![Putting the Easter Baskets to Use Early]()
by Catherine | Apr 8, 2014 | Family
I got out some of our Easter decorations today. The kids eyed the Easter some plastic Easter baskets and had to have them NOW.
I thought it would be a good idea to put them to use early, so I asked the kids if they wanted to play a game with the baskets. The answer to that question is always, “YESSSSSS!!!”
I said that we were going to have a “Color Scavenger Hunt.” It went a little something like this:
- One person picks a color
- Mom sets the timer for 5 minutes
- Once Mom pushes, “start,” each person goes around the house with their basket, collecting items that are that color
- When time is up, everyone gathers around the ottoman
- Together, we count the items that everyone found
We actually started with this bunny container that Jane’s holding, but we quickly switched to the baskets after realizing that we couldn’t fit much in the bunny container. Here’s what we found for RED. (Walt picked the color first. He picked red because of Lightning McQueen. Duh. Notice how Lightning is in the pile?)
After that round, I switched the time to 3 minutes. Here’s what they found for blue.
After two rounds, Jane decided she needed a tote bag for all of her discoveries. Here’s what the kids found for yellow.
Black was a little trickier. We had to get a little more creative to find items that were black–a hanger, kitchen utensils, keys, a remote, etc. In this picture, you can see Walt getting creative with his contributions. He decided the undercarriage of Lightning McQueen’s car counted as a black item. Points for creativity, buddy! I like it!
What fun activities do you do when you have free time to burn with the kiddos? Do you have a use for your Easter baskets beyond holding Easter morning goodies or collecting eggs?
![A House of Quinoa Converts. Jane says, "I can't get enough of this stuff!"]()
by Catherine | Apr 7, 2014 | The Homefront
This house is full of what I call “equal opportunity eaters.” We love our food, and we love eating it! I thought I’d share a simple, healthy recipe that was a big hit around here.
We made this beautiful Mexican Quinoa Salad for lunch yesterday after Mass. It’s as tasty as it is easy on the eyes. I found the original recipe from “The Garden Grazer” blog. My only revision was adding some roasted chicken breasts that I chopped up. I’m from Nebraska, so a salad doesn’t really count as an entree around these parts unless there’s meat in it! đ
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups black beans (or a 15 oz. can)
1 1/2 cups corn (I used frozen, thawed)
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 red bell pepper, diced
5 green onions, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (more to taste)
(Optional: 1 lb. roasted chicken breasts with desired seasoning, chopped)
{For the dressing}
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice from 1 lime
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions
Rinse and drain quinoa. Add to pot with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes or until water has absorbed and quinoa is tender.
In a small bowl, add all five dressing ingredients and whisk together to thoroughly combine.
In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa with all other salad ingredients.
Pour dressing over the top and toss to combine.
Can serve immediately or chill before serving.
Jane like it so much she said, “I can’t get enough of this stuff!”
Here’s Walt crying after he dropped a spoonful on the floor and Monty ate it. “Monty! No! THAT’S MY QUINOA!”
We liked it so much that we had it for lunch today. Walt thought it was equally delicious the second time around, and so did the rest of us.
After yesterday, Philip is a quinoa convert. He says he’s going to create a BLT quinoa salad. If it has bacon, I’m sure we’ll all adore it, because, ya know, bacon. Maybe the bacon will negate the nutritional goodness that the quinoa offers, but I vote that it’d be worth it. We’ll go low sodium on the bacon!
Do you have a favorite quinoa recipe?
![A House of Quinoa Converts. Jane says, “I can’t get enough of this stuff!”]()
by Catherine | Apr 7, 2014 | The Homefront
This house is full of what I call “equal opportunity eaters.” We love our food, and we love eating it! I thought I’d share a simple, healthy recipe that was a big hit around here.
We made this beautiful Mexican Quinoa Salad for lunch yesterday after Mass. It’s as tasty as it is easy on the eyes. I found the original recipe from “The Garden Grazer” blog. My only revision was adding some roasted chicken breasts that I chopped up. I’m from Nebraska, so a salad doesn’t really count as an entree around these parts unless there’s meat in it! đ
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups black beans (or a 15 oz. can)
1 1/2 cups corn (I used frozen, thawed)
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 red bell pepper, diced
5 green onions, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (more to taste)
(Optional: 1 lb. roasted chicken breasts with desired seasoning, chopped)
{For the dressing}
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice from 1 lime
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions
Rinse and drain quinoa. Add to pot with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes or until water has absorbed and quinoa is tender.
In a small bowl, add all five dressing ingredients and whisk together to thoroughly combine.
In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa with all other salad ingredients.
Pour dressing over the top and toss to combine.
Can serve immediately or chill before serving.
Jane like it so much she said, “I can’t get enough of this stuff!”
Here’s Walt crying after he dropped a spoonful on the floor and Monty ate it. “Monty! No! THAT’S MY QUINOA!”
We liked it so much that we had it for lunch today. Walt thought it was equally delicious the second time around, and so did the rest of us.
After yesterday, Philip is a quinoa convert. He says he’s going to create a BLT quinoa salad. If it has bacon, I’m sure we’ll all adore it, because, ya know, bacon. Maybe the bacon will negate the nutritional goodness that the quinoa offers, but I vote that it’d be worth it. We’ll go low sodium on the bacon!
Do you have a favorite quinoa recipe?
![Nostalgic for Now]()
by Catherine | Apr 6, 2014 | Family
Every now and then, I get this feeling that the days and weeks are flying by and that the kids are getting too big too quickly. This was one of those weeks.
I took a ton of pictures of the little, everyday things that happen around la maison Boucher.
Philip’s mom (aka “Mimi”) got the kids the Frozen soundtrack, and it’s been on repeat ever since they got it. Walt loves it even more than Jane, and he always requests “the Frozen song.” That’s his name for “Love is an Open Door.” As far as Walt’s concerned, there is no other Frozen song.
For those of you who haven’t seen the movie (what?!), “Love is an Open Door” is a cheesy love duet between Anna & Prince Hans. Walt loves, loves, loves the song, and the highlight of his week is dropping Jane off at preschool so that he can pick the song we play and sing a cheesy duet with moi.
Walt: I mean it’s crazy…
Me: What?
Walt: We finish each other’s–
Me: Sandwiches!
Walt: That’s what I was gonna say!
Me: I’ve never met someone–
Both: Who thinks so much like me! Jinx! Jinx again!
I love the time with the boys while Jane is at preschool.
But then I get nostalgic for time with Baby Jane.
Going with the Frozen theme, the mailman delivered the piano songbook to the movie a few days ago. In all of the excitement, one of the piano legs fell off. Whoops! We’ve fixed it since, but we settled for three dining room chairs in the interim. The kids like to plunk the keys and sing along. One little guy may or may not have joined big sister in a tutu for the dance portion of the sing along…
It hit me this week that next year we won’t have anymore “quiet mornings at home.” By that, I mean having all three kids at home at the same time in the morning. I don’t know why I call it a “quiet morning at home” since the loudest mornings are the ones with everyone home. Regardless, I realized that next year Jane’s going to MWF preschool, and Walt’s going to T/TR, so we’ll have one missing kiddo until lunchtime Monday-Friday. That, my friends, makes me sad.
No more leisurely weekday breakfasts like the one we had on Friday morning.
Mr. Harry is learning how to crawl, and he is a squirmy wormy! Walt struggles to hold the not-so-little guy these days. It’ll be fun to see how they compare size-wise as the years go on.
Ever since Harry started sitting in the highchair, he’s become Monty’s best friend. Monty never leaves his side so long as he knows a yogurt puff, Cheerio, or miscellanous food item might be coming his way. When Philip picks Harry up out of the highchair, he says, “Monty! Come on! It’s your payday!” as he shakes the food off of Harry’s clothes. Can you spy Monty in this pic?
I’m afraid Mr. Walt has a bad temper just like his mama. Usually, like his mama, it’s related to exhaustion (or hunger!). I sent Walt to his room to cool down the other day. When he didn’t come back after a few minutes, I went to check on him. The guy was passed out cold! He might have a bad temper, but he also has a big, tender heart. Such a cutie!
All of our babies have been very happy and easygoing, but Harry takes the cake. Here he is, smiling away in the stroller during our visit to the park yesterday. Let’s hope we can put the snowflake infant carrier cover away pronto! C’mon, spring!
Even though he likes being a squirmy wormy, Harry still has his cuddly moments. Here he is, just hanging with Dad on the couch. Oh, those rolls on his arm! I can’t handle the cuteness!
Do you ever get nostalgic for now?
![Why You Should Oppose LB485]()
by Catherine | Apr 4, 2014 | Everything Else, Faith
The Nebraska Catholic Conference opposes LB485, and my goal in this post is to share why. After reading this post, whether you are Catholic or not, I hope you will be opposed to LB485 if you are a champion of religious freedom.
First, what is LB485?
“Legislative Bill 485, in the form of Amendment 1771, would add ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity’ as protected classifications for purposes of the law used to punish employers (of 15 or more employees) for decisions deemed to be discrimination in hiring, firing and terms and conditions of employment. In addition, it would apply the same prohibitive standard to all contractors and subcontractors of the state and political subdivisions regardless of the number of employees.” (Taken from the PDF “Background Information on LB485 from The Nebraska Catholic Conference”)
Why is this a problem for religious liberty?
LB485 does not make the essential distinctions that the Catholic Church makes when it comes to sexual immorality. The Catholic Church teaches that it is not in and of itself sinful to have same sex attraction. In other words, someone should not be unjustly fired “just for being gay.” (I have all kinds of problems with the phrase “being gay,” but I’ll save that for another time.) While the Church does not teach that it is sinful in and of itself to have same sex attraction, it is sinful when one acts on that same sex attraction.
Catholics are taught in the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 2358 that those with same sex attraction “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” The argument I’m reading everywhere that “the Nebraska Catholic Church thinks you can be fired just for being gay” is malarkey. (By the way, there is no “Nebraska Catholic Church.” It’s just the Catholic Church.) If the Catholic Church really taught that we ought to unjustly discriminate against those with same sex attraction, we’d all be rightly outraged.
We need to make an important distinction that LB485 does not. While Catholics are called to never unjustly discriminate against someone with same sex attraction, Catholics uphold the never-changing tradition of the Church that “homosexual acts are intrinsicially disordered” and that “under no circumstances can they be approved” (Emphasis mine. Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2357).
Hate the sin. Love the sinner.
LB485 doesn’t allow for that distinction. By using the umbrella terms “sexual orientation” and “gender identity,”
“This proposed law to prohibit and punish discrimination based on âsexual orientationâ extends far beyond unjust discrimination based on any employerâs mere belief that any applicant or employee is sexually attracted to persons of the same sex. It extends legal protection and state governmental affirmation to public activities intended to endorse, promote and facilitate sexual conduct (i.e., lifestyle activities) outside of marriage between a man and a woman. Employers who, because of their religious and/or moral convictions, do not wish to accept or affirm lifestyles that involve sexual conduct outside of marriage between a man and a woman will be subject to state-imposed punishment for claims of discrimination.” (Emphasis mine. Taken from the PDF “Background Information on LB485 from The Nebraska Catholic Conference”)
In practice, this means that Catholic parishes and schools in Nebraska would no longer be protected by their morality clause when it comes to “sexual orientation” or “gender identity.”
When I became an employee of a Catholic school in Nebraska, part of my contract asked me to sign a “morality clause,” meaning that I agreed as an employee of that Catholic school to abide by Catholic Church Teaching. If the school learned that I somehow violated Church Teaching, they would have the right to fire me under their morality clause.
Under LB485, religious and private organizations following adherence to Church Teaching on sexual morality in their workplace and employment practices would be subject to legal action and penalty.
A Catholic school in California is already experiencing legal scrutiny. St. Lucy’s Priory fired Ken Bencomo for violating the school’s morality clause when pictures from his “wedding ceremony” to his same sex partner were published in a local newspaper. Mr. Bencomo is firing the school for “wrongful termination in violation of public policy, violation of the state Labor Code and breach of contract.” Lawsuits like Mr. Bencomo’s will continue coming in against religious and private organizations trying to uphold their own moral codes. St. Lucy’s Priory and other private or religious organizations will be forced to choose under legislation like LB485: violate your conscience or face legal punishment. Just laws do not force individuals to violate their consciences.
Nebraskans, please join me in opposing LB485. Call or e-mail your state senator, and urge them to oppose LB485. To find your state senator, click here.
![Consignment Shopping RULES!]()
by Catherine | Apr 3, 2014 | Everything Else, The Homefront
When I found out that my favorite area consignment sale was happening this week, I asked my girlfriend Kelly to watch the kiddos for me so that I could shop. Having a gal pal that stays home with sweet kiddos that love to play with my kids is such a blessing! Thanks, Kelly! You’re the best. đ
Thanks to Kelly, I was able to be at the consignment sale as they opened the doors to the public. I was ready and raring to go with my two empty laundry baskets and cross-body purse so that I could be efficient and hands-free!
I’m still relatively new to this consigning stuff, so indulge me as I share my pictures. I can’t get over how great the clothes are for the price!
Check it out. Here are my two overflowing baskets:
Let’s get a little closer so that you can better appreciate the sheer quantity.
And the second basket:
It’s not just about quantity, people. Let’s look at a few of my favorite pieces up close and personal.
Here’s a skirt from The Children’s Place with the tags still on it.
A Ralph Lauren romper for Harry. The only way I’m buying something Ralph Lauren for my baby to crawl in and vomit on is if it’s a gift or second-hand! $3. THREE DOLLAH, people!
Harry scored a “Future Freshman” Sesame Street Husker outfit, too. Can’t wait to see his chunky legs crawling around in it this summer!
OshKosh overalls are always a favorite at this house!
Harry’s new Baby Gap lobster swim trunks. Pass the sunblock!
Here are a few pics of the kids’ clothes grouped together.
I bought Jane:
Shirts: 14
Skirts: 2
Shorts: 6
Pants/Leggings: 3
Dresses: 1
Jammies: 2
I got Walt:
Shirts: 18
Shorts: 9
Jammies: 4
Swim Trunks: 2
Swim Shirt: 1
Do you think he’s into Cars? I only got him two Cars t-shirts, but I indulged on the swim trunks and swim shirt!
I got Harry:
Rompers/onesies/shirts: 12
Overalls: 1
Shorts: 4
Jammies: 1
Swim Trunks: 1
I’ll have to fill in the gaps with things like socks, underwear, jammies, swimwear, etc., but I got almost all of the 3 kids’ spring & summer clothing needs met in 2 hours.
The best part? This is the pricetag for all of those clothes:
That’s 65 items of clothing!
$253.20 / 65 = $3.90 per item
So, yeah, most of my kids’ clothes are second-hand, but I DON’T CARE because we’re saving buckets of money. Most of the clothes that I purchased at the sale were from The Gap, Carter’s, The Children’s Place, or Gymboree. We still buy some stuff new from nice stores so that they can be passed down from one child to the next (coats, shoes, etc.), but I’m quickly learning that most clothes don’t survive one child’s wear–at least in my family!
Questions for you:
Do you go consignment shopping? Do you have any tips or tricks to share? Do you sell at consignment sales? How does that work? I’ve never been on the selling end before. How do you handle clothing storage at your house? Do you have a system for rotating things out seasonally? Share your wisdom, friends!
![What happens after 5T?]()
by Catherine | Apr 1, 2014 | Everything Else
Tis the season to go consignment sale shopping and get the kiddos their spring/summer wardrobes. One snag: I’m struggling to figure out what size to buy Jane. Her winter clothes are 5T, so I was planning to get the next size. Turns out kids’ clothing sizes are just as wackadoodle as women’s. There’s no real universal sizing system, and I want to make sure whatever I buy fits for the whole season. Help a mama out, and tell me what to do!
Jane’s stats:
- Weight: 39 lbs.
- Height: 40″
My confusion:
Here is the size chart from Carter’s for toddlers:
5T is definitely too small for her. So, where do we go from here? The toddler and kid sizes overlap. Here’s the Carter’s kid size chart:
Can someone please explain how the children’s clothing industry decided to go from 5T back to a regular 4? And what’s with the 6X? Here’s the international clothing size chart for kids from Overstock:
Everything was just peachy with kids’ clothing until we outgrew 5T, and now I don’t know where to go from here size-wise. The problem with consignment shopping is that you gotta get it right the first time (no returns!), and I’m not bringing the kiddos with me because I actually, you know, want to shop. God bless my sweet friend who is watching the kids for me. đ
I’m thinking she’s a regular kids size 5 if I want her to be able to wear these clothes until August. Whatcha think?
![“The real driver’s seat”]()
by Catherine | Mar 28, 2014 | Faith
My freshman year undergrad English class read Anne Lamott’s Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year. (Note: In no way am I advocating the book or saying that I agree with Anne Lamott’s theological views. I just liked a few passages from the book. I’d love to reread it now that I’m a mother myself.)
At one point in the book, Lamott talks about our need to be in control as being an addiction. She shares an astute observation from a friend:
“He said he’d finally figured out a few years ago that his profound sense of control, in the world and over his life, is another addiction and a total illusion. He said that when he sees little kids sitting in the backseat of cars, in those car seats that have steering wheels, with grim expressions of concentration on their faces, clearly convinced that their efforts are causing the car to do whatever it is doing, he thinks of himself and his relationship with God: God who drives along silently, gently amused, in the real driver’s seat” (p. 113).
I love that. The real driver’s seat.
I am so totally addicted to control. I am a control freak. I love making plans, figuring out how to execute plans, being methodical in carrying them out, and proclaiming victory when it all goes according to, well, my plan. Getting thrown off course makes me batty.
That quote from Anne Lamott makes me picture God, watching me go about my daily life with the fierce determination of a toddler with that pretend steering wheel.
 |
| How I must look to God |
Meanwhile, God has the eternal view of time, and He knows that my plans often aren’t in line with His will (aka what’s ultimately best for me). “Catherine,” He must think, “let me be the driver. I’ll get you exactly where you need to be when you need to be there.”
With all of the craziness surrounding trying to sell our home and find a new one, I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times God has shown me the importance of letting go and letting HIM. Let me tell ya, it hurts to let go of control when you’re a control freak.
God knows I’m needing extra graces lately because He’s making all kinds of grand gestures. For starters, He sent me to confession with our Archbishop last week! Still processing that one…
This week, I was fed up with weeks of a rotten house hunting experience. I said to God the other night, “Okay, I give in. I’m trying too hard to be in control of everything. Please take this. Please allow me to hand it over and be at peace with whatever You want for our family. YOUR will be done! Make me mean it, God, because You know I want it all to be on my terms.”
And, you know what? God really can’t be outdone in generosity. We just have to let go of our fake steering wheels and let him be in the real driver’s seat. When I finally let go, in the most incredible turn of events I’ve ever experienced, God dropped our new home in our laps.
I’ve cried so many happy tears in the last few days because I am blown away by God’s goodness and His faithfulness. I’ll share the story when everything is done done, but let me tell ya, it’s an amazing story.
Lesson learned: the way to happiness is to abandon my will, pray for God’s will to be done, and learn to unite mine with His. Besides, life’s better when I’m enjoying the ride instead of white-knuckling the steering wheel on my own course.
Are you a control freak, too? Do you struggle to let go of your white-knuckled clutch of your fake steering wheel? Was there a time when God taught you how to let go? What happened?
!["The real driver's seat"]()
by Catherine | Mar 28, 2014 | Faith
My freshman year undergrad English class read Anne Lamott’s Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year. (Note: In no way am I advocating the book or saying that I agree with Anne Lamott’s theological views. I just liked a few passages from the book. I’d love to reread it now that I’m a mother myself.)
At one point in the book, Lamott talks about our need to be in control as being an addiction. She shares an astute observation from a friend:
“He said he’d finally figured out a few years ago that his profound sense of control, in the world and over his life, is another addiction and a total illusion. He said that when he sees little kids sitting in the backseat of cars, in those car seats that have steering wheels, with grim expressions of concentration on their faces, clearly convinced that their efforts are causing the car to do whatever it is doing, he thinks of himself and his relationship with God: God who drives along silently, gently amused, in the real driver’s seat” (p. 113).
I love that. The real driver’s seat.
I am so totally addicted to control. I am a control freak. I love making plans, figuring out how to execute plans, being methodical in carrying them out, and proclaiming victory when it all goes according to, well, my plan. Getting thrown off course makes me batty.
That quote from Anne Lamott makes me picture God, watching me go about my daily life with the fierce determination of a toddler with that pretend steering wheel.
|
| How I must look to God |
Meanwhile, God has the eternal view of time, and He knows that my plans often aren’t in line with His will (aka what’s ultimately best for me). “Catherine,” He must think, “let me be the driver. I’ll get you exactly where you need to be when you need to be there.”
With all of the craziness surrounding trying to sell our home and find a new one, I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times God has shown me the importance of letting go and letting HIM. Let me tell ya, it hurts to let go of control when you’re a control freak.
God knows I’m needing extra graces lately because He’s making all kinds of grand gestures. For starters, He sent me to confession with our Archbishop last week! Still processing that one…
This week, I was fed up with weeks of a rotten house hunting experience. I said to God the other night, “Okay, I give in. I’m trying too hard to be in control of everything. Please take this. Please allow me to hand it over and be at peace with whatever You want for our family. YOUR will be done! Make me mean it, God, because You know I want it all to be on my terms.”
And, you know what? God really can’t be outdone in generosity. We just have to let go of our fake steering wheels and let him be in the real driver’s seat. When I finally let go, in the most incredible turn of events I’ve ever experienced, God dropped our new home in our laps.
I’ve cried so many happy tears in the last few days because I am blown away by God’s goodness and His faithfulness. I’ll share the story when everything is done done, but let me tell ya, it’s an amazing story.
Lesson learned: the way to happiness is to abandon my will, pray for God’s will to be done, and learn to unite mine with His. Besides, life’s better when I’m enjoying the ride instead of white-knuckling the steering wheel on my own course.
Are you a control freak, too? Do you struggle to let go of your white-knuckled clutch of your fake steering wheel? Was there a time when God taught you how to let go? What happened?
![Bishop James D. Conley’s Letter to Catholic Families & Healthcare Providers in the Diocese of Lincoln]()
by Catherine | Mar 25, 2014 | Faith, Family
In case you didn’t know it, I love our shepherd here in Omaha. In fact, I (accidentally) had my own private audience with him last week!
Did you know that today is the Solemnity of the Annunication? Today, the Catholic Church celebrate’s Mary’s “yes” to become the Mother of Jesus. If you’d like to learn more about the Annunciation and why it’s kinda a big deal, read Jimmy Akin’s helpful blog post.
On this Solemnity of the Annunciation, Bishop James D. Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, released a letter to Catholic families & healthcare providers. The letter charges those in the Lincoln Diocese to respond to the gift of the Incarnation through openness to life. Please read the letter in its entirety. I know our family will be in good hands when we join the Diocese of Lincoln this summer!
To download an audio copy of Bishop Conley’s letter, click here.
Below is the full letter from Bishop Conley:
The Language of Love
A letter to the Catholic families and healthcare providers of the Diocese of Lincoln
Most Reverend James D. Conley, STL
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
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Additional Resources
Click here for a PDF version of The Language of Love.
In Obedience to Christ: A Pastoral Letter To Catholic Couples and Physicians on the Issue of Contraception
Mother Teresa, 1994 National Prayer Breakfast | Click here.
|
Twenty years ago, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta stood before the President of the United States, before senators and congressmen, before justices of the United States Supreme Court. She spoke about her work among the worldâs poor. She spoke about justice and compassion. Most importantly, she spoke about love.âLove,â she told them, âhas to hurt. I must be willing to give whatever it takes not to harm other people and, in fact, to do good to them. This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts. Otherwise, there is no true love in me and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.â[1]
Sacrifice is the language of love. Love is spoken in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who poured out his life for us on the cross. Love is spoken in the sacrifice of the Christian life, sharing in Christâs life, death, and resurrection. And love is spoken in the sacrifice of parents, and pastors, and friends.
We live in a world short on love. Today, love is too often understood as romantic sentimentality rather than unbreakable commitment. But sentimentality is unsatisfying. Material things, and comfort, and pleasure bring only fleeting happiness. The truth is that we are all searching for real love, because we are all searching for meaning.
Loveâreal loveâis about sacrifice, and redemption, and hope. Real love is at the heart of a rich, full life. We are made for real love. And all that we doâin our lives, our careers, and our families, especiallyâshould be rooted in our capacity for real, difficult, unfailing love.
But today, in a world short on love, weâre left without peace, and without joy.
In my priesthood, I have stood in front of abortion clinics to offer help to women experiencing unwanted pregnancies; I have prayed with the neglected elderly; and I have buried young victims of violence. I have seen the isolation, the injustice, and the sadness that comes from a world short on love. Mother Teresa believed, as do I, that much of the worldâs unhappiness and injustice begins with a disregard for the miracle of life created in the womb of mothers. Today, our culture rejects love when it rejects the gift of new life, through the use of contraception
Mother Teresa said that, âin destroying the power of giving life, through contraception, a husband or wifeâŠdestroys the gift of love.â
Husbands and wives are made to freely offer themselves as gifts to one another in friendship, and to share in the life-giving love of God.
He created marriage to be unifying and procreative. To join husband and wife inseparably in the mission of love, and to bring forth from that love something new.
Contraception robs the freedom for those possibilities.
God made us to love and to be loved. He made us to delight in the power of sexual love to bring forth new human beings, children of God, created with immortal souls. Our Church has always taught that rejecting the gift of children erodes the love between husband and wife: it distorts the unitive and procreative nature of marriage. The use of contraception gravely and seriously disrupts the sacrificial, holy, and loving meaning of marriage itself.
The Church continues to call Catholic couples to unity and procreativity. Marriage is a call to greatnessâto loving as God lovesâfreely, creatively, and generously. God himself is a community of loveâthe Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christian marriage is an invitation to imitate, and to know, and to share in the joyful freedom of Godâs love, an echo of the Holy Trinity.
_________
In 1991, my predecessor, Bishop Glennon P. Flavin, wrote that âthere can be no true happiness in your lives unless God is very much a part of your marriage covenant. To expect to find happiness in sin is to look for good in evilâŠ. To keep God in your married life, to trust in his wisdom and love, and to obey his lawsâŠwill deepen your love for each other and will bring to you that inner peace of mind and heart which is the reward of a good conscience.â[2]
God is present in every marriage, and present during every marital embrace. He created sexuality so that males and females could mirror the Trinity: forming, in their sexual union, the life-long bonds of family. God chose to make spouses cooperators with him in creating new human lives, destined for eternity. Those who use contraception diminish their power to unite and they give up the opportunity to cooperate with God in the creation of life.
As Bishop of Lincoln, I repeat the words of Bishop Flavin. Dear married men and women: I exhort you to reject the use of contraception in your marriage. I challenge you to be open to Godâs loving plan for your life. I invite you to share in the gift of Godâs life-giving love. I fervently believe that in Godâs plan, you will rediscover real love for your spouse, your children, for God, and for the Church. I know that in this openness to life, you will find the rich adventure for which you were made.
Our culture often teaches us that children are more a burden than a giftâthat families impede our freedom and diminish our finances. We live in a world where large families are the objects of spectacle and derision, instead of the ordinary consequence of a loving marriage entrusted to Godâs providence. But children should not be feared as a threat or a burden, but rather seen as a sign of hope for the future.
In 1995, Blessed John Paul II wrote that our culture suffers from a âhedonistic mentality unwilling to accept responsibility in matters of sexuality, and⊠a self-centered concept of freedom, which regards procreation as an obstacle to personal fulfilment. â[3] Generous, life-giving spousal love is the antitode to hedonism and immaturity: parents gladly give up frivolous pursuits and selfishness for the intensely more meaningful work of loving and educating their children.
In the Diocese of Lincoln, I am grateful for the example of hundreds of families who have opened themselves freely and generously to children. Some have been given large families, and some have not. And of course, a few suffer the very difficult, hidden cross of infertility or low fertility. The mystery of Godâs plan for our lives is incomprehensible. But the joy of these families, whether or not they bear many children, disproves the claims of the contraceptive mentality.
Dear brothers and sisters, Blessed John Paul II reminded us that, âman is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God.â[4] The sexual intimacy of marriage, the most intimate kind of human friendship, is a pathway to sharing in Godâs own life. It is a pathway to the fullness of our own human life; it is a means of participating in the incredible love of God. Contraception impedes our share in Godâs creative love. And thus it impedes our joy.
The joy of families living in accord with Godâs plan animates and enriches our community with a spirit of vitality and enthusiasm. The example of your friends and neighbors demonstrates that while children require sacrifice, they are also the source of joy, meaning, and of peace. Who does not understand the great gift of a loving family?
Yes, being lovingly open to children requires sacrifice. But sacrifice is the harbinger of true joy. Dear brothers and sisters, I invite you to be open to joy.
_________
Of course, there are some true and legitimate reasons why, at certain times, families may discern being called to the sacrifice of delaying children. For families with serious mental, physical, or emotional health problems, or who are experiencing dire financial troubles, bearing children might best be delayed. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that couples must have âjustâ reasons to delay childbearing. For couples facing difficulties of various kinds, the Church recommends Natural Family Planning: a method for making choices about engaging in fruitful sexual relations.
Natural Family Planning does not destroy the power to give life: instead, it challenges couples to discern prayerfully when to engage in life-giving sexual acts. It is an integrated, organic and holistic approach to fertility care.
Natural Family Planning is a reliable and trustworthy way to regulate fertility, is easy to learn, and can be a source of unity for couples. To be sure, using NFP requires sacrifice and patience, but sacrifice and patience are not obstacles to love, they are a part of love itself. Used correctly, NFP forms gentle, generous husbands, and selfless, patient wives. It can become a school of virtuous and holy love.
Those who confine sexual intimacy to the infertile times of the month are not engaging in contraceptive practices. They do not attempt to make a potentially fertile act infertile. They sacrificially abstain during the fertile time precisely because they respect fertility; they do not want to violate it; they do not want to treat the gift of fertility as a burden.
In some relatively rare instances, Natural Family Planning is used by couples with a contraceptive mentality. Too often couples can choose to abstain from fertility by default, or out of fear of the consequences of new life. I encourage all couples who use Natural Family Planning to be very open with each other concerning the reasons they think it right to limit their family size, to take their thoughts to God, and to pray for his guidance. Do we let fear, anxiety, or worry determine the size of our families? Do we entrust ourselves to the Lord, whose generosity provides for all of our needs?
âPerfect love,â scripture teaches, âcasts out fear.â[5]
Dear friends, I exhort you to openness in married life. I exhort you to trust in Godâs abundant providence.
_________
I would like to address in a special way Catholic physicians, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. The noble aim of your profession is to aid men and women as they live according to Godâs perfect plan. Bishop Flavin wrote that, as professionals, âyou are in a position to be Godâs instruments in manifesting his truth, and his love.â[6]
No Catholic healthcare provider, in good conscience, should engage in the practice of medicine by undermining the gift of fertility. There is no legitimate medical reason to aid in the acts of contraception or sterilization. No Catholic physician can honestly argue otherwise.
Healthcare is the art of healing. Contraception and sterilization may never be considered healthcare. Contraception and sterilization denigrate and degrade the bodyâs very purpose. Fertility is an ordinary function of health and human flourishing; and an extraordinary participation in Godâs creative love. Contraception and sterilization stifle the natural and the supernatural processes of marriage, and cause grave harm. They treat fertility as though it were a terrible inconvenience, or even a physical defect that needs to be treated.
Contraception attempts to prevent life from the beginning, and when that fails, some contraception destroys newly created life. Many contraceptives work by preventing the implantation of an embryonic human being in the uterus of his or her mother.
Contraception is generally regarded by the medical community as the ordinary standard of care for women. The Churchâs teachings are often regarded as being opposed to the health and well-being of women. But apart from the moral and spiritual dangers of contraception, there are also grave physical risks to the use of most chemical contraceptives. Current medical literature overwhelmingly confirms that contraception puts women at risk for serious health problems, which doctors should consider very carefully.
Some women have health conditions that are better endured when treated by hormonal contraceptives. But the effects of contraception often mask the underlying conditions that endanger womenâs health. Today, there are safe, natural means of correcting hormonal imbalances, and solving the conditions that are often treated by contraception.
Contraception is an unhealthy standard of care. All doctors can do better.
Catholic physicians are called to help their patients and their colleagues learn the truth about the dangers of contraception and sterilization. The good example of a physician who refuses to prescribe contraceptives and perform sterilizations or a pharmacist who refuses to distribute contraceptives in spite of antagonism, financial loss, or professional pressure is an opportunity to participate in the suffering of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the Catholic physicians and pharmacists who evangelize their patients and colleagues through a commitment to the truth.
_________
Tragically, a majority of people in our culture and even in our Church, have used contraception. Much of the responsibility for that lies in the fact that too few have ever been exposed to clear and consistent teaching on the subject. But the natural consequences of our cultureâs contraceptive mentality are clear. Mother Teresa reflected that âonce living love is destroyed by contraception, abortion follows very easily.â[7] She was right. Cultural attitudes that reject the gift of life lead very easily to social acceptance for abortion, for no-fault divorce, and for fatherless families. For fifty years, America has accepted the use of contraception, and the consequences have been dire.
Dear brothers and sisters, I encourage you to read the encyclical by Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae with your spouse, or in your parish. Consider also Married Love and the Gift of Life, written by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Dear brother priests, I encourage you to preach about the dangers of contraception, and to visit with families in your parish about this issue.
Dear brothers and sisters, if you have used or prescribed contraception, the merciful love of God awaits. Healing is possibleâin the sacrament of penance. If you have used or supported contraception, I pray that you will stop, and that you will avail yourself of Godâs tender mercy by making a good heartfelt confession.
_________
Today, openness to children is rarely celebrated, rarely understood, and rarely supported. To many, the Churchâs teachings on life seem oppressive or old-fashioned. Many believe that the Church asks too great a sacrifice.
But sacrifice is the language of love. And in sacrifice, we speak the language of God himself. I am calling you, dear brothers and sisters, to encounter Christ in your love for one another. I am calling you to rich and abundant family life. I am calling you to rejoice in the love, and the sacrifice, for which you were made. I am calling your family to share in the creative, active love of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
I pray that in true sacrifice, each of you will know perfect joy.
Through the intercession of Our Lady of the Annunciation, the Holy Family, and in the love of Jesus Christ,
+James D. Conley
Bishop of Lincoln
March 25, 2014
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
[1] Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. National Prayer Breakfast, 1994.
[2] Glennon P. Flavin, Pastoral Letter to Catholic Couples and Physicians. September 26, 1991
[3] Blessed John Paul II. Evangelium Vitae, 13.
[7] Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. National Prayer Breakfast, 1994.
![Bishop James D. Conley's Letter to Catholic Families & Healthcare Providers in the Diocese of Lincoln]()
by Catherine | Mar 25, 2014 | Faith, Family
In case you didn’t know it, I love our shepherd here in Omaha. In fact, I (accidentally) had my own private audience with him last week!
Did you know that today is the Solemnity of the Annunication? Today, the Catholic Church celebrate’s Mary’s “yes” to become the Mother of Jesus. If you’d like to learn more about the Annunciation and why it’s kinda a big deal, read Jimmy Akin’s helpful blog post.
On this Solemnity of the Annunciation, Bishop James D. Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, released a letter to Catholic families & healthcare providers. The letter charges those in the Lincoln Diocese to respond to the gift of the Incarnation through openness to life. Please read the letter in its entirety. I know our family will be in good hands when we join the Diocese of Lincoln this summer!
To download an audio copy of Bishop Conley’s letter, click here.
Below is the full letter from Bishop Conley:
The Language of Love
A letter to the Catholic families and healthcare providers of the Diocese of Lincoln
Most Reverend James D. Conley, STL
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
|
Additional Resources
Click here for a PDF version of The Language of Love.
In Obedience to Christ: A Pastoral Letter To Catholic Couples and Physicians on the Issue of Contraception
Mother Teresa, 1994 National Prayer Breakfast | Click here.
|
Twenty years ago, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta stood before the President of the United States, before senators and congressmen, before justices of the United States Supreme Court. She spoke about her work among the worldâs poor. She spoke about justice and compassion. Most importantly, she spoke about love.
âLove,â she told them, âhas to hurt. I must be willing to give whatever it takes not to harm other people and, in fact, to do good to them. This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts. Otherwise, there is no true love in me and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.â[1]
Sacrifice is the language of love. Love is spoken in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who poured out his life for us on the cross. Love is spoken in the sacrifice of the Christian life, sharing in Christâs life, death, and resurrection. And love is spoken in the sacrifice of parents, and pastors, and friends.
We live in a world short on love. Today, love is too often understood as romantic sentimentality rather than unbreakable commitment. But sentimentality is unsatisfying. Material things, and comfort, and pleasure bring only fleeting happiness. The truth is that we are all searching for real love, because we are all searching for meaning.
Loveâreal loveâis about sacrifice, and redemption, and hope. Real love is at the heart of a rich, full life. 
; We are made for real love. And all that we doâin our lives, our careers, and our families, especiallyâshould be rooted in our capacity for real, difficult, unfailing love.
But today, in a world short on love, weâre left without peace, and without joy.
In my priesthood, I have stood in front of abortion clinics to offer help to women experiencing unwanted pregnancies; I have prayed with the neglected elderly; and I have buried young victims of violence. I have seen the isolation, the injustice, and the sadness that comes from a world short on love. Mother Teresa believed, as do I, that much of the worldâs unhappiness and injustice begins with a disregard for the miracle of life created in the womb of mothers. Today, our culture rejects love when it rejects the gift of new life, through the use of contraception
Mother Teresa said that, âin destroying the power of giving life, through contraception, a husband or wifeâŠdestroys the gift of love.â
Husbands and wives are made to freely offer themselves as gifts to one another in friendship, and to share in the life-giving love of God.
He created marriage to be unifying and procreative. To join husband and wife inseparably in the mission of love, and to bring forth from that love something new.
Contraception robs the freedom for those possibilities.
God made us to love and to be loved. He made us to delight in the power of sexual love to bring forth new human beings, children of God, created with immortal souls. Our Church has always taught that rejecting the gift of children erodes the love between husband and wife: it distorts the unitive and procreative nature of marriage. The use of contraception gravely and seriously disrupts the sacrificial, holy, and loving meaning of marriage itself.
The Church continues to call Catholic couples to unity and procreativity. Marriage is a call to greatnessâto loving as God lovesâfreely, creatively, and generously. God himself is a community of loveâthe Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Christian marriage is an invitation to imitate, and to know, and to share in the joyful freedom of Godâs love, an echo of the Holy Trinity.
_________
In 1991, my predecessor, Bishop Glennon P. Flavin, wrote that âthere can be no true happiness in your lives unless God is very much a part of your marriage covenant. To expect to find happiness in sin is to look for good in evilâŠ. To keep God in your married life, to trust in his wisdom and love, and to obey his lawsâŠwill deepen your love for each other and will bring to you that inner peace of mind and heart which is the reward of a good conscience.â[2]
God is present in every marriage, and present during every marital embrace. He created sexuality so that males and females could mirror the Trinity: forming, in their sexual union, the life-long bonds of family. God chose to make spouses cooperators with him in creating new human lives, destined for eternity. Those who use contraception diminish their power to unite and they give up the opportunity to cooperate with God in the creation of life.
As Bishop of Lincoln, I repeat the words of Bishop Flavin. Dear married men and women: I exhort you to reject the use of contraception in your marriage. I challenge you to be open to Godâs loving plan for your life. I invite you to share in the gift of Godâs life-giving love. I fervently believe that in Godâs plan, you will rediscover real love for your spouse, your children, for God, and for the Church. I know that in this openness to life, you will find the rich adventure for which you were made.
Our culture often teaches us that children are more a burden than a giftâthat families impede our freedom and diminish our finances. We live in a world where large families are the objects of spectacle and derision, instead of the ordinary consequence of a loving marriage entrusted to Godâs providence. But children should not be feared as a threat or a burden, but rather seen as a sign of hope for the future.
In 1995, Blessed John Paul II wrote that our culture suffers from a âhedonistic mentality unwilling to accept responsibility in matters of sexuality, and⊠a self-centered concept of freedom, which regards procreation as an obstacle to personal fulfilment. â[3] Generous, life-giving spousal love is the antitode to hedonism and immaturity: parents gladly give up frivolous pursuits and selfishness for the intensely more meaningful work of loving and educating their children.
In the Diocese of Lincoln, I am grateful for the example of hundreds of families who have opened themselves freely and generously to children. Some have been given large families, and some have not. And of course, a few suffer the very difficult, hidden cross of infertility or low fertility. The mystery of Godâs plan for our lives is incomprehensible. But the joy of these families, whether or not they bear many children, disproves the claims of the contraceptive mentality.
Dear brothers and sisters, Blessed John Paul II reminded us that, âman is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God.â[4] The sexual intimacy of marriage, the most intimate kind of human friendship, is a pathway to sharing in Godâs own life. It is a pathway to the fullness of our own human life; it is a means of participating in the incredible love of God. Contraception impedes our share in Godâs creative love. And thus it impedes our joy.
The joy of families living in accord with Godâs plan animates and enriches our community with a spirit of vitality and enthusiasm. The example of your friends and neighbors demonstrates that while children require sacrifice, they are also the source of joy, meaning, and of peace. Who does not understand the great gift of a loving family?
Yes, being lovingly open to children requires sacrifice. But sacrifice is the harbinger of true joy. Dear brothers and sisters, I invite you to be open to joy.
_________
Of course, there are some true and legitimate reasons why, at certain times, families may discern being called to the sacrifice of delaying children. For families with serious mental, physical, or emotional health problems, or who are experiencing dire financial troubles, bearing children might best be delayed. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that couples must have âjustâ reasons to delay childbearing. For couples facing difficulties of various kinds, the Church recommends Natural Family Planning: a method for making choices about engaging in fruitful sexual relations.
Natural Family Planning does not destroy the power to give life: instead, it challenges couples to discern prayerfully when to engage in life-giving sexual acts. It is an integrated, organic and holistic approach to fertility care.
Natural Family Planning is a reliable and trustworthy way to regulate fertility, is easy to learn, and can be a source of unity for couples. To be sure, using NFP requires sacrifice and patience, but sacrifice and patience are not obstacles to love, they are a part of love itself. Used correctly, NFP forms gentle, generous husbands, and selfless, patient wives. It can become a school of virtuous and holy love.
Those who confine sexual intimacy to the infertile times of the month are not engaging in contraceptive practices. They do not attempt to make a potentially fertile act infertile. They sacrificially abstain during the fertile time precisely because they respect fertility; they do not want to violate it; they do not want to treat the gift of fertility as a burden.
In some relatively rare instances, Natural Family Planning is used by couples with a contraceptive mentality. Too often couples can choose to abstain from fertility by default, or out of fear of the consequences of new life. I encourage all couples who use Natural Family Planning to be very open with each other concerning the reasons they think it right to limit their family size, to take their thoughts to God, and to pray for his guidance. Do we let fear, anxiety, or worry determine the size of our families? Do we entrust ourselves to the Lord, whose generosity provides for all of our needs?
âPerfect love,â scripture teaches, âcasts out fear.â[5]
Dear friends, I exhort you to openness in married life. I exhort you to trust in Godâs abundant providence.
_________
I would like to address in a special way Catholic physicians, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. The noble aim of your profession is to aid men and women as they live according to Godâs perfect plan. Bishop Flavin wrote that, as professionals, âyou are in a position to be Godâs instruments in manifesting his truth, and his love.â[6]
No Catholic healthcare provider, in good conscience, should engage in the practice of medicine by undermining the gift of fertility. There is no legitimate medical reason to aid in the acts of contraception or sterilization. No Catholic physician can honestly argue otherwise.
Healthcare is the art of healing. Contraception and sterilization may never be considered healthcare. Contraception and sterilization denigrate and degrade the bodyâs very purpose. Fertility is an ordinary function of health and human flourishing; and an extraordinary participation in Godâs creative love. Contraception and sterilization stifle the natural and the supernatural processes of marriage, and cause grave harm. They treat fertility as though it were a terrible inconvenience, or even a physical defect that needs to be treated.
Contraception attempts to prevent life from the beginning, and when that fails, some contraception destroys newly created life. Many contraceptives work by preventing the implantation of an embryonic human being in the uterus of his or her mother.
Contraception is generally regarded by the medical community as the ordinary standard of care for women. The Churchâs teachings are often regarded as being opposed to the health and well-being of women. But apart from the moral and spiritual dangers of contraception, there are also grave physical risks to the use of most chemical contraceptives. Current medical literature overwhelmingly confirms that contraception puts women at risk for serious health problems, which doctors should consider very carefully.
Some women have health conditions that are better endured when treated by hormonal contraceptives. But the effects of contraception often mask the underlying conditions that endanger womenâs health. Today, there are safe, natural means of correcting hormonal imbalances, and solving the conditions that are often treated by contraception.
Contraception is an unhealthy standard of care. All doctors can do better.
Catholic physicians are called to help their patients and their colleagues learn the truth about the dangers of contraception and sterilization. The good example of a physician who refuses to prescribe contraceptives and perform sterilizations or a pharmacist who refuses to distribute contraceptives in spite of antagonism, financial loss, or professional pressure is an opportunity to participate in the suffering of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the Catholic physicians and pharmacists who evangelize their patients and colleagues through a commitment to the truth.
_________
Tragically, a majority of people in our culture and even in our Church, have used contraception. Much of the responsibility for that lies in the fact that too few have ever been exposed to clear and consistent teaching on the subject. But the natural consequences of our cultureâs contraceptive mentality are clear. Mother Teresa reflected that âonce living love is destroyed by contraception, abortion follows very easily.â[7] She was right. Cultural attitudes that reject the gift of life lead very easily to social acceptance for abortion, for no-fault divorce, and for fatherless families. For fifty years, America has accepted the use of contraception, and the consequences have been dire.
Dear brothers and sisters, I encourage you to read the encyclical by Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae with your spouse, or in your parish. Consider also Married Love and the Gift of Life, written by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Dear brother priests, I encourage you to preach about the dangers of contraception, and to visit with families in your parish about this issue.
Dear brothers and sisters, if you have used or prescribed contraception, the merciful love of God awaits. Healing is possibleâin the sacrament of penance. If you have used or supported contraception, I pray that you will stop, and that you will avail yourself of Godâs tender mercy by making a good heartfelt confession.
_________
Today, openness to children is rarely celebrated, rarely understood, and rarely supported. To many, the Churchâs teachings on life seem oppressive or old-fashioned. Many believe that the Church asks too great a sacrifice.
But sacrifice is the language of love. And in sacrifice, we speak the language of God himself. I am calling you, dear brothers and sisters, to encounter Christ in your love for one another. I am calling you to rich and abundant family life. I am calling you to rejoice in the love, and the sacrifice, for which you were made. I am calling your family to share in the creative, active love of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
I pray that in true sacrifice, each of you will know perfect joy.
Through the intercession of Our Lady of the Annunciation, the Holy Family, and in the love of Jesus Christ,
+James D. Conley
Bishop of Lincoln
March 25, 2014
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
[1] Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. National Prayer Breakfast, 1994.
[2] Glennon P. Flavin, Pastoral Letter to Catholic Couples and Physicians. September 26, 1991
[3] Blessed John Paul II. Evangelium Vitae, 13.
[7] Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. National Prayer Breakfast, 1994.
![It’s a Beautiful Thing]()
by Catherine | Mar 24, 2014 | Family, The Homefront
This Lent, I decided to create our own Boucher Family Rule of Life in the hopes that it would bring order and peace to our family. In small and big ways, our Family Rule of Life is transforming our daily lives. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, this post ought to explain it.
Creating our own Family Rule of Life is giving each minute, object, and person purpose. Implementing our new schedules and household routines is very much still a work in progress, but we are loving the results so far. The kids are less whiny, the house is in order, we have more chunks of free time, and we are working our way toward a healthy balance.
One of my favorite parts of our Family Rule of Life is the children’s involvement. Jane and Walt have chores that they perform throughout the day. Since we’re still very early on in implementing our Family Rule of Life, the kids’ chore time mostly consists of me training and guiding them along in their duties. It’s a lot of work early on, but it’s already paying off in a big way.
One of Jane’s pre-lunch chores is checking our dog Monty’s food bowl. If it’s empty, it’s her job to fill it up. I wish you all could have seen how excited she was to discover that his food bowl was empty before lunch today. “Mom! Mom! Monty’s food bowl is empty! I’m going to fill it up, okay?!”
That, my friends, is a beautiful thing. Sure, we’ll have to work on the proper amount of food to put in the bowl, but let’s remember:
- The bowl is full
- I didn’t fill the bowl
- I didn’t have to nag to get the bowl filled
- The person filling the bowl did so cheerfully
- Did I mention that the bowl is full and that I didn’t do it?
When Jane finished filling Monty’s bowl to the tippy top with dog food, she asked me to inspect her work. She was BEAMING! She couldn’t wait to hear my words of praise and recognize her work. “Mom! Look! I filled up Monty’s food bowl! Here, Monty! Look, you have food in your bowl. Does that make you so happy?! Oh, you want to eat later? Okay, come back when you’re hungry!”
![It's a Beautiful Thing]()
by Catherine | Mar 24, 2014 | Family, The Homefront
This Lent, I decided to create our own Boucher Family Rule of Life in the hopes that it would bring order and peace to our family. In small and big ways, our Family Rule of Life is transforming our daily lives. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, this post ought to explain it.
Creating our own Family Rule of Life is giving each minute, object, and person purpose. Implementing our new schedules and household routines is very much still a work in progress, but we are loving the results so far. The kids are less whiny, the house is in order, we have more chunks of free time, and we are working our way toward a healthy balance.
One of my favorite parts of our Family Rule of Life is the children’s involvement. Jane and Walt have chores that they perform throughout the day. Since we’re still very early on in implementing our Family Rule of Life, the kids’ chore time mostly consists of me training and guiding them along in their duties. It’s a lot of work early on, but it’s already paying off in a big way.
One of Jane’s pre-lunch chores is checking our dog Monty’s food bowl. If it’s empty, it’s her job to fill it up. I wish you all could have seen how excited she was to discover that his food bowl was empty before lunch today. “Mom! Mom! Monty’s food bowl is empty! I’m going to fill it up, okay?!”
That, my friends, is a beautiful thing. Sure, we’ll have to work on the proper amount of food to put in the bowl, but let’s remember:
- The bowl is full
- I didn’t fill the bowl
- I didn’t have to nag to get the bowl filled
- The person filling the bowl did so cheerfully
- Did I mention that the bowl is full and that I didn’t do it?
When Jane finished filling Monty’s bowl to the tippy top with dog food, she asked me to inspect her work. She was BEAMING! She couldn’t wait to hear my words of praise and recognize her work. “Mom! Look! I filled up Monty’s food bowl! Here, Monty! Look, you have food in your bowl. Does that make you so happy?! Oh, you want to eat later? Okay, come back when you’re hungry!”
![An unforgettable confession]()
by Catherine | Mar 23, 2014 | Faith
This Lent, Archbishop George Lucas is inviting all Catholics in the Archdiocese of Omaha to experience the sacrament of reconciliation through a program called “The Light Is On.”
This Lent, Catholics in the Archdiocese of Omaha, especially those who have been away from the Church or the sacrament, are invited to experience Godâs mercy and forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Catholic churches in the Archdiocese of Omaha will be open on Thursday evenings (March 13, 20, 27, April 3, 10) during Lent from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for Confession and quiet prayer.
Since my Bible study meets at my parish on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m., my gal pal Michelle thought this would be a perfect opportunity. She invited me to join her at 6:00 p.m. before our study to receive the sacrament together. How awesome is that?!
As we waited in my pastor’s line, I looked over my laundry list on a free app called “Mea Culpa.” (My friend, Jonathan, did a review on this app on his FOCUS blog here.) I downloaded Mea Culpa last week, and it is FANTASTIC!
The app is an opportunity for you to thoroughly examine your conscience before going to confession. Mea Culpa goes through extensive lists of possible venial and mortal sins you may have committed, organized by the Ten Commandments. The venial sins have a bug logo, and the mortal sins are noted with a skull and crossbones. If you’ve committed the sin, you simply swipe to the right to add it to your “Committed” list (noted by a doctor’s bag). If you’ve committed the sin more than once, swipe additional times to the right. You can also add notes to the sin to include any additional thoughts such as occasions of sin in this particular area, habits surrounding this sin, or a plan of action to avoid it in the future.
Additionally, the app allows you to create a passcode to protect your privacy. You can also create a daily examination reminder so that you remember to make a regular examination of conscience at the same time each day.
Eventually, the person in front of me exited the confessional. As I walked in, I noticed that our pastor’s name placard on the wall was covered with a sheet of paper that said, “Archbishop George J. Lucas.” I didn’t absorb the meaning of that sheet of paper until I found myself in the confessional, sitting face to face with his excellency, Archbishop Lucas.
 |
| The Most Reverend George J. Lucas |
Yup, I went to confession WITH THE ARCHBISHOP! As it turned out, he was at my parish to celebrate a Mass to recognize the area altar servers, and he graciously offered his time in the confessional before the Mass.
He was visibly amused at how starstruck I was when I saw his face. We got started, and I apologized for bringing my newfangled tablet in to the confessional. I explained how this new app, Mea Culpa, helped me to create a very thorough list and that I was afraid I might forget some of my sins if I didn’t bring it with me. He smiled and said that he had heard of it and was glad that it would help me to make a good confession.
It’s always so humbling to go through your laundry list of sins, but it was especially humbling to do so with his excellency listening a few feet across from me. After I finished, Archbishop Lucas spent a few minutes giving me some of the most convicting and encouraging words I’ve ever heard. He very wisely noticed that a good portion of my sins revolve around my vocation. Because I spend most of my day performing my duties as wife and mother, my husband and children are almost always the ones on the receiving end of my sins. He encouraged me to take heart and trust that precisely because Jesus asked me to live out my vocation, He will meet me there. Archbishop Lucas encouraged me to leave the confessional with the intention to find Christ in the midst of my vocation and to live a life of active thanksgiving. In seeking out Christ during the day-to-day life as a wife and mother, he said I would start seeing the ways that Christ is blessing even the ordinary moments. He encouraged me to start mentally thanking Christ for those blessings and to verbally thank those around me.
Have I mentioned how much I love confession?
After Archbishop Lucas’ convicting words, he invited me to say an Act of Contrition. In case you aren’t Catholic, here’s the prayer:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, beca
use I dread the loss of heaven, and the pains of hell;
but most of all because they offend Thee, my God,
Who are all good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace,
to sin no more and avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen
Confession always makes me cry, but the graces I was experiencing that night overwhelmed me. When I got to the words, “but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love,” I started crying. Ugly crying. I didn’t come prepared with tissues, so I had to grab a few from the box sitting next to Archbishop Lucas’ chair. I eventually made it to the end of the prayer and heard Archbishop Lucas say the most beautiful words I will hear this side of heaven.
“I absolve you of your sins…”
Hearing those words after I rattle off my sins and apologize for them always brings me such peace. With tears streaming down my face, I thanked his excellency, wished him a blessed Lent, and told him that I would be praying for him. He thanked me and wished me the same. (And, no, Star Wars fans, I did not say, “May the force be with you,” to our Archbishop named George Lucas!)
I held the door open for my friend Michelle and whispered, “It isn’t Father Dan; it’s ARCHBISHOP LUCAS!” I wish I had a picture of her face in that moment. I’ll never forget it!
As we passed each other and I squeezed her arm, the image of St. TĂ©resa de Ăvila and her fellow sisters came to mind. When I studied abroad in Spain, I had the opportunity to visit the confessional where St. TĂ©resa and her sisters regularly went. My tour guide told a story that has become part of Catholic legend. (My friend, Lisa Schmidt, from The Practicing Catholic wrote about the same story here.) After going to confession herself, St. TĂ©resa would wait for the other sisters. As each sister emerged from the confessional, St. TĂ©resa would take them by the shoulders and convict them with the words, “Begin again! Begin again!”
In no way am I even remotely trying to compare myself to St. TĂ©resa. I just love the image of the sisters lifting one another up outside of the confessional. I couldn’t help but think how lucky I am to have a friend that was doing the same thing for me. It’s pretty awesome having friends that encourage me to participate in the sacraments and begin again.
So, that’s my unforgettable confession story. Do you have one?
![Planking Harry]()
by Catherine | Mar 19, 2014 | Family
Harry is having a big explosion of development.
He started saying “Dada” last week:
Instead of rocking on his knees to learn how to crawl, Harry is doing a baby version of planking. He lifts up his torso, smiles, and then it happens. He makes some scary gutteral noises like the olympic weight lifters as he lifts everything off of the ground except for his hands and toes. I love everything about it.
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| Check me out, Ma. |
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| Taking a breather. Oh, you liked that, Ma? Ok, let’s do it again. Here I go… |
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| Feel the burn! Look how red his face gets! |
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| OK, I’ll do it one more time. |
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| No pain, no gain, Ma. |
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| Just using my focal object for inspiration. |
After his morning workout, he started learning how to rock back and forth on his knees. We just might have a crawler by moving time!
