7 QT: Answered Prayer, First Blessings, Saints, and Cats

1. This has been a week filled with both consolations and desolations. On the day when I was feeling most discouraged, the knock-out rose bush, which my husband gave me for Mother's Day last year had its first bloom. I took it as a blessing and as sign from St. Therese of Lisieux that my prayers were being answered. ( particularly since there were no blooms on that rose bush last year). Indeed, a few days later, more than one prayer was answered. Thank you, St. Therese for your intercession.

2. We were blessed this past week to be visited by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. We attended the Thanksgiving (for Ordination) Mass of a newly ordained Franciscan priest of our parish, Fr. Xavier, who gave us his first blessings. The Friars also had Eucharistic Adoration with a talk and Confession. That was the best confession I have had in years! During the music at Adoration, I felt as if God was personally speaking to me through the Friar's voice. I yearn to have a priestly religious order in our diocese.

3. I have been trying to sell my new book in order to make it back to Illinois to attend the Catholic Writers Conference in July and to see my family there again, as it has been many years since I have visited with some of them (due to lack of funds). If you have not read my book, I hope you will take a look at it and read the reviews, too.  I have been praying to St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Joseph for special blessings on all those who read my book, Learning to Love with the Saints: A Spiritual Memoir.

4. This past Monday was the feast of one of my favorite saints, St. Anthony of Padua. You can read more about him on my blog post HERE.

5.  One saint I can identify with is St. Germaine Cousin, a simple and devout young girl who lived in Pibrac, France in the late 1500s. She is the patron saint of the disabled and the abused. Her feast day was this past Wednesday.

6.  I have been busy gardening this summer and have been eating some of the radishes from my garden which have been delicious. We also have planted tomatoes, peppers, pumpkin, and peas. It has been in the 100's this week -- much too hot to do anything other than water the garden.  When it cools down a little, I will be planting more.

7.   I will leave you with this cute cat video:



Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Father's Day to all dads! :)

Jean

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