My Name-Patron Saint, St. Rose of Lima, Peru

St. Rose of Lima, Peru

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5rBjmwP27s

Hello my dear friends in Christ!

I found this lovely Holy Card illustration (from Holy Cards for your Inspiration blog) because I had been searching for my Name Saint. My real name is not Bella, but is Rosalind (Roz) and when I looked up names for Catholic children and their corresponding saints, St. Rose of Lima, Peru popped up for my name. I think that this is so wonderful because I have wanted to visit Peru for the longest time. Has St. Rose been calling me gently to visit her country and continent? We'll see and I'll let you know if I am ever fortunate enough to visit!

It is also very interesting to me because the rose is my absolute favorite flower, of which I post numerous photos of my garden on my other blog: La Bella Vita (listed on the side bar on the right). St. Rose is also of Latin (Spanish) descent and I am as well (Italian). And lastly, she was born in April and so was I!

Here is a little more on St. Rose of Lima (source: American Catholic Saint of the Day and a simple yahoo.com inquiry)

St. Rose of Lima, Patron Saint Day: August 23rd
(1586-1617)

The first canonized saint of the New World has one characteristic of all saints—the suffering of opposition—and another characteristic which is more for admiration than for imitation—excessive practice of mortification.

She was born to parents of Spanish descent in Lima, Peru, at a time when South America was in its first century of evangelization. She seems to have taken Catherine of Siena as a model, in spite of the objections and ridicule of parents and friends.

The saints have so great a love of God that what seems bizarre to us, and is indeed sometimes imprudent, is simply a logical carrying out of a conviction that anything that might endanger a loving relationship with God must be rooted out. So, because her beauty was so often admired, Rose used to rub her face with pepper to produce disfiguring blotches. Later, she wore a thick circlet of silver on her head, studded on the inside, like a crown of thorns.

When her parents fell into financial trouble, she worked in the garden all day and sewed at night. Ten years of struggle against her parents began when they tried to make Rose marry. They refused to let her enter a convent, and out of obedience she continued her life of penance and solitude at home as a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic. So deep was her desire to live the life of Christ that she spent most of her time at home in solitude.
During the last few years of her life, Rose set up a room in the house where she cared for homeless children, the elderly and the sick. This was a beginning of social services in Peru. Though secluded in life and activity, she was brought to the attention of Inquisition interrogators, who could only say that she was influenced by grace.

What might have been a merely eccentric life was transfigured from the inside. If we remember some unusual penances, we should also remember the greatest thing about Rose: a love of God so ardent that it withstood ridicule from without, violent temptation and lengthy periods of sickness. When she died at 31, the city turned out for her funeral. Prominent men took turns carrying her coffin.

Virgin, born at Lima, Peru 20 April, 1586; died there 30 August, 1617.St. Rose of Lima is the patroness of Latin America and the Philippines. This South American Saint's real name was Isabel, but she was such a beautiful baby that she was called Rose, and that name remained.

As she grew older, she became more and more beautiful, and one day, her mother put a wreath of flowers on her head to show off her loveliness to friends. But Rose had no desire to be admired, for her heart had been given to Jesus. So she put a long pin into that wreath and it pierced her so deeply, that she had a hard time getting the wreath off afterward. Another time she became afraid that her beauty might be a temptation to someone, since people could not take their eyes off her. Therefore, she rubbed her face with pepper until it was all red and blistered.

St. Rose worked hard to support her poor parents and she humbly obeyed them, except when they tried to get her to marry. That she would not do. Her love of Jesus was so great that when she talked about Him, her face glowed and her eyes sparkled.

Rose had many temptations from the devil, and there were also many times when she had to suffer a feeling of terrible loneliness and sadness, for God

seemed far away. Yet she cheerfully offered all these troubles to Him. In fact, in her last long, painful sickness, this heroic young woman use to pray:

"Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase Your love in my heart."

Many miracles followed her death. She was beatified by Clement IX, in 1667, and canonized in 1671 by Clement X, the first American to be so honoured. Her feast is celebrated 30 August. She is represented wearing a crown of roses.

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~ bella

Thank You For This Blog Award . . . I Am Truly Honored!

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To one of the most spiritual Catholic bloggers on the web, Esther, of "Catholic Mom in Hawaii", I extend my humble gratitude for your kindness and acknowledgement in honoring me through this blog award . . . what can I say, but "WOW"! Mahalo, dear Aloha friend.
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Now I realize that there are a few rules that one must adhere to in their acceptance of a blog award, and so here are a few simple rules for this particular blog award in order to pass on the love to others!

1. Copy the picture above and post it on your blog.
2. Pass it on to who you think who is/are deserving.
3. Leave a message to them.
4. Pass as many as you want.
5. Message back or leave a comment to the owner.

With love and encouragement to carry on the good Word of and works for the Lord, I joyfully pass this award on to the following Catholic blogging friends:

1. Adrienne, of Adrienne's Catholic Corner
2. Squelly in England, of A Dreamer's Day
3. Cam, from A Catholic Harvest

Adrienne said on her blog, " Lovely Bella from La Bella Vita, a fellow Italian, awarded me this from one of her other blogs, Our Beautiful Catholic faith. My only excuse (I'm digging deep here for justification) is I am always so busy copying her wonderful recipes on La Bella, I sometimes miss her other posts.Roz, also known as Bella, has posted her picture on La Bella Vita and we could be sisters. I, of course, hold the title of older and wiser, while Roz would be the younger and prettier. We'll have to draw straws for best cook.Take a moment to stop over and say congrats on her blogoversary today..."

Thanks for the kind comments, Adrienne! You've got a heck of blog too!

Blessings to all,
~ roz

Blue Ridge Mountains are Truly One of God's Beautiful Masterpieces!

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Our brief trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina has sadly come to a close. I am in continual AWE over the incredible beauty of this great land that we live in. What a blessing to have experienced God's incredible creation! One is truly humbled in the grandeur of these 'blue' mountains! We were in the very northwestern corner of N.C. where Christmas tree farms permeate the landscape, tiny bed and breakfasts and eateries dot the roads, and even fledgling wineries can be seen.
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The temperatures were between 10 to 15 degrees cooler in the mountains than down in the foothills where we have our little acreage. It's so interesting to see how the vegetation, trees, and plants change as the altitude increases. I loved all of the different kinds of evergreen trees. The residents, whether rich, poor, or somewhere in between, all take great pride in their landscaping with so many flower gardens! Landscaping, stone businesses, and nurseries are big business up there! All which keep the area so quaint and inviting for an escape from daily mania. Now I understand why so MANY folks from Florida have second homes there.
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It really was a clear day when we hiked this enormous mountain, but part of the intrigue of the Blue Ridge mountains is the constant levels of 'haze'. A super camera, I do not own, so the pictures from my trusty little digital will have to suffice to capture the scenery. Truly, no camera can do justice this natural beauty anyway!
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Blue grass music being picked and sung on the back porch of the Old Mast General Store.
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On the way back down the mountains into South Carolina we bought a couple of baskets of Carolina peaches that are so sweet and perfect right now, that when you bite into one, the juice just pours down your chin and neck....napkins are required! So that's where I'm going to pick back up again in the kitchen. . .

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that is . . . AFTER I prep enough for my classes which resume next week (advising and meetings are first in order).

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It's so nice to be back blogging and chatting again with you! I'm really looking foward to getting a good discussion going again on our beautiful Catholic Faith!

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Blessings,

~ roz

I Have Not Posted In A While, But Am Thinking And Praying For Each Of You!

Hello My Dear Friends In Christ,

I am so sorry that I have not posted in nearly one month; I've been teaching summer school and then just simply catching up with everything on the acreage now that I have been out of school on July 1st. So I promise you that I have not forgotten my Catholic blog, nor any of you, and I just wanted you to know that I ask our Lord to bless each of you this summer season!

Blessings to each of you,

~ bella

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Prayers for Catholics Who Love Nature, Gardening & Rural Life!

Dear Friends In Christ,

Here are a few more prayers that I found on ConservationCatholic on the web for those of you like-minded/soul folks who, like me, believe that God's natural creation is a blessing given to us and who also believe in being 'stewards' who care for God's beautiful natural creation for us! Please know that the source that I found these beautiful Catholic prayers is ConservationCatholic.org.

Prayer on Contemplating Nature

You, O God, Majestic Creator, are the origin of all life.
Nothing can exclude itself from your creative influence.
You are wonderful in your words and in your sovereignty.
Amazed, I contemplate the perfection of the world

you created for human beings.
You are unmatched in your power and in your goodness.
O Lord, you direct like a conductor the orchestration of a storm,

and you shape like a sculptor the petals of a flower.
You are prodigious in your majesty and in your wisdom.
Lord, you have fashioned human beings to accept

the challenges of nature and to be your voice in creation.
O Lord and King, Majestic Creator,

you have made your mystery transparent,

in the world you have created.
I worship you in your creation and in your providence.
Amen.

.From Prayers of Blessing and Praise for All Occasions, 1987, Hugo Schlesinger & Humberto Porto.

Blessings of Fields and Gardens

Let us together praise the Lord,
from whom we have rain from the heavens
and abundance from the earth.
Blessed be God now and for ever.

Let us bless God,

whose might has created the earth

and whose providence has enriched it.

God has given us the earth to cultivate,

so that we may gather its fruits to sustain life.

As we thank God for this bounty,

let us learn also, as the Gospel teaches,

to seek first God's way of holiness:

then all we need will be given us besides.
O God,
from the very beginning of time
you commanded the earth to bring forth vegetation
and every fruit of every kind.
You provide the sower with seed and give bread to eat.
Grant, we pray, that this land,
enriched by your bounty and cultivated by human hands,
may be fertile with abundant crops.
Then your people, enriched by the gifts of your goodness,
will praise you unceasingly now and for all ages unending.

From Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers. Contains excerpts from the English translation of Book of Blessings, 1988, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc.

The Lord has bestowed the fruits of the earth

for the benefit of all the world's people.

May we share with all in need

and so be good stewards of God's earth and its abundance.

We remember the words Mary speaks

in the Gospel story of the visitation:

"The hungry He has filled with good things."

Praise in Creation
by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Glory be to God for dappled things --
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches' wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced -- fold, fallow, and plough;
And all trades, their gear and tackle and trim.

All things counter, original, spare, strange;
Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
Praise him.

To Christ, King of the Universe
O Christ Jesus, I acknowledge You King of the Universe.

All that has been created has been made for You.

Exercise upon me all Your rights.

I renew my baptismal promises renouncing Satan and all his works.

I promise to lead a good Christian life and to do all in my power to procure the triumph of the rights of God and Your Church.

Divine Heart of Jesus,

I offer You my poor actions

in order to obtain that all hearts may acknowledge

Your sacred royalty

and that thus the reign of Your peace

may be established throughout the universe.
Amen.

Blessings on your gardens, rural acreages and/or farmlands!

~ bella

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It's Gardening Time: Catholic Prayers for Gardeners!

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My Dear Friends in Christ,
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Gardening is simply one of my greatest passions in life. I feel so grateful to our Lord for the simple blessings of beauty in both my flower and vegetable gardens and the ability to live out our dream of living on a country acreage . . . for His little piece of paradise that we lovingly call "La Bella Vita", the beautiful life (in Italian). Each and every time I am in the gardens, I feel so happy and so grateful. Besides being next to the horses, it is when I feel the most taken away from the stresses and worries of every day life.

I found the following beautiful Catholic prayers for gardeners and those who live a rural, country life on the Web today and wanted to share them with you. The e-source that I found these prayers is ConservationCatholic.com for your perusal.

The photos are all from my flower garden beds.

May God bless you and your gardens this year!

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Mother Earth
by St. Francis of Assisi

Dear mother earth, who day by day
Unfolds rich blessing on our way,
O praise God! Alleluia!
The fruits and flowers that verdant grow,
Let them his praise abundant show.
O praise God, O praise God,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
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Prayer of the Christian Farmer (or Gardener)

O God, Source and Giver of all things,

Who manifests Your infinite majesty, power and goodness

in the earth about us, we give You honor and glory.

For the sun and rain, for the manifold fruits of our fields,

for the increase of our herds and flocks we thank You.

For the enrichment of our souls with divine grace,

we are grateful.

Supreme Lord of the harvest,

graciously accept us and the fruits of our toil,

in union with Christ Your Son, as atonement for our sins,

for the growth of Your Church,

for peace and charity in our homes,

for salvation to all.

Amen.

Prayer Source: Novena in Honor of St. Isidore: Patron of Farmers by National Catholic Rural Life Conference, National Catholic Rural Life Conference.
Any farmer or city gardener will find this a beautiful prayer.

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Prayer of a Rural Family

Wise and compassionate God, accept this our prayer;

Sheltered from storm and darkness, under this roof,

This family kneels to adore You.

For the day just past,

For keeping us safely, body and soul,

Now we most humbly Thank You.

For hilltops and verdure,

For sunlight and wind and boundless space,

For rain and sky's rich color,

For boughs and blossoms and cold clean snow,

We are eternally grateful.

For birds and beasts,

For the good black earth and the seeds producing

The plenteous harvest; for times without number

When we have eaten of that same harvest,

We thank You and bless You forever.

Deliver us safely, if such be Your will,

From deluge and drought,

From famine and war and disaster.

Give us tomorrow, as yesterday and today.

All things most needed for rightful living;

And move our hearts that we may have sorrow

For sinning against You.

God of the hearth and the harvest,

Your children, here kneeling, adore You.

Bless now our rest

And cherish us safe till the morrow.

Amen.

Prayer Source: Novena in Honor of St. Isidore: Patron of Farmers by National Catholic Rural Life Conference, National Catholic Rural Life Conference
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Blessings to you this beautiful springtime of year!

~ bella

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Praying Rosary For My Father's Cancer Radiation Treatments

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My Dear Friends in Christ,

I apologize if I have not blogged for a week or so, but I have begun teaching summer school classes, adopted two new horses, have been gardening and harvesting, and have had my father's health on mind as well. After his first two weeks of radiation, he is in much less pain and the treatment appears to be working positively! Praise Our Lord!
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I have added his health to my rosary petitions and if you are reading this, I humbly ask that you add just a second of a thought in your rosary petitions for him as well. We all know the tremendous power of PRAYER!
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I hope that you are having a blessed day!
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Blessings,
~ bella

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Prayers for the Dead on Memorial Day - Honoring our Loved Ones Who Have Passed Away &/Or Died For America

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My Dear Friends in Christ,

Today is a special day in that we, Americans, remember, recall, honor, and pray for our loved ones who have passed away, and for those who have sacrificed their lives for America and her values.

I am unable to visit any of the graves of my deceased relatives because I simply live so far away from the Midwestern state of Iowa where I was born and raised and where both my husband's and my relatives are laid to rest. I am very sad about this reality, but I know that prayer is powerful no matter WHERE it takes place.

Who do you remember today? Do you remember who died for us in WWI? in WWII? in any other war, including the devastating war that we are currently engaged in?

There was no one who died in any war in my immediate family, however, I do know that one of my relatives in Italy stood up to Mussolini's Fascist soldiers in his tiny village, REFUSING TO MAKE AN ALLEGIANCE TO FASCISM and NAZISM. He was placed along a wall and SHOT TO DEATH for his position on democracy and freedom in Italy. What an incredible level of strength in the face of extreme adversity! His Catholic faith and love of our Lord will hopefully redeem him in his ultimate sacrifice of personal life!

Let us always remember: FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!

I googled the web to find some Catholic prayers for the deceased for today's post for Memorial Day. I have found the following on Catholic Evangelism.com

Catholic Prayers for the Dead

O loving God . . .
I pray you to welcome my deceased family,friends, loved ones into heaven with you. Forgive them their sins and reward them their goodness.
Grant that I may be with them again in your Peaceful presence.
Amen.

O God our Father,Creator of all the living,
we entrust to Your gentle care all those we love who have gone before us;
and have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

O God, Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful,
grant to the souls of our departed loved ones,
the remission of all their sins,
that by means of our pious supplications,
they may obtain the joy of heaven which they have earnestly desired.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us Pray:

Merciful Father, hear our prayer and console us.
As we renew our faith in your Son,whom you raised from the dead,
strengthen our hope that all of our departed brothers and sisters
will share in his resurrection,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

blessings today and always,
~ bella

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God's Glory in Springtime!

Hello my Dear Friends in Christ,
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God's gift of beauty in nature is popping up all around me here on the acreage this Spring. We have been so blessed with weekly rains this year and there is hope that the 3-year long drought that has gripped the area is ending (at least for this spring anyway). I just had to go outside with my camera and capture some of the glory of spring. I hope you enjoy what I photographed on my nature walk:
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azaleas and hostas shimmering in the sun

sun dappled shade on this lime-colored hosta

mama bird lovingly protecting her babies in her nest

tender bleeding hearts growing in the shade

a magnificent throat of a stargazer lily

the beauty of dogwoods

brilliant blue columbine

brilliant azaleas

the birdbath to welcome our feathery friends among the hostas

proud and stately foxglove

. . . and finally, a perfect old fashioned rose for all of my blogging friends!

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Blessings, and wishes for a lovely spring for you too,

~ bella

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First Holy Communion for My God Daughter

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Holy Card Image from Holy Reflections
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Hello my dear friends in Christ,
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This month my family and I celebrated a most holy and special occasion: The First Holy Communion of Ashleigh, my Godchild. It was a most beautiful and sacred event in our lives and we are so delighted for her ability to now receive the Eucharist - "the source and summit" of the Catholic Church.
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Thank you Lord for the precious gift of Yourself that we are invited to receive each and every day of our lives as Catholics.
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Holy Card Image from Holy Reflections
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I found this lovely prayer on CatholicOnline.com:

A Prayer for those who are preparing Children for their First Holy Communion

O Jesus,
who hast loved us with such exceeding great love

as to give us the ineffable gift of the Holy Eucharist,

inflame us with a burning zeal to promote Thy glory

by preparing worthily the little children

who are to approach Thy holy table for the first time.

Protect, O Sacred Heart of Jesus,

these young souls from the assaults of evil,

strengthen their faith,

increase their love and

endow them with all the virtues that will make them worthy to receive Thee.

Amen.

Blessings,

~ bella

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Let's Pray for the Conversion of Obama's Heart

Dear Friends in Christ,

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Let us pray today and always for the conversion of Obama's heart towards protecting the life of the unborn, for his understanding of the sanctity of life, and for his conversion away from the culture of death.

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Let us also pray for the strengthening of our Catholic universit's in upholding, teaching, and representing with integrity, the beliefs of the Holy Catholic Church.

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Let us pray for all Catholics and non-Catholics alike to walk away from the culture of death that exists in today's society.

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Blessings,

~ bella

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Catholics ARE Christians! Evangelicals today tell me we're NOT CHRISTIAN! UGGGHH!!

Hello dear friends in Christ,

Well the village evangelical idiots are alive and well in the Southeast as I found out during lunch with a friend today.....Oh my precious Lord, I was told by this brainwashed anti-Catholic that Catholics believe that Jesus was just another person and nothing else.

I knew that my prayers to defend the faith and to hopefully draw more in to love and respect the Catholic Church were being answered.

It all started with our discussion of the lack of moral authority that exists today in America and this horrible president that is now seeking shallow fame and glory through his "rock-stardom" and his pitifully self-absorbed wife that the world is setting on a pedestal (what is WRONG with everyone, other than the fact that we know with sincerity that it is the work of the devil that is (and has) influencing(ed) America's first couple and their shallow, glitz-thirsty followers).

So anyhow, during this once peaceful lunch, this fool asks me "Where do you go to church?"

I said, "Our Lady of Lourdes."

He stared at me.

I stared back with a nice smile and said, "Yea, I'm Catholic". Our Lady of Lourdes is the one and only Catholic church in town. No surprise, amidst the 35 Southern Baptist churches, and who knows how many evangelical churches there are, that there is just one Catholic church in this Southern town.....growing beyond their dismay and with, oh my gosh are you ready for this . . . plans to open a new Catholic school soon!

And then, hold on to your Rosaries, my dear friends, this "evangelical" questioned me, by asking with audacity, "Who do you believe Jesus Christ is?"

And I responded with firm conviction, "Jesus is the Word, the Revelation, He is God made flesh, became man, He is one of the Holy Trinity: The Father, the Son, and The Holy Spirit . . . This is not only stated in the Book of John, but also in the Catechism of the Catholic Church". I could have gone on and on, but I wanted to give this fool a simple definition . . . I'll save more for later . . . hee hee!

He asked, "Do you believe that Jesus Christ is God?" And I said, "Of course!"

He said that every Catholic he had ever met stated that Jesus is just a person and not God. And I said, you don't the Catholics that I know and worship with.

WHERE DO THESE FOOLS GET THIS GARBAGE INFORMATION THAT IS EVIL-Y PASSED ON TO OTHERS?? -- WHAT EVIL UNTRUTHS about the Holy Roman Catholic Church are being spread out there!!!

Then he told methat I was a CANNIBAL because Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Jesus......and so forth and so on!

Then . . . oh here's the line that always goes for the main vein and artery - - HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE BORN AGAIN? YOU NEED TO READ NICODEMUS, cuz YOU AREN'T BORN AGAIN!

Hey friends, can someone point me in the right direction for some good statements to defend ourselves and our Faith? This uneducated, ultra anti-Catholic biased fool will see me again next week and I want to give him some valid grounds for his errors, and of course in a most loving and gracious manner! :)

I don't know about you, but I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MORE IN LOVE WITH MY CATHOLIC FAITH I AM EACH AND EVERY DAY and how I know that there is going to be a JUDGEMENT DAY for fools such as this one that I met today. Little does he know that I have been placed in HIS LIFE to show him the TRUTH and not the other way around. Bring it on!

With peace and love to my friends of the TRUE and ORIGINAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH,

~ bella

PS....After one month's absence from my blogs (due to my teaching vocation), I'M BACK, stronger than ever to defend our Faith and our beliefs!

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Easter is the Cause of Our JOY! The Most Important Holy Day For Catholics!

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My Dear Friends in Christ,

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is RISEN! Our sins are forgiven! Let us REJOICE in gladness and thanksgiving for this MIRACLE!

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Blessings,

~ bella

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Cherry Blossoms and A Random Act of Kindness

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Hello dear friends in Christ,
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You know lately it seems that the local, state, national, and global news is simply just depressing. . . It's true, I'm a very sensitive person and when my boundaries are weak, I pick up on this negativity so much that it just drags me down . . . which is not my nature at all.

So tonight during my commute home from campus, I thought to myself, "Just think about the good things around you and anything nice that someone did for me lately that was a blessing!"

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Well of course, being the flower and gardening freak that I am, I first thought of all the precious, delicate cherry blossoms now in bloom in the Carolinas, right next to the powerful splash of purple in the Eastern Redbud trees. I even saw a few brilliant red tulips on campus today, which I cannot grow on the acreage because the deer eat them for treats.

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Well, those thoughts were certainly very effective in lifting my spirits, but then I thought of something else that I forgot to tell you about that happened one afternoon during my spring break visit to my parents in Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ.

One afternoon I stopped in one of the local/regional grocery stores for a few things and when I was checking out, the check-out lady asked me if I had a "Frye's card" (the name of the store). I said, "No, I don't have one because I am just visiting; we don't have a Frye's where I live". Very unexpectedly and totally out of the blue, a tiny, little elderly lady said, "Here, use mine", and handed her card to the check-out lady. I said to the kind lady, "Thank you, and I hope that the blessing you gave me is returned to you too." She smiled at me and said, "You know, I've heard of that happening"! And I said, "It really does!"

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This nice lady saved me $10.00 during that shopping transaction. It was so sweet and pure of an act of kindness. And that just makes me smile! Even more so than the beauty of earth's flowers in spring . . . because it was human beauty!

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There really are good people out there; many of them are you who I read your blogs and you who read mine. In these times, I think that it is just so important that we focus on these little, tiny, wonderful things to keep our smiles going . . . and hopefully it will be contagious and we will be the next blessing of human beauty to another person.

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Blessings,

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~ bella

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Happy St. Joseph's Day - An Italian Traditional Tribute

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Hello my dear friends in Christ,

Well the fun and festivities around the globe for St. Patrick's Day have come and gone. And today a very little known feast day is observed among Italians and Italian-Americans. It is a quiet form of tribute, but is very meaningful. On this day Italians give thanks for prosperity, fulfilled promises and/or to simply share with those who are less fortunate. Here is a brief explanatory background of this feast day:

In Italy this day is known as "La Festa di San Giuseppe". St. Joseph is the Patron Saint of Sicily and in many American-Italian communities. On this day people show their gratitude to St. Joseph because back in the Middle Ages, there was a servere drought, so the people prayed to St. Joseph for rain with an oath to honor him with a large feast if their prayers were answered. The skies opened up with rain, a famine was prevented, and the people of Sicily kept their promise by preparing a massive banquet for St. Joseph. Everyone participated, including the needy.

The good news does not stop there. On this day, it is still tradition for Italians to give food to the poor and needy, in addition to placing fava beans (the crop that helped prevent starvation during the drought) on altars created for St. Joseph.

The altar is commonly 3 tiers high to represent the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and is covered with white linen fabric. Flowers, limes, wine, cakes, cookies, breads, candles, and a special Sicilian pastry called "Zeppole" are also placed on the altars. No meats or meat-filled dishes are allowed either on the altar and people are not allowed to eat meat during the dinner, because this feast takes place during Lent. Bread crumbs are commonly used in some of the recipes in order to represent saw dust, since St. Joseph was a carpenter. Many people will wear red.

A very special food made by Italians is called "Cuccadati" which beautiful bread loaves that are decorated in designs symbolic of a crown of thorns or other spiritual symbols of the Church. These cover latticework known as La Vastedde, along with lemons, limes, oranges, bay leaves, and myrtle branches.

In the United States, St. Joseph is honored in larger metropolitan cities where there is a high population of Italians. . . New Orleans, especially, because it is the port where many Sicilians entered America. Buffalo, NY, New York City, Chicago, and Kansas City also have public and private St. Joseph's altars constructed. A parade also takes place in New Orleans.
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an immense St. Joseph's Day altar in New Orleans, LA, USA
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Here is another beautiful explanation with photos of outstanding St. Joseph altars. In this web-site, the author explains in extreme details, the contents and their meanings of the food and wine items on the altars. It is highly recommended reading to understand the dedication to this Feast Day tradition: http://annachupa.com/StJo/index.html

and here is a link to a "Virtual St. Joseph's Altar": http://www.thankevann.com/stjoseph/

Buona Festa di San Giuseppee !!

Holy Card Image reprinted from Holy Cards for Your Inspiration blog http://thewindowshowsitall.blogspot.com

Blessings,

~ bella

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Happy St. Patrick's Day Especially to All of My Irish Friends and Family Members

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Hello dear friends in Christ,
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As the grass becomes greener this spring time of year, many Catholics and non-Catholics remember St. Patrick today.
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Here's to all of you and to my Irish friends and family members:

HAPPY ST. PATRICK's DAY!

"Irish" blessings t'ya,

~ 0'bella

For a beautiful prayer from St. Patrick, I recommend reading the post from Esther on her Catholic Mom in Hawaii blog. It is quite beautiful and inspirational. Her blog link is posted in my sidebar on the right.

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Horses and Heaven

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Hello my dear friends in Christ,

It is nearly 3:00 in the morning and I just can't sleep. After the death of my most precious horse companion-friend, Ace, yesterday, I feel like a living zombie (if there even is such a thing). Today before he was buried, we clipped strands of his mane and tail to have a few bracelets tastefully braided.

I wrapped a blue rosary around his right front hoof and asked our Lady to watch over him. (Later I realized how perfect 'blue' was for Ace due to all of the blue ribbons he won when he was in Hunter/Jumper competitions before we adopted him). My husband said, "I didn't know that horses were Catholic (trying to cheer me up) . . . and I said, "Mine is." We'll plant a tree over him when the time is right.

I'd like to thank Esther, Reenie, Kathy, Sally, Janice, Adrienne, Maryann, and Danielle, my blogging friends, for their immediate sentiments of sympathy to me. My tears flooded with gratitude for their caring concern for me.

But I wanted to just talk about my prayers that I said tonight before (trying to get to) sleep:

I am feeling this emotion of sadness, Lord, and yet I feel so SELFISH because there are so many FAR WORSE situations and issues in this world that are taking place right now. I am so sorry, Lord, if I am being selfish.

Yet, on the other hand, Lord, I believe that you gave us our emotions to feel, and to love, and to mourn, and to feel joyful. So I think that if You gave me these emotions, that it must be OK to feel them.

Lord, I truly do believe that you gave Ace to me. You love me and all of Your children so much, that You would do anything for our happiness, including the sacrifice of Your son for our eternal life with You in Heaven.

You gave me a love for horses upon my conception or even before the human thought of my conception! You strengthened that love throughout my younger years. You instilled in me, my own special dream . . . the goal of living on a country acreage with horses someday. Dear Father, I KNOW that You gave Ace to me and my son. He was a gift from You. Because of Ace's need for pasture, we found this lovely acreage that we know he enjoyed in the last 5 years. Father, I thank You for him and the years that he had with us.

Once again, Father, please forgive me for my sins and please help all the souls here on earth who suffer from loss, whatever that may be.

~ bella

P.S. If you care to see photos and a poem (author unknown) for Ace and how it all came about, you can find it on the 2 posts on March 15th, on my "La Bella Vita" blog at http://bellavita-bellasblog.blogspot.com

Buona Notte' (Good Night)

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