Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati Novena: Day Six

Day Six:

Jesus says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Pier Giorgio responds: “I beg you to pray for me a little, so that God may give me an iron will that does not bend and does not fail in His projects.”

We pray: Blessed Pier Giorgio, lead me in the path of purity, for only those who are clean of heart can behold God’s face. Help me to be faithful to the covenant I have made with God in Baptism, that I may always be loyal to His commands and thus offer Him sincere worship. Show me by your life how to be single hearted and completely, unswervingly, dedicated to proclaiming thekingdom of God here on earth.

Blessed Pier Giorgio, I ask for your intercession in obtaining from God, Who is pure love and holiness, all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare. I confidently turn to you for help in my present need: (mention your request.)

Litany of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (for private devotion)
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.


Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
All the angels and saints, pray for us. 


Blessed Pier Giorgio, pray for us. 
Loving son and brother, pray for us. 
Support of family life, pray for us. 
Friend of the friendless, pray for us. 
Most Christian of companions, pray for us. 
Leader of youth, pray for us. 
Helper of those in need, pray for us. 
Teacher of charity, pray for us. 
Patron of the poor, pray for us.
Comfort of the sick, pray for us. 
Athlete for God’s kingdom, pray for us. 
Conqueror of life’s mountains, pray for us. 
Defender of truth and virtue, pray for us. 
Opponent of every injustice, pray for us. 
Patriotic citizen of the nation, pray for us. 
Loyal son of the Church, pray for us. 
Devoted child of the Madonna, pray for us. 
Ardent adorer of the Eucharist, pray for us. 
Fervent student of the Scriptures, pray for us. 
Dedicated follower of St. Dominic, pray for us. 
Apostle of prayer and fasting, pray for us. 
Guide to a deep love for Jesus, pray for us. 
Diligent in work and study, pray for us. 
Joyful in all of life’s circumstances, pray for us. 
Strong in safeguarding chastity, pray for us. 
Silent in pain and suffering, pray for us. 
Faithful to the promises of Baptism,  pray for us. 
Model of humility, pray for us. 
Example of detachment, pray for us. 
Mirror of obedience, pray for us. 
Man of the Beatitudes, pray for us. 

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

V.   Pray for us, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:  Father, You gave to the young Pier Giorgio Frassati the joy of meeting Christ and of living his faith in service of the poor and the sick.  Through his intercession, may we, too, walk the path of the Beatitudes and follow the example of his generosity, spreading the spirit of the Gospel in society.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

IMPRIMATUR, November 2, 1994:
+Joseph A. Galante, D.D., J.C.D.,
Bishop of Beaumont, TX 

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati Novena: Day Five

Day Five: 

Jesus says: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”

Pier Giorgio responds: “St. Paul says that “the charity of Christ urges us.” Without this flame, which should burn out our personality little by little and blaze only for other people’s griefs, we would not be Christian, let alone Catholic.”

We pray: Blessed Pier Giorgio, teach me by your example of mercy to open my heart more widely to those in need, especially the poor and the sick. Guide me in extending that mercy both to friends and strangers, to those who love me and those who do not. Help me to reflect God’s own mercy, especially in words and deeds of forgiveness.

Blessed Pier Giorgio, I ask for your intercession in obtaining from God, Who is gracious and merciful and just, all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare. I confidently turn to you for help in my present need: (mention your request.)

Litany of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (for private devotion)
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
All the angels and saints, pray for us. 

Blessed Pier Giorgio, pray for us. 
Loving son and brother, pray for us. 
Support of family life, pray for us. 
Friend of the friendless, pray for us. 
Most Christian of companions, pray for us. 
Leader of youth, pray for us. 
Helper of those in need, pray for us. 
Teacher of charity, pray for us. 
Patron of the poor, pray for us.
Comfort of the sick, pray for us. 
Athlete for God’s kingdom, pray for us. 
Conqueror of life’s mountains, pray for us. 
Defender of truth and virtue, pray for us. 
Opponent of every injustice, pray for us. 
Patriotic citizen of the nation, pray for us. 
Loyal son of the Church, pray for us. 
Devoted child of the Madonna, pray for us. 
Ardent adorer of the Eucharist, pray for us. 
Fervent student of the Scriptures, pray for us. 
Dedicated follower of St. Dominic, pray for us. 
Apostle of prayer and fasting, pray for us. 
Guide to a deep love for Jesus, pray for us. 
Diligent in work and study, pray for us. 
Joyful in all of life’s circumstances, pray for us. 
Strong in safeguarding chastity, pray for us. 
Silent in pain and suffering, pray for us. 
Faithful to the promises of Baptism,  pray for us. 
Model of humility, pray for us. 
Example of detachment, pray for us. 
Mirror of obedience, pray for us. 
Man of the Beatitudes, pray for us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.


V.   Pray for us, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, 
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray:  Father, You gave to the young Pier Giorgio Frassati the joy of meeting Christ and of living his faith in service of the poor and the sick.  Through his intercession, may we, too, walk the path of the Beatitudes and follow the example of his generosity, spreading the spirit of the Gospel in society.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

IMPRIMATUR, November 2, 1994:
+Joseph A. Galante, D.D., J.C.D.,
Bishop of Beaumont, TX 

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati Novena: Day Four

Day Four: 

Jesus says: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

Pier Giorgio responds: “What wealth it is to be in good health, as we are! But we have the duty of putting our health at the service of those who do not have it. To act otherwise would be to betray that gift of God.”

We pray: Blessed Pier Giorgio, help me to seek God’s righteousness, His plan for my life and for the salvation of the world. Show me the way to self-surrender, so that I may desire nothing more than to be of service to the Lord and His Kingdom. Lead me to the table of love, where I will be satisfied.

Blessed Pier Giorgio, I ask for your intercession in obtaining from God, Who is righteous and just, all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare. I confidently turn to you for help in my present need: (mention your request.)

Litany of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati 

(for private devotion)

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.

All the angels and saints, pray for us. 

Blessed Pier Giorgio, pray for us. 

Loving son and brother, pray for us. 

Support of family life, pray for us. 

Friend of the friendless, pray for us. 

Most Christian of companions, pray for us. 

Leader of youth, pray for us. 

Helper of those in need, pray for us. 

Teacher of charity, pray for us. 

Patron of the poor, pray for us. 

Comfort of the sick, pray for us. 

Athlete for God’s kingdom, pray for us. 

Conqueror of life’s mountains, pray for us. 

Defender of truth and virtue, pray for us. 

Opponent of every injustice, pray for us. 

Patriotic citizen of the nation, pray for us. 

Loyal son of the Church, pray for us. 

Devoted child of the Madonna, pray for us. 

Ardent adorer of the Eucharist, pray for us. 

Fervent student of the Scriptures, pray for us. 

Dedicated follower of St. Dominic, pray for us. 

Apostle of prayer and fasting, pray for us. 

Guide to a deep love for Jesus, pray for us. 

Diligent in work and study, pray for us. 

Joyful in all of life’s circumstances, pray for us. 

Strong in safeguarding chastity, pray for us. 

Silent in pain and suffering, pray for us. 

Faithful to the promises of Baptism,  pray for us. 

Model of humility, pray for us. 

Example of detachment, pray for us. 

Mirror of obedience, pray for us. 

Man of the Beatitudes, pray for us. 

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

V.   Pray for us, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, 

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray:  Father, You gave to the young Pier Giorgio Frassati the joy of meeting Christ and of living his faith in service of the poor and the sick.  Through his intercession, may we, too, walk the path of the Beatitudes and follow the example of his generosity, spreading the spirit of the Gospel in society.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

IMPRIMATUR, November 2, 1994: 

+Joseph A. Galante, D.D., J.C.D.,  

Bishop of Beaumont, TX 

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati Novena: Day Three

Day Three:

Jesus says: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

Pier Giorgio responds: “With violence you sow hatred, and you harvest its bad fruits. With charity, you sow peace among men – not the peace that the world gives, but the true peace that only faith in Jesus Christ can give us in common brotherhood.”

We pray: Blessed Pier Giorgio, guide me in claiming my rightful inheritance as a child of God and heir of His kingdom. Show me, by your own example, how to be slow to anger, and gentle in my dealings with others. Help me to show forth the peace of Christ by speaking words of peace, and by living a life of peace.

Blessed Pier Giorgio, I ask for your intercession in obtaining from God, Who is meek and humble of heart, all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare. I confidently turn to you for help in my present need: (mention your request.)

Litany of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati 

(for private devotion)

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.

All the angels and saints, pray for us. 

Blessed Pier Giorgio, pray for us. 

Loving son and brother, pray for us. 

Support of family life, pray for us. 

Friend of the friendless, pray for us. 

Most Christian of companions, pray for us. 

Leader of youth, pray for us. 

Helper of those in need, pray for us. 

Teacher of charity, pray for us. 

Patron of the poor, pray for us. 

Comfort of the sick, pray for us. 

Athlete for God’s kingdom, pray for us. 

Conqueror of life’s mountains, pray for us. 

Defender of truth and virtue, pray for us. 

Opponent of every injustice, pray for us. 

Patriotic citizen of the nation, pray for us. 

Loyal son of the Church, pray for us. 

Devoted child of the Madonna, pray for us. 

Ardent adorer of the Eucharist, pray for us. 

Fervent student of the Scriptures, pray for us. 

Dedicated follower of St. Dominic, pray for us. 

Apostle of prayer and fasting, pray for us. 

Guide to a deep love for Jesus, pray for us. 

Diligent in work and study, pray for us. 

Joyful in all of life’s circumstances, pray for us. 

Strong in safeguarding chastity, pray for us. 

Silent in pain and suffering, pray for us. 

Faithful to the promises of Baptism,  pray for us. 

Model of humility, pray for us. 

Example of detachment, pray for us. 

Mirror of obedience, pray for us. 

Man of the Beatitudes, pray for us. 

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

V.   Pray for us, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, 

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray:  Father, You gave to the young Pier Giorgio Frassati the joy of meeting Christ and of living his faith in service of the poor and the sick.  Through his intercession, may we, too, walk the path of the Beatitudes and follow the example of his generosity, spreading the spirit of the Gospel in society.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

IMPRIMATUR, November 2, 1994: 

+Joseph A. Galante, D.D., J.C.D.,  

Bishop of Beaumont, TX 

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati Novena: Day Two

Day Two:

Jesus says: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

Pier Giorgio responds: “Our life, in order to be Christian, has to be a continual renunciation, a continual sacrifice. But this is not difficult, if one thinks what these few years passed in suffering are, compared with eternal happiness where joy will have no measure or end, and where we shall have unimaginable peace.”

We pray: Blessed Pier Giorgio, teach me that I must be able to mourn if I will be able to rejoice. Show me how to face my sorrow, and not avoid it or pretend that it does not exist. Help me to enter into any present sorrow, so that my soul can empty itself and be filled with God’s peace.

Blessed Pier Giorgio, I ask for your intercession in obtaining from God, Who is our Consoler, all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare. I confidently turn to you for help in my present need: (mention your request.)

Litany of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati 

(for private devotion)

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.

All the angels and saints, pray for us. 

Blessed Pier Giorgio, pray for us. 

Loving son and brother, pray for us. 

Support of family life, pray for us. 

Friend of the friendless, pray for us. 

Most Christian of companions, pray for us. 

Leader of youth, pray for us. 

Helper of those in need, pray for us. 

Teacher of charity, pray for us. 

Patron of the poor, pray for us. 

Comfort of the sick, pray for us. 

Athlete for God’s kingdom, pray for us. 

Conqueror of life’s mountains, pray for us. 

Defender of truth and virtue, pray for us. 

Opponent of every injustice, pray for us. 

Patriotic citizen of the nation, pray for us. 

Loyal son of the Church, pray for us. 

Devoted child of the Madonna, pray for us. 

Ardent adorer of the Eucharist, pray for us. 

Fervent student of the Scriptures, pray for us. 

Dedicated follower of St. Dominic, pray for us. 

Apostle of prayer and fasting, pray for us. 

Guide to a deep love for Jesus, pray for us. 

Diligent in work and study, pray for us. 

Joyful in all of life’s circumstances, pray for us. 

Strong in safeguarding chastity, pray for us. 

Silent in pain and suffering, pray for us. 

Faithful to the promises of Baptism,  pray for us. 

Model of humility, pray for us. 

Example of detachment, pray for us. 

Mirror of obedience, pray for us. 

Man of the Beatitudes, pray for us. 

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world,  have mercy on us.

V.   Pray for us, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, 

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray:  Father, You gave to the young Pier Giorgio Frassati the joy of meeting Christ and of living his faith in service of the poor and the sick.  Through his intercession, may we, too, walk the path of the Beatitudes and follow the example of his generosity, spreading the spirit of the Gospel in 

society.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

IMPRIMATUR, November 2, 1994: 

+Joseph A. Galante, D.D., J.C.D.,  

Bishop of Beaumont, TX 

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati Novena: Day One

Day One:

Jesus says:  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Pier Giorgio responds:  “The faith given to me in Baptism surely suggests to me that of yourself you will do nothing; but if you have God as the center of all your actions, then you will reach the goal.”

We pray:  Blessed Pier Giorgio, teach me true poverty of spirit. Help me understand that God cares for me; and that He asks me, in return, to care for others, especially those in need. Guide me to make choices in my life which will show a preference for service of God and neighbor, rather than accumulating financial wealth and social advantage for myself.  Give me a special love for the poor and the sick. 

Blessed Pier Giorgio, I ask for your intercession in obtaining from God, Who is the Lover of the poor, all the 

graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare.  I confidently turn to you for help in my present need:  

(mention your request.)

Litany of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati 

(for private devotion)

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

God our Father in heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.

All the angels and saints, pray for us. (Repeat after each invocation.)

Blessed Pier Giorgio, 

Loving son and brother, 

Support of family life, 

Friend of the friendless, 

Most Christian of companions, 

Leader of youth, 

Helper of those in need, 

Teacher of charity, 

Patron of the poor, 

Comfort of the sick, 

Athlete for God’s kingdom, 

Conqueror of life’s mountains, 

Defender of truth and virtue, 

Opponent of every injustice, 

Patriotic citizen of the nation, 

Loyal son of the Church, 

Devoted child of the Madonna, 

Ardent adorer of the Eucharist, 

Fervent student of the Scriptures, 

Dedicated follower of St. Dominic, 

Apostle of prayer and fasting, 

Guide to a deep love for Jesus, 

Diligent in work and study, 

Joyful in all of life’s circumstances, 

Strong in safeguarding chastity, 

Silent in pain and suffering, 

Faithful to the promises of Baptism,  

Model of humility, 

Example of detachment, 

Mirror of obedience, 

Man of the Beatitudes, 

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world,  have mercy on us.

V.   Pray for us, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, 

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray:  Father, You gave to the young Pier Giorgio Frassati the joy of meeting Christ and of living his faith in service of the poor and the sick.  Through his intercession, may we, too, walk the path of the Beatitudes and follow the example of his generosity, spreading the spirit of the Gospel in 

society.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

IMPRIMATUR, November 2, 1994: 

+Joseph A. Galante, D.D., J.C.D.,  

Bishop of Beaumont, TX 

Remember to report any and all intercessions made by Bl. Pier Giorgio here as he's one miracle short of sainthood at the moment. :)

Spiritual Direction, Growth, and Novenas

People complain (with good reason, btw) about misleading blog and article titles so I thought it would be good to let y'all know exactly what will be in this blog post. No surprises, promise. ;)

Last Thursday I had my first proper spiritual direction meeting in (I kid you not) 5 years. It took a while to find a good priest with whom I could talk openly without feeling self-conscience. For the record, I was open to other spiritual directors but it just happened that the one I found is an awesome priest. :D Anyway, it was much needed. I've been feeling stuck in my spiritual life and I needed someone to talk to about it. Of course, I can't say what I talked to him about but I definitely got a chance to work out some things that I was struggling with.

While I know my vocation and I feel at peace with the change of career, there are still things that I need help figuring out. While I wait to fulfill my vocation as wife and mother I have to take care of myself; not just physically but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I need to work on having a better relationship with God before I can do anything else. I will never stop growing in my relationship with the Lord and I occasionally need to change things, like my prayer life, in order to be able to continue to keep growing. The things that worked for me in my early to mid 20s were great because they helped me in my reversion back to the faith... but I feel like I'm ready for the next step. I reverted to the Faith seven years ago this month (this week, I think). I've learned a lot and I still learn something new every day. (Side note: I should really try harder to keep up my What I Learned Wednesday posts since I am still learned... and everyone seems to have either forgotten that we're in the Year of Faith or the enthusiasm for it has died down since it's not the "new" ("shiny") thing for us.) I will, of course, share the journey with y'all but it may be slow. I can't expect things to change overnight.

One thing I will share with y'all is something I learned (or, I should say, I was reminded of) over the weekend. Seeing Channing deactivate her Twitter and Facebook accounts (as she is entering Carmel soon; listen to her vocation journey here) and remembering that Pope Francis didn't want to be Pope reminds me that God's will for us is greater and better than what we have planned for ourselves. We get so wrapped up in our own problems (i.e. I get stressed out over my stomach problems and my mom's gradual loss of memory) and other things that we fail to remember that we owe it to God and ourselves to let things go, to trust Him, and to try to do His will. As I told my spiritual director, I do trust God but my PTSD and anxiety occasionally has me wanting to have some control instead of letting go completely. It's something I have to work on because I know He will take care of me. If I suffer, oh well, I will learn and use it to grow closer to Him. I need to get out of the "me, me, me" mentality and focus on Him. I am starting to sound redundant so I'll stop here. ;)

Anyway, I am going to try to live up to my "novena machine" nickname (y'all would be surprised how many people and how often I get asked to do novenas -- which I love to do! Seriously, load me up!). I won't be posting this week's WILW post because I don't want double posts during the Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati novena that begins tomorrow.

A few friends on Twitter already signed up for it so I want to keep the posts consistent so that no one misses a day. If you want to join in, let me know. If you want a daily reminder on Twitter or the blog's FB page and I'll gladly remind you. :D

And now I should really get going because I have tutoring to do in about half an hour and I want to prepare since it's the first session with the new student. :)

I hope you all had a great weekend (and didn't fail to go to Mass like I did - long story that involved anxiety, lightheaded/weakness, and stomach problems keeping me home). Don't forget to check out my twitter or this blog daily for the day's Bl. Pier Giorgio novena prayers (scheduled to go up at 8 a.m. PST).

As always, thanks for reading and God bless! :D

Please Ask My Permission First

It came to my attention this afternoon that an old picture of me in the mantilla my father gave me before he passed has been used on other websites and blogs without my permission. Do I really have to say this?! If anyone wants to use an old photo you found on this blog that I personally took or a picture of myself, please ask my permission and then credit the blog when you have permission. Otherwise you may not use them.

I know whoever took this picture (which I also saw on a popular Catholic blog) didn't mean harm but it irks me that someone took it without my permission. I am very careful of what I put out there (I even took this particular picture down a while back) and to have someone take something of mine and use it without my even being notified is just plain rude. Seriously, not cool.

I was going to write about what a great first spiritual direction meeting I had today but I'm going to save it for when I'm not miffed.

Permission to Marry Me?

 Inspired by Father's Day coming up this weekend, as well as the controversy surrounding the article 8 Rules for Marrying My Daughter, I decided to write something of my own. You know some of you are curious since my father passed away 4 years ago (next month). Disclaimer before you continue reading: these are my beliefs and what I would want for myself.

First, I have to say that the article has good points. Pat Archbold listed things that I'd like to see in my own future husband. A Catholic man who prays, willingly attends Mass, respects his mother, knows his limits, has an honest job (and his honest himself), and is open to children? Add "accepts nerdy tendencies" to the list and you'll hear me ask "Where can I find one?!" lol. As someone who has dated enough (not a lot, but enough) to know what she looks for in a fella, I agree with a majority of the 8 listed things.

Every person whose vocation is marriage has their own "list" of things they'd like in their future spouse. A devout Catholic man is what I hope to get in my future husband. As someone who loves her faith and is continually seeking to grow closer to God, having a spouse who is striving for the same things is important to me. I'd love to have a husband who, when I am having my anxiety days, will say "it's okay, you can do it/you'll be fine" instead of "well, then we shouldn't go. Let's stay home" when it comes to attending Mass. I'd love to have a husband who would love for us to have time, every day, to pray together... even if it's only for a couple of minutes. I know myself well enough to know that I need someone who encourages me to grow and I know that I will do the same for him. Besides that, I'd like a fella who is honest, hardworking, respectful (old fashioned manners are a bonus), and open to life. I don't think that's too much to ask for... and if it is, oops. This is just my preference. This is what I would like in my future husband. Now that that's out of the way, let me get onto what I really wanted to address.

A lot of people are having issue with the having to ask a father's permission to marry his daughter. I have issue with the word "permission" because it sounds like the young lady has no say in the matter. Bride and groom need to fully consent to the marriage, on their own free will, for it to be considered valid. If either the bride or groom doesn't want to marry the other person, you can't force them -- even if one of the parents wants it for their child.

Personally, I would like it if my future husband would, out of respect for my mother, asked for her blessing. Since my father is gone (and it would apply even if he were still alive), my mother's blessing would be amazing. I know my mother would happily give it if there wasn't any legitimate reason (i.e. something sketchy that she knows that I don't) to not give it. Oh, she'd let me know of any objections to his character before it got that far because she's much more perceptive than I am when it comes to people. And actually, funny story, this has come up twice... only for dating and not necessarily marriage.

I've had two would-be suitors ask my mother if permission would be needed to date or marry me. What did my mother say? "Pfft. 'Permission'? If you want permission, ask Emmy. She's the only who you want a relationship with. Furthermore, she's an adult; she makes her own decisions." There is more but it wouldn't be... nice... to repeat it. lol. (side note: if you're wondering, neither requests were accepted on my part. I'm not picky; I'm just well aware of red flags when I see them.) If you think my father's response would not be the same, you'd be wrong.

One of the last things I spoke to my father about (right before he passed and right before he lost his ability to speak) was my future boyfriend/husband. My older brother (who has taken on the role of the "man of the house" since my dad passed) was in the room this happened. I made a joke about how my father would need a broom to chase away any guy who would dare ask his permission to marry or date me and I will never forget exactly what he said. My dad simply said, in a very sober tone as I had NEVER talked about relationships with him (it was my only real conversation on the topic with him), "That won't be necessary. I trust you and I trust your decisions." Just like that. My father knew he would never get to see me marry but he also knew that I had never given him a real reason not to trust my judgment. When the topic has come up, my older brother has pretty much echoed what my father said (well, besides giving me pointers).

So, to wrap it all up: no, my future husband will not be asking my father (or anyone) for his permission because a) dad's not alive and b) it all boils down to whether or not I will accept him myself. I'm 28 years-old (though I look 18 as some of you like to remind me, lol) and I'd like to think that I know what I want in a spouse to make my own solid choice. Would I love to have him ask for my mother's blessing? Of course! Old fashioned, hopeless romantic, party of one, right here. But if I see that I don't love the poor fella or that I can't see a future with him, I'm going to have to turn him down. It's going to be no one's decision but my own. Repeat after me: "'permission', no. 'Blessing', yes."

Anyway, I just wanted to write this out. I know some people were curious as to what I thought since I had posted the link to the article on Twitter and was asked.

And now back to work. Yes, I try to get some freelance work (no matter how tedious it may be) done in the afternoons/evenings.

As always, thanks for reading and God bless!

I Don't Have Time For This

This week I was subjected to an interesting disagreement with a blog reader on this blog's Facebook page. While the argument was deleted (because I know how much my friends defend me and how rude the person's comments were), it gave me the inspiration to write this blog post.

In a nutshell, the argument was on how many young Catholics promote shows like The Big Bang Theory and others which feature a lot of things that are against Church teachings. To be more specific, the blog reader asked me why I thought that young Catholics did this because I had used a The Big Bang Theory gif in my last blog post. That quickly escalated into an argument about how I was immature, thin skinned (yes, I am sensitive), and a slew of other rude comments about me as a person. As you can see from this blog post's gif, "I don't have time for this."

Look, I'm just a lowly blogger who keeps a diary style blog about her own journey in life, while learning about the faith. I am not the authority on all things Catholic. Like I told his reader, people watch what they like and I don't know why they like what they like. Period. This wasn't a satisfactory response for the reader (which resulted in an insulting reply) but that's all I have to offer. I am not a mind reader. I don't even know why some of my best friends like or dislike certain things. Everyone has their own taste. Sure, I took Psychology and Sociology courses as an undergrad but that doesn't mean I'm an expert on it.

I know that I'm not like many of my fellow Millennials. I don't cuss because I don't like it. I think that there are better words in the English language to use when one is upset or describing something. Does it mean that I'm going to sit here and judge friends who do it? No.

I don't like watching or hearing anything sexual while I am trying to enjoy a movie or TV show and will go out of my way to avoid it. I will literally get up and walk out of the room if I am able to. I've already written on this before, which you can read here. I'm just not comfortable. Does it once again mean that I'm going to look at friends who don't mind watching these things and judge them? Nope.

As many of you know, I am regularly on tumblr and I stumble across these gifs. I don't know which shows some of them come from but I think the gifs themselves are funny or would suit a blog post in the future so I save them for later use. Does it mean I myself am promoting the show or movie? No. I'm just using a picture that I believe is appropriate for the entire blog post. Have I repeated this enough times?

I try to be nice to everyone, even when they treat me like crumbs. However, there comes a point where I get tired of the rudeness and I have to say something. I've been insulted, mistreated, and attacked because I can't give people what they want. I am either too Catholic or not Catholic enough. I get attacked when I stick up for someone on their point of view (i.e. seeing the amount of cussing online) and I get attacked for not condemning those who have different tastes than I do. I can't win. But, you know what? "I don't have time for this."

I am back on my freelance working schedule. I basically have the role of "housewife" (minus the husband and children) in the house. I cook, clean, run errands, etc. I have a lot of stuff to do and, while I used to try to reply to everyone messages, I'm just going to start skipping those that attack me like this because I have better things to do with my time.

I'm just going to pray for those who sling mud at me because I truly believe that it hurts them more than it hurts me. By attacking me, you are damaging your own soul. Think about it. I may feel sad or want to cry (or may cry) but it's only for a little while. I get my comfort from God. The person who tries to hurt me, even verbally, has to deal with anger. Not only that, they have to own up to their actions... to God. I'd rather get insulted and cry then inflict emotional pain on someone and then have to go to confession and own up to hurting a fellow human being. That's just my way of thinking about it.

For the tl;dr crowd: if you attack me for whatever reason, I'm not going to reply. I'm going to pray for you and then drop it. My people-pleasing days are over and I am not going to try to get you to like me by changing what I do or say just to please you. I will do what God wants me to do and only worry about pleasing Him. Sorry but doormat Emmy has left the building.

Anyway, I want to finish reading Emma by Jane Austen (I've been trying to read bits of it since April; this is longest time it's ever taken me to finish an Austen novel) before my weekend ends so I will go do that now.

I hope y'all have a great weekend. :D If you have any prayer requests, send them my way. :D

As always, thanks for reading and God bless!

Start of New Routine; Struggle with Spiritual Dryness

I don't know about y'all but I always start off a new routine with a lot of energy... and somewhere along the way (of the first week), I feel like crashing and burning because I tried to make too many changes at once. I have to remind myself that new routines take a while to get used to. I was used to getting up at 4 in the morning to drive my mother to work, five days a week, prior to my vacation. Now I'm used to waking up at 8-9 a.m. every morning. Since my vacation officially ends today, I have to get back to my old routine which, to be honest, is not at all appealing. Who wants to get up at 4 a.m.? No one. lol. But I know that I must so I just give in to the fact and try to do it with as much energy (despite some cranky mornings) as possible. This isn't the only change I'm making either.

As many of you know, I pray the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary but I don't stick to the schedule as well as I should. Sure, I do the "most important ones" (Prime and Vespers) without fail (unless I am so sick that I accidentally sleep right through the times). Most days I can get Terce, Compline, and Matins done (yes, I like to do it old school) but I fail with Sext and None. A couple of nights ago I wrote on this blog's FB page:

"Going through spiritual dryness, you never know how or when you're going to get out. Though I still feel stuck in it, it's much less. I thank God for putting the right person (at the right time) in my path because they are inspiring me to change a lot of things... and consequently renewing interest in certain faith related things.

P.S. If anyone is going through this, you're not alone. St. Teresa of Avila and St. Therese of Lisieux both struggled through it."

To be honest, I still feel like I'm barely getting out of the dryness. I will actually tackle this subject on its own soon. However, as I wrote, I was inspired by someone to stick to doing the Little Office like anyone would keep (or try to keep) the Liturgy of the Hours. It was also suggested in The Temperament God Gave You for my particular temperament (Phlegmatic-Sanguine representing) that, besides the Liturgy of the Hours (or Little Office in my case), the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet would be good to keep in regular practice. While, of course, speaking to my spiritual advisor would be best, I'm going to start off keeping a more regular prayer schedule until the next time I see him. Side note: Just because I know my vocation doesn't mean I don't still need direction now and then. ;)
Anyway, which I am totally excited to feel less spiritual dryness, I have to make myself a note (possibly on a post-it) to remind myself of two things: 1) to not add too many things at once and 2) to not get discouraged if it takes me awhile to get the hang of this new routine.

My work schedule is going to have to be more discipline than before. While it's true that as a freelance writer I make up my own schedule, I have to really stick to it. That means going back to my restricted time on social networks and planning out everything in advance so that I can make the most out of work and my spiritual life. All I have to focus on are those two things but I don't want to get too caught up in either (especially not work). School and vocation are on the backburner until I get accepted somewhere (for the grad school part) and until God decides that it's the right time for me to focus on my vocation as a future wife and mother.  

Anyway, just wanted to share this before my vacation ends. Sigh. Two and a half weeks of vacation, you will be missed but we shall see each other again in December for the holidays. ;) Now back to listening to The Chieftains' Voice of Ages album, enjoy a bit of The Voice (fan of the show) and then read before bed. :D May this new routine go well. *crosses fingers*

I hope you all had a great weekend and have a wonderful week as well. If you have any prayer requests, please send them my way. :D

As always, thanks for reading and God bless!