Next Saturday this time...

I will be with my family and friends in Missouri! Oh, how it will be bittersweet to leave but how I am super excited to come home.

I am packing, cleaning, and preparing for one last week here in the Philadelphia area. Then, a celebration is in order for this evening. But it just blows my mind....it has been 11 weeks. But I have packed it full, I think and made the most of my time here in PA. I have really enjoyed myself. I had a beautiful dinner with friends last night after a fun week in the office. I met such wonderful people here and once I get home I hope to see a change for the better in my prayer life, my relationships, my day-to-day, because I have truly received many blessings, lessons, and knowledge all wrapped up in one big GIFT from Our Father above...

It reads:

To: Kelli
From: God

I love you and it's all a part of my plan for your happiness because your life is in my hands, if you trust me, I will fulfill every wish and desire of your heart. Now, you must be patient with an open heart but I promise each piece will make one beautiful mosaic in the end. Be hopeful & know that I hold you close to my heart where all is well & the peace and joy you receive is your reassurance.

Tomorrow, I embark on my final journey here and its to Quarryville, PA to spend a week going "Into the Deep" with Theology of the Body with Mr. Christopher West. Pray for him and his family. Pray for all of those traveling and attending this course. Pray for the staff. Pray for me to have open ears and an open heart. This week will immerse me in the beauty of the message.

I will see you all very soon. Have a beautiful week. Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, and support. All By Grace ---- And God has worked through each of you... to speak to me & show me His love.

All my love
XOXO

I truly felt God's presence

Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter & Paul - Philadelphia, PA

Part of the Parkway Museum District

Here is a Virtual Tour.

And here is my mini tour...

Completed in 1864. 

Modeled after the Lombard Church of Saint Charles (San Carlo al Corso) in Rome, Italy.

Restorations made in the 1950s. The outside is being improved now. Plans for the inside in the next two years. But this House of God is still remarkable. I was able to attend Sunday Vigil Mass on Saturday, August 6th with Father Kieran, a nigerian priest, and he ended his homily with, "Can you be the voice of truth?"

The view from the back

A beauty on the left side of the altar

I missed this the first time around

Our Mama
 Shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe was installed in December 2009

Our Papa

Blessed JPII "visited and prayed in this Cathedral and celebrated the Eucharist at Logan Circle on October 3, 1979".

I sat and pray for a good while on a Sunday afternoon- it was incredibly peaceful. God was very present.

Baptismal Font- the Dome is shaped like St. Peter's Basilica in Rome

Cardinal Regali- will be Archbishop Emeritus on Septemer 8, 2011

Outside of the Basilica

Jesus Breaking Bread- 1976- stands right outside the front of the Basilica

Our Lady of Lourdes & St. Bernie - Her & Padre Pio are everywhere :)

Check out the Cathedral website

Proud to know >>>> Bill Donaghy

Bill Donaghy taught the Theology of the Body 1: Head and Heart Immersion course which I attended in June. He is enthusiastic & loving - a great speaker and an awesome father of 2! Please watch & enjoy.

Bill Donaghy on "This is the Day"

P.S. I just discovered Catholic TV.


This one is good too: Mike Mangione & the Union

P.S.S This one too :) A day with Papa B

The streets continued: Stops 10&11

Stop 10:

Philadelphia Art Museum

The Skyline from the top

Katie & I after running them up them Rocky Steps with the Rocky Theme playin'

The whole scene

Rocky & I ;)

Stop 11: Catholic Underground at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul – located at 18^th Street & Benjamin Franklin Parkway- part of the Parkway Museums District Philadelphia

The artist was Paul Jisung Kim and he “makes noises with his face”. He was pretty chill guy from California.

 Catholic Underground, Basiclica of Peter and Paul

It was an awesome day in the city of Philadelphia. Hope you enjoyed my little timeline of my experience of the city of “Brotherly Love”. Next post will have more from my trip inside the Basilica & Love Park. I will eventually get in some of the museums & for Mass at the Basilica.

The streets of Philadelphia – 16 hours and 11 stops later....

Stop 1:

National Shrine of Saint John Neumann at St. Peter the Apostle Church

And just a few days after I left the very kneeler in front of him, Justin Cardinal Regali and Archbishop Chaput (new elected Archbishop of the Diocese of Philadelphia from Denver—took time to pray in front of this Saint. Pretty neat!

St. John Neumann's incorrupt body

Stop 2:

Independence Hall: We saw the few meeting place of Congress, where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were written. Where Our Country began – the same place Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, Hancock... plus many more met. It was pretty amazing.

"I am well aware of the toil, and blood, and treasure, that it will cost us to maintain this declaration, and support, and defend these states. Yet, through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory." -John Adams, July 3, 1776

The finals documents are in Washington D.C. But the last drafts are pictured to the left.

Stop 3: Liberty Bell

Stop 4:

Old Church of Old St. Mary- The plaque outside said, “In this church on the 4^th of July 1779 was held the first public-religious commemoration of the Declaration of Independence” Then, everyone joined for a ‘solemn Mass of thanksgiving’. “God of our Fathers be with us yet”

Stop 5: Old St. Joseph’s National Shrine – founded in 1733—interior of new church is from 1840. The oldest Catholic Church in Philadelphia

Stop 6: LUNCH at the City Tavern

City Tavern Restaurant– Washington & his buddies in 1773 would meet here to eat and have a beer. It was awesome! I had the Martha Washington Pot Pie.

                                                                              http://www.citytavern.com/

Stop 7: Polish water ice @ this little museum (competition: Italian water ice from Rita’s—You be the judge)

Guess who we found?

Stop 8: 

Shrine of the Miraculous Medal
side chapel

The ceiling

Katie & I outside of the Shrine. With the image of the Miraculous Medal on either side of us.

Stop 9:

Parish & National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia.

Beautiful image downstairs by the Adoration chapel

They had a BEAUTIFUL adoration chapel....

St. Rita in ecstasy

I was blessed to see her body venerated in Cascia, Italy in 2009. Also, they had a statue donated by the Augustinian Nuns and Friars in Cascia- on the occasion of the “Twinning” of the two shrines in 2004.

From the very back of the upper church
On the Feast of St. Rita- they fill both sides of the altar with red roses!!

Smokes! The Story of the Botafumeiro

St. James the Greater- Patron Saint of Spain

Feast Day: July 25^th

I never knew this story.

This is the legend:

“But the cult of James there began in the 8^th century, after the Moorish invasion had rapidly pushed Christian forces in to the northwestern corner of Spain, and there is no documentary evidence of it before the 9^th century. The cult then grew with the growth of pilgrimages and his image became more warlike as the Crusades developed. This version depended on his remains being transferred to Galicia some time after his death. An earlier version based the cult on the story that he had preached in Spain which his even less likely. As the pilgrimage grew with routes starting in various places in France, abbeys and churches were built along the routes, acquiring their own background stories (such as the association of El Cid with San Pedro de Cardena near Burgos) to impress pilgrims.”

Side note: Early this summer, I was in Burgos, Spain with Father Patrick & my best friends.

“St James himself acquired the attributes of a pilgrim: a floppy hat, staff, water bottle, and a scallop shell. The “Road to Santiago” has recently been restored with funds from the European Community and attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year. The botafumeiro, the six-foot-high incense censer hung from the crossing vault of Santiago Cathedral, introduced to counteract the stench of the pilgrim crowds, is still swung across the transepts almost brushing the floor of the crossing, on the saint’s feast –day each year.” (from Butler’s Saint for the Day by Paul Burns)

Which is today! Here is what it looks like

The Smoke Boat
and
Pope Benedict XVI with the smoke boat

I have watched this video before and cracked up. But never did I know the background. Did you?

Bernadette means "Brave as a bear"

Below are just some quotes which have struck me..... "little toothpicks God is throwing at me, which all add up to be a baseball bat in the end!" (Thank you Allen Kirchner for the revelation ;)

The everlasting God has in His wisdom foreseen from eternity the cross that He now presents to you as a gift from His inmost heart this cross He now sends you, He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with His loving arms and weighted with His own hands, to see that it be not one inch too large and not one ounce too heavy for you, He has blessed it with His holy name, anointed it with His grace, perfumed it with His consolation taken one last glance at you and your courage, and then sent it you from Heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful love of God.

St. Francis de Sales

‎"It is love alone that gives worth to all things."

-St. Teresa of Avila

"Sin and the rosary can't coexist, at one point one of them will go. Whether sin or the rosary, if you can only pray one hail Mary but with all your heart, Our Lady comes!"

-Fulton Sheen

"I should be changed, no more sadness, I have seen too much to doubt God's love for me, I have received too many blessings to think He doesn't love me, and that it ain't gonna be okay where ever He takes me!"

-Holy Spirit

Prayer is the key to God's heart.

-St. Pio

What really matters in life is that we are loved by Christ and that we love Him in return.

-Blessed JPII

One cannot love without suffering or suffer without loving.

-St. Gianna Molla

“Do not be afraid to be saints. Follow Jesus Christ who is the source of freedom and light. Be open to the Lord so that He may lighten all your ways.”

-Blessed JPII

Speaking to a friend, today, I realized that sometimes suffering and the wounds or the difficulties make you enter into a survival mode and from there you think when will this be over so I can move on. But the process of moving on may be understanding and asking God for the grace to accept the new normal, to heal during the tough times, not wait until the pain is over, because it may always be a cross (But it will get lighter--hold on to that hope). You must move on and move forward. Each day-- asking for the grace to let go and surrender to His will.

Let’s see. I have been busy!

Since my last post on June 26^th ------ Let’s see. I have been busy!

I attended Catholic Sexual Ethics with Dr. John Haas

Started in PA, then drove to New Jersey & New York and onto Connecticut.... 4 states in 4.5 hours. P.S. That  doesn’t happen in the Midwest.

Then, took a bus from Hartford, CT to Boston, MA to spend the 4^th of July in Boston with Mr. and Mrs. Moore

Took a day off a work to travel.

Started new projects at the office---working on the monthly newsletter. Go to www.tobinstitute.org to sign-up for monthly newsletter and you will see someone familiar in the July newsletter. Sign-up quick ;) Even though all ya’ll should already be signed up.

Went to the Cheesecake factory— and discovered it’s not really the factory, the cheesecake comes from California. Fun fact for ya. ;)

Attended mass at a few new places! I went to Sts. Simon and Jude for Saturday night mass. Sts. Simon & Jude has a perpetual adoration chapel—so nice!

Took a train up to Doylestown, PA which is about 30 minutes north of the city and attended mass at Old Lady of Mount Carmel—a very nice parish with Fr. Paschal who is from Nigeria. I felt right at home with his enthusiasm and honesty!

Then, I was blessed to visit the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa. I felt like I was in the middle of Poland, I heard more Polish, French, and Spanish then I did English. Still felt like I was on a pilgrimage in Europe. It was a beautiful place—with a lot of relics of JPII and a great museum and bookstore. There were beautiful side chapels—Our Lady of Lourdes and Fatima---along with Mass in English and Polish every day.

It was a great experience and then I came home and jumped right back in the car to go up to Philly for the evening. We went to the Carmelite Monastery for a Extraordinary form of the Mass, all in Latin, and it was a HIGH MASS with a choir. They were having a special novena all week in preparation for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on Saturday. The homily was at least 45 minutes long but it was AMAZING! He talked about Our Lady in three parts 1) creation 2) discovery 3) vocation and related them to Adam & Eve in the first creation, discovery, and vocation. It was fantastic. & the one time I don’t bring my journal into Mass :( ..I could write a entire post about that homily.

At the monastery—no AC—but people were packed in there. Afterwards we went into the entrance and there were pictures and pictures and huge case of Padre Pio relics....tons of things of his and statues and pictures! It was remarkable. That man is everywhere in this area and its comforting!

It was only my second Latin Mass and I appreciate it since it is Mass. I have a lot of learning to do so I can follow along better and understand it more. I wonder if what it was like for the generations who only had the Latin Mass and how it affected their faith. Because the congregation feels more excluded from the celebration but it really is that the priest is unified with us-we are all facing the same direction and speaking to God. I don’t know all the details but for our parents where they have grown up with the transition. I think my dad went to Latin Mass for 10 or so years before it is similar to what we see each Sunday now.

I have much more to say about the Shrine, my Boston trip, & more pictures to post.... I’ll try to post again soon! I am going to Catholic Underground (www.oyya.org) this weekend and spending the day in the city.

Hope all is well in MO & beyond!

xoxo

First Tweet recorded!

I know this is a little old news (June 28, 2011)-- but I just watched the video of Pope Benedict XVI sending out his first tweet!
Look at his face in the video-- he is so cute & happy! I just love Papa B and its all in Italiano. :)

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/06/28/pope-sends-out-his-first-tweet/

Beyond Belief

Just wanted to express a few things after today. My expectations for the course- Catholic Sexual Ethics with Dr. John Haas- have already been blown out of the water. I am so inspired. The individuals who are here came from all over and all of us have wounds in our past and all of us bear a different cross each day. I am so amazed! I want to spread this message of hope and a new way to look at and live each day...its so good.

You may be asking why? Well, I am here to learn more and more so I can explicitly tell you-- but right now--i will just trust my joy & sense of amazement. This is what the world needs- it has answers to tell you what the desire of your heart longs for. And its true love-true friendship.

I want to be a woman who can live this-teach this- and make a difference (ABG). The world is in so much need. I am praying for the state of NY ----TOB has the answers. ---But it does not make it easy. Not at all, it makes it more difficult mostly because so much of what we think will bring us happiness is fleeting. And I can't take credit for this but its true.... Its not going to be easy, but its going to be worth it!!!!!!

It has been a night full of goosebumps and Oh my lantas!!

I pray in Thanksgiving for this blessing. :) xoxo Can't wait for what tomorrow will bring. Praying for you all.


And above all else... its the Solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Smokes. And our chaplain for the week gave a BEAUTIFUL homily. "Lord, Increase my faith!"

Prayer request

Hi Family & Friends:

A new Theology of the Body course begins on Sunday. This course is Catholic Sexual Ethics with Dr. John Haas -- President at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. Over 80 students will be attending and the topics are sensitive but Dr. Haas will be able to share with us how in vitro fertilization (IVF), masturbation, same-sex marriage and more is morally wrong and scientific proof of why. The harm it causes but not just because of the “God reasons”. How we can relate these issues to every person- catholic or non-catholic or non-believers. I want to learn and integrate this into my life. I want to be able to share it with you all. Please pray for the success of the course and for the attendees. AND for me-- it’s a lot to be immersed into, first with the initial TOB I course and now this one. I am very excited and it lasts until Friday. Hope all is well! Send me prayer intentions you have at any time.

Love you all! xoxoxo

The Catholic Shop

I was pleased to visit the smallest Catholic Shop today in Norristown, PA today! It was a goldmine for icons, books, medals, movies, and so much! We only went there because the other store had moved. They don't have a website because they are really small. But they had a complete section just for TOB. They are good in my book. I will be back. Its a promise ;)

Bucket List UPDATED

So far these are on my Must DO list while i'm on the East coast:

Yes, I have been known to do things then add them to the bucket list so I can check them off--this is still the case.

Try a Philly Cheesesteak - CHECK from Jim's Steaks

Visit Padre Pio Shrine in Barto, PA  - CHECK

Tons to see in the city of Philly - CHECK

Catholic Underground - CHECK
Mass with Cardinal Regali ---- no but I saw him on TV ;)

A tasty burger joint only on East Coast I hear called FIVE GUYS - CHECK

Weekend in NYC- Mass at St. Patricks - see where Archbishop Sheen is buried. --- :( No, but one day.

Visit the lovely Mr. and Mrs. Moore in Boston! - CHECK

Go to the beach! - CHECK CHECK!

Chadds Ford Winery in West Chester, PA - I did drink their wine, good reviews from me

tour of QVC -- ha! ---- not important lol
Visit Deleware. -- Oh, yes.

Joyfully Overwhelmed

                So, I am not sure where to begin! I have had a wonderful eleven days here in PA! After two days in the office, a day off, then the beginning of the first Head and Heart Immersion course (6 days) at Black Rock Retreat Center in Quarryville, PA, I would say I was joyfully overwhelmed! I spent yesterday and today relaxing in West Chester- went to the pool, went out to a bar/lounge last night with new friends and had my first PA brewski—it was a Yuengling (Yang-ling) from Pottsville, PA –America’s Oldest Brewery!

                As my dad tells me, “Whatever guy takes you out is very lucky because when he buys the drinks, he buys two and gets to drink 1 ½!” That is also true as of last night; I can only finish ½ of the beer successfully before it gets warm, usually! But it was a good beer! http://www.yuengling.com Tricia (the lady I am living with) bought it for me because it’s local and it’s a must-try! Also, Tastykakes are local in this area—they are a tasty baking company! I have tried them and I am not disappointed! http://www.tastykake.com/ I love trying and visiting local places!

                BUT If I could add one thing to this weekend- I would have taken my lovely father & my family to the Yuengling brewery to celebrate on this Father’s Day! Happy Father’s Day!

                Which relates to TOB (because once you start learning TOB you know it relates to everything- and as Bill Donaghy, the instructor, would say, “You are going to be ruined!”). One of the biggest themes in TOB is the importance of understanding our masculinity and femininity—why God created us male & female! The way the male and female bodies complement each other physically as well as emotionally too! I know I like to talk and woman (typically) pay attention to detail and we may analyze a little too much but it’s great when the man can help us and we can help them. We all have strengths and weaknesses which we bring to each relationship we have.

                As my parents celebrated their 30^th wedding anniversary on Monday, June 13^th (first full day of the TOB1 course) I really reflected on the grand blessing of their marriage in my life. I would not be the WOMAN I am today if I didn’t have the support, stability, and example of my parents and their love for each other.  

                If you don’t know a lick about TOB—know that it’s all about the sincere GIFT of LOVE! It’s a new way to look at the world. Blessed Pope John Paul II said he didn’t re-do the theology of the Church; he is just expressing it differently- the new evangelization. And he said he fell in LOVE with human LOVE!

                It’s all about the eternal exchange of love between the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which is made visible in healthy, loving relationships between friends, siblings, and most importantly the love between husband and wife! Marriage is a sign of what is to come in Heaven! I could say so much more and by writing this blog, I am compiling my thoughts, learning, and beginning to process all that is being thrown at me. (A lot of spiritual bombs!!) I am meeting a lot of new people!! There was over 65people at the course this past week and we all got along so well. Some wonderful priests, a wonderful sister from China, seminarians, married couples, single people, divorced individuals, college students, mothers, fathers, grandparents and everyone was blessed with something from studying TOB. It’s just the beginning to a change of thinking/living the world really needs!

The grand bonfire at the end of the week-- the rain didn't keep the fire from flamin'

A good ol' game of spoons--Can you see me? :)

                I have so much I want to say—just the usual ‘kel rambling’ and I will be working on more posts in the next couple days because I have a few stories of individuals who really taught me something this week. Please give me a call or shoot me a message if you want more! I don’t want my posts to be too long but I don’t want to make light of this.... It really is amazing!!

                Theology of the Body & the Catholic Faith, specifically, is so beautiful it’s like a good tasting hamburger—if you shove it down someone’s throat they are not going to enjoy it no matter how good it is because they are probably going to choke! No Joooke. And they are going to hate you and dislike the burger. So, you have to just buy the hamburger and let the yummy aroma attract them to it and then you let them try it!! And usually once they smell it they ain’t gonna say no! ;) (That is a little something Bill shared with us- hope I explained it well).

                If you like what you are smellin’--- let me know! J Love you all! And I miss you guys too. Continue to pray for me—because it’s all by the grace of God.

The sunset at 5:45am - Quarryville, PA (all photos courtesy of Bill)

A Fruitful Summer

It’s Saturday! Yesterday was FRI-DAY! I am sitting at a café named Fennario’s in West Chester, PA, it’s unique with a good iced coffee! I have been in Philadelphia since Wednesday afternoon. Tess from the TOB institute picked me up and I got a quick tour around and then made it to the office in time to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet with the ladies! It was a good start, in my opinion. I am staying with a friend of the institute for the remainder of the month; her name is Tricia and the other intern, Katie. She has a small kitty and her name is Lady. It’s nice to be with someone who is from this area and can point us in the right direction. Katie and I have hit it off and she is a graduate of Catholic University of America in D.C. It’s motivating and inspiring to be around good, orthodox Catholics who share in the passion! Tricia has really shared some great stories with us; she is a strong woman of faith, a lawyer, and a great Sunday school teacher! Her personality is contagious and I love when she tells stories (she is animated!). We are going to a trip up to the city and specifically from where she grew up and her home parish is the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestachowa!
Smokes!

To set the scene: the office at the TOB institute consists of 5 ladies and then us, the two interns. It is just enough space to get the job done! These ladies organize the courses and work with Ascension Press for publications and bookings. Then, the speakers and teachers are Christopher West, Damon Owens, and Bill Donaghy along with a board of directors and other helpers. Charles and his wife Susan have helped since 2007 since they heard Christopher give a seminar! He helped us moved everything from storage to the classroom! One amazing man with a true understanding of marriage because he said after 43 years they are still on their honeymoon! He said, “Marriage is my vocation and every day I have to work on it just like every day a priest works on his life in the church.” He had some great stories about his 5 children on earth (1 in Heaven J) and his 10 grandchildren with 1 on the way! The biggest thing about being in a new place is connecting with new people and letting each person make an impact on your life. Especially the amazing people involved with the Institute, they all are doing such good work for the Kingdom! To see the course from the bottom – up come together has been enjoyable—meeting the ladies here and getting to know them—praying for the students coming from all across the world (Mexico, China, and all over the USA) Mrs. Kim Sellers from Jackson, MO will be joining for the TOB1 course- Pray for her!

(I will post pictures of the office and retreat center soon)

Besides the office, the courses take place at Black Rock Retreat Center which is in Quarryville, PA (very close to C.W.’s house ;). Its very serene and I will be there all next week (Sun-Fri). The retreat center is where all the TOB courses are held: TOB Immersion 1 and 2 along with the Catholic Sexual Ethics course will be this summer and I will get to attend all three of them!!!!!!!! Oh my lanta!!!! And I promise to take notes ;) It is a summer of growth and learning, to say the least, with site seeing and fellowship along the way! As my friends in Cape study Love & Responsibility, I hope to read that book along the way too!

For lunch, we went to Sam’s Pizza & Italian Restaurant; I had a personal pizza bigger than the size of my face!!! It was a Margarita Pizza and I had the same type of pizza in Venice, Italy, and this was just as good. I recommend Sam’s for pizza anyways! They had cannolis too! (for any italians out there :)  Check them out >>> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sams-NY-Style-Pizza-Italian-Restaurant/119939481402387?sk=wall#!/profile.php?id=33809421

Sam's & Black Rock is in Quarryville, PA is about 45 minutes from Exton, PA, which is about 40 minutes from Philadelphia! We are very close to the Delaware border and about 2 hours from the beach and about 2 ½ to New York and about 5 hours from Boston, MA! I am trying to make the most of my time here, so planning small trips for the weekends! And we started today, we ventured off to Valley Forge! It is the encampment site during the time of the American Revolution where General Washington & his troops were for about 6 months. We took a guided trolley tour.

The awesome trolley! :)

Mr. and Mrs. Washington (Katie) -- happy ever after!

 Our tour guide was Breanna – she was absolutely amazing, full of joy and very informative! Can you believe a tour on this revolutionary site was awesome?! I hardly blinked. Well it was! The original railing which General Washington and his wife used at that time was still in the re-built house which resembled the original.  

But to begin my first Saturday experience in PA – we went to mass at St. Philip and James at 8:30am and afterwards they pray a novena and then have veneration of a Relic of St. Padre Pio! They have veneration of this relic every Saturday. They pray for the sick especially those with cancer. It was awesome! The Shrine of Padre Pio is about 45 minutes away in New Jersey. Check out this link—they have a Padre Pio Prayer Group too, which meets every Wednesday night at 7pm at the outside Shrine. I will be visiting asap! http://www.padrepioshrine.org/index.htm I also was surprised to see and hear so much about Padre Pio – I saw his body when we were in San Giovanni Rotondo in Italy in 2009 and its awesome to see others’ devotion to him and the miracles of his intercession.

Yesterday, I received a wonderful care package from the soon to be Saint Kristen Rainey – patroness of everything rude & taking Drogo-like pictures & falling in the ocean- it was an amazing surprise—since she creeped to find my address! But the lovely kind box consisted of

Mike & Ikes -- my favorite & Ranch Salad dressing -- inside joke. & Guafre (Waffle) Mix -- self-explanatory (for most of you). & A beautiful crucifix. & the book: Preparation for Total Consecration according to Saint Louis Marie de Montfort (any fans?).

Thank you very much for your prayers and support! I wouldn’t be in Philly if it wasn’t for K-Dawg, she printed off the application for me ;)

Fun fact: No supermarkets or gas stations in the State of Pennsylvania sell alcohol, not even Wal-Mart. So for beer or wine (in moderation ;) one must go to a brewery, wine & spirits, or a liquor store!  There are several BYOB restaurants in West Chester. ha!

Overall, first three days- fabulous! I still can’t believe I am here. I feel like in the right place and I am surrounded by outlets which will only help my spiritual life.

See you in the Eucharist! I will have a big TOB blog after the course ends on Friday. Please pray for the TOB course and those in attendance, along with Bill, the instructor!

Pax!

Catholic Churches -- Here I come!

So, let me begin with beautiful Churches in this area and I will give ya the facts on where I go and pray! (listed in order which I visited) I will rate my favorite later!

#1 St. Agnes in West Chester, PA >> about 10 minutes from my residence. It was built in the 1700s.!!

It has the high altars, communion rails, old-style confessionals, wooden kneelers; original wood floors, beautiful stain glass, and tall brick walls! I felt like I was back in Europe for a wee bit! The lower chapel was built in the 1970s and it’s simple but still very nice. Evening daily mass is held in the lower chapel. Then, outside in the front of the church, Our Lady of Lourdes with a beautiful St. Bernadette statue has a small area. Bernie is following me--- and that’s great! Ora Pro Nobis

#2 St. Phillip & James in Exton, PA >> about 20 minutes from my residence. It was built in 1959 and it’s not the prettiest church honestly, (still has the communion rails and beautiful statues) but they have the relics of the saints right there for veneration. The kids mass at 8:30am was very nice, they sang great contemporary music! Mass is always great but the church is more plain and simple with funky colors. J On the other hand, they are still awesome! They have Saturday morning mass at 8:30am then a novena of the Miraculous Medal and veneration of a 3^rd class relic of St. Padre Pio. They pray for the sick especially those with cancer. This has occurred for the last 1 ½ years, which is awesome! They have four deacons which were very welcoming and gave us information on where to visit next >> The Shrine of Padre Pio, which I already talked about.

#3 St. Mary’s Chapel is right off the road and they have Adoration every day from 9am until 7pm. It was built in 1873 and was the original parish for the town until 1959 when St. Philip & James was built. The chapel is very precious and beautiful stone altar.

On the right-hand side a small Padre Pio statue--- I know about Pio and I have visited his city in Italy and saw his body—which was amazing! But I just don’t hear much about him around here! And then in PA – in West Chester anyways, they are all about Pio.

 Doesn't Padre Pio's face look really life-like? Check out this link to the National Centre for Padre Pio in Barto, PA http://padrepio.org/Centre/History.aspx

Three Holy Men: Joseph, Pio, and Jude

#4 SS. Simon and Jude in West Chester, PA as well! And it is the more modern architecture but has a Perpetual Adoration chapel named Sacred Heart. You will see the stain glass is all the saints with a major devotion to the Sacred Heart.

More to Come. Stay tuned.