 |
|
|
|
Russian Orthodoxy and Lenin’s Tomb September 14, 2011 — Almost 40 years ago, an aging Anglican clergyman told me a story about his first trip to Paris as a boy—perhaps in the 1920s. His grandfather had called him in, told him that he had a gift to be used in the French capital, and then gave my friend a small pocket mirror. The boy, puzzled, asked his grandfather what the mirror might be for. The following dialogue ensued....[read more] |
GUEST COLUMNISTS: Bishop Conley: Father Marc Mallick: Jeanette DeMelo: |
|
Letters to Editor: Ideas for Mary gardens It is wonderful that Gabriel House has created a Marian garden with a plethora of floral varieties that have their roots and lore in a beautiful relationship with our Blessed Mother (Aug. 31 Denver Catholic Register). Such a space is a blessed addition to any church-related entity. Now is a prime time for parishes to begin planning one for next spring as they set up their annual celebration for the solemnity of the Annunciation. That feast will be celebrated on Monday, March 26 next year. That feast is ideal for a special liturgy. If your parish does not already have a Mary garden, children will have fun planting one and tending it. You can begin on the Annunciation by having children carry a representative plant in procession to a suitably placed statue of Mary. After the liturgy, the children can retrieve the plants and care for them at home or in school until it is warm enough to put them into the garden. In the center of your garden, you may place a weather-proof statue of the Blessed Mother. Other ideas include planting rocks in the form of a rosary or of the Stations of the Cross. The garden will be able to expand with each successive year’s blooms. It can become a family tradition, as siblings return to do the watering and weeding or to say a prayer. Mary Anne Little Kudos to Mattingly Thank you, Terry Mattingly, for your difficult but honest piece about Mass apparel (Sept. 7, 2011 Denver Catholic Register). Something in that last part about how we would dress if we were going to meet the queen reminded me of the concept of “first fruits.” Why would we want to reserve our finest apparel for, say, a job interview—not for a liturgical conversation (prayer) with our King? Craig Bowman |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||