Friday, July 25, 2008

...




...Um, you know that part in the "WYDH retreat!!! :-D" post when I said I stood in the rain? hehe... well, I found out that I caught a cold two days after... :-) So yeah, the blogger is sick... (but I'm not gonna say that I regret standing in the rain!! :-D) Anyway, (maybe some of my readers know already) my family and I are moving. (Yes, again!) So please kindly pray for my family and I! The internet will be off (for us) this Tuesday until... I don't know when. :-( I (hopefully) might just post just one saint post sometime later before it gets hooked off, but I can't be sure... But we'll be moved around the first of August, I think. So after next Tuesday, that is, July 29 I think, you probably won't hear anything from this blog...(waaahhh)

So anyway... thanks for all your prayers!!

~Jesus, Mary, and Joseph pray for us!~

pic from here

Monday, July 21, 2008

Saints song!

Please visit Sr. Anne's blog at: http://romans8v29.blogspot.com/
and scroll down a little bit for this fun (and funny!) video of the saints. ;-)

Sunday, July 20, 2008

WYDH retreat!!! :-D

The WYDH retreat (18-20) was amazing!! I forgot in my earlier post that I was going to bring my camera (actually my dad's camera) to the WYDH retreat and actually post some pics! :-D So here they are!!!
(they're not exactly in order...and I'm not posting any faces....)



Here's the chapel at the retreat center where all the retreatants (is that what you call them?) spent most of the time (besides their rooms)! Isn't it nice? :-)

Anyway, there we had adoration, morning and evening prayer, Benediction, and where (I noticed just now that the schedule is right beside me!) we prayed all four mysteries of the Rosary, Catechesis(es?), a bit of journaling/writing, singing, Sunday Mass, and also Confession. One of the best parts was that there was adoration anytime from around 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. when it ended. I knew that some of those teens actually got up from bed around 1:00 a.m. or so, and spent at least half an hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament! Too bad Cy and I didn't stay overnight... we could've done that! :-)

In a field (I don't have a picture of it, sorry) we did separate groups of the Stations. Not the Stations of the Cross, but the Stations that was after the Passion and Death of Christ. We were told that the early Christians did this practice when the Stations of the Cross was not made yet. (not sure but I think it was made around St. Francis of Assisi's time... I think?) And we did a procession through the field too! Carrying our candles as a symbol of the light of Christ into the darkness of the night, all the teens and children quietly, but joyfully made a procession through the field, lighting the way for each other. It was really nice! :-D (Too bad I forgot the camera inside Cy's bag!) There was also supposed to be a Eucharistic procession around the field as well, but it rained right before it started, during the time for Confession.


I got soaked waiting, or rather, looking for a line to go to Confession. There were 6 priests, I think, all scattered around the retreat center close by the chapel. So I went around (since Cy went off to another place close by), looking for a line, (since the ones inside the chapel were long) and then went outside. It was a light shower at first when I stepped out of the chapel. After just a few steps it began to rain harder, and harder and harder! Most of the teens who had waited in lines that were outside ran back in the chapel. I was going to follow to, but I couldn't help but just stand there and get all soaked by the cool rain! It was really fun, actually! Anyway, my bag started to get soaked (there were books inside of it), so I went back inside the chapel. At least the lines were shorter now! :-) After I stood in my place in that line, the rain slowed to a stop. Hehe, I was really tempted to go back out to get soaked again if it rained harder! :-D But I didn't. Some of the other teens wanted to play outside in the rain too! :-) So... not so dripping wet anymore, I went to Confession inside the chapel where some of the teens asked me afterwards, "How was the rain?" :-)

Catechesis, choir, and songs!


Everyone started out kind of late (and also because it rained and the field was all wet), most of the schedule was changed. Some bits and parts were taken out, and the Catechesis and songs took longer than they were scheduled to be. But I'm glad theywere! Everyone enjoyed them so much! It was definetely one of their top favorites of the retreat! The catechesis were said/taught by Vince Ambrosetti, a musician, singer, composer, and missionary! You can read more about him here. Everybody loved his music, singing, and ministry! :-D

The rest of the choir was wonderful too! There were three of them, I think, Vince Ambrosetti, Steven Vitale, and Ruben Galabeas. All of three of them are muscians, singers, and composers. We even got to sing their songs at the retreat! Everyone participated, sang, and even danced and clapped to their music! :-D We also got to sing all over again and all over again the main theme song for this WYD, "Receive the Power", the same one that the people in Australia sang! :-D

On the 2nd day, there was even a concert. Some teens from the other islands sang songs, from Ave Maria, As I Kneel, to even a song that was from a commercial... I think? But I heard that the message was good. :-)

Break time!!


That was also one of the youths' favorites. After the Catechesis, they would scatter everywhere! They'd go into their rooms, outside, downstairs, and up somewhere on the mountains! Although it was announced, I noticed that not all who participated in the retreat actually came downstairs (all together) during break time to watch EWTN (yaaayyy!!!) for the Papal Mass and other things there. Oh! And there were snacks too!!! (on the right side!!) :-D



Also during break time, some of the teens explored the retreat center, wandered around the grassy and rocky areas, and climbed up and down here and there.


Then later on in the two evenings, we all went to dinner :-D. Since Cy and I weren't staying overnight, we brought our own food.

(Cy and I were holding our sandwiches when we took this picture, really!) ;-) Anyway, we ate just outside of the dining area where there was such a beautiful view!

That's on the left side!




And that's on the right! (sorry, I meant the mountain part...) But at least you could see the chapel! :-)

Cy and I got to meet some really nice people and kids. :-) Two of the group leaders even invited us to the second day's dinner and the Sunday breakfast! :-D

In the end of the Sunday Mass, there was this thing called 'commissioning'... I think. The two priests that were there throughout the whole retreat gave everyone medals!





The second pic isn't too clear, but it says: World Youth Day Hawaii "You will receive power when the Holy Sprit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses." Acts 1:6 18-20 July 2008

On the last day (Sunday 20th) our mom and little sister joined us. Our departure had a loooonng delay because mom started to get all caught up in so many conversations! (I bet you teens know how that is!) ;-) But I'm grateful. Now that mom knows about it, I'm (hopefully) going to attend another retreat next month! :-D

Anyway... since Cy and I don't exactly like having our pictures taken, we just decided to take our nametags off to prove that we've been to the WYDH retreat!!!



So hopefully next WYD we'll be able to go to Spain!!! Can't wait!! :-D

Thursday, July 17, 2008

WYD!!!!

Sniff... too bad I'm not there in Australia... No, I'll just be attending a WYD retreat in Hawaii. :-D

But at least I got to see the part about the Pope's arrival in Australia on television!! (or rather... my mom's computer...) :-) (You should've heard the deafening joyful shouts when the Holy Father embarked off the ship!!! I thought the earphones were gonna break!!) Anyway, you could go and see it yourself here if you don't have the EWTN channel like us.... :-)
Happy World Youth Day!!!!


"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:6)

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Martyrs of Gorkum


On July 9th, 1572, nineteen martyrs were hanged by Calvinists for their loyalty to the Pope and for their belief in the Real Presence in the Eucharist.


Adrian Beanus,

Adrian van Hilvarenbeek,

Andrew Wouters,

Antony van Hoornaer,

Antony van Weert,

Antony van Willehad,

Cornelius van Wyk,

Godfrey of Duynen, (a parish priest and was a rector of a school in Paris)

Godfrey of Merville, (a painter, and was a custos (a guard...I think) of the Franciscan house in Gorkum, Holland)

James Lacops,

Jerome of Weden, (a Fransiscan missionary to Palestinian Muslims, and returning to Europe he preached against Calvinism)

John of Cologne, (He had joined the Dominicans in Cologne, Germany, but was unable to wear a habit due to the persecutions of that time. He later became the parish priest of Horner, Netherlands. When the word that Catholics were being arrested in Gorkum, he visited them, and gave them Holy Communion. He was arrested after being discovered, and was even offered his freedom if he would deny the Pope's authority over the Church. After having declined, he was also martyred.)

John of Osterwick, (an Augustinian at Briel, and at Gorkum he served as a spritual director and confessor to a community of Augustinian nuns)

John van Hoornaer,

Leonard Vechel,

Nicholas Janssen Poppel,

Nicholas Pieck, "We must always serve God with cheerfulness." - Saint Nicholas (Known for his cheerfulness, openness, and modesty, he was a priest who also served as a guardian of a convent in Gorkum, and preached against Calvinism)

Peter of Assche,

and Theodore van der Eem.



source

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Four 4 fore meme :-)

Happy late fourth of July everyone!!! :-D Hope everyone had a spectacular day!!!


Thanks for tagging me Cy! :-D

A) Four places that I go to over and over:
1. Church
2. lost in thought... (Thanks Pueo! ;-D)
3. um... bed?
4. study desk...:-)

B) Four people who e-mail me regularly:
1. friends...
2. ..that are far...
3. ...and are near...
4. and... um, yeah that's it. :-)

C) My favorite 4 places to eat:
1. Home & with family
2. with friends (adults too, not just kids :-)
3. ...
4. ...and anywhere that has good icecream!!!

D) Four places I would rather be right now:
1. someplace cooler... (it's really hot here!)
2. bed... (ugh... I think I ate too many cookies...)
3. someplace with familiar faces :-)
4. and a familiar place...

E) Four people I think will respond:
1. Whoever
2. would like to play
3. is
4. tagged :-)

F) Four TV shows I watch all the time:
1. Monk
2. EWTN
3. ...
4. That's pretty much it...

G) Four words that best describe you:
1. quiet... (oh yes, but not when I'm at the computer...:-)
2. shy... (not at home!! and then when people get to know me... they know that I'm pretendingto be shy...) :-)
3. petite... (huh? what does that mean?)
4. prayerful...photographer.... (hahaha!!!)

H) Four favorite "old school" Hollywood Actors/Actresses:
1. ...
2. ...
3. ...
4. does one actress for one movie count? I liked Sound of Music and Julie Andrew's (I think that's her name...) role in it!! :-D oh wait... it that Hollywood? I can't tell! (*singing do ra mi fa so la ti do!!!*)

I) Four favorite "old school" television game shows:
1. huh? game shows?
2. ...
3. ...
4. ...

J) Four favorite "old school" television shows:
1. ...
2. ...
3. ...
4. ...what's that?

K) List four things you liked best about Christmas when you were a
child:

(I'm still a child too, right!!!)
1. simply CHRISTMAS!!! *waves hands and jumps around* ...and that pretty much says it all for a child...:-)
2. Everyone's eagerness to make each other happy...
3. Midnight Mass (celebrating Jesus's birthday of course!)
4. Did I mention CHRISTMAS!!! *gets up again and jumps around* ?

L) List four things you liked best about Halloween when you were a
child:

1. Making the costumes... (Some of my sibs 'hire' me to go make it for them)
2. Candy & cake!!! (weird, but I don't eat much...)
3. The cool breeze in the Autumn's night air...
4. The next few days... All saints day, all Souls Day...

M) List four things you did not like about growing up:(it's in progress...?)
1. simply growing up...
2. learning hard stuff...
3. I was really short and small, so some people didn't really let me help them, or let me play with them...
4. When people give this 'odd' look at me when they know more about me... hmm...

N) List four events that impacted your life :
1. Starting to go to daily Mass... (yep!)
2. The first time I actually started playing musical intruments... and liking music...
3. one time a friend gave a vocation talk in a chapel...
4. ... Actually, there's several, but I can't list them all here...

I tag whoever would like to play!! :-D

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Blessed Damien...


Great links about him here! Can't wait to call him St. Damien of Molokai!! :-D