Studeo Turns 2

Even though Studeo is entering the "terrible twos", I pledge to TRY to avoid begging for chocolate or crying over spilt milk AND to try to behave properly around other people's educational materials... even if I am, at least sometimes, a little hard to understand.

Frank and the baby

Frank plays with a very cute baby
Originally uploaded by Chez VH.

Frank was completely enchanted with the beautiful baby, who came to stay with us for the weekend.

Milwaukee Conference

Milwaukee Conference
Originally uploaded by Chez VH.

We had a great conference here in Milwaukee thanks to the AMAZING team of organizers and planners. It was fun to see so many friends in real life. Here are some in one of the few pictures we managed to take.

I really enjoy meeting new and experienced homeschoolers, publishers and other vendors at conferences. We had a great crowd for the beginning homeschooler workshop and it was a fun surprise to see some friends from TAC there who I haven't seen in many years.

One of the vendors I had a great talk with was Stan Williams from Nineveh's Crossing. He has a fascinating conversion story that we should be hearing more about on Catholic Exchange in the near future.

That's it Exactly

Danielle Bean on Being 2

It Tastes Like Chicken

Frank was pretty excited about the pre-cooked chicken that Daddy brought home from the store (such a nice easy meal with all our conference prep going on). First, he called out "I want the Ham bone!" We laughed and Daddy told him it was called a drumstick. And so, he attempted to correct himself: "I want the lipstick!"

Rest in Peace: Mstislav Rostropovich

Mstislav Rostropovich, the ebullient master cellist who fought for the rights of Soviet-era dissidents and later triumphantly played Bach suites below the crumbling Berlin Wall, has died. He was 80.

Read more here

Bio with a little audio sample

TIME Magazine Tribute

The Kennedy Center Bio with Multimedia

Related links:

Sony Classical Biography

Vishnevskaya-Rostropovich Foundation

I remember listening to his recording of Bach Cello Suites while waiting through contractions in the middle of the night with Terri (and playing cards). Appropriately beautiful, but with a certain intensity. :)

Book Requests by Kate

Kate came dancing down the stairs tonight to fetch a book for Daddy to read to the kiddos.

"I'm looking for The Man Who Was the Sea."
"Do you mean The Man Who Was Thursday?" I asked.

"Yes," she answered and skipped back up the stairs with her book. Two minutes later she was back again.

"Actually, I need Twenty Eggs Under the Sea."

Ria, Terri and I started laughing. Hard.

"No, I mean Twenty thousand Eggs Under the Sea."

We handed over the book, but didn't have the heart to correct her (though she may have wondered about all the giggles).

The Humble are able to Listen and Learn

more from Fr. Dubay...

The humble person is open to being corrected, whereas the arrogant is clearly closed to it. Proud people are supremely confident in their own opinions and insights. No one can admonish them successfully: not a peer, not a local superior, not even the pope himself. They know - and that is the end of the matter. Filled as they are with their own views, the arrogant lack the capacity to see another view.

The humble listen to their brothers and sisters because they assume they have something to learn. They are open to correction, and they become wiser through it.

It is a chilling experience to meet face to face with a person so supremely sure of his inner light and his interpretation of the Bible that he rejects not only what you say but also what exegetes and theologians and saints say.

Another Thinking Blog Award!

Mary G. very kindly tagged me for a Thinking Blog Award and I just found out that I get to list five more blogs that make me think (besides Mary's - by the way, be sure to check out her post today on their History fair!)! There really are SO many (I'm sure I haven't mentioned all of them in these two posts), so I'll choose five that didn't get mentioned in my last post and that I haven't seen mentioned in other posts yet.

ChesterTeens

American Chesterton Society Blog

Between Daydreams

Maureen Wittmann

Causa Nostra Laetitiae

And Karen, I do suffer from Meme Paralysis too!

Emily Reading

This is a very cute video of my niece "reading".

Speaking of Docility

(in my recent post, "Cardinal Newman and Grammar")

I came across some segments on docility in Fr. Dubay's Authenticity.

The word means, of course, a capacity to learn, to be taught by another. Yet in recent years the idea came upon hard days, for it spoke to many of a passivity, a weakness, a refusal to think for oneself. But then on the scene came a new label: openness, listening. Now openness and listening to others mean nothing if they do not mean exactly what docility means: willingness to be informed, instructed, changed by what another says.

A man in trouble laments that he did not listen to his teachers, and thus he finds himself in a sad state, utter ruin. A candid admission of a blunder is refreshing and not often heard in human affairs. It is the saint alone who is large-minded enough to think and speak in this way. This is part of his authenticity.

The person who is swift to hear and slow to respond is a stranger to an all-knowing illuminism. He believes that others, too, have some truth, and he is willing to be instructed by them. He is ready for the mind of God.

We are to welcome instruction, yes. But this is not enough. We are to welcome correction as well, being told that we are wrong. This is living the virtue of docility.

As the word indicates, docility is the capacity to learn, a willingness to be taught. One is docile when he recognizes his own lack of information and expertise, on the one hand, and the superior knowledge and skills of his teacher, on the other. In this context a synonym more acceptable to modern ears is receptivity.

There are two types of receptivity: one toward the indwelling Spirit and the other toward human teachers. Like other moral virtues, docility lies in a mean between two extremes. One extreme is the more or less arrogant refusal to accept the thoughts of another. The other is an exaggerated credulity that has lost a sense of proper discrimination and healthy criticism.

Fr. Dubay

I started reading Fr. Dubay's Authenticity: A Biblical Theology of Discernment about two years ago and did quite a bit of blogging on it, but got distracted about halfway through the book and finally picked it up again just a few days ago. It really is a wonderful book - I don't know why I ever set it down. The funny thing is, I had a bunch of cleaning I had to get done tonight in preparation for co-op at our house tomorrow. So I turned on Relevant Radio to listen to and caught a show with Fr. Dubay as the guest. The show was just starting and it was specifically about his book Authenticity! That made the cleaning go faster. :)

Cardinal Newman on Learning Grammar

I think this applies to education in general as well (by the way, I may have quoted this before, but I'm not sure and as I stumbled upon it this morning, I thought I'd go ahead and post). This was written in the 1850s. It seems so simple and common sense and yet something which has been to a large extent lost in an educational system/culture that pushes for large quantities of accomplishments over understanding...

And this is the sense of the word "grammar" which our inaccurate student detests, and this is the sense of the word which every sensible tutor will maintain. His maxim is "a little, but well"; that is, really know what you say you know: know what you know and what you do not know; get one thing well before you go on to a second; try to ascertain what your words mean; when you read a sentence, picture it before your mind as a whole, take in the truth or information contained in it, express it in your own words, and, if it be important, commit it to the faithful memory. Again, compare one idea with another; adjust truths and facts; form them into one whole, or notice the obstacles which occur in doing so. This is the way to make progress; this is the way to arrive at results; not to swallow knowledge, but (according to the figure sometimes used) to masticate and digest it. (The Idea of a University, from "Elementary Studies")

I think it's also good for teachers and homeschool parents to have a similar attitude. I've never thought that telling a child "I don't know" to a particular question was harmful in any way - particularly if it is followed up with a willingness to find the answer with your student/child or try to get back to them. This quote also suggests to me the necessity of humility and docility in learning.

Frank on Toads

Another quote from Frank (Gus' words)...

We were looking at All About Frogs by Jim Arnosky. I already knew that American toads had bumps on their backs. I told Frank that one of the pictures of an American toad was Blog "the Toad". He said, pointing to another picture of an American toad: "That Blog the toad too, cause they both fancy."

Another one...

The UPS guy was getting out of his van to deliver a package while Frank was watching from the window. Frank got excited and said, "Our friend, our friend coming!" At first he wanted to go over by the door to see him, but then seemed to change his mind excitedly exclaiming, "No, hide!"

A Baby After Frank's Heart

We loved this adorable picture of another sword loving little guy.

Organizing Things a Bit

Inspired by some homeschool friends, I decided to give a homeschool learning-notes blog a try. I've also moved some of my booklists and family and co-op learning blog links there (it felt like the Studeo sidebar needed some serious decluttering). I'm calling this new blog Age Quod Agis because I'm hoping it will help us develop a little more focus and organization in our day. I'm pleased with the results so far.

Love2learn Moments

Relevant Radio now has a streaming audio page for the Love2learn Moments.

What we did today

Sunny Spring Weather!
Originally uploaded by Chez VH.

Prayer Request

My nephew is having surgery today related to the complexities of leg growth challenges due to his spina bifida. Even though he's had many surgeries in the past, it never becomes "old hat". Prayers would be appreciated!

What we were doing two years ago...

My Children and the Papal Conclave

These events were so memorable that they still come up in conversation rather frequently. It doesn't hurt that we met some friends (who participate in our weekly catechism discussions now) at that Mass. The part I didn't get around to writing in that old post is that there was another family standing in that nook when we first arrived. I vaguely recognized the mom as someone I had met at the homeschool conference that weekend. I signaled to them that they could come to the oratory with us and they were very grateful (they also had a little one in tow as well as some older children - though the whole family wasn't there). We chatted a little after Mass and realized they had some children with similar ages and interests (they had just moved to the area from Arizona). There was something about sharing that day and that Mass with them that was very special and moving. Like there was some definitely some providential power at work in our lives - more clearly present than usual? We went home with huge smiles on our faces and filled with gratitude - for everything.

Viva il Papa!

Kate, our little philosopher

"Mommy, people don't last forever. And dolls."

Good News!

Supreme Court upholds Partial Birth Abortion Ban

Spring is Here

I can't believe it, but most of the tulips seem to have survived the sub-freezing weather and all that heavy snow we had last week. There's still a little smudge to indicate the location of our recent snowman and we moved the potted roses back outside a few days ago!

Teen Discussion and Birthday Party

We had our weekly teen discussion tonight and tacked on a celebration of Pope Benedict XVI's 80th birthday. Ria has a picture of the birthday cake here. We can't take credit for the artistry, however, as our friends the Z's created it (it was a double celebration as gilbertgirl was also being singled out for birthday related greetings and salutations).

The energy of last week's discussion (discussing the Eucharist during Easter week with a small group of enthusiastic teens and plenty of leftover Easter candy is highly recommended) managed to pour over into this much larger gathering (approximately 3 times the turnout!) and I can only sit back in amazement and awe. We're still discussing Sacramentum Caritatis.

Writing out some general questions ahead of time definitely helped as well as NOT trying to rush through all of the material. I assigned a smaller reading for next week as the discussions seem to be more productive when we don't try to accomplish quite so much! I think we've also reached a certain comfort level in sharing even half-baked ideas in order to further the discussion (and sharing plenty of laughter between everyone) that have also helped in getting the discussions flowing.

I'm going to try to get to daily mass on Tuesdays in order to better prepare for this group because something really beautiful is going on and I am amazed and filled with gratitude.

The discussion was technically on the meaning of the liturgy (and some technical terms used in the text) but ended up being largely about beauty and how it affects us and why it is important to us - particularly in the context of the liturgy. We discussed in some depth a quote from Pope Benedict XVI that I posted here earlier in the week about how each person's path to God is different. We talked about how the Church gives us guidelines for things like liturgical music and yet wants to leave things appropriate open to differences in cultures and appropriate new things. Naturally, subjects like free will, the meaning of happiness, God bringing good out of evil, a favorite parable of Jesus and lots of other important topics came up along the way. Oh yes, and we spent quite a bit of time talking about what "active participation" in Mass really means. Good stuff!

Even in the midst of our beautiful evening, we stopped to pray for the students at Virginia Tech. My sister-in-law had heard from a mutual friend of ours (who moved from Wisconsin to Virginia a number of years ago) whose neighbor's son was killed in the shooting. She apologized for bringing a sad note into our gathering, but I thought it was completely appropriate, not only because of our connectedness to each other and the importance of praying for those in need, but because a lot of our discussions have been serious discussions about things that concern our ultimate goal in life and what might impede our way. The Christian faith is a beautifully hopeful thing even in the midst of sadness.

"We Will Survive With Your Prayers"

How could we not respond to this with prayers as requested...

"We will move on from this. But it will take the strength of each other to do that," said Zenobia Hikes, vice president for student affairs. "We want the world to know we are Virginia Tech, we will recover, we will survive with your prayers."

Full article here

Frank Questions

While looking through a Spanish picture word-book he found on the floor.

"Mommy, is this my Latin, is this my Latin?"

On the way to Mass this morning...

"Are we going to the Easter church?"

Yes, Frank, we are. We belong to the Easter church. :)

Heroic Courage

Professor at Virginia Tech saves students lives by blocking doorway

Lord Help Us!

Please pray for all those involved in the Virginia Tech University shooting.

I know there are a lot of tragedies in this world and I'm always praying for and remembering all those killed in Iraq and other troubled places, but school shootings seem so close and make us feel so vulnerable. I had a niece who was attending Santana High in Santee California at the time of the shooting there back in 2001. I remember hearing soon afterwards about how a dad showed up at a safe area near the school where the students were assembled to check on his son, only to find out that his son was the shooter. It's just gut-wrenching to think of this awful situation for everyone. Please pray for all those involved!

By the way, my niece was uninjured despite the fact that she knew the shooter and was very close to where everything had happened.

Happy Birthday Holy Father!

Definitely have to share a few quotes from him on his 80th birthday!

From Deus Caritas Est...

In the gradual unfolding of this encounter, it is clearly revealed that love is not merely a sentiment. Sentiment come and go. A sentiment can be a marvelous first spark, but it is not the fullness of love. Earlier we spoke of the process of purification and maturation by which eros comes fully into its own, becomes love in the full meaning of the word. It is characteristic of mature love that it calls into play all man's potentialities; it engages the whole man, so to speak. Contact with the visible manifestations of God's love can awaken within us a feeling of joy born of the experience of being loved. But this encounter also engages our will and our intellect. Acknowledgement of the living God is one path toward love, and the "yes" of our will to his will unites our intellect, will, and sentiments in the all-embracing act of love. But this process is always open-ended; love is never "finished" and complete; throughout life, it changes and matures, and thus remains faithful to itself.

From Sacramentum Caritatis:

This relationship between creed and worship is evidenced in a particular way by the rich theological and liturgical category of beauty. Like the rest of Christian Revelation, the liturgy is inherently linked to beauty: it is veritatis splendor. The liturgy is a radiant expression of the paschal mystery, in which Christ draws us to himself and calls us to communion. As Saint Bonaventure would say, in Jesus we contemplate beauty and splendour at their source. This is no mere aestheticism, but the concrete way in which the truth of God's love in Christ encounters us, attracts us and delights us, enabling us to emerge from ourselves and drawing us towards our true vocation, which is love. God allows himself to be glimpsed first in creation, in the beauty and harmony of the cosmos (cf. Wis 13:5; Rom 1:19- 20). In the Old Testament we see many signs of the grandeur of God's power as he manifests his glory in his wondrous deeds among the Chosen People (cf. Ex 14; 16:10; 24:12-18; Num 14:20- 23). In the New Testament this epiphany of beauty reaches definitive fulfilment in God's revelation in Jesus Christ: Christ is the full manifestation of the glory of God. In the glorification of the Son, the Father's glory shines forth and is communicated (cf. Jn 1:14; 8:54; 12:28; 17:1). Yet this beauty is not simply a harmony of proportion and form; "the fairest of the sons of men" (Ps 45[44]:3) is also, mysteriously, the one "who had no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him" (Is 53:2). Jesus Christ shows us how the truth of love can transform even the dark mystery of death into the radiant light of the resurrection. Here the splendour of God's glory surpasses all worldly beauty. The truest beauty is the love of God, who definitively revealed himself to us in the paschal mystery.

The beauty of the liturgy is part of this mystery; it is a sublime expression of God's glory and, in a certain sense, a glimpse of heaven on earth. The memorial of Jesus' redemptive sacrifice contains something of that beauty which Peter, James and John beheld when the Master, making his way to Jerusalem, was transfigured before their eyes (cf. Mk 9:2). Beauty, then, is not mere decoration, but rather an essential element of the liturgical action, since it is an attribute of God himself and his revelation. These considerations should make us realize the care which is needed, if the liturgical action is to reflect its innate splendour.

The Pope's writings are beautiful, but also quite accessible. We've been studying Deus Caritas Est and Sacramentum Caritatis in our teen catechism discussion group (students ranging from 13 to 17 years old as well as a handful of adults) and it's been wonderful, inspiring and very uplifting.

And you can send birthday greetings to the Holy Father here.

Frankly Speaking, according to Gus

He keeps telling me funny or cute things that Frank says and does - he really should be blogging this stuff himself some day. Here are Gus's words:

1st story:
After Mass today, Frank had a children's book about Pope John Paul II. Kate pointed to it and said, "It's a book about Pope Benedict the 14th." Frank said, "No, it's about John Paul the second!"

2nd story:
Frank pulled up the cuff on his sweatpants and saw that it left a mark on his leg. He laughed and said, "Look, fancy legs!"

We're sure there were more too. We'll write them down if we remember them.

Our Storm Song

I thought I'd post this in honor of all my blogging friends who are dealing with stormy weather (especially in Texas and New York). I always sang this to our children when we were huddled in the basement of our old house during a storm (it brought comfort to me as well) . It's an old song (and prayer) that was once used by those at sea for protection from storms, so it seemed very appropriate.

Our old basement was a rather dank, quite small, fieldstone basement and we had a number of storms that knocked the power out, brought down trees, etc. (In one storm, one of our plastic patio chairs completely disappeared and we never found it!) It was a little frightening to be down there when the lights blinked on and off and then went off completely. The house we live in now has buried power lines and more modern basement, so it's more of a lark to be down there, though we still sing the song on occasion. :)

The song is "Hail Queen of Heaven, the Ocean Star."

Words, music and a midi file can be found at this link.

Divine Mercy Sunday

Where we'll be heading today

This is the Divine Mercy icon we have hanging in our house.

Blogs That Make Me Think

Willa very kindly nominated me for a "Thinking Blogger Award". Now I'm supposed to share five blogs (besides Willa's!) that make me think (and thus ones that I would nominate for a thinking blogger award). I have no idea if any or all of these have been previously nominated. At the moment, I don't seem to be able to narrow down my idea of what makes me think - these people/blogs make me think in significantly different ways.

Electroblogster... though he rarely blogs, we talk a LOT. Bits and pieces of our conversations end up on his blog, here, in my reviews, etc. :)

Clairity's Place... My big sister (and godmother) always makes me think. Her blog is no longer being updated, but she and I (and occasionally my mom) do some group blogging at the CIN Blog.

G.K.C.'s Favourite... Even though Dr. Thursday's blogg is also no longer being updated, there's plenty of material I haven't finished reading yet (and you can still enjoy his Thursday posts on the ACS Blogg). He's a great friend and a great mentor - especially in the thinking department - to our family.

Church of the Masses... I don't always agree with her and sometimes I find her a little caustic, but she has provided me with some wonderful insights into human nature and culture.

The Way of the Fathers... Mike Aquilina's is another blog I always wish I could have more time to read.

There are lots more that at least deserve some sort of honorable mention (the danger, of course, is in forgetting someone!)...

Ana Braga-Henebry

Karen Edmisten

Darwin Catholic

Lilting House

Cottage Blessings

Minnesota Mom

The Wine Dark Sea

Classic Catholic

...all the ladies who work with me on Love2learn - especially those who contribute to Unity of Truth, especially Suchi Myjak and Mary Daly

...lots of the TAC alumni listed here - Nutmeg, Suzanne Temple, Kristen Laurence, Cozy Tea-Blue House and Matt Lickona particularly come to mind.

I'm sure there are others too.

A Date at the Bookstore

John and I went on a date to Barnes and Noble yesterday. Kind of a dangerous thing to do on a tight-budget paycheck, but we managed to get out of there with just a hot cocoa and a slice of lemon/raspberry cheesecake. Yum!

I made a list of some books I'd like to take another look at some time.

The first that caught my eye was the new series of Sterling Point Books from the Sterling Publishing Company in New York. I heard something about these on Farm School awhile back (here's the exact post), but didn't really put all the pieces together at the time. Now I'm wondering if, with the name "Sterling Point Books" if any of the North Star Books (Sterling North, editor) are part of the plan, or if these are all Landmark books. In any case, it's wonderful to see so many great titles back in print. The one on the Bismarck, by William Shirer, is terrific, by the way. I read that a few years back (in our old edition, obviously).

Here are some others that I haven't read, but seemed worth a second look at least:

Shakespeare by Michael Rosen and Robert Ingpen (Candlewick Press)
Childhood of World Figures: Pope John Paul II
Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille by Russell Freedman (Clarion Books)
Mini Masters (Fine Art Board Books for Little ones - cool!) - Chronicle Books
The Good Fight: How World War II Was Won by Stephen Ambrose (Atheneum)
A Time for Freedom by Lynne Cheney (Simon and Schuster)
Our Supreme Court: A History with 14 Activities by Richard Panchyk (Chicago Review Press)
Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine (Scholastic - I've seen this around the blogosphere too)
The Book of Virtues for Young People (this was of interest to me since it was a lighter book and larger typeface that might be appealing to Gus)
Spark Notes Study Cards (we love flash cards around here)
Wheelock Latin Reader
Pope Benedict XVI: Servant of the Truth by Peter Seewald (I really want one of these!)

Cardinal Ratzinger on Joy

from Salt of the Earth: The Church at the End of the Millennium:

Something I constantly notice is that unembarrassed joy has become rarer. Joy today is increasingly saddled with moral and ideological burdens, so to speak. When someone rejoices, he is afraid of offending against solidarity with the many people who suffer. I don't have any right to rejoice, people think, in a world where there is so much misery, so much injustice.

I can understand that. There is a moral attitude at work here. But this attitude is nonetheless wrong. The loss of joy does not make the world better - and, conversely, refusing joy for the sake of suffering does not help those who suffer. The contrary is true. The world needs people who discover the good, who rejoice in it and thereby derive the impetus and courage to do good. Joy, then, does not break with solidarity. When it is the right kind of joy, when it is not egotistic, when it comes from the perception of the good, then it wants to communicate itself, and it gets passed on. In this connection, it always strikes me that in the poor neighborhoods of, say, South America, one sees many more laughing happy people than among us. Obviously, despite all their misery, they still have the perception of the good to which they cling and in which they can find encouragement and strength.

In this sense we have a new need for that primordial trust which ultimately only faith can give. That the world is basically good, that God is there and is good. That it is good to live and to be a human being. This results, then, in the courage to rejoice, which in turn becomes commitment to making sure that other people, too, can rejoice and receive good news.

This really speaks to me! It also fits in with some other things I've been thinking about lately - particularly about the concept of how we can be a "manifestation of God's Love" to others (ala Deus Caritas Est). This seems to be a particularly crucial role for parents to play in the lives of their children. And it's partly about joy, right?

I've also been thinking and talking with people lately (particularly at our teen discussion group this week, which I haven't had a chance to blog about yet) about the importance of being willing to rejoice in what is good and not just overwhelm ourselves with being critical about all the problems out there. Yes, you have to recognize what is bad, but it takes a certain amount of humility - and littleness - to appreciate the good. In our discussion group we talked about how there are a lot of movies being made today that aren't perfectly good in all their particulars, but that have some REALLY worthy elements - things worth rejoicing about. We also talked about how being able to appreciate these might be good practice for appreciating what is good in others - something that can be built upon.

The Snowman - Just 2 Days Later

IMG_3910
Originally uploaded by Chez VH.

Yesterday was beautiful. Pretty much all the snow except what had been bunched up in snowmen or snowballs disappeared in the sunny weather somewhere in the 50s.

I think that's CHOCOLATE in there!

That's CHOCOLATE in there!
Originally uploaded by Chez VH.

This is from a candy factory tour we went on recently. Frank was pretty animated about the whole thing. :)

ChesterCon 2007 - The Man Who Was Today

I just noticed that the American Chesterton Society website has the schedule of talks and events for their upcoming conference up on their website here. It looks fabulous! We're very much looking forward to attending (with all the kids in tow) particularly since the theme centers around The Man Who Was Thursday and also because last year's plans were so completely foiled by chicken pox. And I didn't know that Stephen Safranek was a Chestertonian (though one can hardly be surprised at things like that!). He's a college friend of some of my siblings - in fact I think he was a groomsman in my sister's wedding.

A Theology of Littleness

cross-posted from Love2learn Blog and The CIN Blog (because I want to have all the "littleness" theme posts available here on Studeo)

Pope Benedict XVI and G.K. Chesterton are two authors whose writings always seem to "feed" me - they're uplifting, encouraging and remind me not to take myself too seriously. I often blog on their writings here, but thought I'd try to share some short passages regularly with Love2learn readers. I'm currently reading Salt of the Earth: The Church at the End of the Millennium, an interview between Cardinal Ratzinger and author Peter Seewald dating from 1996...

Q. "Whoever can be as small as this child", it says in the New Testament in Matthew, "is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

A. The theology of littleness is a basic category of Christianity. After all, the tenor of our faith is that God's distinctive greatness is revealed precisely in powerlessness. That in the long run, the strength of history is precisely in those who love, which is to say, in a strength that, properly speaking, cannot be measured according to categories of power. So in order to show who he is, God consciously revealed himself in the powerlessness of Nazareth and Golgotha. Thus, it is not the one who can destroy the most who is the most powerful...but, on the contrary, the least power of love is already greater than the greatest power of destruction.

And here are a few related excerpts from G.K. Chesterton's The Everlasting Man...more aimed at the Christmas story, but certainly very pertinent to Easter week...

A mass of legend and literature, which increases and will never end, has repeated and rung the changes on that single paradox; that the hands that had made the sun and stars were too small to reach the huge heads of the cattle. Upon this paradox, we might almost say upon this jest, all the literature of our faith is founded...

I mean that all the eyes of wonder and worship which had been turned outwards to the largest thing were now turned inward to the smallest...

It is true that the spiritual spiral henceforward works inwards instead of outwards, and in that sense is centripical and not centrifugal. The faith becomes, in more ways than one, a religion of little things.

Ways to God

I just started reading Cardinal Ratzinger's Salt of the Earth and it is terrific - and very readable (just the thing I needed for the post-holiday and bad-weather blues). The book is the text of an interview he did with Peter Seewald in 1996. Here's a very short excerpt for now...

At one point I asked him how many ways to God there were. I really didn't know what he would answer. He could have said, "only one" or "several". The Cardinal didn't take long to answer: As many, he said, as there are people.

By the way, the above quote was a short paraphrasing in the introduction. I just came across the full answer later in the book:

Q. How many ways are there to God?

A. As many as there are people. For even within the same faith each man's way is an entirely personal one. We have Christ's word: I am the way. In that respect, there is ultimately one way, and everyone who is on the way to God is therefore in some sense also on the way of Jesus Christ. But this does not mean that all ways are identical in terms of consciousness and will, but, on the contrary, the one way is so big that it becomes a personal way for each man.

April Snowman

April Snowman
Originally uploaded by Chez VH.

And I was too lazy to go outside to take the picture. Believe me this was a very impressive snowman! The snow is melting rather quickly, though, and it seems surprising to see such green grass beneath!

Frankly Speaking: Easter Week Edition

While watching Ria work on her Latin homework (we're mostly taking the week off, but she's a little behind for her next class)...

"That eraser? You erase things? You erase the bad words?"

With remote control in hand (but Easter candy on the brain):

"Can I watch something yummy upstairs?"

Here comes trouble...

If any of my tulips or daffodils survive this snowfall - after all of the sub-freezing temperatures - I will be astounded. Sigh.

The Meaning of Christian Education

I'm finishing up reading the second part of Sacramentum Caritatis for our teen discussion tonight. I'm glad we decided to meet during Holy Week and Easter Week as the readings and discussions have been conducive to a better understanding and appreciation of the Easter Triduum celebrations.

Here's a short, but meaty quote from today's reading:

The aim of all Christian education, moreover, is to train the believer in an adult faith that can make him a "new creation", capable of bearing witness in his surroundings to the Christian hope that inspires him.

The Holy Father is speaking here in the context of religious education in preparation for the sacraments, but I think he's also pointing to a larger sense of the meaning and purpose of education.

In Praise of Cheap Kites

Kate's Kite
Originally uploaded by Chez VH.

The four middle kids were thrilled to get kites for Easter! These were very inexpensive kites found at our wonderful local hobby shop. I was seriously doubting the wisdom of this purchase, however, when I found my husband, duct tape in hand, patching up several kites only a few moments after they had been taken outside.

I took only a small period of observation to discover that it probably wasn't so much the kites - it was the kids. (Glad I didn't spent too much on those kites!) Kate, in particular, has a remarkable talent for kite demolition. She pulls it around by the string, indoors, outdoors and through-the-doors(ways). I'd need sound-effects to adequately describe the experience of watching this, but the picture tells all.

Kate is thoroughly delighted with her kite and convinced that it's better and flies higher than any of the other kites (she always explains this in the sweetest way too). Truth be told, she loves running around the yard with an odd collection of colorful plastic and broken sticks behind her.

Frank had similar success with his styrofoam airplane which has only very recently seen much better days. The first time out the door - *whack* - half of the tail broke off. Fortunately, it flew well even without half the tail. John managed some huge loops with it. Alas, it's high flying days are now over as it is wingless and tailless. Sigh. :)

Classic Kate

Kate
Originally uploaded by Chez VH.

Monday: Kate prepares for a morning of kite-flying and re-hunting of plastic Easter eggs. Love the glasses! More on the kites later.

Homeschool Blog Awards

Voting on the Homeschool Blog Awards has just begun. Love2learn Blog has been nominated for Best Group/Family Blog and LiberParma and ChesterTeens are both in the running for Best Teen Blog. There are lots of interesting blogs to check out among the nominees. Vote here.

Easter Triduum

We had a very nice Easter Triduum.

On Holy Thursday we prepared a very simple "seder" meal as we do every year. The funny thing was that I realized how very much the kids love this ritual. I roast lamb and we pick up parsley (to dip in salt water) and radishes (bitter herbs) as well as a fake haroseth (applesauce, raisins and peanuts mixed together) and both store-bought matzos and home-made unleavened bread. We generally put out a tablecloth and read a little from The Year and Our Children by Mary Reed Newland. The kids were just raving about how much they love this meal. Terri told me she had been looking forward to this meal for months and Gus said it was the best meal of the year that we eat at our house (he wasn't ready to have it top Uncle Mike's Thanksgiving feasts).

John took the older four kids to Mass at Holy Hill right after dinner (it always seems somewhat appropriate to be rushing off to Mass - at least keeping in the spirit of the first Passover). I didn't think the little ones could handle two late Masses so close together.

John had to work Friday morning, but the kids were very anxious to visit our usual Good Friday morning spot - the beautiful, life-size outdoor stations of the cross at Holy Hill. This year Archbishop Dolan led the stations and the kids really loved it. He's so friendly with the little ones and they managed to get fairly close to each station despite the big crowd (Ria - who was leading our bunch - realized she could follow right behind him and get everyone in fairly close). It really is a beautiful place of pilgrimage - many people drive up even from the Chicago area for Good Friday. It's gives us such a lovely sense of being Catholic that you don't always get in the United States. Not only is it a beautiful shrine (now officially a basilica!) but people visit from all over the world and speak many languages.

Friday afternoon, John and I watched the Passion of the Christ while the kids watched Jesus of Nazareth. It was the first time I watched it (at least in its entirety) since we saw it in the theatre. At the theatre, I found it so overwhelming that it was almost distracting. It didn't move me in the way I expected - kind of a sensory overload. I'm really glad I saw it again because I found it very beautiful and moving this second time through.

Saturday was busy with baking and cleaning until we left for the vigil Mass at our nearby Schoenstatt shrine. The Schoenstatt movement originated in Germany and has had a strong presence in Wisconsin for many years. Ria, Terri and Bernie have all been involved in girls' groups and retreats there. The vigil Mass is simple and very beautiful. It's really quite a small crowd, just a few families in addition to all of the Schoenstatt nuns and postulants. The sheltered location, the darkness, the cold, and the very simple architecture made it feel like we were swept away to some mountain hamlet in Europe for the night. The kids love the ritual of the Easter fire, the candles, the readings and singing of the psalms (and we all loved the harmonies that the sisters sang with each of the psalms). Frank was in awe when they sang the gloria with the bells ringing and lights being turned on one at a time. I had to spend most of the mass with him outside in the hallway (he had a nap that afternoon and was exuberantly joyful!), but it really was a beautiful night.

Heard this morning...

"Mommy, can we fly our kites in the basement?"

(it is still pretty chilly outside)

Good News on the Prayer Request...

I just wanted to update everyone on Emma Grace, who had open-heart surgery on Holy Thursday. All went well and she should be home by Wednesday! Thanks for your prayers, but please don't stop!

Happy Easter, everyone!!!! !!!!!!

Fr. Groeschel sheds more light on "Age Quod Agis"

I just came across this in The Virtue Driven Life (Our Sunday Visitor, 2006) in his chapter on temperance. I thought it was a nice addition to the Age Quod Agis [Do what you are doing] thread.

Part of temperance is taking care of ourselves. Obsessive-compulsive workaholism is obviously not a sign of temperance. Even if we enjoy our work, we need to practice temperance and get adequate rest. Careful, Benedict!

Enjoy what's going on while it's going on. If you go to the supermarket, enjoy it. Don't make it drudgery. Talk to the cashier. Speak to the people at the fruit counter. Chat with a neighbor. Try to get to know people, get them to talk to you, and make your passage through life pleasurable. If you are a private person and find it a chore or somewhat difficult to speak to strangers, at least smile. As an old extrovert, I deeply appreciate a quiet person with a genuine smile; in addition, such a person listens to us, which practically no one else does.

Slow down. Smell the flowers as you go by, and then you won't need too much of this world's goods. Enjoy your work and you won't need too much time off. Enjoy being at home and you won't have to go away so much.

Many people are intemperate because they are miserable and suffering. Their life is a big long misery, so they decide to brighten it up with mountains of potato chips. They're addicted to potato chips or sweets or even beer. Look at your own intemperateness and see if unhappiness is causing it.

Good Friday

God's passionate love for his people - for humanity - is at the same time a forgiving love. It is so great that it turns God against himself, his love against his justice. Here Christians can see a dim prefigurement of the mystery of the Cross: so great is God's love for man that by becoming man he follows him even into death, and so reconciles justice and love. (Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est)

There were solitudes beyond where none shall follow. There were secrets in the inmost and invisible part of that drama that have no symbol in speech; or in any severance of a man from men. Nor is it easy for any words less stark and single-minded than those of the naked narrative even to hint at the horror of exaltation that lifted itself above the hill. Endless expositions have not come to the end of it, or even to the beginning. And if there be any sound that can produce a silence, we may surely be silent about the end and the extremity; when a cry was driven out of that darkness in words dreadfully distinct and dreadfully unintelligible, which man shall never understand in all the eternity they have purchased for him; and for one annihilating instant an abyss that is not for our thoughts had opened even in the unity of the absolute; and God had been forsaken of God. (G.K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man)

Photo Courtesy of www.sxc.hu

Holy Thursday

Here's a little of what we're up to...

Putting on lamb for tonight's dinner (ala The Year and Our Children by Mary Reed Newland - which is funny because it's the only day of the year we've used this book for the last five or six years in a row)

Covering the statues and pictures with purple cloths (finally found them today!)

Covering the gardens with plastic (it's COLD and the tulips and daffodils were starting to come up)

Cleaning the house

Watching The 10 Commandments

Baking Unleavened Bread

Painting butterflies (Ria's secret project)

Trying to get things cleaned up for Easter

It's All About the Eucharist

We discussed the first part of Sacramentum Caritatis this evening. It was a perfect reading for Holy Week (or, as I've heard the Byzantine rite calls it - "The Week of the Bridegroom" - wow!).

This was indeed a wonderful follow-up to Deus Caritas Est and we found connections throughout. I only have time for some quick highlights for now (and if I don't do them now, I most likely never will)...

Introductory thought...

In the sacrament of the Eucharist, Jesus shows us in particular the truth about the love which is the very essence of God. It is this evangelical truth which challenges each of us and our whole being. For this reason, the Church, which finds in the Eucharist the very centre of her life, is constantly concerned to proclaim to all, opportune importune (cf. 2 Tim 4:2), that God is love. Precisely because Christ has become for us the food of truth, the Church turns to every man and woman, inviting them freely to accept God's gift.

Reform lies in the Eucharist...

The Church's faith is essentially a eucharistic faith, and it is especially nourished at the table of the Eucharist. Faith and the sacraments are two complementary aspects of ecclesial life. Awakened by the preaching of God's word, faith is nourished and grows in the grace-filled encounter with the Risen Lord which takes place in the sacraments: "faith is expressed in the rite, while the rite reinforces and strengthens faith." For this reason, the Sacrament of the Altar is always at the heart of the Church's life: "thanks to the Eucharist, the Church is reborn ever anew!" The more lively the eucharistic faith of the People of God, the deeper is its sharing in ecclesial life in steadfast commitment to the mission entrusted by Christ to his disciples. The Church's very history bears witness to this. Every great reform has in some way been linked to the rediscovery of belief in the Lord's eucharistic presence among his people.

Some key solutions...

We need a renewed awareness of the decisive role played by the Holy Spirit in the evolution of the liturgical form and the deepening understanding of the sacred mysteries.

From this eucharistic perspective, adequately understood, ecclesial communion is seen to be catholic by its very nature. An emphasis on this eucharistic basis of ecclesial communion can also contribute greatly to the ecumenical dialogue with the Churches and Ecclesial Communities which are not in full communion with the See of Peter. The Eucharist objectively creates a powerful bond of unity between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches, which have preserved the authentic and integral nature of the eucharistic mystery. At the same time, emphasis on the ecclesial character of the Eucharist can become an important element of the dialogue with the Communities of the Reformed tradition.

If the Eucharist is truly the source and summit of the Church's life and mission, it follows that the process of Christian initiation must constantly be directed to the reception of this sacrament. As the Synod Fathers said, we need to ask ourselves whether in our Christian communities the close link between Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist is sufficiently recognized. It must never be forgotten that our reception of Baptism and Confirmation is ordered to the Eucharist. Accordingly, our pastoral practice should reflect a more unitary understanding of the process of Christian initiation.

Here I would emphasize the importance of First Holy Communion. For many of the faithful, this day continues to be memorable as the moment when, even if in a rudimentary way, they first came to understand the importance of a personal encounter with Jesus. Parish pastoral programmes should make the most of this highly significant moment.

We know that the faithful are surrounded by a culture that tends to eliminate the sense of sin and to promote a superficial approach that overlooks the need to be in a state of grace in order to approach sacramental communion worthily. The loss of a consciousness of sin always entails a certain superficiality in the understanding of God's love. Bringing out the elements within the rite of Mass that express consciousness of personal sin and, at the same time, of God's mercy, can prove most helpful to the faithful. Furthermore, the relationship between the Eucharist and the sacrament of Reconciliation reminds us that sin is never a purely individual affair; it always damages the ecclesial communion that we have entered through Baptism....All priests should dedicate themselves with generosity, commitment and competency to administering the sacrament of Reconciliation. In this regard, it is important that the confessionals in our churches should be clearly visible expressions of the importance of this sacrament.

Obviously, this pastoral work on all levels also includes exploring the matter with families, which are often indifferent or even opposed to the idea of a priestly vocation. Families should generously embrace the gift of life and bring up their children to be open to doing God's will. In a word, they must have the courage to set before young people the radical decision to follow Christ, showing them how deeply rewarding it is.

At the same time, pastoral care must not be understood as if it were somehow in conflict with the law. Rather, one should begin by assuming that the fundamental point of encounter between the law and pastoral care is love for the truth: truth is never something purely abstract, but "a real part of the human and Christian journey of every member of the faithful"

Given the complex cultural context which the Church today encounters in many countries, the Synod also recommended devoting maximum pastoral attention to training couples preparing for marriage and to ascertaining beforehand their convictions regarding the obligations required for the validity of the sacrament of Matrimony. Serious discernment in this matter will help to avoid situations where impulsive decisions or superficial reasons lead two young people to take on responsibilities that they are then incapable of honouring.

There's SO much more to all of it that it would be lovely to go into more details about our discussion, but I'll just have to refer you to the text instead. It is complex and broad; lending itself very well to a group discussion. Part 2 next week.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for Emma Grace, a two year old (and daughter of my sister-in-law's friend) who will be having open heart surgery this Thursday - Holy Thursday. I was asked to pass this along to you.

Also, could you please say a quick prayer for our Bernie who will be making her First Confession this morning?

Thank you so much!

Which Church Father Are You?

You’re St. Justin Martyr! You have a positive and hopeful attitude toward the world. You think that nature, history, and even the pagan philosophers were often guided by God in preparation for the Advent of the Christ. You find “seeds of the Word” in unexpected places. You’re patient and willing to explain the faith to unbelievers. Find out which Church Father you are at The Way of the Fathers!

hat-tip Real Learning - because she comes before Way of the Fathers in my Google Reader list :)

John Paul 2 We Love You! (and miss you)

I still have a rather childish affection for Pope John Paul II. I'm proud to consider myself a JP2 Catholic insofar as he had a huge influence on my faith and formation. It's exciting and comforting to see this same enthusiasm in my children.

I was eight years old when he was elected and I learned soon afterwards that I was born on the Holy Father's 50th birthday.

I was seventeen when he came to California and my family saw him at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterrey (along with 50,000 other people!). It was so very moving to be there, even though we saw him from a great distance. I'm sure the Holy Spirit moved us in that place (as Minnesota Mom so ably described her experience at World Youth Day in 1993). I do remember that I had a hard time understanding the homily (I've always been rather poor at auditory processing - the crowd, the distance, the sound system, etc. didn't help), and hoped to read it later. Now I can! When he departed in an army helicopter, everyone was waving and crying and I was compelled to climb a bit of scaffolding nearby - to be closer, to express my enthusiasm, I don't know what, but it was a very memorable experience.

The rest of the connection to me is more wrapped up in his presence of faith, hope and optimism that carried through my awareness of Communism and his involvement in its collapse. Such a witness to the power of faith and hope! Such a powerful testimony to the reality that God raises up saints to change the world with him! When I am overwhelmed with the evil that goes on in this world; when I am frightened for my children and the harm that might come to them; it is his "Be Not Afraid!" that puts me back on the right track. His words were brought to life for me and so many others by his witness and by his actions during his lifetime - particularly as he continued to work and witness even in his suffering and illness.

Here's one of my very favorite articles published around the time of his death which tells an important piece of this story so very beautifully...

Why, the pope asked, had God lifted a Pole to the papacy? Perhaps it was because of how Poland had suffered for centuries, and through the 20th century had become "the land of a particularly responsible witness" to God. The people of Poland, he suggested, had been chosen for a great role, to understand, humbly but surely, that they were the repository of a special "witness of His cross and His resurrection." He asked then if the people of Poland accepted the obligations of such a role in history.

The crowd responded with thunder.

"We want God!" they shouted, together. "We want God!"

What a moment in modern history: We want God. From the mouths of modern men and women living in a modern atheistic dictatorship.

Read the whole article here.

I gathered a bunch of goodies (as well as the ever-present book reviews) at the time of his death on this love2learn page (I didn't start blogging until later that month, otherwise I probably would have posted the links here).

Look for a whole "fair" remembering Pope John Paul II here later today.

Also see "Pope John Paul II: One Step Closer to Beatification"

The Little Passport that Couldn't

Gulp. I took the April Fool's challenge from Minnesota Mom to post a 20 year old passport photo of myself (well, almost 20 years). It's a rather tired photo as my mom and I had trudged around San Francisco preparing for a last minute trip to Europe that didn't quite happen. It was the summer before I left for college and two $300 tickets became available. My dad decided it was a chance of a lifetime for the two of us to go, but in the end one of the tickets fell through and my mom visited Paris and parts of Italy instead. It was a pretty harried trip and I was busy with work to get $$$ for college, so I guess it was for the best... but I am still dreaming of going to Europe some day. (and that's no foolin!)