Day Three - October 29

Mary, Refuge of Sinners, 1836
Basilica of Our Lady of Victories

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.

Hats off!

Presenting:
The Official Church Lady hat. It was my first foray away from garter stitch scarves, having been enpowered by Knit from the First Hat pattern in Knit 2 Together. Knit your own today!

And Seminarian Pat's scarf, as part of Scarves for Priests Roman Outreach. His is blue to match the piping on the traditional cassocks for the North American Pontifical College.

Day Two - October 28

Battle of Lepanto by Paolo Veronese

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.

Day One of the Novena to Our Lady of Victory

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.

Novena for the Election

I've received this reminder to pray for the election outcome as an email forward from quite a few sources and will try to remember to update the reminders each day. Lord, please have mercy on our country!

From Father Corapi's Call For A Rosary Novena:

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 consciences in accordance with authentic Catholic teaching, and then vote that well-formed Catholic conscience.

Patron Saint of the Coffee Klatsch

"Any parish priest has to have a bit of the entrepreneur in him, but in November, McGivney came up with a new machine for pulling coins out of willing comers. It was a "coffee festival,"a novelty that combined one part coffee- always a high profit item- with desserts and a bit of entertainment. Under McGivney's direction, the women of the parish joined forces with his loyal troops from the [Total Abstinence & Literary Society] to open the coffee festival.

"Father McGivney could not miss any chance to bring in funds. Sometime in between celebrating Mass eight or ten times per week, hearing confessions, performing baptisms, and counseling the weak and troubled- those things he was taught to do in seminary- he opened a swinging nightspot in downtown New Haven.

"The coffee festival was supposed to run only one night, but because of the overwhelming attendance, it stayed open a week. It could have remained open indefinitely, as a going business, but Father McGivney did have to sleep at some point."
[Parish Priest: Father Michael McGivney & American Catholicism]

Father McGivney's Life & Legacy

In honor of Father McGivney, support one of these Catholic coffee companies.
Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade Coffee
Esther's Coffee
Monk Rock [with flavors such as St Paddy's Espresso!]
Mystic Monk Coffee
St Ignatius Gourmet Coffees [St Francis Xavier & Peter Claver blends!]

[Father McGivney image source: Knights of Columbus]

Pretty as a picture

Whether they are flowers for the altar, dinner table, or social event, Real Simple magazine has some handy tips for creating fantastic arrangements from supermarket flowers (or what the Garden Club dropped off on the parish doorstep!)

Many hands make light work

Like the pioneer girls of yore, many of your church ladies learned to sew by quilting. Even if the Amish folklore of humility blocks has been disproved, quilting still affords the opportunity for cultivating patience, creativity, and generosity.

Many parish's groups make a quilt for the annual raffle; others make smaller ones for crisis pregnancy centers (especially appropriate in October, Respect Life month) or hospitalized children. Whether you are putting your quilts to use for those in need at home or elsewhere, through quilting you can engage in a corporal act of mercy.

Enter some inspiration from Catholic novelist (and fellow alum of Our Lady's University!), Jennifer Chiaverini, author of the Elm Creek Quilt books. Below are excerpts from her interview in the St Anthony's Messenger September issue. And Jennifer's newest book, The Quilter's Kitchen, includes recipes perfect for sharing at your local helping hands group meeting.

It all started when Jennifer was planning her wedding to Marty Chiaverini and longed for an heirloom wedding quilt to brighten up their apartment. But Jennifer didn’t have any close friends or relatives who quilted, and her budget prevented her from purchasing such an item. Thus, the young woman whose sewing was limited to basic mending taught herself how to quilt.

Jennifer and Marty met in a creative-writing course when they were undergraduate students at the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a B.A. in English.

Regarding her education, Jennifer says, “I specifically chose Notre Dame because it was a Catholic school.” She recalls that the “wonderful theology and philosophy classes they offered were very important in my formation, my intellectual development.”

Being Catholic “is part of my moral code, my ethical beliefs and the way I make decisions and choices,” such as “who we are going to vote for or what products we are going to buy,” says Jennifer, a member of St. Bernard Parish in Middleton, Wisconsin. “My Catholic values come into focus, even though I’m not talking about them.”

She confirms that their home holds many examples of her needlework. Unlike the characters in her novels, Jennifer doesn’t belong to a quilting bee. “When I make quilts, I make them myself,” she says. But one group effort she coordinated was a fund-raiser for Capital Candlelighters, a nonprofit in Madison that serves families whose children have been diagnosed with cancer. Jennifer contacted some of her favorite authors for autographs on fabric, which were stitched together into a quilt that was auctioned.

CLOCHE sighting

Classic cloche hat in 100% wool with a tonal patent-finished trim and tie.

available from Ann Taylor

Happy nameday, Margaret Mary!

The life of St Margaret Mary Alacoque