Day One in Mexico, in the evening

It's been busy, busy, but it should slow down a bit now for the last few days.  We are now nearly alone in this huge building.  Classes are done, everyone when back to their parish.  As promise here is a brief account of our first evening.

We had dinner in the big dinning room.

Notice that I was sitting at a table with three sisters and three priests.  How joyful!

 

Michel's table was more subdued.

 

 

Nighttime view from the fourth floor.

 

¡Hola! From Mexico

It's been ages since I posted here.  Many wonderful celebrations have gone by.  I feel a bit guilty to write again after so long but hey, I miss my family.  I like to hear from home on Lydia's blog and also on the Munkles' blog, so I thought maybe family at home in the Carolina and even in Quebec might like to see what we are up to here.

It's been and still is quite an experience to be here in Mexico City, or to be more exact in Naucalpan.

We arrived in the evening of July 16, the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.  We had dinner at the usual dinner time here, which is 8:00 pm.  Michel and I just can't get used to the meal hours in Mexico. Breakfast is at 8:00 am, lunch at 2:00 pm and as I said dinner at 8!

Here is a picture of our room.  Makes me appreciate my own room at the Manor (for whoever don't know, our house in Bailey has been named "The Manor", I think Sara and Clark came up with this name).

We are on the fourth floor, by ourselves.

 There are eight of those to get to our room. Up and down up and down, we getting a good workout everyday. ;o)

I have found this little spot near our room to be a good place to knit and read.

Here is the view from one of the windows in the hall.

On our first day, July 17, we went to visit the seminary and had lunch there.  It is also a pre-seminary.  Young boys go to school here and are encourage to consider a vocation to the priesthood.   The young boys and young men were having events that day, and for some reason only known to them they were covered in mud!

After lunch we had a tour of the beautiful Basilica Nuestra Senora de los Remedios. More pictureshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/eltb/sets/72157603803580409/.

Do you think Father Greg would like one of those for our Church?  It says "Please put your gum here".

 

I think he wants one of these for the Manor.

I would like one of those at the Manor

Seminarians playing soccer

It's time to go to Church.  I will try to finish my account of our first day later tonight or tomorrow.

Ubi Caritas

This post could be my Pre-Valentine gift to you. ;o)

Yesterday's second reading was 1 Cor 12:31—13:13 Or 13:4-13

Brothers and sisters:

Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues,

but do not have love,

I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.

And if I have the gift of prophecy,

and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;

if I have all faith so as to move mountains,

but do not have love, I am nothing.

If I give away everything I own,

and if I hand my body over so that I may boast,

but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.

It is not jealous, it is not pompous,

It is not inflated, it is not rude,

it does not seek its own interests,

it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,

it does not rejoice over wrongdoing

but rejoices with the truth.

It bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;

if tongues, they will cease;

if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.

For we know partially and we prophesy partially,

but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,

think as a child, reason as a child;

when I became a man, I put aside childish things.

At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,

but then face to face.

At present I know partially;

then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.

So faith, hope, love remain, these three;

but the greatest of these is love.

During communion we sang Ubi Caritas.  The video below is of Connie Dover singing, and it's my favorite!

Here are the words in Latin with the English translation from her website.

Ubi Caritas

Ubi caritas et amor Deus ibi est

Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor

Exsultemus et in ipso jucundemur

Et ex corde diligamus nos sincere

Ubi caritas et amor Deus ibi est

Simul ergo cum in unum congregamur

Ne nos mente dividamur caveamus

Cessent jurgia maligna, cessent lites

Et in medio nostri sit Christus Deus

Ubi caritas et amor Deus ibi est

Simul quoque cum beatis videamus

Glorianter vultum tuum, Christe Deus

Gaudium quod est immensum atque probum

Seacula per infinita saeculorum

Translation from Latin to English

Where love and loving-kindness are together, God is always there

Since Christ's love has gathered us all together in one company,

Let us rejoice and take delight in Him, now and forever,

Let us now without any reserve or deception love one another.

Where love and loving-kindness are together, God is always there,

Therefore, whenever we are together,

Let us not be divided from each other in our feelings;

Let spite, quarreling and strife cease among us, and may Christ, who is God, be in our midst.

Where love and loving-kindness are together, God is always there

Bring us, in the company of the blessed, to behold Your great beauty,

To see Your face in glory, Christ our God,

There to possess heaven's peace and joy, Your truth and love,

Happiness of immeasurable excellence,

Through unending ages of ages, world without end.

Words: Anonymous, ca.9th Century

Music composed and arranged by Connie Dover

From the CD, The Wishing Well, by Connie Dover © Taylor Park Music

The text of this song dates from the 9th Century, and may be found in Graduale Sacrosancte Romance Ecclesia de Tempore et de Sanctus, a collection of Gregorian chants for the Roman Catholic Mass.

Happy Feast of St John Bosco!

It's been so long since my last post!  I thought a post on one of my favorite saint, St John Bosco, would be a good way to get back here.

St. John Bosco, from Saints for Young Readers for Every Day,Vol. 1

St. John Bosco was born near Turin, Italy. Like many Saints, he was a poor farm lad, who was brought up by his holy mother in the love of God and Our Lady. John's father died when he was young and his mother had to work very hard to feed her family. John, too, worked as hard as he could to help his mother. He was an intelligent lad, who knew how to keep his playmates from offending God. He would do tricks to win their attention and then he would talk to them about spiritual things.

In order to become a priest, John had to work his way through school. He did all kinds of work. He was a carpenter, a shoemaker, a cook, a pastry-maker, a farmer, and many other things. At the same time he was a fine student and always happy and cheerful.

After he became a priest, Don Bosco, which means Father Bosco, began his great mission of helping orphan boys. He gathered together hundreds of these boys who had no home. He taught them all kinds of work, so that they would not steal and get into trouble. At first people were angry with Don Bosco, because they did not think those boys would turn out to be good. But he proved that they would.

"Do you want to be Don Bosco's friend?" he would ask each new boy who came to him. "You do? Then, you must help me save your soul." Every night, he wanted his boys to say three Hail Mary's, so that the Blessed Mother would help them avoid sin. He also recommended that they go to Confession and Communion as often as possible.

One of Don Bosco's boys became a saint, St. Dominic Savio.

     

                                                                 

Later on, Don Bosco founded two Religious Orders to take care of poor children and he also built many homes and schools for them.

Let us help our parents at home as much as we can. The more things we learn to do, the better we can serve God.

                                           


You can find a nice online picture book of St John Bosco here for part one and here for part two.  Another one here and a comic book here.  Check them out.


                                           


St John Bosco was named the Apostle of Youth.  Gifted as he was as an educator and a leader, Don Bosco formulated a system of education based on reason, religion and kindness. 


Here are some quotes from St John Bosco, especially chosen for my sons, and for parents.

                   "Do you want to do a good deed? Teach the young!

                   Do you want to perform a holy act? Teach the young!

                   Do you want to do a holy thing? Teach the young!

                   Truly, now and for the future, among holy things, this is the holiest."

"[When asked about the secret of his immense success with the young, he simply replied]

Love."

"Strive to make people love you rather than fear you. When commanding or correcting,

always make those concerned understand that you are prompted by a desire to do them

good and not by a whim. Put up with anything if it is a question of avoiding sin. Direct

every effort to your boys’ spiritual well-being."

"...[do you want to outwit the devil? Never let him catch you idle. Work, study, pray, and

 you will be surely overcome your spiritual enemy."

"Always tend to think well of other people. Give them credit, at least, for their good

intentions. Never throw back into their faces wrong already forgiven. Do good to all,

harm to no one."

"Gentleness is the favorite virtue of Jesus Christ."

"You can fly to Heaven on the wings of confession and Communion."

"Remember the precept that St. John the Evangelist used to give to his disciples: “Love

one another.” Since it is not a mere exhortation, but a command, it would be sinful to do

otherwise. Therefore, do away with insults, quarrels, envy, revenge, mockery, or bad will.

Be good to one another. This will prove that you love each other like brothers."

                                                      

"I want no long-faced saints."

                                                                 

                                                          Saint John Bosco pray for us!

Ava is a Big Sister!

Gabriella Audet was born August 22, at 3:45 pm.  She is 8 lb 4 ounces and is 21 1/2 inches long.  She is just beautiful!  Big sister Ava is very happy with "baby Gabby" and said that she is pretty.  She wants to hold "it" as much as she can.  I think Gabriella will have two mommies. 

Barely over two hours old!  Just precious!

The girls, Ava and Ella 

Gabriella and aunt Lydia

Congratulations to Gabriel and Shannon!    

What a sweet little family!

My Maman with her Angel's Shoulder Shawl

Laurence who was due on his dad's fiftieth birthday (April 26), was born May 8, on my mother's birthday.  A few weeks ago I sent my mother, Gisèle, a shawl knitted with Aloft from KnitPicks in Pennyroyal.  Today I received some pictures my dad took of his beloved wife wearing her Angel's Shoulder Shawl as he calls it.  Isn't she beautiful.  Je t'aime maman!  

My mother did the needlework of the Girl Reading using extra small stitches for the face and hands.  

I hope to be as lovely as my maman when I grow older.

Lydia's Graduation

This Saturday, May 12, Lydia graduated from Belmont Abbey College, our fourth child to graduate from this wonderful college.  It was also my brother's Claude's birthday. Bonne fête Claude!  

Lydia received a bachelor degree in Biology.  Since she is still undecided about graduate school, she is taking a sabbatical year.  We are are all happy to have her with us for a little longer. .  

Cum Laude, Yeah!  Good for you Lydia!

We are proud of you!

You are such a gentle soul.

You are truly beautiful inside and out!

Her fan club

Processing out.  I love the bagpipes!

In front of the Adoration Chapel.
Lydia's dorm room was right across the street.  She could see the chapel from her window.

These past years, Lydia spent many hours here in front of her Lord.

Lydia and Sébastien, who graduated  two years ago from Belmont.

Afterward, Sébastien grilled some hot dogs and hamburgers for us.  He lives in Charlotte.