter winds of North Whatcom County.  Leaving our little foster daughter with Grandma Billie due to the severity of the weather, we made a threesome: Tim, Joseph and me. 

Follow the rules and no one gets hurt.

Being the smallest tree contingent in recent family history, we didn't have to negotiate as many opinions on which tree took top honors and earned a ride home to be lit and decorated in anticipation of the big celebration of our Savior's birth.  Regardless, the selection process did drag on for what seemed like hours.  The tremendous freeze began to paralyze our faces and our fingers, making the discussions of our tree selection brief and to the point.

Taking a moment to refer to the tree varieties map, Joseph and Tim plot out our route through the tree farm.

The old amidst the new

Tim stomps through the lane, looking for the ideal tree to take home.

When the time came to chop, or rather saw down our tree, we were consoled by the fact that we would soon be in a warm car heading toward our warm home.  However, as we loaded the tree into our van, we discovered that its length would necessitate driving with the back door tied down, rather than shut properly.  A relatively small price to pay, both for the tree itself (compared to years past), and for the short open-air ride home, our Noble Fir soon graced the living room ready for illumination.

Joseph begins the sawing chore, through a frozen trunk.

Our tree-cycle

 

Loaded up and ready to roll

Lit and ready for ornamentation

Death Bells Toll {Westminster Abbey, BC}

Following the Mass of Christian Burial, Fr. Fulton's body is solemnly processed to his grave in the abbey cemetery.

At first Peter didn't understand why the abbey's solemn bell sounded repeatedly at an uncommon hour on a recent Sunday afternoon.  Soon a priest passed by announcing that Father Michael had died, and asking the high school boys to pray for the repose of his soul.  As the death bells continued to sound, the monastic community began mourning the loss of their departed brother and praying for his swift passing to his heavenly reward.
 

Lowered into the ground by brother monks and Benedictine postulants, Father Michael is laid to rest following graveside committal prayers on a bitter cold December morning.

Today fewer and fewer Catholic families are opting to include a funeral Mass (or wake or burial) for their deceased Catholic relatives.  Many of the funeral Masses that are being said for our deceased are tainted with abuses, including proclamations that the decedent is 'already in heaven.'  This common and unfortunate occurrence at modern Catholic funerals all but deletes the possibility that the soul may be saved yet suffering in purgatory, relying on our prayers to aid their passage to heaven. 

Father Michael's funeral at Westminster Abbey followed an authentic Catholic approach to burying the dead with the full Rite of Christian Burial: a wake (overnight prayer vigil with the body in the Church), a funeral Mass (celebrating the life of Father Michael within the context of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus), and the graveside committal (prayers of committal and final commendation).  A profound witness for the high school boys, major seminarians, the family and friends of Father Michael and the Westminster Abbey community, this funeral was a reverent, solemn and joyful liturgy; authentic Catholicism in action.

High school seminarians participate in the burial rite of Father Michael Fulton, OSB+ (b. 1926- d. 2013)

Newly acquired official documents made it possible for me to travel to and from the funeral in Canada with our one-month-old foster daughter, Angelina.  Her first funeral, Angelina stayed toasty warm in a fuzzy suit from Owen's family, a handmade hat from Elle, a toasty blanket by Christine, and brought smiles to many faces on this solemn occasion.

Father Peter meets 'Angelina'

A keepsake from Father Michael's funeral included the story of his path from family life to and through his many years as a Benedictine Priest, and also gave a glimpse into his holy death:

On Friday, November 22, he suffered a mild heart attack.  He recovered somewhat in hospital, but on Sunday, November 24, he took a sudden turn for the worse.  When he was anointed, it was the passage of the good thief from the feast of Christ the King that was read to him: "Today you will be with me in paradise."  With characteristic obedience he waited until Father Abbott arrived, acknowledged his presence and then passed to the Lord as the prayers of commendation were being completed.

Peter shares his foster sister with his Benedictine teachers and the monastic community.

As they had so lovingly cared for him and prayerfully aided him throughout his life, the Benedictines of Westminster Abbey, BC, showed tremendous charity for Father Michael in his death.

Dear Lord,
Let perpetual light shine upon him, 
and may the soul of Father Micael Fulton, OSB, 
through Your mercy, Lord, rest in peace.
Amen.

Advent Displays {Interior + Exterior}

Preparing a place in our main living room for a Christmas tree will be slightly more complicated this year due to my annual (but slightly belated) soap making chaos taking up half the room. The crafty clutter, though hard on the eyes, is easy on the nose ~ the scents of the essential oils beautifying the air.  Soon the freshly minted bars will be mature enough for their relocation to obscure curing areas in the home, but for now they stand in opposition to any urgent decorating or tree importing schemes.

On a short furlough from high school seminary for a sumptuous Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma Billie's, Peter stayed up well past his normal bedtime to hand the outdoor lights with Joseph.  Their decorative enthusiasm, dampened slightly by the parental regulation not to climb upon the high roof in the rain after dark,  netted many strings of lights strung, powered and illuminated before the official end of Thanksgiving and Peter's return to school.

As important as the external preparations for Christmas seem, the internal preparations are much more urgent.  Advent, offered for our eternal benefit as a season of penitence, or repentance, should be a time to clear the ground a bit, making the soil of our souls more fertile for the Lord's coming.  Along those lines, I stumbled upon a tremendous series of sermons for Advent Recollection at the Audio Sancto Sermon Series.  I highly recommend making time to listen to the three sermons on silence, prayer, and the spiritual life.  Amidst your bustling to-do lists and business of the season, give yourself the gift of time to prayerfully fortify your soul for the coming of our Savior.

Jesus is coming!  Will we be ready?

Giving Thanks {Giver + Receiver}

Someone recently quipped that Thanksgiving was 'all about abundance' and cited the number of pies Bridget bakes for the feast as exhibit A for the abundance argument.  Truth be told, I bake quite a few pies for this celebration.  I love pie.  My mom always baked pies for my birthday cakes, but I digress.

The heart of our celebration today centers on 'giving' thanks...to Someone.  Getting stuffed on seasonal delicacies and saturated with televised sporting entertainment may be the hallmarks of the day in many American families, but the true meaning still remains: We give Thanks to God for His abundant blessings.

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me . . . Mark then you who forget God, lest I rend and there be none to deliver. He who brings thanksgiving as his sacrifice honors me. To him who orders his way aright, I will show the salvation of God. ~Psalm 50:14-15, 22-23

What better place to thank God than in His holy house, the Church?  The word Eucharist means thanksgiving, and by God's grace our family will begin this secular holiday within God's house, praising Him and receiving Him in holy Eucharist.  The rest of the holiday is, as they say, gravy.

The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking, but of justice, peace, and the joy that is given by the Holy Spirit. Whoever serves Christ in this way pleases God and wins the esteem of men. Let us, then, make it our aim to work for peace and to strengthen one another. ~Romans 14:17-19

  
I give my humble thanks to God:

• For the gift of life and faith given to me by my parents in cooperation with our Lord who gave His life to save me from my sins
• For the gift of eternal life offered through my baptism and renewed through frequent sacraments, especially Holy Communion and confession; for the Holy Catholic Church
• For the gift of our marriage, and my husband's infant baptism on the same day as my own
• For our children Zachary, Joseph, and Peter; for our other pregnancies and miscarriages
• For our parents, grandparents, siblings, families, Godparents, priests, and the Church Triumphant ~ the saints in heaven
• For our Godchildren, foster children, spiritual children and their families
• For our friends, prayer warriors, benefactors, students, teachers, readers, employees, contacts, Scouting and home schooling families, 
• For the Fraternal Society of Saint Peter (FSSP), Benedictines, Carmelites, Passionists, Dominicans, for our Seattle Archdiocese, and our parishes
• For our health, home and daily sustenance
• For our freedom and for those who defend true freedom and the right to life for every human being
• For Truth

I offer thanksgiving to Almighty God for the many and varied resources so readily available to build up my faith and deepen my knowledge of the Truth:

The Holy Bible
Divine Intimacy
Divine Office 
Church Militant TV
Father Z's blog 
Audio Sancto Sermon Series
The Holy See
Spiritual Food for Thought
Father Broom's podcasts
Father Jim Northrop's podcasts
Father Lappe's homilies
Father Hollowell's blog
Father MacRae's blog
The Radical Life
Divine Mercy: Saint Faustina's Diary

And lest I forget, there is one last thing to be especially thankful for on this day:
Pies!

Eagle Scout Board of Review {Joseph Passed}

Troop mates Caleb and Joseph await their Eagle Scout Boards of Review.

On one hand, Joseph's formal interview for Eagle Scout Rank resembled a 'rubber stamp' experience for a job well done and completed exactly according to the prescribed formula.  

On the other hand, Joseph's Eagle Scout Board of Review included escalating levels of anxiety and a drawn out suspense-filled wait in the hallway after the lengthy interview with an unfortunate precedence nagging his memory, "The last time I had to wait this long for an answer, it was 'No.'"

Whatcom District's Eagle Coordinator gives board of review and public speaking pointers.

Joseph's Scouting career includes many highlights, including serving as Senior Patrol Leader as well as two-time patrol leader of his Burning Bullfrog Patrol.  Jettisoning his patrol to earn the prestigious National Honor Patrol (twice), Joseph's leadership and his patrol's eagerness to achieve set the bar high for Troop 3's other patrols.  Improved communication skills and self confidence blossomed from his experience as troop scribe and chaplain's aid, and various other positions of leadership along the way.  Strong bonds of friendship and healthy doses of competitive sports and group games inspired Joseph to keep suiting up and showing up throughout his years in the troop.

The community Eagle board panel passed Joseph; Mrs. Quinn was his troop witness, and Tim the proud papa.

Paddling the Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit (twice) and hiking the 50 mile North Cascades trek Cross to Ross, along with many other Scouting adventures, Joseph certainly advanced in his leadership and survival skills in the great outdoors as well as the more mundane indoors.  Advancing in character, faithfully living the Scout Oath and Law, and maturing into a fine young man along the trails and trials, Joseph earned the highest rank in Boy Scouts.  When the official application clears the national level, it will be official and Joseph will be awarded the Rank of Eagle Scout.

Congratulations, Joseph!
Congratulations, Caleb!