Fr. Berg Visits and We Process for Our Lady

On Thursday night, we hired a babysitter and enjoyed attending Fr. Berg's reflection on the Councils of Ephesus and Vatican II in Light of the Year of Faith. I won't post photos from the event because they belong to the FSSP (Father's order). The talk was excellent and good "meat" for my brain and the reception afterward was lovely, thanks to the Women's Society which hosted it.

Joseph in my lap during the reflection, trying to distract me with smiles

On Friday morning, we attended Mass celebrated by Fr. Berg where John received his second Holy Communion from him (which was meaningful to us). Then Fr. Berg joined us for lunch before he had to drive to his next destination in his tour of American FSSP apostolates for the next six weeks.

April 22, 2007: We had one baby!

May 3, 2013: What a difference five years makes! Fr. Berg got to meet our four babies this time!

We walked Fr. Berg to his car and, as he drove off, Chris reached into our mailbox to get the mail. He pulled out this month's edition of "Latin Mass Magazine," whose back cover he promptly showed to John:
"John, who is that?"

"Pope Francis."

"And that?"

[gasping] "Fr. Berg!"

It was pretty dazzling for a six-year-old boy to see that a priest-in-print had just been at our home!

The magazine with great timing

In the evening--it was a long day!--we attended the Rosary procession hosted by the Charlotte Catholic Women's Group for Our Lady's month of May. Fr. Reid had said that this year he won't be hosting a May crowning for the homeschooling group, so he encouraged the homeschoolers to attend this one, and also asked any First Communicants present to lead the procession (after the priest). The evening began at 6:30 (not good time to begin for little children!) with Vespers and various Marian hymns in the church. Then we processed around the church (through the neighborhood) with four men carrying a statue of Our Lady on a litter, the little boys carrying her crown, the girls throwing rose petals, and the 180 of us praying the Rosary (in English, Spanish, and Latin). It was such a beautiful witness!

After the whole event, there was an ice cream social and all the kids ran around playing tag in the grass, so fun was had by all. (That is, until a terrible Balloon Mishap when the Last Remaining Balloon  from the party decorations slipped out of Mary's hand and floated into the sky. She fell to the ground as if pierced by grief, she was hysterical. John began crying. Tears were to be had in various forms for the whole drive home and getting into bed. As I said above, being out till 9:00 p.m. with children is Really Hard!)

John and another little boy carried the pillow with the floral crown for the statue of Our Lady

Bonus Reading:

"Motherhood is a Calling: And Where Your Children Rank" by Rachel Jancovic

The excerpt most convicting for me:

"The question here is not whether you are representing the gospel, it is how you are representing it. Have you given your life to your children resentfully? Do you tally every thing you do for them like a loan shark tallies debts? Or do you give them life the way God gave it to us—freely? 

"It isn’t enough to pretend. You might fool a few people. That person in line at the store might believe you when you plaster on a fake smile, but your children won’t. They know exactly where they stand with you. They know the things that you rate above them. They know everything you resent and hold against them. They know that you faked a cheerful answer to that lady, only to whisper threats or bark at them in the car.

"Children know the difference between a mother who is saving face to a stranger and a mother who defends their life and their worth with her smile, her love, and her absolute loyalty."

"Having Babies (in Opposite World)" by Courtney

"We must shut out the voices of Opposite World and listen to the maker of this world.
He says –be fruitful and multiply.
He says – children are a reward.
I believe him."