Bus Ride and Vigil for Life

Calvin and I made the bus trip with 50 other pilgrims from St. Jude, Lourdes, St. Antoninus, St. Leo, Our Lady of Victory, and St. Bernard to Washington, DC for the March for Life tomorrow.
The bus ride was long (11 hours)...Somehow, we ended up in the rear of the bus with the younger set. Very well-behaved kids, but still noisy. Oh well - it certainly could have been worse.
After checking in to the Quality Inn College Park, we attended the Vigil Mass for Life at the incredible Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Though it's the largest Roman Catholic Church in the US, there was still an overflow crowd. Mass was beautiful, but the audio and video for the overflow crowd in the 'Crypt Church' was lousy. Still an incredible experience, though.
Tomorrow, we wake up early for 6:30 breakfast, catch the youth rally and 10 am Mass at the Verizon Center, and then attend the March for Life at the National Mall and Supreme Court.

Sacramentum Caritatis Bulletin Articles - #2

From St. Jude's 8/26 bulletin (click here for Part 1):

Sacramentum Caritatis is organized into three parts, all titled ‘The Eucharist: a Mystery to be…(…Believed’, part 1) (…Celebrated’, part 2) (…Lived’, part 3). In the Introduction, Pope Benedict writes of the Eucharist as the ‘food of truth’, and connects the ‘innate and irrepressible desire for ultimate and definitive truth’ that we all have to ‘[t]he Lord Jesus, "the way, and the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6), [who] speaks to our thirsting, pilgrim hearts, our hearts yearning for the source of life, our hearts longing for truth.’ (SC, ¶2)
This introduction immediately establishes the real and uncompromising tone the Church uses in its teachings about the Eucharist. Christ is truly, really, and substantially present, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist. The truth of the ‘Mystery to be Believed’ is eternal and unchanging, not relative or symbolic.
When the Holy Father writes about the Eucharist throughout Sacramentum Caritatis, he teaches us that the sacrament itself and the celebration of the sacrament (the Mass) are one reality. To preserve our faith in the truth of the sacrament, it’s important to be faithful to the instructions the Church gives about the ‘Mystery to be Celebrated’.
The third part (‘A Mystery to be Celebrated’) follows naturally from our faith in and nourishment from the food of truth. Our encounter with God Himself in the Eucharist must continue to change us, and from that should flow a life lived in truth.

adapted from presentations written by Rev. Martin Fox, published at http://frmartinfox.blogspot.com; alt. GPW

CarePages updates

Great news from the Daniel's (keepdaninyourprayers) and Kurzhals' family (TheWrongGuy) Care Pages. Both Daniel and Bob are home, though still facing intense continuing treatments.

News from Daniel's mom (updated 4/29):
We are home and doing fine! No hospital visits last night. Dan had a lot of energy this weekend, which is good to see!

Great Bobby Brady reset from the same post:

His voice is also changing a little bit. It is higher pitched than usual. I tease him and call him Bobby Brady. Of course, he has no clue who I am talking about.

Daniel and his family continue to inspire and share their faith:

We have had mostly positive things to say about what is happening with Dan. I think we have done this, because he has actually been dealing with this in a very positive way. We really have not had to deal with all the bad side effects that could be happening when he has his treatments. I think we have our moments where we can't believe this is happening, but we have to be strong for him. It is quite stressful at times when you sit back and take everything in. It's also a thing where you learn a lot of patience, because things take time and you have
no control over what is going on. Thanks for the continued support and prayers!!!!!!!!!

If you're still having trouble counting your own blessings, read Bob Kurzhal's most recent post (from 4/25):

I do not mean to minimize the experience, but we really haven’t loss anything that is truly meaningful, as some of you have. In fact, I know our family has gained a stronger deeper faith, which, isn’t that what the Christian life is/should be all about.
Please allow me to pontificate. God answers all prayers, He just doesn’t always answer prayers in the way we want. If he did it would, we would all be running around like overly-indulged, spoiled little Christian (or maybe non Christian) brats. If needs or requests are delayed in a balanced manner, the individual becomes stronger, and develops, patience, faithfulness, and self-control.
God sent a bunch of angels to the aid of our family. Don’t take this the wrong way, but part of the problem is that many of you do not exactly look like angels (ie., wings), but nevertheless in my/our eyes you are.

The feast of St. Peregrine is May 4 - Pray, pray, pray!
Graciously hear the prayers for Daniel and Bob which we present O God, to you in honor of St. Peregrine, your beloved servant and patron of those suffering from cancer or other life-threatening disease. Grant that we may receive help in our needs through the intercession of him whose life was so pleasing to you. Hear us in the name of Christ, our Lord. Amen.

4/30 Update

Bob has had a setback and returned to the James a little early. Keep praying, and keep the faith for Bob, Kamela, and their girls.

It's a Sad, Sad, Sad, Sad World

So sad it can make one sick. Prayers for the souls of those who lost their lives, families and friends who lost loved ones, and the entire Virginia Tech community as it tries to move beyond the shock and fear of such carnage.

Amidst the tragedy:

Heroes young and old (HT Powerline).

Irony (this editorial was published in the Roanoake (VA) Times last summer - HT RCP).

Hope (HT Hugh Hewitt).

and, as always, the LORD.

Daniel's Care Page has been set up

For more information about Daniel's treatment and recovery, visit www.carepages.com, page name 'keepdaninyourprayers'.

Thanks to Uncle Mike and Aunt Ruthie for sending the information to me.

Praying to St. Peregrine for Daniel

Daniel B., a young 2nd grader in the St. Jude Parish family, has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, and is currently beginning treatment at Children's Hospital. Join Daniel's friends and parish family in praying to St. Peregrine that he and his family continue to be blessed with faith, grace, peace, and hope.

Prayer to St. Peregrine
O God, in St. Peregrine
You gave us an outstanding example of faith and patience.
We humbly ask You that,
by imitating him and by the help of his prayers,
we believe more fully in Your healing help,
bear the suffering of this life without wavering,
and come with joy to the peace of heaven.
(Pause here and silently recall the names
of the sick for whom you are praying.)
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory be...
St. Peregrine, pray
for me and for all who invoke your aid.
Amen.

Novena prayers adapted from EWTN and the John Brandi Co. #6216 holy card