Words from the Saints

Saint John Chrysostom on women's dress.

"You carry your snare everywhere and spread your nets in all places. You allege that you never invited others to sin. You did not, indeed, by your words, but you have done so by your dress and your deportment. ... When you have made another sin in his heart, how can you be innocent? Tell me, whom does this world condemn? Whom do judges punish? Those who drink poison or those who prepare it and administer the fatal potion? You have prepared the abominable cup, you have given the death dealing drink, and you are more criminal than are those who poison the body; you murder not the body but the soul. And it is not to enemies you do this, nor are you urged on by any imaginary necessity, nor provoked by injury, but out of foolish vanity and pride."


"And its not to enemies you do this"
ouch! in other words, when we dress provocatively, we
"have prepared the abominable cup, you have given the death dealing drink"
To none other then to those we love!
Can we call ourselves true friends, while knowingly committing such a mean act?

Saint John Chrysostom lived in the forth century, the way women dressed back then was much tamer then now, and his words are strongly spoken on the loose flowing Roman and Greek styles. If some of the fashions back then could be so harmful for the soul, what is the little bits of fabric girls wear doing to their male friends soul?
Not only is the fashions of today harmful to others, they degrade the wearer, they kill all respect for the wearer, and the reduce her to nothing other then what she chooses to show. She is no longer a person.

My conclusion,
Wear clothes. Not small bits of fabric that cover practically nothing.



Side note,
I wish I could write as powerfully as St Jonh. :s

The Christmas season and the weeks since had flown by, and I let this blog fall silent for a while without even realising it. Many Blessings came to us this Christmas.
There is one I like to show you. Our new foal, Stella was born on Boxing day.

Here she is having a nap.

Another reason of even greater joy, is the news that My mother has now shared, so I am very, very happy to say, that come July I shall have a new little brother or sister! :)

Lastly I'd like to wish everyone a happy new year, I know its a bit belated but the year is still in its baby stages. May God Bless you all this year, and may you all grow in him even more.

Frying Pan's Theology

Snowflakes are falling
Gentle and slow,
Yougster say "Frying Pan
What makes it snow?"

Frying Pan, confident
Makes the reply-
"shake 'im big flour bag
Up in the sky"

"What! when there's miles of it?
Surely thats brag.
Who is there stong enough
Ahake such a bag?

"What parson tellin' you
Old mister Dodd,
Tell you in sunday-school?
Big pfeller God!

Him dive 'im bullock dray
Then thunder go;
Him shake 'im flour bag-
Tumble down snow!"
A.B paterson

Advent with My Family

For the last two weeks I had been hoping to write a Advent post, With two Sundays already gone by, and still no post, I decided I'd share some of our family Advent traditions.
Starting from the first Sunday of Advent, On which we come home from mass and brake out the Christmas box's that have lain in wait since last Christmas. Out comes the Tree, To be adorned, not in the festive Christmas colours, with glass balls of green, gold and red, but in the colour the Church uses in time of waiting. So our tree is a ornament of purple covered green. On Christmas eve, the purple with be replaced with the traditional colours.

On this first Advent day, we also bring out the nativity scenes. Carefully each stable is place around the house, with the figure's of Joseph, Mary, shepherds and the wise men. Baby Jesus never is laid in the stable until Christmas eve when the most the family is sleeping. This is the remind us that we are preparing for his coming. I love waking up and seeing the baby Jesus in his place at long last, its a wonderful reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.

Another thing I have grown to love is the Advent wreath, the lighting of the candles each night, as we say our family prayers, each Sunday adding the glow of another candle. For me it builds up a suspense, I long to see all the candles lit and burning together.

On the 6th of December, The feast St Nicolas, my family celebrate by following the good Saints example. He was a rich young man who never failed to give to the needy, he ended up giving away everything he owned. There is many a story of people waking up to find Nicolas had left gold coins in their shoes, stocking, etc. So each year, each child in the family wakes to find a bag of chocolate coins, and a book or some other small early gift.
On that day the story of St Nick is read aloud, and we make St Nicolas biscuits to have with ice cream.

Though out Advent other feast days that our family love include,
The feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, St Lucy and St Juan Diego, among others.

Another tradition I personally like is that of making rum balls, (and eating them too of course! :D)
My great grandmother and grandmother always made them, And so now does our family, I don't believe I could stand letting a Christmas go without making them.

This year I'd like to try something new as well. Most people have heard of Ginger bread houses, But I'd like to make a stable, or a manger out of some sort of food. I'd prefer using chocolate though. ;)

On the 8th of November

Our long awaited foal arrived. I had gone out for the day, and didn't get to see her birth. When mum and I saw her for the first time she was already up and walking around.
We are not sure on her name yet, Probably Lamilla, (Or at least I hope) though mum wants to call her Topaz, and Anthony wants to name her Dancing ramila (trying to say Lamilla) Horse.
Here's some photos I took on Sunday.... or Monday evening.

She is a bit shy, so I was pleased to have her come over and look at me.
As you can see her Mum doesn't know if that's a good idea. lol

Can you see the white hair around her eyes?


Here she is trying out her legs.

Rosary Novena for America.

A Call for a Rosary Novena
By Fr. John Corapi
www.fathercorapi.com

Among the most important titles we have in the Catholic Church for the Blessed Virgin Mary are Our Lady of Victory and Our Lady of the Rosary.
These titles can be traced back to one of the most decisive times in the history of the world and Christendom. The Battle of Lepanto took place
on October 7 (date of feast of Our Lady of Rosary), 1571. This proved to be the most crucial battle for the Christian forces against the radical
Muslim navy of Turkey. Pope Pius V led a procession around St. Peter's Square in Vatican City praying the Rosary. He showed true pastoral leadership
in recognizing the danger posed to Christendom by the radical Muslim forces, and in using the means necessary to defeat it. Spiritual battles require
spiritual weapons, and this more than anything was a battle that had its origins in the spiritual order. Today we have a similar spiritual battle in progress
between the forces of good and evil, light and darkness, truth and lies, life and death. If we do not soon stop the genocide of abortion in the United States,
we shall run the course of all those that prove by their actions that they are enemies of God. The moral demise of a nation results in the ultimate demise of a
nation. God is not a disinterested spectator to the affairs of man. Life begins at conception. This is an unalterable formal teaching of the Catholic Church. If
you do not accept this you are a heretic in plain English. A single abortion is homicide. The more than 48,000,000 abortions since Roe v. Wade in the United
States constitute genocide by definition. The group singled out for death is unborn children. No other issue, not all other issues taken together, can constitute
a proportionate reason for voting for candidates that intend to preserve and defend this holocaust of innocent human life that is abortion.

I strongly urge every one of you to make a Novena and pray the Rosary to Our Lady of Victory between October 27th and Election Day, November 4th. Pray that
God's will be done and the most innocent and utterly vulnerable of our brothers and sisters will be protected from this barbaric and grossly sinful blight on society
that is abortion. No woman, and no man, has the right to choose to murder an innocent human being.

May God grant us the wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and counsel to form our conscience in accordance with authentic Catholic teaching, and then vote
that well.

Please copy, email, link and distribute this article freely.

God Bless You
Fr. John Corapi
www.fathercorapi.com

It is no secret that what happens in the USA effects the rest of the world. Therefore, I would ask non-Americans to also participate in this novena. And
especially add the prayer at the end which would seem to be aimed especially at defeating the globalists.
Fr. MacDonald


'That kind is only driven out by prayer and fasting' (Mark 9:29)

Catholic Family News urges you to join us in a Nine-Day Rosary Novena Prior to the US Election

From October 27 to November. 4.

Please forward this email to as many as possible...

Whether you plan to vote for John McCain, Chuck Baldwin, Ron Paul or no one at all. Join us in the Rosary Novena and in the daily recitation of a special
approved prayer against 'revolutionary men'.

CONSIDER:

• Obama is the most pro-abortion candidate in history.



Catholic Bishop Arthur Serratelli of Paterson , NJ , Obama, in a recent column on his diocesan website, effectively compared Obama to Herod. Obama has
promised to pass the Freedom of Choice Act. Should Obama keep this promise, said Bishop Serratelli, 'not only will many of our freedoms as Americans be
taken from us, but the innocent and vulnerable will spill their blood.' The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), introduced in the United States Congress in 2004,
would remove all restrictions on abortion in the United States , both on the state and federal level. 'FOCA goes far beyond guaranteeing the right to an
abortion throughout the nine months of pregnancy. It arrogantly prohibits any law or policy interfering with that right,' says Bishop Serratelli. This is the
'dark reality' kept secret by propagandists for 'choice'.'

• Obama vows to fight for the legalization of homosexual marriages and for hate crimes legislation.



In June, Obama sent a letter to the Alice B. Toklas Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Democratic Club saying he supports repealing the Defense
of Marriage Act and the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' US military policy. In 2004, Obama sent a letter to a 'gay' newspaper in Chicago in which he called the
Defense of Marriage Act 'abhorrent' and said, 'We must vigorously expand hate-crime legislation and be vigilant about how these laws are enacted.'
Such pro-homosexual hate crimes legislation is being used around the world to persecute Christians. Last year, a Columbia bishop was jailed for
refusing to allow a homosexual into his seminary. 'Hate crimes' could also be used
against churches that refuse to perform homosexual marriages; and used against schools that teach homosexuality is a sin.

• Even the Wall Street Journal is concerned about an Obama win.



An WSJ article entitled 'The Coming Liberal Supermajority' warns of 'one of the most profound political ideological shifts in US History. Liberals
would dominate the entire government in a way they havent's since 1965 or 1933' and warned that an Obama victory would unleash 'a period of uncheck
left-wing ascendency.' WSJ also noted that an Obama presidency would result in regulatory overkill in the business world; substantial tax hikes; a 'green'
tax to repel so-called 'climate change'; and the 'Fairness Doctrine' that would effectively silent conservative talk radio and political opposition.

Catholics throughout the nation, such as Father John Corapi, are organizing Rosary novenas on the nine-days prior to election day. Let us unite all of our
payers to the Immacualte Heart of Mary. The battle of Lepanto was won not so much by superior firepower, but by Catholics praying the rosary to defeat
the enemies of God.

PLEASE ALSO RECITE ON EACH DAY OF THE NOVENA THIS PRAYER APPROBED BY THE CHURCH
Prayer given by Our Lord to Sister Marie de Sainte Pierre (1816-1848 ? Apostle of the Holy Face of Jesus), to divide and conquer revolutionary men.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and all the instruments of His Holy Passion that Thou mayest put division in the camp of
Thine enemies, for as Thy beloved Son hath said, 'a kingdom divided against itself shall fail'.



The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered for - and in union with — all those who take part in the Novena on October 27 and November 4.

Please email to tell us you will take part in the Rosary Novena: cfnjv@localnet.com

Thank you.

In the Holy Family,

John Vennari
Editor, Catholic Family News

This page, along with the links containing documentation, can be accessed at www.cfnews.org/RosaryNovena.htm

The story of a pigeon

On Sunday morning as we drove up the driveway, home from Mass, A pigeon was spotted in our chook/chicken cage. It was flying round crazily trying hard to find a way out. So after changing out of their good clothes, my little brothers went in and caught him. He had cut himself up a bit, from running into the wire, I would guess. When Luke carried him up to the house, I ran and grabbed my camera.



I had spent and half on hour the day before trying to get a photo of a bird in flight, with no photo to show form that effort I wasn't going to miss this! I shot a few of the bird before we let him go. Then I stepped back to get my "bird in flight" photo, I can see now I could of done much better if i had of stood somewhere else, Next time I'll know better. :)
When Luke first opened his hand, the pigeon wouldn't move, after a few moments he said in wonder "I think it likes me" Then it was gone.

A belated post.

With a lot of things being done this past month, I haven't done much posting, so here's a quick update.



At the beginning of September, we had our annul Catholic Homeschoolers camp. (See the post below)
A friend had a birthday party not long after.
Then I went down to Sydney to see my sister, Sonja, and go to another friends birthday dress up/bush dance party.



Me in my dress.


When I came home Sonja came back with me for a week long holiday, the kids were all very sad when she had to leave again, but cheered up a little when she told them she'd be back home for Christmas.

Before she left, she was tied up with some plastic stuff that was wrapped around our new guttering's. You can see the ladders in this photo with Dad and one of my brothers working at putting it up.



Last week, we went to the beach to catch up with some friends. While the younger children all stayed up at the park, most the teens went for a walk along the beach.






We walked along that stretch of sand to climb up this small hill. I just love the view!





Part of the slope we climbed, and the rocks down below.

Thankfully I don't have anything else at the moment happening. So I think I shall get to work on my mold making and other things I've dropped.

Helping Skippy.

Or in this case, Benny.
Yes, as the name suggests, I, along with a few of my siblings have just spent the last hour and a half trying to stop this wallaby from hurting himself further. A full grown male as we found out when wires came out to take him and look after him. :) I'm so glad he was only a wallaby not a real kangaroo.
While sitting with (or on) him wrapped in blanket as the first photo shows, the kids wanted to give him a name, after debating a few minutes they named him Benny after the kangaroo from the Silver Stallion story's.
He wasn't pleased to be held down and I had to fight to keep him still a few times, but he calmed down in the end. Somehow he had hurt his leg and wasn't able to hop. He tried to get away when I first went down there, but he would keep falling over. Once I covered him up i was able to look at his leg, it seemed to be lightly cut in a few places, It must of been worse then it looked though. It didn't seem to be broken at all, but I'm not a expert so i have no idea just how bad it is.
The wallaby wrapped in the blanket I used to cover him up with. He freaked out when ever his head was uncovered, so we only have this one photo of his head.


After 'Benny' was put into the wires bag, doesn't he look so sad! hopefully his leg will be OK and he'll be back with his friends soon.

The Garden

The garden is starting to look like a garden. The winter flowers are blooming just a little, and the plants are greening up again. I have added new beds and planted new flowers, some of the old plants are not doing as great as i would have liked, mainly due to the slugs. Well I thought I would share some photos.



This first one is taken from the garden seat. You can't see any flowers in this one but the are there.



This next one is a close up of the Mary stature, around the bottom of the stand there is a few pink flowers still blooming.




In the right bed there is also some purple and yellow pansies left. The rest will be floweriong soon I hope!

Baby Calf.

After many weeks of waiting, our cow gave birth to a lovely heifer calf. Now we can have fresh creamy milk again, and enjoy watching this little girl grow.

I went to take her photo, and she stuck her tongue out at me!

World Youth Day, Sydney.

After seven days in Sydney, I back home, tired, but very happy!!!!!!!!

I don't know where to start! so much happened.

I guess I'll start on day one.

Monday,14th.

At 8:00 am, My sister, Sonja, and I left on a bus with the others from this area. All up it took about 8 hours. It was quite boring really. That night we arrived at the college we where staying at. The place was nice, and the chapel was lovely! I was almost locked in for the night while praying in there. Which was amusing really. I don't remember much from that day...

Tuesday,15th.
Sonja and I left early, for Darling Harbour via bus then train. We spent the day in the City. Sonja was handing out broaches for her collage, so i walked around and saw alot of the stalls. I even saw Mother Teressa's relics!!! that was amazing!I was also giving alot of this from all the stalls.
At 2:00 pm we left for the welcoming Mass at Barangaroo.
We walked there with a few people Sonja knew, when we arrived we went to our allotted places. Because I'm such a shorting i couldn't see a thing, so we went and stood on a platform the toilets where on.
After the Mass we caught a train out to a Friends place for the night. It was really great to catch up and see them again.

Wednesday,16th.
I can't remember what we did all day, but i remember we slept in, and it was wonderfully! lol We went into Macarther. But i don't remember why.... lol We didn't go to any WYD stuff that day though. We caught a train into the city that evening, rang our group leader so we could meet up with them, and found out that they were sick, and the group had been quarantined. So after a few phone calls we turned around and went back to our friends place.

Thursday,17th.
Went into the City for Pope Benedict's arrival. I realised as we made our way into the city that my Camera was missing. We still haven't found it. So i have no photos to share with you. :(
The arrival was great! I couldn't see much, so i stood on the back pack... ok, so the muesli bars were a little out of shape after that, but It was worth it to get a glimpse of our Pope. :) I also was able to get a better view from a friend shoulders briefly. lol.
It was truly amazing just being there and hearing Pope Benedict speak. I'm sure it something I'll not forget!

Friday,18th.
My birthday. So we woke up early and caught a train into the city. Then Walked to Mary Mckillops Place, I have always wanted to go there, and so that was really great, When we arrived we had to pay to get in, and have our hands stamped with the word "Exhibition" on the way to Mary Mckillop's Tomb we passed some tents set up selling things. So we went over and had a look. In the end we brought some things for the family, and I brought a pair of rosary beads. After that we went to the Chapel and saw the tomb, touched it and said a prayer.
Next we went down to the Exhibition were we saw Mary's relics, and some of her writings.
For the next few hours we walked around the city, looking at thing that were set up, then we were making our way to Barangaroo for the stations of the cross, we saw a screen set up at Central Quay, and decided to stay there and watch it as we would have a better view and our feet were killing by then. lol.
I loved the way the did the Stations! It was set up really well!!!
Afterwards we caught the train back to our friends house. Where I was given a cake and a present. I really did not expect it! (((Thank you again!)))
It would have to be the best Birthday ever!

Saturday,19th.
Sonja and I went into the city with three friends whom we were staying with. Gerard, and his sisters Elise and Bethany. Sonja and Gerard went to central to hand out more broaches, while The two girls and I went to walk over the Harbour Bridge, and then on to Randwick. We started from North Sydney station, and were among the last to be making to walk so it wasn't really very crowded. As we walked we carried a Australian Flag with us, we made it over the bridge and then we started to fall into a more crowded area. after a while we stopped for lunch at McDonald, and then we were off again. At one stage i had someone ask me for a cuddle, and so i gave him a hug. He was quite a bit bigger then me though.. In fact i didn't even come up to his shoulder. That was funny.
Then Bethany saw a Priest that both her and Elise knew so we went and talked to them while we walked for a bit. We got handed a lot of useless stuff as we walked along and someone threw a booklet over her shoulder and hit someone with it. Oops. Hahah was very funny though.
we were very thankful when we arrived and found our places! And so the night began! We saw the Pope again, and after he left they played music though the speakers till 11:00. Ironically we were sleeping right under them, and the lights. The lights stayed on all night so we didn't get much sleep. Most the people in our group tried to sleep, But Gemma and I stayed up to 2 in the morning talking. We hadn't seen each other for about 6 years, so our excuse was we had alot of catching up to do. I'm afraid we keep a few people awake though... lol It was so much fun though.
Around 11:00 we had three Germans come though saying "Good morning, would you like tea of coffee?" They came back, and I can't remember what they said, but I started talking to them, they offered to take me to get a hot chocolate, and I don't think I'll live it down... lol.
They happened to be sleeping just across from us as well.
Bethany and i also happened to go for a walk and have a look around. Not alot happened there though. We tried doing some dancing but it was rather confusing so we left.
I also met alot of people i had heard of before but never met. So that was really cool, but I met so many i don't remember them all.... lol
And anyway, we tried to sleep, and I did get a Little bit of sleep, so I was ok the next day.

Sunday, 20th.
Last day there, Gemma and i happened to be the first ones awake as well as the last to get to sleep. So we both got up and went to grab a hot chocolate to warm up. It was so cold!!! I must of thawed out by the time i finished my drink though as i felt a bit warmer. The others started waking up and some of the went to get there own Hot drinks.
Bethany left hers sitting on the ground, when the three Germans I was talking to that night, got up in there sleeping bags and where jumping around in them. One of them got knocked over and landed on the hot chocolate! Well... the Sleeping bag was a bit wet after that! lol Good thing the drink its self wasn't the nicest, and wasn't to missed.
We had the final Mass said, which was very good.
Everyone was getting people to sign bags, or clothes or flags, ect. I had people sign my backpack I even got the Germans to sign it. :)
Then we had to walk back to the train. That was awful! There were people everywhere! we went to the wrong places a few times, but in the end found our train.


Oh and i forgot about the food! It was awful. lol
On Saturday as we walked into randwick we were given a bag with Dinner/tea/supper (whatever you call it) and breakfast in it, just looking at most of it made me feel sick, so that night all i had to eat was a timtam and a slice of Sultana cake, the next morning just the other slice of the cake. Then we didn't get lunch until 5:00 pm. But that was really yummy as we had Chinese. Mmmm.
Well that's it for now.


A photo of just some of the thing I recived while at WYD
Oh and Its all laying on my sleeping bag that i took.



I bit of a close up, if you look closely you can see my Mary McKillop Rosary beads. :)

We were meant to be having a bonfire tonight, but the rain put a end to that. Now we just hope the sun will come out and dry the wood so that next Friday we can have a fire.

After Mass today, My brother and his friends were talking, and for some reason, Josh started climbing the wall, (outside the church ofcourse!) to where there is a place for a statue, but it was empty, well not anymore. It has a Joshua the Great there. ;)

For all of you who were wondering, we found out the bat is a Gould's long-eared bat.

This is indead a very short, random post. I hope you'l forgive my lack of writing tonight.

Prayer for a Child

About a year ago, I was sent a prayer by a friend. The purpose of the prayer was to save a unborn child from abortion. Each day for nine months this prayer is to be said. Each person that says the prayer is encouraged to name the child.

Oh my Jesus, through the intercession of Mary,
your mother, who bore you so loving, and
of St. Joseph, strong man of faith who protected
you both. I pray to you for the life of

_____________(Child's name)

The unborn child I have spiritually adopted who
is in danger of abortion.
Please give to the parents of this child the grace
and courage to bring him/her to birth
and to the life you have planned for

____________

Amen.

It was a few month ago now that I finished the prayer for the first time,
I now feel seeing as it was prayer that brought a child into this life, should it not be prayer that gets him though it?
Should I not keep praying for him and his parents as they try to live each and every day.
Not matter how good life is, there is always trials and hard times. I pray God blesses and protects him. For now he is still to young to know any of this, but one day he will. One day he will need those prayers, perhaps even now those prayers are helping him somehow.