Faith, Fellowship and Fun at Holy Hill!

This past Saturday my family and I had a great opportunity to go to 11th annual St. John Bosco Youth Day held at The National Shine of Mary Help of Christians Basilica at Holy Hill in Hubertus, WI. My mom, my brothers and I went along with our friends. We had such a great time listening to speakers talk about ways in which we can become closer to God and bring others closer to him.

One particular speaker was a brave young woman by the name of Lila Rose. This woman has, since she was 18, worked as a pro-life activist and is the founder of the pro-life group Live Action. She goes into Planned-Parenthood clinics undercover and catches what the nurses and doctors say on tape. She showed us some of the videos and they were very shocking. It is also very shocking that she is brave enough to do this. I don't think that I could be that brave. What she is doing is truly great and I truly support her and her mission. We should all pray for her and woman like her that are working for God and trying to teach people about the wrongs of abortion and that there are more loving alternatives such as adoption, instead of aborting innocent children. She was very inspiring and uplifting.

The rest of the day consisted of Mass, Adoration, Confession, a chance to climb the huge tower of the Basilica and of course time for fun and games. This was a great experience for my family and friends and was a great way to meet many other people who also have the same love for God as we do! A great time was had by us all, and we can't wait to go again next year.

A Very Special Cousin

A few weeks ago I had a chance to spend a weekend at my Aunt and Uncle's in their small village of Whitelaw, a town of about 750 people within Manitowoc County. When my family and I arrived, my cousin, their grandson, was so excited to see us. He took my brothers and I on a tour of the town showing us everything from the meat market to the Co-op, to St. Michael's church, which is the same church that our grandpa walked many miles to reach for school when he was a young boy.

My cousin Dom is very special to our family. He is only a few years younger than me and, although he is autistic, he is super smart. He loves electronics, lawn mowers, computers, drills and cars. He is interested in a lot of things but he is mostly into mowing the lawn and comparing it to the lawn at the local bank. Sometimes Dom can be seen taking a broom out and sweeping the lawn so it makes a special pattern just like the one at the bank. When someone at school asked him what his favorite sport was, he said it was mowing the lawn!

Dom is very thoughtful and creative. He was so excited about us coming that he wanted to share the backyard tent with me and my brother Justin. By the time night fell though, the temperature had quickly dropped to the low 40's so my aunt suggested that we all sleep inside while the rest of our family slept in a comfortable heated camper. Dom was just so excited to be with us that he would sleep anywhere as long as we were there with him. Before falling asleep, he reminded us to say our prayers, and then he prayed a perfect Act of Contrition. I was surprised that he knew this prayer so well as it was one that I struggled to memorize.

In the morning, we had breakfast and then my cousin Dom led my family in a procession up the 2 blocks to St. Michael's for 11 o'clock Mass. After Mass the Deacon, who knows Dom very personally, said that he noticed Dom leading a whole gang of people to church this morning and asked him to introduce us. Dom gladly went down the line of our family pointing us all out. He was so proud of us!

Then we went back to the house and watched the football game for a while and played a quick game of volleyball before we had to head back home to Milwaukee. Our aunt, uncle and cousin were sad to see us go, but we promised them that we would come back soon and that we had an excellent time with them. I am so lucky to have such great and loving relatives who agreed to share their home with us. We had a wonderful time! I am blessed to have such a special cousin who treats me so well and who loves me so much, knowing that I love him just as much in return.

Time to get back to work!

Well after a wonderful three months away from writing papers, studying for tests and taking the dreaded final exams, its time to go back to work! Today is my first day of school! I'm actually pretty excited because I'm beginning the new school year at a brand new school. I transferred from St. Thomas More to Nathan Hale High School. Starting off at a new school is always challenging but at least I have a couple of friends that I know that go there. That always makes things easier. I'm actually looking forward to school this year, especially having my two younger brothers there with me!

This summer I had a chance to work at my home parish as a summer maintenance helper. I had to clean all the classrooms in the school, clean the church and the entire area surrounding it. It was hard work! It wasn't easy waking up early during the summer to go to work Monday through Friday from six in the morning until two in the afternoon. I learned a lot from this experience though. I learned that taking care of the church is hard work!

A priest could be considered a maintenance worker for the Church. He looks after it, cares for it, rebuilds it when it starts becoming run down. He fixes the places that are broken and weathered. A priest loves the church and would do anything to keep it running smooth so that others can come to it and love it just as he does. I learned that this is how we all should be. The Church needs strong men and women to become like maintenance workers to fix it, love it and nurture it.

This summer taught me a lot of lessons that I will need in my life and I am so glad that I learned them when I did. So as I begin this new school year, I ask for your prayers that I maybe continue to love the Lord and grow closer to Him as well as bringing others closer to Him. I pray that I may become a friend to the friendless, show mercy to those who are not shown mercy and to show love to those who do not feel loved. Please keep me and all children in your prayers as we journey through this new school year.

God Bless!:)

John

A Story of Forgiveness and True Love

A man who had come home late from work decided to give his girlfriend a call just to ask how her day was and to make plans to see each other the following day. When she picked up the phone, though, she was crying. The man asked her what was wrong but he could barely make out anything that she was saying. The woman asked the man to come over so that she could tell him what happened. The man was very kind and caring and agreed to come over. He stepped out into the frigid winter air and trudged 3 miles through the snow to her house.

When he arrived at her house, she invited him inside and they talked for a couple of hours. The woman told her boyfriend that she had something to tell him but that she was too afraid to explain it. The man who was full of gentleness and love took her in his arms as she started to cry and shake. "I'm so ashamed," she said as she lifted her head from her hands. "I just don't think you'll understand. You will never look at me the same way again if you knew what I did." The man, after a period of silence asked her to just please tell her what happened.

The woman's tears fell softly on her nightgown as she told the man everything. She poured out to him every little secret that nobody else had known. The man said nothing but continued to hold her tightly in his arms and rock her gently back and forth.

It was nearly four o'clock in the morning when she had finished explaining everything to him. She felt apprehensive, wondering what he was thinking, how he was going to react, would he still love her, would he ever look at her the same way again?

Again after a long silence the man spoke. "My dear," he said. "I love you and care about you deeply. You poured out your entire heart and soul to me. You told me things that no one else knew about yourself. You trusted me completely. You held nothing back from me. I have never loved you more than I do right now, even though I know what you did and I forgive you. Never be afraid to come to me with anything. I am always here for you whenever you need to talk. I will hold you in my arms until your tears are dried from your eyes and your heart is light. I love you and will never leave your side."

Afterward the man left and trudged back through the now freshly fallen snow. He walked into his house, placed his coat and hat on the coat hanger, walked upstairs and went to bed to sleep the day away.


To me this man in the story is Christ in the flesh. He willing left his own comfortable warm home to walk through the snow just to be with his girlfriend who was going through a rough time. He comforted her, listened to her tell everything that she was ashamed of and forgave her for every bad thing that she had said she had done. This man truly loved this woman. This story is a reminder that we shouldn't be afraid to come to Christ and one another with our problems. We should be confident in each others' love and mercy.

This story is also a reminder of how we should be to one another. We should be just like the man in this story. We should be Christ to one another, listening intently to one anothers shortcomings and failures and then still love them and forgive them for everything they had done against us. We are called to be Christ to one another and to be open to each other, to share in each others' sorrow and joy and most of all to love one another wholeheartedly, holding nothing back and not being afraid to forgive.

Light to Guide My Path

Lord I am a boat lost at sea in a storm, rocking back and forth uncontrollably. When I am out of control and am sailing away from You, You anchor me down and steer me in your direction. You keep me from harm and look out for me always.

When I am sailing blindly into the treacherous rocks of temptation and sin, you are a lighthouse to shed light so I do not wash up on shore and you light the way in which I should go.

And when I am broken and have washed up on the shore, you build me up again, you repair me and make me new.

You are my God and I love you. You never let me go. Let me never to be separated from you. You are my life and my God forever.

Writer's Prayer

Lord, you are my true inspiration. You inspire me with Your great love so much that I feel compelled to write about You.

As I write today may the words I write reflect how much I love you. Use my words to bring others closer to You, to comfort those who are suffering and to offer peace to those who are restless. Show your immense love for the world through my simple words.

As I continue to write, let my heart continue to chase after Yours, so that I may burst with love and share my thoughts and feelings for you with others so they may also know Your love.

Amen.

My Three Favorite Prayers

Last week my mom, Anne from Imprisoned in my Bones tagged me in a prayer MEME. I finally have it done, so here are some of my favorite prayers since I love so many. Thanks mom for tagging me! Here are the rules:

"Name your three favourite prayers, and explain why they're your favourites.
Then tag five bloggers - give them a link, and then go and tell them they have been tagged. Finally, tell the person who tagged you that you've completed the meme. The Liturgy and the Sacraments are off limits here. I'm more interested in people's favourite devotional prayers."


Act of Love to the Sacred Heart
Written by Merry Cardinal Del Val, secretary of state under Pope Saint Pius X


Reveal Thy Sacred Heart to me, O Jesus, and show me Its attractions. Unite me to It for ever. Grant that all my aspirations and all the beats of my heart, which cease not even while I sleep, may be a testimonial to Thee of my love for Thee and may say to Thee: Yes, Lord, I am all Thine; the pledge of my allegiance to Thee rests ever in my heart and will never cease to be there. Do Thou accept the slight amount of good that I do and be graciously pleased to repair all my wrongdoing; so that I may be able to bless Thee in time and in eternity.

Amen.


During the school year both my mom and my dad work so I have to take a school bus to school. The bus stop that I wait at is at a Catholic Church called "St. Gregory the Great." In the front of the church parking lot there is a statue of Jesus pointing to his Sacred Heart overlooking the busy street. While I would wait for the bus to take me to school every morning, I would pray the inscription on the statue which read, " Lord Jesus, just as your Sacred Heart burns with love for the world, make mine also be on fire with love for you." This prayer really stuck with me and I have a fierce love for Jesus and His Sacred Heart.

Prayer by Padre Pio

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You. Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak, and I need Your strength that I may not fall so often.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light, and without You I am in darkness. Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.

Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You. Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much and to be in Your company always.

Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You. Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of love. Amen.

St. Padre Pio as been one of my favorite saints for as long as I can remember. I loved reading the story of his life and the lives of those that he touched and inspired. I also loved the prayers that he would read and write and this is one of them.

Prayer to Our Lady of the Angels

Mary Most Pure with the angels in heaven, I sing of your glory and of your holiness before God. Through the angels who guard me, may the petitions of my heart be brought to you. Protect and guide me as my Queen and Mother all the days of my life.

Amen.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Simple yet wonderful prayer. Mary is our Mother and just as a toddler speaks to his or her mother using small and plain words, so we also speak to Mary plainly asking her to protect us and guide us in the ways of her Son.