Archangels

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

Luke 1:26-38 

Today, September 29th, is the Feast of the Archangels: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.

The name Michael means, "Who is like God." 

We were made in God's image. We are called to follow and become like Him. 

First we have to accept Him as our Lord and our Savior. 

Every moment of everyday we have the opportunity to grow closer to Him. 

St. Michael, pray for us! 

St. Michael Prayer

Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle.

Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;

and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,

by the power of God

cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits

who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

The name Gabriel means, "God is my strength."

Give me the strength to be a messenger of hope.

Remind me of the words spoken to Mary, "Do not be afraid."

Take heart and have courage! 

I am weak but He is strong.

St. Gabriel, pray for us! 

St. Gabriel The Archangel Prayer

O Blessed archangel Gabriel, we beseech thee to intercede for us at the throne of Divine Mercy in our present necessities, that, as you did announce to Mary the mystery of the Incarnation, so through your prayers and patronage in heaven we may obtain the benefits of the same, and sing the praise of God forever. Amen. 

The name Raphael means, "God heals." 

The healthy do not need a doctor but the sick do.

Only say the word and my soul shall be healed. 

Heal our broken hearts and lead us back to you, Lord. 

Lead us back to the cross where the healing begins. 

Where Love and Mercy flow. 

St. Raphael, pray for us! 

Prayer for Protection from all Evil

Most Holy Mother, Queen of the Angels and Archangels, send me your Champion, the Archangel Saint Raphael, let him heal me of all my spiritual and physical ailments in Jesus' name. May he protect me from satan and all the evil spirits. Saint Raphael, be my guide and protector on this journey through life. O' glorious Saint Raphael the Archangel, herald of blessings, pray for us!  

This prayer spoke to me because I was just about to publish my post when suddenly my post was deleted. I knew this was the evil one trying to prevent me from proclaiming holy, holy, holy is the Lord! Lord, God of hosts! Heaven and Earth are full of your glory! Hosanna in the Highest! 

I rewrote my blog and realized how much the devil is going to hate it. 

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for helping me to persevere! 

Blessed be God in His angels and in His saints! 

Final Profession

The Final Profession of six beautiful Brides took place on August 6th, 2021.  

Cardinal Dolan celebrated Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. 

We arrived at St. Patrick's and immediately spotted the Sisters of Life! 

My heart was happy to be reunited with the Sisters and to share this reunion with family and friends! 

This was the first time for the Sisters of Life to have Final Profession at the Cathedral! 

Inside and below St. Patrick's Cathedral, is the crypt where Cardinal John O'Connor, the founder of the Sisters of Life is buried. 

We were able to pray before his tomb before the Ceremony. 

The Cathedral was filled with Sisters, family and friends! 

We did not see Sister Jordan Rose until she walked down the aisle. 

Sister Jordan Rose looked radiant! 

Joy beaming on her face and from her heart. 

"See Jesus forsaken as her Spouse and to welcome him with joy and especially with as much love as possible." Bl. Chiara Luce Badano    

Fr. Bruce helped celebrate and John helped serve Mass with Cardinal Dolan.

One of the most powerful moments I witnessed was when all six of the Sisters laid prostrate on the floor of the sanctuary.

You can picture them laying over the crypt where their Founder is buried as they profess the vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and a fourth vow to enhance the sanctity of human life. 

"She takes the position of a bride who wants to share her spouse's fate." Bl. Chiara Luce Badano

It was the most beautiful Ceremony I have ever experienced! 

I couldn’t wait to hug my sister! 

As you can all see we couldn't stop smiling that day! 

Our faces literally hurt from smiling so much! 

Below is a favorite photo of my Grandma hugging Sister Jordan Rose of the Beloved Son after Final Profession. 

Below is a picture of me and Sr. Gianna! 

So many graces came from that glorious day! 

I will always hold close to my heart the day of Final Profession. 

And as the Bridegroom rejoices over the bride, your God will rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:5 

Never Be Satisfied

Yesterday was the Feast Day of a great saint, Padre Pio!  

Today, on the way to Mass this morning, my mom asked me if I expect a miracle...

I share this with you, only because the quote that I was planning on using in today's blog, answers this question perfectly. 

"Our souls will never be satisfied here below. In fact it would be disastrous for us if, at a certain stage of of our journey, we were to feel satisfied, for it would be a sign that we thought we had reached our goal and in this we would be deceived." St. Padre Pio 

This journey isn't about me. 

It is about surrendering and lifting our hearts up to the Lord. 

I know my physical heart will not be satisfied here on this earth. 

Only You, can satisfy my heart, Lord! 

That is the miracle I expect. 

"I am a little soul: I choose neither to live nor to die, but may Jesus do as he pleases with me." St. Therese the Child Jesus 

St. Padre Pio's incorrupt body 

God is Love

"For those who love, nothing is too difficult, especially when it is done for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Ignatius of Loyola

Last night at the Life in the Spirit Seminar, we were reminded of God's love. 

God is love and love is God. 

Where there is God, there is love and where there is love, God is there. 

Whether we realize it or not, there is a desire for love within each of our hearts. 

A desire to experience love. 

"He who carries God in his heart bears Heaven with him wherever he goes." Ignatius of Loyola 

I believe that the Holy Spirit wants to open and fill each of our hearts with His love.

Open our hearts, Lord! 

I have loved you with an everlasting love, so I am constant in my affliction for you. Jeremiah 31:3

"In the Silence of the Heart God Speaks"

Erin K. McAtee 

Artist, Printmaker and Educator 

erinkmcatee.com 

@erin.k.mcatee

Life in the Spirit

"After you have made a decision that is pleasing to God, the Devil may try to make you have second thoughts. Intensify your prayer time, meditation, and good deeds. For if Satan's temptations merely cause you to increase your efforts to grow in holiness, he'll have an incentive to leave you alone." 

St. Ignatius of Loyola 

Tomorrow our Parish is starting a seminar called, "Life in the Spirit". 

I want to encourage those who have made the decision to attend this seminar that they are being led by the Holy Spirit. 

I do not know what to expect from this seminar, however, I do expect good things to come! 

 St. Ignatius said, "The devil may try to make you have second thoughts". 

When we have second thoughts about something good we have considered or committed to, the devil will try and stop the good from happening.

Do not be discouraged! 

The Holy Spirit speaks to us through good ideas and not through our doubts. 

He is the Truth. 

The Holy Spirit wants to lead us to the good. 

Listen to Him.

The Holy Spirit wants to fill our hearts. 

Let Him!

Come, Holy Spirit, intensify and increase my desire for good. 

"Love itself starts with the desire for something good." Fulton Sheen 

"Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me. I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more." St. Ignatius of Loyola 

Erin K. McAtee 

Artist, Printmaker and Educator 

erinkmcatee.com 

@erin.k.mcatee

Third Day in NYC

On the third day we went to Time Square! 

I held my breath and counted the six seconds we had to jump on and off the subway!   

I don't know how, but we did it! 

We made it to Time Square! 

Thanks be to God! 

We did some shopping and sight seeing!

We had lunch at Junior's Restaurant!    

Unfortunately, Trump Tower was closed...However, we did meet "Donald Trump" or his twin...   

We are grateful for all of the brave officers. 

We went up the Freedom Tower. 

The Freedom Tower is 1,776 feet tall and has 105 floors. 

The view from the top is incredible! 

Fr. Bruce Wren, Grandma Dorothy, Aunt Kristie, Uncle Steve, Danielle, Stephanie and baby Francesca flew in that night! 

Grandma called Grandpa to let him know she made it to the big city. 

This last picture of my mom, grandma and aunts is from the following day in Time Square. 

Thank God! Give him the praise and the glory. Before all the living, acknowledge the many good things he has done for you, by blessing and extolling his name in song. Before all men, honor and proclaim God's deeds, and do not be slack in praising him. A king's secret it is prudent to keep, but the works of God are to be declared and made known. Praise them with due honor. Tobit 12:6b-7b  

 

September 15 - Our Lady of Sorrows

The month of September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows. 

God's Word cut deeply into Mary's life: it cut away all the ordinary hopes a young woman might have for her future, for her family life, for her child. Yet she accepted with a courageous consent that anticipates and mirrors the obedience of her Son even unto death on a cross. (cf. Phil 2:8) 

Today September 15th, is Our Lady of Sorrow's actual feast day. It is also the day I chose for my consecration. 

 Find hope in “a Love more powerful than evil” which no “sin of the world can ever overcome.” This Love he identifies as “merciful Love.” And what about this merciful Love? What does it have to do with Marian consecration? Everything. It has everything to do with consecration because Mary is the one who brings us to the source of merciful Love. Mary is the one who brings us to the love that is more powerful than evil. Indeed, as John Paul II says in his homily, consecration to the Immaculate Heart means "drawing near, through the Mother's intercession, to the very fountain of Life that sprang from Golgotha. 

What is this fountain of life? The Pope identifies it as "the fountain of Mercy." It's the pierced side of Christ from which blood and water flowed as a source of grace and mercy. And it's through this wound in Christ's Heart that "reparation is made continually for the sins of the world." Moreover, through this Fountain of Mercy, we find "a ceaseless source of new life and holiness." 

The Pope goes on to explain that consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary means "returning to the Cross of the Son." It means bringing the world and all its problems and sufferings to "the pierced Heart of the Savior" and thus "back to the very source of its Redemption." It means bringing the world, through Mary, to Divine Mercy! The power of the Redemption, the power of the merciful Love, "is always greater than man's sin and the "sin of of the world" and is "infinitely superior to the whole range of evil in man and the world." 

Now, Mary knows the power of the Redemption, the power of merciful Love, better than anyone. In fact, John Paul says she knows it "more than any other heart in the whole universe, visible and invisible." Therefore, she calls us not only to conversion but "to accept her motherly help to return to the source of Redemption." 

For again, Mary's task is to bring us to the Fountain of Mercy, to the pierced side of Christ, to his Merciful Heart. Essentially, then, consecrating ourselves to Mary "means accepting her help to offer ourselves and the whole of mankind to the infinitely Holy God.

 It means entrusting ourselves to she who was most united to Christ's own consecration: "Hail to you who are wholly united to the redeeming consecration of your Son!" It means entrusting ourselves to Mary's prayers, that she may "help us to live with the whole truth of the consecration of Christ for the entire human family of the modern world." 

In other words, consecrating ourselves to Mary means relying on her Motherly intercession to help us offer ourselves more fully to Christ in his own consecration for our redemption. 

Come Holy Spirit, living in Mary. Draw me in, with and through Mary to the Fountain of Love and Mercy

33 Days to Morning Glory A-Do-It-Yourself Retreat

Preparation for Marian Consecration by Fr. Michael E. Gaitley 

Please message me if you would like to begin your consecration journey! 

I, Gabrielle Ann Bernadette, a repentant sinner, renew and ratify today in your hands O, Immaculate Mother, the vows of my Baptism. I renounce Satan, and resolve to follow Jesus Christ even more closely than before. Mary, I give you my heart. Please set it on fire with love for Jesus. Make it always attentive to his burning thirst for love and for souls. Keep me in your most pure Heart that I may love Jesus and the members of his Body with your own perfect love. Mary, I entrust myself totally to you: my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions. Please make of me, of all that I am and have, whatever most pleases you. Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for bringing the greatest glory to God. If I fall, please lead me back to Jesus. Wash me in the blood and water that flow from his pierced side, and help me never to lose my trust in this fountain of love and mercy. With you, O Immaculate Mother - you who always do the will of God - I unite myself to the perfect consecration of Jesus as he offers himself in the Spirit to the Father for the life of the world. Amen.  

You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised. Hebrews 10:36 

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us! 

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pierced for us, pray for us! 

 

Draw Good Out

 Did not the sacrifice of Jesus require as an instrument the greatest sins ever committed on earth? Does not Holy Church describe the very sin of Adam as "happy" because it gave occasion for Christ to come to redeem us? On Holy Saturday the Church sings: "O happy fault that merited so great a Redeemer! O truly necessary sin of Adam!" 

Since the time of Adam's fall, God has this invariable strategy both in the general history of the human race and in the history of each soul: to draw good out of evil, which thereby becomes an instrument to achieve good.

 God always draws good out of evil... 

And even though we regret having offended God, after all, perhaps we should paraphrase the words of the Church: "O happy sins of mine that merited so great a Redeemer! O truly necessary faults, for our failings humiliate us by revealing to us our nothingness. This is one of the main purposes for which God permits them."  

Servant of God Luis Maria Martinez

I have read that last line over and over. 

"O truly necessary faults, for our failings humiliate us by revealing to us our nothingness. This is one of the main purposes for which God permits them."   

Pondering in my heart...

When I am humiliated by my own failings, reveal to me my nothingness.

 When I feel that nothing is all that I am, reveal to me my purpose. 

Help me to see the good in my nothingness.

Help me to see the good by admitting I need God. 

He gives us everything when we have nothing. 

Only God can draw good out of evil. 

The evil being our sin and the good being His love and mercy! 

Draw good out of me.

Make me an instrument to achieve the good for the glory of God. 

Nathan Dumlao

Day Two _ Downtown Manhattan Tour

Tuesday, Day Two in New York City!

We visited the Sisters of Life Visitation Center in downtown Manhattan, where Sr. Jordan Rose works.

 

Sr. Jordan was still on retreat leading up to her Final Profession, so we did not see Sister Jordan until Friday, the big day. 

However, the Sisters, Sr. Jordan lives with, so generously hosted all 21 of us for coffee and cake! 

It was fun introducing our family and friends to our Sisters of Life family!

We all had a lovely time visiting before our tour at 1PP, One Police Plaza. 

Our tour guide's name is Officer Amon. (Pronounced Amen). He is awesome and funny! 

He loves the Sisters! Who doesn't?!  

The Sisters are the ones who lined out this tour for us. 

They heard about our Blue Bloods TV Show Fascination and organized everything for us. 

Two of the Sisters of Life joined us on this tour. Sr. Gianna and Sr. Magdalene, Superior at the Visitation Convent. Both of these Sisters were delightful and hospitable!

We walked from the Center to 1PP. 

Every police officer we saw, we thanked. The NYPD doesn't hear that anymore. So sad. 

We toured the Police Commissioner's Office area and the Camera/TV Room that watches the city of New York. 

We were quickly escorted out of a computer room while a bank robbery was taking place. 

Big Brother totally exists, it's kind of creepy but cool. 

Cool because the NYPD is looking out to keep everyone safe. 

After our Tour, we went back to the Center. We visited St. Andrew's Church, connected to the Center. 

Below are pictures from inside the Church. 

It was a fun and enjoyable morning! 

As always, the Sisters give my heart joy! 

And get this! The weather? Not even humid or sticky! 

I joked that NY had better air quality than we did back home in Idaho because of the smoke from all of the fires. 

Sr. Jordan told me later on her home visit that she had prayed for good weather! 

Prayers were answered for the first few days of the trip! 

Thank you, Jesus!

Thank you not only for the weather but for the Sisters, the NYPD, Officer Amon, our friends and family that shared in our joy! 

We praise You, Jesus! 

Amon? AMEN! 

Smile at Jesus

"Jesus, I satiate Your thirst." 

What does it mean to satiate the thirst of Jesus? Two things: to console Jesus the Mystical Head of of his Mystical Body to console him in the members of his Body. 

How do we console Jesus, the Head of the Body? By being apostles of joy, which means to “console the Sacred Heart of Jesus through joy,” and we do that especially with Mary’s joy. Mother (Teresa) summarizes it by her trademark three virtues: total surrender to God, loving trust and perfect cheerfulness. Basically, it's to be as a child, with Mary, smiling at Jesus and loving him from the foot of the Cross.

How do we console Jesus in the members of his Body? By recognizing their thirst. Everyone thirsts: rich and poor, young and old, believer and nonbeliever. Everyone has a restless heart for God, for man is a restless thirst. To console Jesus in others is to respond to their suffering, especially to that deepest, most universal suffering: the thirst for love. We should respond to this thirst in others not with indifference but with a gentle smile that says, "I delight that you exist, and I, too, understand the pain of the thirst."  

Mother Teresa explains, "The greatest evil is the lack of love and charity, the terrible indifference towards one's neighbor.."

"People today are hungry for love, for understanding love which is much greater and which is the only answer to loneliness and great poverty."   Mother Teresa    

33 Days to Morning Glory - Fr. Michael Gaitley 

Today is the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary! 

In other words, happy birthday Blessed Mother! 

I share this post today because it is through Mary that we draw closest to her Son's Sacred Heart.

It is through her Immaculate Heart that we satiate the thirst of His Sacred Heart. 

"Basically, it's to be as a child, with Mary, smiling at Jesus and loving him from the foot of the Cross."

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, 

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. 

From this day all generations will call me blessed: 

the Almighty has done great things for me, 

and holy is his Name.

Erin K. McAtee 

Artist, Printmaker and Educator 

erinkmcatee.com 

@erin.k.mcatee

https://youtu.be/MeFJykg1h04

We Made It_NEW YORK

We left for New York on August 3rd. 

Our family left the night before and stayed in Lewiston for our early morning flight. 

Our friends John, Patti, Noah and Gretta Watson, Sheila Neer and our family, Chuck, Melinda and Sawyer Wimer boarded with us on the plane!

 

At our layover in Salt Lake City, we met up with our friends, Sheila and Nick Perius, Bob and Patty Dyson and John Dyson, from southern Idaho.

18 fabulous people on the same four hour flight! 

Our next stop was our final destination! 

Newark, New Jersey! 

Uber took us a short while from Jersey to the big city! 

At last, New York City! 

We met up with our friends John and Gina Ihli! 

Yes, there was three Johns, two Pattys, and two Sheilas! 

My sister, Maddie, also met us at our hotel! She had flown separately from the Midwest. 

Our hotel was right by the Freedom Tower. 

We made it! 

All 21 of us! 

One of the things my brother, Max, was really looking forward to in New York was Chick-fil-A. Yes, even after our nightmare experience in Spokane, he still has an obsession. 

Our walk from our hotel to Chick-fil-A was a lot longer than we expected. 

We grabbed dinner and ate in the park but when we got there one of our group members was missing. 

I will not name names, but don't worry we found him! Thank goodness for cell phones! 

Head counting became a good idea! Thankfully it was a story we could laugh about because technically we didn't lose him. He just thought we were headed back to the hotel. 

That night we all enjoyed the city night lights from our hotel windows while we visited into the late hours! 

This was day one of being with amazing people in NYC and it was only going to get better! 

Love like This

I went to First Friday Adoration and prayed with the following words of St. Mother Teresa.

I hope you will read her words slowly and take them to heart. 

Prayer

Jesus wants me to tell you again how much love He has for each one of you beyond all you can imagine.

 I worry some of you still have not really met Jesus—one to one—you and Jesus alone.

We may spend time in chapel—but have you seen with the eyes of your soul how He looks at you with love? 

Do you really know the living Jesus—not from books but from being with Him in your heart? 

Have you heard the loving words He speaks to you?

Ask for the grace; He is longing to give it. 

Until you can hear Jesus in the silence of your own heart, you will not be able to hear Him saying “I thirst” in the hearts of the poor. 

Jesus Himself must be the one to say to you, “I thirst.” Hear your own name. Not just once. Every day. If you listen with your heart, you will hear, you will understand.

Never give up this daily intimate contact with Jesus as the real living person—not just the idea. 

How can we last even one day without hearing Jesus say “I love you”—impossible. 

Our soul needs that as much as the body needs to breathe the air. 

If not, prayer is dead—meditation, only thinking. 

Jesus wants you each to hear Him—speaking in the silence of your heart.

St. Mother Teresa  

I will leave this with you to ponder in your heart. 

Erin K. McAtee 

Artist, Printmaker and Educator 

erinkmcatee.com 

@erin.k.mcatee

http://first-fridays.us/Home/First-Friday-Promises

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Listen to Him

   Where do I even begin? 

August has come and gone in the blink of an eye! 

We waited eight years for Sr. Jordan Rose's Final Profession.

During those years we could never have imagined the joy and the grace that guided us to and surrounded us on that beautiful day,

August 6th, 2021. 

But let's back up a bit...

World Youth Day, Madrid, Spain, August 2011.

Sr. Jordan Rose's vocation call to the Sisters of Life began.

Her vocation story is not mine to tell but her 'yes' I will share with you. 

We all have a vocation. 

We are all called to give our 'yes'. 

"In response to hearing Jesus' cry, she takes the position of a bride who wants to share her spouse's fate. She grasped that in his abandonment, Jesus had taken on all our suffering." Bl. Chiara Luce Badano 

It's been a journey.

Our lives are changed for the better! 

Our hearts have grown with so much love! 

"I understand that love compromises all vocations - that love is everything, and because it is eternal, embraces all times and places." St. Therese 

Listen to Him!