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