Everyone can participate in the Vigil for all Nascent Human Life this Saturday

The Pope has invited bishops and parishes - but also groups and associations - to take part in the Vigil for all Nascent Human Life.  So - I offer here a choice of ways to do it!

• Attend the vigil at your parish;
• Investigate whether your Bishop is presiding  at a Vigil (The details for Westminster Cathedral can be found below.)
• Use the texts (those offered in Westminster, with Archbishop Nichols' address, can be found here) to participate privately from home;
• The Pope's Vespers for the Start of Advent, followed by the Vigil for Nascent Human Life will be televised on EWTN at 16:00 - 17:30 this Saturday 27th November.

========Westminster Cathedral==============

Vigil for All Nascent Human Life (1st Sunday of Advent)
On Saturday, November 27th at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate a Vigil for All Nascent Human Life coinciding with first vespers of the First Sunday of Advent. The Holy Father has invited all Diocesan Bishops to preside at similar celebrations.
Archbishop Nichols is presiding at a Vigil at Westminster Cathedral that evening.
The texts of that Vigil, together with a reflection from the Archbishop, are being circulated to parishes, for information.  There is no obligation on parishes to celebrate this Vigil, but some parishes may welcome the opportunity to do so. They are free to adapt the offered form of the Vigil if they wish.

Michael's Confirmation ... Traditional Rites ... and family prayer.

First of all a big thank you to Mulier Fortis for 'plugging' my blog. God bless her. We had a very interesting if brief chat after Michael's confirmation yesterday at Spanish Place. It was that kind of event - I saw lots of old friends and familiar faces - and was glad to meet new ones - each and all for a minute or two!

And here is my son shaking hands with Bishop Stack afterwards.  Photo courtesy of his sponsor the Ecumenical Diablogger himself! Michael really rose to the occasion, and I was very proud of him. When, later, my daughter was speaking to Fr Southwell, he asked if she had anyone in the family who was Confirmed. She said 'yes' - her younger brother, qualifying with - 'he was the one who didn't shake the Bishop's hand'. Fr Southwell remembered and said, most reassuringly 'He did kiss the Bishop's Ring though, which was far more important'!

Another Saturday ... another important event to miss. : (

My youngest (11) has come down with a mystery illness - a mouthful of ulcers - about 20 of them everywhere from his tongue right back to his tonsils! He's had only one or maybe two mouth ulcers in his life to date - so this is truly a mystery. He can't talk or eat, and the painkillers are not really helping.

Having seen a doctor, and administered the dreaded antibiotics, we've established there is no sinister cause. He is generally in the peak of health, and not prone to bugs or sickness at all, so this, out of the blue, is very strange.  After talking with other mums, I suspect it is stress; that he is 'run down', maybe due to the subconscious pressure of secondary school and its expectations of him. It's a fact that missed homework has consequences now, when only last year, I might never even have known if he failed to submit it. He certainly doesn't seem stressed or worried about anything at all - but the recession and my own stresses and dwindling income probably affects all of us. Something else to feel guilty about...

I have an interview on Monday - so anyone reading this yet - do pray please. It's not a job I really want - but I get so few interviews these days from all my applications - I'd be glad to get it!! My choices, skills and preferences play less and less a part in this job hunt.

In the meantime - I wanted to be a part of the 500 Crosses for Life Prayer Procession taking place as I write.  Three of my children will be there Thank God, and I know there will be a great turnout. But reparation for abortion, contraception, euthanasia and the generally anti-life culture is so desperately needed. So perhaps, I'll leave this little blog of mine for now, and go and add a Rosary to the efforts of those who actually turned up.

God bless,

The cost of chaos...

So ... though I failed to get to Toward Advent yesterday, my eldest went along and represented us!
I do miss the chance to catch up with people I no longer meet with very often - but in honesty, the social pull was my sole reason to go - I am always penniless at this time of year, after paying various annual bills, sending money into schools for various trips/events, supporting the numerous pro-life events in October - and this year, having bought two full sets of new uniform, as my youngest started secondary school, and his brother moved to a new school in September.

None the less, we had a productive day, being engrossed in various essentials - one honing a 'Personal Statement' for university applications giving me drafts every so often to edit/comment on - and one doing the homework he 'forgot' over the half-term!  The youngest was engaged in playing games and providing jokes and entertainment at intervals - secure in the knowledge that I received a letter from his school last week proclaiming his great achievements during the first half of this term, and praising him for all his efforts and the huge progress he has made!

Background

I am currently job-hunting - and finding it slow work incidentally. I have never had so few replies to applications! In the meantime I am earning little bits of commission from doing Jamie At Home parties (party sales of Jamie Oliver's Jme range of kitchen ware, scents and gardening accessories), and working on a plan to become a self-employed Virtual Assistant - taking on administrative work at home via the internet.

Little Saints and Great Feasts

God is Good!

I start this blog from a point of joyful exhaustion!
Despite my aching feet last night, I have to confess our All Saints Party yesterday (31st October 2010) was a great success - thanks to the participants! 12 families including mine, (over 50 attendees) packed into a classroom of St Teresa's School, for food, drinks, games and prizes - all scheduled around a Rosary, prayed together, for the Holy Souls. We had use of the grounds, where the apple-bobbing was stationed - but though many children played outside, it was cold and drizzly - so the indoor activities took over.