~ Blue Mass & Angels ~

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On the Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels, we attended the Blue Mass at our Cathedral.  It was a historic occasion, as it was the First Blue Mass celebration in our Cathedral.

 

Our Bishop and many other priests, deacons, and clergy came together to thank, pray and bless our men and women of the Police, Firemen and First Response Teams
within our two counties.

  

The first Blue Mass, celebrated in 1934, took place at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Washington, D.C.  The Mass is now celebrated in cities from coast to coast to honor the many law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel who gave their lives so that others might live.

Our Bishop specifically chose the Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels, October 2nd, as the day to celebrate The Blue Mass; and appropriately so!

Saint Michael the Archangel is the Patron Saint of Police Officers. 
St. Florian is the Patron Saint of Firefighters.

 

 

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Special roses from the garden to celebrate a special day...

We seem to use our Guardian Angel Candle regularly for special occasions, including Baptismal, First Communion & Confirmation Anniversaries. 
Butterfly & Conductor celebrate their Baptismal Anniversaries this month, while Butterfly celebrates her First Holy Communion anniversary as well as her Feast Day...October is full of special celebrations.
Heavenly Anniversaries is what I call them...dates that we have celebrated since their baptisms and dates that I have always taught my First Communion Students to cherish.
How do you celebrate?  Please share!

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I was SO HAPPY that my brother accepted our invitation to attend the Blue Mass.  He was asked by several people to participate in the procession...he humbly agreed and then branched off to sit with his sister (that's me!) and his nieces.  His nephew (Conductor) was proudly serving the Holy Mass.  It was both a very solemn and happy occasion.

 

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 I quickly snapped this shot, but missed what all the fun was about...
clearly something funny occurred...
 

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GOD BLESS AND PROTECT OUR POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS!!!

 

 AND GOD BLESS THOSE THAT HAVE GIVEN THEIR LIVES SERVING, PROTECTING AND DEFENDING US!!!


Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

St. Michael & St. Florian, Pray for us!
Holy Guardian Angels, intercede for us...

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~ Angel of God ~

I love my guardian angel.
And I am thankful for my guardian angel.

"From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercessions.  'Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.'  Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God."  (Catechism of the Catholic Church 336)."

Brethren, we will love God's angels with a most affectionate love; for they will be our heavenly co-heirs some day, these spirits who now are sent by the Father to be our protectors and our guides. With such bodyguards, what are we to fear? They can neither be subdued nor deceived; nor is there any possibility at all that they should go astray who are to guard us in all our ways. They are trustworthy, they are intelligent, they are strong — why, then, do we tremble? We need only to follow them, remain close to them, and we will dwell in the protection of the Most High God. So as often as you sense the approach of any grave temptation or some crushing sorrow hangs over you, invoke your protector, your leader, your helper in every situation. Call out to him and say: Lord, save us, we are perishing. —St. Bernard

Vatican Gardens - Rome, Italy 2013

"May the angels lead you into paradise;
may the martyrs come to welcome you
and take you to the holy city,
the new and eternal Jerusalem." (Rite for Christian Burial)

Altar Boy Pilgrimage 2013, Vatican Gardens

We will be bringing out the Guardian Angel Candle holder and baking some Angel food cake or maybe even some Angel Kisses...aka Meringues...

Altar boy Pilgrimage to Rome, Italy 2013

~ A Blessed Memorial of the

Holy Guardian Angels to All ~

~ Christmas Begins with Christ ~

I started this post with the hope of joining the "Keeping Christ In Christmas Carnival" over at Catholic Bloggers Network...maybe next year?!  :o)

The moment we have been waiting and preparing for...

I had also planned to post a few more of our Advent & Christmas traditions.
I'll finish my CHRISTmas post. 
Now that we are officially in Christmastide!  Let the Celebration begin...

I thought, since we call it a CHRISTmas Tree, that we should at least have ornaments that represent CHRIST on our tree.  Sound reasonable?

That would still include all the sweet little ornaments that my children have made over the years...and the thoughtful gifted ones from family and friends. 
At first, I started rotating some of the older and more sentimental ornaments...we've accumulated quite a few ornaments over the past 22 years (and those that we brought to the marriage - so, if you think about it, that's about 96 years of combined accumulation!! yikes).  We've lost some along the way...the count declined some at around the toddler years...no surprise there. 

Over the recent years, we have been collecting Christmas ornaments that are *CHRISTmas* themed...so, no snowman, ballet slippers, reindeer, or mouse ornaments - cute as they are.  We keep those *type* ornaments (that we already own) for sentimental reason, but have really been enjoying finding and adorning our tree with Christ-like ornaments.  Truly helping us to keep Christ in Christmas.

All things CHRISTmas. 

And, since I LOVE angels, and have quite the collection of angel ornaments, they are also included in the tree decor. 
Also, (and more importantly) since God has used good angels, as part of our Messianic history (as messengers and such), and are heavenly creatures - spiritual beings created by God, to serve and adore God and are our guardians;  They, too, have a place on our Christmas tree.  Besides, it was the angel Gabriel that announced the incarnation of our Lord to Mary...therfore, its appropriate to include angels. 

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”

Angel proclaiming the Good News!

  

A little history about our current Christmas tree...

First, I LOVE fresh cut trees.  For the first eight or nine years of our marriage, we bought (when we could afford to) fresh cut trees.

Unfortunately, the home that we were living in sustained some floor damage from the *moisture* of the tree.  Huh?

After the first year, I thought that maybe the water from the tree base had overflowed, or spilled (undetected) as I filled it...but that was not the case.

After the second year, and carefully placing a layer of blanket & plastic cover on the floor beneath the tree, and still the damage on our beautiful hardwood floors occurred, it was then that I decided to go *fake*. 
I would miss the delicious smell of pine in my home.  :o(
However, I would not miss the pine needles on the floor, carpet, rugs...  :o)

Lights check.

So I searched and found a tree on clearance, and we have had Old Faithful our fake tree ever since. 
The tree came with lights...good idea at the time.  After several years, the mid-section of the lights died.  So, now we string lights through that section!   (Be none the wiser).

 

It is safe to say that we have gotten our money's worth; probably saving a small fortune.  And when I yearn for the pine scent permeating throughout my home...I just haul in a branch.  :o)

And place the pine discreetly about my home...

 

HAPPY AND HOLY CHRISTMAS...and REMEMBER:

CHRISTMAS WAS NEVER ABOUT THE GIFTS

 

 

Hope you get lots of Presence for CHRISTmas! ;o)