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10 Reasons to Purge Your Home

Marie Kondo, famed home organizer, tells you to ask yourself, “Does it spark joy?” Here’s a different question…

C o u l d i t E x i s t i n H e a v e n ?

You may not know I have been blogging since about 2008. The original URL and title was “futurecatholic.net”. This URL still exists and directs to this current site. You also may not know that what you thought was gone from the internet may still be accessible at Wayback Machine. It’s hard to lose your past these days. My writing included more “conspiracy” stuff back then and when I started this site, I decided I should be less controversial. Since Covid, it doesn’t matter anymore. We now must all choose a side. So…I don’t care if you go back and look at it. Have fun with that!

Anyway, the point was, I posed the question above on the old site and got some flack for it. I recall someone saying this was too perfectionistic. Well, my only response to that is…

"Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect."

Matthew 5:48

Gonna argue with Him? For about the past 6 months, I’ve been purging and organizing my house. If you think I must be close to done, you think wrong, my friend! I do hope to step up the productivity in the coming months because it’s going way too slow. So far, I have worked mostly on books, papers, clothing and records (those things you used to spin and they would make music). Each type of item presents its own challenges, both emotionally and spiritually.

First of all, why purge at all? 10 reasons:

1) Your home will be more spacious and much easier to clean.

2) You will be better prepared if you need to suddenly move.

3) You will become more organized in the process, which is key to preparedness.

4) You will be letting go of things, helping you to confront emotional issues.

5) You will probably be ridding your family of sinful influences (and receiving graces for it!).

6) You will be giving to the needy.

7) You will be reducing pests.

8) De-cluttering your main residence can help you stock a remote location.

9) You can teach family members to do the same (and this can be great family-time as well!).*

10) You can bring in some income if you can sell some of it.

11) Bonus Reason: You will have more room for your important prepper supplies.

There are a few above points I’d like to expound upon…

#2: Moving-It is now time to begin creating our holy refuges, prophesied about by the mystics. If you don’t see why, pray on it and look around with a new set of eyes-this has been a long time coming. We can expect anything and everything from this point forward, as the New World Order advances its war on humanity and the Church. For a variety of reasons, you may find yourself needing to move suddenly. Being prepared to show your home and having less to pack will be much to your advantage.

#4: Letting Go-Many people never de-clutter because they do not want to deal with the memories and emotions that will come up. They may not even be consciously aware of this. The result is living in continued dysfunction and unfairly passing it all on to your children. This can create enormous stress and expense for them, on top of having to deal with death issues and selling a house. The fact is, those emotions belong to you. Dealing with them is part of your life journey and there is healing in the process. This summer, I finally went through my son’s baby clothes. It was hard. I cried. Much of it was still in good condition and we gave it to our local Saint Vincent de Paul thrift store. Physically holding the clothes in my hands, washing them, folding them one last time and sending them off to be worn by a new baby…it was a “letting go” ritual. It was something I needed to do and I feel so enriched by it. This is the kind of life experience that makes you are deeper, more sensitive person. And it helps you go on in a healthier state. As you continue to go through things, you will get stronger and come out the other side transformed. (Let me just say, if you super have trouble getting rid of something, that’s okay!-as long as its the exception and not the rule.)

#5: Sinful Influences-This one brings us to our question above, “Could it exist in Heaven?” What really happened on the Cross? When we die, we will see above all, that this life was not a joke. In this “Age of Separation” upon us, we must begin to see with greater clarity, the true corruption of the world. The world is regarding us more and more as enemies. It must go both ways. Let the separation begin. If we wait until these “precious” things are wrenched from our hands, we will have squandered any grace that could have been obtained by voluntarily letting go. We must secure mercy at this hour. We must make ourselves worthy to inherit the new world after all the dust settles. “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph!”

This issue came up heavily when I was going through my records. In my youth, they meant everything to me. I would not have been able to conceive that one day I would be tossing them in the trash. I held myself to about the hardest standard, discarding those with only one offensive song or an immodest image. If the good is tethered to the evil, it must be cast into the fire with it. We can allow nothing corrupt to harm the little ones who will take refuge with us. The new world must be pure before God’s Heavenly Throne. After trashing most of them, I was left with folk, classical, “ambient” and some benign pop music. I was amazed how easy it was. After doing the baby clothes, I feel I can do anything. Another thing-corrupt items must be thrown out, no matter how valuable they are. Passing on the evil does no good. This is the kind of thing that separates the men from the boys in the spiritual realm.

#7: Pests-Didn’t know we had mice in the attic. Now I do.

#8: Remote Location-If you have a summer house or another property, some of the items you find may do well in that location. For a summer house, that extra veggie peeler or old vacuum could be useful and help save money. If you rent another property, you may wish to store some things there in a locked area.

When considering what to do with possessions you no longer need, it can help to think outside the box. For instance, I traded some of my books at a local used bookstore. The 2 books I wound up getting were on traditional woodworking and organic gardening. K-ching! Books I can really use going forward (and they are good hardcover ones). As for my experience purging piles of papers, we actually have a new usable chair in the dining room and it is so refreshing to be able to find something quickly and easily in my files. There are countless resources and systems out there now for de-cluttering. Half the battle is getting started, then you just need to incorporate it into your routine. If you’re really having difficulty, as with everything else, pray on it!

*Unless you’ve got hoarders in your family, in which case it will be “Dysfunctional Family Thanksgiving on steroids.”

A Message of Encouragement from Taylor Marshall:

…in the Face of Mandates, Trad Wars and Fatigue

I haven’t been in the best mood today since Biden’s new vaccination mandates are going to affect my husband. It seems, every other day, some terrible stress is coming along…as Leonard Cohen said, it’s “Closing Time.” The whole world is engulfed-I know it is not just my family. My heart goes out to all of you who are also suffering with many things at this hour, some of the normal sufferings of life, along with what the New World Order is dishing out. In a recent post, I asked for prayers for my father-in-law. He was just moved to a Catholic nursing home in New York. We are very concerned about his well-being because they only allow one-hour visits (because of Covid, of course), and he does not like to be alone. This will surely deteriorate his condition mentally, and most likely physically as well. Just one more Covid contradiction. It’s not about saving lives. It never was. Another strange thing about this nursing home is that they make you remove the mask upon entry and put a different one on. Not only have you just theoretically increased Covid exposure by removing the mask, you have also just touched the mask they feel is contaminated, in addition to your face. They also require appointments to visit, which must be made 24 hours in advance. They don’t always pick up the phone (apparently visitation doesn’t need to be a priority in a nursing home) and they ask for all kinds of personal information when you visit (perhaps for tracing if there is a Covid case). “Safe & Healthy!”

All of this makes for great challenge, needless to say. Tonight, as I reluctantly glanced at what the YouTube gods decided to send my way, the video above popped up. It’s exactly what I needed. We all need encouragement right now, and going forward. Marshall gives some very good advice and gives a strong witness about the importance of the Holy Rosary. If you’re feeling down too, please watch…and know Our Blessed Lord is always with us!

Hurricane Henri: Real-Life Preparedness Situation

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Our Lady of the Island, Pray for Us!

Our Lady of the Island Shrine ~ Manorville, Long Island

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Exactly one week ago, the news was predicting an imminent hurricane, with winds up to 110 mph, likely flooding and power outages…headed straight for my house on Long Island. What do you do when you are in this situation? You secure your home as best as possible. Then you leave. If you can. And we did.

However, I never worry too much because…A) I trust in God B) We are preppers C) We’ve already had lots of experience with crazy stuff here in New York, from 9/11 to being the Covid epicenter to all your New York lunatics running around. So, my general feeling was…here we go again. And as a prepper, I am always grateful for one more real-life learning experience. There is even some sense of excitement for weirdos like me. Looking back on all the other things, I can see how much I learned and how much stronger I feel as a result. It also gives me the life experience to help lead others through the chastisement which is now upon the world. Hence, this ministry.

We spent the whole day before the storm securing everything outside and leaving things the best we could (appliances, computers, etc, that you really care about should be unplugged due to potential power surges which can short them out…but no, we did not shut off the fridge, but we took all the food we could, due to a possible outage). We also left our phone number with the neighbors in case the house was damaged (we have a lot of trees, which we just had trimmed, along with taking down a few which were hanging over the house-this gave us much peace of mind). When we got on the road, it became clear that lots of other people had the same idea…leave. Did I mention you should have a full tank of gas? (Always keep it at least half full.) Prior to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, people ran out of gas on the road, the traffic was so bad.

Regarding another Hurricane Katrina detail, don’t go to the Superdome. If everyone is going in one direction, go the opposite direction. Don’t rely on FEMA to save you. Katrina was an utter disaster. Be self-reliant! Have a plan and a location, or even several locations (what are friends and family for, anyway?). So…we drove to our (undisclosed) bug-out place. We stayed a few days to avoid the traffic rush back, which proved to be smart because some major roads were closed due to mud accumulation. Never take anything for granted-the Covid insanity should be teaching us this as well.

We’ll get to Hurricane Henri and how it turned out, but first, let’s look at Sandy, from 2012. Sandy illustrates why you should be concerned about hurricanes, even if they are only Category 1. It’s the reason we and all those other people decided to leave…

Hurricane Sandy is now infamous in the New York area. It claimed 131 lives in the US alone. It was a Category 1 when it hit, with 80 mph winds. But don’t let a minor Category rating fool you into thinking a storm is not dangerous. According to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, “The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating based only on a hurricane's maximum sustained wind speed. This scale does not take into account other potentially deadly hazards such as storm surge, rainfall flooding, and tornadoes.” At its worst, Sandy was a Category 3 and then deceptively turned into a mere tropical storm. Soon after, it picked up speed and made landfall in New Jersey. It dumped up to 12 inches of rain in some areas, caused massive power outages (our power was shut off before it even hit) and sent 20,000 people to shelters (not where you really want to be-they ain’t no Hiltons). Tragically, most of the deaths were due to drowning, many in their own homes. Other causes of death were trauma, carbon monoxide, car accidents and electrocution (see note below). Some of the reasons reported for why people failed to evacuate were: fear of homes being looted, misjudging severity of the storm and having no access to transportation. Another possible reason is one may want to stay with his home in case it is damaged, thinking the damage could be better managed. This is not entirely without logic, though is it worth risking your life? In addition, you may not be able to obtain services for some time and do you really want to wait out a storm with a tree in your living room? But…we stayed through Sandy…and it was terrifying at the height of the storm, the wind howling and fearing a tree would careen through a window at any moment. We prayed and we were fine-not even one tree came down.

The day Henri hit was both the feast of the Queenship and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Toward the eastern end of Long Island lies the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island, with its huge statue of Our Lady overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, a short distance away. She seems to be protecting us upon a great stone, holding up her Divine Child. There is much devotion to her on this little island, which contains 2 of the boroughs of New York City. Henri veered to the east, weakened to a tropical storm (just under Category 1) and made its main landfall in Rhode Island. However, New York did get some of the brunt. There was record-breaking rainfall with major flooding…also power outages and fallen trees. Our area was pretty good and there was no damage to our house. Sadly, 2 deaths took place (according to my research, but full reporting may take some time) in North Carolina, due to riptides.

A week later, we are still re-assembling our yard. It was a lot of work dealing with all the things on the deck, plants, statues, solar lights and my collection of chimes (don’t want anyone killed by flying chimes) around the property. Turned out we had no damage at all! How did our preparedness help in this situation? If we had to stay, we have 2 generators with a supply of gas, along with general supplies. We have cultivated good relationships with our neighbors. And we’ve been to confession. Some things we need work on: communications, organizing of supplies and home improvement. That is why prepping is a lifestyle-there is always something to improve and to learn. The recent landscaping was extremely valuable. As for going on the road, it is good that we are used to traveling and always have supplies, including a serious survival bug-out bag, in the car. Our remote location is also stocked with supplies.

Hurricanes give you only a few days warning at best and other kinds of disasters can come on suddenly. Then there is the societal trend toward greater instability and the emerging New World Order, which is another whole level of preparedness. Please stay tuned to this blog, as we will continue these conversations in the coming days.

Important safety note if your basement is flooded

Take great care before venturing into a flooded basement, because death by electrocution is a possibility. My own cousin knew a family who lost both a father and his son during Hurricane Sandy on Staten Island, due to this very situation. If you have any doubt, please call for help before entering your basement. Also, do not enter any dangerous or dark areas of your house without a flashlight, in the event you are caught suddenly in a power outage (this actually happened to me and it wasn’t fun).

Image courtesy https://www.ourladyoftheisland.com

August is Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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~~~ immaculate heart of mary, pray for us! ~~~

Whatever our difficulties and sorrows may be, we have been given, by Our Lord Himself from the Cross, the most wonderful of Mothers! Let us this month, flee to her in all our need and honor her Most Immaculate Heart, so desiring of reparation. This is a fabulous time to start the “Communion of Reparation 5 First Saturdays,” instituted by Our Lady of Fatima. The feast of the Immaculate Heart is celebrated on the 22nd, along with the Queenship of Our Lady-what a beautiful double Marian feast! Of course, we also have the Assumption, a holy day of obligation, on the 15th, along with several other feasts of Our Lady this month. August gives us 3 saints with particular love for Mary: Saints Alphonsus, Dominic and Maximilian Kolbe. In addition, we celebrate the father of the Blessed Virgin, the day after the Assumption. Let us not forget the Transfiguration of Our Lord, the 4th Luminous Mystery, on the 6th.

We honor both Saint Teresa Benedicta and Saint Maximilian Kolbe, who met their deaths at Aushwitz, Kolbe one year earlier. We also have Saint Rose of Lima and Saint Fiacre, both patrons of gardeners on the 30th!

We have spent the past year giving the titles (names attributed to them) of all 35 Doctors of the Church. We will now begin to provide one of their best-known works with each noted feastday. This month, we honor 3 of the most superlative Doctors! Saint Alphonsus has been noted as the most popular writer of all time (including Shakespeare)…Saint Bernard is quite possibly the most prolific miracle-worker of all time…and Saint Augustine has been called the “Doctor of Doctors,” his Confessions being the most widely read spiritual book for 1,000 years.*

Here are some notable feasts this month from both the old and new calendars:

8/1-St. Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor of the Church, Founder of the Redemptorists, author The Glories of Mary

8/2-St. Alphonsus Liguori (trad)

8/4-St. John Vianney / St. Dominic, Seer of the Holy Rosary

8/5-OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS

8/6-First Friday / TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD

8/7-First Saturday

8/8-St. John Vianney (trad) / St. Dominic (new)

8/9-St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), Jewish convert, killed at Aushwitz

8/11-St. Clare (Chiara) of Assisi

8/12-St. Clare (Chiara) of Assisi (trad)

8/14-St. Maximilian Kolbe, martyred at Aushwitz / VIGIL OF THE ASSUMPTION

8/15-THE ASSUMPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (Holy Day of Obligation)

8/16-St. Joachim, Father of the Blessed Virgin

8/17-OUR LADY OF KNOCK

8/20-St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church, author Canticle of Canticles

8/21-St. Pius X, Pope of the Eucharist

8/22-QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY / IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

8/23-St. Rose of Lima, Patroness of Gardeners

8/24-St. Bartholomew, Apostle

8/27-St. Monica, Mother of St. Augustine / SEVEN JOYS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (non-standard)

8/28-St. Augustine of Hippo, Doctor of the Church, author Confessions

8/29-Passion of St. John the Baptist

8/30-St. Rose of Lima (trad) / St. Fiacre of Brie, Patron of Gardeners (non-standard)

* Source: The 35 Doctors of the Church Buy it!

Image courtesy acatholiclife.blogspot.com

Flower #2...

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Lillies

Lillies are ubiquitous, but how much do you know about them? They certainly are beautiful, most are fragrant, they support pollinators and are easy perennials, grown from bulbs. Some grow as tall as 6 to 8 feet and are called “tree lillies.” The Daylily is of a different plant family, yet the flowers are similar. They are called “daylillies” because they blossom for only one day.

Common lillies are: Oriental (among tallest), Asiatic, Martagon (if you want numerous blossoms), Trumpet/Aurelian, Tiger (grows wild all over the New York area, where I live) and Rubrum. The white “Easter Lily” we are so familiar with is a variety of the fragrant Trumpet Lily. Here are some little-known facts about the Easter Lily which adorns our altars every year as we celebrate Our Lord’s Resurrection…

1) There are no known hazards. 2) Can often be found on the coastline. 3) According to Plants For A Future, the bulb is edible and “can be used as a vegetable in similar ways to potatoes.” 4) Also according to PFAF, the bulb has been used to treat coughs, insomnia and other ailments. 5) A fragrant essential oil can be extracted from the flowers.

Flower #1 / Plants For A Future

Please see the previous post for recent pictures of some of my flowers. I asked our readers to guess what they are (some are quite easy) and now I will be giving some answers with some info, mostly taken from “Plants For A Future.” The purpose here is not necessarily to get you interested in these particular flowers, but to pique your interest in flowers (one of the many things that show the nature of God Himself and His love for us)…and to show how all plants have some prepper/sustainable/ecological use and many are even medicinal. Here is one…

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MOUNTAIN LAUREL

This unique shrub is also known as Calico Bush or Spoonwood. The photo above shows its wonderful potential as an ornamental and privacy bush. It is native to the Eastern United States. I am fortunate enough to have several of these-they produce the most exquisite flowers. They are so delicately designed, it looks as if our Heavenly Father hand-painted each one. They have no fragrance. Mine are white, but they also come in pink and red tones. The plant is highly poisonous. It is however, considered somewhat medicinal, but the poisonous properties mean it should only be used by an herbal medicine professional. I am delighted to have them though, the flowers are so beautiful. Some useful things about Mountain Laurel: attracts birds (I do have a variety of birds), the leaves may be used to create a yellow/tan dye, the roots have traditionally been used to make spoons, due to the durability of the wood (hence the name Spoonwood). We know it is toxic to humans and animals. It may be possible, in a rustic setting, to use it for euthanizing animals, if it works quickly and does not produce undue pain. I don’t know-this would have to be researched (but this is the way we need to start thinking, if the goal for us is to leave this corrupt and dangerous society).

My Mountain Laurels are growing on the side of a wooded hill in a shady area with rich, moist soil. I feel that one was probably planted long ago and self-seeded to create a few more. I love them mostly for their ornamental nature, though it is fun to think about making dye. I would eat with my hands before I would cut them down to make spoons! And if you consider the name, one could fashion a crown with the leaves, as the ancient Greeks did to honor winners of the Pythian games. I am cherishing them and if they start to die, I will take measures to cultivate more of them.

Many spiritual people have observed how nature often seems a metaphor for the higher reality…”As Above, So Below.” God gives us lessons when we observe His creation, if we have eyes to see them. What does Mountain Laurel teach us? I think the most obvious answer lies in the fact that it is so seemingly innocent and lovely, yet the leaves are so deadly, the American indigenous people used them to commit suicide. Beware of the outward appearance of things. As we are told in every traditional Holy Mass, from Psalms 25:10: “In whose hands are iniquities, their right hand is filled with gifts.” How do we apply that to what is going on right now? Don’t think I need to spell that out.

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Plants For A Future

Plants For A Future is a non-profit that operates on a high level of ecological philosophy and systems, to help the architects of these systems choose appropriate plants. Their philosophy is much like Nomen Christi Apostolate’s, in that it is concerned with respecting the natural order and economizing time, effort and energy. These are important aspects of the “Authentic Life” and survivability outside the industrial/tech world. These ideas are not only essential for those considering the establishment of off-grid communities, but for anyone who wants to live a more prepared, self-reliant life. From their “About” page:

“It is our belief that plants can provide people with the majority of their needs, in a way that cares for the planet's health. A wide range of plants can be grown to produce all our food needs and many other commodities, whilst also providing a diversity of habitats for our native flora and fauna. There are over 20,000 species of edible plants in the world yet fewer than 20 species now provide 90% of our food. Large areas of land devoted to single crops increase dependence upon intervention of chemicals and intensive control methods with the added threat of chemical resistant insects and new diseases…Our emphasis is on growing perennial plants with some self-seeding annuals, a large part of the reason for this is the difference in the amount of time and energy it takes to cultivate and harvest crops. Annuals means the cultivation of the ground every year, sowing the seeds, controlling the weeds, adding fertilizers and attempting to control pests and diseases. It all seems so much extra work compared to planting a perennial and waiting to harvest its yield. Especially when you consider that even with all the effort put into growing carrots their yield for the same area of ground will be less than that of a fruit tree and will only last the one season…We aim to recover lost knowledge and learn more about the hundreds of medicinal plants that we can grow, in a race to find safe natural alternatives to drugs used today. Plants can also provide us with fibers for clothes, rope and paper, oils for lubricants, fuels, water proofing and wood preservatives, dyes, construction materials and more.”

Plants For A Future is known for their database of over 7,000 plants, explaining all basic info about them. You can use it to get ideas for new plants or to investigate those you already have. It can be used more technically, or less. For instance, if you’re looking for specifics such as growth rate, soil pH, pollution tolerance, livestock feed or types of pollinators, you can do that. If you just want hardiness zones and sun needs, you can do that too.

For a newish gardener, when looking for new plants, please see Before You Start, which will show you the issues you need to be looking at. From that page: “Choosing unsuitable plants creates more work and often dead plants.” How true. There is so much else on this website, if you peruse it long enough, it is like a course in gardening or landscaping. All the various aspects of gardening can be overwhelming for the newbie, but please take care not to get discouraged. If it were that difficult, the human race would have gone extinct long ago. From my own past experience, I can say, if you have no idea what you are doing and in fact, do everything wrong, you will still have some success. So, be optimistic, leave all in God’s hands and enjoy the journey of greater independence and oneness with nature.

Image courtesy siteone.com/en/68035b-kalmia-latifolia-mountain-laurel/p/572399

Organic Plant-Killing Methods / The Old Farmer's Almanac

[Edited since posting.]

Mini Update: Posting has been light since I am inundated with several things at once right now. I will do my best during this busy time to keep up (but it may stay light for a while), continue to make improvements and move forward. As always, I appreciate your patience. I am working on a few more yard pics and you will see the progress of my son’s project as soon as he gets around to texting me the pics…I guess sending Mommy pictures of his plants is not the top priority of this 20-something young man…and I guess I should be happy about that…because that would make him a tad….weird…right?

Now to the topic at hand…why do I use the word “plant” and not the word “weed?” Because “weed” is a pejorative! So many “weeds” create pretty flowers, are good for the ecology and are medicinal. Our modern culture has forgotten what God has given us in nature. We have developed fear and distaste for nature in many ways. An “authentic life” understands that we are nature and nature is us. There is no separation. And you cannot love what you fear.

Having said all that high-minded philosophical stuff, sometimes certain plants just gotta go! When pulling out by the roots is for some reason less of an option and you don’t want to use toxic chemicals, what can you do? I am going to cheat a little and simply refer you to an Old Farmer’s Almanac article entitled, “Homemade Herbicides: 5 Natural Ways to Weed.” The 5 methods mentioned are: boiling water, fire (I have to tell you NOT to do this on the off chance that someone tries it, burns down their house and then sues me), salt, vinegar and borax. I have to say, the method I feel most comfortable with is boiling water.* Fire…we discussed that already. Salt, vinegar and borax all have the potential to have a negative impact on the soil. However, if you take care to use these methods properly, they may be good options.

I have been collecting useful articles from The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Following are a few, starting with an intro to “Gardening for Everyone,” a series of articles for beginners or those who wish to brush-up on their knowledge. I love these articles because they are short, well-outlined and to the point. Please think about subscribing to them-you can choose the types of emails you receive…

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Gardening for Everyone Grow Your Own Food with Our Step-By-Step Series

Tick Bites/Lyme Disease/Treatment

Poison Ivy: Identifying and Treating Poison Ivy Rashes

Plants that Repel Mosquitoes and Other Insects

Home Remedies for Colds

10 Easiest Vegetables to Grow at Home

* Let me just say with something like poison ivy, that has strong poisonous oils, I’m not sure the boiling water method is safe (burning it probably isn’t good either). The steam may be able to carry the oils right up into your face (I don’t know how scientific this is). I’m just very cautious about poison ivy because I had a severe case of it once. It spread all over my body and I won’t traumatize you with the details. It was one of the worst experiences of my life, and that’s saying a lot. So, I would be cautious about this method when dealing with this type of plant. I was also stung by a nest a bees once (one of my worst experiences as well)…but still, I don’t fear nature…

Nature must be respected and understood, not feared.

June: Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

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Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy Upon Us!

“My Divine Heart is so inflamed with love for mankind … that It can no longer contain within Itself the flames of Its burning charity and must spread them abroad.”

Our Lord to Saint Margaret Mary

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as we know it today, began in France after Saint Margaret Mary received several visions. Our Lord requested a devotion of reparation, the Nine First Fridays and a feast of reparation, to be held the Friday after the octave of Corpus Christi. We know this feast as the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is linked to Corpus Christi because His Heart is contained within His Corpus. There is also an indulgenced novena for this feast, to be started this year, June 2nd. See Novena to the Sacred Heart. What a wonderful time it is this month, to perform one of these great treasures of the Faith! There has never been a time when it has been more needed.

The feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the day after the feast of the Sacred Heart. Holy Church shows us how intimately the 2 Hearts are joined, they are celebrated together. Just as Our Lord asked Saint Margaret Mary for reparation to His Heart, Our Lady of Fatima asked for reparation to her heart, particularly in the Five First Saturdays, which mirrors the Nine First Fridays.

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“In order that favors may flow in greater abundance on all Christians, even on the whole human race, from the devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, let the faithful see to it that devotion to the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of God be closely joined to the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus … It is, then, entirely fitting that the Christian people — who received the divine life from Christ through Mary — after they have paid their debt of honor to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, should also offer to the most loving Heart of their Heavenly Mother the corresponding acts of piety, affection, gratitude and expiation.”

Venerable Pope Pius XII, 20th Century Pope

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June also celebrates the birth of Saint John the Baptist, Saint Barnabas and 2 other early Christian warriors, Peter and Paul (whose potential was seen initially by Barnabas). We honor 4 Doctors of the Church, including the beloved Franciscan Saint Anthony of Padua, often shown with the Christ Child in his arms (one of his companions once peered at him and saw the young Jesus with him). Here is a selection of some of June’s notable feasts….

6/3-CORPUS CHRISTI (trad)

6/4-First Friday

6/5-First Saturday

6/6-MOST HOLY BODY & BLOOD OF CHRIST (new)

6/9-St. Ephrem, Doctor, “Harp of the Holy Ghost” “Mary’s Own Singer” “Father of Hymnody”

6/11-MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS (Friday solemnity) / St. Barnabas, Early Apostle (recruited St. Paul from Tarsus, probably martyred)

6/12-IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

6/13-St. Anthony of Padua, Doctor, “Doctor of the Gospel” “Hammer of Heretics” “Ark of Both Covenants”

6/14-St. Basil the Great, Doctor, “Father of Eastern Monasticism”

6/18-St. Ephrem (trad)

6/22-St. Thomas More, Martyr

6/23-Vigil of Nativity of St. John the Baptist

6/24-Nativity of St. John the Baptist

6/26-St. (Monsignor) Josemaria Escriva, 20th Century Saint, Founder of Opus Dei

6/27-St. Cyril of Alexandria, Doctor, “Doctor of the Incarnation” “Seal of the Fathers”

6/28-Vigil of Sts. Peter & Paul

6/29-Sts. Peter & Paul, Apostles

6/30-First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

Notes: The titles of the Doctors of the Church are taken from The 35 Doctors of the Church. We give both old and new feasts, since people are coming from all parts of the world and all perspectives. Also, the future Church will not be divided-we must work toward unity.

Image courtesy patheos.com

Pentecost / Whitsunday

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Preface from the Tridentine Mass:

It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God, through Christ our Lord. Who ascending above all the heavens and sitting at Thy right hand, poured out on this day the promised Holy Spirit upon the children of adoption. Wherefore the whole world doth rejoice with overflowing joy; and the heavenly Hosts also and the angelic Powers sing together the hymn of Thy glory, evermore saying:

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth! Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua! Hosanna in excelsis! Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini! Hosanna in excelsis!

From the New Marian Missal:

“Our Lord Jesus Christ, being seated on the right hand of God, sent, as He had promised, the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, who, after His ascension, continued in prayer at Jerusalem, in company with the Blessed Virgin, awaiting the performance of His promise. Let us pray in like manner with the Church: Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and kindle in them the fire of Thy love.”

Introit:

The Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole world, alleluia; and that which containeth all things hath knowledge of the voice, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered: and let them that hate Him flee from before His face.

Let us contemplate the above words and pray with all our hearts to the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity, as the world now begins to grant benefits to those who have received the abortion-tainted Covid vaccine (not to mention many other concerns about these vaccines)…and begins to deprive those who refuse it. Let us understand we are at war and must prepare for the fight to increase. O Come Holy Ghost, give us courage and all the wisdom and grace we need to face this situation upon us!

Remember Pentecost is an octave, a time to be joyful and continue in our prayers to the Holy Ghost. For a short meditation on the Descent of the Holy Ghost, please see “Rosary Meditations” to the right>>>

Image courtesy Discount Catholic Store, which we previously did a post on. Purchase this Holy Spirit Suncatcher here!

Gardening Pics

Blessings on this Ascension Thursday and feast of Our Lady of Fatima. O Lord ascended in glory, have mercy on us! Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!

If you haven’t seen the previous post “Gardening/Landscaping Projects,” please do. This is my son’s gardening project, which is mostly un-germinated seeds (wow!) and random yard pics from the past month. We have a blank slate of a landscape now, but just showing you a few things…

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“Jiffy Seed Starting Greenhouse Kit with Expanding Peat Pellets.” Say that 10x fast. My son bought this at The Home Depot and though it uses peat moss, I think it’s pretty cool. He made cryptic markings on the label sticks to keep the orientation and wrote it all out on a planting map. If you look carefully, you can see tiny blue seeds in the 2 rows to the far left. These are Ferry-Morse “Sow Easy” chives, rosemary and thyme. As explained on their website: “Sow Easy seeds are pelleted with an all-natural coating made from a mix of clay, perlite, and FDA-approved food coloring. This coating adds some bulk to small seeds and stands out in the soil, making direct sowing and accurate spacing easier than ever. However, the coating does add a few days to the germination time.” These are resting upon the soil because my son felt like putting some above and some below the soil. As always with gardening…we’ll see what happens!

Where’s all this going to be planted? My son has access to some property near his apartment, where he will be planting. Some may stay here. We will follow the progress as it goes on.

I just learned how to do a gallery! A few words: I adore my apricot & pink striped tulips, I also love the paperwhites-they are quite fragrant, marigolds repel mosquitoes which is a big prob in these parts, the poison ivy fence…just don’t ask.

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My flamingo solar light next to my “Footprints” stone.

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This is the life! Is it? Why do I always have to get philosophical?