Is there a new baby on the way among your family and friends?

Consider a knitting or crocheting a unique family treasure- a christening blanket that can be used for every new baby.

If you're new to the knitting game (as this Church Lady is), don't be scared off by complicated blanket patterns with 40 line repeats. Just settle in with Barbara Walker for a bit and pick out one of her simple lace motifs, some of which are only 2-4 line repeats. A fan/shell pattern will yield beautifully scalloped edges, looking far more complicated than it really is.

Happy knitting!

top image source: Catholic Children's Picture Dictionary
bottom image source

PS. Say what you will about Jackie, but she had terrific style.

What to give a priest

Check out Fr. Z's post and others' comments for ideas for priest's gifts. There are also some sewing tips in the combox.

Here are some excerpts:

-If you know anything at all about your priests, gift cards for shops appropriate to their needs or interests would be very welcome. That doesn’t mean that a group of people couldn’t pool their resources to get, for example, vestments or some other things priests may appreciate. But if you are simply trying to make a nice gesture and have no idea what to do, and you think cash is too "crass", the gift cards are handy.

-It is generally not a good idea to give a priest a vestment or chalice... The missions are filled with lesser quality vessels and vestments that were either given to priests or donated to parishes in memory of a loved one. I remember that the last parish I served in had 4 (not kidding) plain, polyester Rose chasubles that people had donated over the years because they wanted to give something “unique.”

-The past few years I have been giving my priest and deacons prepaid gas cards..sure helps with the considerable traveling they have to do.

The Church Ladies suggest don't overlook making Father something, such as a nice black sweater. Check out Ravelry for ideas. We also remind you of our well received gift basket of years past.

[image source]

Episcopal Entertaining

The next time you find yourself entertaining the hierarchy- or want a POD touch to your dinner celebration of a bishop saint, like today's Charles Borromeo, or this Sunday's feast of the dedication of the Lateran, the site of the Holy Father's cathedra, consider folding your napkins into a bishop's mitre.

With lappets (the tails)

















(image source)

A simplex version

(image source)

Knitting Madonna

Detail of Master Bertram's The Visit of the Angels, depicting the Madonna knitting in the round.
[image source]

Day Nine - November 4

Patroness of the Americas, pray for us!

Lord, have mercy on us,
Christ, have mercy on us,
Christ, hear us,
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of 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.

Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
Victorious daughter of the Father, pray for us.
Victorious Mother of the Son, pray for us.
Victorious Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Victorious servant of the Holy Trinity, pray for us.
Victorious in your Immaculate Conception, pray for us.
Victorious in crushing the serpent's head, pray for us.
Victorious over all the children of Adam, pray for us.
Victorious over all enemies, pray for us.
Victorious in your response to the Angel Gabriel, pray for us.
Victorious in your wedding to St. Joseph, pray for us.
Victorious in the birth of Christ, pray for us.
Victorious in the flight to Egypt, pray for us.
Victorious in your exile, pray for us.
Victorious in your home at Nazareth, pray for us.
Victorious in finding Christ in the temple, pray for us.
Victorious in the mission of your Son, pray for us.
Victorious in His passion and death, pray for us.
Victorious in His Resurrection and Ascension, pray for us.
Victorious in the Coming of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Victorious in your sorrows and joys, pray for us.
Victorious in your glorious Assumption, pray for us.
Victorious in the angels who remained faithful, pray for us.
Victorious in the happiness of the saints, pray for us.
Victorious in the message of the prophets, pray for us.
Victorious in the testimony of the patriarchs, pray for us.
Victorious in the zeal of the apostles, pray for us.
Victorious in the witness of the evangelists, pray for us.
Victorious in the wisdom of the doctors, pray for us.
Victorious in the deeds of the confessors, pray for us.
Victorious in the triumph of all holy women, pray for us.
Victorious in the faithfulness of the martyrs, pray for us.
Victorious in your powerful intercession, pray for us.
Victorious under your many titles, pray for us.
Victorious at the moment of death, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Hear us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy, Lord.
Pray for us, blessed Lady of Victory.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


Let us pray:
Our Lady of Victory, we have unshaken confidence in your influence with your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Humbly we ask your intercession for all of us associated under your title, Our Lady of Victory. We beg your powerful assistance also for our own personal needs. (Please mention here your special intention in you own words.) In your maternal kindness please ask Jesus to forgive all our sins and failings, and to secure His blessings for us and for all the works of charity dedicated to your name. We implore you to obtain for us the grace of sharing Christ's
victory and yours forever in the life that knows no ending. May we join you there to praise forever the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, one God, for all the ages to come. Amen.

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To Thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary, Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help, and sought Thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To Thee I come; before Thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate! despise not my petitions, but in
Thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

All this we ask of The Father in the name of Mary's Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with Him and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

GO VOTE!

A few predictions by the Anchoress

Here’s what I expect to happen over the next 24 hours:

1)The press and the Obama trolls will use psy-ops to try to discourage your vote. That’s another no-brainer, but remember it. Remember it and VOTE. Vote if it’s raining, vote if it’s snowing. Vote if you feel crappy. Vote if you’re hearing talking heads proclaim “the most historic landslide in all of human history.” Tonight you’re going to hear - if you bother to tune in, and I wouldn’t - the gasbags on the boob tube announcing, “this election is over…” After all this time, you should know hype when you hear it, you should know, by now, that the press lies. Ignore all of that and GO VOTE. Even if eleventy billion vote the other way, get your own voice heard and on the record. Take someone else with you when you vote; encourage everyone you know to vote. Vote, vote, vote.

See her site for the other four predictions including a link to some very interesting insights about the nature of polling.

Day Eight

The Virgin of Lepanto

Lord, have mercy on us,
Christ, have mercy on us,
Christ, hear us,
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of 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.

Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
Victorious daughter of the Father, pray for us.
Victorious Mother of the Son, pray for us.
Victorious Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Victorious servant of the Holy Trinity, pray for us.
Victorious in your Immaculate Conception, pray for us.
Victorious in crushing the serpent's head, pray for us.
Victorious over all the children of Adam, pray for us.
Victorious over all enemies, pray for us.
Victorious in your response to the Angel Gabriel, pray for us.
Victorious in your wedding to St. Joseph, pray for us.
Victorious in the birth of Christ, pray for us.
Victorious in the flight to Egypt, pray for us.
Victorious in your exile, pray for us.
Victorious in your home at Nazareth, pray for us.
Victorious in finding Christ in the temple, pray for us.
Victorious in the mission of your Son, pray for us.
Victorious in His passion and death, pray for us.
Victorious in His Resurrection and Ascension, pray for us.
Victorious in the Coming of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Victorious in your sorrows and joys, pray for us.
Victorious in your glorious Assumption, pray for us.
Victorious in the angels who remained faithful, pray for us.
Victorious in the happiness of the saints, pray for us.
Victorious in the message of the prophets, pray for us.
Victorious in the testimony of the patriarchs, pray for us.
Victorious in the zeal of the apostles, pray for us.
Victorious in the witness of the evangelists, pray for us.
Victorious in the wisdom of the doctors, pray for us.
Victorious in the deeds of the confessors, pray for us.
Victorious in the triumph of all holy women, pray for us.
Victorious in the faithfulness of the martyrs, pray for us.
Victorious in your powerful intercession, pray for us.
Victorious under your many titles, pray for us.
Victorious at the moment of death, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Hear us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy, Lord.
Pray for us, blessed Lady of Victory.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


Let us pray:
Our Lady of Victory, we have unshaken confidence in your influence with your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Humbly we ask your intercession for all of us associated under your title, Our Lady of Victory. We beg your powerful assistance also for our own personal needs. (Please mention here your special intention in you own words.) In your maternal kindness please ask Jesus to forgive all our sins and failings, and to secure His blessings for us and for all the works of charity dedicated to your name. We implore you to obtain for us the grace of sharing Christ's
victory and yours forever in the life that knows no ending. May we join you there to praise forever the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, one God, for all the ages to come. Amen.

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To Thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary, Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help, and sought Thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To Thee I come; before Thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate! despise not my petitions, but in
Thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

All this we ask of The Father in the name of Mary's Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with Him and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

God's busy work

LORETTO, MN—Although you won't see her speaking from the pulpit or spreading God's word to the masses, St. Augustine Catholic Church parishioner Betty Salas, 46, sacrifices both her time and energy to complete the many mundane tasks the Lord has asked her to take off His plate.

Betty Salas lets the good Lord work through her to organize the church library.

"At a very young age, I felt the call to do God's busy work," said Salas, spiritually fulfilled from a long afternoon spent photocopying hymn lyrics for Sunday's mass and changing the bulletin board's decorative seasonal border. "I am just a vessel through which He cleans the church Tupperware."

When she was only 8 years old, Salas said she heard the voice of God call out to her from on high, rattling off a few things He needed done before the Sabbath. Salas took up her heavenly Father's holy to-do list as her own personal calling, devoting her life to refilling the holy-water containers and picking up the priests' vestments from the dry cleaners.

After reaching her 30s, Salas became more dedicated to her spiritual puttering, and began not only replacing the prayer candles, but also ordering the new prayer candles, and emptying and cleaning the prayer candle donation box.

"The Lord hath spoken to me, and He hath said, 'The lightbulb in the rectory needs changing,'" Salas said.

Today, the veteran church bulletin copyeditor continues to be a model of religious commitment as she heeds the call of her swamped Savior.

"The Lord is my shepherd, and I will not question His infinite wisdom or bother Him with the details of who's bringing what to the Palm Sunday spaghetti supper," Salas said. "He has brought me forth from the darkness to the promise of eternal life, and the least I can do is refill the offering envelopes."

"And DustBuster the pews, and sharpen the tiny pencils we hand out during the annual Bishop's Appeal, and make sure all the youth group permission slips are turned in on time," Salas added. "Phew! Lord, give me the strength to do thy tedious errands!"

But even after devoting nearly four decades of her life to lightening the Almighty's load, Salas shows no signs of slowing down.

"God has a divine plan for all of us," said Salas, carefully straightening an errant letter "E" on the roadside sign announcing the day's services. "And besides, if I don't polish the chalices, who will? Ramona's sure as #$%^ not going to."

The Almighty God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, was unavailable for comment, as he was reportedly "up to [His] eyeballs" in drowning Bangladeshis. [Full Article]

Day Seven - November 2

The Battle of Lepanto by Anonymer Maler
Image source

Lord, have mercy on us,
Christ, have mercy on us,
Christ, hear us,
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of 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.

Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
Victorious daughter of the Father, pray for us.
Victorious Mother of the Son, pray for us.
Victorious Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Victorious servant of the Holy Trinity, pray for us.
Victorious in your Immaculate Conception, pray for us.
Victorious in crushing the serpent's head, pray for us.
Victorious over all the children of Adam, pray for us.
Victorious over all enemies, pray for us.
Victorious in your response to the Angel Gabriel, pray for us.
Victorious in your wedding to St. Joseph, pray for us.
Victorious in the birth of Christ, pray for us.
Victorious in the flight to Egypt, pray for us.
Victorious in your exile, pray for us.
Victorious in your home at Nazareth, pray for us.
Victorious in finding Christ in the temple, pray for us.
Victorious in the mission of your Son, pray for us.
Victorious in His passion and death, pray for us.
Victorious in His Resurrection and Ascension, pray for us.
Victorious in the Coming of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Victorious in your sorrows and joys, pray for us.
Victorious in your glorious Assumption, pray for us.
Victorious in the angels who remained faithful, pray for us.
Victorious in the happiness of the saints, pray for us.
Victorious in the message of the prophets, pray for us.
Victorious in the testimony of the patriarchs, pray for us.
Victorious in the zeal of the apostles, pray for us.
Victorious in the witness of the evangelists, pray for us.
Victorious in the wisdom of the doctors, pray for us.
Victorious in the deeds of the confessors, pray for us.
Victorious in the triumph of all holy women, pray for us.
Victorious in the faithfulness of the martyrs, pray for us.
Victorious in your powerful intercession, pray for us.
Victorious under your many titles, pray for us.
Victorious at the moment of death, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Hear us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy, Lord.
Pray for us, blessed Lady of Victory.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


Let us pray:
Our Lady of Victory, we have unshaken confidence in your influence with your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Humbly we ask your intercession for all of us associated under your title, Our Lady of Victory. We beg your powerful assistance also for our own personal needs. (Please mention here your special intention in you own words.) In your maternal kindness please ask Jesus to forgive all our sins and failings, and to secure His blessings for us and for all the works of charity dedicated to your name. We implore you to obtain for us the grace of sharing Christ's
victory and your forever in the life that knows no ending. May we join you there to praise forever the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, one God, for all the ages to come. Amen.

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To Thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary, Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help, and sought Thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To Thee I come; before Thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate! despise not my petitions, but in
Thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

All this we ask of The Father in the name of Mary's Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with Him and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

Day Six - November 1

Image source

Lord, have mercy on us,
Christ, have mercy on us,
Christ, hear us,
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of 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.

Our Lady of Victory, pray for us.
Victorious daughter of the Father, pray for us.
Victorious Mother of the Son, pray for us.
Victorious Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Victorious servant of the Holy Trinity, pray for us.
Victorious in your Immaculate Conception, pray for us.
Victorious in crushing the serpent's head, pray for us.
Victorious over all the children of Adam, pray for us.
Victorious over all enemies, pray for us.
Victorious in your response to the Angel Gabriel, pray for us.
Victorious in your wedding to St. Joseph, pray for us.
Victorious in the birth of Christ, pray for us.
Victorious in the flight to Egypt, pray for us.
Victorious in your exile, pray for us.
Victorious in your home at Nazareth, pray for us.
Victorious in finding Christ in the temple, pray for us.
Victorious in the mission of your Son, pray for us.
Victorious in His passion and death, pray for us.
Victorious in His Resurrection and Ascension, pray for us.
Victorious in the Coming of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.
Victorious in your sorrows and joys, pray for us.
Victorious in your glorious Assumption, pray for us.
Victorious in the angels who remained faithful, pray for us.
Victorious in the happiness of the saints, pray for us.
Victorious in the message of the prophets, pray for us.
Victorious in the testimony of the patriarchs, pray for us.
Victorious in the zeal of the apostles, pray for us.
Victorious in the witness of the evangelists, pray for us.
Victorious in the wisdom of the doctors, pray for us.
Victorious in the deeds of the confessors, pray for us.
Victorious in the triumph of all holy women, pray for us.
Victorious in the faithfulness of the martyrs, pray for us.
Victorious in your powerful intercession, pray for us.
Victorious under your many titles, pray for us.
Victorious at the moment of death, pray for us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Hear us, Lord.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy, Lord.
Pray for us, blessed Lady of Victory.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.


Let us pray:
Our Lady of Victory, we have unshaken confidence in your influence with your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Humbly we ask your intercession for all of us associated under your title, Our Lady of Victory. We beg your powerful assistance also for our own personal needs. (Please mention here your special intention in you own words.) In your maternal kindness please ask Jesus to forgive all our sins and failings, and to secure His blessings for us and for all the works of charity dedicated to your name. We implore you to obtain for us the grace of sharing Christ's
victory and yours forever in the life that knows no ending. May we join you there to praise forever the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, one God, for all the ages to come. Amen.

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To Thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary, Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help, and sought Thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To Thee I come; before Thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate! despise not my petitions, but in
Thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

All this we ask of The Father in the name of Mary's Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with Him and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.