island life- in a monastery

Mother Irene Boothroyd, 93, a member of the Abbey of Regina Laudis, died at the Abbey on July 19, 2013, after a short illness. Our infirmarian for over 50 years, Mother Irene was a World War II Veteran who landed at Utah Beach in Normandy on June 16, 1944. She was a member of the Army Nurse Corps, participating in the drive across France and Belgium with General Patton's 3rd Army. We called her the nurse of the Battle of the Bulge as she not only cared for the wounded in that battle in the Ardennes during January 1945, but she often treated us as if we were at war! She attained the rank of Captain and during the Korean War she cared for wounded soldiers State-side.

Mother Irene had a fierce love for and dedication to our Foundress, Lady Abbess Benedict, caring for her physically and supporting her vision for the Foundation of Regina Laudis. For years she extended hospitality through her care of the Abbey guesthouses and in providing transportation at a time when she was one of very few community members with a driver's license. She was the one most of us met when we arrived for our first retreats before entrance into the monastery.

She was the first New Englander I ever met, and perhaps set the stage for what I still think that rare breed of Americans stands for: stoic, no-nonsense, very private, and independent, yet giving of themselves.

With Lois Grant (L)

Mother was a prayerful woman and never forgot the people she served with in war. "I always pray for all of those people who served in World War II because that’s when I served. And at the Abbey we pray for (and many times put in the prayers at Mass) all the veterans from World War II, some from the Pacific, some from Europe. But I always pray for those patients whose body my hands touched in a form of healing. Whether it be changing their wounds, soothing their brow, giving them penicillin, giving them blood or plasma, or just being present in their company. And I pray for the people with whom I worked and served."

A documentary film entitled "Uncompromising Valor" about Mother Irene's life and experience as a World War II Army nurse is in the final stages of production. She was a living archive with a memory for detail that was second to none.

(Photos and information from Abbey of Regina Laudis)

Mother Irene at her Consecration

Kathe Kollwitz

Much has been made of our new Holy Father Francis and his love of the poor of this world. He chose the name “Francis,” in honor of the saint who gave up his wealth to live among the poor. The Holy Father has shown a concern for the poor and disenfranchised, spending time among them, blessing and kissing the needy and disabled. In June Pope Francis got a lot more specific, calling on the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization to end the global food crisis.

“It is a well-known fact that current levels of production are sufficient, yet millions of people are still suffering and dying of starvation...This is truly scandalous. A way has to be found to enable everyone to benefit from the fruits of the earth, and not simply to close the gap between the affluent and those who must be satisfied with the crumbs falling from the table.”

M. Olickov-Mirolli- Serbia

Specifically, Pope Francis laid out what he called “financial speculation” that treats food like any other commodity and affects its global price, as well as the tendency to “look the other way” when presented with troubling needs like hunger. Everyone, he said, should have access to nutritious food.

When world hunger is spoken of so often Africa or parts of Asia come to our minds, but we forget the many thousands in our own country who do not have proper diets. Anyone who has lived in a big USA city or visited in the inner city has seen people searching for food in the dumpsters. New laws in our country ban markets and restaurants from giving away excess food which used to be donated to the needy, especially through food kitchens. Instead the food is dumped or burned.

Earlier the Holy Father attacked food waste in a speech in St. Peter’s Square on the United Nations’ World Environmental Day. “Once our grandparents were very careful not to throw away any leftover food. Consumerism has led us to become used to an excess and daily waste of food, to which at times we are no longer able to give a just value. Throwing away food is like stealing from the table of the poor and the hungry".

Betty Laduke

The Pope’s statements on food will come as no surprise to most Catholics. The Church has formed positions in recent years on issues surrounding food, and the humanitarian group Catholic Relief Services (CRS) believes that Catholics’ “commitment to the value of each human life should be reflected in both individual choices and in the policies and structures of society.” CRS’s principles emphasize the value of every human life, focusing on community-based solutions and small-scale farms; a special preference for the poor and vulnerable; workers’ rights; solidarity across national borders; and environmental sustainability.

Betty Laduke

Catholic Social Teaching and Food

The dignity of every human life is the foundation for Catholic social teaching (CST). The right to life for all persons, based on their identity as precious children of God, means that all people have basic rights to those things that are necessary for them to live and thrive, including the right to food. Our commitment to the value of each human life should be reflected in both individual choices and in the policies and structures of society. The bishops of the United States have reflected on CST, agriculture, and food in For I Was Hungry & You Gave Me Food and other statements, summarized below: Here I will list only the first three:

Protecting Human Life and Dignity.

Every person has a right to life and to the material and spiritual support required to live a truly human existence.The right to life includes the right to food and nutrition to sustain life and to enable a person to develop in dignity. The poverty and hunger that diminish the lives of millions in our own land and in many other countries are threats to human life and dignity and demand a response from believers.

Betty Laduke

The Call to Family, Community and Participation.

The human person is not only sacred but also social, living society impacts human dignity and the ability of persons to live in vibrant and healthy communities. Policies that favor larger scale farm operations can lead to a loss of economic viability for smaller scale family farms and the depopulation of rural communities. Hunger impacts families everywhere by interfering with children's ability to learn and develop and often forcing parents to sacrifice essentials, such as access to health care or children's education, in order to provide sufficient food for their families. Hunger and poverty in developing countries leads to increased immigration and family separation. Catholic social teaching urges that the voices of people suffering from hunger and smaller scale rural farmers and ranchers should be present in decision-making regarding policies that affect them.

Betty Laduke

Option for and with the Poor and Vulnerable.

We maintain a special concern for poor and vulnerable people, including those who are hungry here and abroad. The primary goal for food and agricultural policies should be access to food for all people and reducing poverty among the most vulnerable everywhere. Trade practices with poorer countries should be fair and should promote the dignity and welfare of farmers in those countries. Important moral measures of the global food and agricultural system are how their weakest participants are treated and whether the system provides access to basic nutrition for all.

Everyone can make a difference, no matter how small it may seem to us, it can be huge for another. There are many organizations out there that feed the poor. Find one and start your donating. It can be only a matter of a few dollars a month.Some families we know have a small meal once a week and the money they saved on a larger meal (usually with meat) goes to help others. Our Community is especially fond of Heifer International which donates animals and educates peoples in Third World countries. Giving food is one issue, but education is key in ending crises in our world: not only education of the poor, but of politicians and the wealthy. Jeff Bridge's efforts in no kids hungry.org. had brought the plight of the children in our own country to the awareness of many.

Annunciation with Knitting

Recently, I came across another unusual, but wonderful artist. ANTHEA CRAIGMYLE's childhood years were spent in the rambling old vicarage overlooking the Thames on Chiswick Mall, London. Growing up in a large family, she and her siblings spent their time exploring the area. With the onset of WWII, Anthea was shuttled between London and the country in an effort to protect her from the bombings, many of which she experienced while sleeping in the vicarage cellar among young Jewish refugees and neighbors. During her school years, Anthea had the good fortune to be taught by two remarkable teachers: first, Mrs. Henry Moore and then later, Kathleen Richardson, who nurtured Anthea’s growing capacity for visual description from imagination. At 17 she attended Chelsea School of Art and later traveled to India where she met and later married her husband.

Painting has always been an essential element of her daily life. The imagery of much of her painting throughout the 50’s and 60’s was drawn from childhood memories; neglected churchyards, gardens, and parks she associated with her experiences of WWII and her paintings frequently portrayed a somber mood.

Bringing in the Cattle

In the 70’s, Anthea made a conscious decision to change her approach. Her life experiences were much more positive and her pictures began to reflect her love of life and her enthusiasm for other people.

Recently, Anthea has returned to the Chiswick Mall where she paints in a studio not far from her childhood home. She frequently visits and paints the West Highlands where she finds inspiration.

Flight into Egypt

"The clean, romantic quality of her work is evocative both, immediately for what they show the eye, and more subtly in a dream-like, mystical way for what lies beyond. Anthea says, “I see everything in pictures. The muddle or chaos of war and indeed of war-lives means, I think, that I’m always trying to create order.” This gives her paintings the quality of a glance - sometimes amused - into a secure and, perhaps idealized, vision of the world. Her work is a powerful reminder that the spirit and essence of life never really changes".

In doing research on her life, I found her husband, Thomas Donald Mackay Shaw, more famous than Anthea. He was born in 1923, and became the third Lord Craigmyle on the death of his father in 1944. From his mother, the daughter of the first Earl of Inchcape (eminent ship owner and chairman of P & O), he came into an enormous fortune. He also inherited her wealth of gentleness and charm. It was said of him that he was blessed by a total absence of snobbery.

St. Francis & the Birds

Madonna Sewing

In 1955 he married Anthea, the gifted artist daughter of the High Anglican Canon Edward Rich.

In 1956 both came into the Catholic Church. Their marriage was a loving, successful partnership in every sense.

They had four sons and three daughters. Lord Craigmyle is best remembered for his generosity, to not only the Church, but to his family and many friends. He died in London in 1998 and Anthea returned to the area of her childhood, where she paints to this day.

Highland Sheep

Anthea painting

Feeding

I love her use of colors which at times blends into her shapes, giving that dream-like quality. In many of her paintings, one can almost reach out and touch the animals. My favorite is St. Columba in his garden in Scotland.

St. Columba

Blue-crowned mot-mot, Costa Rica

Rainbow Rosellas- Australia

It is not yet September but already the ducks are starting to arrive back for the winter. It has been a cool, and sometimes cold, summer with daily mornings of heavy fogs.

I have recently noticed that the most read of my blogs seem to relate to birding. No wonder as it is the fastest growing outdoor activity in the USA today.

In our present economy it is an inexpensive way to keep the family together, as children enjoy outings as much as adults. All you need are binoculars and a book or two.

Lily & James watching sea birds

I have found that it is very contagious and my friend Rick is a case in point. He is a young business man who travels a lot. He loves being outdoors and gets to see much of the West. Birds give him a focus to get out and about. His wife, who loves the outdoors as well, said to him one day, I have to see what this is all about. The same thing happened for my brother Greg. When I would visit family in S. California, my two brothers would take me birding along the coast. Greg later said to his wife, she is like a kid in a candy store when she spots something new. So he went home and set up bird feeders and enjoys walks looking for new birds..

What are some of the reasons we bird?

- Gives you a chance to share with others and to teach young children
- It sharpens your sight
- It encourages you to explore the world
- It provides you with opportunities to meet interesting new people with a common bond
No one in my community shares my passion for birds, so when I meet someone who does, it is like two souls meeting. (A fun movie to watch- which, kids seem to love- is The Big Year. This tells it all!)
- It provides a focus when you travel to new places- or old- and learn about the environment
- It takes you to out of the way places, which can lead to new friends & experiences
- It helps us to appreciate and treasure what is in nature
- It is great exercise and helps you to relax

Aidan Birding

How do you get started:

- Get several field guides. I have found over the years that not every guide tells you all the details. Go to Amazon or Half.com for used copies. No need to spend big bucks.

- When you go to other areas of the country or world get specific guides, for example, when I went to Texas I had a book just for that state. Places where there are many birds in a region, eg. SE Arizona or S. Calif., you can find books just for that area. Why have to page through a book of the whole US when someone has made it easier for you.

- Go for a bird walk. See what birds you find, talk about the habitat
- Set up a feeder area and learn to identify the birds they attract

Hummers at feeder

Goldfinches & woodpecker

-Join local trips and do bird counts (Christmas, Great Backyard (Feb.), and Migration in May)

- Internet searches can teach you much about birds (see sites below)

Tips for Successful Birding:

-There are two good times to study birds. One is at home before the trip, reading the
books so you’ll know what to look for. The second time is in the field, looking at the bird

-Walk and talk softly. Bird walks are good times for camaraderie, but not for socializing.
This is more important when watching and trying to listen to small forest birds than when watching large water birds. When you move do so slowly.

N. Cardinals- one of my top 10 favorites

-Stop a lot. Wait. Watch and listen. Let the birds come to you or pish ( a soft whistling sound) them out.
- Listen. Use your ears to locate birds. Directional hearing is important in getting your eyes in the general location of the bird.

-You should always have alifelist. (a list of birds that you've seen). Some even like to do local or state lists.

Places to help you get started:
    - Your local Audubon has information and even planned walks
    - birding.com   ( lists the 25 top Birding sites)
    -WWW.NPS.GOV (NATL PARK SYSTEM has lists of birds found in the park)
    -WWW.BIRDWATCHING.COM

- Birdingpal.org is a favorite of mine. People in areas of the world list their email
and when they can bird with you. I first tried it in my brother Jeff's area for Orange Co. A woman answered (who I later found was the pres. of the largest Audubon Soc. in S.C.). She had never had anyone call, so was a bit wary, bringing a friend. Turns out she lived just blocks from my family. She had originally said she had one hour. Four hours later she returned me home. My sister-in-law was sure I was being held for ransom!   I have birded many times with Dee and she always takes me to fab places for lunch on our trips.

Bolsa Chica- a favorite spot of mine in S. Calif.

When I went to Costa Rica I emailed a man, who was out of the country, but he put me in touch with a friend of a friend who became our "private" and wonderful guide in the north.

Internet Birding Links

    - Bird songs: I like this web site because it has neat bird sounds for a lot of birds, plus links to other bird song sites.
    - The Audubon Society: This Web site is great because it has great pictures and a list of almost endangered birds.

    -Birding on the Web has the most complete set of links for serious bird watchers.
    - Bird Feeders Online has good information on how to build bird feeders and nests.

    - Backyard Birding. This is about the best starting point for backyard birding. It has great links     to everything.
    - Bird On! has great descriptions of tons of birds, and great pictures (photos and paintings) of each bird.!
    - Cornell Lab of Ornithology(birding): This site has bird sounds of the week and the bird of the week.

So get started and enjoy life!!! You never know what can happen!

Unexpected friend- Australia

Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.
- Mother Teresa 1979

How do we seek God when we are in the midst of a crisis? Every one of us will face some crisis in our lifetime and these will be the times when our faith is tested. To follow Jesus means we will have to bear the cross, which involves suffering and doubt.

It is in these times that God calls us to seek Him. Daily prayer should be a part of our life, and in these crisis moments, our prayers should be intensified. Faith is not having the answers to why we are suffering. Just because the sun did not come up this morning due to heavy fogs, does not mean it is not there. While we may not have insights into the why, things may become clear to us later. Sometimes a crisis now, may prove to be the gift we enjoy later.

Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta is a great example to us of one who suffered doubt during her lifetime. Her letters show us another side of her life. The fact that she was able to continue her work during such torment is a sign of her deep faith.

Maqbool Fida Husain - India

“I call, I cling, I want, and there is no one to answer, no, no one. Alone. Where is my faith? even deep down right in there is nothing. I have no faith. I dare not utter the words and thoughts that crowd in my heart.”

Often in times of crises we don't know what to ask for. We feel like asking for a miracle, but doubt even our capacity for this. Our own limitations stop us in our tracks and threaten to take away our peace and hope. Such crises can lead to despair, or can lead us to humility and a deeper gratitude for God's love. In our helplessness, we can experience our need for Christ.

Remember on the cross, even Jesus asked: ‘My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?’”

One of my God-daughters has been diagnosed with two masses in her brain. One is on the brain stem, which may have been there for decades. The doctors are not worried about this, but rather the second mass in the cerebellum. A tumor in the brain can paralyze us with fear, as it has Amie. The weeks of waiting for further tests and surgeons decisions can be a time of panic and depression, or a time of blessings.

Monastery Winter Road

Early on in this whole "mess" Amie said to me: I would go to Lourdes and not pray for a miracle but for faith". Fear of the unknown is natural, but it can be transformed by faith and a turning to God to beg for help. Our fear can give way to an inner peace and trust in the God who loves us. Amie is 33 and is not sure what lies ahead of her. We pray that whatever her cross is, she will have the faith to endure, remembering: I am with you always!

This past week we again ventured over to our neighboring island for the annual Orcas Chamber Music Festival. The OICMF attracts very gifted and well-known musicians from around the world.

Many return to perform with Core Ensemble members Aloysia Friedmann and Jon Kimura Parker.

The Festival has grown to include a two-week summer concert series, a vital chamber music education program for preschools, K-12, and community musicians, plus an in-depth lecture series. Orcas Island's 5,000 residents plus other islanders and visitors fill the theater to capacity. Every concert is sold out and tickets must be gotten in Spring to ensure you get the program you want

Orcas Island

The Festival, established in 1998, is an award winning and nationally recognized gathering of world-class musicians, and as the title suggests- it don't get any better..

Aloysia Friedmann, the Founder and Artistic Director, plays violin (made in 1695 in Milan by Grancino) and viola (also a Grancino). She is married to the world- reknown Jon (Jackie) Kimura Parker. Her father Martin Friedmann was for years first chair at the Seattle Symphony. Her mother Laila Storch, played oboe. They have been friends with our resident musician Mother Felicitas, for years. Aloysia and Jackie live in Houston and have a daughter, Sophie, who just started high school. The Friedmann family has had property on Orcas since the early '50s.

The Parker-Freidmann Clan

Jon (Jackie) Kimura Parker, is an Internationally acclaimed concert pianist, born, raised, and educated in Vancouver. A true Canadian ambassador of music, Jackie has given two command performances for Queen Elizabeth II, and has performed for the Prime Ministers of Canada and Japan, and for the United States Supreme Court. A remarkably versatile artist, he plays anything as long as it has keys! He recently toured the Canadian Arctic as part of “Piano Six” performing the music of Beethoven, Chopin, Nirvana, and Alanis Morissette on an electronic keyboard for over 1,000 Inuit school students. On top of being extremely talented he is very down to earth and has a fab sense of humor.

Aloysia and Jackie

While every year is the best, it just seems to get better and this year maybe topped all the years. The theme was "Czech Mate". Most of the music was Dvorak which was glorious. The last movement of his "Miniatures for two violins and viola", was restrained eloquence. The strings of our hearts were touched! This music inspires us and encourages us to be better in what we do in our lives. It is a taste of heaven!

Laila pointed out to us, where in the world could you find 3-4 concertmasters on one stage? Martin Chalifour is concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Margaret Batjer is concertmaster of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and William Preucil of the Cleveland Orchestra. In Houston Aloysia is Associate Concertmaster for the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra.

THANKS ALOYSIA AND JACKIE FOR ENRICHING THE LIVES OF SO MANY!

James Hardman- Orcas artist, whose works were featured this year at festival

Pope Francis yesterday appointed a senior Vatican diplomat as his new Secretary of State, to replace Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. The Secretary of State is considered the top political and diplomatic position in the Vatican and in some instances he can stand in for the pope.

His replacement for the "number two" position at the Vatican, is Italian ARCHBISHOP PIETRO PAROLIN. He is currently the Catholic Church's envoy to Venezuela.

At 58, Archbishop Parolin is seen as relatively youthful for a top Vatican office. Some think he could help a process of renewal within the church, as well as making it more influential in the modern world.

"I feel the full weight of the responsibility placed upon me: this call entrusts to me a difficult and challenging mission," the Archbishop said in a statement.

Ordained in 1980, he was previously a Vatican envoy to Mexico, where he fought to gain legal recognition for the Catholic Church. His first foreign posting for the Vatican was in Nigeria where he became familiar with the problems in Christian-Muslim relations . He has worked on sensitive issues for the Church, including diplomatic relations with Israel and improving ties with communist China. In 2009, he was appointed papal nuncio to Caracas. He speaks Italian, English, French, and Spanish

In Vietnam

"I feel very strongly the grace of this call, which is yet another and the latest of God's surprises in my life," Archbishop Parolin said in a statement quoted by Vatican Radio.

Anna's Hummingbird

Rufous HB

After doing crows and Steller's jays for their birding projects, the Shaw group has decided to do something a bit more "Community" minded, getting other islanders involved in their project. For the next study they would like to target hummingbirds. More on their proposed plan at a later date.

HUMMINGBIRDS comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 3–5 inch range. The smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. Hummingbirds hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12–80 times per second (depending on the species). They are known as hummingbirds because of the humming sound created by their beating wings, which sometimes sounds like bees or other insects.

To conserve energy while they sleep or when food is scarce, they have the ability to go into a hibernation-like state (torpor) where their metabolic rate is slowed to 1/15th of its normal rate. When the nights get colder, their body temperature can drop significantly, slowing down their heart and breathing rate, thus burning much less energy overnight. As the day heats up, the hummingbird’s body temperature will come back up and they resume their normal activity. Hummers are also the only group of birds with the ability to fly backward. They can fly at speeds exceeding 34 mph. Individuals from some species of hummingbirds weigh less than a penny.

Hummingbirds are restricted to the Americas from southern Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, including the Caribbean. The majority of species occur in tropical and subtropical Central and South America. There are 328species in the New World and only 20 grace the United States, most of themfound in the Southwest.

Green-tailed trainbearer- Peru

Of this vast number I have so far seen52species: 9 in the USA,18 in Peru and 24 in Costa Rica. For the most part one has to wait until they come to you. In CR I was able to sit on a deck while a dozen or more species came to me all day long, then as the temperature dropped, I was able to watch them rest deep in trees or nestle in orchid greens where they spent the night.

Rainbow starfrontlet - Peru

In Washington state we have only two species west of the Cascade Mountains: the ever present Anna’s and the Rufous which usually arrives by May and departs for warmer, flower-producing weather by October. Males arrive 2 to 3 weeks earlier than females. Most hummingbirds of the U.S. and Canada migrate south in fall to spend the winter in northern Mexico or Central America.

Buff-bellied HB

At my brother's in California I have seen the gorgeous Costa's HB and in Texas in February I was able to see the Buff-bellied HB.

In Peru, it is hard to say which was my favorite. Most were found in the mountains or cloud forests. They were like tiny jewels as they flitted from plant to plant, sometimes as close as a few inches from our faces. Without my friend and guide I may not have been able to identify them.

In Costa Rica the very rare Snow-cap was daily under my window feeding on its favorite bush. One day a photographer came from afar to take pictures but alas my friend never showed up. The poor man left after two frustrating hours and no sooner had his car turned the corner then that bird appeared. While in the north dry coast of CR, we happened upon a guide who showed us the Blue-tailed HB which is not native to CR and had only been sighted once before.

Costa's HB

The Rufous Hummingbirdis one of several species that breed in North America and are wintering in increasing numbers in the warm subtropical southeastern United States, rather than in tropical Mexico. The Rufous Hummingbird nests farther north than any other species and must tolerate occasional temperatures below freezing on its breeding grounds. This cold hardiness enables it to survive brief temperatures below freezing, provided that adequate shelter and feeders are available.

The male's jewel-like throat feathers show brilliant, iridescent oranges, reds or violets when light strikes them just right. This throat patch is called a "gorget" after a piece of medieval armor that protected the throat. Females lack the gorget and have mostly green backs and light bellies.

Green thorntail- Costa Rica

Like other birds, hummingbirds communicate via visual displays. Hummingbirds are very territorial and have been observed chasing each other and even larger birds such as hawks away from their territories.

The earth's changing temperatures due to climate change are affecting hummingbird migratory patterns, causing different species to be spotted in locations well outside their normal range, where it may be harder for them to find food. Also as more and more people feed the HB they tend to stay year round, in warmer climes.

HB are considered to be symbols of peace, love and happiness. Ancient peoples held them sacred for their tireless energy and anxiety. In the Andes, the HB symbolizes the RESURRECTION, as it seems to die on cold nights, but comes back to life with the sunrise.

Fiery-throated HB- Costa Rica

In Native American culture, a hummingbird symbolizes timeless joy and the Nectar of Life. It's a symbol for accomplishing that which seems impossible and will teach you how to find the miracle of joyful living from your own life circumstances.

Everyone loves hummers. Anyone who has fed them on a regular basis knows they are unafraid to approach us and enter into relationship with us. These seemingly tiny and delicate birds are hardy and resilient, teaching us the miracles of God. One of the reasons I like to teach others about birds is summed up in the words of the Senegalese environmentalist Baba Dioum:

"In the end, we will conserve only what we love.

We will love only what we understand.

We will understand only what we are taught."

In April of next year I hope to add more HB to my list as I travel to the Mountains of SE Arizona with our Oblates. Think maybe these tiny jewels might be a good project for our Shaw 4- H kids next year?

Very rare Snowcap- CR

White-necked jacobin- CR

Another very rare- Blue-tailed HB- CR

"Tree"

When we attended the Orcas concert a few weeks ago (see blog 8/26 ) we passed one of our favorite places on the island, the Lambiel Museum (a blog on this later.) We were entranced by the new fence in front of the museum and I decided to do a little check on the artist.

The artist is TODD SPALTI of Orcas Island who originally hails from Pleasantville, Iowa. As long as he can remember, he has been drawing, carving, or painting. He entered design school at Iowa State in 1977, but not finding much inspiration there, left school and hit the road with his brother, driving west until they landed on the Oregon coast. They settled in Corvallis, where they worked as carpenters and on a wildlife refuge.

In 1981, Todd got a job as a counselor at Camp Four Winds (Orcas). There he encountered the carvings of Ernest Norling and other Northwest influences, such as artist Bill Holm, carver and scholar Steve Brown, and artist/iron-worker Richard Serra.

In addition to being a woodworker, cabinetmaker, and metal smith, Todd is also an accomplished painter. But lately he has gravitated toward larger works such as 'Tribute' a 14 feet tall, 2,000-plus pounds sculpture in front of the Orcas Island Historical Museum.

"Tribute"

The massive piece was inspired by a Salish carving he saw and a little-known creation myth. He was determined to combine Native and non-Native, ancient and modern, and the final work is truly unique. It's a tribute to Native American art and culture, to the beauty of our area, and to the many artists who inspired him.

Most of his work has been commissioned, which is reflected in a diversity of styles shown in his portfolio. Todd has works in collections from Orcas Island to Paris, France.

“My work has become more minimal over the years while it has also grown in scale," he said. "There is a power in old growth trees or in a dry canyon at dusk; in my work, I try to capture a small bit of the essence of this power.”

The fence at the Lambiel Museum is titled “Tree”. It is made of stainless steel, mild steel, aluminum, copper, bronze, chrome. The picture above (top) speaks of its beauty. Like many metal pieces it comes alive as the light changes and the figures seem to dance.

"Whale" (another fence at Lambiel Museum)

It has been almost one year (October 7) since my patroness was canonized, so I thought I would do a short update for her feast.

Paraclete Press has put out a revised edition of St. Hildegard of Bingen, Doctor of the Church: A Spiritual Reader.

"Meet the incomparable St. Hildegard: nourishing, challenging, and idea-bursting. This essential reader includes selections from her songs, theological texts, liturgical music, and letters and will stir and awaken your soul. Combined with an introduction to St.Hildegard’s life and era, a map of the saint's Germany, chronology, and a thorough bibliography/discography, St. Hildegard of Bingen provides the ideal introduction to the thought of this fascinating medieval mystic and the newest Doctor of the Church".

French

The author Carmen Acevedo Butcher has spent the last twenty years studying and teaching the women mystics of the Christian tradition to people of all backgrounds. She has written Incandescence: 365 Readings with Women Mystics, Hildegard of Bingen: A Spiritual Reader, and Man of Blessing: A Life of Saint Benedict (Paraclete). She is Associate Professor of English at Shorter University in Rome, Georgia, having earned her doctorate in Medieval Studies from the University of Georgia.

French

Katarzyna

Pieta

I am amazed when I look at art from other countries, how different it is from what I think of as great art.

A case in point, is a Polish woman, whose very simple, yet colorful paintings are considered national treasures of Poland. Her works look like those of a young child and yet in her naive simplicity she gets her message across. Her love of God is most evident in her art.

KATARZYNA GAWLOWA (1896-2002) was born in 1896 in the small village of Zielonki, close to Kracow, Poland. As a child she worked long and hard on her father's farm- working the fields, looking after the cows, and making trips to town to sell milk and vegetables. When she was inside of their humble thatched home, she would paint walls, filling every space with birds, flowers, saints, and angels. When her parents died, she moved to a neighboring house and continued her passion, painting holy figures on the walls. This practice continued for years and fed Katarzyna's spirit.

Jesus in the Garden

Jesus Entombed

In the early 1970's, a young artist from Krakow and Jacek Lodzinski, a collector, encouraged the now almost 80 year-old woman to do portable paintings. Though she was timid at first, she immediately loved the sensation of seeing her paintings framed. Before long, people visited her from Kracow, Warsaw, and countries whose language she did not understand. She was amazed that all of these people wanted to see her work.

Though much of Katarzyna's work is religious in nature, she painted objects from her own environment and events from her childhood, such as wedding feasts, pilgrimages, and folk bands. Her religious work most often features the Virgin Mary decorated with flowers, birds and butterflies. Katarzyna was not wealthy so her supplies were limited. Much of her work is on hard cardboard and plywood. Because she was taught not to waste, she wasted no space on her paintings, filling in many figures and often adding poems and lyrics in any free space. Her colors are generally bright, pure and direct, creating a two-dimensional feeling.

St. Veronica

Sacred Heart

On December 28, 1977 Kracow's Ethnographic Museum held an exhibition of her paintings, and art lovers were able to experience first hand an authentic talent that had grown out of contemporary Polish Folk Art. Katarzyna died in the 1980's, leaving behind a wealth of work. She is surely one of Poland's treasures.

Adam & Eve

Angel of the Birds-F. Dvorak

Diane Salamon

September 29 is the feast of St. Michael and other Archangels and October 2 the feast of our Guardian Angels.

In the past few decades ANGELS have gotten a “bad rap” by people who use them in all sort of weird contexts. But perhaps no aspect of Catholic piety is as comforting to parents as the belief that there is an angel who protects their children from dangers real and imagined. Yet guardian angels are not only for children. Their role is to represent individuals before God, to watch over them always, to aid their prayer and to present their souls to God at death.

Most of us who grew up Catholic learned the simple prayer:

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day, be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.

Bl. Pope John XXIII gave us this Meditation for the Feast of the Guardian Angels - 2 October 1959:

According to the teaching of the Roman catechism, we must remember how admirable was the intention of divine Providence in entrusting to the angels the mission of watching over all mankind, and over individual human beings, lest they should fall victims to the grave dangers which they encounter. In this earthly life, when children have to make their way along a path beset with obstacles and snares, their fathers take care to call upon the help of those who can look after them and come to their aid in adversity.

Lauren Ford- Our favorite

In the same way our Father in heaven has charged his angels to come to our assistance during our earthly journey which leads us to our blessed fatherland, so that, protected by the angels' help and care, we may avoid the snares upon our path, subdue our passions and, under this angelic guidance, follow always the straight and sure road which leads to Paradise... Everyone of us is entrusted to the care of an angel.

That is why we must have a lively and profound devotion to our own Guardian Angel, and why we should often and trustfully repeat the dear prayer we were taught in the days of our childhood.

May we never fail in this devotion to the angels! During our earthly pilgrimage we may often run the risk of having to face the natural elements in turmoil, or the wrath of men who may seek to do us harm. But our Guardian Angel is always present. Let us never forget him and always remember to pray to him.

Marc Chagall- Mainz Germany

Angels are servants and messengers from God. "Angel" in Greek means messenger. In unseen ways the angels help us on our earthly pilgrimage by assisting us in work and study, helping us in temptation and protecting us from physical danger. The idea that each soul has assigned to it a personal guardian angel has been long accepted by the Church and is a truth of our faith.

The concept of an angel assigned to guide and nurture each human being is a development of Catholic doctrine and piety based on Scripture but not directly drawn from it. Jesus' words, "see that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."

Catholics set up altars in honor of guardian angels as early as the 4^th century and devotion to the angels began to develop with the birth of the monastic tradition in the 6^th Century. St. Benedict gave it impetus as did St. Bernard of Clairvaux (the great 12th-century reformer), who was such an eloquent spokesman for the guardian angels that angelic devotion assumed its current form in his day.

Giuilanna Lazzarini

However, it was not placed in the General Roman Calendar until 1607 by Pope Paul V. The papal decree establishing the feast was cosigned by St.Robert Bellarmine, which has led some scholars to speculate that the feast was created under the influence of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits).

When one of us dies in the monastery, or someone related to us, or perhaps someone we do not know directly, we sing the beautiful and haunting:

"May the angels lead you into paradise;

may the martyrs come to welcome you

Chagal

and take you to the holy city,

the new and eternal Jerusalem." (Rite for Christian Burial)

I love the window of Marc Chagall which shows an angel carrying the soul to heaven. I have often used this to show children death is nothing to fear.

Saints Maria and Laura

Our Holy Father Pope Francis has been very busy since the first days of his election to the Papacy (March 13, 2013). Several weeks after, on March 27, he proclaimed Venerable, Moises Lira Serafin of Mexico and Antonio Kowalczyk of Canada.

April 7, he beatified Jose Gabriel del Rosario Brochero of Argentina.

This adds 5 more names to the heavenly roster for the AMERICAS.
These we will deal with in other blogs.

Two months later (May 12) he canonized his first saints: LAURA MONTOYA UPEGUI (1874-1949) fromCOLUMBIA, its first saint- a nun who gave her life to the indigenous people of her country.

As a young woman, Laura became an elementary schoolteacher to help support her widowed mother. Having developed her spiritual life through devotion to the Eucharist and meditation of the Scriptures, Laura felt drawn to the religious life of the Discalced Carmelites. Yet her zeal also instilled in her a longing for an active, missionary apostolate, particularly to assist the Indian peoples of South America. Laura was determined to combat the anti-Indian bigotry in her society, and to give her own life to the Indians’ evangelization. Finally, at the age of forty, having resolved to “become an Indian with the Indians to win them all for Christ,” Laura journeyed to Dabeiba with four other women to begin a religious congregation devoted to the service of the Indians, the Missionaries of Mary Immaculate and Saint Catherine of Siena. As mother superior, she imparted to the congregation a rule that combined contemplation with action. After having spent the last nine years of her life confined to a wheelchair, Mother Laura died on October 21, 1949.

The Holy Father held out St. Laura of St. Catherine as a source of inspiration to the country's peace process, attempted after decades-long conflict between rebels and government forces. Pope Francis prayed that "Colombia's beloved children continue to work for peace and just development of the country." The first pope from the Jesuit order, which is known for its missionary zeal, praised the Colombian saint for "instilling hope" in the indigenous peoples. He said she taught them in a way that "respected their culture."

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On the same day the Holy Father also canonized another Latin American woman, MARIA GUADALUPE GARCIA ZAVALA (1878- 1963) of MEXICO, who dedicated herself to nursing the sick and helped Catholics avoid persecution during a government crackdown on the faith in the 1920s. Also known as Mother Lupita, she hid the Guadalajara archbishop in an eye clinic for more than a year after fearful local Catholic families refused to shelter him. Pope Francis prayed that the new Mexican saint's intercession could help the nation "eradicate all the violence and insecurity," an apparent reference to years of bloodshed and other crime largely linked to powerful drug trafficking clans.

As a child, Maria Guadalupe of Zapopan, Mexico, would frequently visit the town’s Basilica. At the age of twenty-three, Maria suddenly changed her mind about plans to marry, sensing that she had a religious vocation. Upon learning of this, her spiritual director invited her to co-found with him a religious congregation for the care of hospital patients. In 1901 the “Handmaids of St. Margaret Mary and the Poor” was founded, with Maria as the congregation’s first mother superior.

She nursed the sick physically and spiritually, sustained by her devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, while leading a life of strict poverty, in accord with her maxim that she and her fellow sisters should be “poor with the poor.” During the worst years of the Mexican government’s persecution of the Catholic Church, Mother Maria risked her own life to shelter priests at her hospital. Her charity to those persecuting the Church prompted some of them to defend the hospital from attacks. Mother Maria died on June 24, 1963.

The pope also hailed the Mexican saint for renouncing a comfortable life to work with the sick and poor, even kneeling on the bare floor of the hospital before the patients to serve them with "tenderness and compassion."

Mother Lupita's example, said the Holy Father, should encourage people not to "get wrapped up in themselves, their own problems, their own ideas, their own interests, but to go out and meet those who need attention, comprehension, help" and other assistance.

Another North American added to the roster of "saints to be" this year is VENERABLEofMEXICO who was born in Tlatempa, municipality of Zacatlán Puebla on September 16, 1893 and died in Mexico City on June 25, 1950.

He is the founder of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity of Mary Immaculate. When he was five his mother died, which would mark his life. His father was a teacher and traveled a lot, forcing the family to moved regularly as the job required it, which contributed to Moses' restlessness.

Moses studied at the Seminary of Puebla and later in 1912 he entered the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit being invited personally by the founder of the Congregation, where he became the first novice. He was ordained on May 14, 1922. He lived through part of the religious persecution in Mexico, which did not prevent his apostolic zeal from ministering to his people. He visited the sick in hospitals and in prisons he would bring the Eucharist.He was friend and protector of children and all those who were suffering. In all he did he was generous and courageous, risking imprisonment, banishment, and even death.

He moved to Rome where he lived until 1928. On March 29, 1934 he founded the Congregation of Missionaries of Charity of Mary Immaculate, with the mission to help all men to live as beloved children of God: to serve the Church in the sick and the elders who were lacking Christian formation and education.

Bl. Jose on his muleMalacara

BLESSED JOSE GABRIEL del ROSARIO BROCHERO(1840-1914) of ARGENTINA was just beatified by Pope Francis. The ceremony took place in the small town of Cordoba Villa Brochero on September 14th of 2013 with 200,000 faithful attending.

He was known by the people as the gaucho priest ( I love these "horseback priests", such as Father Kino of Arizona). Bl. Jose first served as a priest at the Cathedral in Cordova, then in 1869 left for the town of Villa del Transito. The area, immense in size (4336 square kilometers) consisted of valleys and mountains (6,000'), untamed and almost deserted, infested with robbers and fugitives. Its 10,000 poor inhabitants were scattered, with no roads, no schools, and no conveniences.

Here Bl. Jose gave his life for the needs of the people. With his hands he built churches, chapels and schools, and opened up roads between the mountains, dug canals and dams, encouraging people to join him. He also established mail and telegraph services, opened a college for girls and brought nuns to educate.

[Brochero] is a man of flesh and bones. He says Mass, confession, helps people to die, baptizes, blesses marriages, etc... Yet he is an exception: he practices the Gospel. Are you missing a carpenter? He is a carpenter. He rolls up his cassock, takes the shovel or hoe and opens a public road in 15 days, aided by his parishioners. He's all! and does it all with a smile, for the glory of God and the good of men, and all goes well done because it is done thoroughly. He did everything with his own hands! Miracle? No. The thing is very simple. It's a matter of honesty and willingness. In other words: it's a matter of taking seriously the apostolate, as done by the Cure Brochero.
(Passage of a newspaper article, 1887 Cordoba, compiled by Ms. Liliana De Denaro)

Bl. Jose with leprosy

In his old age Bl. Jose fell ill with leprosy as a result of living with patients. Before his death he became deaf and blind.

His canonization process began in the 1960s. He was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II in 2004. May 10, 2012, a medical board declared that the child's recovery from an automobile accident could not be explained. The child was near death with loss of bone of the skull and brain tissue. His father had asked Ven. Brochero to intercede for the life of his child Nicholas.

With his beloved mule and later horse (both"Malacara") he rode up and down the mountains and into the valleys, building and saving souls.
His spiritual achievements can not be measured in that stone desert place which now bears his name.

The Roman Catholic Church has been an important part of early Canadian history. A French priest traditionally accompanied the great explorer Jacques Cartier who said the first ever recorded Holy Mass on Canadian soil on July 7, 1534, on the shores of the Gaspé Peninsula. It was followed by conversion of the First Nations into the fold of Catholicism. Soon after, more and more religious congregations set foot in Canada specially among French-speaking present-day Quebec.

Venerable Marie Elisabeth

At present on the roster of saints and saints to be there are12 Saints, 13 Blesseds, 9 Venerables, and 26 Servants of God, with eight others having open causes awaiting approval. We will deal with some of these interesting Canadians in the future.

Today, October 13, another Canadian religious woman is on her way to sainthood as Pope Francis recognized the heroic virtues of SISTER MARIE ELISABETH TURGEON. The Quebec-born religious founded the Sisters of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary of St. Germain in Rimouski Quebec. She was born in 1840 and died in 1881 in Rimouski, Quebec.

The order dedicated itself to teaching and training other women to become teachers. The Congregation of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary is still active today in Quebec, Labrador, the United States, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua.

Another one to be added to the list of potential saints, and the first one to be named in Western Canada is VENERABLE ANTHONY KOWALCZYK. He was born June 4, 1866 in Dzierzanow, Poland of devout Catholic parents. After apprenticing in Poland, he traveled to Germany to pursue work as a blacksmith. It was here that he became acquainted with the work of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and joined them as a religious brother. Anxious to work in the missions he came to CANADA in 1896.

He was posted to Lac-la-Biche where he had a terrible accident at the mission saw mill. His hand was caught in a pulley so he had to withstand a 120 mile journey by horse and buggy to Edmonton, over terrible roads, to receive treatment. He endured the journey without complaint, but by the time he reached Edmonton, six days after the accident, gangrene had set in and the arm had to be amputated. The surgery took place without anesthetics. Brother Anthony meditated on his Oblate cross and gave no indication of being in pain.

After his convalescence at St. Albert, Brother Anthony moved to Saint Paul-of-the-Metis. Here he worked with the Indian and Metis, praying with them and helping them with their worldly needs.

Brother Anthony's longest posting was at St. John's College in Edmonton where he served from 1911 to 1947. To the students and staff, he was "Brother Ave", known for his devotion to the Blessed Mother. When students requested his prayers during examinations, he would remind them to say an "Ave". When the washing machine refused to work, he would drop to his knees, say an "Ave" and the machine would begin working. He spent long hours, after his many jobs as gardener and handy man at the College, in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Brother Anthony was beloved by all. He was a humble, devout and obedient brother, truly living his religious vows.

At one point he even became the pig-keeper. One year there was a storm which destroyed part of the seed crop which was to supplement the food of the pigs. Nearby was a turnip field, excellent food for animals, which was ready to be eaten. But to reach it, one had to pass through a field of oats that was not yet ripe enough to be cut. The superior told Brother Anthony to lead his pigs through the oats to the turnips.

“Be careful, he added, I don’t want to see your animals stop on the way to touch the oats.” “But, Father, it is impossible.” “Impossible? The word does not exist in French. Go!” “Very well, my Father, you want, I take pigs.”

Before entering the pigsty, Brother Anthony knelt and recited his Ave. He got up, opened the gate: “Kiou, Kiou, Kiou! follow me, come to eat.” The pigs rushed out of the enclosure. There were approximately 150 of them moving towards the almost ripe oats field. “Kiou, Kiou! I forbid you to touch these oats. Let us go, we must go further; follow me.”

Then the superior, the Sisters and the Métis who watched this procession of famished pigs from a distance, witnessed a miracle. Brother Anthony turned into a narrow path between two rows of oats. For a moment, the pigs hesitated, as if consulting each other. Then one after the other they followed submissively behind their master. Not touching one stalk of oats, they all followed into the turnip field.

As an immigrant, Brother Anthony experienced loneliness, difficulty with language, alienation in a new culture. Brother Anthony died July 10, 1947 and is buried in St. Albert, not far from downtown Edmonton.

It is hoped that one day, Brother Anthony Kowalczyk will be named patron saint of immigrants throughout the world.

The Infant in Prague

When I was a child in Catholic school, every classroom (at least at my school) had the INFANT of PRAGUE. The Child had an entire wardrobe of brightly colored clothes (in those days made by the mothers who could sew (my non-Catholic mother could not). With major feasts His "dress" was changed to fit the feast, for example it would be purple all through Lent and Advent, red for martyrs, and white for very special feasts, with green throughout the "common" of the year- which meant everything else!

Devotion to the Infant King became particularly popular in the Middle Ages with great saints like Bernard of Citeaux and Francis of Assisi. Their love for the Sacred Humanity of our Lord found expression in hymns, poems, songs, and sermons that attracted others to this devotion.

His wardrobe

I suppose it is one of those childhood memories one tucks back into the attic of the mind, so when I visited Prague in 1998 you can imagine my surprise when the first Mass I attended was at the Carmelite Church of Our Lady Victorious in Malá Strana where the original Infant lives.

The Church at first glimpse

The Infant Jesus of Prague is a 16th-century Roman Catholic wax-coated wooden statue of The Child Jesus holding an orb topped with the Cross which symbolizes Christ's (the cross) dominion over the world (the orb). It allegedly holds miraculous powers especially of healing which is how I came across it recently, looking for the patron of knee ailments (more on this later).

The statue's two fingers raised in a blessing gesture symbolizes the two natures of Jesus Christ (God and man) and the three folded fingers represent the Holy Trinity.

The exact origin of the Infant Jesus statue is not known, but historical sources point to a small 19 inch high sculpture of the Holy Child with a bird in his right hand presently located in the Cistercian monastery of Santa Maria de la Valbonna in Asturias, Spain which was carved around the year 1340. Many other Infant Jesus sculptures were also carved by famous masters throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. Often found in early medieval work, the significance of the bird symbolizes either a soul or the Holy Spirit.

Undressed

The earliest history of our statue can be traced back to Prague in the year 1628 when the small, 19-inch high, wooden and coated wax statue of the Infant Jesus was given by Princess Polyxena von Lobkowicz (1566–1642) to the Discalced Carmelites, to whom she had become greatly attached.

Red for Martyrs

The princess had received the statue as a wedding gift from her mother, María Manrique de Lara y Mendoza a Spanish noblewoman, to whom it had been a wedding gift in Spain (1555) and who had brought it to Bohemia. An old legend in the Lobkowicz family insists that Doña María had been given the statue by St Teresa of Avila herself.

Upon presenting it, the pious Princess Polyxena is said to have uttered a prophetic statement to the religious: "Venerable Fathers, I bring you my dearest possession. Honor this image and you shall never want". The statue was placed in the oratory of the monastery of Our Lady of Victory, Prague, where special devotions to Jesus were offered before it twice a day.

In 1630, the Carmelite novitiate was transferred to Munich. With the transfer of novices, Prague lost its most ardent devotees of the Infant. Disturbances in Bohemia due to the Thirty Years War brought an end to the special devotions, and on November 15, 1631, the army of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden took possession of Bohemia's capital city. The Carmelite friary was plundered and the image of the Infant of Prague was thrown into a pile of rubbish behind the altar.

Elegant dress in European style

Here it lay forgotten, its hands broken off, for seven years, until it was found again in 1637 by a Father Cyrillus and placed in the church's oratory. One day, while praying before the statue, Father Cyrillus claimed to have heard a voice say, "Have pity on me, and I will have pity on you. Give me my hands, and I will give you peace. The more you honor me, the more I will bless you." Since then, the statue has remained in Prague and has drawn many devotees worldwide who go and honor the Holy Child. Claims of blessings, favors and miraculous cures have been made by many who pray before the Infant Jesus.

Amazingly enough, after a month in Eastern Europe and the area, my last Mass was again at this Church, so I was able to say "sbohem, děkuje" (goodbye and thank you).

The Infant's patronage is especially sought for vocations, health, financial well-being, good family life, schools, the welfare of children, freedom and peace, the missions and safety in travel.
In this day and age, when young children are exposed to so much that is "scarey" for them, it would not be a bad idea to reintroduce this wonderful devotion of the Child who watches over them.

Inside the Church in Prague

As I look forward to my 2nd knee replacement this week, I pray that my childhood "Friend" will give me patience, rapid healing and increase of love for Him. An Island friend has set me up with a laptop so I will try to keep the blog going while in "rehab". Blessings!

Prague

Our Lady of the Congo

Several years ago, we had a wonderful young priest with us for a year- from the Congo. Before he came, people told us we would love him, as the people of this country are very cheerful, almost child-like. We found this to be true and loved Father Jean Pierre's homilies especially when he sang to us.

Having had Father here (he still returns to us for his annual retreat) we took an interest in his country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), and especially these days when the blood seems to run so frequent. Even though Christianity is the majority religion (50% are Catholic)), one wonders what these people, at least their leaders, have been taught.

Sister Angelque

Until 1960 we knew this country as the Belgian Congo. With over 215 different mother tongues, the DR Congo is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. This means that when two Congolese people meet at random, it is extremely unlikely they will speak the same native language. Could this possibly contribute to the major problems of the day?

The Second Congo War, beginning in 1998, devastated the country and is sometimes referred to as the "African world war" because it involved nine African nations and twenty armed groups. Despite the signing of peace accords in 2003, fighting continued in the east of the country in 2007. There, the prevalence of rape and other sexual violence has been described as the worst in the world. The war is the world's deadliest conflict since the Chinese Civil War, killing 5.4 million people since 1998. More than 90% were not killed in combat, dying instead from malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition, aggravated by displaced populations living in unsanitary and over-crowded conditions that lacked access to shelter, water, food and medicine. Forty seven percent of those deaths were children under five. Until today the ongoing conflicts exacerbate the exhaustion of the country's great agricultural potential. Conflict for control of the mineral wealth is behind some of the most violent atrocities

On September 30th of this year SISTER ANGELIQUE NAMAIKA(age 46) was presented with the Nansen Refugee Award Medal in Geneva for her extraordinary work in the DRC. Established in 1954, the Nansen Refugee Award is awarded annually by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to an individual, group, or organization in recognition of outstanding service to the cause of refugees, displaced or stateless people.

The Award

Sister Angelique's work includes assisting women and children in settling back into community life and teaching them how to sustain their own living after being abducted, abused and displaced by the Lord’s Resistance Army which has attacked and looted villages; killed, maimed, and kidnapped residents; and abducted children to serve as porters, sex slaves, and soldiers,

Having been displaced by the LRA herself, Sister Angelique knows what it is like to flee one’s home, and she thinks the best remedy is empowerment.

“We have to help women to become independent, to support themselves and their families without being obliged to depend on their husbands. That way they learn their true value”.

In the Center for Reintegration and Development, where Sister Angelique works, she individually counsels women and girls who have been traumatized, teaches them the national language, Lingala, and shows them how to sow and bake. There is no electricity, no running water, and no paved roads.

But she is inspired by the Bible and by a German nun who came to visit her chapel to help the sick when she was nine years old. “There was so much work to do, the nun did not have time to eat or rest. I told myself I will do everything I can to become like her and to help her, so that she may rest”.

“When I see children without parents it touches me, because I grew up in a loving home with my family all around me. So despite the poor conditions I do my best to help. I am not discouraged, even if resources are low...God is my strength”.

With Pope Francis

SEPT. 28, the Holy Fatherbeatifieda young martyr with two more to follow in the coming weeks. They are from different countries and all were executed for their faith in the 20th Century.

BL. MIROSLAV BULESIC (1920-47) was a Croatianpriest who died under Communist persecution in 1947. Born of Pius parents, he later studied in Rome at the Gregorian University. He became a priest (1943) during WW II. At the time in Istria (area of Croatia) there were three armies - partisan, German and Italian. Bl. Miroslav devoted his life especially to the education of children and youth and to those who were in need. He gave himself to all people saying: "I am a Catholic priest and I divide the holy sacraments to all who request it - Croat, German, Italian .

"He received threats from all sides, and in his diary, wrote: "My life I give You completely for Your flock ... I die for Your glory and the salvation of their souls."

In 1946 he became a teacher in the Seminary and High School in Pazin. He also fought for freedom of religion. In the spring of 1947 the Communist government presented the "Five-Year Plan", which promoted work on Sundays, a ban on religious education in schools and the removal of the Church from public life. Bl.Miroslav was adamantly opposed, along with other priests.

Bl. Miroslav

The Communists wanted to prevent Mass and confirmation, but failed. In August the Communists attacked Bl. Miroslava in the parish house and stabbed him in the throat. His blood filled the hallways of the rectory and he died of his wounds. At the time it was said: The Communists have lost, they killd a young priest, who is now a martyr. He was beatified in his own country in Pula.

BL. ROLANDO RIVIwas born in Reggio Emilia, Italyin 1931 to a farming family. He became a seminarian with a plan to become a missionary priest. He was abducted, abused and tortured for three days, and then murdered by Communist partisans for being a Christian, April 13, 1945 in a wooded area near Piani di Monchio, Modena, Italy. He was only 14 years of age.

Rolando Rivi is the first Italian Blessed, who was in a junior seminary and the first among the 130 priests and seminarians who were killed during the Civil War with Italian Communists. He was be beatified October 5.

BL. ISTVAN (STEPHEN) SANDOR was born in 1914 in Szolnok,Hungary. He was a printer studying to become a Salesian working especially with youth.

In 1950, the government banned the operation of religious orders which meant the dissolution of the Salesian order. Bl. Istvan found a job, but also continued, now underground, to work with youth teaching catechism.

Arrested in 1952 by the Hungarian Communist authorities in a crackdown during which all religious groups were outlawed, he received a show trial in October and was sentenced to death by hanging for being actively Christian. His beatification was October 19.

The books on their lives are not yet in English, but they are no less BLESSED!

While she never visited the USA in her lifetime, MOTHER MARIA THERESIA BONZEL, foundress of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, made foundations in this country.

There are four provinces in the U.S. and a mission in Brazil.

Mother Maria Theresia was born Aline Bonzel Sept. 17, ( the feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis) 1830, in Olpe, a small town in the Sauerland area of Germany. She was the daughter of wealthy citizens of Olpe. Her father died early, and her mother raised her with a strong faith. Aline believed she was called to religious life but her mother protested. Eventually she allowed Aline to enter religious life.

Many difficulties, including heart disease, stood in her way until age 29, when she joined with two of her friends to form a community, although not the Franciscan sisters for whom she would eventually become foundress. This new community experienced conflict with another community doing nursing in Olpe and friction among its own co-founders. Causing more tension was Sister Maria Theresia’s wish to use the Franciscan rule, which ran counter to the established Augustinian rule. The Church authorities stepped in to create two communities. Sister Maria Theresia became the superior of the new community in Olpe, and the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration came into existence in 1863.

Mother Theresia was resistant to founding this new group, the Poor Franciscans of Olpe, but did what was asked of her. She wrote the Constitutions after the Rule of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis. She also needed to form a way of life, a style of clothing and provide for the economic needs of the new congregation.

She sought to combine the contemplative and active religious life through an unfailing commitment to perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the works of mercy in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi.

Mother Theresia started schools of advanced education for girls, and they began to provide nursing outside Olpe. During the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), she sent sisters to nurse victims of war, and five sisters eventually died from the diseases contracted there. Mother Theresia and 20 of her sisters were awarded medals by the Emperor for their service.

Their ministries came to an abrupt halt with the beginning of Chancellor Bismarck’s attempt to control the Church. To evade having the young community’s property confiscated as “church property,” it became the property of Aline Bonzel, Mother Theresia’s maiden name. Soon new candidates could not be accepted. The community was at a standstill, forbidden to perform most of their ministries.

At the invitation of Bishop Dwenger, Mother Maria Theresia sent seven sisters to Lafayette, Ind. in 1875. In the U.S. they could not only nurse freely, but were asked to become teachers to the children of German immigrants. Soon more sisters were needed for the work in Lafayette. Since the Kulturkampf forbade accepting any new members into the community, Mother Maria Theresia secretly invested three young women during the night and sent them in lay clothes to America. She even considered sending the entire community to the U.S. But by 1850 the legislation of the Kulturkampf, still in effect, was no longer enforced. Growth came quickly in Germany.

In 1875, Mother Maria Theresia sent six members of the order to the United States, where they established hospitals, schools and other institutions. The nuns landed in New York Dec. 12, 1875, and continued on to Lafayette, Ind., where they established a hospital.

Today, the sisters operate 14 hospitals across the Midwest and serve God’s people, the poor and vulnerable in Colorado, California, and New Mexico.

The remainder of Mother Maria Theresia’s life was spent leading the community in Germany. At each election for the general superior she was overwhelmingly elected, despite her wish to leave that office. In 1900 she was awarded the medal of the Order of the Red Cross by Emperor Wilhelm II in recognition of the great work of the congregation. In 1903 she was near death for weeks, but recovered. In 1904, despite her protestations and weakening health, she was reelected general superior. Mother Maria Theresia died Feb.6, 1905.

Her first miracle occurred with the sudden healing of a 4 year old boy living in Colorado Springs. She will be beatified Nov. 10 in Paderborn, Germany.

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A MARRIAGE OF TWO SOULS- ART AND CHARITY

BIRDING 101

EVEN SAINTS DOUBT

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER! LOCAL MUSIC- FROM AROUND THE WORLD

VATICAN UPDATE

NATURE'S FLITTING JEWELS - A SIGN of RESURRECTION

LOCAL ART

HAPPY FEAST DAY

A NATIONAL TREASURE

ANGELS GET BAD RAP

NEW SAINTS FROM A NEW POPE

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THE HORSEBACK PRIEST of ARGENTINA

THE HOLY CANADIANS

THE INFANT WHO HEALS

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NEW BLESSEDS FOR ALL SAINTS DAY

MIRACLE IN COLORADO